New York is all you'd expect it to be. For a start, absolutely everything is unapologetically oversized – the buildings are taller, the streets are noisier and the coffee cups are almost intimidating. Every street feels like a movie set and there are clichés everywhere you look from steaming manhole covers to people hailing yellow cabs. One thing's for sure, the Big Apple doesn't disappoint. 

Here, Features Writer Stephanie Durrant reveals 18 unmissable tours and attractions New York City has to offer, including what to do and where to eat, drink and sleep...

This bustling terminal has been at the heart of New York life for more than 100 years, but what really goes on in the most famous train station on the planet? Find out by joining a Walks guided tour of the historic transport hub that’s been the backdrop for countless films and TV shows. Marvel at the central brass clock and sweeping marble staircases of the iconic concourse, then navigate the station's lesser-known passageways, via the Jackie Onassis foyer and Vanderbilt Hall. You'll also learn the terminal's greatest secrets, from maintaining its Art Deco façade to evidence of the lost space race.

If you know where to look, you’ll find a watering hole befitting of Grand Central Station’s grandeur. Hiding in plain sight, The Campbell Bar was once the private office and living quarters of the Jazz Age financier John W Campbell. The space has been lovingly restored to how it would have looked during the 1920s, with its century-old leaded glass window, original stone fireplace and 14th-century-inspired painted ceiling. Campbell’s personal safe is also on display giving an insight into the owner’s wealth and opulent taste. Visit for classic cocktails, elevated bar fare and live jazz events.

Punctuate your discovery of the best eats the city has to offer by joining a food history tour of the Lower East Side. Armed with insider knowledge, your expert guide will take you through the historic streets of what was once a rundown, overcrowded neighbourhood housing two million immigrants. Now a trendy hub offering a melting pot of culinary hotspots, the booming district is home to a plethora of small businesses that pay homage to their diverse roots…

Your tour guide will ensure you sample the best hidden gems and backstreet eateries that only locals know about. Try the beef pastrami at Katz Delicatessen – the neighbourhood's oldest restaurant and the setting of that famous scene in When Harry Met Sally, devour dumplings from Shu Jiao Fu Zhou and discover a traditional Dominican breakfast at El Castillo de Jagua. Finally, grab a pickle from the area’s last remaining pickle vendor (there used to be more than 60!) and don’t forget to leave room for doughnuts at the artisan bakery, Doughnut Plant. If you’re there in autumn, the pumpkin and pepita ring is a must-try.

Another stop on the Lower East Side food tour but highly recommended for an independent visit is Essex Market. During the 1800s, the neighbourhood’s streets were awash with immigrant pushcart vendors selling the food of their homelands. By the mid-19th century, the roads had become overcrowded and in 1940, Mayor LaGuardia decided to build a network of indoor public markets. Today, Essex Market has a new home across the street from the original building but continues to serve the community with affordable and fresh foods from all corners of the globe – think fine French cheeses, Italian cured meats and olive oil from Morocco. Be sure to go with an empty stomach.

The Statue of Liberty is as synonymous with New York as the Eiffel Tower is to Paris and the pyramids to Egypt. Therefore, it’d be remiss not to get properly acquainted with the lady herself during your stay. A Statue City Cruises Crown Reserve tour will ferry you over to the century-old copper monument where you’ll have access to the 531-foot (162m) statue’s pedestal observation deck – via the lift or stairway – followed by 162 further steps to the breathtaking crown lookout. Once you’ve savoured the views back across Manhattan and learned about the statue's French origins via audio tour, a peruse around the free museum is a must before cruising across to neighbouring Ellis Island…

From 1892 to 1924, more than 12 million immigrants sailed past the Statue of Liberty to Ellis Island looking to start a new life in the United States. Incredibly, only 2% of hopeful men, women and children were rejected, however, many more were detained on the island due to suspected ill health – determined during a rapid six-second ‘sick test’. Today, the site is home to the National Museum of Immigration housed in the original complex. Complete with the restored Registry Room that sealed so many people’s fate, you'll find numerous interactive exhibits that bring to life the realities of those seeking the American Dream. 

If you’ve worked up an appetite then The Smith is the place to head, especially if you have a brood of hungry mouths to feed. Located in the East Village – along with three other city venues – The Smith offers hearty American bistro dishes in a friendly, laid-back atmosphere. No need to stand on ceremony here. Try the family-style dining feast, with a selection of sharing starters and desserts, plus a choice of delicious mains including brick-pressed chicken served with smashed garlic potatoes in a lemon jus. Other unmissable favourites have to be the mac and cheese, blueberry pie and giant cookie stack. Prepare to take home leftovers!

Like all of the world’s very best museums and galleries, seeing everything The Metropolitan Museum of Art has to offer would be impossible with just one visit. So, if you have just half a day to spare, joining a Walks guided tour is the best way to get a flavour of The Met’s most unmissable exhibitions. Tour highlights include the largest collection of Egyptian artefacts outside of Egypt, Medieval Art, European Sculptures and works by iconic impressionist painters Monet, Degas and Van Gogh. If you visit during milder months, take the lift to the rooftop garden for 360-degree vistas of the city.

Central Park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux in 1858 as a place for New Yorkers to go and 'rest the mind'. More than 150 years later, the urban oasis has never been more of a welcome respite from what is now the pulsing centre of Manhattan. Despite being flooded by 42 million people a year, the 843-acre (3.4sqkm) park offers sweeping lawns, lakes and monuments, making it the place to come for a moment of quiet. If you can't manage a walk around the 2.5-mile-long (4km) park in full, an early morning stroll along its winding paths is a great way to start the day. Alternatively, head in for a spot of lunch or a coffee 'to go' and watch the world go by.

As soon as you step into the sultry-lit foyer of Tao Uptown, you know it’s the place to be seen. Phone camera at the ready to capture the East meets West décor which blends the city’s industrialism with Asian elegance. Not forgetting the enormous Buddha that sits within a lagoon at the head of the restaurant, appearing to watch over guests as they dine. Of course, Tao’s main draw is its exquisite Pan Asian cuisine, which offers an extensive menu of small plates, dim sum, sushi and more. If seafood is your thing, be sure to order the shrimp tempura special roll with wasabi honey sauce.

The best way to see the city skyline at night is to head offshore on the ultimate dinner cruise. Set sail on the Hudson and East Rivers while savouring a plated meal, fully-stocked bar and live entertainment, before heading up on deck to soak up unforgettable views of famed landmarks including the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge. If you’re visiting during the holiday season, City Cruises offers magical Thanksgiving and Christmas experiences, with a festive lunch in the company of the main man himself – Santa Claus! 

Ask any New Yorker and they’ll tell you they produce the best bagels in the world. Whether this is true or not, they're certainly tasty and the most agreed upon reason is the optimum mineral content of the city's tap water. You’ll find bagel shops across the city offering doughy discs of every variety and filling imaginable – both sweet and savoury. Local favourites include Ess-A-Bagel, with several locations across New York, and Orchard Grocer, an all-vegan deli on the Lower East Side. Run by two sisters, they name their bagels after the rescue cats who live next door in their vegan shoe shop, Mooshoes.

Prefer something sweet? The Magnolia Bakery opened its doors on a quiet corner in the West Village in 1996 and soon after, its banana pudding had become world famous – and we can certainly see why. Now tourists and locals alike queue out the door for tubs of fresh banana, vanilla wafers and creamy banana pudding. If the classic doesn’t take your fancy, one of the bakery’s seasonal specialities is sure to tickle your taste buds. Best enjoyed with a coffee perched at Rockefeller Plaza, which is just a block away.

Connecting Lower Manhattan with Brooklyn Heights, the Brooklyn Bridge is recognisable by its imposing stone arches and has appeared in countless movies from Saturday Night Fever to Spider-Man. On a sunny day, it’s the perfect way to pass an hour or two walking across what was once the longest suspension bridge in the world. You may have to dodge the 32,000 other people who make the trip each day, but it’s worth the views across the East River. It’s not just pedestrians, either – the steel bridge supports five lanes of traffic and, in 1884, circus owner PT Barnum reportedly even led 21 elephants across the structure to prove its stability.

We all remember watching the news in disbelief as the events of September 11, 2001 unfolded. However, it’s easy to forget that an entire city saw it play out in front of their very own eyes. Ten years later, the 9/11 monument and museum opened on the site of the former World Trade Center as a tribute of remembrance to the 2,977 people killed in the terrorist attacks of that day. Two memorial pools, each nearly an acre in size, drop 20 feet (6m) as water cascades into a central void representing 'absence made visible'. Names of the brave friends, colleagues, flight crews and first responders who lost their lives are inscribed around the edges – a sobering reminder of the vast loss experienced. 

Located in Midtown Manhattan you’ll find The Kimberly Hotel, a multi-award winning boutique that perfectly blends old-fashioned glamour with contemporary amenities. One-bed suites start from $459 (£355) per night and are classically decorated with neutral tones and antique-style furnishings. In-room perks include a king-size bed, flat-screen televisions in both the bedroom and lounge, plus a kitchenette with a mini fridge, coffee maker and microwave. The marble bathroom also features a jetted bathtub, twin basins and complimentary L’Occitane toiletries. There’s also an onsite fitness suite, two restaurants and the penthouse lounge bar – rated among the top 17 rooftops in the world. Head to the 30th floor after dark to watch the moon disappear behind the illuminated Chrysler Building while sipping a cocktail in this garden oasis.

Why not swap the stress of duty-free for a laidback departure lounge? Voted the World’s Best Independent Departure Lounge by Skytrax for eight consecutive years, Plaza Premium Lounges can be found in airports across the globe and offer all you need to start your trip in style. Lay back in a private resting suite or freshen up in the luxurious shower rooms. If plane meals don’t appeal, there’s also a spread of freshly prepared food available, depending on the time of day, along with a selection of complimentary soft drinks, teas, coffees and a paid-for bar.

New York City is served by John F Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport. They're all situated within 30 miles (48km) of Manhattan and are connected to the capital by public transport.

Stephanie Durrant visited in October 2024 and was a guest of City Experiences.