With 60 shops and 35 eateries, you may not want to leave Grand Central Station once you get there. But there is so much to see and do outside the station you should not miss out on. Being right in the middle of Manhattan, you are near Times Square, Broadway, the Chrysler Building, and the Empire State Building.
Besides the major attractions, you can also visit the beaches, parks, museums, and other fun places. Central Park can keep you busy for a week or more with all the things to do there. Or just stroll through the Theater District and take pics. But first, drop off your bags at a suitcase storage facility in Grand Central Station to lighten the load as you look around.
Statue of Liberty
If you have enough time, hop on the ferry and go out to Liberty Island. The Statue of Liberty is a major landmark that everyone has heard of but not many have gotten to see it up close. Standing just over 300 feet at the torch, the statue is majestic and beautiful with a fantastic background story to learn.
Visit the exhibit on the second floor where you can see a plethora of artifacts and photos that tell the story of the island and Lady Liberty. You can also take a guided tour of the island and the crown where you can see for miles. Don’t miss visiting Ellis Island and the National Museum of Immigration.
Times Square
One of the most visited places in the world, Times Square gets over 50 million visitors a year. It started as a traditional town square called Longacre but was renamed Times Square in 1904 when the New York Times moved into their building there. It is most known for the yearly ball drop on New Year’s Eve.
But there is so much to see and do there from Planet Hollywood to the PlayStation Theater and the Disney Store. There are all kinds of fun things to do like Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, Ripley’s Believe it or Not, the RIDE, and dozens of eateries and bars. Check out the rooftop views at Bar 54 in Hyatt Centric.
Rockefeller Center
The Top of the Rock is the main attraction here which is completely open to the air on the 70th floor of the Rockefeller Plaza building. But there is much more to see and do like the skating rink where you can ice skate from October until April, a bunch of fun stores like LEGO, Nintendo, Gamestop, and Posman Books.
You may also enjoy the Channel Gardens, which are decked out all year long. Get a selfie in front of the Radio City Music Hall sign or take a backstage tour. You can even see live tapings of the Today Show, Late Night with Seth Meyers, The Tonight Show, and Saturday Night Live. Maybe you can even get on TV.
Museum of Modern Art
Also known as MoMA, this art museum has more than 150,000 artworks, 22,000 films, and four million film stills. One of the main attractions is the 1907 Les Demoiselles d’Avignon by Picasso. The abstract art is just stunning. And the 1920 Reflections of Clouds on the Water Lily Pond by Monet is also amazing.
You can also see the world-renowned 1889 The Starry Night by van Gogh, which is the scene from his room at the Saint-Rémy-de-Provence Asylum. Take a guided tour or explore on your own through three floors of remarkable artistry, exhibits, and architecture. Be sure to get some unique souvenirs at the gift shop.
Central Park
The 843-acre Central Park is one of the most well-known parks in the world and the most visited in the US. There are a variety of activities to enjoy at the park including visiting the Belvedere Castle, riding the 1951 carousel, seeing butterflies at the North Meadow Butterfly Garden, and getting selfies with Cleopatra’s Needle.
You can also take a gondola ride around the lake, get some photos of the gorgeous blooms in the Conservatory Garden, or race model sailboats against other park visitors at the Conservatory Water. The park also has more than 40 bridges and arches dating back to the 1860s. But do not miss the Central Park Zoo.
Westfield World Trade Center
More than just a shopping mall, the Westfield World Trade Center is the largest shopping center in Manhattan with 125 shops and eateries to explore and enjoy. It was built in 2016 to replace the shopping mall under the World Trade Center that was destroyed in the 9/11 attacks.
Some of the most popular shops in the mall include UGG, Sephora, Camper, Pandora, and the Banana Republic. Make sure you get some fantastic souvenirs at the I LOVE NY Store, visit the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, and take some selfies in the Oculus, an amazing architectural wonder.
The Empire State Building
The most famous building in the world, the Empire State Building is also one of the tallest at 1,250 feet where you can see about 80 miles on a clear day. Go up to the 102nd floor to see Delaware, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey as well as New York and the surrounding area.
Start in the art deco library where you can see some of the most beautiful architecture and then go up a few floors to see King Kong peeking in the window. See the A-list celebrity photos in the picture exhibit and see clips of the 600 TV shows, movies, and commercials where the building has been featured on 72 screens.
While you are in New York, be sure to try some of the famous New York cuisines like hot dogs at Gray’s Papaya, Manhattan clam chowder at the Oyster Bar, bagels & lox at Zucker’s, and NY-style pizza slices at almost any pizzeria in the city. Then grab your luggage and head back to Grand Central Station.