4 days in New York City – what to see and do in the Big Apple

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Hands up how many people have been itching to visit New York City since first seeing Home Alone 2? Me too!! The iconic Plaza hotel, Central Park, all the cheese pizza you could ever wish for, and hundreds of other activities to keep to entertained. It’s the dream trip for a lot of people. Unfortunately I was not adopted by a McCallister, so my budget was not in the realm of hoping to visit for Christmas (one day!).

Instead the first time I visited was in July, and I’ve been twice since. July was a scorching time to visit, hot and humid. But January was so cold, yet nice and sunny which I lucked out on. May was a little more comfortable. That’s right, three times in the last 4 years I’ve managed to visit this amazing city. So I want to share some of my tips for enjoying your time there, especially if it’s your first time in New York.

Top things to do in New York City

You can spend way longer than 4 days in NYC, but it’s a start for a first time. The city is big, I mean really big. Buildings tower over you, and there are people EVERYWHERE.

For me January was a little quieter for obvious reasons, but still busy. The summer months though, the place was packed with people. I’ve never seen traffic move so slow as New York. Trying to get down the small streets was a nightmare. The last time I went, our bus took just as long to get four blocks as it had taken to get from Newark Airport to the city.

I’ve flown into and out of Newark and JFK Airport. Both are just as convenient and just as close (or far). My parents found New York to be a little too busy for them, but they loved what we did there.

Where to stay in New York City

The first time and the last time I was in New York, I stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Midtown. It was walkable to Times Square and Central Park but also a little quieter. Also a bit more reasonably priced than some of the other hotels, and with breakfast included. The second time there I was at the Holiday Inn Express Times Square which was pretty noisy, but wonderfully central. I may look at staying somewhere new next time as there are lots of great neighborhoods.

The hotels are generally not cheap, but I heard Brooklyn is a great place to stay. For me, I wanted to be central to limit transport time, but to be fair you have to take either a bus or train most places as the sights are pretty spread out. The subway system is pretty easy to use though, and covers a lot of ground.

Day 1 – Midtown: Tourist central

The hotel I stayed at in Midtown had breakfast included so I typically grabbed something there before setting out for the day. There are plenty of places to grab a pastry or breakfast on the go though. No matter where you go in New York you can find somewhere to eat, a convenience store, diner, high end restaurant or pub. No real planning necessary unless you have a specific place you want to try.

Times Square

Staying in the Midtown/Times Square region I would recommend checking out Times Square early on in your trip. It’s a crazy place that should be experienced at least once, but you’ll want to leave quicker than you arrived.

The lights, noise, crowds, random people selling everything and anything, and the unnerving constant presence of police officers pull your attention in a hundred directions at once. Take my advice: get in, take your photos, and get out. I booked a hop on-hop off bus tour while I was there, and the first stop was around Times Square. The bus tour was a great way to get around NYC though. Definitely worth it.

New York Public Library

Walking down 7th Avenue and then East on 42nd Street, you’ll arrive at the New York Public Library. Over 120 years old, the beautiful building takes up almost half a city block. The hallways of the library contain wonderful statues and works of art. The library has changing exhibits too.

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When I was there last summer it was a fantastic exhibit called Peace, Love and Revolution all about the 60s.

Another time I visited we got to see an original manuscript of the Declaration of Independence. It seems they display it for a few days surrounding July 4th each year, but check in advance if it will be shown. It was amazing to see such a big part of America’s history up close.

Also in the Children’s Center I got to see the real Winnie-the-Pooh stuffed animals on display. As a fan of the books growing up, this was really special to see.

Lunch, New York style

Leaving the library onto 5th Avenue, I would recommend a brief stop for lunch, to re-energize ready for a busy afternoon. What better introduction to the city than a hot dog or a real New York slice of pizza. Thin crust, as big as your head, and in my opinion the best style of pizza, there are dozens of places to try.

Why not try your own personal pizza tour of NYC? One of my favorites was The Original Little Italy on 43rd Street and 5th Avenue. I’m a cheese pizza kind of person: if the pizza’s good enough you shouldn’t need a million toppings!

Rockefeller Plaza

Walking up 5th Avenue, continue to 49th Street. A good way to walk off all the pizza. At 49th Avenue you’ll arrive at Rockefeller Plaza. There are some shops to check out around the plaza: some affordable, some not. Since Rockefeller Center is home of NBC I liked browsing the NBC Studios store. Filled with merchandise from at least a couple of my favorite shows, I couldn’t leave empty handed. I am now the proud owner of my weight in FRIENDS merchandise. If shopping’s not your thing, then there’s plenty other things to see around the plaza.

Visiting in winter means you can go ice skating at The Rink, with the iconic Christmas Tree towering above. There are beautiful statues all around the plaza, including the amazing bronze statue of Atlas.

I also had to get my photo of one of the most famous addresses in NYC, 30 Rock!

Rockefeller Center has an observation deck that rivals the Empire State Building. I think it’s hotly debated which is best. I’ll admit I haven’t done the Top of the Rock, but if it would have one benefit it would be the views of the Empire State Building.

Empire State Building

That’s right, I didn’t go to the Top of the Rock. But that’s because I wanted to go up the Empire State Building instead, and I would have to sell a kidney to visit both. If you’re up for some more walking, head back down 5th Avenue to 34th Street. If you’re taking a bus tour, I have no doubt it will stop here. And if all else fails you can Uber or taxi to save your legs. However you get there, just make sure you do.

This beautiful building is even better up close. If you don’t go up to the top, at least step into the lobby and marvel at the murals and artwork of the building itself. Warning: you’ll probably need sunglasses to shade your eyes from all the gold!

Waiting in line for tickets sucks. If you do decide to ascend 86 floors (or even 102) make sure to get your tickets in advance. You don’t even need to pick a time, but it will cut down on at least some of your wait time when you arrive. But after all the waiting in line, and security checks, the views are completely worth it.

I went to the 86th floor observation deck. You end up outside, with adequate safety fencing of course. But walking around the building outside, seeing some of the most amazing views of New York is phenomenal. From Central Park and 5th Avenue, to the Chrysler Building and down to Lower Manhattan. A heads up the 102nd floor is not open air so for me I was more interested in photos without glass windows in the way.

Street art in New York

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Remember to keep an eye open on your trip for street art all around the city. I managed to see some beautiful pieces as I traveled around. I’m a big fan of street art and wish I’d been able to get more photos of what I saw, but this could be a tour in itself.

Dinner and a tour

New York City is a pretty big place, so with all that walking you’ll be ready for a good dinner. Good job New York has plenty of places to eat. For me on that first night I didn’t want to stray too far, so went to a pub just off of Times Square. The reason being that we had an evening tour planned.

After a good meal, we pushed our way through the hordes of people to get to M&Ms World, our meeting point for the bus tour. The tour was just over an hour long and ran from Midtown, down 5th Avenue past the Empire State Building, then over the Brooklyn Bridge and back. Going over the bridge is amazing. Not just because we got to check out some of Brooklyn, but because the views of the New York skyline from the bridge at night were incredible.

Day 2 – Central Park to the Bronx

The first day focused on the very center of touristy New York. Bustling crowds of Times Square, walking amid the concrete jungle of New York’s looming skyscrapers, and appreciating the iconic city skyline. For day 2 I’ll take in some culture and take things a little easier around Central Park and the Upper West Side.

Central Park

Start your day with a wander around New York’s famous Central Park. The park is huge so you could spent multiple days walking around it finding things to see and do. But I recommend starting with a walk around the pond and nature reserve keeping to the east side of the park.

Walking this way I soon came to the Central Park Zoo. It’s a pretty small zoo by most standards but has enough to keep kids entertained for the morning. If zoos aren’t your think, find a nice spot to relax in the park with a book, or sit on the grass watching the world go by.

The Fairmont Plaza hotel

I’m a sucker for a fancy hotel, and this one is fancier than most. Walking back down 5th Avenue to the beginning of the park at 59th Street I finally got within sight of the dazzling white exterior of the luxury hotel.

On the park side of the road there are horse and carriage rides available for those who want a fun, but more expensive, way to see Central Park. Inside The Plaza hotel, the regal looking interior is nice to check out. If you’re really feeling like your spending money is burning a hole in your pocket, you could treat yourself to afternoon tea in the lounge or even dinner or drinks in the evening. They have some good looking cocktails.

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But if like me you feel like New York is already sucking a lot of your spare cash, you might want to opt for the cheaper option. The Plaza food hall in the basement of the hotel is a great place for lunch or an afternoon coffee and snack. I have been for lunch there before and got a really nice soup and salad. They also have sushi and a noodle/dim sum bar. Then there are the bakeries. I love a good bakery so I had a difficult decision to make. OK not really, I just went to all of them. My favorite was definitely Billy’s Bakery which some of the most delicious cupcakes you can’t choose just one.

American Museum of Natural History

If you end up with a rainy day in New York, this is a good activity to keep in your back pocket. Likewise if visiting the city in the middle of summer when it’s hot and humid, you may also like to step inside this huge museum to cool down and get out of the heat.

Like all museums there are rooms upon rooms of interesting things to check out. Learn all about the animal world, plant world and the universe. If you’ve seen my post on free London museums you’ll remember my love of dinosaurs, so the AMNH also keeps my inner 10-year old dinosaur geek happy.

In the ocean life hall check out the ever-popular giant model of a blue whale suspended from the ceiling.

Strawberry Fields Forever

One of New York’s most famous residents wasn’t even American. John Lennon lived in an apartment on the West side of Central Park with Yoko Ono. It’s also here that he was shot and killed in December 1980. As a huge Beatles fan (I’m English after all) we walked down the street parallel to the park towards the 72nd Street station.

Entering the park from there we walked through to a small garden area called Strawberry Fields. The quiet oasis in a busy city has a beautiful mural in the ground as a tribute to John Lennon. It’s a popular place with tourists but a lovely place.

New York City FC

When I visited New York my parents we decided to book tickets to the soccer game. As Brits they have an infatuation with the game, that seems to have skipped a generation, however a live sporting event is entertaining even if you’re not a huge fan.

Tickets aren’t too expensive for the MLS games so we took the train to Yankee Stadium in the Bronx for an afternoon game. While not close to the downtown core of New York, it is right off the train line at the 161st Street station so easy to get to. Depending on the time of year you could also see a baseball game and watch the New York Yankees.

The best Chinese food in New York

So I didn’t try every restaurant, that would take years even if eating out every day. But in Midtown there is a wonderful Sichuan restaurant called Ollies on 42nd Street at 9th Avenue, close to the Port Authority bus terminal.

The food is fantastic with some more Western Chinese style menu items as well as more traditional food. As someone who has lived in China I’m a stickler for authentic Chinese food instead of purely North American Chinese food. There are dishes that I love from China that I get really excited about if I see on a menu. Awesome vegetarian options: red pepper and shredded potato, the vegetable dumplings and the Sichuan cucumber.

Day 3 – Lower Manhattan

Day three will be mostly spent in Lower Manhattan. You’ve seen it from the Empire State building (or Top of the Rock) but now it’s time to go there. Sure, it’s the financial district, but there’s so much more to see that banks.

The American dream, finding a better life in the land of opportunity. Whatever you want to call it, you can bet that a lot of people in the 19th and 20th Century began that journey in Lower Manhattan. Seeing the Statue of Liberty as they sailed into New York harbor, and being processed at Ellis Island immigration hall.

Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

We took the tour bus all the way down from Midtown, and got off at Battery Park. I can’t stress this enough but if you plan to visit the Statue of Liberty or Ellis Island (and I highly urge you to do so), make sure to pre-purchase your tickets before you get to New York.

I booked 2 months in advance and still wasn’t able to get the ticket I wanted. Like Alcatraz you have to take a boat to get there so only so many people can visit in a day. Even with a pre-purchased ticket there is still a wait to get onto a boat. We went early to get the most out of the day.

For more on my day trip check out this post – Learning about immigration in the USA: a visit to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

What to do around Wall Street

After a busy morning you might want to have a slightly later lunch. If it’s during the week, the Financial district is buzzing around noon and you’ll struggle to find a short line for food. There are lots of food trucks around Zucotti Park just up from Wall Street, and many cafes and diners around.

We actually went into a cafe to grab sandwiches and then walked to Trinity Church on Broadway and Wall Street. There are lots of benches in the nice quiet garden to sit and eat lunch. Then you can walk around the 150+ year old church. The security is tight getting into the church with bag checks and metal detectors, but in this area of the city this is the norm so be prepared.

After a bite to eat we went for a walk down Wall Street. There are lots of very grand looking buildings, including the New York Stock Exchange. Just around the corner from Wall Street is New York City Police Museum. It’s not a big museum but is a great place to check out. It looks like it’s currently closed but if it’s open you might want to visit. We found it was really informative about the NYPD with some cool historical artifacts, like Al Capone’s machine gun!

9/11 Memorial and Museum

The history of that fateful day in 2001 is still evident all around the lower Manhattan area. This is not an easy place to visit, but I do fully believe people should visit. If nothing else than for a reminder of what happened, and to pay respects to the thousands of victims.

The memorial fountains are a beautiful tribute, each victim’s name etched into the display which is set where the original towers stood. A single rose is placed on the name each year on what would have been their birthday. I could see, looking up, the new One World Trade Center looming over the area, a magnificent glass building.

Inside the memorial museum we entered through a strict bag search area, and descended into the depths of lower Manhattan. Walking through areas that were the parking garages, seeing huge pieces of metal from the original structures of the twin towers.

The memorial has artifacts and pictures of that day in September, but tells stories of the victims and the survivors. We also learned a lot from the timeline seeing how the day unfolded from the perspectives of other people including President Bush. It was very hard not to get emotional (tissues are around if you need them), but was a very well laid out museum. It is emotionally draining, and you’ll probably need some fresh air and a pick-me-up activity afterwards.

Dinner and a show

What better pick-me-up activity than refueling with a delicious dinner. Although there are lots of restaurants where we were that day, we instead decided to head back towards our hotel. Along 9th and 10th Avenue there are a lot of restaurants…I wonder if that’s why the area is known as Hell’s Kitchen? Anyway, there were so many to choose from that you might want to hit up a few during your stay. I had some great Italian food while I was there on one of my visits, but this time we tried something new.

There are numerous small convenience stores that double as a restaurant. A couple of tables and a deli counter steps away from the shelves of groceries. We had some amazing Mexican food in one of them, Tulcingo Del Valle. There’s a restaurant side and a deli side. We just went in the grocery/deli for a quick (delicious) bite. If you see any of these grocery store restaurants, they might not look like much but the food is fantastic.

Despite the fact that New York is famous for its Broadway shows, I didn’t make it to one while I was there. I didn’t really plan that part of it well and would love to see a show if I went back, but all around Times Square the neon lights draw you down side streets to the bustling doorways of the theater district each evening. If you aren’t going for a show it’s probably best to avoid this area between 5pm and 8pm as getting food will be busy and expensive because of everyone going to the theater.

Day 4 – East Village to Midtown

I’ve visited the top end of Manhattan, and the lower end. I’ve been all around the tourist-filled center, but the East Village is where I’ll spent the majority of day 4.

Macy’s department store

Heading back down Broadway or 6th Avenue towards the direction of the Empire State Building, you’ll eventually get to 34th Street. If that sounds familiar, then maybe you’re a fan of Christmas movies too. Miracle on 34th Street ring any bells? Wait, was that a pun?!

One of the largest department stores in the world, Macy’s stands here, the focal point of the movie. For over a hundred years this huge department store has taken up the city block between 6th and 7th Avenues. Famous for presenting the annual Thanksgiving Parade, the store is still as popular today, even if it is mostly tourists clamoring to get a photo.

Bagels and pickles

From Macy’s it’s easy to jump on the subway to the next stop. Take either the D train to Grand Street Station or the F train to Delancey Street. We walked a couple blocks to Grand and Essex and found an amazing bagel shop calls Kossar’s. Grab a deli sandwich, or some bagels and bialys to go with a tub of schmear and you’ve got a great lunch.

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If you like pickles (I don’t but my other half does) then there’s a place next door called The Pickle Guys filled with barrels of pickles to choose from. The smell of vinegar will hit you as you walk through the door but pickle fans will love it. They pack them up pretty well for transit too. I was half expecting to smell pickle juice coming from my luggage as it arrived on the carousel back in Vancouver, but it was good.

If these places aren’t enough of an institution take Essex Street back North up to East Houston Street and you’ll find Katz’s Delicatessen. Another great place for bagels and sandwiches filled to the brim with all kinds of kosher goodness, serving the East Village for over 130 years. You’re in bagel heaven around this area with so much of the city’s Jewish heritage still celebrated.

McSorley’s Old Ale House

What better way to wash down all those sandiwches and pickles than with some good old fashioned beer. And itdoesn’t get much more old fashioned than McSorley’s. When I first saw this place in the guide book I knew I had to go there. First of all, I love beer. Second of all, I’m British so old pubs are my thing!

I’m so glad we went. The place has been around since the mid 1800s and by all accounts has not really changed. From the outside the public house looks pretty old fashioned, but walk through the door and it’s as if you stepped back in time. Sawdust covers the floors, the seating is at big, wooden communal style tables, and the decor is more antique than vintage. Rough around the edges but charming nonetheless.

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It’s a simple place and the beer only comes in two types. Light and Dark. Served in glass handled tankards two at a time. The bartender wears an old style smock and regularly makes the rounds passing out more pairs of beers, sliding them down the table with a slosh of foam to the ground. We wiled away a couple of hours here digesting our deli sandwiches, until it was time to eat again.

Little Italy

Speaking of eating, is there any better place to find food than Little Italy? Walking South from McSorley’s, Little Italy is about 10 or 11 blocks away. If you don’t feel like walking as much, take Astor Place subway station on the Green #6 line to either Spring Street or Canal Street and Little Italy is in between the two. Mulberry Street is the main area and the central Italian neighborhood, with a neon sign welcoming you to this old district in Manhattan.

The area has a strong connection to the Mafia if you’re interested in some NYC history, Mulberry Street in particular. But the main reason people come here is for some authentic Italian food. Delicious smells make their way through the streets as you pass pizzerias and Italian cafes serving yummy gelato and my personal favorite, the cannoli.

If you have time to spend here for a full meal, I would recommend it. I did on one of my trips to New York, but at the very least try a dessert.

5th Avenue shopping

So you’ve eaten your weight in bagels and cannoli. Let’s head back up to Midtown and do a little shopping. If you’re on one of the tours you can most likely pick up your hop on/off bus around Little Italy and head back up to Midtown. If you’re not on a tour, then make your way back to Canal Street Station and take the same Green #6 line back North. I would recommend getting off at Grand Central Station then walking West until you hit 5th Avenue. Continue North as if going back towards Central Park.

5th Avenue has some affordable shopping, and some not so affordable shopping. For those who are big Audrey Hepburn fans like me, it wouldn’t be New York without a visit to Tiffany’s. It doesn’t cost to look around right? Well it doesn’t if you have willpower.

Sadly I don’t have anything close to willpower. But I managed to get a little something for myself that didn’t break the bank too much. Plus I got a pretty little blue box! We went into a shop where Jeff tried on a $20k watch. I was afraid to touch anything.

Junior’s Cheesecake

Is she talking about food again? Damn right I am. Shopping is a calorie burning activity so you deserve to have a good meal for the last night in New York. Someone recommended Junior’s to me before I went to New York and I’m thrilled they did. Wow, was it good. The location is just off Times Square in the theater district so as you can imagine it’s busy. We waited about 20 minutes for a table but in New York or big cities that’s not uncommon.

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Junior’s has deli style meals but at restaurant prices. But the portions are big and the cheesecake is to die for. There’s also about 15 different types of cheesecake. And if you can’t wait for a table, at least go to the bakery next door and get some cheesecake to take out. I’ve been here a couple times now, the service is amazing and the food is delicious. My personal favorite is the red velvet cheesecake in the picture on the right – part cake, part cheesecake. The apple pie cheesecake above is also really good.

Start spreading the news, I’m leaving today

The city of New York is crazy in many ways. Always busy, bright lights, noise and traffic, chaos at its finest. But you will not be bored, there’s so much to keep you entertained. I think like Las Vegas I can only stay for a few days at a time as there’s too much going on sometimes, but I always have a great time. There is non-stop food, and so much to see. Next time I think I’ll stay out of the city and experience some of the other neighborhoods, but for anyone on a first trip to New York this guide probably gives you all the main points to hit.

The subway is easy to use once you get the hang of it (and read the map correctly). Taxis are everywhere but you’ll wait in traffic more than you’ll be on the move. The open top bus is a great way to see the city and I would recommend getting a pass even if just for one day. Remember to book tickets in advance for the Statue of Liberty, Empire State building or anything else you might not want to miss. And above all, have fun.

If you’ve enjoyed this post please share using the social media buttons below or leave a comment. What’s your favorite thing about NYC? Or if you haven’t yet been, what are you looking forward to seeing the most?