Manhattan is a city that everyone should visit once in their lifetime. The rich culture and history make it worth the trip. If you ever do make it to the Big Apple, here are my top five favorite places to visit, along with five honorable mentions.

1. The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

The history of our Lady Liberty and the “Island of Hope” shouldn’t be missed. The guided tour is worth it, and one that I would do more than once. I especially enjoyed the Ellis Island tour.

2. Central Park

The 843-acre park is an area of Manhattan that takes on a life of its own. From murals to museums, and statues to zoos, there is something for everyone. It would take half a lifetime to fully explore, but carve out at least half a day to bask in the beauty of the shady oak trees and wander the long and winding trails.

3. Radio City Music Hall

It was a toss up between touring Radio City Music Hall or Carnegie Hall. I’ll say this, if you’re a musician, or an avid lover of music, Carnegie Hall should make your list of must sees, but if I was speaking for everyone, I would say that RCMH is a pure delight. Plus, it’s next to Rockefeller Center which is an area that is fun and full of life.

4. Chelsea Market

This market is, hands down, one of the best food halls in all of NYC. Its eccentricity transports you to a unique foodie heaven and you will never want to leave, or, at the very least, you will want to eat there every day of your trip. Make sure you take a look at the directory 👇🏻 before you go, or else it will be so overwhelming you won’t know which food vendor to choose.

Chelsea Market Directory Here

5. The 9/11 Memorial and Museum

This needs very little to no explanation as to why it made the list. 9/11 should never be forgotten and visiting the memorial and museum should be a priority. The breathtaking site of the waterfalls is deeply moving and offers a serenity that will stay with you for a long time.

Learn more about visiting the 9/11 memorial

Honorable Mentions:

Grand Central Terminal

The gloriously painted ceiling, alone, is a reason to visit this historical building. It also has an array of food vendors around the terminal and below the main floor which makes it the perfect stop for a meal as you explore the city.

Broadway

I may be biased, but if you’re going to be in the musical theatre capital of the world, you might as well catch a Broadway show or two!

Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

It’s a museum on a giant aircraft carrier! What more could you want?

Learn more here

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Learn More about the Met

If you love art and history, plan to spend at least one day admiring all 36,000 artifacts at the Met. It’s one of the greatest art collections in the world and is perfect for the art lover’s heart.

Top of the Rock

Viewing the city from the top of a skyscraper is perfect for epic pictures and unforgettable scenery. It’s also a very typical tourist attraction that costs more than it should, but I don’t regret doing it. I also prefer the Top of the Rock over the top of the Empire State Building because I love being able to view the Empire State Building and Central Park at the same time. And if you time it right, you’ll be able to see the most glorious sunset and watch all the city lights turn on. If that’s not magical, then I don’t know what is.