Okay so we all know how chaotic NYC is, and also very expensive. Sometimes staying for a long period of time cannot be an option, so it’s important to create a perfect itinerary. Pinpoint exactly what you want to do and see. I will share OUR itinerary which will hopefully be of inspiration for many of you.
When we went to NYC we stayed for two days. When planning the trip we thought it would have been enough time but there was a lot I wanted to see. We went in fully blind, only with the intentions of doing things we wanted, but without a concrete plan. However, despite not doing everything on my list, I believe we unintentionally created a great 2-day itinerary that I just have to share with you guys.
I will try to include times as well, but this cannot be done for everything as we did just go with the flow, which can actually be the best way to travel sometimes.
A little PSA: Be prepared for a LOT of walking.
Trip Details
Before getting into our itinerary, it’s important I share our trip details.
Hotel: Hyatt Place New York City / Times Square (350 W 39th St, New York, NY 10018, Ferienigde Staten)
I highly recommend this hotel or the Hell’s Kitchen area especially. We were just a few minutes walk from Times Square, surrounded by restaurants and convenience stores.
Choosing the right location in Manhattan is essential, especially for a short trip. You want to be in a place that makes everything accessible.
Transport: OurBus (Washington DC – NYC)
Depending on where you are coming from, we found that traveling by bus was the most efficient and cost-friendly way. We traveled from Washington DC which was a 3/4 hour bus ride. OurBus was very comfortable but there are more expensive options, such as the VIP busses.
The Itinerary
Day 1
Arrival @ 14:00: We arrived at Hudson Yards and walked 15 minutes to the hotel to drop off our bags and go straight back out.
Food @ 14:30: We made our way to Times Square, stopping for some burgers on the way.
15:00: We made it to Times Square, checking out the souvenir stores and doing some shopping at Forever 21 and Sephora.
Here you can take your time to discover your hotel surroundings as you can get them out of the way immediately, leaving lots of free time for the day after.
17:00: We then made our way into Macy’s, where we ended up spending a lot of time in there.
This was because I had a long “Want-It” list of clothes and other things I wanted to buy, and there is no better place to buy all those things other than the biggest store in the world.
Do check out Macy’s if you want, but it can be a quick in and out, because it really is HUGE. My boyfriend did not believe the “biggest store in the world” title, but quickly did. So do keep that in mind.
You can take the opportunity instead to check out other parts of New York or do a bit more sightseeing (more on this later).
20:30: By the time we got out of Macy’s it was late. We simply headed back to the hotel and ordered some Taco Bell.
This is your opportunity to go out to a nice restaurant or explore a bit more.
Day 2
This was a packed day, but a day that I highly recommend if you are staying in Hell’s Kitchen.
11:00: We made our way out of our hotel after having breakfast, making our way towards Central Park. As Instagram obsessed as I am, we took our time to take photos, check out small businesses and bodegas.
It is really important to take in and admire all your surrounding in NYC, because it is really fascinating. New York is very fast pace and chaotic, so it is easy to miss cool spots or situations.
13:00: We finally made it through central park.
This was a quick in and out, walking around, admiring the wild life in this park and everything it has to show. One of the main reasons I wanted to go was to recreate the photo below that I took last time I was in NYC, 10 years prior.
We did find a nature sanctuary so we decided to take some extra time to look into it for a while.
15:00: After a quick stop at the hotel, we decided to start heading towards the World Trade Center.
I cannot stress enough how much I recommend doing this. The walk is said to be 1.5 hours. But do take your time, make stops, see what sightseeing stops are on the way. This is a wonderful way to explore Manhattan and it really made this one of the best days I’ve had (also because I’m unhealthily obsessed with NY).
16:00: On the way we stopped to get some delicious New York pizza.
I did create a Tik Tok about this place so go and check it out for more information (@iwanteditfirst).
My boyfriend was telling me to find a Barstool approved pizza place on Google Maps. I told him we would find a good one just walking, and the first one we find, was Barstool approved. And it was great!
After this we continued our walk.
17:30: We made our way to Greenwich Village and if you’re a Friends fan and want to see their apartment, I suggest you make a slight detour and visit.
It doesn’t put you out of your way too much, and it’s one more thing you were able to see in the city.
18:30: We finally made it to the World Trade Center.
It is important to keep in mind that if you want to visit the 9/11 memorial, it closes at 17:00. We were able to see it, just not up close enough to take it all in.
Also take the time to visit the Westfield mall, because it is a stunning piece of architecture.
From this point on, we walked through Wall Street and made our way to Pier 15.
The highlight of our way was this and I recommend everyone who goes in this area to do this: Take a taxi from Pier 15 all the way back to Midtown. You will get a beautiful view of the Brooklyn Bridge and get to see the city through a different way. It was truly beautiful and breathtaking. The taxi ride was $30 without meter.
21:30: After another quick dinner, we decided to head into Times Square to see it at night. We stumbled upon a drink truck in the middle and decided to stop for drinks.
The drinks were overpriced let me tell you, but it was one of those moments that felt like a movie. I highly recommend doing this, especially if it’s your first time in NYC.
Day 3
Day 3 was our travel day back to DC.
11:30: As soon as we woke up we decided to head out instead of eating our breakfast at the hotel. Which by the way, if you happen to stay at the same hotel with breakfast included, the breakfast isn’t great.
So we decided to get out for a proper diner breakfast. We absolutely couldn’t go to NY and not do this.
14:00: At this point we headed back to Hudson Yards and made our way back to DC.
Things We Missed
There were a lot of things we couldn’t do, which were on our list. So of course, I will tell you all about it because I am sure many of you have them on your list. We simply put other priorities ahead, which is why we couldn’t do them.
We also decided to not really go out in the evenings as we wanted an early night in to wake up early the next days and continue exploring. At night there are many opportunities in NYC, so if that interests you then definitely take advantage of that.
- Go to a comedy show – There are plenty of comedy shows in the city you can check out. 18+ and 21+.
- Visit the Edge – This is a spectacular building to go on top of. With glass flooring and a great view. It is expensive, so keep that in mind.
- 9/11 Memorial Museum – For obvious reasons, if this is your first time in NYC, make it a goal to go and visit.
- Statue of Liberty – I’m putting this on here because it’s one of the main tourist attractions. HOWEVER, I do not think it’s worth it to go on the island, but there are (much cheeper) ways to see it from ferry’s.
I hope this helped you guys with your trip to NY! Comment below what are your favorite parts of the city and what I should visit next time.
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