Is there anywhere in the world more iconic than New York City? The city that never sleeps has been portrayed on screen and across culture hundreds of thousands of times in the past century, and millions a year come to visit its grid streets to see what all the buzz is about.
If you’re considering a trip yourself, you may be curious about what to do if you visit New York City. What makes a pilgrimage to the Big Apple worthwhile, and what must you fit in while you’re here?
Read on, and we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about planning a trip to the five boroughs.
See Big City Life
If you’re from a suburban town anywhere in America, you owe it to yourself to come and see the biggest of our big cities. Seeing new places is an important part of the human experience, as is understanding how other people live. Sometimes, people spend their lives in ways that are very different than our own.
If you aren’t familiar with what it means to live in a big city, spending some time in New York will certainly help to elucidate you.
The crowds are likely to be the first shock to someone from out of town, although there are plenty of corners of the city that are more on the quiet side as well.
You can see what life might be like without a car, traveling to and fro only with the assistance of public transport. You can see what living in a large apartment building might be like, sharing space with many of your neighbors.
If you haven’t experienced the highs and lows of city life, it’s certainly something worth throwing yourself into at least once in life.
Catch a Broadway Show
New York City is famous for its world-class entertainment, and you’d be remiss not to catch some of it during your stay in the city.
The most famous place to catch some world-class entertainment (and one that you’re no doubt familiar with) is Broadway. Here, hugely exciting and expansive live performances are given each night for the entertainment of locals and tourists alike.
Many of today’s Broadway shows are based on existing properties and characters, so if you’re already a fan of The Lion King, for example, you’ll be able to experience that beloved property in a brand new way.
If you’re looking for something more classical and adult, there are also plenty of plays on Broadway that future world-class actors (some A-list movie stars, even) doing some amazing work on the stage.
Just recently, Jeff Daniels wrapped up a long run performing How To Kill A Mockingbird, for example. It’s a thrill to sit in a darkened theater and see an actor you love and respect do amazing work in front of you.
If the Broadway crowds aren’t for you, there are plenty of other opportunities to catch great theater across the city. Off-broadway and off-off-broadway productions are sometimes more affordable and potentially even more rewarding.
Or, if you just like comedy, you can always head to the Brooklyn Comedy Collective or Union Hall and catch a more comedic performance there.
Root For The Home Team
Is the theater not really your place? You might experience more of a thrill stepping into one of the many world-famous sports venues that exist across New York City.
A trip to Yankee Stadium is always a treat, no matter how the team performs on this particular night. The stadium is one of the most famous in the world, and there’s nothing like the experience of seeing the city come together to root for its hometown boys.
Even more exciting can be grabbing some new york knicks tickets and seeing the team throw down at Madison Square Garden or at Brooklyn’s Barclay’s Center.
It’s always a thrill to watch some of the best sports teams in the world play for your entertainment, and spending some time in New York City allows you to experience just that.
Explore Architecture and History
The city of New York is as old or older as the country of America itself. The Isle of Manhattan is not so big, and there are years of history built up on top of each other that are all worth exploring.
From George Washington to Bob Dylan to Jay-Z, famous figures from all walks of life have walked these streets and spent time in the bustling culture of this city.
No matter what period of history catches your interest the most, there’s likely a lot to explore. You can head downtown, visit the Tenement Museum, and see what early immigrants to the United States experienced.
You can take a tour through the village and see where the art scene exploded in the 1950s and 1960s, or waltz through SoHo and see how and where the modern fashion world came to be.
No matter where your personal interests lie, there’s something to be explored in this great city – you just need to do your research and determine where to look.
Reasons to Visit New York City
The above are only a few brief reasons to plan to visit New York City- there are, in fact, many more as well.
The above NYC activities are still all well worth looking into for your trip to the city. They may even spark ideas of what else you can explore during your stay.
Need more travel tips and tricks? Keep scrolling through our blog for more.
