New York City is one of the best cities in the world to travel to. From food to landmarks, it has everything to offer for a great couple, family or even solo holiday.
One of the places we always like to come back to in the USA is indeed the Big Apple, New York City, located on Manhattan Island. It is one of the most exciting cities in the world and with good reason, there are simply so many activities you can do. It doesn’t matter what your flavour is, New York will have something for you. So here are a few things we enjoyed while we were in New York, some you have certainly heard of; while others may be brand new for you. One thing is assured, you will have an incredible time here and you will definitely be coming back.
This New York City trip was organized by Agoda, a travel platform that is one of the best websites and apps to find out about accommodation, flights and activities. As full-time travellers, we are on this site regularly looking for best deals and we highly recommend them to our viewers to go and check it out. We have been using it the most in Asia as Agoda truly displays the best deals. The website has been doing a strong global efforts with more and more amazing deals that can be found in Americas, Europe and the Middle East. Make sure you compare prices using Agoda before booking! Please do use our affiliate link, which is at no extra cost for you but helps us earn a small kickback to keep earning money to manage this website for YOU to benefit!
How to enjoy the most of New York City in 3 days
NYC is so large and not only you have to see Manhattan, there are gems in Brooklyn too! This is a rough suggestion of how you can spend your 3 days if you were to stay in Time Square like we did, at the W New York Time Square. The guide is then followed by specific tips and spots we did during the trip and would encourage you to go too!
Day 1: Time Square, Radio City Hall, NYC Financial Centre
After checking-in your NYC Time Square hotel, stroll around the area, see the Rockafeller Centre, Radio City Hall and walk to the Halal Guys for a feed. The rest of the day, catch the metro to walk around the Flatiron Building and catch happy hour at 230 5th rooftop. For the rest of the day, you can go down South to discover the Financial Centre and see the Freedom tower, etc.
Day 2: Central Park, SoHo, Little Italy, Canal Street (Chinatown), Highline Park and Meatpacking District
Morning bike to Central Park and make your way all the way to the MET museum. Catch the metro to have lunch at Katz’s Delicatessen (beware of the lineup!) to then walk your way into SoHo, Little Italy and end up on Canal Street, NYC’s legendary Chinatown! If you have some energy, catch the metro to one of the 2 ends of the Highline park to stroll on it. We recommend to start from the North and make your way down to Meatpacking District where you can choose a good restaurant for dinner or make an entry at the Chelsea Market or Gansevoort Market
Day 3: Brooklyn Bridge, DUMBO, Williamsburg, Hell’s Kitchen
Wake up early and go to see the Brooklyn Bridge. In the morning around 6-7 am, you will only see runners and people on their bikes. Then make your way around Dumbo to chill by the water or catch the popular same DUMBO photo everyone gets! Then make your way to Williamsburg for lunch and spend a nice early afternoon strolling around for street art and all. By now, you’ve seen pretty much the main things of NYC you shall not miss out on. We will let you decide on how you want to spend the rest of the day but note that when you are staying in Time Square as we did, it is absolutely genius to walk out at around 2-3 am with not many people around and know that you are 2 minutes away from your bed! The W NY Time Square is smack bang in the middle of it all and was the most convenient Time Square Hotel we have stayed at, considering we have been to 2 other hotels in Time Square before! Next time, we can’t wait to perhaps try the new Edition Hotel in Time Square! Actually, we might have a dinner suggestion for you if you do stay in Time Square, go to Hell’s Kitchen for a feed!
Katz Delicatessen
Founded in 1888 and is New York’s oldest Deli, this place is absolutely full all of the time. Try the famous Reuben Sandwich which comes with a massive serving of corned beef and massive pickles. This place is eternally busy so try and avoid peak times such as evenings and weekend lunches.
View this post on Instagram
Times Square
One of the most iconic places on the planet, Times Square is always busy and full of tourists. There are hundreds of large neon signs that light up the night sky 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We also stayed in Times Square at the W Hotel and was one of the most central hotels in NYC. One of the hardest places to get a selfie without anyone in it!
Nobody Told Me Bar
If you are looking for a cool little bar on the upper west side, then look no further than the hip bar “Nobody Told Me.” We had an exceptional night there with our friends and highly recommend it for some evening drinks and a great place to fill your belly up. We enjoyed a few unique cocktails (including several shots of Port, and cocktails such as Red handed sleight of hand, Guilty of everything and Heart so white). We also managed to try a little bit of everything from the food menu. The Chicken burger of all things was by far our favourite dish while we were there. Most bars we go to are too loud and smokey, but this bar had just the right ambience and the music was spot on!
Bike Riding in Central Park
Probably the highlight of our New York City trip was renting some bikes and taking a casual ride around Central Park. Not only it is a must to stroll in Central Park when you visit NYC, but it is also even better if you can bike it and go deeper into the park faster! You will need one piece of ID, money and go from one of the many bike rental places around Central Park. There are bikeways that are very easy to follow and take you all around. A must-do, especially if you manage to be in New York in the Summer.
We used our ClassPass App to book the Bike Rental activity. The app is designed so you can use it all over the world. It has thousands of active things you can do and it is truly a very useful companion to travel with and stay fit. In New York City, the app is full of gems and we could have done facials, massages, bike rides, therapy and yoga too.
The Halal Guys
One of the most famous street food trucks in all of New York City and with a very good reason. For only 9$US, they will give you a large take way bowl of Halal food full of meat, salad and their own special sauce. It does not matter what time of day it is, there will be at least a dozen people lining up waiting for some of the best food you can have in New York. Do not worry, the line moves very fast so you will never wait more than 10 minutes for your second plate 🙂
They are located on West 53rd Street &, 6th Ave but they are also in several locations. Beware of the fakies!
230 5th Avenue Rooftop Bar
NYC is famous for its rooftop bars. This was a new one we found, thanks to a good friend of ours and it has a cracker view of the Empire State Building. They also sell frozen wine drinks, which are unbelievably tasty. In the winter, the rooftop has a see-through igloo where you can watch the sky well into the night. If you are looking for other views, check out this article.
The Highline
Located in the Chelsea area, the Highline is a popular area and with good reason. A 2km walk built on the historic railway line on Manhattan’s west side, the Highline is a lovely blend of nature, art and design. The path is flanked by trees and artwork, murals and a host of viewing platforms to give you the best views of the area. In the middle of the walking area, there are food outlets and toilets so that you can continue your walk with ease.
How to access the Highline: Running from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District to West 34th Street (between 10th and 12th Avenues, the High Line is 2.3 km long. The High Line is fully wheelchair accessible, and can be accessed via the following points:
• Elevator access can be found at Gansevoort and Washington Street, 14th Street, 16th Street, 23rd Street, and 30th Street.
• Staircase-only entrances are at 18th Street, 20th Street, 26th Street, 28th Street, and 30th Street at 11th Avenue.
• Ramp access is available at 34th Street and 12th Avenue
The Vessel
One of many landmarks in New York, the Vessel is located at the end of the Highline, well a few blocks away anyway so you can see them together. A very new addition to the city, the attrition certainly is getting its fair share of tourists with its unique design and great views of the city. There is a fee to go all the way to the top but most tourists simply go and visit the structure and just take photos with it. There are better views to be had from the Freedom Tower and the Empire State building.
View this post on Instagram
Like baseball? Check out our Baseball experience
One Dollar Pizza
Not exclusive to one place, having a one-dollar slice of cheese pizza from any of the dozens of pizza shops is simply a New York City staple. Every time we come here, we are on the search to find the best slice. The pursuit of the best piece is, of course, expanding our waistline at a rapid speed too haha
SOHO House
If you have the luxury to have a membership or know somebody in town that has one, it is a MUST to go spend some time at the SOHO Houses. The DUMBO one with the most beautiful view is worth to bring your swimmers for a swim overlooking the wonderful city of NYC and the bridges. The Meatpacking House also has a pool, quite packed, but has a beautiful living area to do some work. We surely used the space to the maximum while in NYC.
Have longer in NYC? You can check out our other guide about how to spend 5 days in NYC.
If you like this article, follow our Adventures on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram @adventurefaktory, but most importantly sign up to our E-mail list to keep up with updates and travel trends + deals!
This post is sponsored by Agoda.com
