There’s no place like New York City. The Big Apple is home to some of the most iconic landmarks and attractions in the world, and it’s also home to some of the most beautiful places to visit.
If you are looking for the most beautiful places to go to in NYC, you will want to check out the following locations:
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Central Park
Looking for one of the most beautiful places in New York City? If so then be sure to visit the one and only Central Park.
After all, this massive park in Manhattan covers an impressive 843 acres of land and is home to world-class attractions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Natural History Museum, the Central Park Zoo, Strawberry Fields, and more.
However, for some of the best photos and most scenic spots in all of upper Manhattan, be sure to visit Bethesda Fountain and take photos from the terrace here.
If you can, try and get up early, before sunrise, since Bethesda Fountain is incredibly popular and always filled with people.
Next, mosey on over to nearby Belvedere Castle and take some photos by the pond here, with the castle in the background, before climbing the stairs for sweeping views of the city.
Alternatively, you could always grab a drink at the rooftop bar at the MET and enjoy stunning panoramas of Central Park from here.
Plus, if you love amazing photo ops, be sure to visit the Temple of Dendur inside the MET and take incredible photos with the glass windows here. And when you start to feel a bit hungry, enjoy a decadent brunch at Tavern on the Green before exploring the Ramble and Sheep’s Meadow.
If you visit at the right time of year, you can even enjoy Shakespeare in the Park or a free summer concert since they are regularly hosted here by Good Morning America throughout the summer.
It’s easily one of the best free things to do in NYC and a great way to enjoy one of the most beautiful places in the city.
We recommend this popular experience HERE.
Contributor: Kelly | Blog: Travel New York Now
Fort Tryon Park and The Cloisters
New York is a city of beautiful green spaces, and Fort Tryon Park is no exception. Spending a day here is a wonderful way to immerse yourself in nature, take in panoramic views, and see the city from a slightly different perspective.
There are eight miles of trails in the park, and because the park sits on a high point in Upper Manhattan, most pathways lead to spectacular views. You might look across the Hudson River to the Palisades, or get sweeping views to the north, over Inwood, and into the Bronx.
Come later in the day to watch the sun set over the George Washington Bridge—it’s a scene as beautiful as any you’ll see in New York City. Within Fort Tryon Park, there are wooded trails and stone stairways built into the hillside. There’s an Alpine Garden and a Heather Garden that bloom in bright shades of color during the spring and summer months.
A nearby sloping lawn makes a perfect spot for a picnic in the summer (or sledding in the winter). You might also come across the Billings Arcade, which is the remains of an early 20th-century mansion left over from when Upper Manhattan was a country retreat for the wealthy.
Fort Tryon Park is also home to The Cloisters, a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Cloisters resemble a monastery on the outside, while the inside is packed with medieval art and artifacts dating back thousands of years.
In New York City, it doesn’t get much better than viewing stunning works of art inside an architectural marvel and then stepping outside into one of the most unique parks in the city.
Contributor: Michele DeBella | Blog: From Inwood Out
Prospect Park
Prospect Park, Brooklyn’s second-largest park, was designed by the same people who designed Central Park. With its winding trails, hills, fields, and water features, Prospect Park is a beautiful place to play, exercise, and explore.
Prospect Park is comprised of more than 500 acres and includes a forest, a zoo, a carousel, an ice-skating rink, a band shell, multiple playgrounds, historical houses, an aviary, and more. Brooklyn Botanic Gardens is right across the street from Prospect Park and can be considered part of the park. Both the Brooklyn Museum and the Brooklyn Public Library are located on the border of Prospect Park.
It is easy to spend a day in Prospect Park no matter the season. Picnics and sporting events are popular in the warm seasons, while sledding and even cross-country skiing take place in Prospect Park in the winter.
Celebrate Brooklyn takes place in Prospect Park each summer with both free concerts and benefit concerts. Held at the bandshell, Prospect Park provides a beautiful background for an outdoor summer concert.
Farmer’s Markets are held at the north end of Prospect Park at Grand Army Plaza under the Soldiers’ and Sailor’s Arch, as well as at Bartel-Pritchett Square at the south end of Prospect Park. There are multiple arches and bridges throughout Prospect Park, as well as monuments and statues.
The lake at Prospect Park has catch-and-release fishing, and visitors can rent boats and cruise around the beautiful lake. Bike rentals are also popular in Prospect Park.
Prospect Park is easily reached by public transportation. Take the time to explore, play, and spend the day at Brookyn’s beautiful Prospect Park.
Contributor: Lanie | Blog: Make More Adventures
St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Located in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, St. Patrick’s Cathedral is also known as “America’s Parish Church.” It is one of the largest cathedrals in the country and is renowned for its titanic bronze doors, gorgeous high altar, and rich Neo-Gothic architecture, including thousands of stained glass windows.
CNN described it as an essential part of New York City’s architectural heritage in 2020.
From a historical perspective, it’s the final resting place of some of New York’s most legendary humanitarians. St. Patrick’s Cathedral occupies an entire city block and welcomes millions of visitors annually.
Visit the Cathedral by 10 am to avoid large crowds. As per the footfall trend, Mondays are the busiest day of the midweek. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are also somewhat busy. Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays are slightly less crowded. On Sunday, it is the least crowded because you cannot take a tour.
Don’t forget to check the official website of St. Patrick’s Cathedral for upcoming events like concerts, guest choir concert series, music events, etc. to have a delightful experience.
Make sure to check the mass schedule before going to the cathedral, as talking or photography is not permitted during Mass. And who wouldn’t want to take pictures of one of the most impressive buildings in New York?
Contributor Anukrati | Blog: Bulbul on the Wing
Brooklyn Bridge Park
If you are looking for the most beautiful places in NYC, you mustn’t overlook the skyline of Manhattan. Though the skyline doesn’t change, where you view the skyline can dramatically change how beautiful the scenery is. There are many places to watch the Manhattan skyline, but there is perhaps no better spot than Brooklyn Bridge Park in DUMBO.
As the name suggests, this park is situated adjacent to one of the most Instagrammable spots in NYC, the Brooklyn Bridge. It is the park you end up in after you walk across the Brooklyn Bridge from Lower Manhattan. What makes this spot so special is that when looking out from Brooklyn Bridge Park, not only can you see the skyscrapers of Manhattan in the distance, but both the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Bridge. These bridges naturally guide your eyes deeper into the landscape, like leading lines in photography.
If you are into photography, this is one of the best spots to take photos. The park is home to a few notable attractions of the city, namely Jane’s Carousel and Pebble Beach. The Jane’s Carousel adds to the fairytale-like vibes of the park, and Pebble Beach is actually the smallest beach in Brooklyn. It isn’t recommended to go swimming, but it surely does provide a unique perspective to see the Manhattan skyline.
Furthermore, its location adjacent to the East River creates a serene environment for those that want to escape the hustle and bustle of Manhattan. It is a true hidden gem in NYC!
Contributor: Sean Lau | Blog: Living Out Lau
The High Line
New York is an incredible city full of fantastic sights. Many travelers follow the typical attractions they can visit by purchasing a New York Tourist Pass or that every guidebook recommends. However, diving deeper into the Big Apple and discovering more local attractions is absolutely worth it. One of them is the High Line.
This unusual place is a former railroad line that runs about 1 ½ miles through Chelsea and the Meatpacking District. However, since no trains are running here today, you can use the route for a great walk through New York.
You can think of the route as a little park above the streets, filled with art, culture, and cool corners. In addition, it gives you plenty of incredible viewpoints from which you can discover New York from a whole new angle. Besides the views, however, you could easily forget that you’re actually in a big city, as the trees, plants, and benches along the way are more reminiscent of a laid-back park.
Opened in 2009, the High Line is one of New York’s rather new sights. Today, this urban park has become one of the best examples of well-integrated landscape architecture.
So order a cool drink, settle down on one of the sunbeds, meet locals who spend their after-work hours here, or get inspired by the street art pieces you can spot along the High Line.
Best of all, admission to this unique New York spot is entirely free. You can access it at different points along the way by using stairs or an elevator.
Contributor: Vicki | Blog: Vicki Viaja
Brooklyn Bridge
The iconic Brooklyn Bridge is one of the most recognizable and beloved landmarks in New York City. Although many locals cross the bridge to walk dogs and cycle to work, it is tourists making up the vast majority of bodies transiting between the famous boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Walking across Brooklyn Bridge is one of those truly unmissable NYC experiences that never gets old, no matter how many times you visit. The best part? It is always open and it is always free.
Sunrise is the perfect time to enjoy a relaxing and peaceful crossing as the striking Manhattan skyline illuminates under soft yellow light at dawn.
Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge at sunset and at night is much busier, but there is an electric buzz in the air as the sun sets behind the Statue of Liberty and you have the best view in the city.
But walking over the bridge is just one way to experience its grandeur. The other way to really appreciate the beauty of this city icon is to grab your camera and find unique photography spots around both sides of the bridge.
Pebble Beach, Jane’s Carousel, and Brooklyn Bridge Park are the most popular places to take photos of the bridge in Brooklyn, with Lower Manhattan’s skyline bursting into the sky on the far side of the East River.
The symbolic Brooklyn Bridge is a movie star, a wedding photography hotspot and a scenic vista point with astounding views. But most importantly it is a connector of people and communities.
Contributors: Mark and Kristen | Blog: Where are the Morgans
The Reservoir
The Reservoir (formally known as the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir) is a lovely oasis located in the heart of Central Park. It is bordered on the east and west by Central Park West and 5th Avenue, and by 86th Street and 97th Street to the north and south.
The Reservoir is accessible by foot if you are staying in the Upper East Side or Upper West Side in Manhattan. It is also very convenient to reach by subway. The nearest stations on the Upper West Side are the 86th Street station and the 96th Street Station (both serviced by the A, B, and C trains). The nearest stations on the Upper East Side are also the 86th Street station and the 96th Street Station (both serviced by the 4, 5, and 6 trains).
The Reservoir is also located next to the Guggenheim Museum at 5th Avenue between 88th and 89th Streets, and it is just north of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which is located on 5th Avenue at 82nd Street.
The Reservoir is essentially a large body of water within Central Park. It was constructed in 1860, and at the time, it was the largest man-made body of water in the world.
It is surrounded by a 1.58-mile-long path popular among walkers and joggers. Because of its open geography, the Reservoir also features unobstructed views of the NYC skyline. In the south, there are views of 432 Park Avenue, which is a strikingly tall slender building that soars to a height of 1,396 feet. In the west, one of the most famous landmarks is the apartment building El Dorado, with its two prominent twin towers. The Reservoir is one of the best places in New York to take great skyline pictures from ground level.
There is also a charming fountain in the Reservoir, which enhances the beauty and tranquility of the spot.
Contributed by: Merryl | Blog: Virginia Vacation Guide
Final Note
We hope you enjoyed reading about the most beautiful places to go in NYC. There are many more wonderful places to explore in this great city, and we hope you have the opportunity to visit them all. Thanks for reading!
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