New York is a photographer’s playground and there is no shortage of Instagrammable places in NYC. With that in mind, make sure your batteries are charged and your memory card is empty because you’ll be snapping away non-stop!

Last updated on September 5, 2023.

Most Instagrammable Places in NYC

Hey there! If you’re new here, my name is Jas and I kinda have an obsession with Instagram.

I love taking pictures and am always on the hunt for jaw-dropping photography spots to glam up my feed with. Without further ado, here are my favorite NYC photoshoot locations.

Famous Landmarks

1. Times Square

NYC is known as the city that never sleeps and Times Square is perfectly exemplary of that.

From its flashing neon lights to gigantic digital billboards, this major commercial intersection attracts approximately 50 million visitors a year, making it one of the world’s most visited tourist destinations.

2. Empire State Building

Empire State Building as seen from Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center.

This symbolic New York structure stands at 102 stories in height and was recognized as the tallest building from 1931 to 1970. Despite dropping down to number 51, it remains one of the most popular Instagrammable places in NYC. 

3. Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center

Rockefeller Center is essentially a collection of 19 commercial buildings that span across Midtown Manhattan’s 48th Street to 51st Street.

Perched above 70 floors is its observation deck – Top of the Rock. Here you can enjoy unobstructed views of both Empire State Building and Central Park from its 3-tiered indoor and outdoor decks.

4. Brooklyn Bridge

Brooklyn Bridge is no doubt one of the best places to take pictures in NYC – especially during sunrise. Not only is the morning light beautifully reflected in nearby skyscrapers, a big plus for getting here early is being able to avoid massive crowds.

You know what they say. Early birds get the worm!

5. Edge

Soaring 100 floors above ground, the Edge is Western Hemisphere’s highest outdoor observation deck.

You can enjoy 360-degree unobstructed views of New York, and its distinctive design definitely deserves to be recognized as one of the most unique places to photograph in NYC.

6. Summit One Vanderbilt

Recently opened in the last quarter of 2020, Summit is the newest observation deck with three different levels of multi-sensory immersive experiences.

My friend and I visited an hour before closing and we had the entire space to ourselves.

Sure it was nice not having other tourists photobomb us, but the security guards constantly reminded us that they were closing soon. We also got kicked out of certain rooms and the overall experience felt very rushed. You win some and you lose some!

7. Grand Central Station

Bet you never imagined a train station to be one of the best photo spots in NYC!

Grand Central Station, or Grand Central Terminal, is much more than a transportation hub.

There are a total of 65 shops and 35 delicious dining options (some which are Michelin-starred). Furthermore, what most passersby don’t know is that if you look up at the Main Concourse ceiling, you can expect to find a beautiful celestial mural.

It has been argued that this stunning artwork was painted with its original design flipped, thus resulting in west being east and east being west. Controversial or not, it’s most certainly quite the distraction for those catching their trains!

8. Flatiron Building

Ever seen a triangular building in pictures of New York City? That architecture is none other than the 22-story Flatiron Building.

When in the area, don’t miss out on Eataly NYC Flatiron, a vibrant Italian marketplace featuring shops, cafés, restaurants, and even a cooking school. Get ready to embark on a gastronomic journey as you sample hhandmade pasta and fresh out the oven gourmet pizzas.

Winter greenhouse theme at SERRA by Birreria.

9. Oculus at World Trade Center Station

World Trade Center Station is a new replacement for the PATH train station that was previously destroyed during 9/11.

The Oculus is its centerpiece and resembles a dove in flight.

It was designed by Spanish architect, Santiago Calatrava, to allow light to fill the station as a memorial to attacks on the twin towers. In a way, it symbolizes that no matter what, light will continue to shine through times of darkness.

Apart from being a transportation hub, the World Trade Center complex itself also houses a shopping mall called Westfield World Trade Center.

10. Vessel at Hudson Yards

Vessel is another one of the newer, more trendy Instagrammable places in NYC. It was built as part of Manhattan’s Hudson Yards Redevelopment Project and its honeycomb structure is best photographed with a wide angle lens.

Due to unfortunate suicide events, Vessel has been closed off indefinitely. While you can no longer climb to the top, you can still enter the base level and admire its labyrinth stairs from the ground.

11. Radio City Music Hall

Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue within Rockefeller Center. During the holidays, a Christmas tree lights up in front, making it one of the most festive NYC photo spots.

12. Metropolitan Opera House (or Lincoln Center)

My first time in Big Apple was on a high school band trip in grade twelve. Naturally, we watched a lot of Broadway shows and opera/symphony performances, and the Metropolitan Opera House was my absolute favorite building. The grandeur of its lights beaming against New York’s gorgeous night sky is a sight I will never forget.

13. The New York Public Library

If you love architecture photography, you will really enjoy New York’s diverse urban landscape.

Rose Main Reading Room.

The New York Public Library, as its name suggests, is a public library system housing more than six million books. It is the second biggest library in United States and third in the world. Its historic Rose Main Reading Room is a major attraction sight and was reopened in October 2016 after a two-year long restoration process.

14. Statue of Liberty

When we think of New York, we often associate it with the Statue of Liberty.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site depicts Roman goddess, Libertas, holding a torch in her right hand and a tabula ansata in her left.

Originally designed by French sculptor, Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, Statue of Liberty was meant as a gift from France to USA. It has since become New York’s most famous icon and is a sight not to be missed.

Parks & Gardens

15. Central Park

From classic films like Breakfast at Tiffany’s to holiday favorites, such as Elf and Home Alone 2, Central Park has made an appearance on TV countless times over the past several decades.

It spans across 843 acres and encompasses numerous New York photography spots.

A few sights worth checking out are: The Mall and Literary Walk, Bow Bridge + the Lake, Belvedere Castle, Bethesda Fountain and Terrace, Strawberry Fields, and Central Park Zoo.

16. Brooklyn Bridge Park

Brooklyn Bridge Park is an 85-acre waterfront park with stellar views of both Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Bridge. It’s ideal for a laid back afternoon chilling under the sun or you can even bring babe here for a romantic sunset date.

17. Washington Square Park

NYC Parks describes this beloved filming location as “A parade ground. A gathering spot for avant-garde artists. A battleground for chess enthusiasts. A playground for canines and children.”

There’s no better place to people watch and its lively atmosphere is sure to make you fall in love with New York.

18. The High Line

The High Line is a 2.3-kilometer linear park elevated above New York traffic. The pedestrian sky bridge near Milk Studios is one of the most popular NYC photography spots.

Iconic Streets & Neighborhoods

19. DUMBO

Taken a little after sunrise at around 8AM.

DUMBO stands for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass.

It is a trendy neighborhood in Brooklyn and like most Instagrammable places in NYC, it gets extremely busy during the day. On top of waiting for other fashion bloggers or lifestyle grammers to finish their shoots, you also need to be patient with passing cars. That said, visit early in the morning!

20. Stuyvesant Street

Situated in East Village, Stuyvesant Street is one of the oldest streets in Manhattan. Its intersection on E 10th Street has become a hit on Instagram and it’s not difficult to see why!

21. Stone Street

Who would’ve imagined to find a slice of Europe in NYC!

Stone Street is a short, narrow, cobblestoned street in Manhattan’s Financial District. Similar to Stuyvesant Street, it is one of the oldest in New York. We’re not simply teleporting continents here. We are teleporting to a completely different era in time!

NYC Museums

22. Metropolitan Art Museum

Commonly referred to as The Met, this NYC landmark consists of over two million works in its permanent collection.

While ancient Egypt and American modern art departments are crowd favorites, The Met’s Beaux-Arts structure makes the building just as photogenic as the artworks themselves.

If you didn’t know, The Met actually has three separate locations across the city.

The Met Cloisters in Upper Manhattan is a much smaller museum with focus on artworks from the Romanesque and Gothic periods. Its European medieval architecture is magnificent to say the least and it’s one of the lesser known NYC Instagram spots.

23. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

Whether you are on the outside looking in or on the inside looking up from down, The Guggenheim is camera-ready no matter your angle or perspective.

24. American Museum of Natural History

Dinosaur fossil exhibit.

I’m sure you’ve most likely seen Night at the Museum. Although it wasn’t exactly filmed in American Museum of Natural History, its set was indeed based off of New York’s natural history museum.

25. The Morgan Library & Museum

The Morgan Library & Museum was once J. Pierpont Morgan’s library. It has since expanded into a museum, research library, and even as a music venue.

Cute Cafés & Bakeries

26. LRoom Café

Not only is this one of the most adorable New York photo spots, LRoom Café’s drinks and desserts are so cute, you won’t have the heart to eat them!

27. Bakeri

I’d found out about this little gem from my IG crush, @taramilktea. I haven’t yet had time to try their Scandinavian pastries, but I did pass by their bakery on Williamsburg.

28. Urban Backyard

As green as its décor, Urban Backyard is a coffee shop promoting conscious consumerism and green living. Aromatic coffee and cupcakes that are environmentally friendly? Yes, please!

29. Felix Roasting Co.

Felix Roasting Co. is all about redefining the “coffee break” experience.

They’re not your typical roasters. Rather, they are storytellers because after all, each bean has its own unique tale.

30. Matchaful Café

Raise your hand if you love matcha!

This zen café carries organic Emerald and Jade-grade matcha all the way from Japan.

Their Single Origin line matcha is grown with organic fertilizer made from food scraps. More importantly, their matcha farm utilizes solar panels, which help generate clean power for nearby homes.

Now that’s a local business worth supporting!

31. Ralph’s Coffee

Ralph’s Coffee is one of America’s largest independent coffee companies with 16 cafés all across New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Boston. You can catch its chic green food truck on 5th Avenue, or you can also enjoy a relaxing sit-down experience at 888 Madison Avenue.

Unique Restaurants in NYC

32. Pietro Nolita

On Wednesdays, we wear pink… and we dine at pink restaurants!

Pietro Nolita is every pink lover’s dream paradise. They specialize in healthy Italian cuisine and they have an extensive selection of awesome cocktails some of which, like its theme, are pink!

33. 1803 NYC

1803 NYC is inspired by New Orlean’s vibrant culinary scene. Stop by for happy hour from Monday to Friday 4pm to 7pm and get $3 off any drink.

34. While We Were Young Kitchen & Cocktails

Elegant décor mixed with a quirky neon sign and avocado toast? This is basically the embodiment of Instagram!

35. Tacombi

Make Taco Tuesday any day of the week at Tacombi with a delicious tuna taco.

36. NoMo Kitchen

NoMo Kitchen is an upscale restaurant within NoMo SoHo and it serves farm-to-table New American cuisine that is so good, you will wish Chef Gary King were your personal chef!

37. Rolf’s German Restaurant

Despite receiving a few negative reviews for their food, Rolf’s Christmas decorations will blow your mind.

With more than 15,000 ornaments and 100,000 festive lights, this is amongst some of the most Instagrammed places in NYC during holiday season.

38. Panna II Garden

You might be familiar with this name from my NYC restaurant guide.

Pictured is Royal Bangladesh, a sister restaurant of Panna II Garden.

Panna II Garden is an Indian restaurant in East Village famous for its year-round festive lights.

When my friend and I visited, we ended up at Royal Bangladesh by mistake. (One is upstairs and the other is downstairs.) Both restaurants are owned by the same family and have the exact same décor. However, Panna II Garden is obviously the OG and you can even BYOB for a weekend night out with friends.

Cocktail Bars

39. The Skylark

In my three failed attempts to come here, I have learnt that a) Skylark has moved to 200 W 39th Street and b) they do NOT open on weekends. Bizarre I know, but weekends are reserved for private events, so plan your visit accordingly.

Also make sure to check their website or social media for any unexpected closures. They were closed on my third try (on a weekday) due to yet another corporate event ;(

40. Refinery Rooftop

Refinery is known for its spectacular views of Empire State Building. Whether you visit before the sun is down or after, you are in for a visual treat!

41. 230 Fifth

Another rooftop bar with amazing Empire State Building views is 230 Fifth.

This was highly recommended to me by my hotel concierge.

During summers, their bungalow swing chairs make for the perfect IG prop. But of course, who says you can’t enjoy a rooftop bar during winter too.

42. The Fleur Room

You might come here for those Empire State Building views, but you’ll be staying for its romantic ambiance and creative cocktails.

43. Dear Irving

Dear Irving has two separate locations: one on Hudson (above) and one in Gramercy. The former has a view of Empire State Building whereas the latter has four different rooms each with its own individual style and theme.

Pictured above is Gramcery’s Marie Antoinette Room.

44. The Raines Law Room at The William

This one is a suggestion from a local friend. It’s his most beloved bar in New York and I can easily see why!

45. 5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar

Looking to take the best photos of NYC? This tropical rooftop bar at Margaritaville Resort Times Square not only offers incredible views of New York’s city skyline, it’s the ultimate place to watch the Times Square Ball drop on New Year’s Eve.

Aesthetic Hotels

46. 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge

This boutique hotel in Brooklyn has got views for days!

1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge is a 5-star property with an expansive outlook of East River and Manhattan Bridge. Not to mention, its design, construction, and day-to-day operational decisions are all based on sustainable values to spark conversation about the environment and our role in protecting it.

47. The Williamsburg Hotel

The Williamsburg Hotel is yet another splendid boutique hotel in Brooklyn.

It is located in the heart of all the action in Williamsburg and is a quick subway over the bridge to Manhattan. I mean… A relaxing bubble bath against Empire State Building? Who can say no to that!

48. The Beekman

This isn’t just another one of your New York Instagram spots.

The Beekman is a top engagement photoshoot location amongst wedding photographers because of its majestic atrium and pyramidal skylight. Big Apple really does have a diverse scene of architectural gems!

49. NoMo SoHo

Continuing on with the theme of boutique hotels, NoMo SoHo is a mix between vintage and contemporary as reflective of SoHo’s vibrant energy.

What initially attracted me to this property was its NoMo Archway. Even though my plans to stay here fell through, I can totally see myself checking in sometime in the future.

50. The Ludlow Hotel

The Ludlow Hotel has recently become an Instagram sensation for its super aesthetic bathroom design. Talk about the ideal staycation destination!

And there you have it! 50 most Instagrammable places in NYC.

If you enjoyed this New York photography spots guide, don’t forget to pin it for later so you have these Instagram-worthy places in NYC saved.

Check out my other USA guides for more inspo!