New York attractions

The statue was a gift from the people of France, designed by Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi around an iron framework engineered by Gustave Eiffel, and dedicated in 1886. A short ferry ride away, Ellis Island processed around 12 million arriving immigrants between 1892 and 1954. Today its Great Hall is a museum where many visitors trace their own family's arrival.

Ferries leave from Battery Park, and every passenger goes through airport-style security first, which is where most of the waiting happens. An early departure is the single best thing you can do for your day. Pedestal and crown access are limited and must be reserved in advance.

Two reflecting pools sit in the footprints of the Twin Towers, each nearly an acre in size, with water falling into a central void. The names of the 2,983 people killed in the attacks of 2001 and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing are cut into the bronze parapets around them. The memorial plaza is open to everyone and free to visit.

The museum lies beneath it, at bedrock level, and holds the slurry wall that held back the Hudson River, a surviving staircase and thousands of personal objects. It is a powerful, emotional visit. Many people find it easier with a guide who can put the day in context and help decide what to see.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art was founded in 1870 and has spent the century and a half since growing along Fifth Avenue on the edge of Central Park. Its collection spans some 5,000 years, from an entire Egyptian temple to European masterpieces, arms and armor, and a rooftop with one of the best views of the park.

Nobody sees it all in a day, and trying to is the most common mistake. Pick two or three areas, or let a guide build a route for you. The museum is usually quietest on weekday mornings right after opening.

Built in the depths of the Great Depression, Rockefeller Center was one of the largest private building projects of its era and set the template for the modern city plaza. Its Art Deco details are everywhere once you know to look: Lee Lawrie's bronze Atlas facing St. Patrick's Cathedral, Paul Manship's golden Prometheus above the rink, and carved panels above almost every doorway.

In winter the ice rink and the famous Christmas tree take over. The rest of the year, it's the gateway to Top of the Rock and a short walk from Radio City Music Hall and Fifth Avenue.