My Favourite Photos of New York to Inspire Your Next Adventure

ByAlex Tiffany Posted on Updated on

I spent a month dog-sitting in New York City over the summer (before heading over to Wyoming) and got to know it better than ever before.

New York is an incredibly fun city to explore. I love how much life and energy is on display here, practically everywhere you go.

There’s a seemingly endless number of fun things to see and do, interesting people to meet, stories to hear, and hidden corners to discover.

Every neighbourhood has its own distinct character and charm. Every street has a story, every view feels like a scene from a movie.

The historic brownstones of Brooklyn, the cosy jazz bars of Greenwich Village, the colourful street art of the Lower East Side, the peaceful corners of Central Park (and Prospect Park!), the hipster cafes of Williamsburg – New York is a giant patchwork of experiences that come together to create something truly extraordinary.

Despite spending a fair amount of time in New York, I feel like I’ve still only scratched the surface of what this amazing city has to offer. It’s a city that never stops surprising you.

Here are some photos from my most recent visit.

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A cyclist riding a bright green electric bike through Times Square, with large billboards and tall buildings in the background.

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A woman in a floral dress walking her dog along a closed-off New York City street, surrounded by skyscrapers and food stalls.
A nighttime view of the Empire State Building illuminated in yellow, framed by surrounding buildings under a dark blue sky.
Times Square at night, with bright billboards including an advertisement for "Beetlejuice" and colorful digital displays of underwater scenes, with cars and pedestrians in view.
A close-up, upward angle of the Empire State Building at night, with clouds surrounding the illuminated tower.
A street scene in New York City showing a steam pipe emitting vapor through a striped orange and white column, surrounded by traffic cones and construction barriers. Pedestrians walk along the crosswalk, with tall buildings and skyscrapers in the background under a partly cloudy sky.
A view from a high-rise in New York City showing a tall, red-brick residential building and other skyscrapers surrounding Central Park. The park's lush green trees spread out beneath a cloudy sky, with the city's skyline visible in the distance.
Pedestrians walk along a sidewalk lined with skyscrapers in New York City. The reflective glass facades of modern high-rises tower over the street, while people casually stroll under a clear blue sky with a few clouds.
A lively crowd gathers outside the Golden Theatre in New York City at night. Neon signs and marquee lights advertise "Stereophonic" and the "Tony-winning show of the year" as people chat and wait on the sidewalk.
A view of Central Park with a small pond in the foreground and New York City's towering skyscrapers, including the ultra-tall 432 Park Avenue, rising in the background. The lush greenery contrasts with the modern skyline under a clear blue sky.
Aerial view of Lincoln Center in New York City, featuring modern buildings surrounding a central plaza with a blue event setup. Skyscrapers and residential towers stretch toward the Hudson River in the distance under a cloudy sky.
A stone archway nestled within the greenery of Central Park, New York City. The pathway leading under the arch is surrounded by moss-covered rocks and shaded by dense trees.
A scenic view of a small lake in Central Park, New York City, with rowboats gliding across the water. Lush green trees frame the lake, while the city's modern skyscrapers rise in the distance under a sunny sky.
A vibrant mural with colorful patterns and abstract figures near the Oculus transportation hub in New York City, with the iconic white ribs of the Oculus structure in the background.
A large metal globe sculpture standing in front of modern skyscrapers in Columbus Circle, New York City, under a partly cloudy sky.
The One World Trade Center skyscraper reflecting the sky, towering over nearby buildings and trees, with pedestrians walking along the street below.
A whimsical bronze sculpture of a rabbit and a hippo sitting at a table enjoying coffee outside the Eataly market in New York City, with a young boy posing behind the sculpture.
The entrance to Wall Street subway station in New York City, with the iconic green sign and American flags displayed above. In the background, Trinity Church is visible among the tall buildings.
The 9/11 Memorial South Pool at Ground Zero, New York City, featuring a large square waterfall surrounded by trees and skyscrapers under a partly cloudy sky.
A street-level view of One World Trade Center framed by surrounding buildings, as cars and pedestrians navigate the busy downtown Manhattan street.
A view of Woolworth Building and other historic and modern skyscrapers in downtown Manhattan, with cars and people bustling on the streets below.
People row boats across a serene lake in Central Park, New York City. The twin towers of the San Remo apartment building rise above the treeline in the background, with a bright blue sky overhead.
The Brooklyn Bridge at sunset, with a tugboat on the water and downtown Manhattan's skyline in the background.
Alex Tiffany humorously preparing to eat a large arugula-topped pizza at a restaurant in New York City, with other diners seated at tables in the background.
People walking on the Brooklyn Bridge at sunset, with One World Trade Center and other skyscrapers of downtown Manhattan in the distance.
A view of the Manhattan Bridge framed by red brick buildings in the Dumbo neighborhood of Brooklyn, with an ice cream truck parked on the street.
A close-up of one of the large stone towers of the Brooklyn Bridge, with its iconic suspension cables spreading out against the sky.
Steam rising from a construction pipe at night on a New York City street, with cars and buildings lit by streetlights.
A small bronze sculpture of two cartoonish figures, one holding a giant coin, at a New York City subway station.
A street sign at the corner of 8th Avenue and 58th Street in New York City, with a pedestrian crossing signal featuring a quirky dog sticker.
Columbus Circle in New York City, with the Christopher Columbus monument in the foreground and tall modern skyscrapers in the background.
A mural featuring Run-D.M.C., with graffiti and street art surrounding a NYC deli in Manhattan.
The New York City skyline at sunset, viewed from the Brooklyn Bridge, with skyscrapers framed by suspension cables and a colorful sky.
A street sign in Times Square declaring the area a 'Gun Free Zone' with Broadway signs and a busy intersection in the background.
A bustling Manhattan street with skyscrapers in the background, street vendors, and pedestrians walking around.
A massive digital billboard displaying a close-up of an eye against a backdrop of mirrored skyscrapers in Times Square.
A view of Times Square with tall buildings and a large billboard featuring rapper Polo G promoting his album 'Hood Poet.'
A unique metal sculpture of twisted, spiked tendrils in a public plaza with tall buildings in the background.
A low-angle view of the Empire State Building with its Art Deco facade and cyclists riding past yellow taxis on the street below.
A brightly colored mural inside a staircase, depicting a green, red, and yellow stylized face with an open mouth, flames, and a pizza.
Staff working at a taco stand inside Los Tacos No. 1, preparing fresh food for customers.
An elevated view of people walking around the plaza in front of the entrance to the Moynihan Train Hall in New York City.
A small waterfall surrounded by large rocks, with a wooden footbridge overhead, located in Prospect Park.
A view of Central Park’s treetops, looking toward the New York City skyline at dusk, with buildings glowing in the fading light.
Inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art, visitors walk through the grand hall beneath towering arches and a large central dome skylight. The spacious interior features classical architectural elements, with people exploring the exhibits and admiring the museum's grandeur.
The Temple of Dendur exhibit inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art, featuring the ancient sandstone structure displayed against a large window with a reflecting pool in the foreground.
A metal globe sculpture in front of skyscrapers in New York City, with the tallest building partially obscured by fog or clouds.
Yellow taxis in front of the Guggenheim Museum in New York, with people walking by on the sidewalk and pigeons perched on a streetlight.
Sunset over New York City’s skyline, viewed from a high-rise, with the sun setting between tall buildings and reflecting off their windows.

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Alex is a former lawyer and an expert in off-the-beaten-path travel. Originally from the UK, Alex has explored over 70 countries independently, from hitchhiking in East Africa and Central Asia to road-tripping across Europe and the USA. He loves hiking, camping, and discovering lesser-known destinations.

Alex's writing and photography have been featured in many leading travel publications. He's passionate about sharing his travel expertise with others and encouraging people to step out of their comfort zones and travel more adventurously.