USA · NEW YORK CITY TOURS
New York rewards booking the big-ticket items before you fly and improvising everything else. These 15 cover the observation decks, the harbour boats, the museums and the walks, with prices and the slots that go first.
Visit SUMMIT One Vanderbilt above Grand Central for mirror rooms, glass skyboxes, silver balloons, panoramic city views, and a rooftop bar. Plan 90 minutes to two hours, wear trousers or tights, and choose daylight, sunset, or Air at Night for a different mood.
“Amazing for us and the kids alike (14yo) would recommend to all looking for a great view and a fun experience!”
Enter the 9/11 Memorial Museum at a reserved time, then visit the twin reflecting pools, Survivor Tree, and Memorial Glades. Inside, follow the story through artifacts, films, personal accounts, and memorial records covering the 2001 attacks and 1993 bombing. Allow at least two hours, and more if you read everything.
“This was a really poignant experience, very thought provoking and sad. We felt the power of the tragedy that this museum commemorates, but the celebration of the people who lost their lives and carrying on their memories. I love that the money goes towards the charity and would recommend this museum to anyone visiting.”
Visit New York’s Empire State Building for 360-degree views from the 86th-floor deck, optional floor-to-ceiling panoramas from the 102nd floor, and interactive galleries covering construction, Art Deco design, King Kong, and film history. Choose a standard or Express ticket, with visits lasting 45 minutes to two hours.
“It was a smooth and easy experience from start to finish. The whole experience was interesting and very informative inside the building with the history behind the building. The views from the 86th floor were amazing and we had the bonus of seeing the sunset this made my trip to NYC complete. A definite must do in NYC”
Visit New York’s Empire State Building, explore interactive galleries and the Art Deco lobby, then ride to the 86th-floor open-air deck. Choose the 102nd-floor upgrade for floor-to-ceiling windows, or pay more for Express entry when queues matter.
“It's 20 years since I last visited the Empire State Building (as a 30 year old working in New York) now I'm 52 and visited with my teenage sons and partner. It didn't disappoint. Staff were great, helpful and considerate, and the experience is much more immersive: animations showing the build in 1931, King Kong peering through the windows, spy holes looking down on New Yorkers back in the 30's – it really was great, a classic, a must see!”
Visit Edge at Hudson Yards for a one-hour high-rise experience with multimedia displays, a glass floor, angled glass walls, Skyline Steps, and wide views from Central Park to the Statue of Liberty. You can add champagne or cocktails at the rooftop bar, but food and drinks cost extra.
“Very good, you get a immersive walk through experience then you see amazing views. Would definitely recommend as it’s great value for money.”
Take a self-guided ferry trip to Liberty Island and Ellis Island, with multilingual audio tours and entry to both museums. See Lady Liberty’s original torch, trace immigrant arrivals at Ellis Island, and plan your own pace across roughly five hours. Departure options vary, so check your ticket carefully.
“transportation from Jersey city to the islands was very convenient, great views, plenty of parking.”
You get all-day entry to more than 40 permanent halls, the Rose Center, and the new Gilder Center. Add one or all ticketed exhibits for shows such as Encounters in the Milky Way, the butterfly vivarium, or the dinosaur extinction exhibit. The Explorer app helps you find your way.
“Great experience. We spent few hours and didn’t see everything. Great for a rainy or cold day. We visited NYE week and it was very crowded. It would be nice if they had a max number of ticket sales to prevent overcrowding. And maybe kids area would also be nice.”
Ride the 43-second elevator to Top of the Rock’s three observation levels at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. You’ll get wide views of Central Park and the Empire State Building, outdoor photo spots, the Weather Room Café, and optional Beam or VIP upgrades.
“Staff were excellent. View is amazing. The information given was interesting.”
Start at Castle Clinton with an English-speaking guide, then ferry to Liberty Island for the statue and museum. Choose an express visit or a longer route adding Ellis Island, its immigration museum, and an audio guide. Guides such as Jack, Joseph, Mark, and Meri have earned especially warm praise.
“Great Experience good tour guide. Weather was bit cold but not bad overall. Would love to do it again in summer.”
Spend six hours seeing New York’s headline sights with a guide and climate-controlled bus. Walk in Central Park, view Rockefeller Center and Fifth Avenue, pause near the 9/11 Memorial, then ride the Staten Island Ferry past the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Guides such as Rachel, Kevin, and Susan are praised for lively city stories.
“This day tour we had today with Rachel & Jimmy was fantastic. Seeing amazing scenery and history was absolutely incredible. I definitely recommend this tour.”
Enter New York’s Museum of Modern Art with a one-day ticket, bypassing the ticket desk. Explore six floors of modern and contemporary art, including Starry Night, Water Lilies, Warhol’s soup cans, films, design, and special exhibitions. Bring a charged phone and headphones for the free multilingual audio guide.
“One of the best museums I’ve seen in my life. Monet, Klimt, Picasso, Van Gogh, Kahlo, Hopper, Magritte.. I am just sorry that not all the artwork they have is displayed, sadly”
Enter One World Observatory on West Street, skip the ticket purchase line, and ride the SkyPod to floors 100 through 102 in 47 seconds. See the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, harbor, and 9/11 Memorial. Upgrade for priority security, flexible entry, digital guide, or a 60 to 90 minute VIP tour.
“Excellent! Great place to visit with superb views, friendly staff, and a great store.”
Use one mobile CityPASS for five major New York sights over nine consecutive days. The pass includes the Empire State Building and American Museum of Natural History, plus three choices from Top of the Rock, 9/11 Memorial, Statue City Cruises, Circle Line, Intrepid, or the Guggenheim.
“Great value for money and a great way to see lots of attractions in New York! Would really recommend for your first visit to New York, it was really useful for us and it helped you to plan out days as well. Only thing I would say is that we ended up booking statue of liberty separately only as we wanted to do the crown and pedestal experience as well and be prepared to queue for the Natural History Museum to actually collect your ticket. Just useful to know!”
Board Circle Line at Pier 83 for a two-hour evening cruise past Lower Manhattan, Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, and three major bridges. You get English commentary, multilingual audio, indoor and outdoor seating, and a bar serving drinks and snacks. Guides such as David, Alexis, George, and Andy bring plenty of personality.
“Get there early to get good seats! It is a fantastic trip with the best views around!”
Pick 2 to 10 New York attractions, then use the Go City app and mobile pass to visit them over 30 days. Choose Edge, Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, museums, cruises, tours, and more. Reservations are needed at some popular sights, especially sunset time slots.
“Couldn't fault anything with our trip, city pass was excellent very easy to use and great value for money, i would highly recommended it”
Pick a skyline, a canyon or a coastline.
