Central Park is the largest park in Manhattan and without a doubt the most famous in all of NYC. Established in 1857, the 843-acre oasis has served as the scenic backdrop in countless movies and TV shows and functions as a kind of all-encompassing public recreation area. Its many attractions include a zoo, an ice-skating rink, a concert venue and several restaurants—not to mention its open fields, woodlands, running paths and various bodies of water. Located in the middle of Manhattan, the park, as its name suggests, is at the center of it all.

Brooklyn Bridge Park, as its name would suggest, is stationed under the Brooklyn Bridge. It draws thousands of visitors each week who come for awe-inspiring views of Manhattan and idyllic picnic spots along the waterfront. The park is also the site of special events, including the free Movies With a View, kayaking and fitness classes. The appealing coastal attraction comprises a series of piers filled with recreational facilities, gardens, playgrounds, greenways and grassy areas for hanging out. Pier 2 holds basketball and pickleball courts as well as an in-line skating rink. A sandy "beach" serves as a (nonmotorized) boat launch at Pier 4. You'll find kid-friendly play areas at both ends (and some in between); the ones at Pier 6 include swings, slides, a giant sandbox and a water feature. There's plenty for families to learn and explore at the Conservancy’s Environmental Education Center, too. NYC Ferry boats stop at Pier 1 and Pier 6, while the ferry to Governors Island boards and disembarks from Pier 6 as well.

This 5,000 square-foot nature center in the heart of Staten Island is home to receptions, meetings, exhibitions and private activities. (It can be rented out for special events.) But it's what surrounds the center that's really exciting: nearly 2,800 acres of lush forests, meadows, ponds and hiking grounds, which are available for use year-round. Founded in 1989, Greenbelt is free and open to the public and even offers stellar trail maps to guide you on your way.

Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), comprehensive collection of primarily American and European art ranging from the late 19th century to the present that was established in New York City in 1929, with Alfred H. Barr as the founding director. According to the museum’s founding trustees—especially Lillie P. Bliss, Mary Quinn Sullivan, and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller—the museum would be dedicated exclusively to the most progressive tendencies in modern art. The museum’s holdings of Cubist, Surrealist, and Abstract Expressionist paintings are especially extensive: it is home to Pablo Picasso’s pivotal Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (1907). Besides paintings, sculpture, and graphic art, the museum was one of the first in the United States to include in its collection industrial design, architecture, photography, and motion pictures.

Fans of the Blueshirts, as the Rangers are affectionately known, come to Madison Square Garden even when the team is having a down year. Last season, the team won the Presidents’ Trophy for finishing with the best regular-season record and won their first playoff series but lost to the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round. The squad, led by captain Jacob Trouba, open their 2024–25 season at home on October 12 against the Utah Hockey Club.

The Nets’ black-and-white gear has become a staple on the borough’s streets and they play in a sleek arena: Barclays Center, near Downtown Brooklyn. The star-fronted team of the past few years is no more, with all the big names traded away. Taking their place in the spotlight are up-and-comers such as Noah Clowney and somewhat more established (but still young) players like Nic Claxton and Cam Thomas.