Travel to New York During May Day Golden Week: These Popular Attractions Recommended by New York Pass
The May Day Golden Week vacation mode is about to begin. Have you planned your New York trip yet? Use The New York Pass to explore New York in style, making your travel memories even more colorful!
Take a New York Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour
Taking a hop-on hop-off bus tour with Big Bus is one of the best ways to start your New York trip. The comfortable double-decker buses take you through the streets of Lower and Upper Manhattan. You can get off at the attractions you want to visit, then board again when you're done. How relaxing can a trip be?
The Uptown Loop explores the Upper East Side, home to some of New York's most popular museums. Along this route, you'll see famous attractions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim Museum, Madison Square Garden, Fifth Avenue, Times Square, Grand Central Terminal, and the Chrysler Building.
The Downtown Loop passes through the Flatiron District, Union Square, Greenwich Village, and Chinatown on its way to Lower Manhattan, then returns to Times Square along the Hudson River. In addition to views of Broadway, Wall Street, Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, and numerous top skyscrapers, you can get off at Pier 84 to join a Circle Line sightseeing cruise and continue enjoying New York's cityscape from the water.
Moreover, the Big Bus app shows real-time bus arrival times. Just arrive at the bus stop 5 minutes early during your tour, and you can continue your journey.
Downtown Loop departure point: Times Square M&M's Store
Departure times: 9:30am – 4:30pm, every 20 minutes
Uptown Loop departure point: Times Square M&M's Store
Departure times: 10:00am – 4:00pm, every 60 minutes
Ticket price: $59.99, free with The New York Pass
Take in the City Panorama from the Empire State Building Observatory
For the best panoramic views of New York, the Empire State Building Observatory is certainly a top choice! At 443.7 meters (1,454 feet), it offers sweeping vistas of up to 80 miles around New York.
Located in Midtown Manhattan and completed in 1931, the Empire State Building is synonymous with New York City and a iconic U.S. landmark. It held the title of New York's tallest building for 40 years, and attracts 4 million visitors annually.
The lobby features an Art Deco ceiling mural, which was restored to its 1930s appearance after an 18-month renovation, and was designated a historic landmark by the Landmarks Preservation Commission in 2009.
Lobby, image source: Empire State Building
The visitor center on the second floor has been transformed into a formal welcome desk. Before taking the elevator to the observatory, you can check out a meaningful sustainability exhibition. Through real construction materials, sculptures, and interactive presentations, it shows visitors a large-scale sustainability project the Empire State Building undertook in 2009. This renovation reduces the building's energy costs by $4.4 million annually, cuts carbon emissions by over 105,000 tons, and decreases the building's energy usage by 38%.
Sustainability Exhibition, image source: Empire State Building
The Dare to Dream Exhibit on the 80th floor documents the building's history, construction, and building process. Exhibits include original photos and documents from the 1930s, construction workers' instructions, architectural sketches, and personal memorabilia.
Dare to Dream Exhibit, image source: Empire State Building
The 86th-floor observatory has been featured in dozens of films and TV shows. From here, you can see famous sights like the Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park, the East River, the Hudson River, Times Square, and the Statue of Liberty. If you download the Empire State Building app, you can use it to identify every building in view.
86th Floor Observatory, image source: Empire State Building
At the 102nd-floor observatory, the view becomes even more expansive! From this height, you can clearly see the street grid and Central Park. On a clear day, you can even spot buildings up to 80 miles away.
102nd Floor Observatory, image source: Empire State Building
Empire State Building address: 20 West 34th Street (between 5th & 6th Avenue), New York, NY 10118
Visiting hours: Open year-round, until 2:00am at the latest
Ticket price: $42, free with The New York Pass
Find Beautiful Spring at the New York Botanical Garden
Right now, the New York Botanical Garden is at its most vibrant! Plants and trees, having stored energy all winter, are sprouting and blooming, showing off their best sides unreservedly in nature.
Image source: The New York Botanical Garden
Located in the Bronx, the New York Botanical Garden spans 250 acres. It is one of the most important botanical gardens in the United States and an ideal place for locals and tourists to experience the vitality of spring. With 50 specialty gardens containing over a million plants, the garden's vibrant spring bloom captivates everyone from toddlers to seasoned travelers.
Image source: The New York Botanical Garden
If you visit the New York Botanical Garden on May 1st, you can still catch the tail end of this season's orchid show and admire renowned designer Jeff Leatham's dazzling floral creations!
Image source: The New York Botanical Garden
Additionally, from May to October each year, the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden becomes the garden's main attraction—650 varieties of roses compete in bloom. Such a romantic and beautiful scene should be universally appealing!
Image source: The New York Botanical Garden
Alternatively, you can visit the Family Garden Center to learn how to create beautiful potted plants in your own backyard and acquire basic gardening knowledge.
In any case, the vast New York Botanical Garden has plenty of stunning spring sights waiting for you to discover!
Image source: The New York Botanical Garden
New York Botanical Garden address: 2900 Southern Blvd., Bronx, New York, 10458
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 10am – 5pm
Ticket price: $28, free with The New York Pass
