The New York Journal · Things to Do
What Is New York Known For? Landmarks, Culture and Food
The landmarks, culture and foods New York is famous for, and how to experience each one properly.
By Luxury Travel NYC Editorial··6 min read
In brief
- New York is best known for its landmarks: the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Times Square, the Brooklyn Bridge and Central Park.
- Culturally, it is famous for Broadway, world-class museums such as the Met and MoMA, and Wall Street.
- Its most famous foods are the New York slice, bagels, deli pastrami, cheesecake and the street-cart hot dog.
- It is also known for its five boroughs, its yellow taxis and a pace of life that never quite stops.
New York City is known for its skyline and landmarks, Broadway and its museums, its finance and fashion industries, its neighborhoods and its food. Few cities have so many images that people recognize on sight. Here is what New York is famous for, and where to experience each on a visit.
Famous landmarks
- The Statue of Liberty: dedicated in 1886 in New York Harbor; reached by ferry from Battery Park.
- The Empire State Building: the Art Deco tower that opened in 1931 and still defines the Midtown skyline.
- Times Square: the lights, billboards and crowds at the heart of the Theater District, and home of the New Year’s Eve ball drop.
- The Brooklyn Bridge: opened in 1883, and still one of the best walks in the city.
- Central Park: 843 acres of green in the middle of Manhattan. See our Central Park guide.
- Rockefeller Center: famous for its holiday tree and skating rink, and its observation deck, Top of the Rock.
Culture: Broadway, museums and more
New York is the home of Broadway, and an evening at the theater is on most visitors’ lists. It is also known for its museums, from the Metropolitan Museum of Art to MoMA, and for Lincoln Center, home of the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Ballet and the New York Philharmonic. See what to do in New York City.
Business, finance and fashion
Wall Street in Lower Manhattan has made New York a byword for finance, and the city is one of the world’s fashion capitals. Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue are among the most famous shopping streets anywhere.
What food is New York famous for?
- New York–style pizza: the large, thin, foldable slice.
- Bagels: best eaten fresh with cream cheese and lox.
- Deli pastrami and corned beef: piled high on rye.
- New York cheesecake: dense, rich and creamy.
- Hot dogs: from street carts all over the city.
- Black-and-white cookies and egg creams: old-school New York classics.
For sit-down dining, from landmark dining rooms to classic steakhouses, see our Where to Eat guide.
Neighborhoods and the five boroughs
New York is really five cities in one: the five boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island. Within them, neighborhoods such as SoHo, Greenwich Village, Harlem, Williamsburg and Dumbo each have a character of their own.
How to see the best of New York
Pick a few of these and pair them by neighborhood rather than trying to see everything. Our three-day itinerary covers the essentials, and where to stay helps you choose the right base.
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