new york city is arguably one of my favorite cities in the world. it’s a very inspiring city and a place you can go to reinvigorate yourself. every time i visit, i fall in love all over again. i feel a bit lucky that we’re only about 3.5 hours away by car. we had a quick weekend trip starting on Thursday and i think going during the week could be the key because it wasn’t as hard getting into some places. i did not want to leave and that’s how i know i had a good time. thank you New York for the memories always. i’m sharing our itinerary and what we got up to during the trip.
where to stay: this really depends on what you’re doing in the city. for us, we stayed in Midtown because it was near Madison Square Garden and Broadway, which were our main destinations. there are endless hotels at different price points, pick based on reviews, cleanliness and ultimately what works for you.
getting around: you have options.
uber – you can get around by Uber, which we did when we were short on time and didn’t want to miss our dinner reservation.
the subway – i know the subway can seem daunting if you are directionally challenged but Google Maps and Apple make it so easy. all you have to do is put in the address of where you’re going and select the train option and it will tell you exactly how to get there. just make sure you have enough buffer time if you screw it up.
walk – maybe this is why i love New York so much! i love walking everywhere in NYC. you can easily get in your 10k steps per day. it’s a good way to see the city too.
cab– as soon as i wrote cab, i realized i have never taken a New York cab but adding this to my New York bucket list. i mean yellow cabs in New York are iconic.
citibike– i haven’t done this either because of all of the traffic but if you feel comfortable enough, there are bike lanes that are safe.
leisure and activities:
Madison Square Garden – we went to go watch the Bruins play the Rangers and i was so impressed with this stadium. beautiful and efficient. if you’re not a hockey fan, you can always catch a basketball game.
Broadway – we saw Lion King and it was spectacular.
Museum of Jewish Heritage – heart wrenching, meaningful and educational. can’t recommend it enough.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art- one of the best museums in America. it’s huge! i recommend buying tickets ahead of time, so you’re not waiting in line for too long.
Union Square Greenmarket – love this spot. such an amazing farmers market
leisure and activities continued
- - New York Public Library - beautiful building to visit. the ceiling here- wow.
- - SOHO: just walking around is so fun. there's a lot of shops and restaurants here- walk around and get lost
- - Bryant Park: take a second to take in New York and slow down a bit
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- Chelsea Market: indoor market - step inside the market for lots of food options
- Top of the Rock - get there early or there will be a lot of people. you'll be very impressed with the view.
- Central Park- a little oasis in the heart of the city. walk around, layout, people watch or have a picnic. - - Brooklyn Bridge - soak in sights of the city
- - The Hudson River Walk - go for a walk, run or bike ride
- - Washington Square Park- a beautiful park with an arch worth seeing
restaurants:
i mean if you love food, you’re right at home in New York. there is everything for everyone. it’s multi-cultural city and that is very important. i would say to take a look at the menu beforehand to see if it’s a restaurant you would enjoy then book your reservations in advance.
balthazar: delicious French dishes. steak frites is always a good choice.
zou zous– gorgeous, gorgeous restaurant. food presentation was next level. if you like Eastern Mediterranean food, i would recommend this restaurant. the dishes are so unique and so fun to eat.
la pecora bianca – we were really impressed by the pasta. get the vodka sauce rigatoni.
the smith – easily the best burrata i’ve had. all around, great dishes and fun atmosphere.
ess-a-bagel – my favorite part of New York. you really can’t leave New York without a bagel. their fresh orange juice is pretty good too.
cha cha matcha – must visit if you love matcha- so good.
anita gelato – probably the best gelato in NYC. there are so many flavors to try. i went with fruity gelato: raspberry and mango.
culture espresso – the latte was one of the best. i didn’t get a chance to try their famous chocolate chip cookies because it was 8am but next time.
- cafe's and sweets
- - ralph's coffee
- - vesuvio bakery
- - the doughnut project
- - the elk
- - caffe panna
- - juice generation ( something healthy)
- - cafe mogador
- restaurants
- - piccola cucina
- - palma
- - domodomo
- - the polo bar
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- los tacos number 1
- - manhatta
- - the smith
- - dante NYC
- - lilia ristorante
- brunch
- - sadelle's
- - bubby's
- - jack's wife frida
- - two hands
the best time to visit: may, june, september, october and december
weather: either spring or fall if you’re looking for good weather. however, December is also a good time to visit because of Christmas. if you dress properly, you can survive the 45 or so degree weather 😉
locals: so, New Yorkers get a bad reputation and i don’t think it’s necessarily true. keep in mind it is a city that is fast-paced, so people have places to be and things to do, they aren’t going to be taking it slow.
when we were at one of the restaurants, the lady next to us was so nice. you know how sometimes you come across the nicest strangers and they remind you that there are so many good people in this world, that’s how she made me feel and she was a proper, local New Yorker.
i will say if you are a Patriots’ football fan and you are going to a Jet’s game, it can get a little intense haha
language: English
currency: United States Dollar (USD)
power outlet: plug type A (two-prong plug)
parking: if you drive in, parking ranges from $50 per day +. before you park, go to your hotel and ask them if they have a designated garage with any discounts. the parking should be fairly close by. the attendant will park your car for you and ask you about what day/time you’ll be leaving, so they’ll have everything organized and ready.
i would not really recommend driving in New York because there is a lot of traffic, parking is a nightmare and New Yorkers love their car horn- beep, beep. walking, train and Uber is more efficient. plug where you want to go in your smartphone and your GPS and will take you there.
safety: i don’t think i’ve ever felt unsafe in New York. if you are walking or taking the subway at night, make sure you are with accompanied by someone.
be mindful of scams in Times Square, don’t accept anything from strangers.