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Make your trip extra special with one of these luxurious things to do in New York City. Most of these experiences are accessible and won’t cost an arm and a leg. Get ready to make memories by choosing one or two of these things to upgrade your trip or celebrate an important occasion.
1. See the NYC Skyline With a Helicopter Tour
A spectacular way to see the NYC skyline is by helicopter. Take a tour above Manhattan and see some of the city’s most iconic buildings. Spot these landmarks, like the Empire State Building, Central Park, the Statue of Liberty and Hudson River on an approximately 20 minute tour. And if you’d prefer to guarantee who your fellow passengers are, take a private NYC helicopter tour for up to six people and customize the tour to whichever time works best for you.
2. Afternoon Tea at Baccarat Hotel
Spend a relaxing afternoon at Baccarat Hotel in Midtown Manhattan. This is the most expensive afternoon tea in the city and you can expect quality, chef-selected food paired with specialty tea blends by their in-house tea sommelier all served on Baccarat crystal tableware. French, English and Turkish afternoon tea packages are served Monday to Sunday from 12 pm to 4 pm.
3. Go Behind the Scenes at a Broadway Show
Don’t just see a Broadway show, book an experience where you can go behind the scenes. The Peninsula Hotel offers a chauffeured MINI Cooper transfer to a Broadway production of your choice, then an opportunity to meet a key cast or production member after the show. You can also check out Broadway Plus for more VIP experiences. For example, if you’d like to see Wicked, a Wicked VIP Experience includes premium seats to the show, a specialty beverage at intermission, souvenir gift bag with official show merchandise and a behind the scenes tour with a member of the cast.
4. Luxury Shopping
New York City is a shopper’s paradise and home to luxury flagship stores, vintage shops and several department stores. Head to Soho for fashionable designers, along Madison Avenue on the Upper East Side for boutiques from brands like Lanvin, Celine and Maison Goyard or on Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan for Tiffany and Co, Louis Vuitton and Bulgari (also worth seeing during the holidays for their window displays.) If you’d like to take your shopping experience to another level, arrange for an exclusive personalized shopping tour and go shopping with a stylist.
5. Take a Private Museum Tour
Some museums around the city offer exclusive tours of their exhibitions and galleries. Get early access to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) an hour before it opens to the public and stay for as long as you’d like after. Take the MoMA VIP experience to another level with The Peninsula Hotel, which offers either access for an hour before the museum opens or after it closes with a PhD Art Historian who can answer your questions. Additionally, the Peninsula Hotel offers a similar experience that’s family friendly at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. And it’s also possible to book the NYC EmptyMet Tour at The Metropolitan Museum of Art where you can get a glimpse of famous masterpieces an hour before the exhibitions are open to the public.
Read More: NYC Museum Membership to Have
6. VIP Sports Experience
Sports fans, especially fans of New York sports teams, can enjoy special experiences at their team’s stadiums. Baseball fans can book The Inside Experience at Yankee Stadium during the regular season which includes Field Level tickets at a home game, meet and greet and photo opportunity with a Yankee player, a gift bag, lunch buffet and a stadium tour. Rivaling Mets fans can visit Citi Field for non-game day private tours or lunch tours of the stadium. And though MetLife Stadium is actually in New Jersey, it’s home to two New York sports teams, the New York Giants and the New York Jets. You can book a Premium Experience at one of their premium lounges. And for soccer fans, both New York metropolitan area teams, New York City FC and New York Red Bulls offer premium seating and experiences as well.
7. Dine at a Michelin Star Restaurant
New York City is home to some world-renowned restaurants. There are classics like Eleven Madison Park, Per Se and Daniel, which all hold Michelin stars. And there’s new ones added to New York City’s Michelin list every year of various cuisines. Check out the New York Michelin Guide for updated lists of restaurants that make it into the coveted list. Also, get a hard copy of the latest MICHELIN Guide New York City here.
Read More: 15 Most Instagrammable Cafes in NYC
8. See the Sunset on a Private Yacht
Take a private New York City boat tour or charter a luxury yacht around NYC. With Prestige Yacht Charters, routes for each of their yachts will take you to the East side of Manhattan, under the Williamsburg, Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges, to the tip of Lower Manhattan around Battery Park, and also get a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty and Upper West Side. If it’s a special occasion like a birthday, celebrate it on a yacht as you sail around NYC. Customize your trip depending on the size of your party and choose a menu, bar packages and entertainment while you enjoy the views.
9. Rockefeller Center in Winter
Two things to do around Rockefeller Center in winter are seeing the Rockettes and ice skating right by the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. Experience the famous music hall, Radio City Music Hall where the Rockettes perform, VIP style with premium tickets to their Christmas Spectacular, which includes a pre-show reception, private entrance into Radio City and photo opportunity with Santa and two Rockettes. Also, reserve a VIP experience at the Rink at Rockefeller Center so you don’t have to wait in line and can enter straight to the rink for ice skating and get access to their heated VIP Igloo for refreshments.
Read More: What to Pack for Visiting NYC (Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall)
10. Stay at a Luxury Hotel
Treat yourself to a luxury hotel stay in New York City. For a hotel with a view of Central Park, check in to The Pierre on the east side or the Mandarin Oriental New York on the west. Or if you prefer somewhere within a neighborhood, choose an Upper East Side hotel like The Mark New York. And don’t forget the iconic The Plaza Hotel, opened in 1907 and has been a popular filming location for movies like Home Alone 2, Sleepless in Seattle and The Great Gatsby.
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