While it’s simply not possible to absorb all that NYC has to offer in seven short days, we’ve put together a helpful guide to the best of the best. From awe-inspiring architecture to picturesque green spaces, vibrant neighborhoods, the best in live entertainment, world-class museums, and iconic eateries, if you’re lucky to have an extended stay in NYC, read on for a week-long itinerary to make your life easier.
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Day 1: Central Park, Columbus Circle, The Met, The Guggenheim, American Museum of Natural History, and Lincoln Center
Check in at The Manhattan Club in Midtown. Our unbeatable location is just steps from Central Park and more of Manhattan’s most popular attractions. What better place to begin your NYC adventure than in the world-renowned 843-acre park? Check out notable points in Central Park like the Central Park Lake, Belvedere Castle, Bethesda Fountain, Strawberry Fields Memorial, and the Bow and Gapstow Bridges. Plus, many of the city’s best museums surround the park. There’s the American Museum of Natural History, The Met, The Guggenheim, The Frick, and so much more.
On the southwest corner of Central Park is the heavily trafficked Columbus Circle. The Shops at Columbus Circle is here, a famous landmark with retail stores, world-famous restaurants, and lounges. Just north of the Circle is Lincoln Center, a 16.3-acre complex of indoor and outdoor facilities housing performing arts organizations like the New York Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera, and New York City Ballet.
Want tickets to the Ballet, Opera, or a Broadway show? See our Concierge to book.
Day 2: Times Square, Theater District, Radio City Music Hall, and Rockefeller Center
A few blocks to the south are some of the most iconic destinations in all of NYC. Start at Times Square and walk through the Theater District to see the Broadway marquees. Then it’s on to Radio City Music Hall (“The Showplace of the Nation” and home to the Rockettes) and Rockefeller Center (Top of the Rock observation deck and the ice-skating rink and Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree during the holidays).
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Day 3: Fifth Avenue, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Bryant Park, New York Public Library, Empire State Building, and Grand Central Terminal
Take a walk south on the famed Fifth Avenue. In addition to the best shopping in the city (lined with flagship stores of Cartier, Bergdorf Goodman, Gucci, and others), you’ll see the gorgeous Gothic Revival St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Fifth between 50th and 51st Streets, Bryant Park at Fifth between 40th and 42nd Streets (“Manhattan’s Town Square,” adjacent to the New York Public Library), and the Empire State Building at Fifth and 34th Street. Nearby is Grand Central Station, the commuter rail terminal known for its stunning Beaux-Arts architecture.
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Day 4: West Village / Meatpacking District: Chelsea Market, The Whitney, Little Island, Hudson River Greenway, and the High Line
Spend the day in the West Village and Meatpacking District. Places of interest include Chelsea Market (a food hall and shopping mall in a historic 1890 building where the Oreo cookie was invented and produced) and The Whitney (the cutting edge modern and contemporary American art museum). Outside, check out Little Island at Pier 55 (an artificial island park with unique pot-shaped ‘tulip’ structures, pictured above), the 4-mile long Hudson River Greenway, and the High Line, a 1.45-mile-long elevated greenway where you’ll find beautiful gardens, art installations, performances, and food vendors during pleasant months.
Day 5: Lower Manhattan: Greenwich Village, Washington Square Park, One World Observatory, 9/11 Memorial and Museum, The Battery, Wall Street, and Chinatown
On your way to Lower Manhattan, stop at Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village first to see the towering marble arch. Next, spend the afternoon at One World Observatory and the 9/11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center complex before heading to The Battery, a 25-acre green space at the southern tip of Manhattan. While there, check out the SeaGlass Carousel, The Battery Labyrinth, and Castle Clinton fort. Afterwards, head north towards Wall Street, the famed street known as the financial capital of the nation. End the day in Chinatown, the vibrant neighborhood that draws foodies to its Asian restaurants, bubble tea shops, and markets. If you’re in the mood for a ham sandwich piled mile-high, the famous, no-frills Katz’s Delicatessen is just north of Chinatown.
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Day 6: Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and Cruise around Manhattan
Head back to Battery Park to catch the ferry to Liberty Island to see the Statue of Liberty. The hop-on/off ferry ride takes about 15 minutes and then continues to Ellis Island (the former largest immigrant inspection and processing station in the U.S. and now home to the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration and Statue of Liberty Museum). There are also plenty of cruises to choose from to see the city from a new perspective, including one that completely goes around the island of Manhattan, under 20 bridges, and points out over 130 of the city’s most recognized landmarks like Hudson Yards, Yankee Stadium, and the George Washington Bridge.
Day 7: Brooklyn: Brooklyn Bridge, Coney Island, and Jane’s Carousel
Situated across the East River from Manhattan, Brooklyn is often referred to as NYC’s “coolest” borough. Take 30 minutes to walk to Brooklyn from Manhattan over the Brooklyn Bridge (the first steel-wire suspension bridge and once the longest suspension bridge in the world). Once in Brooklyn, check out the beloved Jane’s Carousel with its carved horses and neighborhoods like Williamsburg, Brooklyn Heights, and Park Slope. Coney Island is a great spot to save until the afternoon. The peninsular neighborhood on the south side of Brooklyn is one of the best-known amusement parks in the country and home to the original Nathan’s Famous.
The Manhattan Club covers all of these top attractions and more over on our NYC Travel Blog. Let The Manhattan Club be your guide to the best events, top museums, and popular attractions in the greatest city in the world.
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