Attractions Nearby New York, Day Trips and Excursions

(New York, NY, USA)

First-timers on vacation in New York often tend to spend much of there time exploring downtown Manhattan, seeing all of the biggest attractions, checking out the Empire State Building and the Theatre District within Midtown, before heading to Central Park in Upper Manhattan.

This is a huge city packed with attractions in every district, and those with time to head outside of Manhattan will find plenty to enjoy. Head to the south and you will discover New York's extremely famous and historic Coney Island, where its oldest theme park began its life in the late 19th century, although the first hotel actually opened here way back in 1829.

Holiday makers in New York frequently choose to take a trip over to Liberty Island, admiring the Statue of Liberty close up. Almost next door, many tourists tend to overlook Ellis Island, which is a surprisingly interesting attraction in its own right and boasts a fascinating immigration heritage. Lying on the far western side of Manhattan and within the neighborhood of Chelsea, next to Greenwich Village, the Chelsea Piers Sports and Entertainment Complex is a trendy place to hang out, enjoy a bite to eat and make use of its extensive array of modern sports facilities.

Coney Island

Address: Surf Avenue, Brooklyn, New York City, NY, 11224, USA
Tel: +1 718 372 5159
Coney Island is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the whole of New York. Highlights include a large aquarium, boardwalk, side shows, a lengthy beach, flea market stalls, amusement parks, fairground rides and an exciting wooden roller coaster. There are many events held here throughout the year, while there is also an interesting museum, exhibiting memorabilia from the island's lively past. Coney Island is worth a visit whatever the time of year and takes around an hour to reach using the subway from Manhattan.

Chelsea Piers

Address: Hudson River, Piers 59-62, 23rd Street, New York City, NY, 10011, USA
Tel: +1 212 336 6800
One of Manhattan's most recent waterfront developments are the Chelsea Piers, which have been transformed into an enormous sports complex. Costing over USD 100 million and covering around 1.7 million square feet / 158,000 square meters along four historic piers on the Hudson River, the Chelsea Piers were originally built in 1910 and were the place where many of the great transatlantic liners would dock. The famous Titanic was actually headed for the piers when it tragically sank in 1912. After falling into disrepair in the 1960s, the piers are now home to a massive range of sporting activities, with the main attractions including two sizeable ice skating rinks, two open-air roller skating rinks, a landscaped driving range for golfers, swimming pools, bowling, a large fitness center and much more besides.

Ellis Island

Address: New York Harbor, New York City, NY, USA
Tel: +1 212 363 3200
Ellis island is one of New York's most moving sights and was reopened in 1990, after considerable restoration work. Around 40 percent of all Americans can actually trace their heritage back to an ancestor who came through this immigration point at some stage. For 62 years, Ellis Island was America's main entry point for immigrants, between 1892 to 1954, and the center processed more than 12 million people. There is an interesting Immigration Museum here that recounts the story and history of the island.

Today, you arrive at Ellis Island just as the immigrants did many years ago and enter through the barrage room, climbing the stairs to the registry room. The exhibition in the main hall conveys the frustrations, indignities and fears of the immigrants arriving here. There is also a 30-minute film, called the 'Island of Hope / Island of Tears'. Of note, the ferry departs from Castle Clinton at Battery Park.