Explore New York City with must-see attractions and essential experiences. Best Activities to Visit New York in 2026.

First-Time Visitors

Make the most of your first visit to New York City with the curated list of essential attractions and experiences. Discover iconic landmarks, popular tours, and tips to help you navigate the city like a pro.

4.7
(33,726 reviews)
50
Activities

Activities

Discover the 50 best activities and experiences in New York City!

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum: Family Pass, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum: Family Pass

  • New York, United States

Learn about the history of 9/11 through artifacts, photos, and interviews

4.6(31 reviews)
From
$24.45
Recommended
The 9/11 Memorial & Museum: Entry Ticket, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum: Entry Ticket

  • New York, United States

A moving meditation on the human spirit

4.9(6,318 reviews)
From
$36
American Dream - DreamWorks Water Park, East Rutherford, United States, NYC Pass.

American Dream - DreamWorks Water Park

  • East Rutherford, United States

Year-round water park fun just 5 minutes from New York City

4.7(44 reviews)
From
$69
American Dream: Blacklight Mini-Golf, East Rutherford, United States, NYC Pass.

American Dream: Blacklight Mini-Golf

  • East Rutherford, United States

Putt your way through uncharted planets and fun spaceships

5(1 review)
From
$21.33
American Dream - The Rink, East Rutherford, United States, NYC Pass.

American Dream - The Rink

  • East Rutherford, United States

Have an ice day at the rink! Rental skates are included.

5(2 reviews)
From
$25
American Dream - TiLT Museum, East Rutherford, United States, NYC Pass.

American Dream - TiLT Museum

  • East Rutherford, United States

Tilt your point of view in an immersive, artistic experience

5(2 reviews)
From
$15.99
Recommended
American Museum of Natural History (AMNH): Entry Ticket, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

American Museum of Natural History (AMNH): Entry Ticket

  • New York, United States

Visit one of the world’s greatest and largest natural history museums

4.5(1,654 reviews)
From
$37
American Museum of Natural History (AMNH): Plus One Ticket, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

American Museum of Natural History (AMNH): Plus One Ticket

  • New York, United States

Visit one of the largest natural history museums – with 32 million specimens!

4.2(69 reviews)
From
$43
Angry Birds Mini Golf at American Dream, East Rutherford, United States, NYC Pass.

Angry Birds Mini Golf at American Dream

  • East Rutherford, United States

Join the angriest avians for this fun, themed mini golf course

5(2 reviews)
From
$21.33
Bronx Zoo: Holiday Lights Tickets, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

Bronx Zoo: Holiday Lights Tickets

  • New York, United States

Wonder at the Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights this Christmas

4.4(14 reviews)
From
$41.95
Recommended
Central Park Zoo: Total Experience, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

Central Park Zoo: Total Experience

  • New York, United States

Have a wild time in the heart of New York City

4.4(605 reviews)
From
$22.95
City Climb at Edge, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

City Climb at Edge

  • New York, United States
  • 3 hours

Climb the highest open-air building ascent in the world!

3.6(5 reviews)
From
$225.37
Dream Wheel at American Dream, East Rutherford, United States, NYC Pass.

Dream Wheel at American Dream

  • East Rutherford, United States
  • 30 mins

Enjoy a 30-minute ride in a climate-controlled gondola with great NYC views

4.3(18 reviews)
From
$26
Edge at Hudson Yards: Flex Pass, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

Edge at Hudson Yards: Flex Pass

  • New York, United States

Stand atop NYC's highest observation deck at any time on your selected day

4.5(37 reviews)
From
$82.75
Recommended
Edge at Hudson Yards: General Admission, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

Edge at Hudson Yards: General Admission

  • New York, United States

Enjoy timed entry to stand on the highest sky deck in the Western Hemisphere

4.6(2,054 reviews)
From
$51.17
Empire State Building: 102nd Floor Top Deck & 86th Floor Observatory, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

Empire State Building: 102nd Floor Top Deck & 86th Floor Observatory

  • New York, United States

Refine your New York State of Mind at the top of the Empire State Building

4.8(220 reviews)
From
$80.64
Recommended
Empire State Building General Admission: Main Deck, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

Empire State Building General Admission: Main Deck

  • New York, United States

Make like King Kong and ascend an iconic tower – it's the best way to see NYC

4.7(2,408 reviews)
From
$47.91
Empire State Building: Sunrise Experience, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

Empire State Building: Sunrise Experience

  • New York, United States

See the sunrise atop New York City's most iconic building

5(11 reviews)
From
$137.8
Ground Zero All-Access Guided Tour + One World Observatory, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

Ground Zero All-Access Guided Tour + One World Observatory

  • New York, United States
  • 1 hour 30 mins

Take a guided visit of Ground Zero and the One World Observatory

4.8(73 reviews)
From
$89
Recommended
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum: Entry Ticket, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum: Entry Ticket

  • New York, United States

New York's premier museum is famed for its world-class modern art collection

4.6(951 reviews)
From
$30
Hudson Yards, The High Line & Vessel Tour, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

Hudson Yards, The High Line & Vessel Tour

  • New York, United States
  • 1 hour 30 mins

Amazing Manhattan views from up high and a tour of NYC's highlights

3.3(3 reviews)

From$69.99

$49
Intrepid Museum + Edge at Hudson Yards Bundle, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

Intrepid Museum + Edge at Hudson Yards Bundle

  • New York, United States

Enjoy the best Hudson Yards activities and get 10% off all New York attractions!

4.5(33 reviews)

From$96.3

$60
Recommended
Intrepid Museum: Entry Ticket, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

Intrepid Museum: Entry Ticket

  • New York, United States

Get up close and personal with military and maritime history!

4.7(845 reviews)

From$38

$34.2
LEGOLAND® Discovery Center New Jersey: Entry Ticket, East Rutherford, United States, NYC Pass.

LEGOLAND® Discovery Center New Jersey: Entry Ticket

  • East Rutherford, United States

Inspire the imaginations of your little builders

4(10 reviews)
From
$36.24
LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Westchester: Entry Ticket, Yonkers, United States, NYC Pass.

LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Westchester: Entry Ticket

  • Yonkers, United States

Perfect for a day laughs, imagination, and creative family-fun activities

4.3(6 reviews)
From
$27.21
Recommended
Madame Tussauds New York: Entry Ticket, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

Madame Tussauds New York: Entry Ticket

  • New York, United States

Meet The Kardashians, Bad Bunny, the Hulk and more

4.6(234 reviews)
From
$38.11
Meet The Met: Extended Metropolitan Museum of Art Tour, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

Meet The Met: Extended Metropolitan Museum of Art Tour

  • New York, United States
  • 3 hours

See 5,000 years of art, from Ancient Egypt to modern America, in just 3 hours

4.5(34 reviews)
From
$83
Recommended
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA): Entry Ticket, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA): Entry Ticket

  • New York, United States

See classic works of modern art in one of the world's famous museums

4.6(4,006 reviews)
From
$30
Must-See Manhattan Tour & SUMMIT One Vanderbilt Entry, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

Must-See Manhattan Tour & SUMMIT One Vanderbilt Entry

  • New York, United States
  • 2 hours

Tour Manhattan's best sites and experience the sky-high SUMMIT

4.9(8 reviews)
From
$69
New York: 50-Min Liberty Super Express Downtown Sightseeing Cruise Ticket, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

New York: 50-Min Liberty Super Express Downtown Sightseeing Cruise Ticket

  • New York, United States
  • 50 mins

Take to the water and marvel at Lady Liberty

4.4(21 reviews)
From
$29
Recommended
New York Aquarium: Entry Ticket, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

New York Aquarium: Entry Ticket

  • New York, United States

Dive in and explore the incredible diversity of the world’s oceans!

4.5(640 reviews)
From
$29.95
Recommended
New York Botanical Garden: All Garden Pass, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

New York Botanical Garden: All Garden Pass

  • New York, United States

Escape the big smoke and stop to smell the roses for a New York minute

4.7(335 reviews)
From
$35
New York Botanical Garden: Special Exhibitions, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

New York Botanical Garden: Special Exhibitions

  • New York, United States
  • 2 hours

Enjoy spectacular after-hours events at New York Botanical Garden

4.3(3 reviews)
From
$35
The New York Sightseeing Flex Pass: Choice of 2 - 6 Attractions, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

The New York Sightseeing Flex Pass: Choice of 2 - 6 Attractions

  • New York, United States

The money saving city pass that never sleeps

4(63 reviews)
From
$95
Recommended
New York: Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Tour, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

New York: Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Tour

  • New York, United States
  • 5 hours

Get up close to Lady Liberty on a fun ferry tour with a guide or audio guide

4.2(144 reviews)

From$59.99

$53.99
New York Yankees Tickets, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

New York Yankees Tickets

  • New York, United States
  • 3 hours

Watch MLB's most historic baseball team, the 27-Time World Champion NY Yankees!

4.3(15 reviews)
From
$27.06
Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park at American Dream, East Rutherford, United States, NYC Pass.

Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park at American Dream

  • East Rutherford, United States

Play with your Nickelodeon favorites in an action-packed universe

4.8(22 reviews)
From
$62.91
NYC: Museum of Sex, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

NYC: Museum of Sex

  • New York, United States

Discover the world of human sexuality as you've never seen it before

3.8(20 reviews)
From
$33
Recommended
One World Observatory: Entry Ticket, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

One World Observatory: Entry Ticket

  • New York, United States

Breathtaking 360° views of New York from the One World Trade Center!

4.8(3,183 reviews)
From
$47.91
One World Observatory: VIP Tour, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

One World Observatory: VIP Tour

  • New York, United States
  • 1 hour

Experience the NYC skyline from over 100 stories high!

3(2 reviews)
From
$80.57
Rockefeller Center: The Rink Ice Skating, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

Rockefeller Center: The Rink Ice Skating

  • New York, United States

Take a spin on the iconic Rink at Rockefeller Center

4.4(21 reviews)
From
$55.71
SEA LIFE American Dream: General Admission, East Rutherford, United States, NYC Pass.

SEA LIFE American Dream: General Admission

  • East Rutherford, United States

Discover an underwater world at SEA LIFE New Jersey, open from the end of April

3.7(36 reviews)
From
$37.31
Six Flags New England: One-Day Ticket, Agawam, United States, NYC Pass.

Six Flags New England: One-Day Ticket

  • Agawam, United States

Looking for pulse-pounding thrills in Massachusetts?

2.3(3 reviews)
From
$45
Sloomoo Institute: Entry Ticket, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

Sloomoo Institute: Entry Ticket

  • New York, United States

Play with all the senses at the Sloomoo Experience

4.1(30 reviews)
From
$49.99
St. Patrick's Cathedral: Audio Tour, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

St. Patrick's Cathedral: Audio Tour

  • New York, United States
  • 50 mins

Enjoy this tour of St. Patrick’s Cathedral as narrated by Cardinal Timothy Dolan

3.9(35 reviews)
From
$22.97
Recommended
Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Ticket: Ferry from Battery Park, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Ticket: Ferry from Battery Park

  • New York, United States
  • 6 hours

Hop aboard a boat and walk around America's symbol of freedom

4.6(2,176 reviews)
From
$30.5
Recommended
Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Ticket: Ferry from New Jersey, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Ticket: Ferry from New Jersey

  • New York, United States
  • 6 hours

Hop aboard a boat and walk around America's symbol of freedom

4.4(321 reviews)
From
$30.5
Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island: Guided Tour with Entrances + Audio Guide, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island: Guided Tour with Entrances + Audio Guide

  • New York, United States
  • 4 hours

Explore the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island before the huge crowds gather

4.5(34 reviews)
From
$59
Recommended
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt: Entry Ticket, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

SUMMIT One Vanderbilt: Entry Ticket

  • New York, United States

An immersive experience atop Midtown Manhattan's tallest commercial skyscraper

4.7(5,428 reviews)
From
$54.44
Recommended
Top of the Rock: General Admission, New York, United States, NYC Pass.

Top of the Rock: General Admission

  • New York, United States

Get a million-dollar-view of New York City from the 70th floor!

4.6(1,496 reviews)
From
$51.17

Other Traveler Types in New York

Explore the best attractions, activities and experiences in New York City.

Enjoy sophisticated and engaging experiences tailored for adult travelers. Best Activities to Visit New York in 2026.

Adults

Romantic and intimate experiences designed for couples to enjoy together. Best Activities to Visit New York in 2026.

Couples

Enjoy fun and engaging activities perfect for the whole family. Best Activities to Visit New York in 2026.

Families

Find exciting activities and tours that are perfect for traveling in groups. Best Activities to Visit New York in 2026.

Groups

Discover new experiences and revisit favorite spots on your next trip. Best Activities to Visit New York in 2026.

Returning Travelers

Enjoy enriching experiences and activities designed for independent explorers. Best Activities to Visit New York in 2026.

Solo Travelers

Accessible and convenient activities for travelers with mobility needs. Best Activities to Visit New York in 2026.

With Reduced Mobility