Perched atop Rockefeller Center, visiting Top Of The Rock is one of the best things to do in Manhattan if. Experience the best things to do in New York with this epic guide to food, drink, culture, parks and more essentials. The Statue of Liberty is by far one of the most visited tourist attractions in New York City. The statue was given to the United States by France in 1886 as a symbol of freedom and democracy and she hovers over the city like a guardian, beckoning visitors to cross the water on the ferry to see it up close on Liberty Island.