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The grand city of New York is undoubtedly one of the most enthralling, unique places in the entire world. Even if you visit the city several times each year, you still won’t see everything the Big Apple has to offer. Because there are so many fun and interesting tourist attractions, choosing the best ones is often a difficult task for tourists, especially those who are only visiting for a few days. But to help make the process a bit easier for you, here are five of the top things to do in New York City:

1. Ellis Island and The Statue of Liberty

The ever unique and widely diverse history of our country can be found at Ellis Island, where years ago so many of our ancestors set foot on American soil for the very first time looking for freedom and prosperity. If you’re a genealogy buff, look through the registry for names of relatives who may have stepped off a boat here before heading on to visit the Statue of Liberty, fondly known as Lady Liberty. If you’ve never seen the statue in person, she is definitely a sight to behold with her strong, majestic presence and watchful eyes overlooking the ocean. To visit Ellis Island from the city, or from New Jersey, take a ferry for $12, which also goes to Liberty Island where the statue is situated. Tickets often sell out, so buy yours early if at all possible, either online or from the site where the ferry departs. You can also tour the crown of the statue, but this might entail an extra cost. These tickets sell out fast as well, so reserve them quickly.

2. Exciting Times Square

There are countless things to see and do in the district of Times Square alone, site of the New Year’s Eve ball drop. Spend a few days shopping, eating at some of the state’s best restaurants, and buy tickets to the latest Broadway shows. If you ever find yourself running out of ideas of things to do here, which is highly unlikely, head over to 7th Avenue near 46th Street and pay a visit to the information center for buying tickets, details about finding your way around, where the best places to go to enjoy the city’s nightlife, and of course, new ideas for things to do and see.

3. Beautiful Central Park

There is so much to do in the park alone, and so much to see. One of the best parts of Central Park is Strawberry Fields. This is the monument area set up to honor the late John Lennon. It’s across from the Dakota, the New York City apartment building where Lennon was assassinated. The site itself is a beautiful stone circle set in the ground and it says “Imagine” which was the name of one of Lennon’s biggest hits. Central Park also has a zoo and a giant carousel. Except for the zoo and the carousel, the rest of Central Park is free of charge. The park is huge, and you can easily spend a day exploring everything the park has to offer.

4. Ellen’s Stardust Diner

For ’50s style fun, delicious food, and an incredible ambience for both kids and adults, visit Ellen’s Stardust Diner, which is not too far away from Times Square, located on 51st and Broadway. At Ellen’s you will be sung to by waiters and waitresses who know all of the best Broadway show tunes. In fact, several employees of Ellen’s Stardust Diner have gone on to successful careers on Broadway. If you can, sit in the upper dining area which provides a view of the whole place. Food is on the pricey side, but well worth it. While reservations aren’t necessary, the diner is rather well known, so plan on waiting in a long line most days.

5. The Empire State Building

Head to the top of the Empire State Building on a clear day and you will be rewarded with a stunning view of all the surrounding states. This is New York’s tallest building and is also one of the world’s most recognizable structures. It has appeared in several well known movies. Adorned with red and green lights for the holidays, the top of the Empire State Building also has various look-out points and binoculars for visitors to use. Admission to the building is $19 for adults, $2 less for those with a military identification, and discounts can often be found through AAA, in entertainment books, and newspapers. You can also buy tickets in the building’s lobby, but because this is one of the city’s most popular attractions, be prepared to wait in line many times during the year.

There are so many things to do in New York City. After all, it is the city that never sleeps! Hopefully, this list will help to narrow down your search for great tourist attractions. Have fun exploring the city!

Want to find out more about the top things to do in New York City? Visit my blog for information on famous restaurants in New York and New York day tours.

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