10 Things To Do In New York When Visiting

I love New York is what it says on the t-shirts, but of course I am also saying this. New York is one of my favourite places to visit and this year I travelled to New York twice. The first trip I took was in May with family, the weather was still pretty chilly then and we did a few more tourist spots that I hadn’t seen before. Then in August I was lucky enough to go over on a press trip with Michael Bublé perfume, it was the first time I had visited in the summer and I was worried about how hot it would be, but it was lovely and warm and it wasn’t too humid. Each trip was completely different and gave me some more great recommendations to share with you.

So if you are planning a visit in the New Year, then here are my top ten things I’d recommend doing on your visit.

1. Sunset At The Top Of The Rock

The top of the Rockefeller Center gives amazing views over New York and you can even see the Empire State Building from it, so it is the perfect way to capture some amazing photos. The best time to visit the top of the rock is definitely sunset. However it is busier, so if crowds aren’t your thing then maybe go another time, but if you fancy it, you will get one of the best views you will ever see.

Seeing the New York City skyline from day to-night is so spectacular that I would recommend it highly. Check out my post on my visit at sunset at the top of the rock with all the info and what you can expect.

2. Day trip To Coney Island

Who knew New York had a beach? I visited Coney Island on my visit this summer and it blew me away! We had a glorious day for it and lining Coney Island is a fantastic beach and fairground. At the Luna Park fairground you can expect a big ferris wheel, a Zoltar fortune-teller machine, a carousel and plenty of fun games and rides.

Everything is so colourful and there is so much food too, from lobster rolls to frozen margaritas. You can really make a day of it here on a nice day. So bring your bikini and your sun cream and your all set. Read more about my visit to Coney Island here.

3. Walk The Highline

The Highline is a disused railway line thats runs from West 34th Street all the way down to 10th and 12th Avenue where you’ll find the Whitney Museum of Art and the Meatpacking District. It’s free to walk along and takes you above the streets of New York for a pretty sweet view. Along the Highline you’ll find food and art sculptures and you can perch on one of the seats and just watch the world go by with your Starbuck’s drink.

You can get on and off the Highline whenever you want so you don’t have to walk the whole line. How long does it take to walk the Highline? I’d say a good half hour to hour, depending how fast you walk and how often you stop to take pictures/admire the views. You can read about my visit to the Highline here.

4. Cross The Brooklyn Bridge

Whichever way you go across the bridge, it should take just over 30 minutes to walk across it. So whether your going from New York to Brooklyn or vice versa it shouldn’t take more than that really. This is the perfect opportunity to grab some scenic photos with New York in the background.

Plus if you walk to Brooklyn it’s worth visiting the Dumbo area. Make sure to stick to the walking side to avoid the cycling bells when you trespass onto the cycle lanes. Again a great one for a clear dry day. Read about my visit to the Brooklyn Bridge here.

5. Make Your Own Lipstick At Bite Lip Lab 

When searching for things to do on my trip in May this year, I came across Bite Lip Lab. Owned by Bite Beauty cosmetics, this lip lab enables you to book an appointment and create your very own custom lipstick shade. I booked well in advance, it books up very quickly and on my visit made two shades of lipstick which were then made in front of me and I was able to take them home there and then.

This is a really fun experience for any beauty lover and the Bite Beauty girls were very patient with my indecisiveness. Check out what colours I picked from my visit to Bite Lip Lab New York.

6. Visit 230 Rooftop Bar on 5th

One of the best bars I’ve been to in New York was 230 bar on 5th. This rooftop bar and garden has an amazing view across New York and we had one of the best tables, looking right over at the Empire State Building. I was only here in the evening but I can imagine the view during the day or when it is light would be equally if not more amazing.

We had some really lovely cocktails and bar food here, I would definitely recommend it. It doesn’t look like a bar at all from the outside so don’t be put off by the office type building, oh and make sure to bring ID they are pretty strict.

7. Take A Picture In Times Square

If this is your first visit to New York or even if it isn’t, I had this picture taken on my last trip before the Bublé event, then definitely take a picture in Times Square. The square is so impressive with all the lights. If you have visited Piccadilly Circus in London, then this is the equivalent to the flashing light advertisements on steroids. It’s worth waiting for the cluster of people to move just to get that shot and don’t worry about asking someone to move, everyone is there for the same reason. So grab your camera and your glad rags and get that shot.

8. Stroll Through Central Park

I love Central Park and each time I visit I see something new. From riding on the horse and carriage on my birthday and seeing where they filmed Home Alone and many other movies to in summer seeing the row boats and kids playing with the motorised boats. In summer though it really is beautiful and it is such a lovely place to go and relax, that you could spend hours here. I definitely saw such a contrast from Winter/Spring to Summer in Central Park, so if you can visit in Summer then it’s one of my must-sees.

9. Pretend You Live In Carrie Bradshaw’s Apartment

Walking down an unexpected street in New York and you may stumble upon Carrie Bradshaw’s apartment. In summer I however did know where I was going and I was excited to get a picture outside of the apartment where they filmed Carrie’s famous scenes from Sex & The City.

This was the last day of our trip so unfortunately I didn’t come prepared in tutu skirt Carrie style. So where is Carrie’s apartment? You can find Carrie’s apartment on 6 Perry Street in the West Village, not actually the Upper East Side as we are led to believe in the show.

10. Take A Boat Ride To The Statue Of Liberty

I feel like you haven’t been to New York if you haven’t visited the Statue of Liberty and I am so glad I finally did. The statue is truly an impressive sculpture and offers some fab views across the water on the boat there, but also of course when climbing the Statue. You can either choose to climb up to the pedestal or the crown.

The crown tickets sell out fast and we weren’t able to secure these, however one thing to note is there is alot of stairs, so be prepared for that, especially if you are with older family members. You can read more about my visit to the Statue of Liberty here.

Do you have a trip planned to New York? I’d love to hear your recommendations!

More New York Posts

Highline New York

Best Time To Visit Top Of The Rock?

Brooklyn Bridge

Coney Island New York