The Best places to visit in New York – a guide to every Borough
New York City is the centre of the largest urbanised area in the US. Often considered America’s cultural capital, the city has a lifetime's worth of sights, events and areas to experience. Planning a visit to New York in 2024 can be overwhelming – in this guide, we break down each of the city’s 5 areas, or ‘Boroughs’ so you can experience the Big Apple’s must-see tourist attractions and hidden gems, wherever you’re staying.
Make sure to pick up an eSIM for New York as well before you travel – these prepaid USA SIM profiles allow you to get online in the USA without paying for roaming fees, making it even easier to navigate the city, plan your journey and share your holiday photos.
The Best Places to Visit in Manhattan
Despite being the smallest borough by area, Manhattan accounts for the bulk of tourism to New York City. The Empire State Building, Times Square, Broadway, Central Park...nearly all of New York's most-visited sights are located somewhere on the island.
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The Rockefeller Centre
Manhattan is not short of Art Deco Masterpieces – the Chrysler Building, 70 Pine Street, and of course, the Empire State Building. Some of the most striking examples can be found among the 14 skyscrapers that make up the Rockefeller Centre. The plaza and surrounding buildings are also a great destination in New York for families – during winter, the square is converted into a giant ice rink, while the whole year round, tourists can visit the observation deck at One Rockefeller Centre for unparalleled views of Downtown Manhattan and Central Park.
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South Street Seaport
On the southern tip of the island, the South Street Seaport is a relaxing oasis just blocks away from the commotion of Wall Street. With its cobbled streets and some of the oldest buildings in the city, the Seaport is a fascinating mix of the traditional and contemporary. Highlights include the Tin Building and the Titanic Memorial.
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The High Line
Experience Manhattan’s skyscrapers from an entirely new perspective on the High Line. This public park is built on the tracks of a former elevated railway and cuts through some of the busiest streets in the city.
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Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village stays true to its name – even in 2024, the neighbourhood still manages to give the impression of a communal, lived-in area amongst the towering commercial blocks of downtown Manhattan. Renowned as the heart of the counterculture and avant-garde scenes of the 50s and 60s, Greenwich Village today is one of the most sought-after postcodes in the country. The brownstone-lined streets feature a wealth of fine dining and great bars as well as landmarks from LGBTQ+ history like the original Stonewall Bar.
The Best Places to Visit in Brooklyn
As the most populous of New York’s five boroughs, Brooklyn is a great place to truly immerse yourself in the city’s atmosphere and experience life as a local. That’s not to say Brooklyn is without notable tourist attractions – the New York Aquarium, the Brooklyn Bridge, Williamsburg and the New York Transit Museum are all located in the area. Brooklyn was once its own city and still retains an independent spirit.
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Prospect Park
The ‘Central Park of Brooklyn’, Prospect Park is one of New York’s many entrants on the National Register of Historic Places. Designed by the same team as its Manhattan counterpart, Prospect Park offers a wilder, less manicured alternative. Historic sights like the Brooklyn Museum and the 1912 Prospect Park Carousel are scattered throughout.
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Dumbo
Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass, you’ll find the upscale Brooklyn neighborhood of Dumbo. Once a former ferry terminal, the area is now filled with high-end bars, restaurants and shops in converted warehouses and industrial brick buildings. Its location in the shadow of the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges means the streets of Dumbo are some of the most Instagrammed in the country.
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Coney Island
Coney Island manages to pull off that trickiest of feats – an educational and historic site that kids will love. Much of the theme park is protected and some of the century-old rides are still in service. The Cyclone is a wooden rollercoaster that has been consistently terrifying visitors since 1927.
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Brooklyn Bridge Park
Far from the curated chaos of downtown Manhattan, much of the joy of NYC life can be discovered by strolling the waterfront promenade of Brooklyn Bridge Park. Soak up the atmosphere, enjoy the public art on display and take in the view of the Manhattan skyline from across the East River.
The Best Places to Visit in Queens
The largest of New York's five boroughs by area, Queens is a vast and rewarding travel destination. One of the most culturally diverse regions in the entire country, the borough exemplifies New York's reputation as a global melting pot.
It’s also the first place most visitors to NYC will visit: both New York airports, JFK and LaGuardia, are located here.
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Flushing Meadows
Right in the heart of Queens, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park is a 1930s alternative to Central Park. While the green lawns are an attraction in themselves, the area is also one of the premier destinations for sports fans visiting NYC. The park is the home of the US Open tennis championship and the New York Mets baseball Stadium.
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Queens Night Market
Nowhere is Queens’ international heritage better encapsulated than the Queens Night Market. Every Saturday between April and October, hundreds of vendors set out their stalls and offer food, clothing and art from every corner of the world.
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Gantry Plaza State Park
A real New York hidden gem, Gantry Plaza is renowned among New Yorkers and photographers for having the city's best view of the iconic Manhattan Skyline. Located directly across the river from Midtown Manhattan, it’s the perfect setting for your holiday photos. A sunset stroll along Gantry Plaza is one of the best ways to take in the city.
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Astoria
A historic neighborhood in the heart of Queens, Astoria is one of the city's most charming areas. Discover top cultural sights and family attractions like the Museum of the Moving Image and the Socrates Sculpture Park among the area's leafy streets and historic buildings.
The Best Places to Visit in the Bronx
Just to the North of Manhattan Island lies the Bronx. While densely populated, the region also features more parkland than any other NY borough, making it a great option to decompress after spending time in Manhattan.
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Yankee Stadium
Baseball is often referred to as America’s pastime, and a visit to Yankee Stadium is the quintessential American day out. Open-air stands, mascots, live organ music and hot dogs the size of your head – it's all there.
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Bronx Zoo
New York’s biggest zoo, and one of the biggest in the country, the Bronx Zoo is one of the best family activities in New York. As well as the exotic animal population, the zoo contains many architectural highlights, including the 1930s Rainey Entrance Gates.
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Bronx Museum of the Arts
The Bronx is rightly known for its cultural diversity. This is celebrated in the Bronx Museum of the Arts. A leading modern art museum, the Bronx Museum places an emphasis on local Bronx artists, community engagement, and cross-cultural exchange. It’s free to visit, making it one of the best free things to do in New York City.
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Hush Hip Hop tour
New York, and the South Bronx in particular, is the birthplace of one of the great American art forms: hip-hop. A Hush Hip Hop tour is a fascinating way for kids and adults alike to learn the history of the genre and the city that shaped it.
The Best Places to Visit in Staten Island
Manhattan may contain most of NYC’s big sights, but the defining symbol of the city – the statue of Liberty – is best seen from Staten Island. A trip on the Staten Island Ferry is also a great opportunity to visit New York’s smallest borough. Take a walk along the historic North Shore, catch a ball game at Richmond Park, and explore the Revolutionary-era Fort Wadsworth.
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The Staten Island Ferry
Much like London’s 139 bus route, the Staten Island ferry is a municipal public transport service that happens to offer unbeatable views of some of the most famous attractions in the world – tourists and locals alike can ride the ferry for free and see the Statue of Liberty up close. The ferry is easily one of the best free activities in New York city.
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Historic Richmond Town
Among all the steel and glass, it can be easy to forget that New York City has been settled by humans for hundreds of years. Originally inhabited by the forcibly-displaced Lenape people, New York was a strategically important city during the British colonial era and the American War for Independence. Step back in time to see the past up close in historic Richmond Town. This living museum is one of the best family activities in New York, and lets visitors experience 1700s New York life first-hand.
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Snug Harbor Cultural Centre
An affiliate of the Smithsonian Museum, Snug Harbor is an oasis of museums, historical buildings and gardens dotted around an 83-acre campus in Staten Island. There’s enough here to keep tourists entertained for days. Highlights include the Staten Island Botanical Garden, the Chinese Scholar’s Garden and the Staten Island Children’s Museum.
How to use an eSIM in New York
Whichever borough you visit first, stay connected throughout your trip to the USA with a BetterRoaming New York eSIM. These are prepaid SIM profiles you download to your phone and allow you to get online in the USA for local rates, instead of paying international roaming charges. Think of them like a local SIM card, but more convenient: eSIMs can be downloaded in seconds, and work alongside your current SIM card so you still have access to your old contacts, messages and two-factor authentication services. Learn more about eSIMs here.
Data plans for North America
Visiting New York with an eSIM in 2024: a summary
An eSIM is a SIM profile you download to your phone. It allows you to use mobile data in other countries without paying international roaming charges
Our USA travel eSIM is easier to use than a local USA SIM card - with no need to swap SIM cards, or lose access to your messages or contacts
Choose between a range of prepaid USA eSIM plans for every budget and data requirement
A BetterRoaming USA eSIM is free to install. Just download your free eSIM anytime, then choose and purchase a mobile data plan for the US when you're ready to travel- the plan will activate automatically as soon as you arrive.
