It’s easy to think “I’ll never have enough time for it all” when planning a trip to New York City. There is so much history and culture crammed into Manhattan, let alone the other four boroughs that make up the Big Apple. That’s why I’ve waited until after my sixth visit to write this guide to New York City. I wanted to make sure I had experienced enough of NYC, that I could confidently prioritise the top sights (not just the most obvious or popular ones) and guide you through the many, many options.
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How long for a first visit to New York City?
New York City is a place you could spend a lifetime exploring, but you can certainly cover the essential sights in a matter of days:
- Three days at an absolute minimum, will give you a superficial overview and whet your appetite for a return visit.
- Five days allows you to check off the classic list of must-sees on your first visit.
- Seven to ten days will give you a really well-rounded experience, stretching beyond Manhattan to the other boroughs. If you are travelling significant distance and time zones to get there, seven to ten days is also ideal as it gives you a little leeway for jetlag recovery.
This New York City guide is prioritized top to bottom, starting with must-dos down to the nice-tos. So no matter how long you have, start at the top and work your way down. More time, means you can cover more of the list.
Must-see NYC sights and experiences
1. Get oriented with the Hop-on, Hop-off Bus
I recommend beginning with the hop-on, hop-off bus as a means of orientation. The bus is particularly good if you are not planning to take any neighbourhood tours or you have a very limited amount of time. A bus tour will provide a great overview of the City’s layout and history.
Tip: I have had great and terrible experiences on these buses, as far as guides are concerned. One guy spoke non-stop about real estate and air rights. If your guide is not to your liking, get off the bus at the next stop and get on the next one. Alternatively, tune into the English narration channel on the provided headphones, for pre-recorded commentary.
2. Find the best NYC view
Take to one of New York’s observation decks to view the amazing cityscape and surrounding terrain from above. The Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center (Top of the Rock), SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, Edge NYC and One World (One World Observatory) offer the best views of NYC. I recommend visiting at sunset to see the City That Never Sleeps transform from day to sparkling night. My personal preference is for Top of the Rock for the reasons noted in 10 Things I Learnt the Hard Way Exploring NYC the First Time.
Tip: If you’re on a budget, skip the observation decks and get a drink at one of the plentiful rooftop bars. Options include The Roof at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Bar 54 (Hyatt Centric Times Square) and Bar SixtyFive (Rockefeller Center). Alternatively, if you are under 21 years old or don’t feel like dressing up for the occasion, take a return trip on the Roosevelt Island Tramway for a mere $5.80.
3. Explore the Financial District
See Wall St, the Charging Bull, Fearless Girl Statue, New York Stock Exchange, Battery Park and other well-known sights of New York’s iconic Financial District. A walking tour will give you insights into the interesting history of the area including how Wall St got its name.
4. See Lady Liberty
While you’re at the southern end of Manhattan, it’s a good time to see the Statue of Liberty. There are three grades of tickets – the cheapest being just for the ferry and grounds (includes audio tour), one for entering the pedestal which contains a museum and viewing platforms, and the most expensive ticket that will take you all the way to the top, inside Lady Liberty’s crown (reservations need to be made about 3-months in advance). See the National Parks Service page for the official reseller – there are lots of scammers about.
Your State of Liberty ferry ticket also covers you for a stop at Ellis Island. Unless you have a lot of time or have some family history associated with the former federal immigration station, I would skip it and just observe as you sail on past.
Tip: Budget travellers may prefer to jump on the free Staten Island Ferry from Manhattan’s South Ferry Terminal. It’s a 25-minute trip to Staten Island, one-way, taking you right past the Statue of Liberty.
5. Pay your respects at the 9/11 Memorial
While in the Lower Manhattan area, you may like to visit Ground Zero of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Here, in the footprint of the fallen World Trade Center twin towers are two giant reflecting pools. There is also the excellent Memorial Museum that documents the attacks and many stories of victims. Allow at least an hour inside the Museum. Please remember to pay due respect when visiting the Memorial.
This is a place for quiet reflection on a tragic event, not a tourist attraction for smiling selfies – I know I’m preaching to the choir, but you would be surprised at how some tourists behave at this somber sight. Also, remember that any young people in your party may need the appropriate behaviour explained to them, if their not aware of the weight of this site.
6. Cycle or stroll in Central Park
Central Park is not only an attractive green space but contains historic architecture, public art, premium restaurants, a zoo, vintage carousel and an ancient Egyptian obelisk. To New Yorkers squeezed into tiny apartments, the Park is very much their shared backyard, which also makes it great for people watching.
If your feet are sore at this point, you can pay for an overpriced horse and carriage ride; take a more animal-friendly pedicab; or rent a bike to get around the expansive 3.4-sq km (1.3-sq mi) landscape.
Tip: The winding, crisscrossing paths of Central Park make it easy to get disoriented once you’re inside. Pick up a map at information and look at it frequently.
7. Take in the bright lights of Broadway and Times Square
Let me be frank, Times Square is my least favourite part of all New York City. That was a difficult thing for me to come to terms with at first, because I love theatre and Times Square is at the heart of the Theater District. The fact is those bright lights of Broadway are nothing but an endless stream of advertising – non-stop all day. Add hordes of tourists, traffic jams and people dressed as fictional characters wanting tips to have their photo taken with you.
Go and judge for yourself, just don’t plan to spend any more time there than it takes to snap a photo. More importantly, do go and see a Broadway show. The historic theatres are beautiful and the performances are top-notch of course.
Tip: Unless there is a show you absolutely must see without fail, in which case book well in advance, head to the TKTS booth in Times Square about 5-pm and get same-day tickets for discounted prices. Go prepared with a shortlist of your preferred 3-4 shows, and you can get some great deals. We sat in the fifth row at School of Rock and the director’s box at Cirque Du Soleil’s Paramour, both for half-price.
8. Visit at least one museum
There are so many world-class museums in New York City it can be hard to choose. I advise starting with at least one of the classics: The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met), Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and the American Museum of Natural History. Highlights tours taken by museum curators are a superb way of getting insights into a vast collection in a short space of time. You can see some of my personal favourite art highlights from New York City museums here.
Tip: Some of the big museums have a pay-as-you-wish or free time during the week. Check individual museum websites for details. Note, they will be packed — MoMA on a Friday night is super busy! But if you’re on a strict budget, this is the best way to save some $$$.
If you are visiting more than one paid attraction in NYC, you may save money (and time) using a multi-attraction pass like the NYC Sightseeing Pass!
What else to see when visiting NYC for the first time
If you’re still with me and have more time to spend in NYC, we’ve just capped off the absolute brightest highlights. Now we want to dig into some of the neighbourhoods and boroughs not yet covered in this New York City guide and what they have to offer. I’m not going to list them in any kind of recommended order, as it will depend on your interests. However, if you were to ask me, Lower East Side and East Village are the most interesting, while the Upper East Side is a yawn-fest.
After the above, Midtown is where you are going to find your next most iconic sights such as Grand Central Station, 5th Avenue stores like the flagship Tiffany’s (yep, the one that Audrey Hepburn ate a croissant in front of), the Chrysler Building, Rockefeller and the Empire State.
Downtown
Financial District
- Historic sites and architecture – including Wall St, New York Stock Exchange, New York City Hall
- Charging Bull
- The Oculus aka World Trade Center Transporation Hub
- Access to the Brooklyn Bridge
- September 11 Memorial and Museum
- Access to Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty
- Battery Park
Chinatown & Little Italy
- Affordable dining
- Knock off everything – sunglasses, handbags, perfume etc (remember you get what you paid for) and cheap souvenirs
- Museum at Eldridge Street
TriBeCa, Nolita & Soho
- Trendy restaurants and bars
- Celebrity spotting
- Architecture – SoHo is known for it’s cast-iron buildings, it claims the best collection of surviving cast-iron architecture in the world.
- Boutique shopping
Lower East Side & East Village
- Creative community
- Great dining and bars – including speakeasies
- Historic Jewish food institutions – for example Yonah Shimmel’s Knish Bakery, Katz and Russ & Daughters
- Tenement Museum
- Former music club CBGB and other remnants of East Coast punk history
Greenwich Village
- Cool shopping and dining
- Live music venues such as Café Wha?
- Historic sites – such as The Stonewall Inn
- Locations from television shows – most notable: Sex and the City and Friends
- Theatre
- People watching – Washington Square Park
Midtown
Chelsea, the Meatpacking District and the Garment District
- The High Line
- Whitney Museum of American Art
- Art galleries
- Shopping
- Nightlife – bars, nightclubs, gay clubs
- Dining – Chelsea Market
The Flatiron District, Union Square & Gramercy Park
- Impressive architecture – The Flatiron Building, historic residences and clubs
- Dining – includes Eataly
- Off-Broadway Theatre
Times Square, Midtown West and Hell’s Kitchen
- Museums – MoMA and Intrepid Air and Space Museum
- Rockefeller Center
- Radio City Music Hall
- Shopping – Macy’s flagship store and one of the largest department stores in the world
- Madison Square Garden – sport and music venue
- Holiday lights
Midtown East & Murray Hill
- United Nations HQ
- Iconic architecture – includes Empire State Building, Grand Central Station, St Patrick’s Cathedral, New York Public Mid-Manhattan Library at 42nd Street and the Chrysler Building
- Shopping – luxury stores on 5th Avenue including the flagship Tiffany’s store and Bloomingdale’s flagship store
Uptown
Upper West Side
- Museums – American Museum of Natural History and the New York Historical Society
- Restaurants and bars
- Performing arts – opera, classical music and ballet at the Lincoln Center which includes The Julliard School
- Central Park access
Upper East Side
- Old money – the Upper East Side is a very upmarket, largely residential neighbourhood
- Museum Mile – includes The Met, Neue Galerie, Solomon R. Guggenheim, Cooper-Hewitt National Museum of Design, Jewish Museum and more
- Architecture
- Shopping – luxury brands on Madison avenue
- Central Park access
Harlem
- Restaurants and bars
- Historic sites – such as the Apollo Theatre
- Street art – including the Street Art Wall of Fame
The Bronx
- New York Botanical Garden
- Yankee Stadium
- Birthplace of Hip Hop – 1520 Sedgwick Ave
Building your New York City itinerary
I suggest marking all your must-see places and sights on a Google My Map (or use this link to steal mine here and tailor it to your journey) so you can see where they are in relation to one another, and where a central location for accommodation might be for your visit.
Be prepared to change rejig your itinerary on the fly, as New York weather can be unpredictable. For instance, at the last minute, we decided to do move up our Central Park day while it was sunny and warm, because the forecast for the remainder of the week was cold and wet.
Where to stay in NYC
For most people, accommodation in Midtown will be the most convenient. It is going to be the most central to sights but also has the most subway accessability for travelling further afield. Though Manhattan is a narrow island, the subway tends to run its track straight down the middle, so if you’re too far east or west, you won’t be as connected. Buses operate, but they are subject to traffic. For this reason, I either walk or utilize the subway for getting around.
I’ve stayed in various accommodations and locations around Manhattan and even in Brooklyn for affordability. I believe it is better to budget some more on central accommodation, because it will save you time and money on transport.
Remember, space is a luxury in the Big Apple. Don’t be shocked that hotel rooms are on the smaller side. If you want more space, you’re going to need to pay for it. I suggest packing a smaller suitcase and accepting you probably won’t be spending much time in your room anyway. If you do want space to spread out, look for larger, chain hotels like Comfort Inn and Marriott. In my experience, modern chain hotels tend to have bigger rooms than boutique properties, especially those housed in historic buildings.
Other resources for first time New York City visitors
- A New York packing list for every season with a downloadable checklist
- Tips and mistakes to avoid on your first visit to the Big Apple
- More things to do in NYC. A New York City guide to seasonal activities including sports events, fine dining, exploring beyond Manhattan and more.
New York City is an exciting destination and you are sure to find something there that takes your fancy, if not all of it. You will likely come away with very sore feet, a load of photos and a memory full of great experiences. I hope this New York City guide helps you get the best out of your visit. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below or hit me up on social media.
Peace, love & inspiring travel,
Madam ZoZo
