New York City: The Top Things to do

There is no other city in the world that can compare to the excitement and energy New York City has. It is a city that always has something to do and can tailor to anyone’s likings. Whether you are an early bird or a night owl, New York City is a place that never sleeps.

Broadway

Live theatre is a magical form of entertainment, the interaction between the audience and actors is like no other. Broadway is home to over 40 theatres where you can see musicals and plays of all different genres. There are many sites such as https://www.broadway.com/ and https://www.vividseats.com where you can find tickets to any play of your choice. Depending on the time of year, where you want to sit, the success of the show and what show you are seeing, the prices will vary. If you decide to see a play last minute, you can go to the theatre of the play and purchase tickets at the box office. Going to a Broadway show is a must when you are New York City. If you are having trouble choosing a show, I would recommend seeing Moulin Rouge: the musical, Chicago, Dear Evan Hansen or Hamilton. The devotion and hard work that goes into every show is incredible. I promise, to spend your night in the theatre is one of the top things to do in this city. 

Once you decide what play you are going to see I recommend getting a bite to eat before you head to the theatre. There is an amazing and iconic restaurant called Sardi’s located at 234 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036, United States. They have a delicious large variety of Italian food, serving pizza, pasta, chicken and much more all at a reasonable price. The servers are all very kind and friendly, and they do take reservations. This restaurant is located in the centre of all the Broadway theatres, therefore the walk to your theatre will be no longer than 10-15 minutes. The atmosphere of the restaurant is incredible because each wall is covered with the caricatures of celebrities that have been on Broadway and impacted the community. They have stars such as Neil Patrick Harris, James Franco, Elisabeth Moss, Andrew Garfield, and much more. All the caricatures were created in the restaurant and each person on the wall has eaten at this magnificent restaurant. This restaurant is the perfect destination for all ages and is a must-try in New York City.

If you decide to see:

Hamilton – This is a musical sung-and-rapped through about the life of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton and inspired by the 2004 biography Alexander Hamilton by historian Ron Chernow. Hamilton won 11 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. This show is 2 hours and 45 minutes, located at the Richard Rogers Theatre, 226 W 46th St, New York, NY 10036, United States. They have shows every day except for Mondays, and on Saturday they perform twice, once during the afternoon then another at night. Depending on the day the show could either start at 7 pm or 8 pm and the afternoon show starts at 3 pm. If you are wanting food before the show, lucky for you the theatre is only a five-minute walk from

Dear Evan Hansen- This musical tells a story about a teenage boy with a social anxiety disorder. All he wants is to fit in and make connections at school with his peers that he created a fake relationship with a deceased school mate to become closer to the boy’s family. Dear Evan Hansen is playing at the Music Box Theatre, 239 West 45th Street New York, NY10036, and is 2 hours and 30 minutes long. They have shows Tuesday through Sunday and have 2 performances on the weekend. The afternoon shows start at 2 pm and the evening shows start at 7 pm or 8 pm depending on the day. Looking for a quick bite, Sardi’s is only a 2 minute walk from the theatre.

Moulin Rouge: The Musical- This musical is based upon the 2001 iconic film Moulin Rouge! The story takes place in Paris, France, about a young composer who falls in love with a cabaret actress who is the star of the Moulin Rouge! This is a new musical, that just recently got released and is taking the Broadway world by storm. This musical is playing at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, 302 West 45th Street New York, NY 10036, and is 2 hours and 45 minutes long. They perform 8 times a week between Tuesday and Sunday, with 2 shows on Thursday and Saturday. The afternoon show will start at 2 pm and the evening show at  7 pm or 8 pm depending on the day. Not too far down the street, you will find the delicious Sardi’s restaurant that is only a 4 minute walk away.

Guided Tours

One of the most popular things to do in New York and one of the first things you should do when you get there is do a guided tour around the city. This will help you see the best, most popular and most historical parts of the city. The tour will give you a feel of the city layout, and once you are finished the tour you’ll have a good understanding of your surroundings and you will be ready to explore and see more attractions. The most popular tours are the hop on hop off bus tours and the food on foot tours. These tours are incredible ways to see the city and all at a fairly reasonable cost.

Hop on Hop off Bus tour: This is the best way to see the entire city of New York. With the purchase of one ticket, you will able to do both bus routes that take you Downtown and Uptown, taking you to every corner of the city. You are able to Hop on and off at any of the 25+ bus stops, explore the area by foot, visit anything you would like then hop back on a different bus. The tour hours in the months of April to October are 8 am to 6 pm then from November to March it is 8 am to 5 pm. You can catch a bus at whatever stop is closest to you and ride it as many times you want on that day. Depending on what pass you buy, the prices will vary. They offer a large variety of tours, such as, NYC sightseeing Pass 48 hours, Attraction pass, NYC night tour and much more. To purchase tickets and see more tours they offer visit: https://bit.ly/2Oo1IMn

Food on foot tours: If you have a passion and love for food, this is a great tour to do enjoy amazing food while exploring the beautiful city. This tour takes you around the East Village and is 3 hours and 30 minutes. This will be a guided tour with a guide that will tell you information about the food, culture, and locations. This tour will meet at the Grans Central Terminal located at  89 E 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017. Food on foot tours have received the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence 8 years in a row and continues to please visitors. To purchase your tickets visit: https://bit.ly/2LVzPdb

Museums

New York City is home to many interesting and world-renown museums. The 9/11 Memorial Museum is the most historical and important museum in the city.  This memorial keeps alive the history of the attack on the World Trade Centre. It is a moving sight to see, it displays many artifacts and remains of the building. Another incredible museum you must see is The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met). It is the largest museum in the United States, it has a large variety of different collections like Egyptian art, modern and contemporary art and beautiful sculptures and architecture.  These two museums are very unique, one of a kind and one of the most important attractions in New York City. 

The 9/11 Memorial Museum: This museum is a dedication to all of those killed in the 2001attack on the World Trade Centre. The museum is open daily, Sunday to Thursday from 9 am to 8 pm (6 pm last entry), and Friday to Saturday from 9 am to 9 pm (7 pm last entry). You can buy tickets online at https://www.911memorial.org/ or at the museum when you visit it in New York. The Museum is located at 180 Greenwich Street New York, NY 10007.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met): The Met is one of the most iconic museums in the world and has attractions for all. The museum is open 7 days a week, Sunday to Thursday from 10 am to 5:30 pm, and Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 9 pm. The Museum is located at 1000 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10028, you can access the museum by Central Park as well. The Met also offers guided tours, food/restaurants, group visits and much more. To purchase tickets for the museum you can buy them at the Met, the day of your visit or online at https://www.metmuseum.org/.