145 Fun Facts About New York That Will Surprise

New York is a state brimming with history, culture, and unique quirks that set it apart from any other place in the world.

From skyscrapers to hidden secrets, there’s so much to discover about the city that never sleeps. Enjoy this ultimate list of 145 fun facts about New York, perfectly categorized to entertain, enlighten, and surprise!

Table of Contents

Historical Facts

The first American chess tournament was held in New York in 1843.
New York City was the U.S. capital briefly, from 1789 to 1790.
The Statue of Liberty, a gift from France, arrived in New York Harbor in 1885.
The subway system, one of the world’s oldest, opened in 1904.
Ellis Island processed over 12 million immigrants from 1892 to 1954.
New York was originally called “New Amsterdam” by the Dutch.
Broadway began as a Native American trail known as the Wickquasgeck Trail.
The Empire State Building was once hit by a B-25 bomber in 1945.
Central Park was the first landscaped public park in the U.S., opening in 1858.
Wall Street got its name from a wall built by the Dutch in the 17th century.
Grand Central Terminal, opened in 1913, remains the largest train station in the world.
In 1924, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was originally called the Christmas Parade.
Times Square was named after The New York Times moved there in 1904.
The iconic Flatiron Building was one of the first skyscrapers in NYC.
The Bronx Zoo opened in 1899, making it one of the oldest zoos in the U.S.

Architectural Marvels

The Empire State Building was the tallest building in the world until 1971.
One World Trade Center is the tallest building in the U.S., standing at 1,776 feet.
The Brooklyn Bridge took 14 years to build, from 1869 to 1883.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral took over 20 years to build, from 1858 to 1879.
The Chrysler Building, completed in 1930, was briefly the world’s tallest building.
NYC has over 6,000 high-rise buildings, more than any other U.S. city.
The Woolworth Building was nicknamed the “Cathedral of Commerce.”
Radio City Music Hall has the largest indoor theater in the world.
NYC’s High Line Park was built on an abandoned railway.
The Met Cloisters in Upper Manhattan was assembled from parts of five European abbeys.
Madison Square Garden is technically a fifth building by the same name.
The Roosevelt Island Tramway was the first commuter cable car in the U.S.
The Vessel at Hudson Yards contains 2,500 individual steps.
The Alexander Hamilton Custom House now houses the National Museum of the American Indian.
The New York Public Library’s main branch is guarded by iconic lion statues, named Patience and Fortitude.

Cultural Icons

Broadway, the Theater District, has 41 professional theaters.
New York’s Fashion Week was the first of its kind, beginning in 1943.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is the largest art museum in the U.S.
Harlem is known as the birthplace of the Harlem Renaissance.
The New York Yankees have won the World Series 27 times.
NYC hosts the world’s largest marathon, with over 50,000 runners.
Studio 54 was the world’s most famous disco club in the 1970s.
The Apollo Theater in Harlem launched the careers of many famous musicians.
The Met Gala, held annually at the Met, is one of the world’s most exclusive events.
New York’s Village Halloween Parade is the largest Halloween parade in the U.S.
Tiffany & Co. has been a jewelry icon since its founding in 1837.
The Guggenheim Museum was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
The New York City Ballet performs annually at Lincoln Center.
New York has over 80 museums, including the American Museum of Natural History.
Jazz has deep roots in NYC, with venues like the Blue Note and Birdland.

Food and Drink

New York is the birthplace of the modern pizza, dating back to 1905.
The first pizzeria in the U.S., Lombardi’s, is located in Little Italy.
Bagels with cream cheese and lox became a New York staple in the early 20th century.
New York cheesecake traces its roots to Jewish immigrants.
The Big Apple nickname is believed to come from jazz musicians in the 1920s.
The “Dirty Water Dog” hot dog is a New York street food classic.
Katz’s Delicatessen is famous for its pastrami sandwiches.
Egg creams, despite the name, contain neither eggs nor cream.
Pretzels became popular in NYC, first introduced by German immigrants.
Dr. Brown’s Cel-Ray soda is a celery-flavored soda popular in Jewish delis.
General Tso’s chicken is a Chinese-American dish created in NYC.
The Bloody Mary cocktail was invented at NYC’s 21 Club.
New York’s Cronut craze started in SoHo at Dominique Ansel Bakery.
Nathan’s Famous on Coney Island is known for its annual hot dog eating contest.
Apples became New York’s state fruit in recognition of its “Big Apple” moniker.

Unusual Laws and Customs

It’s illegal to honk your car horn, though it’s rarely enforced.
New Yorkers can’t sell raw milk without a permit.
It’s illegal to release more than 25 helium balloons at a time.
Catching fish with your bare hands is illegal in NYC.
Wearing slippers after 10 p.m. in public is technically illegal.
NYC has banned ferrets as pets since the 1990s.
It’s illegal to flirt in public in NYC (though rarely enforced).
On Sundays, it’s illegal to sell an ice cream cone after midnight in NYC.
Donkeys are not allowed to sleep in bathtubs in Brooklyn.
It’s illegal to throw a ball at someone’s head for fun.
Bike messengers must have identification on them at all times.
A permit is required to move a hive of bees in New York.
The NYC subway has an obscure rule against “lingering in a station.”
New York law requires that bagels sliced in half are taxed differently than whole ones.
It’s illegal to sell dyed baby chicks in New York.

Nature and Parks

Central Park is larger than the principality of Monaco.
The Bronx Zoo spans 265 acres, making it one of the world’s largest urban zoos.
Niagara Falls, shared with Canada, draws millions of visitors annually.
The Adirondack Park is larger than Yellowstone, Everglades, and Glacier National Parks combined.
New York has 215 state and national parks, including the stunning Letchworth State Park.
Brooklyn’s Prospect Park was designed by the same team as Central Park.
The Great Lakes span along New York’s northern border.
The Hudson River is known for its stunning fall foliage.
The Central Park Reservoir holds over a billion gallons of water.
New York’s state animal is the beaver, symbolizing industriousness.
The Catskill Mountains inspired many Hudson River School painters.
The Finger Lakes region is famous for its wineries.
NYC’s “Manhattanhenge” occurs when the sun aligns with Manhattan streets.
Inwood Hill Park in Manhattan is home to the city’s last remaining natural forest.
Bryant Park, once known as “Needle Park,” is now a vibrant green space.

Bonus Fun Facts

The Empire State Building has its own ZIP code: 10118.
Central Park has been featured in over 350 films.
The first-ever baseball game was played in Hoboken, NJ, near NYC.
The world’s largest gold storage, worth hundreds of billions, is in the Federal Reserve Bank in NYC.
The New York Public Library houses over 50 million books.
Fifth Avenue is one of the most expensive shopping streets globally.
There are more than 800 languages spoken in New York City.
The subway system has 472 stations, more than any other city worldwide.
NYC was the first U.S. city to require license plates on cars.
Lady Liberty’s full name is “Liberty Enlightening the World.”
John Lennon was fatally shot outside his NYC apartment in 1980.
Times Square was initially called Longacre Square.
Broadway was one of NYC’s longest streets, stretching over 33 miles.
The city spends nearly $5 million each day managing its garbage.
Grand Central’s Whispering Gallery lets you hear across distances.
The original Macy’s was on Sixth Avenue, not Herald Square.
The Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel is the longest continuous underwater vehicular tunnel in North America.
New York City has 14 miles of beach across five boroughs.
The Staten Island Ferry is free and offers great views of the Statue of Liberty.
Washington Square Park’s arch was modeled after Paris’s Arc de Triomphe.
Over 8 million people live in NYC, more than in 40 U.S. states.
“Friends,” the famous TV show, was set in NYC.
The first ticker-tape parade celebrated the Statue of Liberty’s dedication in 1886.
The oldest still-operating bar in NYC is Fraunces Tavern, dating back to 1762.
New York’s Times Square Ball Drop tradition began in 1907.
Wall Street’s iconic Charging Bull statue is actually an unsanctioned public art piece.
Brooklyn was once an independent city before joining NYC in 1898.