New York in one day
New York in one day
Alessia & Andrea “Travelmani.ac”
This is a 1-day itinerary around Manhattan to make sure you visit as much places as possibile during the day, starting from south of Central park and heading south until reaching Brooklyn bridge 🌉.
It is perfect for you if you have a layover in New York or if it is the starting point of a longer trip.
BUT it could be very useful also as a general guide to split your visit to New York in 2-3 days, dedicating each day to a different part of the city 🏙.
We suggest you to explore the city on foot🚶🏻to really feel all those New York vibes, of course following our guide.
In 8-10 hours you should be able to visit all the places reported in the guide and have a nice lunch, but probably you won't be able to visit anything from the inside (that is a good excuse to come back to New York another time 😉).
So here it is: your full guide to experience New York in 1 day only... and believe us: it will be more than enough to fall in love with this stunning city! 🇺🇸
Let us know what you think and if you want to see how we managed to visit New York in 6 hours, check our Instagram reel on
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First stop: Central Park south
Drop down at 5 Av / 53 St or 5 Av / 50 St subway stop to start your walking tour. You will be very close to the south entrance of Central Park.
Gapstow Bridge
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This spot is perfect for taking some romantic pictures in Central Park, especially during fall season when leaves show off their beautiful colours.
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Umpire Rock
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This spot in Central Park is perfect to take stunning pictures to post on Instagram. The scene is epic with so high skyscrapers coming up from trees.
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Second stop: the center of Manhattan
And now it's time to see all those iconic buildings New York is famous for! Get ready to live your American dream and get blinded by the lights of Times Square!
We suggest you to visit the below places exactly in this order to save some time.
Rockefeller Center
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Very famous square where during winter you can find the iconic ice-skating rink. In summer instead you can find a very nice cafeteria with outdoor tables: perfect for your breakfast or coffee time!
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Top of The Rock
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If you have time, this is probably one of the best panoramic terraces in Manhattan because from here you can see the Empire State Building right in front of you. Please book your ticket in advance.
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Radio City Music Hall
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This building was made famous thanks to the movie "Home Alone 2" where Kevin gets lost in New York city. Taking a picture here is a must, especially for '90s kids like us!
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Times Square
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Probably one of the symbols of New York city: the energy you can feel here is unbelievable!
Here you can find a lot of souvenirs shops but also restaurants and fast food.
Moreover, do you know that, if you're in NY for a special occasion, you can project your video on these giant screens for something like $40? You can do that thanks to TSX Broadway!
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Bryant Park
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Chill a bit in this park surrounded by skyscrapers before continuing your walking tour along the iconic 5th Avenue.
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Empire State Building
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Probably one of the most famous buildings all over the world. When visiting New York for the first time it's definitely a MUST SEE. If you have time, you can also go to the top and admire the skyline from the panoramic terrace (even though it's not the best panoramic terrace in NY!).
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Third stop: toward Hudson river
Once you passed her majesty Empire State Building, turn right toward Hudson river. It will take a while, but you will find a lot of stunning spots to take pictures!
Madison Square Garden
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If you are a sports aholic, probably you can't wait to see this stadium, famous all over the world for basketball and hockey matches. Howevere, Madison Square Garden hosts also a mall, that might be a good info if you need to stop for a while, go to the bathroom or buy something during your walking tour.
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Vessel
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This building is stunning. We still didn't get how it is used for beside great Instagram pictures but well... it's a must see. Unfortunately it is not possible to walk on it anymore.
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Edge
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This is definitely one of the best panoramic terraces in Manhattan! If you have time, book your ticket in advance and go up. Otherwise, book a table for the restaurant right below the terrace and with $20 more you will enjoy both the view and your dinner!
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The High Line
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Let's level up your tour by going for a walk on ancient rail tracks! This zone is very chill and will lead you a little bit southern.
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Hudson River Park
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Hudson River park and the greenway that goes through it are soooo nice. You can find a many ancient "Piers" transformed into sports center, people doing jogging and families around. It's so cool to relax a bit in NY style, while admiring New Jersey on the other side of the river!
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Chelsea Market
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Walking down Hudson river greenway, you will find the famous Chelsea market where you can have lunch choosing among hundreds of options. Let us suggest you to try "Lobster Place" for tasting the traditional NY lobster roll!
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Little Island
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An artificial island that looks like a bunch of mushrooms 😂 but it's actually very nice and relaxing. It's a very nice place to have a snack or a coffee and enjoy the sun.
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Fourth stop: lower Manhattan
Walking by the Hudson river greenway, you will get closer and closer to the southern zone of Manhattan. But before getting to the extreme south, turn left and enter a bit to walk around SoHo. Then continue to One World Trade Center and Wall Street.
SoHo
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Very famous neighborhood appeared in thousands of movies. It is famous especially for it's "very New York" buildings with stairs outside. Walking around you will find a lot of fancy coffee bars and shops.
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One World Trade Center
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Also known as "Freedom tower", this is the highest building in NY, built right next to where the Twin Towers stood. On the highest floor it hosts the One World Observatory.
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9/11 Memorial Pools
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Next to Freedom Tower, you will find the 9/11 Memorial pools and museum. We know it can be emotionally hard to visit this place, but it's so important to get into the history not only of this city but of the entire world.
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Oculus World Trade Center
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In this stunning mall you can find a lot of shops and also a food hall. If you're looking for something fast to eat, this might be the right place.
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Trinity Church
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As you pass by heading to south, please stop and stare at this beautiful gothic church surrounded by modern skyscrapers: the contrast is definitely "wow"!
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New York Stock Exchange
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When you see all those American flags, here you are: NYSE! Congrats, you reached Wall Street zone where money from all over the world flows constantly.
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Charging Bull
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The famous statue of the Stock Exchange Bull is usually. full of people queuing to take a photo and touch the balls of the bull (it's said it brings luck!).
Honestly, if you have few time, don't waste it queuing for some balls 😂
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Fifth stop: from Battery Park to Brooklyn Bridge
If you have more time, take a boat from Battery Park to visit Liberty island and take a photo with the iconic Liberty Statue. But if you don't have enough time, continue from here until reaching our final stop at Brooklyn bridge!
The Battery
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It's the lower point in Manhattan and from here you can see the Liberty Statue even without taking the ferry (and if you don't have so much time, probably the ferry it's not worth it). Moreover, in this park they sell the traditional rainbow "ice cube" cone, so give it a try!
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Titanic Memorial Park
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As you go toward Brooklyn bridge, pass by this Titanic memorial, that is not so good but it's located in an area that is very nice to have a drink at one of the many pubs around!
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Brooklyn Bridge Pedestrian Walkway
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Just have a walk on this iconic spot in New York to collect hundreds of epic pictures and enjoy one of the best views on Manhattan!
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If you still have some time, cross the bridge and have a look at the Brooklyn neighbourhood or continue along the river in the Manhattan side and stop at this point to enjoy the sunset:
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Of course there would be so much more to see in New York but we hope this guide can be helpful for you if you have very little time and want to see as much as possible.
Don't worry, we completely fell in love with New York so we'll come back soon to create a very detailed guide!
In the meantime, follow our adventures on Instagram and enjoy NY! 🇺🇸👋🏼
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alessia & Andrea “Travelmani.ac”
Hi there 👋🏼
We are Alessia & Andrea, an Italian couple living near Milan 🇮🇹.
As proud Italians, we love food and our homeland, and yes, we do use our hands a lot while speaking! 😂🤌🏼
We both started traveling before we met, but when we finally did, that's when the magic happened! ✨
We began with some easy city escapes 🌆, which then turned into backpacking-style 🎒 month-long trips to the other side of the world (our mums aren't too happy about that, you know) ✈️.
We travel on a budget and are always looking for new experiences, breathtaking landscapes, and local connections 🌎.
We get bored spending too much time sunbathing on a beach, but we love tropical places 🌴. That's why our itineraries include some beach days 🥥, but we always mix them with a little adventure.
In our free time, we love being outdoors, doing sports or hiking 🥾 in the mountains 🏔️ in our region (Lombardy), often with our two little dogs. 🐩
We can't wait to help you organize the trip of your dreams 🤩. And if you feel like your itinerary is a little too "soft," let's spice it up with some adventure! 🌶️💪🏼
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