3 Best Sights in New York City, New York

Open year-round to the public (7 am–6 pm daily) and accessible via ferry, Governors Island is essentially a big, charming park that resembles a small New England town; it's popular with locals for biking by the water, festivals, art shows, concerts, and family programs. Wouter van Twiller, a representative for the country of Holland, supposedly purchased the island for his private use, in 1637, from Native Americans for two ax heads, a string of beads, and a handful of nails. In 1784, the island was named for English colonial governors and was used almost exclusively by the American military until the 1960s, when the Coast Guard took it over. In 2002, the city purchased the island and soon began reimagining its 172 acres as versatile public green space. The island's evolution continues with public art installations, all-ages park features, and even the QCNY ( www.qcny.com) luxury "destination day spa" inside the retired barracks. The Governors Island ferry departs from the Battery Maritime Building (free before noon on weekends), while the NYC Ferry links there from Wall Street/Pier 11, Brooklyn's Pier 6, and other docks in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

For millions of immigrants, the first glimpse of America was the Statue of Liberty, and today it remains a powerful symbol of American ideals. Liberty Enlightening the World, as the statue is officially named, was presented to the United States in 1886 as a gift from France. The 152-foot-tall figure was sculpted by Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi and erected around an iron skeleton engineered by Gustave Eiffel. It stands atop an 89-foot pedestal designed by Richard Morris Hunt, with Emma Lazarus's sonnet "The New Colossus" ("Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses . . .") inscribed on a bronze plaque at the base.

There is no admission fee for either the Statue of Liberty or Ellis Island, but an adult ferry ride (which goes round-trip from Battery Park to Liberty Island to Ellis Island) costs $24.50 (includes entrance to the statue's pedestal and museum). Access to the statue's crown, via a famously narrow, twisting staircase, remains on hiatus since 2020, but is expected to resume in late 2023. Ferries leave from Battery Park (and from Liberty State Park in New Jersey) every 25–30 minutes depending on the time of year (buy your tickets online at  www.statuecruises.com). There are often long lines, so arrive early, especially if you have a timed-entry ticket (strongly recommended; tickets sell out, especially to see the crown). There is a pleasant indoor-outdoor café on Liberty Island. In 2019, a new 26,000-square-foot museum opened on the island to showcase the statue's history and legacy, with artifacts including the statue's original torch, across three interactive galleries.

The 2-mile-long East River slice of land that parallels Manhattan from 48th to 85th Streets is now a quasi-suburb of more than 20,000 people, and the vestiges of its infamous asylums, hospitals and prisons make it an offbeat historical destination. At its southern tip are the ruins of a Smallpox Hospital, built in 1854. Neighboring the hospital ruins is Four Freedoms Park, a memorial to Franklin Delano Roosevelt designed by architect Louis I. Kahn. In addition to viewing a giant bust of FDR and a wall inscribed with the wartime “Four Freedoms” speech, you can stroll the park's walkways and enjoy views of the United Nations and East River. Group guided walking tours ($15 per person) of the park are available; email or call to reserve. At the island's north tip is a small park with a lighthouse built in 1872 by island convicts. Other developments include the 224-room Graduate Roosevelt Island Hotel. The island's mile of pink- and white-flowering cherry trees along the East River Promenade is a popular springtime destination.

You can get to the island by subway—but it's more fun to take the five-minute ride on the Roosevelt Island Tramway ($2.75, the price of a single subway or bus fare), which lifts you 250 feet for impressive views of Queens and Manhattan. A visitor center stands to your left as you exit the tram. Free red buses service the island.