25 Unique Things to Do in Manhattan, NYC

© Courtesy of XtravaganT - Fotolia.com

Central Park is the most-visited urban park in America, attracting more than 40 million annual visitors to its 843-acre oasis in north central Manhattan. The park was designed by legendary landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted in 1858 and has become one of the most popular filming locations in the world, known for iconic sights such as its Bow Bridge and tree-lined Central Park Mall, which contains one of the last remaining native stands of American Elm trees in North America. Photo-friendly attractions abound, from the scenic Bethesda Terrace to the picturesque Conservatory Gardens. For couples looking for a more intimate stroll, the park's Shakespeare Gardens offer a quiet respite, while the Ramble offers 38 acres of twisting footpaths. Romantic dining options within the park include the iconic Boathouse Restaurant and the scenic Tavern on the Green, while rental boats and horse-drawn carriages allow for unique means of transportation. During the winter months, Wollman Rink offers ice skating and hot chocolate sales. Phone: 212-310-6600

© Courtesy of vallejo123 - Fotolia.com

Hornblower Cruises provide unique opportunities to see New York City's most famous sights from within the Hudson River waterfront as part of two-hour cruise excursions. The company is best known for its Alive After Five evening cruises, which offer onboard happy hours and opportunities to view top city landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and the Brooklyn Bridge. Music is presented onboard, along with a variety of opportunities to purchase food and beverages. Different ticket levels allow cruise participants to patronize several buffet stations, including all-you-can-eat options and unlimited bar options. For couples traveling with children in tow, cruise tickets are available for participants of all ages.

78 South St, New York, NY 10038, Phone: 844-400-7277

© Courtesy of SE Viera Photo - Fotolia.com

The High Line is one of Manhattan's newest major attractions, spanning 1.45 miles of elevated linear park and greenway space above the borough's Chelsea and Meatpacking District neighborhoods. The project was inspired by Paris' Promenade Plantée and was designed by architects Piet Oudolf, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, and James Corner Field Operations, reimagining a stretch of a former New York Central Railroad viaduct that was formerly known as the West Side Line. It spans from Gansevoort Street to the northern edge of West Side Yard, designed as a living system incorporating elements of ecology, urban design, and landscape architecture. Since its opening in 2009, the High Line has attracted more than five million annual visitors and has reinvigorated nearby real estate and business districts. It is accessible from several points, including an adjoining entrance at Chelsea Market, making it a perfect spot for couples looking to picnic with food purchased at the market.

New York, NY 10011, Phone: 212-500-6035

© Courtesy of yooranpark - Fotolia.com

Chelsea Market is a food and shopping hall in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood that was developed in 1997 on the site of the neighborhood's former Nabisco factory. The market encompasses a full city block between Ninth and Tenth Avenues and 15th and 16th Streets and is home to a number of television company offices and filming sites on its upper levels, including the main offices for Food Network. Anchor stores within the indoor pedestrian market include upscale clothing retailer Anthropologie, bookseller Posman Books, and Brooklyn-based vintage and artisan market Artists and Fleas. The market has been widely acclaimed as a foodie paradise in Manhattan, offering a wide variety of full-service restaurants and quick-casual food vendors, from gourmet Italian restaurant Filaga to trendy Asian fusion taco joint Takumi to farm-to-table stand Chelsea Creamline, early purveyors of the meatless Impossible Burger.

75 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011, Phone: 212-652-2110

© Birdland

Birdland is an iconic jazz supper club located in Manhattan's Theater District, first opened in 1949 by entrepreneurs Morris and Irving Levy at a location near West 52nd Street. Throughout its initial tenure, the club attracted international jazz headliners such as Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Harry Belafonte, and Thelonious Monk, noted for its famed Live at Birdland jazz music compilation albums. Since then, it has changed locations several times, now located within the Distirct's former New York Observer building. A full traditional supper club menu is served nightly, available before and during performances by top national jazz artists and bands. For visitors checking out the club after Broadway performances, half-price admission is offered to the club's late-night shows with valid ticket stub presentation.

315 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036, Phone: 212-581-3080

© Courtesy of pio3 - Fotolia.com

Rockefeller Center is a 22-acre commercial and business complex in upper Midtown Manhattan, spanning between 48th and 51st Streets along Fifth Avenue. The complex was originally commissioned by John D. Rockefeller, with construction transpiring between 1931 and 1939, and is considered to be one of the United States' greatest Depression-era civic projects. It was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1987 and is famed for its Art Deco-style buildings, split into several business sections, including an International Complex and a Radio City area for RCA-related enterprises such as the famed Radio City Music Hall theater. Other iconic attractions include the 30 Rockefeller Plaza building, which is home to the headquarters of NBC Studios and the famed Rainbow Room restaurant. During the winter months, the Center is famed worldwide for its Christmas celebration, which includes a public ice skating rink and a nationally-televised tree lighting ceremony.

45 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10111, Phone: 212-332-6868

© Dizzy's Club Coca Cola

Dizzy's Club Coca Cola is an iconic Lincoln Center jazz cafe and hangout, located on fifth floor of the center's Frederick P. Rose Hall. The club has been hailed by jazz legend Tony Bennett as New York City's best jazz room, offering 140 seats and stunning floor-to-ceiling window views of Central Park and the city's skyline. Jazz performances are offered nightly, with early evening and late night performances offered by national touring artists and up-and-coming talents. A full menu of Southern-influenced fare is served nightly, including favorites such as low country crab cakes, fried chicken, and Carolina barbecue ribs. Once a month, couples' dance sessions are offered following late night performances. Though the club does not have a formal box office, reservations are recommended and are accepted at Lincoln Center's main box office during the business day.

10 Columbus Cir, New York, NY 10019, Phone: 212-258-9595

© Gotham Bar and Grill

Gotham Bar and Grill was originally opened in 1984 by restaurateurs Jerry Kretchmer, Jeff Bliss, and Robert and Rick Rathe, striving to recreate the ambiance of a traditional Parisian brasserie. The restaurant is located on East 12th Street within Manhattan's Greenwich Village neighborhood and is the only restaurant in New York City to receive five separate three-star ratings from The New York Times. It has also received three separate James Beard Awards, including an honor for executive chef Alfred Portale, who serves up a variety of European-influenced fare at lunch and dinner seven nights a week. The restaurant is legendary for its three-course prix fixe menu, which highlights options such as yellowfin tuna tartare, red prawn risotto, and 28-day dry-aged New York strip steak. A signature wine program is also offered, along with a menu of gourmet Gotham Cocktails.

12 E 12th St, New York, NY 10003, Phone: 212-620-4020

© Gramercy Tavern

Gramercy Tavern is one of the most beloved restaurants in the United States, originally opened within an historic landmark building in 1994 by Danny Meyer of the Union Square Hospitality Group. The restaurant has been the recipient of an impressive nine James Beard Awards throughout its tenure, including awards for executive chef Michael Anthony. It presents a continually-evolving seasonal menu of contemporary American cuisine crafted with locally-sourced ingredients, available as part of both tavern and dining room menus. A la carte fare available on the restaurant's tavern menu includes both upscale land and sea entrees and gourmet gastropub fare such as Tavern burgers and pastrami flatbreads, while multi-course tasting menus are offered at the restaurant's dining room. The restaurant is one of the first high-profile restaurants in America to implement a no-gratuity policy, including hospitality fees in its menu prices.

42 E 20th St, New York, NY 10003, Phone: 212-477-0777

© Farm.One

Farm.One is the only indoor hydroponic farm in Manhattan, located in the city's lively TriBeCa neighborhood within the Institute of Culinary Education under the fine-dining restaurant Atera. The unique urban vertical farm is entirely powered by technology, growing specialty herbs and crops for use in the city's finest restaurants. Visitors can embark on hourlong tours and tasting events five days a week, offering individual question-and-answer time with expert farm staff. All tours include tastings of dozens of rare edible flowers, herbs, and microgreens, with complimentary glasses of prosecco offered to all participants over the age of 21. Visitors should note that tours adhere to a strict no-tipping policy and must be scheduled at least several days in advance of desired tour date.

77 Worth Street, Floor 1, New York, NY 10013, Phone: 646-883-3276

© Courtesy of el_cigarrito - Fotolia.com

Manhattan by Sail - Shearwater Classic Schooner is a New York City cruising vessel and company that offers boat sailing tours of Manhattan's waterways aboard the historic 1929 Shearwater schooner. Tours embark from downtown Manhattan daily and offer stunning panoramic views of the city's top landmarks, including up-close views of the Statue of Liberty and New York Harbor. Tours offered include a daytime Statue of Liberty cruise, lasting approximately 90 minutes, and a two-hour Sunset Sail at dusk. Wine tasting and champagne brunch cruises are also offered, along with special event and holiday cruises such as a Fourth of July fireworks cruise. Light food and beverages are sold on board, with guests welcome to bring their own prepared food.

New York, NY, Phone: 212-619-6900

© HGU

Located in a meticulously renovated and restored 1905 beauty in New York City’s NoMad district, HGU is a luxury boutique hotel that offers ultimate pampering while still focusing on sustainability. In the center of everything Manhattan has to offer, the hotel is a short walk from the Empire State Building, Penn Station, and the legendary Madison Square Garden. The wonderfully decorated rooms and suites all feature Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, minibars, iPad docking stations, designer bath products, alkaline water, and full-size bath tubs. The common spaces are filled with art from the hotel’s own collection, and the lounge has a feel of an old-fashioned library, cozy and luxurious at the same time. The gourmet restaurant Rosehill is located in the lobby.

34 E 32nd St, New York, NY 10016, Phone: 212-779-3432

© Hotel Hayden

Hotel Hayden is a trendy hotel in Manhattan's upscale Chelsea neighborhood, conveniently located near top city attractions such as the Empire State Building and Madison Square Garden. The chic hotel offers artfully-decorated guest rooms and suites with wood floors, stocked with top amenities such as Keurig coffeemakers, minibars, and flat screen televisions. Upgraded rooms also offer private living room space, with designer toiletries stocked in guest bathrooms. Two restaurants are offered at the hotel, including the classy Greek-style Mykonos Blue restaurant, which transports diners to the Mediterranean for fine traditional food, wine, and spirits, and the cutting-edge Mykonos Blue Rooftop bar, which attracts A-list DJs for private evening sets.

127 W 28th St, New York, NY 10001, Phone: 212-973-9000

© Swing 46 Jazz and Supper Club

Swing 46 Jazz and Supper Club is one of Manhattan's most famed jazz supper clubs, located between 8th and 9th Avenues on 46th Street within the city's Theater District on Restaurant Row. The venue was originally opened in 1997 by entrepreneur Judith Lalor and strives to recreate the atmosphere of iconic mid-20th century dance and supper clubs in Manhattan such as Birdland. Today, it is overseen by John Akhtar and offers several jazz and swing music performances each night, with dinner and cocktail service available before and during shows. Following performances, swing DJs provide opportunities for couples to take the floor for dancing, with dance lessons led by a professional instructor. The club's supper menu showcases a variety of contemporary American dishes crafted in house, using locally-sourced ingredients whenever possible.

349 W 46th, New York, NY 10036, Phone: 212-262-9554

© Creel and Gow

Passionate, life-long collectors and dealers, Creel and Gow have put together a breathtaking range of items in this almost magical, otherworldly boutique of rare finds and unique pieces in all categories. Stepping into the Creel and Gow boutique is an exercise in amazement as customers marvel at each and every item on display, eager to learn more about the history behind each piece and finding the perfect addition to their own personal collections.

Creel and Gow is one of NYC’s leading exotic, abstract, and unique boutiques. The boutique is located in a beautiful old building which was once home to famed architect Grosvenor Atterbury.

131 E 70th St, New York, NY 10021, Phone: 212-327-4281

© The Honorable William Wall

If you're looking to head off the beaten path on your next trip to NYC, one of the city's true hidden gems is the Honorable William Wall. Also known as the 'Willy Wall', the Honorable William Wall is the incredible floating clubhouse used by the Manhattan Yacht Club. The Manhattan Yacht Club got started back in 1987 and really helped to revitalize the sailing scene around New York Harbor. In 2012, the club decided to share its wonderful clubhouse, the Willy Wall, with the general public, encouraging more and more people to take an interest in recreational sailing and enjoy the splendid views and amazing experiences only available at this exclusive location.

The Willy Wall, usually open from May through to October, is essentially a floating steel barge out in New York Harbor, just a short distance north of Ellis Island. It offers extraordinary views over the skyscrapers and skyline of NYC itself, as well as being a wonderful place to watch the sailing races. Getting to the Willy Wall from NYC or elsewhere around the local area is very easy, and it's all thanks to the Admiral’s Launch. This boat essentially acts as a taxi or shuttle, conveniently taking guests over to the Willy Wall from the Warren Street Pier in Jersey City. If you're visiting the Willy Wall from Manhattan, your Willy Wall ticket will also provide free transport via the Liberty Landing Ferry over to Jersey City, making it very easy to get to the clubhouse. willywall.com

© Tom/stock.adobe.com

UNIX Gallery was originally founded in London in 2003 by gallerists Alex Cesaria and Daniela Mercuri before moving to Miami's vibrant Wynwood neighborhood in 2010. After several successful seasons in Miami, the gallery transferred to New York's elegant Chelsea neighborhood and has become one of the neighborhood's most acclaimed gallery spaces. Exhibitions showcase a rotating roster of internationally-renowned emerging and established artists, including Ellen de Meijer, Hisao Hanafusa, Marcello lo Giudice, and KwangHo Shin. In addition to annual exhibition and art fair programming, the gallery also collaborates with regional nonprofit organizations to craft special exhibitions meant to give back to the community and showcase regional artistic voices.

513 W 26th St, New York, NY 10001, Phone: 212-209-1572

© Lelabar

Lelabar is a charming wine bar in Manhattan's West Village neighborhood, awarded the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence in 2017 and 2018 for its high-quality international wine selections. The low-key bar is housed within a warmly-decorated dining space, which features tin ceilings, custom ironwork detail, and a large, communal oval bar. More than 700 fine wines are available to choose from, with most offering glass service with the purchase of at least two glasses for the table. Fine international cheese and charcuterie plates are available to accompany all wine selections, along with a menu of pressed sandwiches and unique bar bites like quail eggs and smoked eel finger sandwiches. Beer lovers can also enjoy a curated selection of craft beers as an alternative to wines.

422 Hudson St, New York, NY 10014, Phone: 212-206-0594

© Sundays

Sundays was created and always promised to make use of products that provide long-lasting colors, bright shines, and big smiles without any of the harmful elements or unfriendly ingredients that restrict certain people, like vegans, from being able to get their nails polished in many salons.

The brand was founded on three core principles: Wellness, Simplicity, and Individuality. The salon has been tastefully decorated in neutral tones to provide an airy, welcoming atmosphere that all can enjoy. You can even enhance your wellness experience by selecting a guided meditation package as part of your treatment.

51 E 25th St, New York, NY 10010, Phone: 646-998-5711

© nd3000/stock.adobe.com

FitReserve currently operates in the biggest cities in the United States: Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, Miami, Dallas, Seattle, San Diego, Tampa, Charlotte, Denver, and Washington DC. The FitReserve pass gives you access to thousands of different classes in hundreds of different locations around these big cities. NYC, for example, offers around 20,000 classes with FitReserve. FitReserve offers the 'Flexpack' program, and this lets you buy packs of 5, 10, or 25 classes as you wish and then use them whenever you like over the course of a six-month period. Perfect for people with busy and unpredictable schedules, the Flexpack options give you the flexibility you need to enjoy fitness and exercise your way. To look up studios and classes, visit fitreserve.com.

© Courtesy of f11photo - Fotolia.com

The Theater District is the heart of Manhattan's Midtown West neighborhood, best known as the home of iconic pedestrian hub Times Square, referred to as the "Crossroads of the World" for its neon-illuminated billboards and status as one of the world's top tourist destinations. It is located between Sixth and Eight Avenues and 40th and 54th Streets, known around the world for its cultural and tourist attractions. The district is home to the majority of the city's Broadway theaters, which present world-class original and revival musicals and plays six nights a week. A large number of recording and television studios and theatrical agencies also call the neighborhood home, along with major family-friendly attractions such as Madame Tussaud's New York and a branch of the popular Ripley's Believe it or Not! Odditorium. Popular chain restaurants and retail stores abound, including Hershey's Chocolate World, Sephora, Hard Rock Cafe, and Planet Hollywood. The district is also famed for its annual New Year's Eve ball drop, the most famous New Year's Eve celebration in the world.

© Courtesy of oneinchpunch - Fotolia.com

Tip of Manhattan Bike Tours offer a unique way of exploring the landmarks of Lower Manhattan, including famed sights such as Battery Park, Greenwich Village, and New York Harbor. Tours are offered on Saturday mornings, departing from the Brooklyn Bridge Bike Rent store on Nasua Street and lasting approximately three hours. Participants bike for approximately 12 miles throughout tours, which are led by experienced tour guides who offer anecdotes about landmarks and about the city's history. All tours utilize the city's bicycle paths and lanes, with much travel throughout side streets to minimize interaction with vehicular traffic. During tours, groups stop at a coffee shop or snack vendor along the way, offering a chance to sample New York City cuisine.

145 Nasua Street New York, NY 10038, Phone: 617-686-0342

© Top of the Strand

Top of the Strand has been voted as one of the world's top 10 rooftop bars by Premier Traveler magazine, located atop the 21st floor of Midtown Manhattan's Marriott Vacation Club Pulse. The popular urban oasis features a retractable glass roof showcasing the New York City skyline, allowing for year-round ambiance. Its space was designed by designer Lydia Marks and offers light American fare during the evening hours, along with a variety of classic and contemporary cocktails. A wide variety of regional craft beers on draft are also available for purchase, along with a selection of red, white, and sparkling wines.

33 W 37th St, New York, NY 10018, Phone: 646-368-6385

© Veniero's Pasticceria and Caffé

Veniero's Pasticceria and Caffé is a famed East Village bakery that was originally established in 1894 by Italian immigrant Antonio Veniero, famed throughout the world in the 20th century for his high-quality pastries and baked products. The bakery has been featured in film and television series such as Good Morning America, Law and Order, and several Food Network series and is considered to be one of the country's top bakeries, famed for its traditional Italian confections such as biscotti, tiramisu, cannoli, and Italian butter cookies. It is also noted for its New York-style cheesecake and hard-crust bread, which may be eaten in the cafe or purchased for takeout. Over the past several decades, the bakery has also gained national attention for its sugar-free cookie and carb-free cheesecake varieties.

342 E 11th St, New York, NY 10003, Phone: 212-674-7070

© Mirko/stock.adobe.com

New York City is known as being 'The City That Never Sleeps', with exciting events always going on, and Oktoberfest NYC is definitely one of the hottest dates on the city's calendar. Offering amazing food, fun German outfits, lots of love entertainment, exciting games for all guests to enjoy, and, of course, barrels and barrels of beer, OktoberFest NYC is an amazing celebration of German culture, beer, and general good times. This event was designed with the original Munich Oktoberfest in mind and aims to recreate the same excitement, spirit, and fun of that centuries-old festival right in the heart of New York City itself. It can appeal to guests of all ages and is all about people coming together, having fun, sharing smiles, and making a lot of joyful memories. A full menu of snacks will also be available at this NYC event including bratwurst, pretzels, and other traditional treats, so you’ll be able to satiate your hunger alongside a cool stein of authentic German beer. oktober-fest.nyc