A lot of things about New York City may have changed since September 11, 2001. But whatever these changes are, they don’t change the fact that New York City—The Big Apple itself—remains one of the greatest cities in the world, bar none. Despite everything that the city has gone through for the past decade or so, New York still possess that certain quality that makes it a favorite destination for millions upon millions of foreign and American tourists alike.

Naturally, New York is synonymous with such landmarks as the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square and for the past seven years, The World Trade Center site or Ground Zero. It goes without saying that no trip to New York City would ever be complete without dropping by any of these locations. However, New York has so much more to offer than just these world-famous symbols.

New York, for instance, is home to some of the finest museums in the world. Check out the Metropolitan Museum of Art, one of the largest and most important art museums in the world. If art isn’t your thing, then the American Museum of Natural History or the Museum of Sex might just be what you’d be interested in. I’m guessing it’s the latter. And if the arts are your scene, snag some Broadway tickets from a reputable site and enjoy a show.

If there’s one place in New York City where you can do just about any sort of activity imaginable, it will have to be Manhattan’s Central Park. Ice skating, bird-watching, jogging, sports events, concerts, plays, film showings, a wide collection of animals at the Central Park Zoo, large grassy areas where you can just relax, name it and Central Park probably has it. No wonder it’s the most visited city park in the United States, with about twenty-five million visitors annually.

But to really enjoy New York, not just the city but its essence as well, it’s best to do what native New Yorkers do on a regular basis: take the subway; flag down one of its iconic yellow cabs and go on a joy ride; visit Staten Island on board the famous Staten Island Ferry and get a really good view of the Statue of Liberty and New York Harbor in the process; hie off to Broadway and watch Les Miserables or whatever musical is playing there right now, and a whole lot more. Do these, and you’ll be in a New York state of mind in no time at all. After all, a trip to New York is more than just a trip; it’s an experience, and one that you’ll likely never forget.