New York City Attractions

It's no surprise that this West Side mega-museum ranks as NYC's most popular attraction: since its founding in 1869 it has amassed an "astounding" collection of some 32 million artifacts spanning everything "from evolution to planets", with "awe-inspiring" dinosaur displays, wildlife dioramas akin to "capsule safaris" and "stellar space shows" in the remarkably renovated Hayden Planetarium; the "knowledgeable staff" leads guided tours that quickly hit the highlights – otherwise, you could "spend days here" without seeing everything.

A "piece of heaven" in Manhattan sums up this "843-acre paradise" designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux some 150 years ago; it's "hard to believe you're in NY" when you're "escaping" on its miles of tranquil trails, boating on the lake, admiring Bethesda Fountain or visiting attractions such as Wollman Rink; there are free activities in summer (Philharmonic concerts, Shakespeare in the Park, Summerstage shows), and for sustenance there's Tavern on the Green, the Boathouse Cafe or a good ol' hot dog vendor – it's truly a "haven in the middle of Stressville" and can be as exciting as the circus on weekends.

Whether you're going for the "amazing" "cloud-nine views of the Big Apple" or just to "meet Meg Ryan", it's hard to top the observation deck of this "classic American icon", once again the city's "tallest building" and the place that simply "defines skyscraper" for many; to avoid the "killer lines on weekends and around holidays", "go early" and "buy tickets online in advance."

There's "always something doing" at this "sprawling" West Side "showcase for the performing arts" that's home to the Metropolitan Opera, the New York City Ballet, the New York Philharmonic and the Julliard School, among others; even those who find its white marble–clad buildings "stately but cold" still get a warm rush when the Opera House "chandeliers rise before a performance" and on summer dance nights.