New York City is my favourite city in the world. I have only been twice but could stay there 6 years and still have places to discover and things to do.
General tips
Walk as much as you can and use the subway for the rest. It is quite expensive to stay in New York in comparison to other major cities and the price skyrockets over Christmas so factor that in. If you travel in winter make sure you have shoes with decent soles or you will freeze to death. It is a great excuse to buy some new boots and a coat on arrival. I went to NYC in December and July and both were magical. I would probably recommend traveling in warmer months because it is light until quite late so you can do more things during the day and night instead of wanting to hide somewhere warm and sheltered. I made the mistake on trip 1 of doing all the activities I possibly could and cramming in as much as possible. NYC has so many attractions and is spread out so it is easy to fill weeks doing this. Trip two I took the time to enjoy the boroughs, people watch in central park, ride a bike around Brooklyn and it was the best decision I made. If it's your first trip try and have a few days that are fairly open so you can enjoy the city like a local.
Where to stay
Choosing where to stay is the hardest part. How much time you have and what you want to see and do will help you decide where to stay. I'd recommend staying in a couple of places if you have enough time to. Definitely stay on Manhattan if you can for a first visit - somewhere central like mid town, grenwich village, meatpacking, Chelsea etc. Avoid times square hotels like the plague. I stayed in the Upper East Side for easy Central Park access which was lovely too. I stayed in Williamsburg Brooklyn for some of my second trip in an Airbnb which was really nice and more residential.
Things I liked in New York
I have been to New York twice (once in summer, once in winter) and did mostly touristy things (because there are millions of fantastic touristy things to do) and also tried to enjoy New York as a local. There is a never ending list of things to see and do so try not to overdo it - take some time to enjoy the city and soak it all up.
My favourite touristy things
- Central park- everything about it and in it
- Christmas decorations everywhere over winter + iceskating
- Walking over the Brooklyn Bridge
Some things that are a little bit different
- Sleep No More- immersive theatre experience
- UCB- Upright Citizens Brigade improv theatre
- Whispering gallery at grand central station
- Watch some basketball at the West 4th Street Courts
- don't stay near here it's too touristy
- M&M's world is worth a visit if you are that way inclined
- Look for the famous guitar playing times square guy of course
- Chain shopping is easy around here- the stores are enormous
- TKTS booth sells cheap last minute tickets but they are never to the newer shows so either see a random older show or splash some cash and see something amazing
- Cheap tickets- Rush/ Rush student tickets- come early and line up for hours for good but super cheap tickets. SRO- standing room only tickets as cheap as $20, or broadway lottery- arrive 30 mins prior, fill in a form and you may win the right to purchase discounted tickets.
- N is for nice- as a general rule don't sit further back than row N
- Comedy Club located near times square that gets some of the biggest names in stand up.
- See a concert/ basketball game if you can. Not to be confused with Madison Square Park- a small park near the flatiron building.
- Amazing modern art musem, try it if you aren't into traditional art.
- MOMA design and book store. 11 West 53 Street, NY. Awesome gifts and nick knacks- across the road from MoMA.
5th Avenue
- Don’t miss shopping/ window shopping at some of the world’s most famous flagship stores.
- Don’t miss the smoking Abercrombie & Fitch models greeting you at their door (all male of course). 720 5th Avenue.
- Marvel at the 6 floors of Tiffany &Co. 727 5th Avenue. level 7 is the jeweler’s studio and level
- Top of the rock has a better view in my opinion than the empire state. Check the time and book to be there for sunset.
Flatiron building
- One of my favourite building in NYC.
- 200, 5th Avenue, NYC
- Explore Eataly- a high end food hall with multiple restaurants and delicatessans, a gelataria and all the Italian fresh produce you can imagine.
- Try a drink at the rooftop beer bar – Birreria
Madison Square Park
- A cute little public park in the flatiron district. Eat a burger there from Shake Shack.
- You have to do it, with empire state of mind blaring in your headphones obviously.
Grand Central Station Terminal
- So many movies have been filmed here. You will realise this when you visit and it is all oddly familiar! See if you can find the ‘Whispering Gallery’. This is located on the Grand Central Terminal dining concourse near the famous Oyster Bar & Restaurant where the acoustics of the low ceramic arches can cause a whisper to sound like a shout. Get a friend to stand in opposite corners of the large arched entryway, then face the corner and whisper. Your accomplice should be able to hear your voice as if you were right next to them.
New York Public Library
- 476, 5th Avenue, (near 5th and 42nd street) NY.
- The second biggest library in the Unites States, the NY Public library has stunning architecture inside and out. Check out the chandeliers in the Rose main reading room.
Bryant park
- 5th Avenue and West 42nd street, NY.
- One of my favourite parks in NY, right next to the New York Public Library.
Central Park
- Central park runs from 59th to 110th street south to north, and 5th to 8th avenue east to west. Check out the interactive map here http://www.centralparknyc.org/maps/
- This was one of my favourite attractions in New York. I hear you thinking… I know it’s just a park but it really is like no other place I’ve ever been. There are so many different areas in central park, each with a different feel and features. We visited in summer and saw kids playing baseball, teenagers sunbaking, locals jogging in a ridiculous lack of clothing, picnics, rollerbladers … etc. I would love to visit again in summer, especially because there will be ice skating!
- Central Park is a great place for some exercise when you are in NYC. I found it wasn’t really possible to jog in midtown Manhattan because there are so many traffic lights and so much traffic. Here’s a good running map.
- Central park is also home to the MET (Metropolitan museum), the central park zoo (think madagasgar the movie), Cleopatra’s needle (the obselisk- one of three, the other two being in Paris and London)
- Other places I loved in central park:
- Loab boathouse. Central park east, in the middle, at the level of E 72nd street. Hire the boats for $15USD, $20 deposit per hour (cash only, fits up to four people). The restaurant here is amazing (mid range- expensive by American standards). If you want the same atmosphere and a cheaper price tag order from the ‘express café’ and take your lunch inside for a view over the water, one row back from the expensive section! Don’t miss it.
- Softball pitch- watch the locals in action
- Strawberry fields/ Central park west, around W72nd street. This landscaped area of central park is tribute to John Lennon and is opposite the Dakota building where he lived and was murdered in 1980.
- North woods area.
- Sheeps meadow.
- Beldevere castle and lake area.
- Bethesda fountain- loved this and the area near it – you will recognise from so many movies it is ridiculous. This is the perfect area to relax, read a book and take in the best of central park.
- Bow Bridge- cross the bridge in this picturesque area of central park and see how many movies you can name that have had scenes here.
- For the best views of central park head to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel- 10 Columbus Circle, NYC- south west corner of Central Park. Take the elevator the lobby, pose as a guest and have a drink up there. The views from the top of the rock were also fantastic.
- Central Park Bike tour
- There are numerous bike tours available around central park. We went with Broadway Bicycles who were recommended on the central park website. Bike pick up is from 1710 Broadway, New York City. Tourguide Bryan was fantastic, company was VERY disorganised otherwise but prices were negotiable at the time we went as a few people who were booked in didn’t turn up. The bike tour we did was my highlight of NYC. We did 2 hour tour, usually about $50 each, tours are at 10am,12pm,2pm and 4pm.
- There are options including a movie tour and an architecture tour of Central Park. AN alternate option is ‘Bike n Roll’ with bike hire outlets at Columbus Circle or tavern on the green.
- 1000 5th Ave, New York, (east side of central park).
- This art museum is the largest in the united states and one of the most well-known worldwide.
- 1071 5th Ave, New York, NY (east side of central park).
- Huge collection of modern and contemporary art.
- Central Park West and 27th streets. On the west side of central park.
- Has giant dinosaurs, the Easter island head (dum dum) and a night at the museum tour. I was a bit overwhelmed by the amount of creepy taxidermy!
- A Self tour app is available. $19 suggested admission, you can pay less if you want.
Lower Manhattan & Downtown
Statue of liberty
- Battery Park, NYC.
- Pre reserve crown tickets to be able to climb up into the crown or pedestal tickets to stand on pedestal (pre book tickets, can start booking 4 months prior to trip).
- Go as early as you can as it gets busier as the day goes on. By the time you take the boat over, look around, climb to the crown and head baxk this will take 2-4 hours.
- You can also visit Ellis Island (immigration museum) via the ferry service. The Museum is due to reopen shortly after closing due to damage post hurricane Sandy.
- More information for planning your trip here
9/11 memorial & World Trade Center Ground Zero.
- Book in advance, entry is free.
- The memorial will not be completed for a number of years but the memorial museum is now open. Take time to twin reflecting pools where the names of the victims have been inscribed and carefully organised based on their relationships prior to the terror attack.
Wall street
- Runs for 8 blocks in downtown New York, home to the NY stock exchange and the centre of the financial district in New York.
- Check out the famous charging bull statue of wall street (Broadway and Morris St, New York). Century 21 shopping centre is around here.
Ethnic neighbourhoods downtown
- Explore China town, Korea town and Little Italy.
Nolita (north of little Italy).
- Trendy area with boutique shopping. See shopping section below.
SoHo (South of Houston – pronounced ‘how-ston’).
- Great area for shopping (see shopping section below).
- Previously home to up and coming Artists’ lofts and galleries, most of which have moved out of manhattan to Brooklyn and beyond.
TriBeCa ( acronym for ‘triangle below canal street’).
- On the lower west side, a popular upscale residential area and upmarket shopping.
Chelsea
- West side neighbourhood full of trendy art galleries and is a centre for Manhattan’s gay population. A popular area to stay outside of the times square district.
Chelsea Market
- Great place to grab breakfast or lunch. Runs from 7am-9pm Monday-Sat and 8am-8pm Sundays.
- Lots of nice café’s , fresh produce and cute knick-knacks in a trendy setting. Check out Eleni’s novelty cookies. We had good Aussie style sandwiches if you are craving normality at ‘Friendman’s lunch’ café.
- Buddakan restaurant (famous) is located here.
Upright Citizens Brigade
- 307 W. 26th St., New York, NY.
- Comedy club featuring lots of up and comers and some famous comedians.
- Founded by famous SNL performers to make comedy accessible to those in NYC.
- $5-10USD entry.
- A street and neighbourhood near East Village in lower Manhattan. One of the trendier neighbourhoods. Used to be sketchy, now is full of boutiques, upmarket restaurants and nightlife.Think Brunswick but a bit pricier.
- Check out the bowery mural (Houston and bowery sts)- an ever changing mural, often done by famous artists.
Lots of good clubs and nightlife around Bowery st itself, Houston st and Ludlow st.
Greenwich VIllage
- The Village; quintessential New York at its best. Home to the friends apartment exterior (90 Bedford Street, West Village), the Magnolia Bakery from Sex in the City (401 Bleeker Street West Village) and upscale boutique shopping.
- Previously the bohemian capital, rife with artists and responsible for the modern LGBT movement – Greenwich village is a mecca for the creative. As per the rest of NY, it has undergone extensive gentrification and has some of the most expensive houses in New York.
- Check out Café Wha? and the Blue Note jazz club while you’re here (see section on bars/nightlife for more information).
Basic self guidedwalking tour via USA today of West Village
- Walk Bleecker Street, starting at Bank St. and ending up at Cornelia St. (or vice versa).
- Wander on and off Bleecker at bit, too (e.g., Commerce Street, Cornelia st).
- You can still get a taste of its quirky side if you head north on 2nd Avenue until you hit St. Mark's Place, where gritty tattoo parlors sit alongside trendy frozen yogurt shops.
The Cage
- West 4th and 6th streets (near Washington square park).
- We also visited ‘The Cage’ aka West 4th street courts.
- Watch locals play basketball (from 40 year old men to 16 year olds after school, their skill is absolutely amazing. Lots of famous basketballers started out here.
Washington square park
- 5th Avenue and Washington Square North St.
- See Washington Square Arch (modelled on the Arc de Triomph in Paris) at the most southern point of 5th avenue.
- Play chess against champions in the southwest corner where there are permanent outdoor chess tables.
- NYU- New York University is south of Washington Square Park. More interesting architecture here.
Meatpacking District
- Originally home to over 250 slaughterhouses, this neighbourhood is now home to dozens of New York’s best bars and nightspots.
- The meatpacking district has a colourful history, starting out as an industrial centre and then becoming home to open air meat markets. Underground gay clubs eventually migrated here as restaurants and bakeries opened up, becoming a centre for an eclectic mix of club-goers and artists. The opening of the Gansevoort Hotel market another change for the neighbourhood, opening the floodgates to fashionistas, foodies and club goers and has now become a major landmark.
- Walk the cobble stone streets, check out the High Line (see below) and infiltrate the infamous club scene if you dare. Clubs here are notoriously hard to get into. See section below on nightlife for where to go.
The High Line
- Runs from the Meat Packing District to Chelsea.
- Public park built on a raised vintage train line.
- Entry is free. Maps available on the website and tours available (not really necessary unless you have an avid interest).
Harlem
- Harlem is a really interesting area of Manhattan and definitely not to be missed. We did a walking tour with ‘Free tours by foot’ with the host Juan, I can highly recommend.
The Apollo Theatre
- 253 West 125th St, Harlem NY.
- Famous theatre in Harlem home to many famous artists including Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Kuchael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Ella Fitzgerald, Elton John and many more.Go to Amateur night if you can (Wednesday nights). Many musucians started their career via Amateur night including Jimi Hendriz, Ella Fitzgerald, Sammy David Jr, Diana Ross, Mariah Carey etc.
The Harlem walk of fame.
- 135th street between Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Boulevard and Frederick Douglass Boulevard.
- Walk of fame highlighting achievements of African Americans
Don’t miss the soul food experience at the restaurants in Harlem, see section on restaurants below.
Sports
- Baseball. The New York Mets play at Citi Field in Queens ( 123-01 Roosevelt Ave New York, NY). We had an amazing train ride out there I'd highly recomended it. We got off in Queens and had a look around. The New York Yankees play at Yankee Stadium. 1 East 161st St, Bronx NY. Major league baseball runs from April- October.
- NBA- the New York Knicks (home arena Madison Square Garden) and Brooklyn Nets (Barclays centre) are both based in NY. The WNBA team Liberty as based in Newark. Catch the Harlem Globetrotters, an exhibitionist basketball team, if they are in town.
- New York is home to the NFL teams the NY Giants and NY Jets who play in New Jersey.
- The New York rangers play hockey at Madison Square Garden
Brooklyn Bridge
- Don’t miss crossing this massive suspension bridge connecting Brooklyn and Manhattan.
- The bridge is full of pedestrians and cyclists so go as early as you can for an unobstructed view (I plan to go for sunrise next visit to NY). The bridge is 1825 metres long so take comfy shoes!
- Walking tours are available via Big Onion walking tours (2 hours, $20USD). We went around 9/10am and people were really struggling to cycle across due to the pedestrian traffic so I wouldn’t particularly recommend riding a bike during peak times.
Brooklyn
- I wrote a bit about the neighbourhoods in Brooklyn in part I of my New York post. Here are some popular things to see in Brooklyn. We walked all of our trip to Brooklyn and from my experience I’d recommend using the subway a bit more. Brooklyn is really spread out and this will enable you to see more.
- Near the Brooklyn Bridge, wander the waterfront promenade of the Brooklyn Bridge Park or further south, Brooklyn Bridge Promenade for stunning views of Manhattan. Or Walk under the Brooklyn bridge to the neighbourhood of DUMBO (‘down under the Brooklyn bridge’) for more great views of Manhattan.
- Free tours by foot has good Brooklyn walking tours, oncluding two self guided tours; Bushwick and Brooklyn Heights..
- Check out Grand Army Plaza, the gateway to prospect park. You can catch the subway to here. Prospect park was designed by Olmsted and Vaux of central park fame. The neighbourhood of Park Slope nearby is a great place to walk and take in the leafy tree lined streets.
- Head to Williamsburg/ Greenpoint to see what all the fuss is all about. Wander Bedford, Avenue for shopping and cafes, people watch in McCarren Park and check out the nighlife. Good guide to Williamsburg’s bars here. Check out the famous Brooklyn Brewery also located in Williamsburg.
- (various locations). Don’t miss the famous Brooklyn flea market which changes to and from various indoor and outdoor locations.
Brighton beach.
- Check out the Little Odessa- so nicknamed for the many Russian immigrants who flocked here.
- Although the population may be predominantly Russian speaking, there has been a recent influx of various cultural groups including Hispanic, African American, Jewish and Chinese.
- Walk Brighton Beach avenue or the foreshore boardwalk, and try a taste of Russian at Primorski restaurant (details below).
Coney Island.
- Neighbouring Brightton Beach, Coney Island is most famous for its Amusement park it’s wooden rollercoaster the cyclone which has been running since 1927.
- The original ‘Nathan’s famous’ hotdog store is located on the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenue in Coney Island.
Check out a ‘badass guide to brooklyn’ online here
Restaurants
New York is home to many culinary delights and the multicultural nature of the city means if you have a particular appetite to satisfy, you are guaranteed to find it in in the city. Here are some suggestions organised roughly by geographical area.
Midtown
Shake Shack (Flatiron District)
- Madison Square Park (E23rd St/ Madison Avenue)
- Home to some of the best burgers/shakes in New York (and the US).
Eataly (Flatiron district)
- 200 5th Avene, NYC.
- An Italian food hall with huge sections for fresh pasta, cheese, a deli, a gelataria and separate restaurants focusing on pizza, pasta, meat etc. The rooftop bar Birreria is a great spot for a drink
5 Napkin Burger (Union Square)
- 150 East 14th Street, NY.
- One of my favourite burgers in New York (Shake Shack is the best). Theres another franchise in Hell’s Kitchen and the Upper West Side.
Maoz Vegetarian (Mid town)
- 558 7th Avenue.
- Falafel chain originating from Amsterdam.
Halal Brothers Street cart. (Midtown)
- 6th Ave & W53rd
- $4 kebabs, brave the massive line because they were amazing. Try the hot sauce.
Tom’s Restaurant (Midtown)
- 2880 North Broadway, New York.
- Seinfeld fans unite, here’s the site of Monk’s diner from the television series.
Lower Manhattan
Angelica's Kitchen (Lower Manhattan)
- 300 East 12th Street, NYC. Organic plant based cuisine.
Katz’s Delicatessan (Lower Manhattan).
- 205 East Houston St, NY. Kosher style delicatessen.
Brooklyn
Grimaldi's
- 1 Front St Brooklyn (just over the Brooklyn bridge).
- Rumoured to be one of the best pizzas in New York.
Primorski
- 282 Brighton Beach Avenue, NY. (Brighton Beach, Brooklyn)
- Traditional Russian Fare at Brighton Beach.
Nathan’s famous Hotdogs.
- Corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenue, Coney Island, NY.
- They're everywhere now, but this store was the original.
Brooklyn Bagel and Coffee Company
- 286, 8th Avenue NY.
- Rated as the best bagel in NYC here
- More locations in Queens and Astoria.
Uptown/ Harlem
Beyoglu
- (Upper east side) 1431 3rd Ave, NY.
- Turkish cuisine.
San Matteo (Upper East Side)
- 1739 2nd Ave.
- Italian fare.
Red rooster (Harlem).
- 310 Lenox Avenue, NY
- Highly recommended by our tour guide, is a modern twist on traditional soul food.
Sylvia’s Restaurant (Harlem)
- 328 Malcolm X Blvd, NY.
- Again highly recommended by our tour guide, the original soul food restaurant, reportedly the best.
Greenwich Village
Caracas Arepa Bar (East Village)
- 93 1/2 East 7th Street, NY.
- Don’t miss the Venezuelan equivalent of tacos for something different.
Spitzer's Corner (Downtown/East Village)
- 101 Rivington Street, NY.
- Great gastro pub with lots of beers and ciders on tap.
Blind Tiger Alehouse (West Village).
- 281 Bleecker Street
- A microbrewery with good food.
Home (Greenwich Village).
- 20 Cornelia St, New York
- Homemade comfort food.
Corner Bistro (Greenwich Village).
- 331 West 4th St, NY. Delicious and well priced burgers.
The Little Owl (Greenwich Village)
- 90 Bedford St, Manhattan
- Look familiar? That's because above The Little Owl is the exterior of the ‘Friends’ apartment! Famous for their meatball sliders.
Virage (Greenwich Village)
- 118 2nd Ave, NY.
- Simple mediterranean Café with delicious food.
Havana Alma de Cuba (Greenwich Village)
- 94 Christopher St, NY.
- Good Cuban food and excellent sangria.
Joes Pizza (East Village)
- 7 Carmine Street, NY.
- A village institution, Joes is rumoured to have the best pizza in the area.
Chelsea/ Meatpacking District
Buddakan (Chelsea)
- Chelsea market. 75 9th Avenue, NY.
- Modern Asian cuisine. Book well in advance. You will not be disappointed- it is worth every penny.
Spice Market (Meatpacking district)
- 403 West 13th Street, New York, NY.
- Famous NY restaurant featuring asian street food. Make a booking well in advance.
Le Bain (Meatpacking district)
- The Standard Hotel. 848 Washington Street, NY. Exclusive bar – super chic, super trendy and super pricey. If you can get in you are succeeding at life.
Top of The Standard (Meatpacking district)
- The Standard Hotel. 848 Washington Street, NY.
- Formerly the ‘Boom boom room’. Another bar part of the standard hotel. Wear cocktail attire to be admitted (in all seriousness) and be transported into a Gatsby like paradise.
- 45, East 45th Street NY.
- Check out the rooftop bar at the luxurious and elegant hotel.
Peninsula Hotel (Midtown)
- 700 5th Avenue, NY.
- Gorgeous rooftop bar.
Marie’s Crisis (The Village)
- 59 Grove Street, NY.
- A unique gem- think show tunes and group sing-a-longs in this intimate dive bar.
No Fun (Lower east side)
- 161 Ludlow Street, NY
- Cute fairy lights and 90s megamix
Stonewall Inn (The Village).
- Gay Tavern which was the site of the Stonewall riots in 1969 which are thought to be the single most important event leading to gay and lesbian liberation in the USA.
Brooklyn Brewery (Brooklyn)
- 79 North 11th Street, Williamsburg Brooklyn, NY.
- Don’t forget to stop for a beer here when you’re in Brooklyn.
Café Wha? (East Village)
- 115 Macdougal Street, Greenwich Village New York.
- This East Village club has been home to many famous musicians and comedians including Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, The Velvet Underground, Woody Allen, Joan Rivers, Bill Cosby, Peter, Paul & Mary etc.
Blue Note Jazz Club (West Village)
131 West 3rd Street, New York. One of the most famous jazz clubs in New York, considered one of the best in the world.
Cielo (Meatpacking district)
- 18 Little West 12th Street, NY.
- Expensive but a must visit if you can get in.
Little Branch (West Village)
- 20 7th Avenue South, New York.
- Cocktail Bar with a 1920s speakeasy feel.
Pacha (Hell's Kitchen)
- 618 West 46th Street, NYC.
- Popular nightclub with house and electronica.
Plunge Bar (Meatpacking District)
- Gaensvoort Hotel, 18, 9th Avenue, NY.
- Think red carpets, velvet ropes and icebuckets of champagne.
Other tips
TV show tapings.
- It is possible to be part of the studio audience for famous American TV shows in NYC. Letterman is retiring this year but you can try your luck in the ticket lottery for SNL (once a year) or line up really early for standby tickets (like 4am early).
- Other popular shows include Today, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and The View. If you are keen, do your research on what is required well in advance. More information here.
Shopping
New York has the best shopping I have ever come across, hands down. There is every chain store you can imagine, massive department stores, tiny boutiques and local designers.
Some of the famous department stores:
- Barney’s
- 660 Madison Ave, Manhattan, NY.
- Luxury department store. Other stores are located in SoHo and Brooklyn.
- Bloomingdales
- 1000 3rd Ave, New York.
- Upscale department stores owned by Macy’s.
- Bergdorf Goodman
- 754 5th Ave New York, NY. The so called last luxury goods department store in NY.
- Century 21
- 22 Cortlandt Street, New York.
- Shopping skill level required: extreme. This bargain basement is equivalent to worst boxing day sale x 1000 but well worth it if you don’t mind sorting through the racks. Stock changes regularly but especially good bargains on handbags, sunglasses and lingere when I was there. Designer brands at massive discounts.
Nolita.
- Frommers suggest: shop Elizabeth st neighboring Mott and Mulberry streets which are dotted with stylish shops between Lafayette Street and the Bowery, below Houston to Kenmare. Timeout guide to shoping in NoLita and little Italy here.
SoHo
- Shopping grid runs from Broadway west to Sixth Avenue, and Houston Street south to Canal Street. Broadway is the most commercial strip. Bloomingdale’s has a downtown branch in SoHo on Broadway (504 Broadway, New York) aimed at clothing for younger women.
7 day basic itinerary
Here’s an example for a 7 day New York Itinerary. We crammed nearly everything I’ve included in this guide into 10 days and we were exhausted. I would recommend doing this much or preferably less and taking time to enjoy yourself and take everything in properly.
Day 1- Midtown
- Times Square, Top of the rock, Bryant park, New York public library, Grand Central Station. See a Comedy show at Carolines or the Upright citizens brigade. Squeeze in a few hours at MoMa if you can.
Day 2- Central Park, 5th avenue and a Broadway show
- Book into a bike tour or self tour around central park. Stop for lunch at the Loab boathouse and don’t forget to commandeer a row boat. Check out the museum of natural history, the Met or the Guggenheim nearby. Do some shopping or window shopping along 5th avenue. Book in for a Broadway show and experience Times Square at night.
Day 3- Harlem and a sporting event.
- Travel north to Harlem, book in for walking tour and if you are around on a Wednesday get tickets to Ameteur night at the Apollo. Try soul food and walk the Harlem walk of fame. Book in to see a game of sport of your choice. Yankee stadium is just over the bridge!
Day 4- Flatiron and Grenwich VIllage
- Book into a walking tour, stop for a cupcake at the magnolia bakery. Watch the locals play at the West 4th Street courts and find the friends building.
- Have dinner at one of Greenwich Village’s many great restaurants, book in to see the jazz at Blue Note or have a drink at Cafe Wha?
Day 5- Brooklyn / Queens or the Bronx
- Brooklyn bridge, views from waterfront promenade, people watching at McCarren Park, a trip to the Brooklyn Brewery and a night out in Williamsburg. Explore queens or the Bronx.
Day 6- Downtown and boutique shopping
- Statue of Liberty/ Elis Island (takes 2-4 hours at best), Wall Street and the financial district, Century 21 outlet. Shopping around SoHo & Nolita. Stop by Katz’ delicatessan.
Day 7- Chelsea & Meatpacking
- Check out some local galleries in Chelsea, visit the Chelsea Market and walk the High line. Discover the Meatpacking district, book for dinner at Buddakan and check out the meatpacking district nightlife afterwards.
Hope you have found this blog post useful. I would love to hear any feedback or tips you have to add. Happy travels everyone.
