More than 8 million people from all over the planet call it home. It’s skyline is familiar to people around the world. With unique neighborhoods and cultural offerings, world class dining and incredible shopping, New York City is a modern Mecca, at once a global city and the quintessential American town.

If you’ve never visited the city, there’s never been a better time to plan a trip. is offering hotels from $119 a night, and packages for as little as $506 if you book between now and July 7th.

Here’s a quick rundown of the top 5 iconic things to do and see on your first visit to NYC.

The Empire State Building

The 102-story landmark Art Deco skyscraper at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street stood as the world’s tallest building for more than forty years. The American Society of Civil Engineers named it as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. A trip to the building’s top floor observatory (for a mere $15 a ticket) is not to be missed.

Central Park

A National Historic Landmark in the heart of Manhattan, Central Park is host to approximately twenty-five million visitors each year. It covers an area of 843 acres between 59th Street and 110th. View the park by carriage horse or pedicab, or take in one of the open air concerts or other performances this Summer.

The Top of the Rock Observation Deck

The GE Building at 30 Rockefeller Plaza is an Art Deco skyscraper that forms the centerpiece of Rockefeller Center in midtown Manhattan. At 850 feet, the 70-story building is the 9th tallest in New York City. The observation deck reopened to the public in 2005 after undergoing a . It offers a bird’s eye view of the city, and is often considered the best panoramic view, because it offers a view of the Empire State Building (which obviously can’t be seen from its own deck).

South Street Seaport

The South Street Seaport offers some of the best shopping, dining and entertainment in Manhattan. It’s a cultural marketplace along the dynamic Lower Manhattan waterfront that offers attractions, shops and restaurants for every taste.  Enjoy concerts, street performers, boating, bike rentals, a farmers market, and beach celebrations this Summer.

The Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and the Harbor

Over 12 million immigrants made their first stop at Ellis Island upon completing passage to America. Each one of them was welcomed by the sight of Liberty Enlightening the World standing on Liberty Island in New York Harbor. Choose a scenic harbor tour to take it all in, or a visit to the statue, or spend some time at the museum at Ellis Island, which was restored in 1990 after having been abandoned for 30 years.

Of course, these are just a few of the experiences available to people visiting New York City. Broadway shows, walks down Wall Street, Chinatown, Little Italy, Greenwich Village or the Lower East Side, some of the great museums of the world, cultural events – not to mention 20,000 restaurants – NYC is a feast for all of the senses.