Explore the City's Best-Kept Secrets

At New York City's most visited museum and attraction, you will experience over 5,000 years of art from around the world. The Met is for anyone as a source of inspiration, insight and understanding. You can learn, escape, play, dream, discover, connect.

Times Square is a world-famous commercial and entertainment hub located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, at the intersection of Broadway and Seventh Avenue, stretching from West 42nd Street to West 47th Street. Known as “The Crossroads of the World,” it is celebrated for its massive digital billboards, bustling crowds, Broadway theaters, and vibrant energy that lasts 24/7. It’s a symbol of New York’s fast-paced spirit — home to major media companies, shopping centers, restaurants, and the iconic New Year’s Eve Ball Drop at One Times Square. Times Square attracts millions of visitors each year and stands as one of the most recognizable and photographed locations around the world.

The world’s oldest and biggest bookstore stocking only mystery, crime fiction, espionage, and thrillers. Mysteries have always been around and always been popular, but they haven’t always been respected. Otto Penzler has had a significant hand in that transformation. He’s probably the most important figure in the history of mystery fiction who’s never written a mystery story. Penzler is the owner of the Mysterious Bookshop (founded 1979) as well as The Mysterious Press, a publishing imprint he founded in 1975, and mysteriouspress.com, his ebook publisher. He has published most of the greats of mystery and crime fiction: Raymond Chandler, James M. Cain, James Ellroy, Ross Thomas, Patricia Highsmith, Ross Macdonald, Ed McBain. Any of the major authors he hasn’t published are probably at least good friends of his.

One of the last Jazz Age "Wonder Theaters" in New York City. The Wonder Theatres were five giant, lavish movie palaces that opened around New York City in 1929 and 1930. While cinemas were plentiful at the time, the Wonder Theatres were a cut above the rest. Built as Loew’s flagship theatres, the opulent venues were designed with all the fabulousness of the Jazz Age, and went on to provide an escape into the fantasy of Hollywood and luxury throughout the Great Depression and Second World War. United Palace is a transformational organization and venue that fuses culture, spirituality, and entertainment. The fourth largest theater in Manhattan is more than just a unique venue — it is a hub of creative expression and personal growth designed with and for the community.

Believe the hype. Top of the Rock’s three levels of indoor and outdoor observation decks deliver spectacular, unobstructed views of the city skyline. With terraces facing east, west, north, and south, Top of the Rock’s panoramic sights make it the ultimate observation deck in NYC. At the pinnacle of 30 Rockefeller Plaza’s 70 floors, it’s one of the top things to do in New York City. The Top of the Rock experience has been reimagined with new additions to the observation decks to include Skylift and The Beam Experience. These two new aerial attractions will send visitors soaring for rare, pulse-pounding perspectives of the iconic 360-degree skyline views.

The High Line is a public park built on a historic freight rail line elevated above the streets on Manhattan's West Side. It runs from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District to West 34th Street, between 10th and 12th Avenues. High Line visitors can enjoy free programming for adults and families, extensive gardens, a variety of food options from local vendors, and much more. Accessibility: The High Line is wheelchair accessible via elevators at Gansevoort Street, 14th Street, 16th Street, 23rd Street, and 30th Street, as well as at street level at 34th Street. Wheelchair accessible restrooms are located at Gansevoort Street and 16th Street. Free tours are available from High Line docents. This elevated railway turned public park provides fantastic views of the Hudson River and New York City skyline on Manhattan's West Side. Visit thehighline.org/events to learn more.

Arashiyama Bamboo Forest is easily one of the top must-visit places in Kyoto, if not all of Japan! Towering slender bamboo stalks reaching into the sky. Eerie, clacking music as the stalks sway in the wind. Ancient shrines are scattered along the trail and nearby. Stunning Japanese gardens with ponds and views. You’ll feel like you’ve stepped into another world entirely when you arrive at this iconic bamboo grove in Kyoto! Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, sometimes called Arashiyama Bamboo Grove or Sagano Bamboo Grove, is located on the western edge of Kyoto along the beautiful Katsura River in the foothills of Mount Arashiyama (also called Mount Ogura).

The theme park was established in 1975, allowing people to experience the world of period dramas through its open sets, events, and attractions. At TOEI Kyoto Studio Park, visitors can enter the TOEI Kyoto Film Studio, located adjacent to the park. The studio features a cinema street that allows you to experience the atmosphere of a live film set. In addition, within the Studio Park, there is a reproduction of streets from the Edo period, with the shooting of real television shows and movies, which you can watch live. As filming is carried out according to the various schedules of the television shows and movies, you may or may not be able to observe the shooting depending on the day. Also, please note that there may be changes to the shooting dates and times. At TOEI Kyoto Studio Park, you get to experience wearing the same outfits used in period dramas and enjoy taking pictures with the authentic film sets as a background.

Sauna no Umeyu is close to JR Kyoto Station and downtown Shijo Kawaramachi, and is open until midnight. Umeyu offers an authentic, wood-fire-heated bathing experience in the heart of Kyoto. You can enjoy a wonderful experience that is different from sightseeing by soothing your fatigued body in the warm water after sightseeing and shopping, and meet the people of Kyoto. Features include a retro atmosphere, clean facilities, and community-focused public baths. A bathing fee of 490 yen (including consumption tax) is paid at the entrance of the public bath. Towels for bathing can be rented, and soap, shampoo, and conditioner are provided, so you can come empty-handed. Before entering the bathroom, be sure to know the rules when using public baths. Exploring a local sento, or public bathhouse, offers a genuine insight into Kyoto’s communal culture. More than a place for relaxation, these baths are a window into the city’s traditions and community spirit.

Kyoto International Manga Museum opened its doors in November 2006, as a joint venture between the city of Kyoto and Kyoto Seika University’s Faculty of Manga. It is the first comprehensive cultural facility in Japan that combines the functions of a manga museum and library. The building it is based in is a repurposed elementary school that was built in the early Showa era. The museum holds over 300,000 manga materials, ranging from foreign to historic manga. About 50,000 of these are accessible to visitors on bookshelves that run throughout the entire museum, from the first floor to the third, the “Wall of Manga.”Near the entrance of the museum, there is a "Manga Expo" corner, where about 5,000 manga translated into languages other than Japanese and foreign comics are exhibited. In the main gallery, we answer the question "What is Manga?" in our permanent exhibition, which explains the systematic and historical aspects of the manga industry. In addition, we have some events.

One of Kyoto's most famous attractions, this temple was originally built in 1397 as a residence for shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. The structure was completely covered in gold leaf, earning it the name Golden Pavilion.

Founded in 1924, Kyoto Botanical Gardens is the oldest and most comprehensive public botanical garden in Japan. With seasonal plants and various conservatories, the Gardens are ever-changing and can be enjoyed all year round. More than 450 cherry blossom trees bloom beautifully in spring, and the leaves of deciduous trees such as maple color exquisitely in autumn. At other times of the year, lush greenery and a wide variety of trees and flowers can be enjoyed. Kyoto Botanical Gardens is a living museum of plants that offers opportunities for both education and relaxation. Whether you come to study botany, take in Kyoto’s seasonal beauty, or simply enjoy a tranquil escape from the city, Kyoto Botanical Gardens offers an experience that is both educational and deeply restorative. Conveniently located near Kitayama Station, it remains one of Kyoto’s most beloved green spaces—where nature, culture, and serenity come together in perfect harmony.