According to Wikipedia and several other sources across the internet, New York City’s Times Square is the #1 tourist attraction in the United States. Times Square sees about 330,000 visitors each day, with its busy days reaching nearly 500,000. That’s about 50 million people a year.
Times Square is famous for its dazzling billboards, nonstop energy, and iconic attractions like the New Year’s Eve ball drop. It’s a hub for Broadway theaters, world-class dining, and street performers that add to its unique charm. For many, the experience of standing in the middle of Times Square is like stepping into the heart of American culture, where neon lights and the buzz of activity never seem to stop.
Have you ever visited this iconic U.S. destination? If so, have you visited more than once? Just one time? If not, would you like to visit someday or do you not really care about visiting?
After you vote, please leave a comment and tell us if you enjoyed visiting Times Square or not.
Between 25 and 30 years ago my wife and I plus two other family members visited time square and more. We enjoyed a performance and movie at Radio City Music Hall, took elevators to top of Empire State Building, and took in the musical Big for young granddaughter’s pleasure as well as ours. The longer planned run of Big was terminated two days later. We were glad for the opportunity visit. More to see than we had time for. Would like to have visited museums. Nevertheless, there has been no great desire to subjecting ourselves to New York City again. Other cities including ours in California are easier to deal with.
Put Ellis Island on your bucket list.
We visited once for 3 nights and saw most of the major sights. I loved it. I felt safe even in Central Park and subways. I would return every year if I had the $. It’s expensive.
New York city is too expensive to visit, besides the parking being expensive they want to pay $9. congestion fee. If you go thru the Lincoln tunnel it is expensive. I use to go every year to The international show on Easter. No more.
It was a waste of time. 40 years ago.
I love nature, not big city slums and crowding. 26 years in the U.S. Navy having to live near large cites, I have no desire to go near them again. I live about 7 miles south of our city of 3500 people and love the peace and solitude.
Mid-50s my folks and I traveled from Chicago to New York (by train!) to visit an uncle. I KNOW we visited Times Square (because my mother said so) but I don’t remember a thing about it.
In Spring 2002, my 2 school-aged daughters, my SIL, and I visited NYC. We saw a Broadway show, went to the top of the Empire State Building, visited Central Park and Times Square, and most movingly, saw Ground Zero. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip, and would go back, however my partner has no desire. I’m glad I had this experience.
We saw all that you mentioned. Had gone to NY to be there for my daughter & her hubbys second child. my Husband and I both ended up with the flu~ HORRIBLE flu. Had to change our flights, stay an extra week at the motel and missed being there for the birth and didn’t even get to see the new baby before we flew home. We had both had flu shots but in 2015 it wasn’t a good match for the flu we got. Very expensive trip but that baby was healthy & Momma too after 33 hours of labor! Even when we got home it took us another week to feel back to normal.
No offense to New Yorkers, but I’ve been in the city a few times and have little desire to return let alone see Times Square. For me the #1 tourist spot is Niagara Falls and yes, we’ve been there several times as well (both sides). I’ve never been west of the Mississippi river, but once I retire we may very well see the western and mid-western parts of this great country.
As a young New Yorker I worked in Times Square. It was seedy then, today, it’s downright dangerous. There are lots of other safer attractions in NY to visit.
It’s always been a passing thought. Lived in and travel to many cities with my years of service career. Sydney, Paris, Rome, London, Oslo, Frankfort, Auckland and many on the west side of Mississippi. The east side has been flying through or driving through the major cities. Never really wanting to stop. As one that is growing older I like rural areas for more peace and quiet.
After business meetings in White Plains we took the Harlem Express into Grand Central Station. Went to Central Park & ate at Tavern on the Green, went to Times Square, the Trump Tower, etc. The street performers and vendors were kinda neat, but mostly I saw an overcrowed filthy (garbage all over) city I barely felt safe in even with a dozen other people.
Got back to GCS to catch the train back around 11PM and we couldn’t use the terminal bathroom we used just hours before because a man had been stabbed to death in it. I had my fill of NYC. Give me open roads & nature.
Thank you, RV Travel! No, I have never been to Times Square and haven’t any desire to be there. DW had numerous work trips to NYC and has been to Times Square. Happy new year and safe travels! 🙂
I have been there 4 times. I could have done without the last 3, except I was with other people who had never been. We were there on Thanksgiving Day back in November, and it was a zoo. However, the most crowds we have seen were back in October. My sister really wanted to see it at night, and we ended up having to walk a few blocks just to get there because they had it blocked off due to an event and some protests going on. So, no desire to go there again. It’s cool to see one time, but that’s it.
Scheduled and booked months ahead with no cancelation insurance, we had the experience of visiting NY on March 16th 2020. At 2pm there was less than 20 people on Times Square. Actually we had the run of the city with less then 10 people on any given tour bus. The catch, the next day the city was shut down due to Covid. Unfortunately most of the major tourist attractions were already closed. We ended up leaving 2 days early and felt bad for all the wonderful tourists guides and bus drivers that were about to lose their jobs.
I recall reading that the Great Smoky Mtn NP was the #1 tourist attraction. ????
Hi, Rich. According to Wikipedia, Great Smoky Mountains NP is #16. However, the Great Smoky Mountains NP is the most visited national park in the U.S. “by far,” i.e., more than 8.5 million more visitors than the #2 national park, the Grand Canyon. Have a good night. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
We drove around the city, never stopped, but passed by some attractions. Crazy city. No desire to go back.
I worked out on Long Island for about 6 months in 1994. Wife and daughter flew out for Thanksgiving weekend. Stayed at the Marriot overlooking Times Square. Watched the parade from the 20th floor! I’ve visited several times since then generally flexing a day or several on a business trip. It has changed for the better since my first visit in 1964.
Well 1964 that’s when a room was 20, 30 maybe 40 a month, not 3 grand plus 1st and last months rent and wonder why are there so many people who are homeless and over 60
I visited a few times, back in the ’80s, when I worked for a small, independent dept. store. We did buying trips to NYC.
I have no interest in ever returning.
I’m a high school music teacher, and have been with students to NYC 3 times-so naturally Broadway and Times Square are a must see for us. Really enjoyed the shows and the energy in the City That Never Sleeps.