New York City is one of those places you could visit again and again and still find something new to do. Here are some of my favorite ways to experience the city.
Use your points and miles to get there and stay there — then save your cash for the experiences!
It doesn't get much more iconic than this. Take the ferry out to Liberty Island for an up-close look at the Statue of Liberty, then continue to Ellis Island and explore the fascinating history of immigration in New York.
You really should see New York from above at least once! Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, One World Observatory and Edge all offer incredible views — and very different experiences.
Simply Points Tip
If you only choose one, I love Top of the Rock for the classic NYC skyline views, including an amazing view of the Empire State Building.
Pizza. Bagels. Cannoli. Dumplings. New York is a fantastic city to explore through food. Look for a walking food tour through neighborhoods such as Greenwich Village, Little Italy, Chinatown or the Lower East Side. It's a fun way to combine sightseeing, history and some seriously good food.
There's nothing quite like seeing a Broadway show in New York City. Even if you're not normally a theater person, experiencing the Theater District and seeing a live performance is quintessential NYC.
Central Park is enormous, and a guided tour can help you see much more than you would wandering around on your own. Choose a walking tour, bike tour or one of the park's other guided experiences and see famous landmarks, movie locations and some of the park's prettiest spots.
This is a very different experience from the others on this list, but an important and incredibly moving one. Visit the Memorial pools and spend time inside the 9/11 Museum learning about the events of September 11 and the people whose lives were affected.
Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge is one of my favorite FREE things to do in NYC. Once you reach Brooklyn, spend some time exploring DUMBO and the waterfront. Or take a guided Brooklyn Bridge/DUMBO tour if you'd like to learn more about the history of the area.
Seeing Manhattan from the water gives you an entirely different perspective of the city. Depending on the cruise you choose, you may get fantastic views of the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, One World Trade Center and the Manhattan skyline.
Simply Points Tip
A sunset cruise can be especially beautiful when the skyline starts lighting up.
Some of the best parts of New York aren't observation decks or major attractions — they're the neighborhoods. Consider a guided walking tour through Greenwich Village, SoHo, Chinatown, Little Italy, Harlem or another part of the city that interests you. You'll often discover places and stories you'd completely miss on your own.
Yes, it's touristy — but especially for a first visit, it can be a really easy way to get oriented and see a lot of Manhattan without walking 30,000 steps! Hop off when something catches your attention, explore, and then continue on your way.
My philosophy is simple: use points and miles to make the expensive parts of travel more affordable, then spend your money actually experiencing the destination. That's what Simply Points Travel™ is all about — more trips, more experiences and more memories for less money.
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