Planning a Unique and Fun New York City Vacation: 5 Must-Do Activities 

For families around the world, there is nothing more classic than taking a vacation to the Big Apple. Planning a New York City vacation requires a lot of planning given that the size of the city is a whopping 305 square miles with a population of over eight million people. Considering this vast size, there are countless activities that would require multiple trips to complete all of them. Therefore, it’s important to learn the “must see” spots and “must do” activities for your trip. 

How Many Visitors Does NYC Receive Annually?

It likely won’t come as a surprise to learn that NYC is one of the most popular vacation spots around the world for tourists. In fact, this amazing city receives well over 60 million visitors on a yearly basis and is consistently home to nearly 25% of the entire states visitors. With so many people choosing NYC as a destination for their travels, it’s important to build a plan for your visit to the city so that you’re not overwhelmed by all the travelers. 

When is the Best Time of Year to Visit NYC? 

While planning a New York City vacation for anytime of the year can be an excellent choice, there are certain points of time in which there may be fewer tourists or cheaper prices. Generally, the best weather is from April to June and September to November, but the lowest prices tend to be in winter or summer. 

5 Activities All NYC Tourists Must Take Part In

When starting to plan out your New York City vacation, it’s important to plan out what activities you will take part in on your journey. The following five are some of the best choices to consider for your trip: 

1. The ferry ride to the Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty stands as a monument to American freedom and as a sign of friendship between France and America. Millions have seen this towering statue over the years and its magnificence cannot be overstated. Consider taking a ferry boat ride out to see it with your own eyes and then hop over to the famed Ellis Island afterwards. 

2. An authentic culinary tour of the city

One aspect of New York City that is cause for its popularity is the pure variety in food that the city has to offer. Consider taking a walk-around culinary tour throughout the city that allows you to try countless new foods you may never have considered before. There are often themed culinary walks as well for those who have a certain taste preference for food. 

3. Taking a stroll through Central Park

Central Park is one of the biggest parks in the country and offers countless trees, walkways, ponds, and even playgrounds. Consider taking a morning stroll with some coffee through this iconic park or bring your whole family and have a picnic in the outdoor grass while basking in the sun. After all, nobody ever said you can’t relax on your New York City vacation. 

4. Completing a flyover helicopter tour 

With so many unique landmarks and sights to see in New York City, those worried about seeing it all can consider a helicopter tour. These flyover tours will allow a person to see iconic sites such as the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the entire city as a whole with unobstructed views. This is an activity which is best for smaller amounts of people as helicopters have limited seating capacities, so larger families may wish to consider different options. 

5. Paying respects at the 9/11 Memorial Museum

One of the darkest days in American history was September 11th, 2001, but the amazing museum and memorial erected in honor of the lives lost on that day is an excellent monument. Consider taking your whole family to pay your respects at this site and then take a tour through the museum after the fact to complete the day. 

Design your New York vacation today

A New York City vacation can be an excellent choice for the whole family due to the large number of activities in the city, meaning there is something for everyone. Take the time to chat with your family to see which activities appeal to everyone so that you can begin to plan your trip. Going one step further, use this idea to start building out your budget so that you can see what you can afford on your trip.