New York is huge, fast and endlessly rewarding, and it’s easy to spend a whole trip just crossing things off a list. These five sights give you the essentials: the harbor, the park, world-class art, the most famous bridge in America and the classic skyline view. With the subway, you can see all of them in three or four days and still have time to wander.

1. Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island

A gift from France unveiled in 1886, the Statue of Liberty welcomed millions of immigrants arriving by sea. Most of them were processed at Ellis Island nearby, where the National Museum of Immigration tells their stories. Around 40% of Americans have an ancestor who came through here.

Tip: The pedestal and especially the crown have limited tickets, and crown tickets can sell out months ahead. If you just want the view, the free Staten Island Ferry sails past the statue.

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  • Time needed: 4–5 hours to see both islands.
  • Tickets: Paid. The only official ferry is Statue City Cruises, and its ticket includes both islands. Pedestal and crown access cost extra and must be booked in advance.
  • Getting there: Ferries leave from Battery Park in Lower Manhattan (subway to South Ferry, Bowling Green or Whitehall St) and from Liberty State Park in New Jersey.
  • Nearby: Battery Park, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, Wall Street and the Charging Bull.
  • Good to know: There’s airport-style security before boarding. Ignore street sellers near Battery Park offering “Statue tickets”; buy from the official site.

2. Central Park

An 843-acre park in the middle of Manhattan, designed in the 1850s and still the city’s backyard. Highlights include Bethesda Terrace and its fountain, Bow Bridge, the Strawberry Fields memorial to John Lennon, and Belvedere Castle, with views over the Great Lawn.

Tip: Enter at the southeast corner (59th St & Fifth Ave), walk up The Mall to Bethesda Terrace, then on to Bow Bridge. That’s the classic route in about an hour.

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  • Time needed: 2–3 hours, or a whole afternoon.
  • Tickets: Free.
  • Getting there: Many entrances. For the south end, take the subway to 5 Av–59 St, 57 St–7 Av or 59 St–Columbus Circle.
  • Nearby: The Met (east side), the American Museum of Natural History (west side), Fifth Avenue shopping.
  • Good to know: Bikes are easy to rent around the edges. Pedicab rides can be very expensive, so agree on the total price before you get in.

3. The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met covers 5,000 years of art under one roof: an Egyptian temple (the Temple of Dendur), European masterpieces, armor, fashion and American art. You can’t see it all in a day, so pick two or three areas.

Tip: In warmer months, finish on the rooftop garden, which has views over Central Park.

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  • Time needed: 3 hours for highlights; a full day barely scratches the surface.
  • Tickets: Paid general admission. Pay-what-you-wish is only for New York State residents and students from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. The ticket also covers The Met Cloisters on the same day.
  • Closed: Wednesdays, plus Thanksgiving, December 25, January 1 and the first Monday in May.
  • Getting there: Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street. Take the 4, 5 or 6 subway to 86 St and walk west.
  • Nearby: Central Park, the Guggenheim and the Neue Galerie on Museum Mile.
  • Good to know: It stays open late on Friday and Saturday evenings, which are often calmer than weekend afternoons.

4. Brooklyn Bridge

When it opened in 1883 it was the longest suspension bridge in the world, and its stone towers and web of cables are still beautiful. A raised wooden walkway runs above the traffic for about 1.8 km (1.1 miles).

Tip: Take the subway to Brooklyn and walk toward Manhattan, so the skyline is in front of you the whole way. Early morning is the quietest.

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  • Time needed: 30–45 minutes to walk across, longer with photos.
  • Tickets: Free.
  • Getting there: On the Brooklyn side, take the A or C to High St, or the F to York St (in DUMBO). On the Manhattan side, it starts by City Hall (4, 5 or 6 to Brooklyn Bridge–City Hall).
  • Nearby: DUMBO and the famous Manhattan Bridge view on Washington Street, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Jane’s Carousel.
  • Good to know: Bikes now have their own lane on the roadway, so the walkway is pedestrian-only. It’s crowded at sunset on weekends.

5. Empire State Building

Finished in 1931 and still the symbol of the New York skyline. The 86th-floor open-air deck is the one to see, with views in every direction. The 102nd floor is higher, enclosed, and costs more.

Tip: Sunset is beautiful but busy. Late at night, the city lights are just as good and the lines are much shorter.

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  • Time needed: 1–2 hours, including lines and the exhibits on the way up.
  • Tickets: Paid, with timed entry. The 102nd floor and express passes cost extra.
  • Getting there: Fifth Avenue at 34th Street. Take the subway to 34 St–Herald Sq or 33 St.
  • Nearby: Koreatown (for late-night food), Macy’s Herald Square, Bryant Park and the New York Public Library.
  • Good to know: Want the Empire State Building in your photos? Go up Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center instead, which looks straight at it.

Bonus: the High Line and the 9/11 Memorial

The High Line is an old elevated railway turned into a 2.3 km park, from the Meatpacking District to Hudson Yards. It’s free and great on a sunny morning. The 9/11 Memorial, with two reflecting pools where the Twin Towers stood, is free to visit, and the museum below it is moving and worth the ticket.

Getting around: the subway runs 24 hours. Tap a contactless card or phone at the turnstile (OMNY). After 12 paid rides in 7 days, the rest of the week is free. From JFK, take the AirTrain to the subway or the Long Island Rail Road.