9 Best Sights in New York City, New York

Opened in 2009, the Mets' stadium was designed to harken back to Brooklyn's Ebbets Field (where the Dodgers played until 1957), with a brick exterior and lots of fun features for fans of all ages, from a batting cage and Wiffle-ball field to the original giant apple taken from the team's old residence, Shea Stadium. Even those who aren't Mets fans but simply love baseball should come to see the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, a soaring multistory entrance and history exhibit dedicated to the Dodgers player who shattered baseball's color barrier. While here, don't miss the chance to taste your way through the fabulous food court, set behind center field (on the Field Level), where you'll find Shake Shack burgers and Pig Beach BBQ. Still feeling nostalgic for the old Shea? Stop by the Mets Hall of Fame & Museum (located by the Bullpen Gate). Behind the scenes ballpark tours (starting at $25) are available year-round; see mlb.com/mets/tickets/tours for schedule and ticketing info.

From April through October, you can see one of baseball's great franchises, the "Bronx Bombers," in action at their $1.5 billion Yankee Stadium, opened in 2009 right across the street from the site of the original (aka "the House that Ruth Built"), which is now parkland. Tickets can be pricey, but the experience is like watching baseball in a modern-day coliseum. It's quite opulent: a traditional white frieze adorns the stadium's top; inside, limestone-and-marble hallways are lined with photos of past Yankee greats. History buffs and hard-core fans should visit the museum (set on the main level and open 'til the end of the eighth inning), filled with team memorabilia, and Monument Park (closes 45 minutes prior to first pitch), with plaques of past Yankee legends, by center field. Pregame and off-season one-hour stadium tours are held on a near-daily basis year-round; visit the Yankees website for more info on times and ticketing.

Set in the shadow of the giant Rockefeller Center Christmas tree (in season), the city's most iconic ice-skating rink is a quintessential winter experience for visitors and a long-standing tradition for many locals. General-admission, timed-ticket skating can be reserved in advance, in person or online. The Rink has changing specials and packages, so check the website for seasonal ticket deals.

This rust-tinted spaceship of an arena with a lawn for a roof houses the NBA's Brooklyn Nets and the WNBA's New York Liberty, and hosts events from concerts to family shows to boxing. With a capacity hovering around 17,000, Barclays Center also has plenty of room to offer concessions courtesy of local restaurateurs, including Fuku, Parm, and Federoff's Cheesesteaks.

This sports-and-entertainment complex along the Hudson River between 17th and 23rd Streets, a phenomenal example of adaptive reuse, is the size of four 80-story buildings laid out flat. There's pretty much every kind of sports activity happening both inside and out, including golf (check out the multitier, all-weather outdoor driving range), sailing classes, ice-skating, rock climbing, soccer, bowling, gymnastics, and basketball. Plus there's a spa and elite sport-specific training. Chelsea Piers is also the jumping-off point for some of the city's boat tours and dinner cruises.

Each year, from late August through early September, approximately 1 million fans come here for the U.S. Open, which claims the title of highest-attended annual sporting event in the world. The rest of the year, the 34 courts (19 outdoor and 12 indoor, all DecoTurf, plus three stadium courts) are open to the public for $40–$80 hourly. Ball machine rentals are also available for $18 per hour. Make reservations up to two days in advance. Parking is free but limited.