New York City - What would you do if you had 2-3 days in NYC?

My main priority is to sightsee and eat.

Pick up a guide book and make a list of your "must-sees." Plot them on a map, and then see what else is nearby that interests you. You won't even scratch the surface in 2-3 days, so don't try and see everything. New York is more than its famous buildings, be sure to spend some time exploring the neighborhoods, to see how New Yorkers really live and work here.

My main priority is to sightsee and eat.

See what kind of sights? Eat what kind of food?

This topic is covered in many other threads in this forum. Also, you didn't fill out your FT profile so no one knows anything about you including where you are from.

Best advice is to find a guide book, website, or app that covers New York City and find some things that interest you. Then you can come back for further questions.

My main priority is to sightsee and eat.

5th Ave from Central Park South to 34th street/Empire State Building.
Times Square area.
Wall Street/Staten Island Ferry
Little Italy/Chinatown
Greenwich Village/Soho

Oh wait, you said 2 - 3 days. :D

You can have lunch and dinner at any place in Little Italy (Mulberry Street) and Chinatown (Mott St). Mulberry and Mott are 1 block apart.

I don't know where you're from, but you can eat a slice of pizza anywhere in the city, since it will probably be better that what you get at home (if you're from ORD, please disregard). ;)

My advice is to read back in this forum for one year. This will give you a good heads up about lots of things. As stated above, a few direct questions will generate lots of good ideas from forum regulars and others.

This post is slightly dated, but mostly accurate. I hope it helps. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/new-york-city/677835-suggested-itinerary-walking-tour-lower-manhattan-central-park.html

My main priority is to sightsee and eat.You asked a similar question in the New England forum about Boston. Do some research in the NYC forum for ideas that might interest you here in NYC. Read some threads like you were advised by others in the New England forum.

You asked a similar question in the New England forum about Boston. Do some research in the NYC forum for ideas that might interest you here in NYC. Read some threads like you were advised by others in the New England forum.

Or tell us what might interest you-shows, art, outdoors, history, food and drink. There is a ton of things to do in NYC so concentrate on what interest you.

See what kind of sights? Eat what kind of food?

This topic is covered in many other threads in this forum. Also, you didn't fill out your FT profile so no one knows anything about you including where you are from.

Best advice is to find a guide book, website, or app that covers New York City and find some things that interest you. Then you can come back for further questions.

Thanks for taking the time to participate in my thread.

I know I created a lot of threads in this forum and let me clarify things right now. Here's the problem, I've actually been to both Boston and New York City 11 times in my life. I have relatives living there and so that's why I've been there so many times. The problem is that I feel that I have usually done the same things over and over again. I still don't quite know where the locals go and eat. I generally followed the advice of my cousins and uncles on where to go and eat. I've been to to the Boston Common, Statue of Liberty, Capitol Building in DC, and a long list of other places. If I were to get a list from people that live in that region and or locals who lives there, then I can at least figure out what I haven't done and then go and do it.

I'll be flying back to Boston next week to attend my grandmother's funeral. :(

Airfare is already booked and I'll be flying into Boston and flying out of Washington DC. I'm going to be in Boston for at least 5 days. That won't include the day trips to places nearby like Concord and Portland.

For this trip, I wouldn't mind going back to some of those places that I mentioned because at that time I wasn't so serious about photography. I'll have a much better setup this time and I wouldn't mind going back to some of those places. The disappointing part is that the Statue of Liberty is closed at this time. Anyways, for food, I don't have anything specific in mind. I guess I want to go to the popular places in the city.

You asked a similar question in the New England forum about Boston. Do some research in the NYC forum for ideas that might interest you here in NYC. Read some threads like you were advised by others in the New England forum.

I did and if you look at my response to Landing Gear, you'll know why I asked those questions.

Thank you for the suggestion.

Or tell us what might interest you-shows, art, outdoors, history, food and drink. There is a ton of things to do in NYC so concentrate on what interest you.

I don't have anything specific in mind. I guess I'm looking for a list of places that are recommended to tourists and where locals go during the weekend. I haven't been to the Metropolitan Museum of Art so that's something that I'll have to do on this trip.

I did and if you look at my response to Landing Gear, you'll know why I asked those questions.

Thank you for the suggestion.You're welcome. That's the best way to start in FT. Check out the ideas and then ask follow-up questions.

Let's see what you said to Landing Gear:

I know I created a lot of threads in this forum and let me clarify things right now. Here's the problem, I've actually been to both Boston and New York City 11 times in my life. I have relatives living there and so that's why I've been there so many times. The problem is that I feel that I have usually done the same things over and over again. I still don't quite know where the locals go and eat.This forum has ALL kinds of restaurant suggestions especially because we the locals eat there. So go peruse. :) It's easy to go the same places again and again even if you're a local so it's great seeing what others have recommended.

I'll be flying back to Boston next week to attend my grandmother's funeral.My condolences. That's tough especially if this happened all of a sudden. It's tough no matter what the circumstances. :(

Anyways, for food, I don't have anything specific in mind. I guess I want to go to the popular places in the city.Popular and 'where the locals go' aren't necessarily the same thing. Read what is recommended. You'll see all kinds of advice including those contradicting that advice. There is never a clear cut answer in this forum. :D Then ask away about some place specific.

Welcome, lsquare! :) Sorry to hear about your grandmother. :(

I would encourage you to check out our Sticky at the top of the forum, specifically the Attractions section, which provides links to a variety of threads in this forum that discuss many of the tourist attractions here. Hopefully, that will help you brainstorm and narrow things down a bit so that we can better assist you. :)

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/new-york-city/1001718-welcome-nyc-forum-please-read-first-really.html

If, on the other hand, you want to see what the locals do, you might just pick a neighborhood that you think sounds interesting, Chelsea, for example, and spend the day eating and wandering around. :)

My main priority is to sightsee and eat.
Throw away the guidebook and get lost. :D

We did that one afternoon on recent trip to Manhattan. We headed to a favorite place to eat, had lunch, and then spent a couple hours walking around. Definitely not the E-ticket attractions, but we found some interesting houses to look at, saw part of Central Park, found a good used bookstore, and generally just enjoyed winging it.

I'd say stay away from Times Square. Visit Central Park, the Village, So Ho, and the West Side waterfront.

Death & Co. for drinks in the Village is a good idea

I don't have anything specific in mind. I guess I'm looking for a list of places that are recommended to tourists and where locals go during the weekend. I haven't been to the Metropolitan Museum of Art so that's something that I'll have to do on this trip.

In your OP, you don't specify what 2-3 days (I'm guessing it is a weekend, from this last post). One could easily spend a week at the Met Museum and just "scratch the surface". You have to optimize your time by looking for interesting things in the same area. [The Frick Collection is not far away.]
Look for calendars of events in NYC on the days you will be there--sometimes special things turn up.
If you are into "nightlife" it can be costly--if not, you might visit museums which have late night openings, and visit other places (in the day) which don't.
As a side note, the Intrepid expects to have the Space Shuttle open to the public on 7/19.

We were just in NYC for a week. Some do's and don'ts:

Don't get the open bus tour, they over sell them and the audio is hit or miss.
Don't spend too much time in Time Square

Do buy your tickets from TKTS if you plan on seeing a show (and get the app to check what shows are available)
Do walk along the new hi line park (stroll through the Meat Packing District, food at Chelsea Market may be interesting)
Do visit Central Park - Row a boat, cheapest thing to do in NYC, amazing views.
Do get a subway pass and an app or two to guide you.
Do use the Statin Island Ferry to see the Statue of Liberty, if you want to see it.
Do visit Bryant Park and the Library if it is a nice day. Have a drink relaxing in the open air bar.
Do eat at the Shake Shack if you are in the neighborhood.
Do stroll down streets with out any purpose (as mentioned above, you will find something interesting).

I thought I'd add that my husband and I went to NYC for Easter Weekend. The most fun thing we did was Scott's Pizza Tour. It's a walking tour during the week and a bus tour on Sundays. He has a list of about 30 preferred pizzerias and on Sundays the bus goes to 4 of them, every Sunday is a different tour. We had a great time. www.scottspizzatour.com. We also did some walking tours with Big Onion, the High Line, and the Staten Island ferry, but the pizza tour was the highlight.

Do use the Statin Island Ferry to see the Statue of Liberty. . .


It can also lower your cholesterol.

It can also lower your cholesterol.Especially when going roundtrip.

Do visit Central Park - Row a boat, cheapest thing to do in NYC, amazing views.The cheapest? It's not free. The best things are free. :)

Don't spend too much time in Time SquareTimes Square. I do agree about not spending too much time there. Feel free to walk through and then keep on walking. ;) All you'll see are other tourists. If you're going to go, I recommend walking through Times Square at night for the glittering lights.

We were just in NYC for a week. Some do's and don'ts:

Don't get the open bus tour, they over sell them and the audio is hit or miss.
Don't spend too much time in Time Square

Do buy your tickets from TKTS if you plan on seeing a show (and get the app to check what shows are available)
Do walk along the new hi line park (stroll through the Meat Packing District, food at Chelsea Market may be interesting)
Do visit Central Park - Row a boat, cheapest thing to do in NYC, amazing views.
Do get a subway pass and an app or two to guide you.
Do use the Statin Island Ferry to see the Statue of Liberty, if you want to see it.
Do visit Bryant Park and the Library if it is a nice day. Have a drink relaxing in the open air bar.
Do eat at the Shake Shack if you are in the neighborhood.
Do stroll down streets with out any purpose (as mentioned above, you will find something interesting).

I thought there was only one company that is allowed to take people to Liberty Island to see the Statue of Liberty?

I thought there was only one company that is allowed to take people to Liberty Island to see the Statue of Liberty?

The StatEn Island Ferry (recently renamed after naming rights were granted to a pharma company :p) does not go to the Statue of Liberty, but travels past it about 1/4 mile away. Since you can't go up into the Statue, it may be an easier (and certainly quicker) way to see the statue.

The StatEn Island Ferry (recently renamed after naming rights were granted to a pharma company :p) does not go to the Statue of Liberty, but travels past it about 1/4 mile away. Since you can't go up into the Statue, it may be an easier (and certainly quicker) way to see the statue.

Also much cheaper!!! Cheap-est, in fact! :)

Thanks for posting your list!

Do eat at the Shake Shack if you are in the neighborhood.


There was a Shake Shack just beside my hotel, had lines out the door (sometimes stretching around the building) nearly from when they opened until when they closed. Every time we walked by there seemed to be a long line.

We did go there for shakes twice. I was a bit underwhelmed. $5 for a very small shake that really wasn't anything special...

There was a Shake Shack just beside my hotel, had lines out the door (sometimes stretching around the building) nearly from when they opened until when they closed. Every time we walked by there seemed to be a long line.

We did go there for shakes twice. I was a bit underwhelmed. $5 for a very small shake that really wasn't anything special...The lines are typically for the Shake Burgers. Stores typically have separate lines for the shakes, fries.... The shakes weren't a big deal to me either. Pricey? Yes.

Rent a bike and bike the path along the Hudson. Although its not an activity I would recommend for tomorrow or similiar days when the temperature is near 100 degrees. There are carts along the path with water for sale.

Sadly there is no open cafe at Christopher Street this year albeit last year it was very expensive food and tiny portions. However, the ice cream vendor is also gone. I'm not sure why the Parks Department has that cafe closed this year and no ice cream vendor.

Rent a bike and bike the path along the Hudson.

There was a local TV news story about a bike riding school opening up on one of the piers. Do you know if that has happened yet?

(Yes, I know how to ride a bike, but the last time I owned one, let's just say it didn't have 25 speeds. :) )