The best sightseeing in New York
Getty Images
Water flows from one of 'The New York City Waterfalls', a newly installed art installation at the Brooklyn Bridge.
Tuesday September 23 2008
Tom Hall offers his advice on the best sightseeing in New York
I'm going to New York on business for a few days in October and plan on staying on for the weekend to do some sightseeing. What are the top things to see in a weekend? I have never been to the city before and am interested in seeing as much as possible (and I'm not keen on shopping!).
New York is the city that has it all. There is so much to see that you are unlikely to cover as much as you would like in just a weekend. It's best to identify three or four sights that are on your must-see list and focus on these.
To kick off your sight-seeing weekend head to the Rockefeller Centre (located between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, and 48th and 51st Streets) to get a bird's-eye view of the city from the Top of the Rock. The Observation deck is 70 stories up and offers 360-degree views of the city, including Central Park, the Hudson River and Brooklyn. You'll manage to avoid the horrendous queues that the city's most famous viewpoint, the Empire State Building, attracts -- as well as getting a fantastic look at this iconic building. Tickets can be bought in advance from www.rockefellercenter.com and cost €13.
Trips to the fantastic Museum of Modern Art (11 W 53rd St between Fifth and Sixth Avenues) and Central Park should finish the day perfectly.
On Sunday morning, hop on the subway across the East River to Brooklyn. You'll find the subway is the easiest and cheapest way to get around the city. High Street or Clark Street are both stations from which you can walk across the awesome Brooklyn Bridge. As you battle the elements atop the bridge you will get the finest views in town of the Manhattan skyline.
The bridge will bring you into Lower Manhattan; from here you can head to Battery Park and hop on the free Staten Island Ferry. Rest your feet and take in views of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
Make sure that you give yourself time to explore as many of New York's exciting neighbourhoods as possible. Little Italy has mouthwatering food, SoHo is a centre of hipness and the Meatpacking District has emerged as a place to shop, eat and drink.
