New York City: A Three Day Itinerary For The First Time Visitor
Visiting New York City for the first time? You probably have plenty of questions. How long is a New York City block? Can I walk from Central Park to the Empire State Building? Is riding the subway in NYC a necessity if we’re just staying in Manhattan? These questions abound when many people start planning a trip to New York City.
Just so you know, Manhattan is known as a walking town. If you want to see the highlights of NYC, you can see most of them by walking this way and that. You don’t even have to ride the New York City subway… unless you want to. Looking to spend a long weekend in New York City? Here is a three day itinerary for the first-timer to NYC.
Have a long weekend coming up? Plan a trip to New York City!
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How To Get Around
We walked back and forth, north and south, through Central Park and around Central Park. We saw the Flatiron Building, a Korean War Monument, colorful graffiti and interesting hotels. We saw a man playing a grand piano in a park and another with at least 50 pigeons on him and around him. We walked over the Brooklyn Bridge and ate pizza at Grimaldi’s Pizza.
We drank in one of the oldest bars in the city and were seated at a table with some cops off duty because there was no other place to sit. We ate at The Oyster Bar in Grand Central Terminal. We just couldn’t get enough of the city and the people that call this place home and we saw it all by walking. And, you can too.
The downtown streets of Manhattan where most tourists head are an easy grid to navigate and just a couple hours of traversing the streets will have you feeling like a local.
What To Prepare
New York CityPASS: If you’re planning to see all of the top attractions in one weekend like we did, definitely look into saving some money by getting the New York CityPASS. You can get visit 5 major attractions like the Empire State Building and you’ll get 40% off the ticket price. You can also use it to take the Statue City Cruises ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. It’s basically the best way to do everything in this itinerary and more and gets you a lot of savings.
Go City Explorer Pass: Another pass option, I haven’t used this one in New York, but have in other cities and it’s great! If you want a bit more flexibility and know that you won’t be going to the five major attractions of the New York CityPASS but just want to choose 2, 3, or 4 or maybe you want to go for 6 or 7 or even 10, then go with Go City. It’s more flexible in terms of options for use and the passes are valid for two years after purchase so you could go back and use it for the other entrance tickets too.
Where To Stay
Refinery Hotel
A great option if you’re headed to the Big Apple is Refinery Hotel. Located in the heart of the Fashion District, the Refinery Hotel New York is a block away from the MTA Subway station, Bryant Park, and a quick 10-minute walk from the Theater District, Times Square, Herald Square, and the Empire State Building. Check out their rooftop lounge with views of the Empire State Building and more. This is a great location to stay in Manhattan.
Book a room at Refinery Hotel on Booking.com or on Agoda.com.
Pod 51
A hip hotel with modern décor in vibrant colors, Pod 51 might be best for the young and young and heart. Equipped with the amenities you need for pleasant travel and a multilingual concierge to make everything even easier on site and when getting information for around the city, this hotel is in a great location. Do pay attention that some rooms have bunk beds so if that’s not for you, book appropriately.
Book a room at Pod 51 on Booking.com or on Agoda.com
What To See
The architecture and old buildings are amazing and the energy of the city will hit you on all sides pouring out of the people you pass by. There’s so much to see, but where to start?
Day 1 Overview
Take the New York City Hop On Hop Off bus to get your bearings and jump off when you want to check something out. There are two routes so decide if you want to do more walking or more riding and get your day started!
New York City Hop On Hop Off Bus
If it’s your first time to New York City, just getting your bearings is important if you ask me. We decided to hop on the bus and get a lay of the land. The Big Bus Hop On Hop Off bus tours offer two routes, a red route and a blue route. The red route is downtown and we knew we’d be walking that route mostly so we opted for the blue route which is the uptown route. Since we were staying in Lower Manhattan, we took the tour to also get us easily up to Central Park so we could jump off there and enjoy the sights on the way up and back down.
- How To Book: You can get your NYC Big Bus Hop On Hop Off Bus on Get Your Guide
- FYI: The ticket includes a 1 hour bike rental option as well, audio commentary, and you can track the bus live on their Big Bus app so it’s super easy to use and plan.
Central Park/Strawberry Fields
Just stay on the bus and enjoy the views, or hop off when you get uptown and take a walk in Central Park. We visited in December and still enjoyed the stroll. Central Park was first opened in 1857 and expansions with more design elements began in 1858 under Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux and continued through the Civil War until they were completed in 1873. It’s the most visited urban park in the US and was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1962.
If you have a musician husband like myself, a stop at the Strawberry Fields memorial to John Lennon is a must. Enjoy the stroll, sing some songs together, and then head back to the bus stop to get back downtown.
- Address: Between 71st and 74th, the memorial is on the west side of the park.
Grand Central Terminal
After the morning ride on the bus, head to Grand Central Terminal on 42nd Street and Park Avenue. Opened on February 2, 1913 and designed by architects from the firms Reed & Stem and Warren & Wetmore, it is a gorgeous building inside and out.
The terminal has had its fair share of ups and downs with bombings, bankruptcy clouds looming and demolition plans on the horizon, but I for one am glad it made it through and is still standing. According to Travel and Leisure Magazine, 10,000 people visit Grand Central Terminal daily and they aren’t just commuting, so I’m not the only one that appreciates the old architecture of the historic building.
After we stared at the constellations on the ceiling above us in the terminal and took in the hustling and bustling crowds we headed downstairs to find the Oyster Bar in the basement of the terminal for some lunch. The Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant opened with the terminal in 1913. Reservations are recommended, but we got there just as they were opening and were seated immediately.
The vaulted tile ceilings, decoration and the ambiance really took us back a few decades, not that we were alive in 1913, but it was the perfect place to pretend we had been as we enjoyed our seafood meal before heading out again.
- Address: 89 E 42nd St, New York, New York
Bryant Park
After lunch, stroll over to Bryant Park and see what’s going on. This park is known as Manhattan’s Town Square and sits just behind the New York City Library. There are seasonal events, activities, gardens, and markets hosted here so you’re bound to find something fun when you stop by. Visited by more than 12 million people each year, it’s actually one of the busiest public spaces in the world.
- Address: 476 5th Ave, New York, New York
Empire State Building
No trip to New York City would be complete without visiting the Empire State Building, so after a delightful lunch at the Oyster Bar in Grand Central Terminal in which we pretended we were taken back a few decades, we hit the pavement and pointed ourselves south.
The 103 story skyscraper came into view shortly after we exited the terminal and though most websites suggested we buy tickets in advance to skip the lines, there were no lines to speak of.
Were we lucky? Or is the Empire State Building declining in popularity? Is it returning to the days of the nickname “The Empty State Building”? I’d say since it was a weekday and we were there just after lunch, we had a bit of luck and good timing on our side. It may not be the world’s tallest building anymore, it held the record from 1931 to 1970, but it does still offer some spectacular views of New York City.
Our draw to the skyscraper was not only for the view but also due to the numerous films that have used the building as an integral location. Who wouldn’t want to pretend King Kong whisked her to the top of the Empire State Building? And of course who can forget Sleepless in Seattle? Suffice it to say, there’s a reason these films and many others have made reference to or been filmed in the Empire State Building. We continued our day of historical romanticism.
- Address: 20 W 34th St., New York, New York
- Hours: 10:00am ~ 11:00pm
- Get Tickets In Advance: Get your Empire State Building Tickets online in advance and skip the line when you arrive. The line can be intense at times so don’t get stuck in it!
The Flatiron Building
Walk some more and you’ll come upon The Flatiron Building. Originally the Fuller Building, it was completed in 1902. It sits at 175 Fifth Avenue in the Flatiron District and is really an iconic piece of NYC architecture. When it was being built, people actually thought it might tip over! It also didn’t have women’s bathrooms when it was first built… or the top three floors.
The top three floors were added just a few years later and later occupants decided to make the restrooms alternate between floors with men’s and women’s going every other which is as it still is today. Check out the building and then go take a seat in Madison Square Park and rest up before you find a spot for dinner.
- Address: 175 5th Ave, New York, New York
Day 2 Overview
Of course, you cannot miss the most iconic statue in NYC. Today is the day for the Statue of Liberty in all her glory. Take a trip to southern Manhattan where you can stroll, take a ferry, and enjoy the views.
The Statue of Liberty on Ellis Island
The first part of the Statue of Liberty constructed back in 1876 was the torch, which now sits in the lobby of the monument. Access has been closed to the original torch since 1916, but the idea that the brightest part of the monument was made first is endearing.
The current torch was constructed in 1984 and is copper covered in 24K gold leaf which most people probably don’t realize. The head was constructed just after the original torch and both were to be used as publicity tools to garner donations that would be used to complete the rest of the project. While we learn as children that the Statue of Liberty was a gift from the French, there’s a bit more to it than that.
The torch was displayed in the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876 and then in New York’s Madison Square Park from 1876 until 1882 while the statue’s head, completed in 1878, was exhibited at the Paris World’s Fair that same year. The pieces were to be titled “Liberty Enlightening the World “, or “La Liberte eclairant le monde” in French, but the arm did not arrive in Philadelphia until August and as such the title wasn’t printed in the exhibition catalogue. Because of this, some flyers and information incorrectly labeled the piece the “Colossal Arm” or the “Bartholdi Electric Light”.
Both parts of the statue did as they were intended though and managed to raise funds and support for the French and American joint effort to raise the statue. The French would fund the building of the statue while the Americans were expected to finance the pedestal she would stand on.
A gift from the French in 1886 designed by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi based on the ideas of Edouard de Laboulaye, it didn’t become a National Monument until 1924. The pieces of the monument were all constructed in France and arrived in the states via ships where each piece was carried in crates.
A sonnet by the poet Emma Lazarus titled “The New Colossus” that was written in 1883 to raise funds was ultimately engraved on the pedestal of the statue on a bronze plaque and truly expresses what the Statue of Liberty has come to represent:
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
The statue was made to represent Libertas the Roman goddess of freedom and as most American students know, the tablet that she holds bears the date of the American Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 (JULY IV MDCCLXXVI). The crown, or diadem, that sits atop her head with seven rays shooting out from a halo represents the sun and the seven seas and the seven continents. The Statue of Liberty is one of those monuments you just have to see when you visit New York City.
She is strong, she is beautiful and she was worth the cold gusts of wind that slapped us in the face as we stared at her on the top deck of the boat unable to take our eyes off of her.
The views of Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty were truly breath taking and thought provoking and the boat we were on seemed to be quieter on the return to the docks than when we’d left. Maybe everyone was considering what the Statue of Liberty meant to them or their families or the immigrants that once came on ships through these waters or maybe everyone was just too cold to hold a conversation. Either way, the silence and seeming time of contemplation was welcome for that brief moment.
As we disembarked the boat at the docks, people not so silent and adding to the contemplation dressed up as the Statue clamored toward us, clearly for those tourists hoping for photo-ops if they were willing to spend some dough. We weren’t interested, but I found the scene of them setting up humorous and it managed to return everyone to the happy go lucky spirit that we’d stepped on the boat with.
- Get Tickets In Advance: Book your tickets to take the ferry and tour the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island from Battery Park. Do note that there are other ferries that depart from Liberty State Park in New Jersey just across the water. Make sure you choose the one you want.
Battery Park
You can either stroll here before or after you visit The Statue of Liberty. Battery Park is the southernmost part of Manhattan and is where the ferries taking tourists out to the Statue of Liberty are located. Spend a bit of time there, take a seat on a bench and look out over the water or take a stroll and check out the monuments and memorials located there.
There are artist installations as well as a few museums located in the park as well so you could spend a pleasant time in this area.
Wall Streets Charging Bull
While no one can just casually stroll into the New York Stock exchange, one of the things that tourists do like to do is head through to visit the famous Charging Bull statue. This bronze sculpture is one of the most iconic sculptures in the city and there are always tourists there snapping a shot with it. Whether we’re in a bull or a bear market, head here to get a shot and then find a restaurant nearby for a bite to eat.
Day 3 Overview
It’s time to head to Brooklyn. Take in the famous Brooklyn Bridge from above and below and get some pizza while you’re at it.
The Brooklyn Bridge
Completed in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the US and beckons a walk across for anyone that visits the city. We decided to walk across the iconic bridge from Manhattan to Brooklyn and head to a pizza joint for lunch on the other side at the end of our trip before we caught a ride to the airport. Is there anything more quintessentially New York than walking bridges and eating pizza? That is certainly what the movies would have you picture of New York City anyway.
The Brooklyn Bridge was the longest suspension bridge in the world until 1903 and the first steel wire suspension bridge. As bridges go, I found it especially appealing. The suspension wires thick and strong and the early morning fog settling around the brick was a gorgeous way to say good bye to NYC.
What took 14 years to build, 600 workers and $15 million, that would now be more like $320 million, supports about 150,000 people a day, by car, foot or bike. During construction 24 people died, including the designer, John Augustus Roebling, who had his toes smashed while taking some final readings and calculations and died three weeks later of tetanus. His son, Washington A. Roebling, took over as chief engineer and plans continued.
On May 24, 1883, the bridge was unveiled in a dedication ceremony presided over by President Chester A. Arthur and New York Governor Grover Cleveland. Emily Roebling took the first ride over the bridge and carried a rooster across, symbolizing victory, and within 24 hours 250,000 people had walked over the bridge. Oh to be one of the first. Even though, that moment is long gone, the walk is still pretty awesome for anyone that wants to take it. We sure found it stunning in all of the right ways.
Grimaldi’s Pizza
Once to the other side, we directed ourselves towards Grimaldi’s famous for their coal-fired brick oven that they cook their pizzas in. We got their before opening time and decided to walk around a bit and by the time we came back there was a bit of a line. Luckily for us we made the first cut and were among the first diners into the place when they opened.
I’d highly recommend getting their early like we did because who knows how long you could potentially be standing there. The pizza was filling and a perfect way to end our time in New York City.
- Address: 1 Front Street, Brooklyn, New York
- Hours: Sunday – Thursday: 11:30am ~ 9:00pm; Friday and Saturday: 11:30am ~ 10:00pm
DUMBO
DUMBO stands for “Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass” is the neighborhood where you now are if you headed across and down for lunch like we did. A popular spot for pictures of the bridge, you’ll find people just enjoying the streets in the area and taking in the views out over the water with the bridge overhead.
Is New York City dangerous?
When we headed to NYC my husband’s main concern was that of safety. As a Korean native, the only relevant information he had about New York City were the crime shows he watched on the TV and so many of them are based in NYC for some reason. It’s no wonder that Koreans think the States are so scary.
I had lived in Miami, Florida for two years and figured NYC couldn’t be any more dangerous than that. Statistics aside, most cities in the US are safe when you’re vigilant and a smart traveler in my opinion. Even if you aren’t, they can be. On one sidewalk a stranger told me my backpack was open and we thought, “had I left it open?” “Had someone tried to open my bag without me noticing?” After two days though and lots of walking outside, we began to notice how many police officers and tour guides are everywhere. We couldn’t go a block in any direction in Manhattan without seeing a police officer or a guide for tourists with a brightly colored jacket on.
Our fear, more so in my husband, subsided, though that didn’t save him from obvious street salesmen antics. One guy approached us with a CD in his hand and tried to hand it off to us. I know this stunt from my travels around the world. Never take something from a salesman on the street, they won’t take it back once you have it in your hand and it’s harder to say no to the purchase then. My husband did not know this trick though and once it was in his hand, the guy explained how he’d recorded the CD and my husband would probably enjoy it.
“Thank you,” my husband said, only to have the savvy salesman remind him, “well, it did cost me money to record though.” Did it really? How much did it cost you to burn that CD off of your computer? Not to mention, who knows what is actually on it? My husband couldn’t hand it back and ended up giving the guy $5, but in the process showing the guy that he had $20 more in his pocket.
Lesson 1: Don’t take any object from someone handing it out in a tourist area, though flyers and pamphlets are fine which I also had to explain later as my husband made a huge side step around a woman passing out flyers later that same day. Lesson 2: Always have $2-$5 in one pocket that you can grab easily.
New York City is a fabulous city and if it’s your first time visiting, see all that you can see. From iconic buildings and statues, so the pizza stops in between, you’ll have a blast with this 3 day itinerary for the first-timer to New York City.
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