Today is Wanderlust Wednesday, and I’m continuing my series on major American cities (last week was Chicago) with the most quintessentiailly American city of them all: New York, New York.

I can’t tell you how hard it was to narrow this list down to three. And I kind of cheated with the last one. But here goes, starting with my absolute favorite thing in New York City, which I detailed on the blog last year.

#1. The Highline

I’ve already talked a good bit about why I love the Highline, but in case you’re new here, let me talk about it some more. Originally a railroad, The Highline is part park, part greenway, and part art exhibit. It’s an elevated greenspace, offering great views of NYC, relaxing gardens, beautiful art, and in one section, cool food and shop vendors. And, it’s free!

#2. Broadway

Seeing a musical on Broadway was the highlight of my first visit to New York City, and it’s still one of my favorite activities. I’ve only seen Phantom of the Opera and Wicked so far, but one day I hope to see Lion King in the future. I’d also love to see Daniel Radcliffe in How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, too.

#3. The “anything is possible” vibe

Told you I cheated a little bit.

As I tried to select from so many different experiences I’ve had in New York as my last pick, I realized that they all boil down to the same thing: when in NYC, it’s not much of an exaggeration to say that anything is possible. Do you want to visit some of the finest museums in the country? Do you want to see a show? A concert? A live taping of a television show? Eat some food you’ve never heard of before? Eat at a top-rated restaurant? Find amazing food at all hours of the day, including the middle of the night? Visit the best / biggest / [insert superlative here] something or other? Find peace and quiet in a park? In a bookstore? In a library? See a street lit up like it’s broad daylight at midnight? Some of my favorite memories in New York have capitalized on that kind of possibility.

New York City makes you feel like you can have it all. While it’s not the way I want to live all the time, I can see why it appeals to the millions of people who live there, and the millions more who visit it from all corners of the globe. Whether you’re coming for the culture, the art, the food, the shopping, the history, the people-watching, the views, whatever it is, New York probably has something for you. It’s a city for everyone, and just about anyone can find something to love there.

It’s also a beautiful picture of all the things that the United States strives for — for freedom, for diversity, for options, for more than eight million people to live together in such a cacophony and still endeavor for harmony. We don’t always do it perfectly, but that’s the dream.