From the moment I stepped foot in New York City for the first time, I fell instantly in love. As a major introvert, no one understood how I could love such a hectic and crowded city. After that first time I made a vow to come back as often as possible…and that’s just what I did. After a while, navigating the city became second nature to me and I was learning my way around and exploring new spots. Now, most of my trips to the city include obscure Broadway shows and anything new and interesting I can find to check out. It wasn’t long until people started asking me for recommendations. Friends and co-workers all started depending on me to be their “guide” to the city for their first time visits (insert Beetlejuice Broadway's "The Whole Being Dead Thing Part 2" here). I ended up making a list of my favorite tourist spots and must dos that I share with anyone who asks and now I’m going to share my list with the world (or at least with Pinterest!).
Where to Stay:
Finding a great hotel in NYC can be tough. The close ones are ridiculously expensive and the cheap ones are too far out. Depending on the time of year you can find some killer deals (without sacrificing location) but sometimes prices can be tricky. Here are some of my favorites – that I find to be fairly moderately priced even in top tourist season.
The Edison
My top choice hotel is The Edison. Located in the heart of times square between 46th and 47th, The Edison boasts history and luxury. The room sizes can be a little on the small side but, let’s be honest, you won’t be spending a lot of time in the room (NY never sleeps remember?). Right across the street from Richard Rogers Theater, it’s the PERFECT spot if you have those ever sought after Hamilton tickets. You’re also close to most of the other theaters and literally STEPS away from Times Square. The Edison can get pricey during the summer but usually has some really good package deals going on. If you’re booking solely on location this one can’t be beat.
EVEN Hotel Times Square South
If you don’t really care about being right in the heart of all the action EVEN is a really great choice. It’s about a mile from Times Square/Broadway (super walkable). The rooms are very decently sized, probably one of the biggest you’ll find in the city and they are stocked full of fitness equipment to encourage healthy living. If that’s not your thing (trust me I get it), you can still enjoy the other amenities, the best being the complimentary infused water in the lobby (and the free water bottle they provide in the room so you can stock up before you head out!). With a convenient location and modern feel, this hotel is incredible.
Hilton Garden Inn Midtown/Park Ave
This hotel is about 1.5miles from Times Square/Broadway, but it’s a fairly easy walk and it’s close to other key attractions like the Empire State Building and Macy’s. If that doesn’t quite sell you, most rooms have Empire State Building views so you can still feel connected even in your room.
Newark Penn Station
Although not quite as convenient as staying right in the city, this hotel tends to run A LOT cheaper than city rooms. The best part is that you can take NJ Transit direct from Newark Penn Station to NY Penn Station and be right in the center of the action within about 20 minutes. I still prefer staying IN the city but if you’re trying to save money and don’t mind the commute it’s by far the best NJ hotel I’ve found.
Where to Eat
Juniors
If you go to NYC without trying Juniors you are missing out. Somewhat Jewish based cuisine, they have a variety of sandwiches, soup and meat entrees. You can even get a brisket sandwich made with two latkes as the bread (calories don’t count in NYC right?). Even if you don’t get a meal, you HAVE to try the cheesecake. Juniors has the best cheesecake ever, no lie. With a variety of flavors from classic to Devil’s Food and Red Velvet, if you only have one meal – make it a piece of Juniors Cheesecake. If you ate too much latke sandwich, you can even grab a slice from their take out bakery and have it in your room later. Remember, I can’t stress it enough, calories don’t count in the city so splurge!!
Ellen’s Stardust Diner
Broadway and dinner combined together? YES PLEASE. Ellen’s has classic diner foods and milkshakes, oh, and your waiter will be performing showtunes in the middle of serving you. There is constant entertainment the entire time. There is usually a fairly long wait to get in the door but trust me it’s worth it.
2 Bros Pizza
You cannot go to NYC without trying a slice of NY Pizza. 2 Bros has mixed reviews if you look online because it’s a grab and go type place, but at $2 a slice you can’t beat it. They’re everywhere around the city so just keep your eyes open. Best NY Pizza I’ve found to date. You can also get it delivered right to your hotel via Uber Eats (not that I’ve ever done that….).
What To Do (aka Touristy Things to See At Least Once)
Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is just one of those things that you have to see at least once. There’s a lot of debate over The Observation Deck at the Empire vs. Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center. I’ve done both and I personally think the views from here are far superior (in my opinion the only benefit of Top of the Rock is that you can see the Empire State Building). Night or day, the view is unmatched. I could probably come here every time I visited NYC and never get tired of it. Plus you can get a pic with King Kong…that has to sell you right?
9/11 Memorial and Museum
9/11 is and will always be one of the most tragic days in American history. I was very young when the events went down and at the time didn’t fully understand the exact impact that day had on our country, nonetheless NYC itself. The memorial fountain is outside and is a beautiful reminder of where the towers stood and those who lost their lives in the tragedy. The museum is a humbling experience – wreckage, personal belongings, last phone calls, and pictures of victims fill every room. It’s very emotional and heart wrenching. The museum is beautiful and ultimately helped me fully understand the events of that day and to appreciate our country in a whole new way.
Statue of Liberty
Perhaps the most recognizable symbol of NYC the Statue of Liberty is something you have to see, whether from afar or close up. If you enjoy history, take the ferry out to Ellis Island. There’s a museum chronicling the history of immigration into NYC and you can stand where millions of immigrants stood as they took the first steps towards new lives. From here you can also take a ferry out to the statue and see it up close and personal, along with a museum giving the history of it. If you don’t care to see the marvel up close you can always take a ride on the Staten Island ferry. You get a passing view and the ride is free.
Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center is packed with things to do. The inside has a nice little shopping center, restaurants, and a subway. If you’re visiting on a weekday, be sure to check out the filming of the Today Show. A lot of times you can meet the newscasters (my friends were totally jealous of my selfie with Al Roker), and most of the times you’ll get your couple seconds of fame when they film outside and you can watch for yourself on the broadcast. Another fun activity offered is the NBC Studio Tour. You’ll get to visit sets of popular shows like Jimmy Fallon or SNL and even get to star in your own production at the end. In the winter you also have the famous ice skating rink right underneath the Christmas tree. Show off your skills (or in our case, lack of skills) and get the true Christmas experience in NYC.
Times Square
No trip to NYC is complete without seeing Times Square. The first time I saw it at night I couldn’t believe how bright and colorful it is. Times Square is the heart of Broadway, packed with marquees. There are also a bunch of stores (the best of which being the Disney Store, M&M World, and that HUGE Sephora -heart eyes emoji-). If it’s a nice day/night sit on those iconic red steps and grab a dessert waffle from the Wafels and Dinges cart and just enjoy the view. Times Square is just something you cannot miss.
Broadway
Seeing a Broadway show is an absolute must. There are so many to choose from so you can really choose one that fits you or your family’s personalities. My first show was The Lion King but I’ve ultimately seen over 30 shows. A lot of actors do runs on Broadway too so you might even find a show with your favorite actor (be sure to wait at the stage door to try to get an autograph/picture!).
China Town
Need to buy souvenirs for your 15 co-workers? Had your eye on a Coach bag that there’s no way you can afford? China Town. You can find a lot of shops with souvenirs and knock off exact replicas of those expensive bags for dirt cheap (it may be fake but who can tell, right?). Besides just the killer shopping they also have pretty good food if you’re craving Chinese. Take a stroll through, you’ll be surprised at all you can find.
Central Park
Central Park is MASSIVE. I’ve spent hours walking through and I still don’t think I’ve seen over half of it. There are a few key things you’ll want to make sure to see on your first visit.
Strawberry Fields: The John Lennon tribute. You’ll often find a musician sitting near playing Beatles songs…it’s nostalgic.
Central Park Zoo: a zoo smack in the middle of the city? Yep, a pretty good one too. It’s beautiful and great if you’re visiting with kids.
Bethesda Terrace: You’ve probably seen it in 20 movies without much thought (when Santa’s sleigh gets the engine knocked off by the statue in Elf, yep that’s Bethesda Terrace). I may or may not have my entire "Bethesda Terrace" wedding planned out...it's one of the most beautiful parts on the park in my opinion.
The Great Lawn: Okay, yeah so it’s just a big patch of grass…but it’s awesome to see so much green in the middle of a concrete jungle. It’s also the perfect picnic spot. Just saying. (And no, my picture is not on the great lawn but its a cute picnic picture in the park and you get the idea).
Carriage Rides: So not really a part of the park, but a carriage ride around the park is something straight out of a movie. They are EXPENSIVE. But if you have a budget to spare it’s a very nice 30 minutes or so.
These are only a few samples of what Central Park has to offer. Once I finally see it all I could definitely do a post JUST on the park. It’s a must see for sure.
Macy’s Herald Square
“But I have a perfectly good Macy’s at home…” you might say. Yes, maybe so, but I guarantee that you don’t have one like this. The flagship Macy’s store, the Herald Square Macy’s is 2.5 million square feet, and has 11 stories. You can find pretty much anything in there. It may seem like just a department store but I promise you should check it out.
Getting Around
A lot of NYC is easily walkable, but there are some sections of the city that are pretty far out of the way. The Subway is a great, cheap way to get around, but it can be super daunting for first time visitors to NYC. You can buy passes either by single trip or by re-loadable metro card (which is what I do since I always know I’ll be using it and will be back). One of the biggest things to make the subway easier is knowing where you are in the city…easier said than done I know. For the most part tourist attractions either stick to midtown or downtown. Downtown attractions include the 9/11 museum, Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, and the Brooklyn Bridge/Brooklyn. Times Square, the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center are all midtown. Knowing your bearings will help you get on the right side of the platform. The easiest way to figure out exactly where you’re going is to either use MTA’s Trip Planner or Google Maps which will usually tell you exactly the station to leave from, which line to ride, and direction to walk once you get off. It takes time to learn, but it’s definitely do-able for a first timer!
Hop on, hop off bus tours are also a great option if you’re a first timer with not much time. They have multiple routes that will take you to almost any part of town you could possibly want to see. If you’re nervous about the subway and want to avoid hefty cab fees, the bus tours are great.
NYC has SO many things to see and most of the time there is so little time to see it all. I focused on the top tourist spots, but there is so much more the city has to offer. For the first time tourist sometimes you just have to see the classics. NYC truly is the greatest city in the world. And who knows, one visit and it may turn you into a New York junkie like me.
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