Sample itinerary of things to do in NYC

Ready to conquer NY but short on time. Let me share an example of day by day lists of things to do. This was something I prepared for my guests who were visiting NY for the first time and wanted to check off as many tourist spots as possible. I hope it helps you!

Sample Itinerary – Four full days in NYC

Thursday: Welcome to New York

Arriving late afternoon/early evening? Keep it simple and stretch you legs. Go exploring in the neighborhood you are staying in. Figure out where the local grocery stores are and get some supplies while you take in the vibe of NYC. It all depends which neighborhood you are in but if you are staying near Times Square expect it to be loud with cars, people talking and the occasional siren! Pizza, Hot-dogs, Burgers, Bagels await if going for a low cost NY experience. An amazing range of restaurants and bars are at your door step too. Remember to tip if dining at a restaurant or drinking at a bar. When ordering cocktails or any liquor (spirits) the bar staff in the U.S free pour and personal experience is that the drinks are stronger. Be warned!

Day 1: Friday- Midtown Exploring

Morning:
Tick a big item off and go up the Empire State Building. Located at 34th and 5th Avenue and opening at 8.00 am. Remember to buy a ticket online in advance.

After seeing NY from a height, walk all around Midtown, make sure to include:
Times Square (Check out the TKTS ticket booth and get a ticket for tonight!)
Bryant Park (42nd/6th ave)
NY Library (42nd/5th ave)
Grand Central Terminal (42nd Street/Park Ave),
Chrysler Building (42nd Street/Lexington)
Rockefeller Center (49th Street/5th Ave)
Walk up 5th Avenue and check out the shops (Tiffanys flagship store at 57th street!),
MoMA Museum is on West 53rd Street just off 5th Ave (if it’s of interest and time permits).

Evening:
Broadway Show and Times Square at night.

ProTip: A lovely Garden and Terrace place to escape the hustle and bustle for a pre theater cocktail is on the 9th Floor at the Edition Hotel.

Special mention:

During your stay look out for a very cool Flatiron Building at 23rd Street and 5th Avenue. It’s an iconic wedge-shaped that looks different from all angles. Flatiron and Chrysler Building are my favorite midtown buildings.

Day 2: Saturday – NY Diner and Downtown

Morning:
Time to experience breakfast at a NY Diner, many are open 24 hours. While it might not be fine dining I do think it’s a quintessential NY experience. There’s nothing like this down under. Pancakes, waffles, bacon, eggs and so much more are on the menu. Choice is not the issue. Quality perhaps, but hey you’ve got to do it. The coffee is average at diners. Filter coffee. Not what Kiwis like. Proceed with caution!
Insider tip: If you want your omelette with no fries and potatoes say you want it High and Dry!

Head down to World Trade center site, ideally by Subway, The Blue E line is a good one to get as it’s last stop is the World Trade Center.
Go up the Freedom Tower to One World Observatory and visit 9/11 Memorial museum (Take tissues). Make sure to secure tickets beforehand.

Day 2 – Saturday, after the 9/11 Memorial

Walk down Broadway to Wall Street, see Federal Hall and NY Stock Exchange, then back out to Broadway to see the “Bull”. Keep walking south down to Staten Island (SI) Ferry, take the Ferry (it’s free), see views of Statue of Liberty and skyline of lower Manhattan. Get back on ferry (you have to get off it at SI but you board straight back onto a return ferry) to head back .

Walk up the east side toward South Street Seaport. But no so fast! First, stop in at Liberty Helicopters, located at 6 East River Bikeway. Experience NYC by air! After the exhilarating ride (and a lighter wallet!) keep walking north to Seaport and visit Pier 17 (there is a back bar on the water which is great in summer, as well as a Rooftop that hosts a summer concert series). Head towards City Hall to walk 3/4 or all of Brooklyn Bridge.

Time permitting catch the subway to Chinatown (Canal Street) and walk North up through Little Italy into SOHO.

Night:
Visit a Jazz Club in Greenwich Village. Look up Blue Note, Village Vanguard, Terra Blues or my favorite on MacDougal Street.

Day 3: Sunday- Central Park and Uptown

Morning:
The Hop on Hop Off Bus is a good option here or take the subway to get uptown. Choose what you’re in the mood for, taking into account the weather and your weary feet!

You’ll want to spend the majority of you day in Central Park. There is so much to see.

Make sure to check out Strawberry Fields (its centerpiece is the Imagine Mosaic), you can walk out of the park from this memorial and see the Dakota Building located at 72nd Street and Central Park West.

Key things to see in the Park:
The Bethesda Fountain and Boathouse area.
The Mall – stunning towering elm trees
The Pond – including the famous Gapstow Bridge which has been in countless of files.
Sheep Meadows – the locals will be sunbathing and playing frisbee!

There is so much more including a Zoo, Castle, Lake with the cast-iron Bow Bridge and huge Reservoir.
The Met Museum is located inside the park at 5th Avenue and 82nd Street.

Enjoy!

North of the park, above 110th Street is Harlem and the famous Apollo Theater at 125th Street. This is something you can look at while on the Hop On Hop Off bus. Unless you want to go check out the infamous Amateur Night at the Apollo which is on a Wednesday night. Be warned the sound is super loud and ear buds will really make it a lot more enjoyable!

Night:

Dine out and enjoy the cocktails! I have been asked to write a blog on restaurant and bars. The challenge it’s always changing and depending on the season I would recommend different places. Italian restaurants are top class in NY. As well as Mexican restaurants (vs what we get back home). The city has everything, any cuisine, any budget and open late!

Day 4: Monday – Explore neighborhoods near you

Morning:
Check out where the locals live!

Greenwich Village, Washington Square Park, , West Village, SOHO are my favorites, Chelsea, Meatpacking district as well as Union Square are a must. Upper West Side, Upper East Side might be on your list. Not to forget my hood, the East Village or just south of me; the Lower East Side. There’s a lot to cover. Pick where you want to see again or an area that includes a few neighborhoods you can see. Once thing that is a must is Walking The High Line from the Meatpacking district up to the new neighboor of Hudson Yards. You can read about it in the blog – My top things to do in NYC

Night:
Take in an American past time. Depending on what season you are visiting you can watch a Baseball, Basketball or Ice Hockey game (time for a hot dog and Budweiser!). It’s Number 6 of my top things to do. Read about the options here.

Tuesday: Depart

All good things must come to an end, until you return! Time for a last minute breakfast (diner or fancy brunch), final shopping, tourist photos and bah humbug – packing!

Enjoy your time in NYC. You’ll see and do a lot. Next time you come back you can spend more time in the neighborhoods, museums, parks, bars and restaurants as you would have checked off the key tourist spots!

A few other miscellaneous things you could do:

Walk, run or bike the West Side Highway down to Battery Park or North to Riverside Park
Check out areas just across from Manhattan, on the West is Hoboken, and on the East is Brooklyn
Go further afield and take the subway out to Coney Island which has roller-coasters, hot dog eating contests, boardwalk, beach, shops, an Aquarium and general people watching!

What do these neighborhoods stand for?

NOLITA North of Little Italy
SOHO South of Houston (pronounced HOW-STIN), it’s not pronounced like the place in Texas!
TRIBECA The Triangle below Canal Street
DUMBO Down under Manhattan Bridge Overpass