48 Hours in New York City

Another popular spot to visit in NYC, Rockefeller Center is also an art deco skyscraper that offers great views of the city. If you happen to be visiting in the winter, you can go for a spin on the fabled ice skating rink, or if you're a TV buff, you can marvel at the history here: shows like the Today Show, NBC Nightly News, the Tonight Show, Thirty Rock, and of course, Saturday Night Live are filmed here.

End your trip through the Big Apple with a view of Times Square, all lit up at night. You'll fully appreciate why they say that New York is a city that never sleeps once you've experienced the hustle and bustle here. You don't need to stop in any of the touristy attractions (although you totally can if you want) to get the Times Square experience: just take it all in!

Designed in the 19th century by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, every year around 40 million people traipse around New York's Central Park, a lush oasis, smack dab in one of the busiest and most-populated cities in the world. You could spend days exploring the 843 acres of hiking trails, walking paths, lakes, gardens, museums around the perimeter, and more (there's even a zoo, and the 19th century Belvedere Castle).

You can tell just by looking at the outside of the Metropolitan Museum of Art that it's the biggest art museum in the country: the building is massive. With more than two million masterpieces inside, it helps to pick out a few must-see exhibits, galleries, styles of art, or pieces, and just hit your personal must-sees at the Met. Pro tip: the Costume Institute uses the Met's galleries to host two different exhibits each year, and they're always outstanding.

The Empire State Building might not be New York's tallest skyscraper any more (with the completion of One World Trade Center), but it's still the city's most iconic! At 102 stories, it was the world's tallest building from 1930-1970, which is an impressive run, and its gorgeous art deco exterior makes it all the more worth visiting. It might seem like a touristy thing to do, but you won't regret making the journey to the observation deck at the top once you see the views!