I’ve been lucky to go to NYC twice now, and it’s definitely one of my favorite places on Earth (aside from the rats – I can live without them). There’s so many things to do and when you mix in seasonal offerings and limited time exhibits, it’s definitely a place you can come back to over and over again whether it be revisiting old favorites or trying new things.
Why Go?
I think NYC is a must for any city lover. It has food from almost any cuisine, world class museums, historical monuments, and a multitude of nighttime entertainment. It’s also ever changing and is host to more than a few, very famous global events (think Met Gala, Fashion Week, New Year’s Eve in Time Square).
Where to Stay?
My visits have been mostly focused in Manhattan so I definitely recommend Manhattan for this itinerary. Within Manhattan, I think if you’re staying close to a subway stop, you’d have convenient access to the places on this itinerary. I personally stayed near Hudson Yards, but a place near Times Square, Central Park, or Madison Square Park would also put you in a good location.
How to Get Around?
Luckily, NYC is a fairly easy city to navigate. Not only is it walkable but there’s an easy public transportation system. I have to admit I’ve only used the subway lines but there’s always a stop near the major, popular sites. Recently, when I went in May 2024, you can use your credit card as your metro card so you can take advantage of the weekly max amount. Last but not least, there’s also Uber/Lyft.
Day 1
The first day is a typical city tourism day. I would start off at Central Park. The Park is actually much, much larger than a typical park with numerous walking paths, beautiful gardens, big sport fields, and even a lake for rowing. You can easily spend an hour, a half day, or even a whole day there. Luckily, since it’s a park in the middle of the city, you have easy access to restaurants and even museums if you want to take a breather from the green space! I personally would spend the morning at the Park, have lunch, and then head over to a nearby museum for the afternoon.
For a museum, I personally would choose the Met. I have yet to go but it’s so iconic not only because of the Gala but because of the art pieces as well. Other options are the Guggenheim Museum or the American Museum of Natural History. If museums are not your thing, there’s also the Central Park Zoo!
After dinner, I would start the night with a Broadway show. There’s always so many shows to choose from. If you’re going with a bigger group or seeing a popular show, I would definitely book tickets ahead of time. However, if you’re willing to be flexible, I had some good luck getting great deals on last minute tickets at the box office day of or even a few minutes before. After the show, I would head over to Times Square as I think everyone should experience the bustle and the lights of Times Square at least once in their life. There’s also a fantastic Disney Store right in the middle where I had once picked up New York exclusive pins!
Day 2
The second day is all about New York specific tourism sites! I would start off at the 9/11 Museum. There are early morning tours if you want a more quiet experience as it is very popular and can get crowded fairly easily. The museum is very somber so be prepared but it’s also very informative especially to what it was like and what was going on in the city during the attack. I remember where I was during 9/11 but it was educational to see it from a different time/place as California is 3 hours behind.
After the museum, I would definitely allow for some time to recover. One of my friends was slightly depressed after coming out and that isn’t the best feeling to go exploring with. We got lucky that day that Smorgasburg was outside so we had lunch there from a few booths, but on your way to the second activity, you’ll be walking through the Financial District if you want to research ahead for where you want to have a bite to eat! A couple notable stops in the Financial District include the Charging Bull and Trinity Church (the Cemetery is where Alexander Hamilton and his wife, Elizabeth, are buried).
The second activity for the day is the Statue of Liberty. I haven’t actually been since the last time I went, it was a bit cold already and it would be even colder riding the boat. However, it is on my list of things to do the next time I go back! We just took a sneak peek from Battery Park through the fence. However, as I was linking the website, it looks like reservations are highly recommended especially if you want to visit the Crown or the Pedestal. Note: The best part of the park is the Seaglass Carousel! You sit in colorful opaque fish that rotate around and up and down. It’s $6 (as of Oct 2024) and the ride is actually fairly long. But the best thing is that it’s just such a simple, joyous thing to do especially as the sun hits in and the colors reflect all around you!
To close out the second day, there are awesome bars to check out. Or, if you’re not feeling up for that kind of adventure, there are plenty of dessert shops, ice cream parlors, or cookie establishments that have late hours!
Day 3
The third day is going to be filled with my other favorite activities that I’ve done in New York along with a couple of things I still want to do! Feel free to mix and match what sounds interesting to you!
The first is the New York Library. I love libraries in general, but the New York Library is massive and has a Winnie the Pooh display in the children’s section! It’s honestly delightful to walk around and see some of the different research rooms. There’s also tours and a visitor center for information. Note: Plan to spend a couple hours. When I went, an hour was not enough! The library is also located on 5th Ave so it’ll be a fun stroll afterward looking at all the luxury brand storefronts.
Another option is the Morgan Library and Museum. We went on a free night which was on a Friday. The “museum” portions that comprise his private collections are a bit random… rich people sure do collect odd things. But the library itself is very beautiful and the rest of the building houses other exhibits that were quite interesting. For instance, we got to see an exhibit on Beatrice Potter and learn about her life and how she got into illustration and writing. The free time is limited but I think it was a nice sample of the place and we got to see everything we wanted to see.
My last recommendation on things I’ve done is the High Line. It’s a nice nature walk in the concrete jungle that’s not Central Park. There’s also art pieces randomly along the path with benches to sit down on to chat with friends or to admire nature.
Now for things that I have not done but want to! The first is the Empire State Building. While I know a lot of people go for the view from the top, I personally want to know more about the history of the building and send a postcard from there since it literally has its own zip code! The second one is Grand Central Station. In addition to being a pop culture filming location, it’s known for beautiful architecture, shopping, and food. My personal goal is to try the oyster pan roast at the Oyster Bar!
Final Thoughts
As you can see, it is so easy to pack a full 3 days or more! It’s one of the few places on Earth that I would happily go back to because there is genuinely always something going on, something to eat, or something to see!
