24 Hours in NYC

With friends visiting NYC this weekend it got me thinking about how much you can see and do in 24 hours in the city that never sleeps. Where to start? Firstly, buy an unlimited metro card $7 USD (daily train ticket) because you’ll be using the subway (train) all day. Next, breakfast! And a great place I can recommend is Kitchnette, with Uptown and Tribeca locations or try Clinton St Bakery in the East Village (time to eat 1 hour). Watch out for the queues at Clinton St Bakery especially on the weekends. First stop – Empire State building. Make sure you get there early to avoid the crowds. If you want a different view try the Rockefeller Observation deck, where70 floors up you can get views of the Empire State Building (approx time 2 hours).  While at the Rockefeller Center check-out Radio City and the NBC studio tour.

Next stop, Statue of Liberty. Catch the train downtown to Battery Park and take the ferry out to America’s most recognized landmark (time 2 hours). Next, lunch-time!  With NYC being the home of convenience there’s no shortage of food choices. From bagels to tuna melts the options are endless. (Note if you’re going to have diner food keep it to burgers and sandwiches, not pasta or salads). A great way to walk off lunch is to visit the world famous Central Park but first detour via Grand Central Station is in order. The building is truly breathtaking and grand in size. If you’re still hungry try Juniors Cheesecake, truly breathtaking as well (suggested time at Grand Central 30 mins). On to Central Park, which has to be one of my most favorite parks in the world. Head to the Reservoir which has great panoramic views of the city and then make your way to the Boathouse and the Great Lawn (suggested time 2-3 hours).

Depending if you like art and museums the next choice will be quite difficult. With the daylight hours dwindling you have to make a choice between the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), Guggenheim or The American Museum of Natural History. Tough choice but I would go for the MOMA. After a couple of hours in an art gallery or museum it’s about time for dinner.  But before dinner you may want to fit in some shopping. Head to the biggest department store in the world, Macy’s on 34th Street. Another great shopping area is Soho. Walk down Broadway and you’ll pass leading brand name stores and smaller independent stores that are scattered down the side streets (time for shopping 2+ hours). By this time you’re probably dying for some food and luckily there are plenty of options available. A popular choice for tourists is a trip to Harlem for soul food at the famous Sylvia’s restaurant (1+ hour).

With the day quickly coming to an end a drink is in order and maybe a dance or two! Head to the lively Lower East Side (LES) to experience all the action, glamour and weirdness this city has to offer (suggested time, as long as your dancing shoes will let you). Depending on when you leave the bar or club there’s one more place to visit, Times Square and the best time to visit is in the middle of the night when there’s less people around. Once you’ve recovered from the 24 hour trip don’t forget to update the numerous social networking sites that are dedicated to travel, including Trip Advisor. You never know your comments can also help someone else have the time of their lives, too!