New York City's Four Best Attractions For First Time Visitors (And One To Avoid), Per A Local

Visiting New York City for the first time can feel overwhelming. After all, it's the city that never sleeps, and many visitors feel the need to remain awake 24/7 to squeeze every drop out of their trip. But the key to enjoying your first visit to New York City isn't trying to cram in absolutely everything. It's about knowing what's worth your time — and what's not.

To help you figure it out, we spoke to Luke Miller, owner of Real New York Tours and a born and bred New Yorker. You can also follow Real New York Tours' Instagram or TikTok. Since 2007, Miller and his wife Amber have been helping visitors discover the history, culture, cracks, and crevices of NYC. As he tells us, they are "locals who live it, breathe it, love it, and want you to as well."

Before you embark on exploring Miller's top four attractions (and discover one to skip), you need to know how to get around. "The subway, hands down, is the best way to get around NYC," Miller advises. It's fast, affordable, and pretty easy to navigate, especially with the help of an app like the New York Subway MTA Map. Before you hop aboard, check out our visitors' guide to the New York subway system. Alright, now that you know how to get around, where are you going?

Central Park is Luke Miller's first pick of New York City's best attractions. Miller calls Central Park a "great opportunity to step away from the hustle and bustle of the big city." The park attracts around 42 million visitors a year, but thanks to its size, there's always a quiet space to escape to, and it's the park's tranquility that Miller loves the most.

As the most-filmed location in the world, Central Park often feels familiar even to first-time visitors. The expansive and beautiful Bethesda Fountain and Terrace is one of Miller's favorite places in the park. To get there, walk down the Mall (a wide, long walkway lined with trees and benches), part of which is called Literary Walk, another of Miller's top spots. There, you can stroll along the tree-covered pathway and see 19th-century statues of famous writers, including William Shakespeare and Robert Burns.

For another iconic experience, Miller recommends a stop at Sheep Meadow, a 15-acre expanse of green overlooked by Manhattan's imposing skyscrapers. Take some time out among the New Yorkers who come here to sunbathe, picnic, and admire the views. From Sheep Meadow, get on the subway and head to your next stop.

Grand Central looks more like a lavish Gilded Age mansion than a regular railroad station. Luke Miller describes a "feeling of awe" as you enter the breathtaking Main Concourse, a feast of marble and glass. At eye level, the building is gorgeous, but the painted ceiling is mind-blowing, so raise your eyes. Called the zodiac ceiling, it showcases 12 gold-leaf constellations and 2,500 stars. At the heart of the concourse stands the famous four-sided opal glass clock, worth a staggering $20 million.

Once you've taken in the splendor of the main hall, it's time to head down to the lower level, where you'll find the famous Whispering Gallery. Amid the cacophony of the station, two people can stand at opposite sides of a tiled archway and whisper secrets to one another! Need to rest your legs? Choose one of the sumptuous bars inside Grand Central. You may have heard of the Oyster Bar, where the fabulously tiled ceiling is as famous as the seafood. The Campbell Bar is a little less known, though it's just as architecturally impressive and serves up delicious cocktails.

Greenwich Village has long been the heart and soul of New York City's artistic scene, tracing its roots back to the days when it was home to writers like Mark Twain and Edgar Allen Poe. In the 1960s, it emerged as a focal point for the city's counterculture, attracting artists and musicians like Joan Baez and Bob Dylan. Nowadays, it's still artsy and full of life, and the place to experience all the village has to offer is Washington Square Park.

Luke Miller recommends grabbing a coffee and going to relax on a bench, saying, "There is no better place to people watch!" You'll see tons of students from nearby New York University sprawled on the grass, surrounded by street artists and budding musicians. Outside of the park, you can wander the charming streets and enjoy museums, great restaurants, and more wonderful outdoor spaces like Pier 45. Greenwich Village is also the heart of the LGBTQ+ community in NYC, including being the location of the Stonewall Inn, where the 1969 riots kicked off the modern gay rights movement.

If you find yourself lost while in the Village, Miller has a travel tip for you! He says, "Don't be afraid to ask for help or directions. In spite of the stereotype that New Yorkers are rude, you will find us to be very helpful and accommodating." So flag down a local, ask for some recommendations, and hopefully discover one of the Village's hidden corners.

If you've been planning to head to the top of the Empire State Building while in New York, you might want to reconsider. Aside from being known for having some of the longest lines in the world, the Empire State Building is something you want to see, not stand on top of. So, of all the skyscrapers in all of New York City, Luke Miller recommends you head to SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, which he says has "elevated the observation deck game here in NYC."

SUMMIT offers sweeping 360-degree views of the city, and the wrap-around terrace is absolutely stunning. But that's not all! There are art displays that Miller calls "mind-bending," rooms full of mirrors reflecting the skyline, and even a levitation area, where you can stand on a glass ledge 1,100 feet in the air and peer out over Manhattan. Recent visitors agree, with many giving SUMMIT five-star reviews. Google reviewer Laura Vingan writes, "Out of all the tall buildings I've visited in New York, this one stands out!" So that's four places to see. Where does Miller recommend you skip?

Luke Miller's first warning isn't about completely avoiding a place. But of Times Square, he says, "do not linger too long." Why? Because "you are more likely to see your friends from back home there than you are to see real New Yorkers." If you decide to stop there even briefly, read our article about the eight tourist traps to avoid in Times Square.

Miller's strongest advice, though, is reserved for chain restaurants. He begs you not to eat at any restaurants you have back home. Instead, he says, "We have food from every corner of the world here in NYC. Branch out and try something new!" It's true — New York has one of the most diverse food scenes in the world, so if you've never tried Nepali momos or Ethiopian tibs, now's your chance!  

According to Miller, one of the best ways to embrace this diversity is to check out small, family-run restaurants or non-chain coffee shops. But the choice can be overwhelming, so if you're not sure where to go, support a tour-focused small business like Miller's own Real New York Tours. These tours can help you get a true sense of New York, show you the most famous and lesser-known attractions, and make sure you avoid the worst of the city's overpriced, disappointing hot dogs. That's invaluable!