3 Days in New York City — The Active Voyager

Welcome to New York City

When I tell people I live in New York City, the immediate response is usually: Don’t you miss trees? How can you stand being around so many people? I could never live somewhere where I can’t see the sky. The truth is, if you see New York City the right way then you completely avoid feeling like you’re in a concrete jungle and will probably love the city. Regardless of whether you’ve visited NYC before, this weekend itinerary will show you the best spots in the city—yes, including the most famous ones—and will leave you feeling like you could live here forever.

Where to Stay

The City puts some limitations on short-term rentals which makes it hard to find Airbnbs. Hotels in Manhattan are expensive but I think it’s worth it to spend a bit more per night to be centrally located in one of the city’s most charming neighborhoods. You can’t go wrong with a place on the Upper West Side (59th Street to 110th Street), Chelsea, or Greenwich Village. When we have family visit, we recommend they stay at The Excelsior Hotel, The Lucerne Hotel, or Hotel Belleclaire. All three are charming places in a quiet, residential neighborhood close to subway stops, and are on the more affordable end of the spectrum as far as hotels in the city go.

If you don’t visit the city frequently, you shouldn’t miss the opportunity for top-notch entertainment. Start your trip on a high note by seeing a show in the city famous for theatrical performances

11:00 - Arrive in New York City. From Penn Station, Port Authority, Newark or JFK airports, take the subway to the hotel. From LaGuardia airport, take a cab.

12:00 - Check into the hotel or drop luggage off.

12:30 - Start an afternoon walk near Lincoln Center (A), one of the most famous performance spaces in the city. Get there by taking the 1 train to 66th (or walk if you are staying nearby.) You can use this NYC subway map or Google Maps to find the nearest subway stop. Walk up Broadway; along the way, you’ll pass New Yorkers out doing their shopping and running errands.

1:00 - Have a quick bite at a cafe like Mille-Feuille (B). Dinner will be early tonight because of the show, so don’t fill up too much!

1:30 - Continue up Broadway to Columbia University (C). Once there, walk through the beautiful campus which feels like an oasis in the city.

3:00 - Pop out to Riverside Park (D). Depending on the weather, New Yorkers will be out jogging, walking, and enjoying a picnic.

3:30 - Head back to the hotel to get ready for dinner and a show.

5:00 - Have an early dinner at Eataly (A), enjoying the view of the Flatiron Building when you arrive. Get there by taking the 1 subway to 23rd street. Eataly has several restaurants that each focus on a type of food (vegetarian, meat, pasta). I would opt for either the wine bar on the first floor, Il Vino, because it is busy all day, or their rooftop bar which changes seasonally. Make a reservation in advance.

7:00 - See a show. There are tons of options, from blockbuster hits (Hamilton) to oldie-but-goodies (Wicked) to in-between (Book of Mormon) in the Theater District (B). You can buy tickets on a ticket seller like StubHub to anything that suits your fancy. If a Broadway show is uninteresting, see a comedy show at Comedy Cellar (C) or something different like STOMP (D). Having done all of those things, one thing is clear: it is worth seeing something.

9:30 - Debrief the show over fancy cocktails at Raines Law Room at the William (E). Take a cab home.

**Day 2. Central Park, Frick Museum, 5th Ave and Skyline Views**

Prepare to fall in love with the city’s beautiful parks, amazing (but lesser known) museums, and unique culinary experiences. Where else in the world can you get this combination?

9:00 - Start the day with a run in Central Park. Who said New York City was short on trees and grass?! Within this 840-acre park, there is a 6-mile outer loop (follow the steady stream of runners) or a shorter loop around the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir. The reservoir is surrounded by a 1.7-mile long dirt path, well-worn by runners and walkers. If you enter Central Park above 70th Street, you’ll skip the crowds that enter at 59th Street.

11:00 - After getting cleaned up, head to brunch at the Smith near Lincoln Square (A), a reliable spot that takes online reservations.

12:30 - Walk across Central Park, making a stop at Belvedere Castle (B) on your way to 5th Avenue on the Upper East Side.

1:00 - Begin walking down 5th Avenue, known for its world-class museums. Enjoy the exteriors of the Guggenheim (C) and the Metropolitan Museum of Art (D). You can’t experience NYC without visiting one museum and in my opinion, the Frick Collection (E) is the best one to do (open Tues-Sat 10-6, Sun 11-5, closed Mon, $22). The museum is in the beautiful home of industrialist Henry Clay Frick, and the art on display is his former personal collection. Enjoy the included audio tour. (While the Met is amazing, I find the vastness overwhelming. That said, if you’ve never been before, I wouldn’t blame you if you’d rather go there instead. It’s worth doing at least once.)

3:00 - Make a quick stop for a snack at Ladurée, a block from the Frick. This swanky establishment not only serves delicious (and yes, pricey) macarons, it also gives you a taste (pun intended) of the high life of Upper East Siders, known for their million-dollar penthouse apartments.

3:30 - Continue walking down 5th Avenue, enjoying the high fashion storefronts. Make a quick stop in St. Patrick’s Cathedral (F) (open daily 6:30-8:30, free to enter.) Then head to Grand Central Terminal (G). If your travel plans don’t otherwise take you through Grand Central, then it’s absolutely worth entering the main terminal to ogle the architecture and snap a few pics. The Chrysler Building is right next door too.

4:00 - If you’ve never been to Times Square (H) before, then this is the time to do it. (Trust me, you only need to visit once, this is the single worst part of New York City!) Walk (quickly) through the area to see the neon lights and colorful billboards. Under no circumstances should you stop and eat here, there are so, so, so many better places to eat in the city.

5:00 - Phew, that’s over! Head next to Rockefeller Plaza and up to Bar SixtyFive (I). Why? For the same price as a ticket to stand in line for hours at the Empire State Building, you can get a drink and enjoy a fantastic view of the iconic building and city skyline.

6:30 - For dinner, continue south to Gaonurri (J), a Korean barbecue restaurant (i.e. meat is cooked on an open flame at your personal table) over 30 floors up. I love this place because where I’m originally from (New Hampshire), you can’t get anything close to this kind of culinary experience. The skyline views as the sun goes down and the buildings start to light up is magical. Book online in advance and request a table near the windows. (Note: While you don’t need black-tie formal for Gaonurri, you also won’t want to be super casual. Either wear something that can transition from day to night, pack something you can change into quickly, or plan to head to your hotel before this.)

**Day 3. The Statue of Liberty, 9/11 Memorial, and Brooklyn Bridge**

Enjoy views of Lady Liberty, visit the 9/11 Memorial, and get a small taste of Brooklyn and Manhattan’s SoHo district.

9:00 - Start the day with a short run in Riverside Park or along the west side esplanade if you’re staying in lower Manhattan. No need for a long run as there is some serious mileage packed into the walking tour of the city.

10:30 - Enjoy the city’s breakfast classic: the bagel. Chances are high no matter where you are staying there is a quality bagel spot nearby (Absolute Bagels is the go-to spot on the Upper West Side). Take the downtown 1 subway to its final stop, South Ferry station.

12:00 - Time to see the Statue of Liberty. OK, so here’s the thing. You could do a tour that takes you all the way to the Statue of Liberty. It’s very cool, but it is also a day trip and is quite pricey. My favorite alternative is the Staten Island Ferry. You can take the ferry from Whitehall Terminal (A) to Staten Island and then immediately board the return ferry back to Manhattan. The whole thing takes an hour (25 minutes each way), and—wait for it—it’s FREE. While you don’t step on Liberty Island, the views of Lady Liberty are still incredible.

1:00 - Back on Manhattan, head north past Wall Street (there’s really not much to see there), the Charging Bull statue (B), and Trinity Church to the 9/11 Memorial (C). The memorial tends to be very busy but it is a beautiful and emotional stop that is worth making. You don’t need a museum ticket in order to walk around the memorial. (You may choose to visit the museum; I have never been.)

2:00 - Head east to the entrance of the Brooklyn Bridge (D) and walk over the bridge. On the other side, grab a light snack or sandwich at Bread & Spread (E) and eat it in Main Street Park (F).

4:00 - Return to Manhattan by walking over the Manhattan Bridge. Then head north to Prince Street (G). Wander west along Prince Street (and one block south, Spring Street) through the heart of the Soho district famous for its high-end stores, theaters, and cafes.

5:30 - Head up MacDougal Street to Washington Square Park, which you’ll immediately recognize because it’s in a gazillion movies. Chances are good that there will be at least one street performance happening that will capture your attention for 20 minutes.

6:30 - Enjoy a last meal at Amelie Wine Bar, my favorite French restaurant in the city. Get in before 7pm to enjoy their daily happy hour special for wine flights. Everything on the menu is delicious.

Have More than 3 Days?

If you have more time in the city, I would add a day to see The Met Cloisters and walk around Fort Tyron Park, as well as a day at the Bronx Zoo and nearby New York Botanical Garden.