![\"empire](\"https:\/\/images.unsplash.com\/photo-1534430480872-3498386e7856?ixid=MnwxMjA3fDB8MHxwaG90by1wYWdlfHx8fGVufDB8fHx8&ixlib=rb-1.2.1&auto=format&fit=crop&w=1650&q=80\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nMorning<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nFor a taste of the city, start your day with a freshly baked bagel with a schmear cream of cheese and lox<\/strong>. We love ours from the family-run deli and restaurant Barney Greengrass<\/strong>, which has drawn Gothamites to the Upper West Side for its smoked sturgeon since 1908. It\u2019s the perfect fuel for exploring Central Park<\/strong> \u2013 if you stride out, you can be strolling around the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir<\/strong> within 10 minutes. <\/p>\n\n\n\nStretching across 843 acres, Manhattan\u2019s playground is the most popular urban park in the US and the most filmed location in the world. Best of all, it\u2019s filled with attractions to please every one of the 42 million people that visit each year. Highlights include the Alice in Wonderland<\/strong> sculpture, Belvedere Castle,<\/strong> Bethesda Terrace<\/strong> and Strawberry Fields<\/strong>, a memorial dedicated to John Lennon, who lived and died nearby. For a quick tour, we recommend renting a Citi Bike <\/strong>from one of 20 stations around the park, and if you\u2019re visiting in winter, book ahead to ice skate on Wollman\u2019s Rink<\/strong>.
RELATED CONTENT: <\/em><\/strong>How to enjoy summer in New York City<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"people](\"https:\/\/images.unsplash.com\/photo-1575372587186-5012f8886b4e?ixid=MnwxMjA3fDB8MHxwaG90by1wYWdlfHx8fGVufDB8fHx8&ixlib=rb-1.2.1&auto=format&fit=crop&w=1650&q=80\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSome of New York\u2019s best museums hug around the edge of Central Park. The American Museum of Natural History<\/strong> sits famously on the west, with the New-York Historical Society<\/strong> \u2013 the city\u2019s oldest museum and a glimpse into the city\u2019s past \u2013 next door. To the east, lovers of culture are spoiled for choice along the Museum Mile<\/strong>. Discover contemporary art in The Guggenheim<\/strong>, designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright, or travel through 5,000 years of history by way of the Metropolitan Museum of Art<\/strong>, which houses more than two million works, including Roman sculptures and Renaissance masterpieces.
GET INSPIRED BY: <\/em><\/strong>New York Explorer<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nAfternoon<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nStep out of the Met and onto Fifth Avenue<\/strong> for a little window shopping as you head south to Midtown. You\u2019ll pass luxury stores such as Tiffany & Co.<\/strong>, Bergdorf Goodman<\/strong> and Saks Fifth Avenue<\/strong> as well as St Patrick\u2019s Cathedral<\/strong>, a neo-gothic church dating from 1879.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDid you really experience New York if you didn\u2019t get a bird\u2019s-eye view of its iconic skyline? We recommend ascending 70 storeys to the Rockefeller Center<\/strong>\u2019s Top of the Rock<\/strong>. From up here, views stretch beyond Central Park and the Empire State Building<\/strong> to New York\u2019s five boroughs and nearby New Jersey. Not got a head for heights? Not to worry, the art-deco Radio City Music Hall<\/strong> is just around the corner. Its Stage Door Tour<\/strong> takes visitors behind the scenes of the \u2018Showpiece of the Nation\u2019, into its majestic auditorium and brings you face-to-face with one of its famous dancing Rockettes.
RELATED CONTENT: <\/em><\/strong>10 movies to watch before you visit New York<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Radio](\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2021\/05\/Radio-City-Music-Hall-1024x682.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nIf you haven\u2019t already caved in to one of the many hot dog carts that line Manhattan\u2019s pavements, take a 10-minute walk south to Grand Central Station <\/strong>\u2013 book lovers will no doubt want to stop at the New York Public Library<\/strong> along the way. Its Rose Main Reading Room is spectacular. In the station, tilt your head skywards to admire the glorious constellations painted on the ceiling of the main hall before heading downstairs to Grand Central Oyster Bar<\/strong> for a shellfish platter or the famous oyster pan roast. Don\u2019t miss the whispering gallery on your way out.
GET INSPIRED BY: <\/em><\/strong>East Coast USA and Canada<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nEvening<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nFrom here, it\u2019s a short walk to Times Square<\/strong>, the so-called \u2018crossroads of the world\u2019 and the beating heart of this dynamic city. This is where a photojournalist famously captured a sailor and a nurse embracing on VJ Day in 1945. Today it\u2019s busy with visitors gawping at brightly lit billboards and a gateway to the theatre district along Broadway<\/strong>. Catch a musical<\/strong> in one of the 41 theatres \u2013 The Phantom of the Opera<\/strong> has been running here since 1988 \u2013 or step off the beaten track in one of the smaller, more avant-garde Off Broadway <\/strong>theatres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"times](\"https:\/\/images.unsplash.com\/photo-1496442226666-8d4d0e62e6e9?ixid=MnwxMjA3fDB8MHxwaG90by1wYWdlfHx8fGVufDB8fHx8&ixlib=rb-1.2.1&auto=format&fit=crop&w=1650&q=80\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nOf course, the hustle and bustle of Times Square isn\u2019t for everyone. For something a bit different, hop in a yellow cab<\/strong> and head east to the up-and-coming Hudson Yards<\/strong>. There are lots of things to see, eat, drink and do around here, but in the interests of ticking off those bucket-list New York experiences, we recommend climbing the Vessel<\/strong> (an extraordinary interactive artwork) before strolling south along the High Line<\/strong>.
RELATED CONTENT: <\/em><\/strong>A guide to eating and drinking in Greenwich Village<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nBuilt on the tracks of a disused railway line, this incredible urban park is lined with wildflower gardens, public art and benches for soaking up views of pink sunsets across the Hudson River<\/strong>. Work up an appetite as you walk, because in about 20 minutes you\u2019ll reach the red-bricked Meatpacking District<\/strong>, home to Chelsea Market<\/strong>, a former warehouse with more than 35 food vendors, serving everything from Maine lobster to hot sugared doughnuts.
Still have energy? Discover why New York is the city that never sleeps among the legendary bars, clubs and cabaret of the West Village<\/strong>. Smalls<\/strong>, Blue Note<\/strong> and the Village Vanguard<\/strong> are great spots for jazz fans to enjoy live music.<\/p>\n\n\n\nGET INSPIRED BY: <\/em><\/strong>East Coast<\/a><\/em> USA and Canada<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stretching across 843 acres, Manhattan\u2019s playground is the most popular urban park in the US and the most filmed location in the world. Best of all, it\u2019s filled with attractions to please every one of the 42 million people that visit each year. Highlights include the Alice in Wonderland<\/strong> sculpture, Belvedere Castle,<\/strong> Bethesda Terrace<\/strong> and Strawberry Fields<\/strong>, a memorial dedicated to John Lennon, who lived and died nearby. For a quick tour, we recommend renting a Citi Bike <\/strong>from one of 20 stations around the park, and if you\u2019re visiting in winter, book ahead to ice skate on Wollman\u2019s Rink<\/strong>. Some of New York\u2019s best museums hug around the edge of Central Park. The American Museum of Natural History<\/strong> sits famously on the west, with the New-York Historical Society<\/strong> \u2013 the city\u2019s oldest museum and a glimpse into the city\u2019s past \u2013 next door. To the east, lovers of culture are spoiled for choice along the Museum Mile<\/strong>. Discover contemporary art in The Guggenheim<\/strong>, designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright, or travel through 5,000 years of history by way of the Metropolitan Museum of Art<\/strong>, which houses more than two million works, including Roman sculptures and Renaissance masterpieces. Step out of the Met and onto Fifth Avenue<\/strong> for a little window shopping as you head south to Midtown. You\u2019ll pass luxury stores such as Tiffany & Co.<\/strong>, Bergdorf Goodman<\/strong> and Saks Fifth Avenue<\/strong> as well as St Patrick\u2019s Cathedral<\/strong>, a neo-gothic church dating from 1879.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Did you really experience New York if you didn\u2019t get a bird\u2019s-eye view of its iconic skyline? We recommend ascending 70 storeys to the Rockefeller Center<\/strong>\u2019s Top of the Rock<\/strong>. From up here, views stretch beyond Central Park and the Empire State Building<\/strong> to New York\u2019s five boroughs and nearby New Jersey. Not got a head for heights? Not to worry, the art-deco Radio City Music Hall<\/strong> is just around the corner. Its Stage Door Tour<\/strong> takes visitors behind the scenes of the \u2018Showpiece of the Nation\u2019, into its majestic auditorium and brings you face-to-face with one of its famous dancing Rockettes. If you haven\u2019t already caved in to one of the many hot dog carts that line Manhattan\u2019s pavements, take a 10-minute walk south to Grand Central Station <\/strong>\u2013 book lovers will no doubt want to stop at the New York Public Library<\/strong> along the way. Its Rose Main Reading Room is spectacular. In the station, tilt your head skywards to admire the glorious constellations painted on the ceiling of the main hall before heading downstairs to Grand Central Oyster Bar<\/strong> for a shellfish platter or the famous oyster pan roast. Don\u2019t miss the whispering gallery on your way out. From here, it\u2019s a short walk to Times Square<\/strong>, the so-called \u2018crossroads of the world\u2019 and the beating heart of this dynamic city. This is where a photojournalist famously captured a sailor and a nurse embracing on VJ Day in 1945. Today it\u2019s busy with visitors gawping at brightly lit billboards and a gateway to the theatre district along Broadway<\/strong>. Catch a musical<\/strong> in one of the 41 theatres \u2013 The Phantom of the Opera<\/strong> has been running here since 1988 \u2013 or step off the beaten track in one of the smaller, more avant-garde Off Broadway <\/strong>theatres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course, the hustle and bustle of Times Square isn\u2019t for everyone. For something a bit different, hop in a yellow cab<\/strong> and head east to the up-and-coming Hudson Yards<\/strong>. There are lots of things to see, eat, drink and do around here, but in the interests of ticking off those bucket-list New York experiences, we recommend climbing the Vessel<\/strong> (an extraordinary interactive artwork) before strolling south along the High Line<\/strong>. Built on the tracks of a disused railway line, this incredible urban park is lined with wildflower gardens, public art and benches for soaking up views of pink sunsets across the Hudson River<\/strong>. Work up an appetite as you walk, because in about 20 minutes you\u2019ll reach the red-bricked Meatpacking District<\/strong>, home to Chelsea Market<\/strong>, a former warehouse with more than 35 food vendors, serving everything from Maine lobster to hot sugared doughnuts. GET INSPIRED BY: <\/em><\/strong>East Coast<\/a><\/em> USA and Canada<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
RELATED CONTENT: <\/em><\/strong>How to enjoy summer in New York City<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
GET INSPIRED BY: <\/em><\/strong>New York Explorer<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nAfternoon<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
RELATED CONTENT: <\/em><\/strong>10 movies to watch before you visit New York<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
GET INSPIRED BY: <\/em><\/strong>East Coast USA and Canada<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nEvening<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
RELATED CONTENT: <\/em><\/strong>A guide to eating and drinking in Greenwich Village<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Still have energy? Discover why New York is the city that never sleeps among the legendary bars, clubs and cabaret of the West Village<\/strong>. Smalls<\/strong>, Blue Note<\/strong> and the Village Vanguard<\/strong> are great spots for jazz fans to enjoy live music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"the](\"https:\/\/images.unsplash.com\/photo-1445023086979-7244a12345a8?ixid=MnwxMjA3fDB8MHxwaG90by1wYWdlfHx8fGVufDB8fHx8&ixlib=rb-1.2.1&auto=format&fit=crop&w=1651&q=80\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n