Top Things To Do In New York

Tailoring each tour to your wishes by locals who love their city

Tourists posing in front of the Charging Bull in New York City

Top things to do in New York

From exploring cool neighborhoods to eating with the locals to seeing iconic sites, these are some of our favorite experiences

See all

Wondering what to do in New York?

In a city that’s simultaneously an artistic capital, an architectural gem, a shopping hub, and a foodie’s nirvana, you could spend weeks exploring and still not scratch the surface. The list of things to do in New York City is as varied as it is thrilling, with hundreds of world-famous attractions and exciting activities awaiting its visitors. Aimless wandering is always rewarded by hidden delights around every corner. This diverse city’s neighborhoods are microcosms in themselves, with each offering a different perspective on the city, from African American soul food joints in colorful Brooklyn to the winding cobblestone lanes of Greenwich Village.

Meet some of our New York local hosts

Like the people who travel with us, they have different backgrounds and interests – but they’re all so passionate about the place they call home, they choose to spend their free time sharing it with the like-minded travelers matched to them.

We’ve handpicked them and we’ll match you to your perfect one!

Tourist taking in the beautiful view of the skyline of New York City

More than the must-sees

From the Met, the MoMA, and the Guggenheim to a food scene that celebrates the world, there are thousands of reasons the Big Apple brings so many travelers to its tightly-packed streets. The incredible places to see and things to do in New York City aren’t just the most iconic attractions in the city; they’re some of the most iconic in the world. But many of the memorable things to do in New York City aren’t the must-sees – they’re the hole-in-the-wall hidden gems loved by locals. A private tour with a native New Yorker is the perfect way to discover the soul of the city for yourself.

Tourists walking the streets of Dumbo at night in New York

New York at night

New York is known as the city that never sleeps for a reason: when the sun sets, the fun is just beginning. NYC at night is a dizzying kaleidoscope of luminous skyscrapers, late-night venues, and legendary art world icons. Things to do in New York City after dark range from the humblest of activities to the highest culture – it all depends on your mood. Whether you trawl the streets for famous food trucks, see performances of ballet or burlesque, or attend a lavish production at Lincoln Center, the long list of things to do in New York City at night might make you miss out on a few hours of sleep.

Tourists enjoying a portion of famous fries at an eatery in New York

A world-famous food city

Maybe you want to hop between authentic pizzerias in Brooklyn, or sample budget bites at Chelsea Market in Manhattan? Or perhaps you want to taste the best of New York-style cuisine – the pizza, bagels, and cheesecake that the city adopted and made better. Eating at the city’s restaurants, markets, cafés, food trucks, and delis are right near the top of the list of things to do in New York City. The food scene is a multi-cultural melting pot representative of all 200-plus nationalities that call the city home, and crossing between continents is as easy as cutting through Central Park.

New York travel tips and inspiration from our Travel Magazine

Find essential city info, travel tips and the best things to do in New York and around the world recommended by our local hosts

Latest reviews from our guests

Maurita of City unscripted showed us New York south of 23rd West street. She has been an excellent guide, very knowledgable of the local areas, Wall Street area, China Town, little Italy, Brooklyn Bridge, Greenwich, West Village. We truly enjoyed her company and historic knowledge. Highly recommended.

November 2023

Daan d
Maurita, took us out for the day in owner Manhattan and an in depth knowledge of the history and local stories of the various neighbourhoods we visited. Her Italian background furthermore enhanced the experience in this part of Manhattan, very muchrecommended.

November 2023

Daan d
Would like to say what a fantastic time we had with Mei she was brilliant. Really felt like we were meeting up with a old friend and the information she gave us was great. Would highly recommend her we even braved the subway the following day on her advice as the quickest way to get around thanks Mei for a wonderful day

February 2019

Jackie T
I booked a one on one tour of New York. My guide, Denise, was amazing. Not only did she take me to sights that I wanted to see but she also included some things that she thought might interest me. We had a great day with lots of laughs along the way. I would go back to New York in a heart beat and would definetly catch up with Denise again. Thank you City Unscripted for a great guide and a great day!

June 2018

Mary C