Stroll through the coolest park in town, enjoy lunch with the best view, and see some of the Big Apple's top sights - all in one day.
New York is one of the most frenetic, dazzling and bustling cities in the world. The cosmopolitan island of Manhattan is home to some of the most famous tourist attractions in the United States and the world.
No one goes to New York and doesn't dream of seeing the luminous signs of Times Square up close, going up to the brand new One World Trade Center, having lunch at one of the best restaurants in the city, Asiate, in front of Central Park. The good news is that you can do all that and more in just 1 day!
I stayed in New York for a day and decided to put together the most complete itinerary possible to make the most of my time there. The day was excellent. So I share here with you how to make your little time in the city worthwhile.
In this post you will see:
Map of where to go in New York itinerary
Check out below where are the main tourist attractions to visit on your visit to New York:
Ground Zero e One World Trade Center
Inaugurated in 2013, to tower One World Trade Center honors the reconstruction of the United States after the terrible attacks of 11 September. With its 102 floors, it is the tallest building in the country and in the western hemisphere.
Climbing to the top to see a 360-degree view of the city is a must-see. You must purchase tickets in advance and schedule your time to visit.
Downstairs you will find the Ground Zero memorial, the place where the twin towers stood before the bombings. The complex still has the 11/XNUMX Museum (buy ahead to avoid lines) and the World Trade Center station, which is impossible to miss. Be sure to enter the station to see this icon of contemporary architecture.
- Get your tickets in advance and get a discount at Civitatis!
Chelsea Market
Take the blue subway line and go to the 14th Street station. Walk a little until you reach the Chelsea Market.
The underground market has super charming shops selling local delicacies. All cool and with the cosmopolitan face of New York. For wonderful truffled honey or olive oil, among other things, visit the Chelsea Market Baskets store.
- Get your tickets in advance and get a discount at Civitatis!
Highline
Right next to Chelsea Market is Manhattan's trendy park, the High Line. On top of a deactivated train line, the city gained a green park, suspended and full of incredible landscapes.
Walk on top of the park for about 20 minutes until you reach Hudson Yards, which we'll talk about later.
- Get your tickets in advance and get a discount at Civitatis!
Hudson Yard
Opened in 2019, the Hudson Yard real estate complex is already one of the new tourist attractions in Manhattan.
No wonder, The Vessel building is an architectural icon. Enter the building and get lost in the stairs that are part of the construction.
- Get your tickets in advance and get a discount at Civitatis!
Asian restaurants
Now, take the subway again and go up to Columbus Circle station to arrive in one of the most famous parts of Manhattan.
Have a typical movie experience at one of the most luxurious hotels in the city, the Mandarin Oriental New York. The hotel is so renowned that when you walk through the door you will see a line of “fans”, who are there waiting for a famous person who is staying at the hotel to pass.
You can enter the hotel and have lunch at one of the best restaurants in town, the award-winning Asiate. With contemporary fusion cuisine, the house is on the 35th floor of the hotel, with a privileged view of the city facing Central Park.
The restaurant's decor is sophisticated and elegant, but the atmosphere there manages to be unpretentious, even with impeccable service. You will have lunch alongside executives from important companies at meetings, but also families and couples.
Try the executive lunch, which includes a starter, main course and dessert. Oh, and be sure to have a nice glass of wine to accompany and toast the opportunity.
The dishes commanded by chef Christian Pratsch are simply unforgettable. The tuna tartar and the salmon with avocado sauce are sensational. I still feel the salmon melting in my mouth.
For those who prefer to keep the traditional at lunch, options such as truffled hamburgers and salads are also worth the order.
Central Park
To digest this wonderful lunch, nothing like a light walk through Central Park, which is right in front.
Cruise through the park and see the Central Park fountain, one of the most iconic in the city, and visit the ice skating rink near the 5th Avenue entrance.
If you have time, rent a bike and take a ride through the park to Strawberry Fields to see the tribute to John Lennon.
- Get your tickets in advance and get a discount at Civitatis!
Midtown
Leaving Central Park, take a tour of the main points of Midtown. Walk along one of the most famous avenues in the world, 5th Avenue. Lose yourself in the windows of the iconic luxury stores that make up the scene, such as Tiffany from “Breakfast at Tiffany's”, by Audrey Hepburn.
Stop by Rockefeller Center to discover one of the main shopping centers in the city. If you have time, go up to the observatory of the GE Building, the central building of Rockefeller Center, to be dazzled by the views of the Top of The Rock. This is my favorite view of New York.
Afterwards, you will arrive at Times Square, one of the most popular tourist spots that needs to be on your list of things to do in New York. It is at the confluence of two major avenues that the famous signs that form one of the city's postcards are located.
- Get your tickets in advance and get a discount at Civitatis!
Broadway
To end your day in New York on a high note, there's nothing like watching one of the Broadway musicals. Lion King, Wicked, Aladdin, Chicago and now the new Harry Potter and King Kong are some of the most worthwhile.
Plus, you can find tickets left over from the day in Times Square at TKTS Booth. However, it's good to warn you: these discount tickets are the ones left over on the day, so you have to be lucky.
- Get your tickets in advance and get a discount at Civitatis!
More attractions to include in the itinerary:
It is impossible to discover all that New York has to offer in just 24 hours. You can complete and/or replace your itinerary in New York and go out to discover the financial center of the Wall Street world, see the Statue of Liberty, climb the Empire State Building or walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.
And for you to fall even more in love with the city and maybe change your plans and stay there for more days! I separated a beautiful video to inspire you on the trip.
- Get your tickets in advance and get a discount at Civitatis!
Where to stay in New York
For a quick day trip, the best options to stay are in Manhattan, in the regions called Upper East Side, Upper West Side or Midtown Manhattan. Lower Manhattan or Brooklyn are also good choices.
The best option is to define the accommodation based on the attractions of the itinerary, looking for places close to the most famous tourist attractions. in our guide to hotels in new york, you can check in detail the best options of where to stay,
New York is a metropolis full of attractions for all tastes. In the midst of so much variety, you may want to extend your stay there a little. Our tip is to look for a hotel close to the subway lines, so you can easily explore the Big Apple.
- Luxury hotels in New York – 17 amazing options
- Cheap hotels in New York – 15 best and highest rated
- Best New York hotels – Top 15 accommodations
New York travel insurance
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