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Lower Manhattan & Downtown: what’s worth it?

Financial District, Statue ferries, the Village, SoHo, Chinatown and the High Line.

9/11 Memorial & Museum — photo by Tiago Santos

Worth itReality 84 +319/11 Memorial & Museum★ 4.8Lower Manhattan & Downtown · HistoryFree twin reflecting pools in the Twin Towers' footprints, plus a paid underground museum

Brooklyn Bridge — photo by Marc

Worth itReality 81 02Brooklyn Bridge★ 4.8Lower Manhattan & Downtown · LandmarkFree 1.1-mile walk over the 1883 suspension bridge with Manhattan skyline and harbor views

Little Island — photo by Ana Maria Mottin Farsoni

Worth itReality 81 +283Little Island★ 4.7Lower Manhattan & Downtown · ParkFree 2.4-acre park perched on tulip-shaped concrete piles in the Hudson, with lookouts and an amphitheater

Staten Island Ferry — photo by Wojciech Abramowicz

Worth itReality 81 +374Staten Island Ferry★ 4.7Lower Manhattan & Downtown · ToursFree 25-minute commuter ferry from Lower Manhattan past the Statue of Liberty to Staten Island

High Line — photo by Alessandro Henrique

Worth itReality 81 +75High Line★ 4.7Lower Manhattan & Downtown · ParkFree 1.45-mile elevated park on a former freight rail line from Gansevoort St to Hudson Yards

Chinatown — photo by Max H.

Worth itReality 76 +266Chinatown★ 4.3Lower Manhattan & Downtown · NeighbourhoodDense, living immigrant neighborhood of dim sum halls, bakeries, markets and Columbus Park

Governors Island — photo by Sang Qiu

Worth itReality 76 +577Governors Island★ 4.7Lower Manhattan & Downtown · ParkCar-free 172-acre former Army base in the harbour: hills, hammocks, forts and skyline views

Ellis Island — photo by Charlene Grieu

Worth itReality 70 +338Ellis Island★ 4.7Lower Manhattan & Downtown · MuseumFormer immigration station turned museum, reached on the Statue of Liberty ferry

The Whitney — photo by Byron Jiang

Worth it if…Reality 61 +159The Whitney★ 4.5Lower Manhattan & Downtown · Museum20th-century and contemporary American art in a Renzo Piano building with Hudson-view terraces

Statue of Liberty — photo by Peter K

Worth it if…Reality 60 −2110Statue of Liberty★ 4.7Lower Manhattan & Downtown · LandmarkLiberty Island monument reached by ferry, with a museum and optional pedestal and crown access

Katz's — photo by Katz's Delicatessen

Worth it if…Reality 59 −711Katz's★ 4.5Lower Manhattan & Downtown · FoodLower East Side Jewish deli open since 1888, famous for hand-carved pastrami on rye

Joe's Pizza — photo by Taylor Wisler

Worth it if…Reality 56 +1712Joe's Pizza★ 4.4Lower Manhattan & Downtown · FoodGreenwich Village counter slice shop serving classic thin New York slices since 1975

SoHo — photo by Piotr Łopatkiewicz

Worth it if…Reality 55 +3413SoHo★ 4.8Lower Manhattan & Downtown · ShoppingCobblestone cast-iron district: chain flagships on Broadway, designer and indie shops on side streets

Charging Bull — photo by Mark Barrett

Worth it if…Reality 51 −1014Charging Bull★ 4.4Lower Manhattan & Downtown · LandmarkArturo Di Modica's 1989 bronze bull at Bowling Green, the Financial District's photo icon

One World Observatory — photo by Batschelorum

Worth it if…Reality 50 −915One World Observatory★ 4.7Lower Manhattan & Downtown · ViewpointEnclosed observatory on floors 100–102 of One World Trade Center, the city's tallest tower

Chelsea Market — photo by Chelsea Market

Skip itReality 45 −2216Chelsea Market★ 4.6Lower Manhattan & Downtown · MarketIndoor food hall and shopping concourse in a former Nabisco factory by the High Line

Little Italy — photo by Des R

Skip itReality 41 −917Little Italy★ 4.5Lower Manhattan & Downtown · NeighbourhoodA few touristy blocks of Mulberry Street: red-sauce restaurants, cannoli and souvenir shops

Museum of Ice Cream — photo by Tinii_paredes

Skip itReality 39 +418Museum of Ice Cream★ 4.2Lower Manhattan & Downtown · AttractionPink, Instagram-style ice cream 'museum' in SoHo with a sprinkle pool, slide and unlimited scoops

Magnolia Bakery — photo by Magnolia Bakery

Skip itReality 36 +1019Magnolia Bakery★ 4.3Lower Manhattan & Downtown · FoodOriginal West Village bakery made famous by Sex and the City, known for cupcakes and banana pudding

The numbers

#	Place	Verdict	Hype	Reality	Gap	Google
1	9/11 Memorial & Museum	Worth it	81	84	+3 · Lives up to the hype	★ 4.8 (95,711)
2	Brooklyn Bridge	Worth it	81	81	0 · Lives up to the hype	★ 4.8 (94,190)
3	Little Island	Worth it	53	81	+28 · Underrated	★ 4.7 (17,980)
4	Staten Island Ferry	Worth it	44	81	+37 · Underrated	★ 4.7 (9,858)
5	High Line	Worth it	74	81	+7 · Lives up to the hype	★ 4.7 (68,733)
6	Chinatown	Worth it	50	76	+26 · Underrated	★ 4.3 (3,574)
7	Governors Island	Worth it	19	76	+57 · Underrated	★ 4.7 (1,459)
8	Ellis Island	Worth it	37	70	+33 · Underrated	★ 4.7 (6,635)
9	The Whitney	Worth it if…	46	61	+15 · Underrated	★ 4.5 (15,257)
10	Statue of Liberty	Worth it if…	81	60	−21 · Overhyped	★ 4.7 (112,748)
11	Katz's	Worth it if…	66	59	−7 · Lives up to the hype	★ 4.5 (56,066)
12	Joe's Pizza	Worth it if…	39	56	+17 · Lives up to the hype	★ 4.4 (10,712)
13	SoHo	Worth it if…	21	55	+34 · Lives up to the hype	★ 4.8 (22)
14	Charging Bull	Worth it if…	61	51	−10 · Overhyped	★ 4.4 (44,634)
15	One World Observatory	Worth it if…	59	50	−9 · Lives up to the hype	★ 4.7 (26,433)
16	Chelsea Market	Skip it	67	45	−22 · Overhyped	★ 4.6 (52,419)
17	Little Italy	Skip it	50	41	−9 · Lives up to the hype	★ 4.5 (847)
18	Museum of Ice Cream	Skip it	35	39	+4 · Lives up to the hype	★ 4.2 (10,851)
19	Magnolia Bakery	Skip it	26	36	+10 · Lives up to the hype	★ 4.3 (5,337)