This summer, I took a trip to visit New York City. A vibrant, youthful place, “The City that Never Sleeps” is overflowing with bright lights, live music everywhere you look and some of the best food I’ve ever tasted. I visited almost every major picture-worthy and memorable spot across three of the five boroughs and these are my top picks.
Brooklyn Bridge Park
Brooklyn Bridge Park is by far one of the coolest sights to catch in New York City. Nestled along the western edge of Brooklyn, this park offers stunning views along the waterfront of the Manhattan skyline and the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges.
Parts of the park offer sandy sections to walk in the water of the East River, as well as a boardwalk down the coast with restaurants and shops to explore. The boardwalk is also a popular place for marriage proposals, so if you’re visiting New York City with your sweetheart someday, this is an unbeatable spot for a perfect moment.
The 9/11 Memorial and Museum
The 9/11 Museum is a poignant destination to visit in New York City. The museum includes both a historical overview of the events of September 11, 2001 and the memorial pools dedicated to the lives lost that day.
Built below the original position of the Twin Towers, the memorial and museum include original sections of the buildings, artifacts found in the wreckage and touching tributes to the victims, survivors, law enforcement, firefighters and every person whose story is intertwined with September 11.
New Mexican artist Tom Joyce contributed the “No Day Shall Erase You From The Memory of Time” tribute found in the museum’s Memorial Hall. Joyce used metal from the wreckage to form the quote in the center, according to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum website, and artist Spencer Finch painted the 2,983 blue squares, each a unique shade, to represent each victim of the attacks.
I highly recommend every person who visits New York City makes a stop here, as the history of 9/11 is a crucial piece of the city’s history. The museum does a beautiful job of honoring the memory of those lost during the attacks on the World Trade Center and ensuring no person is forgotten.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Located on the west side of Central Park, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of New York City’s most popular museums. The Met’s five floors include displays of Egyptian hieroglyphics, Greek and Roman statues and paintings from most major art eras.
The Egyptian section of the museum includes the Temple of Dendur, dating back to 10 B.C.E. and still in incredible condition. The temple was a gift to the United States from Egypt following the U.S.’ assistance to the Egyptian government to save historical monuments from flooding. Permission to permanently display the Temple of Dendur was awarded to the Met by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1967, according to the Met’s website.
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Little Island and the High Line
Little Island is a man-made island garden visitors can walk to just off Pier 54 on the Hudson River. Featuring beautiful gardens and impeccable views of New York City’s downtown neighborhoods, Little Island, which opened in 2021, sits near the southern end of the High Line — a former elevated railroad track turned city park.
The High Line, which starts at Gansevoort Street and extends down to 34th Street, offers numerous events year-round including stargazing and dance classes. The nearly mile-and-a-half long stretch of space has shops, restaurants and public art for visitors to stop by and check out.
One World Observatory
The highest observation deck in the entire Western Hemisphere, according to the World Trade Center website, One World Observatory is situated on the 102nd floor of the One World Trade Center. This building stands at a whopping 1,776 feet high, including the radio tower at the top — a nod to the adoption of the U.S. Declaration of Independence in 1776, according to Columbia University.
The observatory offers 360-degree views of New York City, New Jersey and even as far as Connecticut. I thought this would be just like any other observation deck, but One World Observatory also offers a 3D video of the skyline during the 47-second trip to the top and historians eager to share the history of New York with visitors.
Central Park
Over 800 acres of land in the center of Manhattan are preserved as Central Park. An amalgam of baseball fields, running tracks, a zoo, river walks and sailboats, you can find almost everything in Central Park.
On a sunny summer morning, you’ll find people walking their dogs, going on runs or playing soccer in the large grass fields and along the shores of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir.
Located in the center of the park, the Bethesda Terrace and Fountain is a great place to people-watch and it provides a perfect photo opportunity. The Bethesda Terrace is also where you’ll often see musicians or singers showing off their talents, because its interior echoes.
Honorable mentions that are just as cool to check out include Times Square, the New York and Columbia University campuses and Saint Patrick’s Cathedral. I also recommend trying out the subway at least once – there’s something new to see there every day.
Maria Fernandez is a freelance reporter and photographer for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com
