Ogle the Manhattan Skyline From the Top 5 Perches in New York

1. Nestled into Central Park, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux-designed Belvedere Castle (mid-park at 79th, 646-799-4833, nycgovparks.org) has been restored to its original splendor. Situated atop Vista Rock, it overlooks the cityscape, as well as the Great Lawn to the north and the Ramble to the south. While many flock to the outdoor pavilion, those in the know head right to the terrace two stories up. The climb up the winding stone staircase alone is reason to ascend.

2. Travel through rolling hills to reach 478-acre Green-Wood Cemetery (500 25th St., ‎Brooklyn, green-wood.com), the eternal resting place of more than 560,000 New Yorkers. That includes baseball legends, Civil War generals, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Louis Comfort Tiffany and Leonard Bernstein. Featuring the highest natural point in Brooklyn, Battle Hill, the cemetery’s hills, valleys, glacial ponds and paths reveal a stunning collection of 19th- and 20th-century statuary and mausoleums. A historic locale where the 1776 Battle of Long Island was fought, it now provides four seasons of quietude beneath the shade of old-growth trees.

3. Board the Staten Island Ferry (siferry.com) without spending a penny, taking in dazzling views of the Hudson River, Lower Manhattan, and Liberty, Ellis and Governors Islands. The 5.2-mile route plys New York Harbor,  running between Manhattan and Staten Island every 25 minutes, providing postcard-worthy views of the Statue of Liberty.

4. It costs but a subway ride aboard the modern, aerial Roosevelt Island Tramway (East 59th Street and 2nd Avenue, 212-756-8739, rioc.ny.gov/302/Tram to gain panoramas of the Manhattan skyline and the East River. Operating since 1976, it spans the East River, connecting Roosevelt Island to the Upper East Side .

5. New York is filled with sky-high rooftop bars that boast spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline. Among them: Mr. Purple and The Roof on the Lower East Side, Harriet's Rooftop Bar & Lounge, Westlight and Lemon’s in Brooklyn; 230 & 5 Ave. and Refinery Rooftop in Midtown; Top of the Standard and Le Bain in the Meatpacking District, and Press Lounge on the West Side. 

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