New York is one of the most iconic cities in the world, and it can be so overwhelming to plan a trip given there is just so much to see and do. I’ve now been to the Big Apple a couple of times, and thought it was about time I shared my ideas on making the most out of your time there.
Whilst 2 days is enough to skim the surface of NYC and take in some of the main highlights, on balance I feel 5 days is the perfect amount of time for a first time visitor to the city. This post therefore covers 2 days in detail, and then 3 further days as optional.
I hope you find it helpful!
Contents
- Contents
- Important NY Visitor Information
- New York Itinerary Day 1: Midtown Manhattan
- New York Itinerary Day 2: Lower Manhattan
- New York Itinerary: Days 3 – 5
- Have a Little Longer?
- NYC Wrap-up
Important NY Visitor Information
- Getting around: You can walk a lot of this itinerary, but the subway is your friend as the distance is a LOT from top to bottom of Manhattan. You can buy a Pay-Per-Ride MetroCard ($2.90 per ride), or if you’re staying for longer, a 7 day Unlimited Ride MetroCard is available for $34.
- Crowds: Anywhere in Manhattan is crowded, and Central Manhattan is full on. I really recommend not trying to squeeze too much in to your days, and build in some down time and quieter areas to your plans.
- Cost: New York is an expensive city, and if you’re on a budget, careful planning is definitely required. For example, a cab from the airport can cost upwards of $100, so plan to take the AirTrain JFK to Jamaica, and then the subway to your end destination.
- Tipping: Tipping is expected in NYC – expect to give at least 15% on top of any bill!
- Weather: New York has something to offer in every season. The nicest weather is May – September, but the festive period is really magical in the city too.
New York Itinerary Day 1: Midtown Manhattan
Central Park
Start your day early at the most northern point on this itinerary, and start it in style! Central Park is one of the main destinations on anyone’s list when visiting New York. I recommend a round walk to the main area of the park – in the direction of Bethesda Fountain and back again. If you want a bit of extra time here (and to scrap something else on the list), you could rent a row boat out across the lake, take a horse and carriage ride through the park, or even visit the park’s zoo.
5th Avenue incl. St Patrick’s Cathedral
From the south east corner of Central Park, you can exit directly on to 5th Avenue – the world famous shopping street. Stroll down past Trump Tower, browse in Tiffany’s or drool at handbags in Michael Kors. Along 5th Avenue, you will also find St Patrick’s Cathedral – the last thing you expect to come across on this street! Considered one of the most visible symbols of Catholicism in the USA, it’s neo-gothic architecture is impressive and well worth a visit.
Rockefeller Center & Top of the Rock
Right opposite the church, you will see the Atlas Statue at the entrance to the Rockefeller Center. This New York icon is home to the iconic Christmas tree and ice skating rink in winter, and houses hundreds of shops, eateries and art (it’s a perfect spot for lunch). If you’re particularly interested in the Rockefeller, you can even take a guided tour with a historian to learn all about the art work and architecture. For me though, the highlight here is the observation deck – Top of the Rock.
Top of the Rock is the location of the absolutely iconic Manhattan skyline view with the Empire State Building in it. This was one of my favourite experiences on my first trip to New York. The entrance to TOTR is on 50th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues and it’s open from 8am to 12am (last lift up at 11pm). The queues can get quite long so I do recommend booking tickets in advance given you’re on a tight time frame! That said, not too far in advance (as I made the mistake of doing for a misty, low visibility day and had to re-visit). The views are absolutely stunning.
Times Square
Times Square comes with a warning. As someone who doesn’t always like crowds, this was a really intense and stressful experience for me. I went with the pre-conception I’d look in the Disney store, and get some M&Ms and see all the billboards and fairy lights and sparkles. Forget that image and prepare yourself for carnage.
I could barely get in the Disney shop door, let alone to any of the displays; the M&M world queue was out of the door and I gave up, and I was accosted to buy things by more people than I could count. In the end, I ended up spending 2 hours visiting Gulliver’s Gate – an amazing miniature world which had barely anyone in it and lots of space. Perfect.
New York Public Library
From Times Square, head to the New York Public Library. Depending on how much time you have at this point, touring the library is well worth it. They offer guided tours twice a day, or an audio guide which takes you through the building’s incredible history.
Did you know the real life Winnie the Pooh was here? I don’t know if he’s big in the US, but he’s huge in the UK – and I couldn’t visit New York without seeing him. Another highlight was the Rose Reading Room which was just stunning.
Grand Central Station
Another stunning architectural feat is Grand Central Station. This beaux arts landmark is absolutely lovely to stroll around – the terminal is beautiful, even the platform signs are a treat. And it’s more than just a station – it’s also home to lots of shops and fine eateries. Shout out to Frankie’s Dogs for the amazing hot dogs we had, and the incredible Campbell Bar for our (many) cocktails!
Empire State Building by night OR Broadway Show
After picking a spot for dinner, it’s time to visit either another New York landmark, or hit Broadway for a show depending on your interests. I am not a musicals fan, so chose to go up the Empire State Building by night. If you’ve already done Top of the Rock, then you’ll have seen the famous skyline so it’s not strictly necessary – but the skyline can be even more magical at night.
Again if you do choose to go, I recommend buying a ticket online to skip the queues. Like TOTR, even with a pre-booked ticket the queues to enter can get pretty long, so be prepared to wait a bit. I timed my visit to watch the sunset and then see the night lights of NYC – but was still queuing at sunset and just got the night lights! Still pretty beautiful though, don’t you think?
New York Itinerary Day 2: Lower Manhattan
Battery Park
Day 2 starts right in the southern tip of Manhattan – Battery Park. This is the area where you can catch the ferry over to Ellis Island to see the Statue of Liberty up close. Unfortunately, this also takes about 5 hours, so on a two day time frame, there just isn’t time. Battery Park is the compromise as it offers a nice view out to Lady Liberty from a distance. It’s also home to some good places to grab breakfast or some juice. I highly recommend Liberty Bagels.
That said, I do think the Statue of Liberty is the main New York icon a 2 day itinerary can’t do justice to, so if you have the time – make this your Day 4 activity (see below).
9/11 Memorial & Museum
This museum had me lost for words. It tells the story of the build up to, events of, and consequences of, the 9/11 terrorist attacks. I was so incredibly moved, I cried (a lot), and I left with an experience that will always stay with me. The memorial pools, at the location where the twin towers previously stood, is an area for reflection and commemoration. Both the memorial and museum are beautifully done and I don’t think you can visit the city without coming here.
The Oculus & One WTC
The next stop is the wonderfully unique Oculus, which operates as the World Trade Center Transportation Hub and includes over 100 eateries and shops – perfect for some shopping and lunch. Alternatively if you want a more local, cheaper eat, Pisillo is an amazing sandwich shop in the area and a perfect lunchtime location.
If you have the energy, and want more endless views, you can also visit the observation deck at One World Trade Center. As this itinerary has already taken you up The Empire State Building and Top of the Rock, I saved the time instead for other sights.
Financial District incl. Charging Bull
My favourite area of Manhattan, home to the Federal Reserve and the Stock exchange, the Financial District is a must visit. You can easily spend a whole day here, but as a minimum Wall Street is a must walk along street on a first time visit to New York.
The charging bull is just north of Battery Park. If you can get a photo of yourself with the bull, you’re doing better than me on my first visit to the city. He’s a Wall Street icon, but he’s also a tourist magnet, and hoards of people pile off and on coaches all day just to touch him. I couldn’t even get near on my first visit, so on the second visit, I had him to myself by going at 7am! I also love the Fearless Girl facing down the NYSE.
Brooklyn Bridge
About a 15 minute walk away, you will find the Brooklyn Bridge – another of my favourite experiences in New York. Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge takes about 30 minutes (plus photos) – and remember to turn around to look back at the Manhattan skyline you’re leaving behind.
Brooklyn Bridge Park
To finish off your New York day 2 itinerary, Brooklyn Bridge Park is a lovely area and is a nice place to sit and admire the views back across the water to the Lower Manhattan skyline before heading for dinner in Brooklyn (try Juliana’s for some tasty NYC pizza or TimeOut Market if you fancy some variety), and then heading back to your hotel.
New York Itinerary: Days 3 – 5
Day 3: Chelsea & The Village
Full post: HERE
Spending a day in Chelsea and The Village is a joy. Have some brunch at Chelsea Market, walk the High Line, explore the Vessel, stroll this historic streets of Greenwich Village and enjoy a Food Tour. If you have the time you could even play golf over the Hudson River at Chelsea Piers, or board a boat to enjoy a river cruise along the iconic skyline with The Circle Line.
Day 4: The Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island
Full post: HERE
If you have an extra day, then don’t visit Battery Park on Day 2 to give yourself a bit more time in the Financial District instead (you can see more options in my Financial District post linked below). Instead, start Day 3 there as the hop on point for the Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty ferry. Take time to learn more in the National Museum of Immigration, and then climb atop Lady Liberty for views from her crown. Given the last 2 days have been full on, and this trip will take c.5 hrs, leave the rest of the day free for some rest!
Day 5: Brooklyn & New York’s Museums
Full post on Brooklyn: HERE (coming soon), and NYC’s Museums: HERE.
Whilst Day 2 on the Itinerary takes in Brooklyn Bridge and park, there’s so much more to see and do in one of New York’s most famous neighbourhoods. If you can spare it a whole day, then spend at least a morning there taking in the parks, Brooklyn Heights, and the Botanical Gardens, before grabbing some lunch at one of Brooklyn’s many amazing food spots, and then heading off to one of New York’s museums for the rest of the afternoon.
The NY Transit Museum will be nearby in Brooklyn, or just back across the bridge you can find the incredible Tenement Museum telling NYC’s immigration story, or The National Museum of the American Indian to learn more about America’s indigenous peoples. Further up back in to Manhattan you could also visit the Museum of the City of New York (documents the city’s history), The Natural History Museum (a NY classic) or one of NY’s many world class art museums (The Met, Guggenheim or MoMa get my vote).
Have a Little Longer?
If you have longer than 5 days, or don’t fancy something on this itinerary, here are some other ideas of things to do in NYC.
The Morgan Library & Museum
Full post: HERE (coming soon).
One of my favourite spots in the city is the incredible museum built by JP Morgan and his son (and their incredible librarian Belle da Costa Greene). It’s situated in mid-town Manhattan and well worth a visit if you can find the time.
The Lower East Side
Full post: HERE
Another amazing area of New York is the melting pot of the Lower East Side, home to areas like China Town and Little Italy, as well as some really great museums which are slightly off the tourist trail. A highlight is definitely the Tenement Museum.
Financial District
Full post: HERE (coming soon).
One of my favourite areas of the city is well worth at least a day if you can spare it, rather than a couple of hours on Day 2 of the Itinerary. Add to your list a visit to Federal Hall and Fraunces Tavern to learn more about the American Revolution and independence, or visit the Seaport Area for some nice places to eat and great views of the Brooklyn Bridge.
NYC Wrap-up
The highlight of my most recent visit was to finally meet wonderful Lyssy, a New York based Food and Travel blogger who would be my best friend if we lived in the same country, to help show me the ropes. She gave all the best recommendations so this itinerary is in large part thanks to her. If you’re looking for more New York ideas, her blog is definitely the place to go!
So there you have it – my ultimate guide to a few days in New York City. You could easily spend a week, but I think a minimum of 2 days, and optimally 5 days, is perfect for a first visit. What do you think of NYC? I hope you enjoyed the tour and find it helpful if you’re planning a visit! Stay safe and happy travelling!
Saasdia Travel Gid
Leave a reply to Saasdia Cancel reply