NEW YORK CITY TRAVEL GUIDE
Welcome to the Bigroads.com travel guide to New York City! The intent of this page is to provide recommendations to help you plan your next trip to the Big Apple. Like any guidebook or website, the recommendations on this page are opinionated and could not possibly include every great attraction or restaurant that exists in the city. That being said, you should be able to find some valuable information here.
Take note that I build and maintain this website primarily as a hobby and public service. I take joy in performing travel research and sharing my experiences and adventures with others. Your constructive feedback about this site and its content is encouraged. Please email me if you have any suggestions, corrections, and/or ideas for improvement.
|
|
New York City is justifiably one of the biggest tourist destinations in the World. There are literally hundreds of worthwhile things to see and do in this 'concrete jungle'. It's also one of the most walkable cities on Earth. The food is world-class, offering every type of cuisine you could possibly think of. Altogether, the city sees more than fifty million visitors annually. |
TOP 25 THINGS TO DO IN NEW YORK CITY
|
Here are my selections for the top 25 things to see or do in New York City. Many of these attractions are completely FREE to visit. Others require paid admission, often with advance reservations/tickets required or at least highly recommended.
✪ = indicates a FREE attraction
☎ = advance online reservations/tickets are required or highly recommended
✮ American Museum of Natural History ☎ - a natural history museum with world-class fossils and animal exhibits
✮ Broadway shows/theater ☎ - e.g. Lion King, Aladdin, Hamilton, Wicked, etc.
✮ Brooklyn Bridge ✪ - a famous pedestrian bridge connecting lower Manhattan with Brooklyn
✮ Bryant Park ✪ - a green space/public park with a winter market and outdoor ice-skating in the colder months
✮ Central Park ✪ - an enormous urban park with 58 miles of walking paths, playgrounds, and monuments in central Manhattan
✮ Chelsea Market ✪ - an attractive indoor food and retail marketplace; try the mexican food at Los Tacos #1
✮ Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration ☎ - the preeminent immigrant history museum of the U.S..
✮ Empire State Building ☎ - offers a skyscraper observation deck experience
✮ High Line, The ✪ - a 1.45 mile long elevated public park and greenway with city views and several art sculptures
✮ Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum ☎ - a large military museum on a decommissioned aircraft carrier
✮ Little Island ✪ - an 'urban oasis' green space and public park along the Hudson River
✮ Madison Square Garden ☎ - a famous 19,500-seat capacity sports and performing arts venue
✮ Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) ☎ - one of the world's finest art museums
✮ Museum of Modern Art, The (MoMA) ☎ - an excellent art museum; home of Van Gogh's 'The Starry Night' painting
✮ National 9/11 Memorial ✪ & Museum ☎ - a memorial and museum complex dedicated to the events of September 11, 2001
✮ New York Public Library ✪ - visit this huge and iconic library
✮ One World Observatory ☎ - offers a skyscraper observation deck experience
✮ Radio Center Music Hall ☎ - a performing arts venue best known for its holiday Rockettes show
✮ Rockefeller Center ✪ and Top of the Rock ☎ - a retail center that also offers a skyscraper observation deck experience
✮ St. Patrick's Cathedral ✪ - an iconic church on 5th Avenue
✮ Statue of Liberty ☎ - hop on a boat to visit this large, neoclassical sculpture and monument that symbolizes freedom, inspiration, and hope
✮ SUMMIT One Vanderbilt ☎ - offers a skyscraper observation deck experience (and arguably the best one in the city)
✮ The Edge / City Climb ☎ - offers a skyscraper observation deck experience plus an optional climb on the outside of the building
✮ Times Square ✪ - a lively tourist center with flashy billboards and many restaurants and tourist attractions
✮ Vessel ☎ and Hudson Yards shopping center ✪ - an upscale dining and retail center with a giant public art sculpture that you can climb on/up
I personally think Times Square is one of the most over-hyped tourist attractions in the country (right up there with Plymouth Rock of Massachusetts). However, the flashy billboards are eye-catching, the people-watching is excellent, and there are a few fun shopping experiences there (e.g., Disney Store, Hershey's Chocolate World, M&M's, etc.). Times Square is also conveniently located within a few blocks of many other central Manhattan attractions. If you decide to visit Times Square, go early - ideally as soon as the attractions and stores open.
I recommend only doing one skyscraper observation deck experience per visit. Visitors often visit multiple observation decks on the same visit, but it's very expensive and it likely prevents you from being able to visit other great NYC attractions. SUMMIT One Vanderbilt is generally considered the best, but The Edge and Top of the Rock (TOTR) are nearly as good. You should book all observation deck experiences in advance. I recommend picking a time slot that is 60-90 minutes before sunset so that you can enjoy great afternoon lighting plus also see the city at night.
✮ Best overall experience = SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
✮ Best views = Top of the Rock
✮ Most thrilling = the 'City Climb' add-on experience at the Edge
|
 | |
 | |
 | |
| SUMMIT One Vanderbilt | |
Statue of Liberty | |
FDNY Memorial near the 9/11 Memorial |
Here is an map showing a rough outline of the various neighborhoods of Manhattan.
Take note that in reality, neighborhood lines are not as well-defined. You will not see signs for these neighborhoods as you explore. Personal opinions also exist as to where neighborhoods actually start and end. There are also a variety of small neighborhoods that I have not included in this map. I also have not included the uppermost portions of Manhattan. If you can digest the general locations of the major neighborhoods shown below, you will have earned a solid sense of the overall layout of Manhattan.
A more detailed map of the various neighborhoods of Manhattan can be found here.
Here are some common acronyms used to describe various Manhattan neighborhoods:
✮ UWS: Upper West Side
✮ LES: Lower East Side
✮ UES: Upper East Side
✮ SOHO: South of Houston St.
✮ NOHO: North of Houston St.
✮ NOLITA: North of Little Italy
In central Manhattan, 1-mile south or north equates to roughly 20 blocks (e.g., walking south from 48th St. to 28th St. covers about 1-mile).
Take note that most hotels on Manhattan are found south of Central Park (since that's where the majority of NYC's attractions are located).
|
5-STAR NEW YORK CITY ATTRACTIONS
|
NYC has hundreds of attractions. It can be absolutely overwhelming for visitors to determine how to spend their precious time and money. To help, here is my opinionated list of everything I consider to be a 5-star rated attraction in the city. This list is first organized north-to-south by major NYC area, and then west-to-east according to specific neighborhoods of that area.
✪ = indicates a FREE attraction
☎ = advance online reservations/tickets are required or highly recommended
UPTOWN: NORTH OF CENTRAL PARK
Morningside Heights / Harlem / Upper Manhattan
✮ Apollo Theatre ☎ - a beloved and historic music and performance venue
✮ General Grant National Memorial ✪ - a memorial to, and resting place of, Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th president of the U.S.
✮ Met Cloisters, The - also known as 'The Cloisters', this museum focuses on European medieval art and architecture
✮ Morningside Park ✪ - a slender, 0.75-mile long inland public park and green space found north of Central Park from 110th St. to 123th St.
✮ Riverside Park ✪ - a slender, 4-mile long public waterfront park along the Hudson River that stretches from 72nd St. to 158th St.
✮ Tom's Restaurant ✪ - take a photo of the famous restaurant from the TV show Seinfeld; located at the junction of Broadway and 112th St.
UPTOWN / CENTRAL PARK
Upper West Side / Lincoln Square
✮ American Museum of Natural History ☎ - one of the finest natural history museums in the U.S.; amazing dinosaur fossils and animal exhibits
✮ Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine ✪ - one of the most visually impressive and historic churches in NYC
✮ Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts ☎ - a complex of several performing arts theatres; a major center for jazz, opera, and ballet
✮ Riverside Park ✪ - a slender, 4-mile long public waterfront park along the Hudson River that stretches from 72nd St. to 158th St.
Central Park
✮ Alice in Wonderland statue ✪ - several large statues of beloved storybook characters; eastern side of the southern end of the park (76th St.)
✮ Bethesda Fountain and Terrace ✪ - arguably the most impressive water fountain in NYC; middle of the southern end of the park (72nd St.)
✮ Belvedere Castle ✪ - an 1872 Gothic/Romanesque castle with fine views of Central Park; middle of the center section of the park (80th St.)
✮ Billy Johnson Playground ✪ - a small but fun playground with a fun and fast curvy slide; eastern side of the southern end of the park (67th St.)
✮ Bow Bridge ✪ - arguably the prettiest pedestrian bridge in the park
✮ Central Park Zoo - a small but fine city zoo; eastern side of the southern end of the park (64th St.)
✮ Conservatory Garden ✪ - a lovely set of gardens near the northeastern corner of the park (105th St.)
✮ Heckscher Playground ✪ - a large and fun playground for kids in the middle of the southern end of the park (62nd St.)
✮ Horse carriage rides - although controversial, taking a guided horse carriage ride through Central Park is a NYC tradition
✮ Mall, The ✪ - a long and beautiful park walk that starts near 65th St. and leads to the Bethesda Fountain and Terrace at 72nd St.
✮ Wollman Rink ☎ - a small pond that offers outdoor ice-skating in winter (purchase tickets online)
✮ Strawberry Fields Memorial ✪ - a small but moving memorial near where John Lennon was murdered; western side of the park (72nd St)
Take note that the above list is just a sample of what Central Park offers. There are many other statues, walking paths, gardens, arch bridges, scenic viewpoints, playgrounds, great lawns, boulders to climb, and more to explore in the park. For most first-time visitors, I recommend spending at least 3-4 hours in the southern and central portions of the park. However, avid walkers could easily spend 1-2 full days exploring all sections of the park. The entire park has about 58-miles of walking paths, and is 3-miles long from top to bottom.
Upper East Side / Yorkville / Lenox Hill
✮ Frick Collection, The - an art museum featuring Old Master paintings and European fine and decorative arts; temporarily closed as of 2023
✮ Madison Avenue - one of the premier high-end shopping streets in NYC, Madison Avenue is home to many fashion and jewelry designers
✮ Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) ☎ - the largest and arguably best art museum in the U.S.
✮ Museum of the City of New York - a good history and art museum that primarily focuses on 19th and 20th century NYC exhibits
✮ Roosevelt Island Tramway - an awesome aerial tramway that provides great views as it travels between Manhattan and Roosevelt Island
✮ Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum - an art museum that is perhaps best known for its landmark Frank Lloyd Wright-designed architecture
MIDTOWN MANHATTAN
Midtown West / Hells Kitchen / Clinton
✮ Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises ☎ - offers very popular boat tours, including some that encircle Manhattan
✮ Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum ☎ - explore the USS Intrepid, a World War II–era aircraft carrier; there are also some aircraft on display
✮ Silver Towers Public Park ✪ - an attractive but small children's playground that features a 30-foot long bronze sculpture of an stick figure
Midtown / Times Square / Theatre District / Bryant Park / Rockefeller Center
✮ 5th Avenue shopping - a major shopping destination in NYC that has many flagship retail stores; nearby streets offer even more shopping
✮ American Girl NYC Store - one of several U.S. stores of the beloved doll company; offers many doll and child experiences (e.g. hairstyling)
✮ Birdland Jazz Club ☎ - a longstanding jazz club near Times Square; a 'classic place to listen to jazz in NYC'
✮ Broadway shows/theater ☎ - at any one point in time, several world-class theatre productions are being shown on Broadway (e.g. Lion King)
✮ Bryant Park ✪ - a small public park that is best known for its outdoor movies in summer, and winter market and outdoor ice skating in winter
✮ Carnegie Hall ☎ - a prestigious and historic performance venue popular with classical music performances and other concerts
✮ Disney Store - a flagship, two-story Disney retail store located in the heart of Times Square
✮ Empire State Building ☎ - experience guided tours and/or observation deck experiences in this iconic building (e.g. 86th & 102nd floors)
✮ Escape Game NYC, The ☎ - one of several top-rated escape game experiences in the city
✮ FAO Schwarz - NYC's most iconic toy store; located in Rockefeller Plaza
✮ Giant Needle Threading A Button ✪ - a roadside attraction of a giant button and thread; located between Times Square & Bryant Park
✮ Hershey's Chocolate World - a large retail store that also offers chocolate-focused experiences
✮ Madame Tussauds New York - one of the most impressive wax museums in the World; take photos with wax figures of many famous people
✮ M&M's Store - a fun, two-story retail store dedicated to M&M candy
✮ Museum of Modern Art, The (MoMA) ☎ - one of the largest and best modern art museums in the World
✮ National Debt Clock ✪ - an alleyway sign displaying the current level of the U.S. national debt; located between Times Square & Bryant Park
✮ NBC Studios Tour ☎ - take a behind-the-stage tour of the famous TV studio near Rockefeller Center
✮ New York Public Library: Main Building ✪ - this famous library is known for its architecture and historical collections; guided tours available
✮ Nintendo Store ✪ - a two-story, Nintendo flagship retail store located in Rockefeller Center
✮ Radio Center Music Hall ☎ - a gorgeous art deco theatre featuring concerts and the Christmas Spectacular with the Rockettes show
✮ Rockefeller Center ✪ - a shopping center famous for its giant Christmas during the holidays; offers outdoor public ice-skating rink in winter
✮ SPYSCAPE ☎ - an 'immersive interactive adventure into your hidden (spy) powers'; an 'experiential museum' where you pretend to be a spy
✮ St. Patrick's Cathedral ✪ - the largest church in NYC is also one of its most visually impressive and historic
✮ SUMMIT One Vanderbilt ☎ - generally considered the premier observation deck experience in NYC: offers three levels of fabulous views
✮ Times Square ✪ - the tourist center of NYC; there are many retail shops and billboard signs here; VERY touristy
✮ Top of the Rock ☎ - an excellent observation deck experience at the top of the Rockefeller Center
Midtown South / Garment District / Koreatown
✮ B&H Photo Video - widely considered the premier photography store in the U.S.; it may also be the largest (I'm not 100% sure on that)
✮ Macy's @ Herald Square - the flagship Macy's store and the largest department store in the U.S.; features lots of holiday decorations
✮ Madison Square Garden (MSG) ☎ - a major indoor sports and entertainment venue; home of the NHL's Rangers and the NBA's Knicks
✮ Morgan Library & Museum, The ☎ - a small museum and research library with rare books and impressive architecture
Midtown East / Turtle Bay / Sutton
✮ Grand Central Terminal ✪ - a massive transportation hub that features impressive architecture, many eateries, and several shops
✮ Greenacre Park ✪ - a small but attractive green space/park with a man-made but pretty waterfall
✮ World's Largest Chessboard ✪ - a roadside attraction of a giant chessboard on the side of a building; bring chess/checkers and play on tables
CENTRAL/LOWER MANHATTAN
Chelsea / Hudson Yards / Meatpacking District
✮ Chelsea Arts District ✪ - a district with several dozen art galleries (many of which are high-end / museum-level quality)
✮ Chelsea Market ✪ - one of the city's best food and retail marketplaces; this place oozes with personality and includes a Los Tacos #1 eatery
✮ Chelsea Waterside Playground ✪ - a small but quirky and fun playground; features the best and fastest children's slide in the city
✮ Edge, The ☎ - an excellent observation deck experience; also offers a thrilling outdoor 'City Climb' experience; close to the Vessel
✮ High Line, The ✪ - a 1.45-mile long elevated walkway on a former railroad that features gardens, art sculptures, and fine views of the city
✮ Hudson Yards ✪ - one of the premium shopping destinations in NYC; the giant and impressive Vessel sculpture is found just outside of it
✮ Little Island ✪ - a beautiful waterfront park that rests on concrete tulips; opened in 2021, this is one of the very best green spaces in NYC
✮ Museum at FIT, The ✪ - one of the best fashion museums in the U.S. (e.g. garments, accessories, etc.)
✮ Vessel ☎ - an impressive metal and glass sculpture outside of the Hudson Yards shopping center; reopened in October 2024
✮ Whitney Museum of American Art - an excellent art museum that primarily focuses on 20th and 21st century American art
Gramercy Park / Union Square / Flatiron
✮ Eately ✪ - an Italian marketplace with authentic Italian products and several restaurants/take-out counters; several locations in the U.S.
✮ Escape the Room NYC ☎ - one of several top-rated escape game experiences in the city
✮ Flatiron Building ✪ - a visually impressive triangular building in the Flatiron District
✮ FRIENDS Experience, The ☎ - a tourist attraction with TV set recreations and many photo opportunities
✮ Harry Potter New York - an impressive two-floor Harry Potter-themed retail store; a must visit for any Harry Potter fan
✮ LEGO Store - one of two LEGO retail stores in NYC (both of which are significantly more impressive than most other LEGO stores)
✮ Madison Square Park ✪ - a 6-acre public square and green space
✮ Museum of Sex - a museum that explores human sexuality; this is obviously intended for adults only
✮ Union Square ✪ - a lively public square and green space that features a popular holiday market from mid-Nov to late-December
Greenwich Village / West Village / Hudson Square
✮ Color Factory NYC ☎ - a participatory art museum primarily geared towards children; lots of fun photo opportunities
✮ Comedy Cellar ☎ - an iconic NYC comedy club
✮ Friends apartment ✪ - take a photo of the exterior of the famous TV show apartment; a great restaurant is also on site (Little Owl)
✮ Hudson River Park ✪ - a waterfront park along the Hudson River with pedestrian and cycling paths; several good playgrounds are nearby
✮ Sex in the City apartment ✪ - take a photo of the exterior of the famous TV show apartment
✮ Washington Square Park and Washington Square Arch ✪ - a nearly 10-acre public park and green space; offer a child splash pad in summer
Bowery / Noho / Nolita / East Village
✮ Bowery Mural ✪ - an ever-changing, large display of impressive street art; many other murals can be found in the surrounding streets
✮ Strand Book Store - the best new and used book store in NYC (and certainly one of the best used book stores in the U.S.)
Kips Bay / Murray Hill
✮ Dalmatian & Taxi Sculpture ✪ - although there's little else around this area, this impressive 38-foot sculpture is 100% worthy of a photo op
LOWER MANHATTAN/DOWNTOWN
Tribeca / Soho
✮ Bean Sculpture, The ✪ - NYC's take on the famous Bean/Cloud Gate of Chicago; located 56 Leonard St.
✮ Ghostbusters Headquarters ✪ - see the iconic firehouse featured in the Ghostbusters movies; corner of N. Moore St. and Varick St.
✮ New York City Fire Museum - the official museum of the FDNY is one of the premier firefighting museums in the U.S.
✮ Staple Street Skybridge ✪ - one of the iconic portrait photography spots in NYC; features a dark-green colored residential skybridge
Some might argue that the Museum of Ice Cream needs to be included in the list above, but many consider it to be overpriced. It is also not unique to NYC as you can find it in some other cities.
Financial District / Battery Park
✮ Battery Playscape ✪ - opened in 2021, this playground area offers multiple kid slides, elevated playhouses, and more
✮ Brookfield Place ✪ - an upscale shopping center near the National 9/11 Memorial & Museum; several green spaces are close by as well
✮ Charging Bull sculpture ✪ - a large bronze statue of a charging bull in the Wall Street district near junction of State St. & Broadway
✮ Eately ✪ - an Italian marketplace with authentic Italian products and several restaurants/take-out counters; several locations in the U.S.
✮ Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration ☎ - take a boat tour to visit this famous immigration museum; combine with Statue of Liberty
✮ FDNY Memorial Wall ✪ - a moving memorial of fallen FDNY heroes; located very close to the National 9/11 Memorial & Museum
✮ Fearless Girl ✪ - a bronze sculpture of a girl promoting female empowerment; she faces the imposing New York Stock Exchange building
✮ HeliNY ☎ - a top-rated NYC helicoptering experience; take note there is a 275lb weight limit
✮ National 9/11 Memorial ✪ & Museum ☎ - two memorial pools (free) and a museum (admission) at the former site of the World Trade Center
✮ National Museum of the American Indian - one of the premium American Indian museums in the U.S.
✮ Oculus Center ✪ - a modern transportation hub and architectural marvel that also has several dozen retailers; adjacent to the 9/11 Memorial
✮ One World Observatory ☎ - a highly-rated, 360-degree observation deck viewing experience from the highest point in NYC
✮ SeaGlass Carousel - a one-of-a-kind fish-themed carousel located in Battery Park
✮ Staten Island Ferry ✪ - take a free ferry for fantastic views of NYC and the Statue of Liberty; 'the closest free way to see the Statue of Liberty'
✮ Statue of Liberty ☎ - book a book tour to visit the island and statue, or take the (free) Staten Island Ferry to get a great close view of it
✮ Teardrop Park ✪ - a small urban park with a fun and long children's metal slide; one of the best playground slides in NYC
✮ Trinity Church ✪ - one of the most visually impressive and historic churches in NYC
Lower East Side / Chinatown / Two Bridges
✮ Anime Claw - kids will love playing and winning prizes from these claw machines in the heart of Chinatown
✮ Brooklyn Bridge ✪ - walk across this famous pedestrian bridge to explore great waterfront public parks (and eat great food) in Brooklyn
✮ Economy Candy - the most iconic candy shop in NYC; prices are actually very reasonable!
✮ Immersive Gamebox ☎ - offers interactive, room-based gaming experiences; this type of attraction is rapidly expanding across the U.S.
✮ Tenement Museum ☎ - guided tours of two historic tenement buildings with exhibits covering the NYC immigrant experience
BRONX
✮ Arthur Avenue - this Italian neighborhood offers some of the finest Italian restaurants and retail markets in NYC
✮ Bronx Zoo - NYC's best zoo has more than 6,000 animals from more than 700 species
✮ New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) - a 250-acre 'urban oasis' featuring gardens, tram rides, and walking paths
✮ Yankee Stadium ☎ - the historic home of the New York Yankees professional baseball team
The Bronx is located northeast of Manhattan, and can be reached via subway.
BROOKLYN
✮ Brooklyn Botanical Garden - a 52-acre collection of botanical gardens
✮ Brooklyn Bridge Park ✪ - a great public park with excellent views of the NYC skyline; accessible from the Brooklyn Bridge
✮ Brooklyn Heights Promenade ✪ - a 0.3-mile long platform and pedestrian walkway offering great views of the Manhattan skyline
✮ Bushwick Street Art ✪ - a collection of impressive art murals; search online for a walking map
✮ Coney Island - an old fashioned, summertime entertainment district with amusement parks, beaches, and other waterfront attractions
✮ Dyker Heights - a neighborhood that goes completely overboard with holiday lights and decorations (starts the day after Thanksgiving)
✮ Jane's Carousel - a historic, wooden 48-horse carousel built in 1922; located near the Brooklyn Bridge and Brooklyn Bridge Park
✮ New York Transit Museum ☎ - a museum with exhibits on NYC subway, bus, and commuter rail systems; includes several vintage train cars
✮ Washington St. view of Manhattan Bridge ✪ - an iconic photo op of Manhattan Bridge; often referred to as 'the famous DUMBO view'
Brooklyn is located southeast of Manhattan, and can be reached via subway or by walking across the Brooklyn Bridge from lower Manhattan.
For an overview map of the various neighborhoods of Manhattan, see my map above or visit Wikipedia.
|
 | |
 | |
 | |
| Little Island | |
Times Square | |
The Bean |
| There are a million different ways to plan a trip to NYC. Here is one intinerary that I quickly put together for a full 5-days of exploration. Take note that this intinerary assumes that you are willing and able to walk a lot.
DAY #1 - LOWER MANHATTAN
✮ Explore the 9/11 Memorial Plaza (free; 15-30 minutes)
✮ Enter the Oculus building and photograph it from Church Street (free; 15 minutes)
✮ Visit the 9/11 Museum (reservations highly recommended; 2 hours)
✮ See the FDNY Memorial Wall (free; 15 minutes)
✮ Lunch
✮ Take a ferry from Battery Park to visit the Statue of Liberty (reserve in advance; 3 hours which includes the ferry rides to/from the island)
✮ See the Charging Bull and/or Fearless Girl statues/sculptures in the Financial District (free; 30 minutes)
✮ Walk across some or all of the Brooklyn Bridge (free; 1-2 hours)
✮ Dinner
DAY #2 - CHELSEA / HUDSON YARDS / MEATPACKING DISTRICT
✮ Visit the public park and gardens of Little Island (free; 1-2 hours)
✮ Explore the Chelsea Market retail marketplace and perhaps also visit some of the nearby art galleries (free; 1-2 hours)
✮ Lunch
✮ Walk the entire 1.45-mile High Line, an elevated linear greenway for walkers (free; 1 hour)
✮ Climb the various staircases of the Vessel (reservations recommended; 1 hour)
✮ Enjoy views from the Edge NYC skyscraper (reserve in advance; 2 hours, which includes security and elevator line queues)
✮ Dinner
DAY #3 & DAY #4 - MIDTOWN
✮ Explore as many streets and attractions in and around Bryant Park, the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, and Times Square as possible
✮ Most of the best attractions and shopping is found between 9th Ave and Madison Ave
DAY #5 - CENTRAL PARK
✮ Visit a world-class museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art or the American Museum of Natural History (reserve in advance; 3-5 hours)
✮ Lunch
✮ Explore the lower and/or central portions of Central Park (free unless you opt for a guided tour; 2-3 hours)
✮ Dinner
✮ Catch a show on Broadway (e.g. Hamilton, Lion King, Wicked, etc.)
|
WHAT IS NEW YORK CITY FAMOUS FOR?
|
Here are some things that New York City is famous or well-known for:
✮ 9/11
✮ bakeries
✮ bike paths/lanes
✮ billboards (e.g. Times Square)
✮ bridges (e.g. Brooklyn Bridge)
✮ Broadway shows/theater
✮ cultural diversity
✮ holiday shopping markets (e.g. Bryant Park, Union Square, etc.)
✮ horse drawn carriages
✮ finance/banking industry
✮ landmarks (e.g. Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, etc.)
✮ immigration history
✮ museums (e.g. American Museum of Natural History, the MET, MoMA, etc.)
✮ observation decks (e.g. The Edge, Empire State Building, One World Observatory, SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, Top of the Rock)
✮ pedicabs
✮ professional sports teams (e.g. New York Yankees)
✮ skyscrapers
✮ street vendors selling fake merchandise
✮ subway system (it's huge)
✮ upscale/high-end shopping
✮ urban/public parks (e.g. Battery Park, Bryant Park, Central Park, Washington Square Park, etc.)
✮ yellow cabs/taxis
See section below for a list of the famous foods of New York City.
|
 | |
 | |
 | |
| NYC skyline from Brooklyn Bridge Park |
|
Charging Bull (Wall Street area) |
|
winter ice skating at Bryant Park |
NYC is a world-class destination for museum lovers. Here is a list of NYC's finest museums:
☎ = advance online reservations/tickets are required or highly recommended
World-Class NYC Museums
✮ American Museum of Natural History ☎ - one of the finest natural history museums in the U.S.; amazing dinosaur fossils and animal exhibits
✮ Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration ☎ - take a boat tour to visit this famous immigration museum; combine with Statue of Liberty
✮ Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) ☎ - the largest and arguably best art museum in the U.S.
✮ Museum of Modern Art, The (MoMA) ☎ - one of the largest and best modern art museums in the World
✮ National 9/11 Memorial & Museum ☎ - two memorial pools (free) and a museum (admission) at the former site of the World Trade Center
Other Top-Rated NYC Museums
✮ Brooklyn Museum
✮ Frick Collection, The
✮ Fotografiska Museum
✮ Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum ☎
✮ Jewish Museum, The
✮ Met Cloisters, The
✮ Morgan Library & Museum, The ☎
✮ Museum at FIT
✮ Museum of Sex
✮ Museum of the City of New York
✮ National Museum of the American Indian
✮ New York City Fire Museum
✮ Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
✮ Tenement Museum ☎
✮ Whitney Museum of American Art
I don't consider the New York Public Library or Madame Tussauds as 'museums', but I can appreciate why some might.
Take note that many of NYC's museums offer discounted days or even admission-free days.
|
OBSERVATION DECKS IN NEW YORK CITY
|
NYC offers several excellent observation deck experiences that offer scenic views of the city. This includes:
✮ Edge, The - an open-air observation deck located in Hudson Yards near the Vessel
✮ Empire State Building - the oldest observation deck in NYC is located in Midtown South near Macy's
✮ One World Observatory - a 102nd floor observation deck near the southern tip of Manhattan
✮ SUMMIT One Vanderbilt - a multi-floor observation deck experience in Midtown between Grand Central Station and Bryant Park
✮ Top of the Rock - located in Midtown within Rockefeller Center
Advance reservations are recommended for all observation decks (and they do usually sell out). Before visiting, always check their website to see a list of prohibited items.
If I had to choose just one observation deck, I would choose SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, and I would make a reservation for 60-90 minutes prior to sunset. However, all five experiences listed above are worthwhile, although they are all admittedly very pricey. I haven't done it yet, but the 'City Climb' at the Edge looks like an awesome, adrenaline-pumping experience.
|
PLAYGROUNDS IN NEW YORK CITY
|
NYC offers many excellent outdoor playgrounds for children. Several are considerably more extensive and impressive than a typical park you'd find in a smaller city or town.
My favorite playgrounds in NYC currently include:
✮ Ancient Playground - Central Park
✮ Battery Playscape - Battery Park
✮ Billy Johnson Playground - Central Park; this medium sized playground offers a steep and unique curving slide that is built into the landscape
✮ Chelsea Waterside Park - Chelsea Park; this fun and attractive playground features fish-themed elements and has a large and fast metal slide
✮ Heckscher Park - Central Park; this is the largest playground in the park, and it is also surrounded by climbable rocks and boulders
✮ Hippo Playground - Upper West Side; this small playground features several photogenic hippo sculptures
✮ Hudson River Park - Tribeca
✮ Pier 6 Playground - Brooklyn
✮ Rockefeller Park Playground - Battery Park
✮ Silver Towers Public Park - Hell's Kitchen; this attractive but small playground that features a 30-foot long bronze sculpture of an stick figure
✮ Teardrop Park - Battery Park; this small playground has rocks to climb and an extra long and fast metal slide
Domino Park in Williamsburg (which is north of Brooklyn) also includes an impressive playground, but I haven't visited with my daughter yet.
The Seaside Nature Wildlife Park Playground on Staten Island looks promising too. Slide Hill on Governors Island also looks fun.
|
 | |
 | |
 | |
| views from Central Park | |
John Lennon Memorial, Central Park | |
Alice in Wonderland statue, Central Park |
SHOPPING IN NEW YORK CITY
|
New York City is a shoppers' paradise. Here are some of the iconic shopping areas/streets in the city:
✮ 5th Avenue between 49th and 60th streets
✮ Brookfield Place near the One World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan
✮ Chelsea Market near the High Line
✮ Hudson Yards near the High Line
✮ Madison Avenue between East 57th and East 86th streets
✮ The Shops at Columbus Circle near Central Park
✮ Times Square
Both Bryant Park and Union Square offer excellent pop-up winter markets. Bryant Park's Winter Village is typically open from late-October through early-March, and Union Square Holiday Market is typically open from mid-November through Christmas Eve. Although run by the same company, I highly recommend visiting both. I also recommend the outdoor ice skating while you are at Bryant Park. It's free if you bring your own skates.
|
LIVE PERFORMANCES IN NEW YORK CITY
|
Here are some of NYC's premier performance venues:
✮ Carnegie Hall
✮ Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
✮ Madison Square Garden
✮ Radio City Music Hall
In addition to those performance venues listed above, there are more than a dozen other theaters that present various Broadway productions.
Some of the more popular Broadway productions at the current moment include:
✮ Aladdin
✮ Book of Mormon, The
✮ Chicago
✮ Hamilton
✮ Les Miserables
✮ Lion King, The
✮ MJ the Musical
✮ Moulin Rouge
✮ Phantom of the Opera, The
✮ Rent
✮ West Side Story
✮ Wicked
The Blue Man Group also performs in NYC (in an 'off-Broadway' theater). If you haven't seen them in other cities before, they are worth a watch.
I recommend getting tickets well advance for Broadway shows, although it is sometimes possible to get day-of tickets to some shows. Last minute discounted tickets may also be possible.
|
OUTDOOR ICE SKATING IN NEW YORK CITY
|
New York City offers several outdoor ice skating experiences in the late fall and winter seasons, including:
✮ Glide at Brooklyn Bridge Park - located in Brooklyn
✮ LeFrank Center at Lakeside - located in Brooklyn
✮ The Rink at Brookfield Place - located in southern Manhattan near the National 9/11 Memorial
✮ The Rink at Manhattan West - located in Midtown South
✮ The Rink at Rockefeller Center - located in central Manhattan (a few blocks northeast of Times Square); VERY expensive!
✮ Winter Village at Bryant Park - located in central Manhattan (a few blocks southeast of Times Square); FREE if you bring your own skates!
✮ Wollman Rink in Central Park - located in Central Park in central/upper Manhattan
My personal favorite spot for outdoor ice skating in NYC is the Winter Village at Bryant Park. I recommend arriving early to beat the crowds, especially on weekends. You can bring your own skates or rent some from there. If you bring your own skates, it's FREE!.
The Edge also offers a 'Sky Skate' experience, where you can ice skate on a synthetic rink on the 100th floor of a skyscraper.
|
NEW YORK CITY WITH CHILDREN
|
Depending upon their age, I would say that most attractions in NYC are child-friendly. However, I have constructed the list below to indicate what I would consider the premier child-friendly attractions in NYC:
✪ = indicates a FREE attraction
☎ = advance online reservations/tickets are required or highly recommended
Central/Upper Manhattan
✮ American Museum of Natural History ☎ - one of the finest natural history museums in the U.S.; amazing dinosaur fossils and animal exhibits
✮ Central Park ✪ - the largest urban park in NYC has a zoo, many playgrounds, and other interesting areas for kids (e.g. climbing on boulders)
Older children may also enjoy the Metropolitan Museum of Art (aka the 'MET'). Younger children are also likely to enjoy the Children's Museum of Manhattan and the Hippo Playground.
Central Manhattan
✮ American Girl NYC Store - one of several U.S. stores of the beloved doll company; reservations needed for doll experiences (e.g. hairstyling)
✮ Disney Store - a flagship, two-story Disney retail store located in the heart of Times Square
✮ FAO Schwarz - NYC's most iconic toy store; located in Rockefeller Plaza
✮ Hershey's Chocolate World - a large retail store that also offers chocolate-focused experiences
✮ LEGO Store Fifth Avenue - one of the best/flagship LEGO stores in the U.S.
✮ Madame Tussauds New York - one of the most impressive wax museums in the World; take photos with wax figures of many famous people
✮ M&M's Store - a fun, two-story retail store dedicated to M&M candy
✮ Nintendo Store - a two-story, Nintendo flagship retail store located in Rockefeller Center
✮ Silver Towers Public Park ✪ - an attractive but small children's playground that features a 30-foot long bronze sculpture of an stick figure
✮ SPYSCAPE - an 'immersive interactive adventure into your hidden (spy) powers'; an 'experiential museum' where you pretend to be a spy
Older children may also enjoy the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum and/or one of the observation decks in the area (e.g. Top of the Rock or SUMMIT One Vanderbilt). There are also several kid-friendly Broadway shows, including Aladdin and Lion King.
Lower / Central Manhattan
✮ Chelsea Waterside Playground ✪ - a small but quirky and fun playground; features the best and fastest children's slide in the city
✮ Color Factory NYC ☎ - a participatory art museum primarily geared towards children; lots of fun photo opportunities
✮ Harry Potter New York - an impressive two-floor Harry Potter-themed retail store; a must visit for any Harry Potter fan
✮ Hudson River Park ✪ - a waterfront park along the Hudson River with pedestrian and cycling paths; several good playgrounds are nearby
✮ LEGO Store Flatiron District - one of the best/flagship LEGO stores in the U.S.
✮ Little Island ✪ - a beautiful waterfront park that rests on concrete tulips; opened in 2021, this is one of the very best green spaces in NYC
✮ Museum of Illusions ☎ - part of a growing chain of small museums that focused on optical illusions; several fun photo opportunities
✮ Washington Square Park ✪ - a green space that includes a playground and also a splash pad in summer
Older children may also enjoy the observation deck at the Edge.
Lower Manhattan
✮ Anime Claw - kids will love playing and winning prizes from these claw machines in the heart of Chinatown
✮ Battery Playscape ✪ - opened in 2021, this playground area offers multiple kid slides, elevated playhouses, and more
✮ Economy Candy - the most iconic candy shop in NYC; prices are actually very reasonable!
✮ Immersive Gamebox ☎ - offers interactive, room-based gaming experiences; this type of attraction is rapidly expanding across the U.S.
✮ Museum of Ice Cream ☎ - an arguably overpriced 'museum' that admittedly has many fun, ice-cream based photo opportunities
✮ SeaGlass Carousel - a one-of-a-kind fish-themed carousel located in Battery Park
✮ Sloomoo Institute ☎ - the ultimate NYC 'slime' experience for kids
✮ Statue of Liberty ☎ - book a book tour to visit the island and statue, or take the (free) Staten Island Ferry to get a great close view of it
✮ Teardrop Park ✪ - a small urban park with a long and fun metal slide (one of the best playground slides in NYC)
Older children may also enjoy the National 9/11 Memorial & Museum and/or the One World Observatory. My daughter really enjoyed the 9/11 Museum when she was 10.
Outside of Manhattan
✮ Bronx Zoo - NYC's best zoo has more than 6,000 animals from more than 700 species; currently free on Wednesdays if you reserve online
✮ Coney Island - an old-fashioned, summertime entertainment zone in Brooklyn with amusement rides, beaches, and other attractions
✮ Yankee Stadium ☎ - the historic home of the New York Yankees professional baseball team is located in the Bronx
|
 | |
 | |
 | |
| Chelsea Waterside Playground | |
Heckscher Playground, Central Park | |
Silver Towers Public Park |
NYC RESTAURANTS / FOOD BY NEIGHBORHOOD |
Manhattan offers an amazing assortment of fantastic restaurants. You can find practically every type of ethnic food in the city. Here is a sample of many highly rated restaurants by Manhattan area/neighborhood. There are hundreds of other great restaurants in Manhattan, but my goal here is to provide some solid recommendations. If a restaurant listed here has closed or moved, please email me at gparsons66@hotmail.com so that I can update this page.
Upper West Side / Lincoln Square / Morningside Heights
✮ 5 Napkin Burger (hamburgers) - $$
✮ 7th Street Burger (take-out hamburgers) - $
✮ Absolute Bagels (bagels) - $
✮ Barney Greengrass (bagels/smoked fish) - $
✮ Carmine's (italian) - $$$
✮ Celeste (italian) - $$
✮ Chip City (cookies) - $
✮ Jacob's Pickles (southern food) - $$
✮ Jean-Georges (french) - $$$$$
✮ Levian Bakery (cookies/bakery; arguably the best cookies in NYC) - $
✮ Maison Pickle (american/french dip sandwiches) - $$/$$$
✮ Per Se (french) - $$$$$
✮ Sala Thai (thai) - $$
✮ Tavern On The Green (american) - $$$
✮ Virgil's Real BBQ (BBQ) - $$
Upper East Side / Yorkville / Lenox Hill
✮ 7th Street Burger (take-out hamburgers) - $
✮ Avra Madison (mediterranean/greek) - $$$/$$$$
✮ BLT Prime (steakhouse) - $$$$
✮ Daniel (french) - $$$$$
✮ Flex Mussels (seafood) - $$$
✮ JG Melon (hamburgers) - $$
✮ Levian Bakery (cookies/bakery; arguably the best cookies in NYC) - $
✮ Piccola Cucina Uptown (italian) - $$/$$$
Midtown West / Hells Kitchen / Clinton
✮ 5 Napkin Burger (hamburgers) - $$
✮ Bea (american) - $$/$$$
✮ Empanada Mama (latin american/empanadas) - $
✮ EZ Paella & Tapas (spanish) - $$
✮ IL Punto (italian) - $$
✮ Meatball Shop, The (italian/american) - $$
✮ Mom's Kitchen and Bar (breakfast/brunch/american) - $$
✮ Pio Pio (peruvian) - $$/$$$
✮ Schmackary's (cookies) - $
Midtown / Times Square / Theatre District / Bryant Park / Rockefeller Center
✮ 7th Street Burger (take-out hamburgers) - $
✮ Avra Rockefeller Center (mediterranean/greek) - $$$/$$$$
✮ Black Iron Burger (hamburgers) - $$
✮ Burger & Lobster Bryant Park (seafood/hamburgers) - $$$
✮ Capital Grille, The (steakhouse) - $$$$
✮ Gabriel Kreuther (french) - $$$$$
✮ Gallaghers Steakhouse (steakhouse) - $$$$
✮ Halal Guys, The (halal food) - $
✮ Indian Accent (indian) - $$$$
✮ Joe's Pizza (pizza) - $$/$$$
✮ John's Pizzeria of Times Square (pizza) - $$
✮ Junior's Restaurant & Bakery (american + cheesecake) - $$
✮ Le Bernardin (french) - $$$$$
✮ Los Tacos #1 (take-out mexican/tacos) - $
✮ Marea (italian) - $$$$
✮ Mitr Thai (thai) - $$
✮ Nobu Fifty Seven (japanese/peruvian) - $$$/$$$$
✮ Oceana (seafood) - $$$/$$$$
✮ Osteria del Bianco (italian) - $$$/$$$$
✮ Quality Meats (steakhouse) - $$$/$$$$
✮ Virgil's Real BBQ (BBQ) - $$/$$$
Andrews NYC Diner, Blue Box Cafe (aka Breakfast at Tiffany's), Carmine's, Ellen's Stardust Diner, and Patsy's Italian Restaurant are enormously popular restaurants in Midtown, but they are considered 'touristy' and locals generally tend to avoid them. It's ultimately your choice whether you want to visit these famed restaurants or not, but I think the odds are fairly high that if you do, you'll vow not to eat there again.
Here are a few great restaurants near Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall: Avra (mediterranean), Del Friscos (steakhouse), Le Bernardin (french), Oceana (seafood), and Osteria del Blanco (italian). Bill's Bar & Burger is extremely popular but overall reviews seem to be good, but not outstanding. If you want cheap and fast, there's a Five Guys take-out burger restaurant as well.
Midtown South / Garment District / Koreatown
✮ Best Bagel & Coffee (bagels) - $
✮ Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer - 35th St. (hamburgers and 'CrazyShakes') - $$
✮ Burger World (halal hamburgers) - $
✮ Hill Country Barbecue Market (BBQ) - $$
✮ Keens Steakhouse (steakhouse; mutton chops) - $$$$
✮ Liberty Bagels Midtown (bagels) - $
✮ NY Pizza Suprema (pizza) - $$/$$$
✮ Rocco Steakhouse (steakhouse) - $$$$
✮ STK Steakhouse Midtown NYC (high-end steakhouse chain) - $$$$
Midtown East / Turtle Bay / Sutton
✮ 7th Street Burger (take-out hamburgers) - $
✮ Aquavit (scandinavian) - $$$$$
✮ Avra 48th Street (mediterranean/greek) - $$$/$$$$
✮ Club A (steakhouse) - $$$$
✮ Liberty Bagels 5th Ave (bagels) - $
✮ Los Tacos #1 (take-out mexican/tacos) - $
✮ P.J. Clarke's (american/hamburgers/seafood) - $$/$$$
✮ Sparks (steakhouse) - $$$$
Chelsea / Hudson Yards / Meatpacking District
✮ Buddakan (asian) - $$$
✮ Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company (bagels) - $
✮ Chama Mama Chelsea (georgian) - $$
✮ Cookshop (american/brunch) - $$
✮ Coppelia (cuban/lomo saltado) - $$
✮ Doughnut Pub, The (donuts) - $
✮ Los Tacos #1 (take-out mexican/tacos) - $
✮ Mercado Little Spain @ Hudson Yards (spanish) - $$
✮ Pastis (french) - $$$
Gramercy Park / Union Square / Flatiron
✮ Burger & Lobster Flatiron (seafood/hamburgers) - $$$
✮ COTE Korean Steakhouse (korean/steakhouse) - $$$$
✮ Craft (american) - $$$$
✮ Dough Doughnuts (donuts) - $
✮ Eately (italian) - $$
✮ Eleven Madison Park (american) - $$$$$
✮ Gotham (american) - $$$/$$$$ but temporarily closed!
✮ Gramercy Tavern (american) - $$$$
✮ Hill Country Barbecue Market (BBQ) - $$/$$$
✮ Ilili (middle eastern/lebanese) - $$$/$$$$
✮ Strip House Steakhouse (steakhouse) - $$$/$$$$
✮ Tacombi (mexican/tacos) - $
✮ Union Square Cafe (american) - $$$
Greenwich Village / West Village / Hudson Square
✮ 7th Street Burger (take-out hamburgers) - $
✮ Bleecker Street Pizza (pizza) - $$
✮ Don Angie (italian/american) - $$/$$$
✮ Emily Pizza (pizza) - $$
✮ Joe's Pizza (pizza) - $$
✮ Little Owl (mediterranean; this restaurant is also located directly below the apartment featured in the TV show Friends) - $$$
✮ Mermaid Oyster Bar (seafood/lobster rolls) - $$/$$$
✮ Minetta Tavern (french/american/hamburgers; the hamburgers are amongst the best rated in NYC) - $$$
✮ Molly's Cupcakes (bakery; try the peach cobbler and/or creme brulee!) - $
✮ Olio e Piu (italian) - $$$
✮ Pommes Frites (french fries) - $/$$
Bowery / Noho / Nolita / East Village / Ukrainian Village
✮ 7th Street Burger (take-out hamburgers) - $
✮ Balthazar (french) - $$$
✮ Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company (bagels) - $
✮ Cafe Mogador (moroccan) - $$
✮ Hanoi House (vietnamese) - $$
✮ Ippudo NY (japanese) - $$
✮ Levian Bakery (cookies/bakery; arguably the best cookies in NYC) - $
✮ Momofuku Noodle Bar (asian) - $$
✮ Russ & Daughters (bagels and smoked fish) - $/$$
✮ Somtum Der (thai) - $$
✮ Tompkins Square Bagels (bagels) - $
✮ Veniero's Pastry (bakery/cannolis/cheesecake) - $
✮ Veselka (ukrainian/borscht/pierogis) - $$
Rose Hill / Kips Bay / Murray Hill
✮ 2nd Ave Deli (sandwiches) - $
✮ 7th Street Burger (take-out hamburgers) - $
✮ Atomix (korean) - $$$$$
✮ Bagels & Schmear (bagels) - $
✮ Jackson Hole Burgers (hamburgers) - $$
✮ Upland (american/italian) - $$$
Tribeca / Soho
✮ Blue Ribbon Brasserie (southern food/american) - $$$
✮ Blue Ribbon Sushi (sushi) - $$$
✮ Bubby's (american) - $$
✮ Dominique Ansel Bakery (bakery/cronuts) - $
✮ Eileen's Special Cheesecake (cheesecake) - $
✮ Le Coucou (french) - $$$$
✮ Locanda Verde (italian) - $$$
✮ Los Tacos #1 (take-out mexican/tacos) - $
✮ Odeon (french/american) - $$/$$$
✮ Piccola Cucina Estiatorio (italian) - $$/$$$
✮ Piccola Cucina Osteria Sciliana (italian) - $$/$$$
✮ Prince Street Pizza (pizza) - $$
✮ Raoul's (french) - $$$
✮ Rubirosa (pizza) - $$/$$$
✮ Tamarind Tribeca (indian) - $$/$$$
Financial District / Battery Park
✮ 7th Street Burger (take-out hamburgers) - $
✮ Crown Shy (american) - $$/$$$
✮ Delmonico's (steakhouse) - $$$$
✮ Joe's Pizza (pizza) - $$
✮ Kesté Pizza e Vino (italian) - $$
✮ Liberty Bagels Wall Street (bagels) - $
Lower East Side / Chinatown / Two Bridges / Little Italy
✮ Beauty & Essex (american) - $$$
✮ Clinton St. Baking Company (breakfast/pancakes/chicken & waffles) - $$
✮ Doughnut Plant (donuts) - $
✮ Freemans (american) - $$$
✮ Good Thanks Cafe (breakfast/brunch) - $$
✮ IL Cortile (italian) - $$
✮ IL Laboratorio del Gelato (gelato) - $
✮ Ivan Ramen (asian) - $$
✮ Joe's Shanghai (asian; soup dumplings) - $$
✮ Katz's Delicatessen (pastrami sandwiches) - $/$$
✮ Nom Wah Tea Parlor (asian) - $
✮ Russ & Daughters (bagels/smoked fish) - $
✮ Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery (bakery/cupcakes/banana pudding) - $
✮ Supermoon Bakehouse (bakery/cruffins, which are croissant muffins with various fillings) - $
✮ Sweet Chick (american/fried chicken) - $/$$
✮ Wo Hop (asian) - $
✮ Wu's Wonton King (asian) - $
✮ Xi'an Famous Foods (asian) - $
Take note that most foodies would agree that the best Italian food in the city is generally NOT found in Little Italy. Good Italian food is actually spread all over Manhattan. There's also the Arthur Avenue area in the Bronx.
As of 2024, there are four restaurants in NYC that have earned Michelin's coveted 3-star rating. They are: Eleven Madison Park, Le Bernardin, Per Se, and Masa. There are about a dozen or so restaurants with a 2-star rating. See here for Michelin's list of 2-star restaurants. |
FOODS TO TRY IN NEW YORK CITY
|
There are some local food specialties to consider trying while visiting New York City:
✮ bagels - try @ Brooklyn Bagel (several locations, including Chelsea) or Liberty Bagel (several locations, including Midtown)
✮ black and white cookies - try @ Zaro's Family Bakery (several locations)
✮ cronut - try @ Dominique Ansel Bakery (Soho)
✮ halal food - try @ The Halal Guys (Midtown near the intersection of 6th Avenue and W 53rd St.)
✮ hot dogs - try @ Gray's Papaya (Upper West Side) or Nathan's Famous (Coney Island, Brooklyn)
✮ knish - try @ Yonah Schimmel's Knish Bakery (Ukranian Village)
✮ mutton chop - try @ Keens Steakhouse (Midtown)
✮ New York-style cheesecake - try @ Junior's (Times Square), Eileen's Special Cheesecake (Soho), or Veniero's (East Village)
✮ New York-style pizza - try @ John's of Bleecker Street (Greenwich Village) or Joe's Pizza (several locations in Manhattan)
✮ pastrami sandwiches - try @ Katz Delicatessen (Lower East Side), Sarge's Deli (Murray Hill), or Pastrami Queen (Upper East Side)
✮ peroigi sandwiches - try @ Little Poland (Stuyvesant), Veselka (Ukranian Village), Baba's Pierogies (Brooklyn), or Pierozek (Brooklyn)
✮ soup dumplings - try @ Joe's Shanghai (Chinatown), Nan Xiang (Midtown or East Village), or Noodle Village (Chinatown)
While visiting NYC, you should also try the pork, chicken, and/or steak tacos from any one of the Los Tacos #1 locations. They are the best tacos my wife and I have found in the our travels across the U.S.
Best Bagels in NYC:
Absolute Bagels, Bagels & Schmear, Broad Nosh Bagels, Brooklyn Bagel, Liberty Bagels, Tompkins Square Bagels
Best Cookies in NYC:
Chip City, Culture Espresso,
Levain, Funny Face Bakery, Schmackary's
Best Hamburgers in NYC:
5 Napkin Burger, 7th Street Burger, Bills Bar & Burger, Black Iron Burger, Black Tap Craft Burgers, Burger Joint, Burger World, Corner Bistro, Jackson Hole Burgers, JG Melon, Minetta Tavern, Peter Luger, Pig N' Whistle
Best Pizza in NYC:
Best Pizza (Brooklyn), Joe's (several locations), John's of Bleecker Street, John's Pizzeria of Times Square, Keste Pizza e Vino, L'Industrie (Brooklyn), Luigi's Pizza (Brooklyn), NY Pizza Suprema, Patsy's Pizzeria (East Harlem), Prince Street Pizza, Rubirosa
Best Steakhouses in NYC:
BLT Prime, Club A, Capital Grille, Delmonico's, Gallaghers Steakhouse (although you should read about its recent 'C' safety rating debacle before going), Keens Steakhouse, Old Homestead, Peter Luger Steak House (Brooklyn), Quality Meats, Rocco Steakhouse, Sparks, Strip House Steakhouse, STK Steakhouse Midtown, Wolfgang's Steakhouse |
TIPS FOR VISITING NEW YORK CITY |
Here are a few travel tips for visiting New York City:
LENGTH OF STAY - If you are visiting New York City for the first time, I recommend staying for at least 4-5 nights. New York is a monstrous city and there is just so much to see and do. If you can stay an entire week, great! (you won't get bored, I promise). Staying in central or lower-central Manhattan is very desirable, but also very expensive. Cheaper options may exist in Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, or across the river in New Jersey. My favorite moderately-priced hotels (so far) are Chelsea Cambria and the San Carlos Hotel.
PEDICABS - in Midtown and in Central Park, it is very easy to hail a pedicab, which is a small, human-powered tricycle. Most can accommodate 2 or sometimes even 3 people (2 adults + 1 child is usually fine). In general, the cost is $7-$10 per minute as of 2023. You can often negotiate a lower price, especially if you will be traveling a good distance.
DRIVING - Driving in Manhattan is challenging, but having street numbers based on a grid does help a lot. The street numbers decrease as you travel south through Manhattan (e.g. 48th St. to 34th St is heading south) and the avenue numbers decrease as you head east (e.g. 9th Ave. to 5th Ave. is heading east).
TAXIS - NYC has a million taxis. They are often easier than Uber/Lyft, but not always cheaper. It is customary to tip your taxi driver in NYC. I like to give a $3-$5 tip for short/medium length rides, and a 10-15% tip based on the total cost for longer rides.
PARKING - Parking is difficult but not impossible in Manhattan. It is always very expensive though. In November 2023, we paid $62/night in the Chelsea neighborhood for an underground garage, and we considered that a reasonably good deal. As of 2023, overnight parking on Manhattan can sometimes reach up to $80 or even $90 per night. Street parking is extremely difficult, and near impossible to find near any touristy area. I wouldn't plan on finding street parking if I were you.
FREE THINGS TO DO - visit Town and Country Magazine for a great article about free attractions and things to do in NYC. A top free thing to do is to take the Staten Island Ferry from lower Manhattan to see the Statue of Liberty. Take note that if you take this ferry, you will have to unboard and reboard on Staten Island to return back to Manhattan. If you are heading from Manhattan to Staten Island, you can see the statue on the right side of the ship or from the back. The back of the ship also has a fantastic view of Manhattan.
RESERVATIONS - Some people like itineraries and some people like to figure it all out on the go. I recommend having at least a rough plan for NYC. You'll also need reservations for many restaurants (especially at dinnertime), observation decks, and for many museums and other attractions. I would maybe think about planning half of each day and leaving blocks of a few hours between set times.
OVERRATED ATTRACTIONS - Every major city seems to have at least a few disappointing tourist attractions, and NYC is no different. Times Square is certainly overrated. The Empire State Building, while an iconic building, doesn't offer the best observation deck experience and so it is overrated (try Edge or SUMMIT One Vanderbilt instead). Little Italy doesn't have the best Italian food in NYC (not by a long shot), and so that's likely to be a let down. In terms of food, Ellen's Stardust Diner and Carmine's are probably the two most overrated restaurants in the city.
HOLIDAY SEASON - NYC is magical around the holidays. In general, all the holiday decorations are put up the week of Thanksgiving and taken down within a few days after New Years. To see festive decorations, I recommend visiting Rockefeller Center, the streets around Radio City Music Hall, and the windows and interior of Macy's Herald Square. You could also travel over to Brooklyn to see the Dyker Heights Christmas Lights. I would avoid Rolf's restaurant, which is heavily decorated for the holidays but consistently generates horrible reviews from travelers.
GETTING TO MANHATTAN FROM JFK AIRPORT - the cheapest way from JFK airport to Manhattan is to take the Jamacia AirTrain outbound from JFK airport. Once you reach the Sutphin Blvd-Archer Av-JFK Airport subway station, transfer to the subway line (e.g. line E heads to Times Square and line J heads to Wall Street) or a LIRR (Long Island Rail Road) train. A faster (but more expensive) option is to take a cab, Uber/Lyft, or private car/shuttle service from JFK Airport to your destination.
|
The NYC subway system is large and complex. It includes more than 470 stations and it travels all over Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and portions of Queens.
For some stations, the subway operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. However, many stations set hours and some are only open on certain days of the week (e.g. some are closed on weekends).
Here are some additional key things to know about the NYC subway system:
MANHATTAN - In Manhattan, the subway system is divided into three areas: Uptown (anything north of 59th St.), Midtown (between 59th St. and 14th St.), and Downtown (anything south of 14th St.). Knowing that Central Park, Harlem, and the Bronx are generally 'north' and Downtown and Brooklyn are generally 'south' will also help you navigate.
GOOGLE MAPS -
If you put a NYC destination or attraction into Google Maps, you can click on the "Transit" icon to see which NYC subway route(s) you will need to take, along with how long of a walk to/from the subway station to expect. I do this every time I use the subway.
SUBWAY ROUTES/LINES - the subway system uses both a number and alphabet naming convention. Download a New York City subway map or use Google Maps to figure out which routes/lines you need. Take note that many stations service multiple routes (e.g. the 42nd Street subway station at Times Square services the N, Q, R, W, 1, 2, 3, A, C, and E trains).
COST - the cost to ride the subway is the same no matter how long or far you travel. Take note that the first time you use a credit card at a subway turnstile (called OMNY), it will only allow you to use it once. In other words, if you are a group of three, bring and use three different credit cards. Eventually youyr credit card will allow you to use it for up to four riders, but it can take days (weeks?) before that happens. Or you can buy a MetroCard and use it for everyone (although it costs $1 to obtain through the machines at the subway).
GOOGLE MAPS -
If you put a NYC destination or attraction into Google Maps, you can click on the "Transit" icon to see which NYC subway route(s) you will need to take, along with how long of a walk to/from the subway station to expect. I do this every time I use the subway.
Please refer to this website to learn more about the subway system, including the various colors and letters/characters used.
|
NYC is simply magical around the holidays. Most holiday decorations are put up the Saturday or Sunday before Thanksgiving, although some of the christmas trees (including the famous Rockefeller tree) are lit in early December. The decorations are usually taken down the weekend following New Years Day. Here are some tips to help you make the best of a trip to NYC during the holidays:
✮ see big christmas trees at Rockefeller Center, Bryant Park, Lotte Palace, and the New York Stock Exchange
✮ take a guided bus or self-guided walking tour of the illuminated neighborhood homes of Dyker Heights in Brooklyn (located 1hr from Manhattan)
✮ see the giant holiday decorations on 6th Avenue in front of the Radio City Musical Hall
✮ visit the Bryant Park and/or Union Square winter holiday markets
✮ walk the light show at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden Lightscape
✮ go ice-skating at Bryant Park, Wollman Rink (Central Park), or Rockefeller Center
✮ catch the world-famous Radio City Christmas Rockettes Spectacular show
✮ visit Santaland at Macy's
✮ see the holiday lights at Hudson Yards and make a reservation to climb up the Vessel
✮ consider visiting a holiday-themed restaurant or bar (some require reservations well in advance; be warned that some receive poor online reviews)
Most of the illuminated houses in Dyker Heights are in the '80' streets. 84st street is often considered the best.
|
New York City has a 'humid subtropical' climate. This means the city is characterized by cool, wet winters and hot, humid summers. Rain is common year-round, and snow typically occurs several times between December and March. The average annual snowfall for NYC is about 33-34 inches. Every few years, NYC will experience a large snowstorm (most often in January or February) that will dump 1-2 feet of snow.
Here are the average monthly temperatures for New York City by month:
✮ January - high 39°F, low 26°F
✮ February - high 43°F, low 29°F
✮ March - high 52°F, low 36°F
✮ April - high 64°F, low 45°F
✮ May - high 72°F, low 54°F
✮ June - high 80°F, low 64°F
✮ July - high 84°F, low 69°F
✮ August - high 84°F, low 69°F
✮ September - high 76°F, low 61°F
✮ October - high 64°F, low 50°F
✮ November - high 55°F, low 42°F
✮ December - high 44°F, low 31°F
(Source: NOAA) |
I think the best times to visit NYC are in late April/May, Sept/Oct, or during the holidays anytime from the week before Thanksgiving until the week after New Years. The holiday decorations generally start to appear the weekend before Thanksgiving and remain up until the first week of January. Summer can be very hot and that may limit how much outdoor walking you are willing or able to do. Early-to-mid November is typically when NYC (including Central Park) experiences peak fall foliage.
NYC 24/7 MURAL
(Chelsea neighborhood)
GHOSTBUSTERS HEADQUARTERS
(corner of N. Moore St. and Varick St. in the Tribeca neighborhood)
ECONOMY CANDY
(Rivington St. in the Lower East Side neighborhood)
VESSEL
(outside of the Shops and Restaurants at Hudson Yards)
ST. PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL
(5th Avenue near Rockefeller Center)
DALMATIAN & TAXI SCULPTURE
(Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital in the Kips Bay neighborhood)
GIANT NEEDLE THREADING A BUTTON
(corner of 78th Ave and W. 39th St. between Times Square and Bryant Park)
BILLY JOHNSON PLAYGROUND
(southeastern section of Central Park; parallel with 67th St)
In addition to the information found on this web page, I personally recommend purchasing one of these New York City guidebooks. Click on any link to read reviews and/or purchase these books on Amazon.com.
COMING SOON!
|
As an Amazon Associates affiliate, this website contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase any products after clicking any Amazon.com link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. I only endorse products that I have personally used or those that come highly recommended by trusted peers.
|
