NYC Visitors Guide
We hope you have a great time visiting New York! Read through some of our tips and suggestions to help you make the most out of your trip. If you have some sort of plan before arriving, you will get more done in your time here and find it more enjoyable. We can’t give you all of the details of everything here so if something looks interesting, google it or ask us about it, we’re happy to chat. Neighborhoods below list sites north to south; food is in Italics; our favs are marked with “*”. There’s also way more to do than just these things, but these are some of our favorites. We can’t wait for you to discover the city we love so much!
-Josh & Carly
Tips
There are a few ways to get from the airports to the city:
Take the subway or train from JFK (public transport is faster and cheaper than a cab)
From JFK, take the airtrain and then the LIRR train to Penn Station for $10, even faster
Try a shuttle service, like NYC Airporter for around $13-$17 (call 24-hr in advance and they can drop you off right in front of your hotel, otherwise, they can drop you off at major hubs in midtown)
If you’re coming from LaGuardia to our house, you can take the M60 bus, it’s almost a straight shot
Take a cab or an uber, but that may cost you a up to $80 if coming from JFK or Newark
General tips:
Buy an unlimited 7-day subway pass if you’re staying for 3 days or more; you only have to ride the subway 11 times total to get your money’s worth.
Unless there is a zombie apocalypse or it’s midnight and there are no cars on the road, cabs are never faster than the subway or public transportation, never. 🙂 Just be aware when planning to get around.
Bring great walking shoes, you’ll walk 4-7 miles a day, even when using the subway or cabs.
The weather in New York runs the gamut from torrential rain to freezing cold to blazing hot and humid; it may be similar to where you are from but you’re going to be out in that weather much more as you tour around than if you were home. Check the weather before you come and pack accordingly. Carry an umbrella or rain jacket if there’s any chance of rain.
Don’t try to cram in too many activities in one day; work in some breaks so you can enjoy yourself. I would recommend staying in Manhattan unless you’ve already seen all of the big sites.
Bring a stroller or scooter for kids under 8, and plenty of snacks and water; the walking will be hard for them.
Subway schedules are different on weekends: they are less frequent and there is often construction,maintenance and changes; be prepared and watch for signs.
Get a map of the subway to take with you or get an app; Google maps works fantastic for us, but not always perfectly accurate on weekend changes. iTrans NYC app (has alerts for construction and weekend changes.
Check out New York Pass for a deal to get into a lot of popular attractions at one price
Check out Goldstar.com, Viator.com or Groupon for deals on walking tours, attractions, food, and more
When we travel, we always buy a guidebook before we go and make a plan to make the most of our time. If you want more info than what we have below, try Frommer’s or Lonely Planet.
Top Ten Things To Do
Top of the Rock: best view of the whole city (better than Empire State), go around sunset to get best pictures and view
Central Park: boat rides, walks, beautiful sights and architecture, bike ride on the loop (take 102nd transverse to avoid the big hill). They have an app that shows all of the great stuff in the park called Central Park Conservancy.
Juliana’s in Brooklyn for pizza and walk over the Brooklyn Bridge back to Manhattan, the view is amazing!
9/11 Memorial and Museum: leave about 2 hours for the museum (free tickets on Tuesdays, those free tickets are released online at 9am 2 weeks in advance and “sell out” within 5 minutes)
Broadway show or TV show taping: even if you don’t like theatre, you’ve got to see one; I promise you’ll be amazed; Wicked never disappoints
Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island: Just amazing, audio tour is great, too
Bus tour: this is a great way to get a glimpse of a lot of great architecture and famous buildings; start early in the day to get your money’s worth (don’t do more than a single day pass)
Grand Central and New York Public Library: beautiful buildings, inside and out, both free to see, amazing food court there too with some of our fav restaurants
Metropolitan Museum of Art: wonderful but giant, don’t try to see all of it, just pick a few areas. They have a “suggested donation” so if don’t think you’ll be there long, you can pay less than the suggested price
The Tenement Museum: apartment building from the 1870s, amazing tour guides, shows what life was like for immigrant New Yorkers in the 1870-1930 time frame (Carly’s favorite)
Top Ten Restaurants
Juliana’s: it’s in Brooklyn but we think it’s the best in the city; get the No 1 Special pizza, Patsy’s favorite
Jacob’s Pickles: amazing Southern food
Norma’s at Le Parker Meridien: weekend brunch is a big deal in NYC and this is THE best; get the WazZa or the crispy french toast (kind of spendy)
Joe’s Shanghai: hole in the wall place in Chinatown, best soup dumplings in the city
Panna II: wonderful Indian food, eat under chili pepper lights and Christmas lights
Wafels and Dinges: great waffle truck by Lincoln Center and base of Brooklyn Bridge, get anything with Spekulos
Chelsea Market: lots of great restaurants and shops, we love Budhakan, Rana, Sarabeth’s
Shalel Lounge: delicious homemade Mediterranean food, really fun vibe
Eataly: restaurants and market with imported foods from Europe
Bare Burger or Shake Shack: NYC burger chains: Bare Burger is really fresh and has really unique meats like bison or ostrich; Shake Shack is iconic, we love going to Madison Square Park location
Top Ten Treats
Levain Bakery: Best cookies on the planet, closes by 7pm
Dominique Ansel: love the cronut but if you don’t want to get in line by 6:45am; the rest of it is world-class: DKA, cookie shots and anything else is truly amazing and you don’t have to wait for the other stuff
Momofuku Milk Bar: ice cream tastes like cereal and milk, crack pie is addicting, also love compost cookie
Sugar Sweet Sunshine: cupcakes and bakery; our fav is the chocolate chip pudding–WHOA
Donut Plant: Josh’s favorite, I even like it and I don’t really like donuts
Eileen’s Special Cheesecake: Very best cheesecake in the city and the world
Magnolia Bakery: banana pudding will knock your socks off even if you don’t like bananas, amazing frosting on cupcakes, great cheesecakes, anything is great
Juniors: AMAZING black and white cookie, the best in the city
Two Little Red Hens Bakery: most delicious cupcakes, the Brooklyn Blackout cupcake will haunt your dreams
Dough: Great yeast doughnuts
Top Ten Treats
Levain Bakery: Best cookies on the planet, closes by 7pm
Dominique Ansel: love the cronut but if you don’t want to get in line by 6:45am; the rest of it is world-class: DKA, cookie shots and anything else is truly amazing and you don’t have to wait for the other stuff
Momofuku Milk Bar: ice cream tastes like cereal and milk, crack pie is addicting, also love compost cookie
Sugar Sweet Sunshine: cupcakes and bakery; our fav is the chocolate chip pudding–WHOA
Donut Plant: Josh’s favorite, I even like it and I don’t really like donuts
Eileen’s Special Cheesecake: Very best cheesecake in the city and the world
Magnolia Bakery: banana pudding will knock your socks off even if you don’t like bananas, amazing frosting on cupcakes, great cheesecakes, anything is great
Juniors: AMAZING black and white cookie, the best in the city
Two Little Red Hens Bakery: most delicious cupcakes, the Brooklyn Blackout cupcake will haunt your dreams
Dough: Great yeast doughnuts
Bronx
Bronx Zoo (we’ve never been but heard its world famous)
Harlem
Things to do:
Amateur night at the Apollo Theatre
Restaurants:
Restaurant row in Harlem: Frederick Douglass Blvd between 110th-120th: Sylvia’s, Roosters, Chez Lucienne
Upper West Side
Things to do:
Our House! The funnest place in the universe!
Lincoln Center: Met Opera, Ballet
Restaurants:
Jacob’s Pickles* (southern)
Shalel Lounge* (great Mediterranean, cool vibe)
Aangan (tasty Indian food right by our house)
Calle Ocho (upscale Peruvian)
Cafe Frida’s (delicious Mexican, get the fresh guac or the best ever ceviche)
Pio Pio (Peruvian)
The Meatball Shop (you guessed it, all kinds of meatballs, several locations)
Big Daddy’s (80’s themed diner with classic American fare)
Gray’s Papaya (hot dogs for people who don’t like hot dogs and smoothies)
The Smith (near Lincoln Center, creative American)
Wafels and Dinges* (food cart near Lincoln Center)
Rosa Mexicano (fresh guacamole made on the spot is great)
Momofuku Milk Bar* (ice cream tastes like cereal and milk, crack pie is amaze)
Levain Bakery* (best cookies on the planet)
Orwasher’s (yummy baked goods)
Upper East Side
Things to do:
Metropolitan Museum* (technically in Central Park)
Restaurants:
Laduree (french macarons, just like in Paris, pricey but amazing)
Orwasher’s Bakery (great donuts and cookies)
Serendipity (great chocolate cake and frozen hot chocolate, from the movie; really long line)
Two Little Red Hens Bakery (Brooklyn Blackout cupcakes are yum)
Magnolia Bakery* (amazing banana pudding, cake frosting is great, several locations in NYC)
Central Park
Things to do:
Bike Ride (take 102nd St crossover to skip the giant hill at the NW corner)
Canoes (so fun, usually need to get there before noon)
Walk with the app or a map (so many things to see)
Picnic, frisby
Carousel
Lots of amazing playgrounds for kids
Walk around the massive reservoir (can enter around 96th on the east or west side)
Restaurants:
Tavern on the Green (delicious sit-down fresh American, inside of the park)
Le Pain Quotidien (chain in the city with a location in the park, great bakery and salads)
Landmarc at Columbus Circle (American, view overlooking Central Park)
Luke’s Lobster and other food court restaurants under the Plaza Hotel, across street from Park (lobster rolls and shrimp rolls)
TAO uptown: upscale Chinese food
Midtown
Things to do:
5th Ave & 59th: ritzy shops of 5th Ave, Tiffany’s, Apple Cube, FAO Schwartz
MoMA (Museum of Modern Art)
Top of the Rock (best view in the city)*
Go to a taping of TV shows*: Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, SNL, Rachel Ray, Dr. Oz, and more (get tickets in advance)
Empire State Building (don’t bother with the 102nd floor, the 86th floor view is best)
Mood fabric store (used in Project Runway and by fashion designers)
Restaurants:
Grimaldi’s Pizza (in Manhattan or under the Brooklyn Bridge)
Norma’s at Le Parker Meridian* (favorite brunch spot, a bit pricey but worth the splurge, try WazZa or crispy french
Fig and Olive (Americanized Mediterranean fare, delicious gourmet olive oils for dipping, yummy salads)
Midtown East
Things to do:
New York Public Library (this is located near Bryant Park, maybe closer to midtown central)
Tram to Roosevelt Island (included in unlimited week pass or $2.75 per ride)
Restaurants:
Urbanspace Vanderbilt eats: Food court next to Grand Central, try Roberta’s sandwich or Dough donuts; lots of other yummies
Dishes: great stop for soups, salads and sandwiches
Hillstone (not unique to NYC but still a delicious spot)
Edi and the Wolf (great for brunch)
Magnolia Bakery* (several locations in the city)
Times Square
Things to do:
Bus tours*: you can get on at many places but this is central location to find the best tour out of many
Broadway shows* (I recommend seeing a show that you haven’t before or that isn’t likely to go on tour):
Hamilton (awesome but good luck getting tickets)
Aladdin
Fiddler on the Roof
School of Rock
Waitress
Something Rotten!
The Fantasticks! (off-broadway, smaller theater, more intimate feel)
These change often and there are many more, so check out what’s current online
USS Intrepid (retired aircraft carrier and submarine on the Hudson, also has a retired space shuttle)
Restaurants:
Restaurant Row (diverse group of restaurants on 46th St b/w 8th & 9th, near Times Square)
Bare Burger* (super fresh, interesting meat selections, like beef, bison, ostrich, etc)
Brasserie Athenee (French)
Five Napkin Burger (other non-burger food there is really great, too)
Shake Shack Burgers* (quintessential NYC burger)
The Counter Burgers (make-your-own style)
Frying Pan (American, sits right on the Hudson river, gorgeous view)
Junior’s Cheesecake* (also try their black and white cookie, it’s our favorite)
Cake Boss Cafe (canolis are great)
City Kitchen: food court style with lots of delicious food
Chelsea
Things to do:
The High Line Park (unique park built on abandoned elevated train tracks)
Chelsea Piers (mini golf, regular golf, bowling, etc)
Restaurants:
Chelsea Market* (great shops and restaurants in old Nabisco factory, checkout spice market, Rana, Buddhakan, Sarabeth’s, Doughnuttery, anything!)
Chocolate Tour (starts at Chelsea Market)
Gramercy Tavern (super fancy American restaurant with world-class food)
SoHo, Little Italy, Chinatown
Things to do:
Ritzy, high-end (and some mid range) shopping on cobblestone streets
Chinatown: mostly cheap shops; great, inexpensive souvenirs on Mulberry St close to Canal St
Little Italy: mostly restaurants, get pizza, pasta, cannolis
Restaurants:
Balthazar (French)
Lombardi’s Pizza (“First pizzeria in Manhattan”)
Eileen’s Special Cheesecake* (best in NYC and the universe)
Katz’s Deli (famous Jewish deli)
La Bella Vita (Italian)
Sapori (Bakery w delish cannolis)
Cafe Palermo (great Canolis)
Grand Appetito (pizza by the slice)
Joe’s Shanghai Restaurant* (best soup dumplings in the whole city)
Nom Wah Tea Parlor (great dim sum)
Rice to Riches (not your grandma’s rice pudding, really delicious)
Laduree (french macarons, just like in Paris, pricey but amazing)
West Village / Greenwich Village
Things to do:
The Duplex: sometimes have interesting musical and comedy shows
Walking Tour* here: some of the oldest places in the city (http://www.nytimes.com/ref/travel/TOUR-GV.html?8bl)
Restaurants:
Magnolia Bakery* (several locations in the city)
Dominique Ansel Bakery* (for cronut, need to be there 90 min before opening in summer, one hour before in winter, the Cronuts sell out fast; don’t need to be there early for other stuff which is world class: try DKA or cookie shots, knock your socks off!)
Lower East Side
Things to do:
Lower East Side Tenement Museum* (Carly’s Favorite)
South Street Seaport (east end of Fulton St, lots of shops, water taxi ride, historic ships, seafood, street performers)
Restaurants:
The Meatball Shop (more than one location)
Clinton St. Baking Co. (brunch and dinner, try blueberry pancakes)
Panna II* (Indian food under Christmas lights)
Momofuku Noodle Bar (amazing food, can be a long wait)
S’Mac (gourmet mac and cheese bowls)
Momofuku Milk Bar* (ice cream that taste like milk and cereal, more than one location)
Sugar Sweet Sunshine* (Chocolate Chip Pudding is yummy)
Financial District
Things to do:
Stone Street (Group of historic buildings and restaurants)
Wall Street & Broadway
Charging Bull near Wall Street
9/11 Memorial and Museum* (print tickets out before for less wait, can just walk up)
Staten Island Ferry (free, good view of Statue of Liberty, takes about 1 hour round trip)
Statue of Liberty* (best to get tickets weeks before arriving)
Brooklyn Bridge* (take subway to Brooklyn side and walk over the bridge)
Restaurants:
Ninja New York (Japanese steakhouse w/Ninjas as waiters & a magic show)
Baluchi’s (Indian)
Bubby’s (southern, great brunch and lunch and dinner!)
Blue Smoke (BBQ)
Wafels and Dinges* (food cart at base of Brooklyn Bridge)
Eataly (second location)
Brookfield Place (food court style, love Mighty Quinn’s BBQ and Chop’t)
Brooklyn
Things to do:
Brooklyn Bridge* (take subway to Brooklyn side and walk back over the bridge)
DUMBO (District Under the Manhattan & Brooklyn Overpass)
Coney Island (very far away, FYI)
Restaurants:
Juliana’s* (best restaurant pizza in the city, owned by the guy who originally started Grimaldi’s)
Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory (on the pier with stunning views of Manhattan, great before walking over the Brooklyn Bridge)
Roberta’s (bee sting or meatwad pizzas are killer amazing)
Emily (2nd best pizza and very best burger, also have a smore calzone; get there when it opens at 5 to get the burger, they have limited supply)
Kids (and the young at heart)
Great parks and piers with water features and playgrounds
Row boats in Central Park (get there before noon)
Biking in Central Park
Tram to Roosevelt Island (included in unlimited week pass)
Hershey Store and M&M’s Store in Times Square
Inexpensive, decent souvenirs and t-shirts in Chinatown (on east side of Mulberry, just north of canal)
Check out the website mommypoppins.com for more ideas for kids