I Ranked Every NYC Attraction from WORST to BEST!

Which NYC Tourist Attractions are Worth Visiting in 2024? I rank the Top 20 in this video, with the pros and cons of each!
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NYC Tourist Attractions or Tourist Traps Chapter List:
00:00- Intro
00:28- 20) Madame Tussauds NY
01:26- 19) Coney Island Boardwalk, Brooklyn
02:31- 18) Circle Line Harbor Lights Cruise
03:32- 17) Little Island
04:28- 16) Times Square
05:31- 15) Rockefeller Center
06:28- 14) One World Observatory
07:21- 13) Intrepid, Sea, Air, & Space Museum
08:16- 12) Edge- Observation Deck
09:14- 11) Brooklyn Bridge
10:00- 10) The High Line
10:42- 9) Empire State Building
11:40- 8) Central Park
12:33- 7) American Museum of Natural History
13:23- 6) Top of the Rock
14:16- 5) The MET
15:18- 4) See a Broadway Show
16:22- 3) Summit One Vanderbilt
17:22- 2) Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island
19:18- 1) The 9/11 Memorial & Museum
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"More About Here Be Barr"
I'm Jon Barr, an ex-sportscaster turned travel vlogger. If you're looking for waste no-time ,incredibly informative videos loaded with useful travel tips, you've come to the right place! My vlogs are made for the savvy traveler. Subscribe to learn all of my travel tips, tricks, and secrets that have helped me visit 33 countries. Based out of NYC but always on the go.
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[@HereBeBarr]

Watch These Next: 50 Best FREE Things To Do in New York City: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rYbKlWCJiKiejtU and The BIGGEST Lies About NYC People Keep Believing...: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b4HSlmZ8l859npI

[@user-cv8oi8pm3p]

H❤🇺🇸🙌🌏😇

[@blakjackal]

These are the kinds of videos I need. Not just overhyped, 'everything is amazing' tourism videos with 0 research. Just some honest insights into what's worth the $ and what isn't.

[@anlasbry]

Thank you for warning people about the scammers and con men who stand near Battery Park and aggressively accost tourists and sell them fake tickets. Anyone going to the statue should be well aware of this.

[@karenb9788]

I actually got “taken” by a group of Russians running a party boat that took us by Lady Liberty. The views of Lower Manhattan were to die for. Ended up being the best $30 I spent during that trip. My photos are amazing.

[@anlasbry]

@@karenb9788 you were lucky. Most people who get scammed by the thieves taken for a ride, literally and figuratively, and end up paying double what the legitimate tour costs.

[@logikgirl12]

New Yorkers are not evil people. You just laugh it off and say no thank you.

[@glennstarkey7087]

Another reason esp of you have a rental car or a ride to recommend the NJ approach...less crowded almost no scammers

[@anlasbry]

@@karenb9788 you were lucky. Most of the scammers are just garbage.

[@mrdisco1]

Back to the Future is a must see, especially if you’re a fan of the movie

[@louistomasiello8221]

The back to the future show was great I highly recommend

[@mridulsingh1]

I am also planning to see it. Almost everyone recommended the same.👍🏻

[@stepheneson4107]

I've been to all twenty of your attractions, and the only quibble anyone might have is the order that you rank them in. But each and every one of these is spot-on for both pros and cons. Well done and highly recommended.

[@TheWarrior1256]

Literally travelling from Europe to NYC in 4 days. Amazing timing, haha!

[@AmbroseChamberpot]

I was about to complain about leaving out the statue of liberty but then #2 popped up

[@ivof77]

Another great attraction to do / visit is the Madison Square Garden arena tour. It's great if you are a sports or concert goer.. very insightful

[@angelhernandezrivera6195]

I lived in NYC for about a decade. I travel almost every year taking nieces and nephews and the things I think you failed to mention are 5th Avenue from Rockefeller to the Park and also the area around Washington Square Park (not the whole Village but Bleeker Street, McDougal and the Friends apartment. Can also stop at Bleeker Street Pizza and pick up a slice of Nona Maria)

[@dziobak87]

Just returning from my first NYC (and USA) trip. I found your videos super useful. Thanks! Cheers!

[@yamahatracker6947]

Thanks, love your videos, you are my official NY guide.

[@dmcgjr]

I've used your videos as a valuable resource for my periodic visits to NYC. I truly appreciate the information you share. My list of things to do continues to expand.

[@suefitz2498]

Excellent assessment as always. ❤

[@MFamilyOnTheMove]

We are coming to NYC for the first time in July and this is a great video to help us plan our days! So much to fit in.

[@stefanschneider3681]

Super well done! Informative, but also personal, always pointing out WHY you rank it where.

[@abbaming2406]

Thank you for this list! I am disabled so going to attraction sites takes some research. Your video gave me a lot of foresight on what I can or can not do! This is a huge help. So grateful to you and your channel!

[@matthiasbraun4628]

Hey Jon! I recently spent a week in NYC and I absolutely loved it! I used your videos to plan the entire trip and the great advice and insider tips made it so much easier to navigate everything! I actually never felt like a stranger, who knew? The city is completely overwhelming in the best possible way! Keep up the great work!

[@user-pl6hh5ws9z]

I like ur pro and cons vido it sounds super unbiased

[@p1eguy32]

one correction on here, the Enterprise space shuttle at Intrepid is the real Space Shuttle Enterprise! it's not just a replica!

[@HereBeBarr]

yep, i've gotten this comment a lot haha. my error.

[@elizabethmccormick9243]

Back to the Future was fantastic! Highly recommend it.

[@RadenYohanesGunawan]

NYC is the dream city for me. So many things to do there! ❤

[@ringslow]

As a lifelong New Yorker, I always bring first time visitors on the Staten Island ferry. You get a great statue view and downtown skyline. And it will always be free

[@bhismilinirampersad3360]

Thanks Jon 👍😊

[@jmason61]

Excellent video! I grew up around NYC but haven't been there in about 20 years. My work friend here in California asked me about some travel tips.....

[@davet1081AA]

Really rockin' that I❤️NY t-shirt on the boat. Hahaha...

[@cindee1794]

My first trip to NYC, I paid for 3 things and they were all worth it: Empire State Building (lower observation deck), Central Park pedicab tour (booked and paid for in advance) and the City Sights hop on, hop off bus (also booked and paid for in advance). The bus offered 4 tours in addition to the hop on, hop off option. It also included a boat ride that went out by the Statute of Liberty and admission to the Museum of the City of NY which was basically an ode to Joel Grey (big waste of time). My second trip I did a bicycle tour of Central Park (also booked and paid for in advance) and the particular guide I had was phenomenal! I also went to the 911 Memorial, which I think every American should visit at least once, if possible. The rest of my trips were spent enjoying the architecture of the main Library, Grand Central, and the Waldorf Astoria, and spending an afternoon in Battery Park. All of which was free. The High Line was not even conceived of at that point, so I will be sure to do that the next time I make it up there. I'm also interested in seeing The Cloisters and visiting a couple of museums.

[@glennstarkey7087]

Esb issue is they have the tiny 1930s elevators so it gets real crammed real quick perfer timed tix of top of the rock

[@icesee]

Regarding back to the future it is very very funny, also the tricks are really impressive but our delorean broke for a few minutes :D

[@GregStinson]

Amusing to see my home town of Blackpool in one of your videos, as there is a Madam Tussauds there, haha 🤣

[@martinlewis3547]

Did the public ferry from Dumbo to Williamsburg at sunset. Was definitely the highlight of my trip at only $4!

[@abrahamclott5604]

I would have guessed that the UN, MOMA, Roosevelt Island Tram, and SI ferry would have made the list. Also maybe The Bronx Zoo.

[@noxAlynor]

I was in NYC last week, for the second time since 2018 and I had looked at your ranking of observatories beforehand and then switched from Top of the Rock to Summit last minute - no regrets. I designed the trip to be equally exciting for me as a second timer and my partner who was flying to NYC for the first time. But my personal highlight was the proposal in Central Park under a random cherry tree.

[@XavierBlade-gj5wn]

I hope you have a good marriage with your partner

[@chrisrankinsmusiccrush9493]

Brilliant brilliant video Jon. Yeah I think of finalized the observation decks to two. Top of the Rock and Summit One Vanderbilt and I’m pretty sure we’re going to the Statue of Liberty and will do the Crown. Going all the way from Perth I think it will Be worth it judging from your specific video from that day.. only 4 months to go 🎉

[@AdeleiTeillana]

I can't believe going inside the Statue of Liberty ranked so high! I went up back when I was in high school - I was thoroughly unimpressed. It was super slow going because you had to wait so long for all the people ahead of you to take a step, it was hot and it was boring. You can barely see out the little windows. Ellis Island was cool and it was cool to see the outside of the Statue of Liberty, but I definitely don't recommend climbing it.

[@CharlesReiche]

Action Kid photobomb @4:04

[@babs546]

I watched Back to the future last month when I was visiting NYC from Italy. I loved it, it brought back memories of enjoying the original movie so much. There is more technology in that musical, compared to all the others I watched previously.

[@benc6252]

I absolutely MUST see Coney Island because im a huge fan of The Warriors.

[@allornadaaccordingtojack7601]

Wow, amazing job on this list, and I am a native NYer. Favorites for me are the Highline and the Museum of Natural History. One that you didn't mention is the Cloisters Museum in uptown NYC, which is a part of the Met (Metropolitan Museum of art). It is another favorite of mine. Thanks.

[@2000konnie]

I highly recommend taking a tour with a tour guide of the Brooklyn Bridge. People take it for granted, but they shouldn't. The history behind the bridge is fascinated. It isn't just an important history even in NYC, but for America. So, I did a tour around 2018, and the tour guide was excellent, but I can't remember the name. There are probably others though. Check the ratings.

[@liammcpherson]

DO A VIDEO WHERE U GO TO EVERY PARK IN NYC OR THE TOP 10 BIGGEST PARKS IN NYC

[@jessedylan6162]

Pelham Bay Park, The Greenbelt, Van Courtlandt Park, Flushing Corona, Central Park, Marine Park...top 5

[@blpalv15]

My uncle, when he was in the Navy, was on the Intrepid.

[@jaz499]

Back to the future is a fantastic show! The star of the show is the car. Amazing!

[@purpleprincess121]

We just saw back to the future and it was amazing. Please go see it if you get the chance :)

[@mridulsingh1]

Thanks a lot for this lovely infotainment video. I’ll be visiting NYC next month (June’24). I have already made reservations for some of the major tourist attractions such as Empire State Building, Circle line cruise, One world observatory, American museum of Natural History, The Edge at Hudson and The Most Important 9/11 Memorial and Museum❤.

[@yugioht42]

Florida beaches are really nice and you’re like spoiled for choice. The thing is what do you want in a beach is the thing. Daytona is great for families just to get away for a day, Clearwater is nice for couples, cocoa is a fun all around beach, and new symerna is near Daytona but is quieter. South beach isn’t for me as the scene is about seeing and being seen. I suggest Daytona near the Pier as the boardwalk is there it’s a nice spot for having a little fun but the amusement parks were taken out due to massive safety concerns (a coaster crashed into the ground) It’s a little less fun but still fun.

[@robertcampion4111]

My wife and myself visited NYC nine years ago and did some of the things on the list, but also some not on your list including the Tenement Museum in Lower East Side and a walk around the brownstone buildings in Brooklyn Heights.

[@XavierBlade-gj5wn]

Empire State interior is way more sick than I thought, King Kong and an elevator ride of it being built! That is sick, thankyou for showing us

[@davebowker1113]

Times Square………nobody goes there anymore it’s too crowded Thanks, Yogi 👍👍

[@GabeGOG]

Back to the Future WAS SO MUCH FUN! ❤ Sure, a lot of Nostalgia carries this show but the technology behind it all is undeniable 💪 definitely a fun watch if you're a fan of the films!

[@Richievaillant]

Back to the future is brilliant! Cannot recommend it enough. It has it all! ... We have the West end here in London, so we are seriously debating whether it's worth our time (short trip) to see a Broadway show that we can see at home. Not a dis, just a serious consideration, like with madame Tussauds.

[@foodmusicdeath]

If staying over in Jersey then I would strongly advise getting the Liberty/Ellis Island boat from Liberty State Park and NOT Battery Park; it literally took 10mins to get on board...arrived back at Battery to see queues of well over an hour...I've never felt so smug 😅

[@HereBeBarr]

Power tip here

[@ratsorizzo2497]

14:18 I would assume you would know the NYPL Main Branch from the Met by now.

[@beckystar101]

The cons of the Brooklyn Bridge is that there are sellers everywhere selling the same thing. Pro, is a nice walk and historical

[@edwardcolquitt6]

Back to the Future is EXCELLENT. Highly recommend.

[@jerryspeights7896]

I saw Back to the Future the night before it officially opened and my opinion is the last 30 minutes alone are worth the price of admission! The special effects make you feel like you are watching the movie live. Go see it now while they still have the original cast - especially Hugh Coles; get an interview with him!!!

[@glennstarkey7087]

Id say walking the Manhattan is better than the Brooklyn good views of the Brooklyn...land very close in bk and almost NO crowds I know you disclaimed this but yeah Nathan's is a tourist trap...you go to any of the boardwalk bars (i recommend Paul's daughter) coney island is worth it also for parents...its a bay...no hard surf unlike Rockaway or Jones Beach Circle line....night Staten Island ferry see the lady FOR FREE also tickets still an issue but big crowd buster for visiting the lady...use the jersey approach...faster less crowded same statue same Ellis island take path to Hoboken then grab a bus to the port Other attractions id do Flushing meadows Corona park Bronx zoo A yankee game (tho the bars and merch dens near it are very slimy beware East village bars and clubs...not what it was but still good stuff for nightlife Brookfield place esplanade very underrated walk from near ground zero (one of the best views of the memorial are from the winter garden) to pier a and the entrance to the statue of liberty boats

[@joaoafigueroa6569]

I did Coney Island on my first time to NYC (Sunmer time) and I don't regret it. It's a great place and has history. Also, you can see the locations of the movie "Requiem for a Dream". I don't agree with you this time. If you wanna see something different, justo go 🎉❤

[@letsrolloutnyc]

Great video

[@Efoure4]

As a BTTF fan i honestly thought the show was pretty garbage. THe musical numbers were not particularly memorable or even appreciated, they just heavily slowed down the pace of the show. The effects of the Delorean, now that's a different story. .. Amazing! Really well done, as was all the standard acting, non musical numbers. We also saw Harry Potter and that blew this out of the water... Fantastic. We did 19/20 things on your list on our trip... A very busy 10 days... I wasn't too impressed with the street vendor food and it felt really really over priced. I guess they spot a tourist easily :P I watched nealry all your stuff before we visited and i gotta say... great work... We stayed in NJ toooo :P NJ > NY.

[@Mrbeahz1]

Re: "If you don't like art don't come to the Met". Maybe you like music: they have rooms of old and new instruments. Maybe you like history: Well, there is that Dendur temple. And plenty of Greek, Roman and Gothic coins and artifacts. Maybe you like weapons: there are halls of old guns, crossbows, halberds, broadswords, plus knights in armor and on horseback.

[@user-pf2xc9xc4u]

Can't believe you even put Madame Tussaud's on the list. As you said, it's not a New York thing. I would have substituted the Museum of Modern Art.

[@HereBeBarr]

It’s more popular for tourists… I know

[@eduardolimoeiro1327]

I agree with 99% minus Harbor Lights because it's amazing to do at least once.

[@fredbettesworth5397]

How long would you recommend to stay for 1st time

[@adrianmeyer5010]

4:05 ActionKid !

[@peterkuchenbrod5696]

A con about the Statue of Liberty...depending on when you go, it could be absolutely MOBBED with school field trips! It happened to me once, and I haven't been back (but I'd like to).

[@HereBeBarr]

Yep

[@babs546]

I had very bad claustrophobia when climbing the stairs to go to the crown of the Statue of Liberty.

[@MarcPagan]

You left out Trixie. She's a very popular "working girl" near the Lincoln Tunnel's entrances ..around the 10th ave and 33rd street area or so. Sorry, too easy :) But, over the decades I've seen quite a view.

[@ibbig7933]

I really don’t like the whole Times Square Area but did not have on the list that my 12-year old was magically attracted by it😆.. maybe next time we really can skip it. Best regards ines

[@martinatverdakova2500]

I'm planning to go for first time to NY and memorial museum is not on my list and is first on yours.

[@antifugazi]

Madam Tussauds (two saawds)

[@HereBeBarr]

I always butcher it haha.

[@robertthomson1587]

I climbed up to the crown when I visited the Statue of Liberty and was disappointed. The views weren't all that great. I thought the most interesting part of the Statue of Liberty was the museum in the pedestal.

[@cantfindmysoup]

BIG TIP for tourist. Just don’t talk to anyone who approaches you. Just keep walking

[@clowchan]

It should be noted that the intrepid is free if you are current or former military (and they do check IDs) I thought BTTF musical was fine. Beat for beat same as the movie (which may be a pro OR con for people) The DeLorean and Doc Brown were the best parts. Jelani Remy has the best song (also that one customer, Billy Hipkins, you've interviewed a couple times works for the show as Roger Bart and Casey Likes' dresser)

[@potsomelawyer3034]

Hi.. how’s your friend doing nowadays.. with the camera earlier on..

[@rodneyboulton6410]

I only went to madame tussauds as it was on my attraction pass and I had a couple of hours to kill. I wouldn't go there again. Plenty more things to see that are unique to nyc

[@adrianosbrandao]

The video mistakenly showed the New York Public Library instead of the Metropolitan Museum.

[@TheAgnesina4]

Agreed with all exception made for #20 which to me should not even be in the list and #3 which to me will forever be #1 since it went up!

[@xr6lad]

Disagree about Intrepid. Sorry I’d put it before any lookout or bridge. And it is unique because 1: It has a space shuttle. 2: it has a submarine 3: it has a Concorde. Sorry but the High Line - every city has a park!!

[@CTE18899]

Intrepid space shuttle is not a replica of the enterprise, it is the real deal. However, enterprise never entered space.

[@peterszep4215]

It’s not a replica of the space shuttle on then intrepid, it’s an actual shuttle.

[@BlacqueJacqueShellacque_]

If you go to NYC and do NOT visit The Met, it doesn't count as going to NYC. One of the best museums on the planet. I can spend DAYS there and not see everything. Bare minimum if you're not into art, go see some of the most famous paintings and sculptures. The 9/11 Museum is HEAVY. I was driving to NYC on 9/11 and had to turn around and grew up in NJ so it was an extremely difficult day for me. I had to leave the museum before I got to the end because it made me so upset. Agreed on the smiling photos. I saw several people taking inappropriate photos there. Keep in mind there is almost certainly going to be someone that sees you that knew someone that died that day. Show some respect.

[@hankahail1510]

I was in NYC for the first time this March. And I have to agree with you. The 9/11 Monument and Museum is absolutely must see. I´m from the Czech Republic, so not near to the USA. I thought that, the sight is not gonna effect me too much. Boy, I was sooooo wrong. I cried a few times in the museum and it´s a emotional roller coster. If is the museum too much expensive for you or you not gonna go there any time soon, please check out the short film Boatlift. It´s a short film about Manhattan evacuation after the attacks.

[@freddysantoso6880]

Back To The Future was fun. Minor movie plot elements were altered to adapt it for the stage as well as make it more relevant and/or politically correct. IMHO the highlight was the actor who played George McFly He was worth price of admit 🙌

[@november132]

well that sucks. won't be seeing it if it's PC

[@xr6lad]

@@november132agree. I mean ‘make it politically correct’- I’m tired of offended snowflakes. Thats a reason not to go.

[@thomashall6010]

That’s not a replica of the test shuttle enterprise, it IS the test shuttle enterprise

[@HereBeBarr]

yes you're right! replica of the shuttle enterprise.

[@arodin]

@@HereBeBarr It's not a replica, it is the shuttle. However Enterprise was the prototype test shuttle so it never went into space.

[@frednich9603]

Great video Jon! I can't believe you just now got to the 9/11 museum!

[@HereBeBarr]

I know was always on my to do list

[@elipacker3932]

Visit the UN? China Town?

[@Davidb4825]

7:45 that's not a replica. What makes it look fake is the fact that it lacks engines and a heat shield,which was not needed for this specific orbiter, since it's the prototype that was used for atmospheric flights.

[@storres1368]

🙏🙏🙏

[@yugioht42]

Coney Island not for me other than the history as the first amusement rides and walkthroughs were created here. I would like to ride the Cyclone once but really I might go to Brighton instead to check out the Russian culture. Honestly I’ve seen the rides that Coney Island has and most of them aren’t great as a lot of them are prototypes that were never worked on again and are just left for the public to use. Even that dumb zampearla air coaster never got better as its ride is so uncomfortable. I would like to see the first dark ride site which was a tour of the moon walk-through that was connected to an out of business dairy company that gave out blocks of cheese at the end. The building was lost in one of the fires that hit Coney Island in the 1920s or 30s. The site is somewhere within the modern Luna park now. If my year is wrong then it’s likely I’m misremembering time frames as I have math dyslexia and I just have trouble with math period.

[@bweaver760]

Great video about what there is to see in NYC as a visitor!!!! The 9/11 memorial is a must for educating the young and newcomers to the terrorists attacks on our nation in 2021! Everyone who was alive over 5-7 years old that day remembers where they were and what they were doing when it all happened!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Statue of Liberty island is essential! Times Square to see a Broadway play at night(be prepared for crowds)!

[@JayKeyz2010]

Cons for every attraction is the amount of people that go everyday and scammers !

[@JasmineTeaEnjoyer]

Very good video but Central Park and the MET are undeniably the two best attractions in the city. Observation decks are cool and 9/11 was a great tragedy but neither come even close to the MET. It's the finest museum on planet Earth.

[@deino8348]

Hey! The Enterprise is NOT a replica. It's the real thing.

[@jimkear6749]

LOL, ummmm, that IS the Enterprise Space Shuttle.

[@herpderpington6309]

The biggest con of the 9/11 memorial are the teenagers that go there and scoff and are so rude. “*scoff* It’s not a big deal”… I almost lost it when a teenager started talking like that

[@likedvidsz]

Michael jackson

[@paulworkman767]

Not happy with the Nathan's slander in #19.

[@HereBeBarr]

🤣

[@DK-vn7lr]

I can't believe anybody pays money to see wax people🤦‍♂️

[@ThinkYesu_]

For me, i think NY is one of the greatest places to visit (not to live) and i hope the tourist have an amazing time.. Also his video is great, if ik someone visiting ill recommend this video 100% cuz i barely do the touching of the grass

[@Bart_Depestele]

Cash Jordan told me to stay away from New York