New York Public Library and Bryant Park

The Beaux Arts New York Public Library building, praised by the New York Herald as a "splendid temple of the mind" when it opened in 1911, anchors the southwest corner of 42nd and Fifth. Behind it lies Bryant Park, one of the city’s liveliest spots year-round. In summer, biweekly free yoga classes are held on the lawn or upper terrace, and the always popular HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival screens movies at sunset. In the winter, the park transforms into a giant ice-skating rink (skating admission is free; equipment rentals are available). It's surrounded by twinkling, glass-enclosed boutique shops along the park's tree-lined path, selling everything from apparel and jewelry to decorations and seasonal foods.