We spend most Saturdays walking into the city and it usually starts with walking across the Brooklyn Bridge. We love walking the bridge into the city - it's truly so much more beautiful when you're standing on it versus looking at it! We spend many weekends and afternoons walking & running Brooklyn Bridge park where you can visit the piers. We also volunteer with the Brooklyn Bridge Boathouse that offers free kayaking which we highly recommend if you can reserve a spot (https://www.brooklynbridgepark.org/things-to-do/kayaking/). If you're looking to relax and enjoy a quick bite we highly recommend checking out the rooftop at TimeOut market. DUMBO also offers some great restaurants and spectacular city views as well.
Another favorite activity is taking the ferry (from Manhattan or Brooklyn) to Governors Island. This will be a great way to get out of the city for amazing views of Statue of Liberty and the city. We highly recommend taking a nap on one of the public hammocks and renting bikes to tour the island and take in the gorgeous views.
Downtown you will find lots of popular sightseeing spots including One World Trade Center, 9-11 Memorial, the Oculus, Wall Street and the ferry to the Statue of Liberty & Governors Island. We highly recommend taking the FREE Staten Island ferry which offers an up close view of the Statue of Liberty and amazing views of the city. After exploring downtown, you might enjoy stopping off at the historic Stone Street for a drink and some food. The Seaport area also offers some great restaurants and bars (walk over to pier 17)!
You'll have an opportunity to explore Chinatown before the Tea Ceremony on Friday. Get some bubble tea, then explore the historic streets, bakeries, gift shops and Asian markets. You can also head north toward Mulberry Street to visit Little Italy.
The East Village is a fun area for dive bars and great casual food. There are tons of fun bars with live music and laid back vibes. If you're in the area around lunch time, Katz Deli is a NYC classic.
If you're looking for the best restaurants in NYC and quintessential tree lined streets, SoHo and the West Village are where you want to be. To name all of our favorite bars and restaurants in the area would be tough since there are just SO many. We are confident you will find a great place to settle in for a meal just by walking around! Reservations are recommended through either Resy or Open Table for dining throughout the city. SoHo offers some great shopping as well - we love spending an afternoon strolling the streets of this area! We also highly recommend everyone to walk over to visit Washington Square Park. It is truly one of our favorite spots in the city. If you're lucky you'll be able to catch the man playing his grand piano underneath the archway.
Chelsea Market is another popular tourist spot, and is a great place to spend an afternoon although it can get a little crowded! We recommend walking The High Line (there are entrances throughout Chelsea) and seeing the city from a different vantage point! The High Line extends from Hudson Yards to Chelsea so you can cover both in one day if you're up for a walking adventure.
Hudson Yards is a relatively new area of the city. You can explore the mall (there's a really neat food emporium called Little Spain) and you can also check out The Vessel, which is a series of staircases with amazing views of the city and Jersey!
All New Yorkers will tell you that they despise Times Square, but if you're new to the city we recommend seeing it at least once! Come prepared for major crowds, and don't feel obligated to talk to one of the MANY characters in the area. If you're interested in seeing a Broadway show, you can buy tickets ahead of time or try to snag discounted seats at the ticket booth (TKTS) under the stairs in Times Square.
Grand Central is by far the most beautiful train station in the city and is a popular tourist destination. From Grand Central it's an easy walk over to the New York Public Library at Bryant Park or Rockefeller Center where you can enjoy 5th Ave. shopping and some other historic landmarks.
The Upper East Side has some of the best museums in the world including the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the "Met") and the Guggenheim Museum. We always enjoy a walk through Central Park after leaving the museum.
Central Park and the Upper West Side are some of the most beautiful parts of NYC! We recommend renting bikes (if you're into that kind of thing!) or just walking through park and exploring. After getting your steps in, consider stopping by Levain Bakery for milk & cookies.