14 Best Sights in New York City, New York

Robin Roberts, George Stephanopoulos, and Michael Strahan, among others, host this early-morning news and entertainment show. It airs live, weekdays from 7 to 9 am, and while they haven't brought back in-studio audiences since the pandemic, you can still be part of the action by gathering on the corner of West 44th Street and Broadway to participate in outdoor segments. For its Friday Summer Concert Series, GMA puts up a stage at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park; tickets are free but must be requested in advance. Check the website for more information.

John Oliver's weekly satirical news program on HBO tapes on Saturday, ahead of its 11 pm Sunday air time. Apply early for your preferred date: tickets are released by lottery at 3 pm the Tuesday prior, with preference given to those who have never sat in an audience before. If you miss out on tickets, get in the standby line starting at 3:15 pm. You must be 18 or older to sit in the audience.

Saturday Night Live alum Seth Meyers took the reins as host of Late Night on NBC in 2014, when former host Jimmy Fallon departed for The Tonight Show. Tickets are available online up to two months in advance. Tapings typically run from 4 to 5:15 pm, with check-in starting at 2 pm. On the day of taping, go to 30 Rockefeller Plaza, take the 50 West 50th Street entrance, and proceed up the Grand Stair to the check-in desk. Guests must be 16 or older to be in the audience.

Sparks fly on this morning program, which books an eclectic roster of guests to chat with hosts Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest. Tickets are available online about six weeks in advance. Standby tickets become available weekdays at 7 am at ABC Studios. Children under 10 are not permitted in the audience.

You can join the gawking crowds watching news tapings outside the NBC studios (which are in the art deco GE Building on Rockefeller Plaza), or you can get even closer to the action (without having to elbow anyone) by taking a slick behind-the-scenes tour of the legendary studios. Tours depart every 20 minutes daily, delving into the history of television and the actual recording studios of some of the network's top shows, like Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and NBC Nightly News. Tours start at the Shop at NBC Studios (49th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues); visitors must reserve tickets, which are sold online, in advance, and children must be at least six years old.

After four decades of laughs, SNL continues to push buttons and nurture comedic talents. All "live from New York." Requests for advance tickets (two per applicant) must be submitted during the month of August by email only, sent to  [email protected]; you may ask for a ticket for either the dress rehearsal (8 pm) or the live show (11:30 pm). All recipients are determined by lottery. Standby ticket reservations for up to 4 people open at 10 am on the Thursday prior and are distributed at 12:01 am on the day of the show; see the NBC ticket website for information. You must be 16 or older to sit in the audience.

Trevor Noah may have moved on, but Comedy Central continues to host free tapings of The Daily Show from Monday through Thursday. Reservations can be made online only, with tickets released gradually for future shows, so check the website often to RSVP for your preferred date. Only the person whose name is on the reservation can check in, and all attendees must be at least 18. The big caveat is that a reservation doesn’t guarantee entry, so get in line early. Check the website for more details.

Drew Barrymore’s upbeat talkshow launched in 2020 and covers everything from lifestyle segments to celebrity interviews. There are often tickets available last minute, making it one of the easiest TV shows to attend without advance planning. Reserve online for one of two tapings—10 am or 2 pm—Tuesday to Thursday. Audience members must be 18 or older; 16 years or older if attending with a parent or legal guardian.

After hosting The Late Show for 22 years, David Letterman passed the torch to former Colbert Report host Stephen Colbert in 2015. Although Colbert's fictional conservative persona did not follow him to his new gig at the Ed Sullivan Theater, his loyal audience did, so expect competition for tickets. The show is usually taped daily at 4:30 pm; check the website and the show's social media for updated details and new ticket releases. You must be 16 or older to sit in the audience.

In 2014, Saturday Night Live veteran Jimmy Fallon packed up his impressions and sketches, his roster of star friends, and his house band (The Roots) and moved from Late Night to The Tonight Show, filling the big comedic shoes of Jay Leno and Johnny Carson before him. He also moved the show back to New York from Los Angeles, where it had originally resided until 1972. Visit the website to reserve free tickets; they're released during the first week of the month prior to the show.

Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar, among others, host this popular ABC talk show with a live studio audience every Monday to Friday at 11 am. Tickets can be requested in advance but don't always guarantee you'll get in, so be sure to get in line by 10:15 am—or earlier (see ticket instructions). Tapings last about an hour. You must be 16 or older to join.

The Today Show doesn't have a studio audience, but if you get yourself to the corner of Rockefeller Center and West 49th Street well before 7 am, with some posterboard and markers (fun signs always get camera time), comfortable shoes (you'll be on your feet for hours), and a smiley, fun attitude, you might get on camera. America's first morning talk-news show airs weekdays from 7 to 10 am in the glass-enclosed, ground-level NBC studio.