Movies like 

and TV shows like Sex and the City have made this city a media darling, but there’s some historical precedence for a special embrace. As Lonely Planet points out, Ellis Island was the entry point for immigrants entering the U.S. and was therefore the site of many happy family reunions. Every year, millions of people gather in Times Square on New Year’s Eve to watch the ball drop — and start the year with a smooch. And of course, there’s Alfred Eisenstaedt’s famous photograph of a sailor stealing a kiss with a nurse during the VE Day celebrations.

Other kiss-worthy occasions include a trip to the observation deck at the Empire State Building and a picnic in Central Park’s Sheep’s Meadow.