The famous stuff that lives up to the hype. Plus this week's big events visitors shouldn't miss.
Some famous things earn it; most don't. The skill is knowing which. The dated events here are the big-ticket moments worth planning a visit around, and the classics below are ranked by whether they survive the crowds. Not by fame.
Choose what you’re in the mood for.
26 things worth doing in the next 7 days · Friday, October 16th – Thursday, October 22nd
| Event | Date | Where | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
 Anthropologist Shares Her New Nonfiction Title, Creative Ozone: Inside Westbeth’s Legendary Artist Community | Fri, Oct 16 | 476 5th Ave, btwn W 40th St & W 42nd St, Midtown, Manhattan, 10018Midtown South · Manhattan | 2pm |
 Birdland Big Band | Fri, Oct 16 | Birdland Jazz Club, Theater DistrictTheater District · Manhattan | Fridays 5:30pmPrice not listed |
 Fall Movie Nights at Hudson Yards | Fri, Oct 16 | Hudson Yards Public Square and GardensHudson Yards · Manhattan | Fri 6pm |
 Festival of Firsts | Fri, Oct 16 | 10 Lincoln Center PlazaLincoln Square · Manhattan | Not posted yet |
 Friday Evening at Museum of Modern Art | Fri, Oct 16 | 11 W. 53rd St., btwn 5th Ave & 6th Ave, Midtown, Manhattan, 10019Midtown East · Manhattan | 5:30pm |
 Friday Evening at The Morgan Library & Museum | Fri, Oct 16 | 225 Madison Avenue, btwn E 36th & E 37th St, Midtown, Manhattan, 10012Midtown South · Manhattan | 5pm |
 Friday Night Function at Whitney Museum of American Art | Fri, Oct 16 | 99 Gansevoort Street, btwn Washington St & 10th Ave, Meat-packing, Manhattan, 10014Meatpacking District · Manhattan | 5pm |
 Late Night Sessions | Fri, Oct 16 | Dizzy's Club, MidtownColumbus Circle · Manhattan | Thu–Sat 10:45pm$15 at the door |
 The Cafe Wha? House Band | Fri, Oct 16 | Cafe Wha?, SohoGreenwich Village · Manhattan | Not posted yetPrice not listed |
 Wicked (2024): Broadway Fantasy Musical Adaptation with Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande (Outdoors) | Fri, Oct 16 | Hudson Yards Public Square and GardensHudson Yards · Manhattan | 5pm |
| Event | Date | Where | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
 Discover the History & Design of One of New York's Most Unique Parks | Sat, Oct 17 | Gansevoort Street and Washington Street Entrance, Meat-packing, Manhattan, 10014Chelsea · Manhattan | 10am |
| Festival of Firsts | Sat, Oct 17 | 10 Lincoln Center PlazaLincoln Square · Manhattan | Not posted yet |
 Jewish History: Centuries of Art | Sat, Oct 17 | 1109 5th Ave, at 92nd St, Upper East Side, Manhattan, 10128Carnegie Hill · Manhattan | 11am |
| Late Night Sessions | Sat, Oct 17 | Dizzy's Club, MidtownColumbus Circle · Manhattan | Thu–Sat 10:45pm$15 at the door |
 Making Poetry from Images | Sat, Oct 17 | 476 5th Ave, btwn W 40th St & W 42nd St, Midtown, Manhattan, 10018Midtown South · Manhattan | 11am |
| The Cafe Wha? House Band | Sat, Oct 17 | Cafe Wha?, SohoGreenwich Village · Manhattan | Not posted yetPrice not listed |
| Event | Date | Where | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
 Art from All Over The World in the Most Amazing Museum | Sun, Oct 18 | 1071 Fifth Ave, btwn E 88th St and E 89th St, Upper East Side, Manhattan, 10128Carnegie Hill · Manhattan | 4pm |
| Festival of Firsts | Sun, Oct 18 | 10 Lincoln Center PlazaLincoln Square · Manhattan | Not posted yet |
 Hands-On Demonstrations & Conversations on Tapestry Weaving | Sun, Oct 18 | 99 Margaret Corbin Drive, at Fort Tryon Pl., Washington Heights, Manhattan, 10040Fort George · Manhattan | 1pm |
 Hop-On Hop-Off Bus: Brooklyn Bridge, Financial District, 9/11 Memorial | Sun, Oct 18 | State Street & Whitehall Street, New York, NY 10004Whitehall · Manhattan | 10am |
| The Cafe Wha? House Band | Sun, Oct 18 | Cafe Wha?, SohoGreenwich Village · Manhattan | Not posted yetPrice not listed |
| Event | Date | Where | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
 Explore Memorial Museum and Reconnect with History | Mon, Oct 19 | 180 Greenwich Street, between Vesey and Liberty Streets, Lower Manhattan, Manhattan, 10007Tribeca · Manhattan | 5:30pm |
 Explore a Major NYC Park | Mon, Oct 19 | 41 West 40th Street, at 41st St. and 6th Ave., Midtown, Manhattan, 10018Midtown · Manhattan | 11am |
 Exploring Art, History, and Global Cultures in a Landmark Museum | Mon, Oct 19 | 1000 5th Ave, at 82 St., Upper East Side, Manhattan, 10028Central Park · Manhattan | 10am |
| Festival of Firsts | Mon, Oct 19 | 10 Lincoln Center PlazaLincoln Square · Manhattan | Not posted yet |
| Hop-On Hop-Off Bus: Brooklyn Bridge, Financial District, 9/11 Memorial | Mon, Oct 19 | State Street & Whitehall Street, New York, NY 10004Whitehall · Manhattan | 10am |
 Vanguard Jazz Orchestra | Mon, Oct 19 | Village Vanguard, West VillageWest Village · Manhattan | Every Monday nightPrice not listed |
| Event | Date | Where | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art from All Over The World in the Most Amazing Museum | Tue, Oct 20 | 1071 Fifth Ave, btwn E 88th St and E 89th St, Upper East Side, Manhattan, 10128Carnegie Hill · Manhattan | 4pm |
| Festival of Firsts | Tue, Oct 20 | 10 Lincoln Center PlazaLincoln Square · Manhattan | Not posted yet |
 Stargazing in the Park | Tue, Oct 20 | Gansevoort St & Washington StMeatpacking District · Manhattan | 6:15pm |
| Event | Date | Where | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discover the History & Design of One of New York's Most Unique Parks | Wed, Oct 21 | Gansevoort Street and Washington Street Entrance, Meat-packing, Manhattan, 10014Chelsea · Manhattan | 10am |
| Festival of Firsts | Wed, Oct 21 | 10 Lincoln Center PlazaLincoln Square · Manhattan | Not posted yet |
 J.S. Bach's Works for Choir & Orchestra | Wed, Oct 21 | 89 Broadway, at Rector St, Lower Manhattan, Manhattan, 10007Whitehall · Manhattan | 1pm |
 New York City Hall Guided Tour | Wed, Oct 21 | New York City HallTribeca · Manhattan | 12pm |
 Pulitzer Prize–Winning Author Discusses Her New Novel, Music Against the Night, with Jennifer Egan | Wed, Oct 21 | 476 5th Ave, btwn W 40th St & W 42nd St, Midtown, Manhattan, 10018Midtown South · Manhattan | 7pm |
| The Cafe Wha? House Band | Wed, Oct 21 | Cafe Wha?, SohoGreenwich Village · Manhattan | Not posted yetPrice not listed |
| Event | Date | Where | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Festival of Firsts | Thu, Oct 22 | 10 Lincoln Center PlazaLincoln Square · Manhattan | Not posted yet |
 Jump into Double Dutch with the Pros | Thu, Oct 22 | Waverly Pl & University Pl, Greenwich Village, Manhattan, 10003Greenwich Village · Manhattan | 5:30pm |
| Late Night Sessions | Thu, Oct 22 | Dizzy's Club, MidtownColumbus Circle · Manhattan | Thu–Sat 10:45pm$15 at the door |
 Learn about the Architecture & Design of One of NYC's most Unique Parks | Thu, Oct 22 | The High Line at Gansevoort St.Manhattan | 5:30pm |
| The Cafe Wha? House Band | Thu, Oct 22 | Cafe Wha?, SohoGreenwich Village · Manhattan | Not posted yetPrice not listed |
A price sits under the hours when an event is not free. Tap an event for its details, the time and place, and the organizer's link.
You can pair Ailey Extension dance classes with short tours of three Whitney exhibitions in the October 16 program.
🚇 8 Av (L) · 7 min walk
🍴 Eat nearby · 4 places, closest 4 min walk
More info ▾
You can visit MoMA during its UNIQLO Friday Nights program.
🚇 5 Av/53 St (E F) · 3 min walk
🍴 Eat nearby · 4 places, closest 5 min walk
More info ▾
Wicked is the October 16 pick for Hudson Yards’ outdoor movie series on the Big Screen.
🚇 34 St-Hudson Yards (7) · 2 min walk
🍴 Eat nearby · 4 places, closest 5 min walk
More info ▾
You can hear Cafe Wha’s house band play live music.
🚇 W 4 St-Wash Sq (A B C D E F M) · 3 min walk
🍴 Eat nearby · 4 places, closest 2 min walk
More info ▾
Dizzy’s spotlights emerging jazz artists and new projects in themed three-night runs.
🚇 59 St-Columbus Circle (1 A B C D) · 2 min walk
🍴 Eat nearby · 4 places, closest 4 min walk
More info ▾
Birdland's big band features weekly guest musicians from television bands and pop tours.
🚇 42 St-Port Authority Bus Terminal (A C E) · 2 min walk
🍴 Eat nearby · 4 places, closest 2 min walk
More info ▾
The Morgan keeps its Midtown library and museum open on Friday evenings, so you can make it an after-work stop instead of a weekend outing.
🚇 33 St (6) · 4 min walk
🍴 Eat nearby · 4 places, closest 2 min walk
More info ▾
You can hear J-pop, flamenco and experimental electronics, plus a solo opera about the internet, across this debut-focused program.
🚇 66 St-Lincoln Center (1) · 3 min walk
🍴 Eat nearby · 4 places, closest 3 min walk
More info ▾
An anthropologist presents Creative Ozone, her new nonfiction book about Westbeth’s artist community.
🚇 5 Av (7) · 2 min walk
🍴 Eat nearby · 4 places, closest 2 min walk
More info ▾
Watch Wicked outdoors on the Big Screen in Hudson Yards' Public Square and Gardens.
🚇 34 St-Hudson Yards (7) · 2 min walk
🍴 Eat nearby · 4 places, closest 5 min walk
More info ▾
Volunteer docents share the story behind the High Line on a guided walk through the park.
🚇 23 St (1 C E) · 9 min walk
🍴 Eat nearby · 3 places, closest 3 min walk
More info ▾
Explore Jewish history through centuries of art at the Jewish Museum.
🚇 96 St (6) · 6 min walk
🍴 Eat nearby · 4 places, closest 3 min walk
More info ▾
Make poetry from images at the NYPL’s Stephen A. Schwarzman Building.
🚇 5 Av (7) · 2 min walk
🍴 Eat nearby · 4 places, closest 2 min walk
More info ▾
You can hop on and off the Downtown Connection as it travels around Lower Manhattan and Battery Park City.
🚇 South Ferry (1) · 2 min walk
🍴 Eat nearby · 3 places, closest 3 min walk
More info ▾
You can explore tapestry weaving through hands-on demonstrations and conversations with educators, conservators and artists.
🚇 Dyckman St (A) · 5 min walk
🍴 Eat nearby · 3 places, closest 4 min walk
More info ▾
See art at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.
🚇 86 St (4 5 6) · 6 min walk
🍴 Eat nearby · 4 places, closest 2 min walk
More info ▾
You’ll hear a 16-piece jazz orchestra, with saxophones and brass backed by piano, bass and drums.
🚇 14 St (1 2 3) · 3 min walk
🍴 Eat nearby · 4 places, closest 2 min walk
More info ▾
You can explore the museum’s historical and memorial exhibitions, which bring together artifacts from 9/11 and stories of loss and recovery.
🚇 WTC Cortlandt (1) · 2 min walk
🍴 Eat nearby · 4 places, closest 3 min walk
More info ▾
Bryant Park’s own staff explain how the park was transformed and what it takes to care for it today.
🚇 42 St-Bryant Pk (B D F M) · 2 min walk
🍴 Eat nearby · 4 places, closest 4 min walk
More info ▾
Explore art, history, and global cultures at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
🚇 86 St (4 5 6) · 8 min walk
🍴 Eat nearby · 4 places, closest 8 min walk
More info ▾
The Amateur Astronomers Association leads a weekly night-sky observing session on the High Line.
🚇 8 Av (L) · 6 min walk
🍴 Eat nearby · 4 places, closest 3 min walk
More info ▾
Yiyun Li and Jennifer Egan discuss Music Against the Night, a novel about two musicians navigating talent, ambition, and sacrifice.
🚇 5 Av (7) · 2 min walk
🍴 Eat nearby · 4 places, closest 4 min walk
More info ▾
Trinity Choir and Trinity Baroque Orchestra perform two Bach cantatas, with Avi Stein leading from the organ.
🚇 Rector St (1 R W) · 2 min walk
🍴 Eat nearby · 4 places, closest 2 min walk
More info ▾
You can tour New York City Hall, which still houses its original governmental functions.
🚇 City Hall (R W) · 2 min walk
🍴 Eat nearby · 4 places, closest 4 min walk
More info ▾
The Double Dutch Aunties lead a lesson in jump-rope fundamentals.
🚇 W 4 St-Wash Sq (A B C D E F M) · 4 min walk
🍴 Eat nearby · 4 places, closest 2 min walk
More info ▾
Join docent Bridget Gramling for a tour of architecture and design on the High Line and beyond the park.
More info ▾
Art, skyline views and a different way to see the city. Choose your date when you book.
City views · Midtown
From the 86th floor’s open-air deck, you take in 360-degree views, with museum galleries exploring the building’s construction and history along the way.
Check dates & prices
City views · Midtown
At Rockefeller Center, you look out over the city from an observation deck whose design borrows from ocean liners.
Check dates & prices
City views · Financial District
After riding up One World Trade Center, you look out over the city from the observation deck, with a restaurant and souvenir shop onsite.
Check dates & prices
History · Financial District
Through personal narratives, media and large authentic artifacts, you learn the story of 9/11, while the outdoor Memorial commemorates the victims.
Check dates & prices
Island visits · Whitehall
Departing from Battery Park, you ride the ferry to Liberty and Ellis Islands, with round-trip travel and admission to both islands’ museums included.
Check dates & prices
Boat tours · Hell's Kitchen
A live guide narrates the landmarks you pass on a sightseeing cruise, with a guaranteed seat and indoor lounges or open decks.
Check dates & prices
Theater · Times Square
Puppets take the spotlight as you explore how they’re built for the stage in an exhibit centered on the 2023 production of Life of Pi.
Check dates & prices
Immersive experiences · Times Square
RiseNY takes you from a Ric Burns documentary through seven interactive galleries to a flyover ride with skyline footage and 4D effects.
Check dates & pricesNo dates needed. These deliver any day of the year.
Go before 9am and it's genuinely magical. Go at noon and it's a conveyor belt.
More info ▾
Worth every bit of its reputation; pick two wings and don't try to see it all.
More info ▾
The famous free harbor view. Skip the paid boats unless you need to land on the island.
More info ▾
✅ Ride it out and back for the view.
💸 Free
🙋 Nobody looks twice at someone riding it on their own.
An always-good standby. No date needed.
Look up, find the whispering gallery, and eat at the market downstairs.
More info ▾
✅ Graze a few places rather than committing to one.
💸 Free
🙋 Counter seats and standing room. Eating alone is the norm.
An always-good standby. No date needed.
The best observation deck because the Empire State Building is in your photo, not under your feet.
More info ▾
💸 Cost varies. Check before you go
🙋 One ticket. Nothing about it needs a second person.
An always-good standby. No date needed.
Bethesda Terrace, the Mall, the Ramble. It earns the postcards.
More info ▾
💸 Free
🙋 Arrive and leave whenever you like. Nothing to book.
An always-good standby. No date needed.
The classics below are the ones that genuinely live up to it. The list above adds the big events happening during your visit, updated daily.
Once, briefly, at night. Then use the list above to see what else is on nearby. The current Times Square art installations appear in it whenever they are running.
In order of payoff: walk the Brooklyn Bridge early, pick two wings of the Met, ride the Staten Island Ferry past the Statue of Liberty, look up in Grand Central, and take Top of the Rock for the skyline photo with the Empire State Building in it. Then use the dated list above for what's on during your visit.
The Met and MoMA each absorb a full wet day; Grand Central and the observation decks are indoors too. Filter the list above to Art & museums for the exhibits on this week.
Curated by Nora Kinsella
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