If you’re going to New York, you’re going to want to get some bomb photos for the Gram! I gotchu! Stick with me, I’ll tell you exactly where you need to go to get the most gram-worthy shots!
10. The Ferry to the Statue of Liberty
Sure, you can pay for a cruise around Manhattan but why do that when you can hop on the ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. And the views of Manhattan from the water are incredible. Plus there is nothing more New York than the statue of Liberty.
9. Central Park
You can spend all day exploring the park there is so much to see. And with every turn is another gorgeous tunnel or tree lined path. And of course there are the famous spots, Belvedere Castle, Bethesda Fountain and Terrance, The Mall, The Boathouse, Strawberry Fields if you’re a Beatles fan, the sailboats,Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, the zoo, I could go on forever. Check out Central Park to plan it out. Make sure you at least grab a quick drink at the iconic boathouse. Pro tip, make sure you go early to avoid the crowds to get the best photos for the gram. On a beautiful weekend afternoon you will see lots of street performers and large crowds. If you want to avoid this to get some awesome shots, definitely get there early!
8. Rooftop Restaurants and Bars
Another local tip, if you want to see some great views, you don’t need to pay a fortune to get to The Top of the Rock, or the top of the Empire State Building, or the top of the World Trade center. No no noooo.. the key is to find a great bar or restaurant to hang out, get some amazing food and drinks and relax. Here are a couple of my favorites:
Refinery Rooftop
My favorite Midtown Manhattan spot for food and drinks is Refinery Rooftop. With tasty food, great drinks and amazing city views from the 13th floor Refinery Rooftop is a great spot for dinner or just hang out with some small bites and drinks. It’s a great atmosphere and an amazing view of the Empire State Building. Make sure you get the kale salad if you’re going light or the mac and cheese if you’re feeling a little glutenous! Go day or night for stunning views.
Pod 51 Rooftop
POD 51 is an awesome rooftop bar with killer views. It’s also a super fun and trendy spot to hang out at for some drinks at night. POD is also a really great hotel chain that we actually stayed at for one of our trips, check out my post about it here: The Best NYC Summer Weekend in Midtown Manhattan
7. Roosevelt Island
Some perfect shots for the gram would be riding high on this red tram above the East River to Roosevelt Island for gorgeous views of Manhattan’s west side! Roosevelt Island is a narrow island in New York City’s East River, wedged between Manhattan and Queens. The most fun part about visiting Roosevelt Island is the ride over. Using your MetroCard and for the price of a subway ride you can float high over the NYC Skyline and the East River on the Roosevelt Island Tramway. I have to say this was my favorite part about the visit! Some interesting history – Roosevelt Island was occupied by the New York City Lunatic Asylum which opened in 1839 and a Smallpox Hospital which opened in 1856. The ruins of the Smallpox Hospital remain today, and we were able to get some great photos of this slightly creepy but magnificent structure. There is a beautiful strip along the west side of the island that faces Manhattan and makes for amazing views of the city. Cherry blossom trees line this strip and it also makes for fantastic photos in the Spring! At the end of the island is Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park and is another great spot to relax and take in the views and get some shots living it up in the sun with the Manhattan skyline behind you. This part of the city is pretty quiet, so I would pop over hear when the Manhattan crowds peak in the afternoon.
6. The Lightship Frying Pan
The Frying Pan is a super fun historic lightship built in 1929 that is docked at Pier 66 at WEST 26th Street in Hudson River Park. No longer a working lightship, the Frying Pan is now an awesome spot for nightlife, but personally I love hanging out in the afternoon for some drinks and lunch bites. It’s a great place to catch a cool breeze on a beautiful sunny day while taking in the NYC skyline.
5. The High Line and Vessel
The High Line was called the “West Side Elevated Line” at the time it was created in 1934. It was built to transport million of tons of meat, dairy, and produce and cut directly through some buildings, creating easy access for factories like the National Biscuit Company (Nabisco) which is now the home of Chelsea Market. The use of the “West Side Elevated Line” dwindled until it started being demolished in the 60s. Finally in 2004 actions began taking place to turn the elevated line into a public park. Today it is nearly one and a half miles of space for art and public recreation. I love coming here during the summer for beautiful gardens, city views and great people watching! So unique place for your Instagram feed! Plus there are some awesome rooftop bars in the area to stop, grab a bite or drinks, and post some more awesome views!
The Vessel is a new structure that was completed in the Hudson Yards in March 2019. It’s a giant, 150 foot tall beehive shaped structure comprised of 154 intricately interconnecting flights of stairs — almost 2,500 individual steps and 80 landings that visitors are free to explore. The Vessel offers amazing unique views of the city and the Hudson River. Fun fact: this structure cost the city $200 Million but it’s free for you to explore! Just make sure you reserve your spot!
5. The Oculus
This transportation hub, the Oculus is a $4 billion structure that gives the appearance of white ribs that interlock high above the ground. Upon walking in you will see two underground floors of a breathtaking shopping center. Its almost something out of a futuristic sci-fi movie, its just so pristine looking and its design is truly ingenious. The underground network connects with the Westfield World Trade Center mall. The main station house, the Oculus, opened on March 3, 2016, and the terminal was renamed the World Trade Center Transportation Hub, or “World Trade Center” for short. There are so many unique perspectives to take interesting photos you can just get lost in here. In fact, I’ve visited about three times and I still get lost this underground network is MASSIVE it really is amazing. (BTW, if you get hungry, make sure to head to the second floor to grab a bite at Eataly. Check my Blog Post: The Ultimate Guide to the BEST SUMMER Weekend in Downtown NYC, for some food recommendations!)
4. The Brooklyn Bridge
So I’m a bit of an architecture nut, I just LOVE this bridge and love the views so I really recommend going at odd hours. Its free and open all the time. We went at about 9am on a Sunday and it was AH-Mazing! I also loved going around 10pm to get those gorgeous city lights illuminating it but safety tip, please don’t go alone and always be aware of your surroundings!
3. The Manhattan Bridge
So of course everyone wants to walk the Brooklyn Bridge but I bet you never realized that the Manhattan Bridge is also walkable (also free) and it really is just as cool, if not cooler, than the Brooklyn Bridge. “Why” you ask? First, you get the view OF the Brooklyn Bridge, and second, it’s WAY less crowded than the Brooklyn Bridge. So I can take my time getting my shot, not feel silly taking obscure pictures, and not have to fight tourists for the perfect shot that I want. Its definitely a more peaceful walk than the tourist crowd of the Brooklyn Bridge.
2. DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass)
Don’t be fooled by the silly name, DUMBO Brooklyn is totally worth the journey off the Island to spend an afternoon in Brooklyn. I highly suggest skipping the cab ride and walking either the Brooklyn Bridge or Manhattan Bridge and kill a few birds with one stone. DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) is a really cool part of Brooklyn in part because it was once home to many factories and warehoses and now these buildings have been converted to beautiful historic offices, shops and restaurants. It’s a great part of town to wander, explore and take beautiful pictures. There is even a historic carousel along Brooklyn Bridge Park and we suggest taking a spin even if you’re too old, I promise you will never ride such a beautiful carousel with views like this! Make sure to explore the Atrium to check out the restaurants and of course this stunning view of Jane’s Carousel, Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge.
Atrium DUMBO and Waterfront
Washington Street in DUMBO
Still part of DUMBO, make sure you walk over to Washington Street for this amazing perspective of the Empire State Building framed perfectly by the Manhattan Bridge, also framed perfectly by this little one way cobbled street lined with historic brick buildings. Call me a nerd but I’m amazed by this view every time I see it.
I hope this post helps you find the best photo ops around the city! Comment below your favorite spots!
