I recently got back from FINALLY ticking one off of the bucket list and going to NYC. It was even more amazing than expected and, being the Monica type I am, a lot of this was to do with my detailed, pre-planned itinerary.
Now the trip in total took 5 days, however 2 of these were spent travelling (so I really only had 3 full days) and, being my first trip, I decided to stick to Manhattan- left me with a good excuse for a return trip to see the other 4 boroughs! Now I know pre-planning isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I’ve decided to share how I planned out my trip for anyone who wants to cover Manhattan, yet has limited time!
I found the best way to do this was to assign a day to a different section of the island: uptown, midtown and downtown. So here’s my summary of what I did on each day; still just a handful of what the island has to offer!
Day One: Midtown
I decided to start in the Midtown area because, as well as this being where my hotel is, it has a LOT of iconic areas- Times Square, Broadway etc.- as well as fantastic shopping. This area is just great to walk around and explore, taking it all in. I also went to the Discovery museum to see the Star Wars exhibition which was a highlight- they routinely change what they’re exhibiting and have also shown memorabilia from other franchise like The Hunger Games so is worth checking out. A day spent here is also the best time to see a show, as you don’t have to worry so much about time; all the main theatres are within walking distance of Times Square. I went to Junior’s for fantastic cheesecake before seeing the Lion King which is right next door; wonderful combination. If you fancy a late night adventure, Top Of The Rock is open until 11PM and gives AMAZING views of the city (as well as letting you channel your inner Liz Lemon). I’d actually recommend it over Empire State as the views are equally good, and you can see Empire State lit up which is a must see.
Ice skating at the Rockefeller Centre
Day Two: Uptown
On the second day I explored the uptown area, starting by walking up 5th avenue to see all the iconic shops I couldn’t actually afford (Saks and the like) as well as some really cool places like the giant Barnes and Noble where I spent wayyy too much money on books. This comes out at central park, and you see so much by walking through the park- sculptures, ponds, cafes and even the zoo to name just a few! I came out at the Upper East Side and decided to make 14 year old me (and maybe current me)’s dreams come true by having a Blair Waldorf style sit on the Met Steps. You can then cross right across the park again and come out at the Natural History Museum, with time left to explore more of the Upper West Side. In the evening, you can head up a couple of Subway stops to Harlem and see the iconic jazz Mecca that is The Apollo as well as trying the world famous soul food- chicken and waffles anyone?
Alice in Wonderland sculpture in Central Park
Day Three: Downtown
My last day was spent exploring downtown, starting at Greenwich village which I loved; a great mix of quirky shops and cafes with parks and lovely buildings (including the iconic friends apartment!). Then we walked down through NoHo and SoHo which has slightly more relaxed stores for big labels such as Victoria’s Secret, as well as having lots of cultural hotspots! From there I headed into Chinatown, before hopping on a Subway down to the end of Manhattan to see the New World Trade Centre and paid respects at the Ground Zero memorial site. Battery Park is a short walk away which gives great views of the Hudson- saw Lady Liberty and Ellis Island without the challenge of a boat ride at minus 7 degrees! Wall Street is also really close, and this whole area was nice to explore simply because of the fact it’s the start of the original New York; a mix of old cobbled streets and the absence of the numbered grid system gives a great historical feel.
View from the bottom of Manhattan
Overall NYC is a MUST visit place if you can- make the most of it!