One week itinerary in New York

Planning to visit New York for your US vacation ? You’ve landed on the right article ! I made here the perfect one week itinerary in New York.

But before checking this ultimate five days itinerary in New York, I’d suggest reading this article about things to know before planning a trip to the United States. It will give you basic info such as when to go, what’s the currency, the weather, the language, visas, culture, specialties etc…

Moving on to this itinerary ! 

• Day One : Broadway, Times Square, Grand central terminal, Empire State building, Flatiron building
• Day Two : American Museum of Natural History, Central Park, 5th Avenue, Madison Avenue
• Day Three : Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty (boat tour), MoMa
• Day Four : High Line, Chelsea market, Greenwich village, SOHO, Little Italy, Chinatown, Brooklyn bridge, Wall street, 9/11 memorial, Tribeca
• Day Five : Guggenheim Museum, MET

Note : This itinerary is for people for enjoy walking, but bear in mind that New York has excellent transport links with subway stations everywhere, so don’t hesitate to use them !

Day One

For your first day of visits and discoveries in the urban jungle that is New York, I’d suggest heading to the heart of the city : Times Square !

Times Square is the liveliest area in New York, and the most famous landmark. With all its billboards, giant bright screens and colourful lights, it’s the most busiest place.

Nicknamed the “Crossroad of the world”, this place can be a bit overwhelming, so start by climbing the red stairs to have a look around.

Then, by walking around, you’ll see many people disguised in Disney characters, celebrities or funny costumes.

There’s also many huge stores like the M&M’s store, the Disney Store, the Hershey’s Chocolate World among many others.

You can find many restaurants and bars there, but I personally wouldn’t go there as this is a very famous attraction, the prices will go up like crazy for a beer or a burger. Instead, check out my article about the best specialities to try out in the US, I have listed so restaurant recommendations in NY.

A must-do : Go back to Times Square at night on one of your evening stroll after dining somewhere. The atmosphere changes completely with all the neon lights and huge screens displaying bright ads, it’s way more magical than during the day !

Broadway or the Theatre District is a district right next to Times Square, gathering 41 theatres where the best musicals and live theater shows are produced every day.

If you have the time (and the money to do so), you should definitely book an evening to go see a show ! We hesitated between the Lion King and Chicago and went with the last one (absolutely recommend it, it was an amazing show !). You can purchase the tickets at Times Square (TKTS, right under the red stairs), or online for example here.

No matter the show you will end up choosing, it will be a wonderful night to remember !

After discovering Times Square and Broadway, a 10-minute walk will take you to the the largest railway station in the world : Grand Central Terminal. Every day, more than 750,000 people pass through this terminal

When you get there, you will arrive first in the main hall, called the main concourse. The high green vaulted ceiling covered in gold leaf, depicts the 12 constellations of the zodiac with more than 2500 stars.

If you are attentive to the details, you’ll notice that the painting is in fact completely inverted, and the constellations have been painted upside down. Apparently, it was made on purpose, the painting was intended to be viewed from a divine perspective, and therefore from above.

Right in the centre of the hall is the information kiosk. Right above it, you can see the four-sided clock. This Tiffany opal clock is estimated to be worth between 10 and 20 million dollars. More than a precious jewel, It is a true symbol of New York of the city, and serves as a meeting place for lots of New Yorkers every day.

Below the main hall, you will find the Dining Concourse, with many fast foods, restaurants and food stalls.
This is also where you’ll find the Whispering Gallery : if you whisper something in front of one of the pillars of the vault, the person standing in front of the pillar diagonally across you will hear your message !

A 15-minute walk from the Terminal will take you to the Empire State Building. This 102-story Art Deco skyscraper is an attraction you can’t miss for your first visit in New York. The 360° view from above is just breathtaking.

We had bought the City Pass, which gave us access to a visit during daytime, and one at night the same day. I strongly recommend buying this pass, usually I’m not one to use that but it saves a lot of money and time as you skip the line for most attractions as well !

I can’t stress enough how the visit at night is impressive, every skyscraper is lit up in a different colour, it truly is a once in a lifetime view !

Finally, to end this eventful day, you can go see the Flatiron building, which is 10 minutes away from the Empire State building.

Not only was the Flatiron Building one of New York’s first skyscrapers (22 stories), it was also the first steel-skeleton structure whose construction was visible to the public.

Day Two

After this busy first day, I’d suggest starting the second day with a morning at the American Museum of Natural History.

It’s the largest natural history museum in the world. The museum collections contain about 35 million specimens of plants, animals, fossils, minerals, rocks, human artifacts…

As it is really huge, I’d suggest selecting a few rooms you really want to see. My suggestions ? The dinosaurs one for sure, as well as the large mammal hall, the Ocean life and the birds of the world.

Exiting the Museum, you will be a few seconds away from Central Park.

This 341 ha park is located between the Upper West Side and Upper East Side neighborhoods of Manhattan. It is the most visited urban park in the United States, with around 42 million visitors each year.

Whether you take a stroll in the Conservatory Garden (the only formal garden in Central Park), relax at Sheep Meadow (a huge lawn field with the skyline view), cross Bow bridge or admire Bethesda Terrace, you won’t be bored a second there !

Really take the time to observe the life in Central Park, from the sax player, to the kids rollerblading including people having a picnic or celebrating, it is like a live painting gathering many scenes of life.

After this breath of fresh air and break from this buzzling city, you can head back to the busy streets, and not least !

Taking one of the exits on the East side of the park, you’ll land directly on the 5th Avenue.

Being on of the most famous avenues in the world there’s obviously tons of luxury shops and huge shopping malls like Saks.

But there’s also numerous landmarks to see along the way. Going down from Central Park, you can check out :

• St Patrick’s Cathedral : a stark contract with all the skyscrapers around, this cathedral is a work of art.

• The Rockfeller Center : large complex of 19 commercial buildings
• NYC Public Library : the outside is already quite impressive, but it really is worth a detour inside !

• Bryant Park : a cute little park to take a break

You can change streets and take the parallel one called Madison Avenue. Also very famous, you can find many well-known brands as well as the Pierpont Morgan Library and the Madison square.

Day Three

To rest a bit after all the walking in the Big Apple, you can enjoy a boat day on your third day.

Included in the City Pass, you get a boat tour to Ellis Island and Liberty Island.

After welcoming more than 12 million immigrants, Ellis Island is now a symbol of freedom and hope. The main attraction on the island is the National Immigration Museum. Even though you’re not interested in History, this museum is really something to visit. You’ll learn a lot about this immigration station and more generally the story of immigrants in the US.

Liberty island on the other hand, is famous for America’s most iconic symbol of possibility : The Statue of Liberty.

I personally wouldn’t recommend going all the way up the statue, I don’t think it’s relavant, however, there’s a nice park to wander in on the island (especially in Spring when the trees are blooming). Walking along the water is also really nice, with all the seagulls around and the beautiful view of New York.

The Museum of Modern Art is the third most-visited U.S. art museum. It showcases a collection of modern and contemporary art. A must-do when visiting New York even for a few days.

Day Four

The High Line is a 2.33 km elevated linear park and greenway created on a former railroad spur on the West side of Manhattan.

It is a walk with a whole lot of unmatched views : the Empire State Building, the One World Trade Center tower, the Hudson River…

It’s really enjoyed among New Yorkers, especially for their lunch break, mostly due to its proximity with the Chelsea Market.

The Chealsea Market is an Urban Food Court. It’s an atypical place, every corner offer something out of the ordinary ! I’d recommend walking through the market first, to soak everything in, and then either buy some fresh produce from a local stall or sit down to enjoy a food break in one of the many restaurants !

It was a bit too busy and too early for us to have lunch, so we just wandered in the market and then headed to the next stop.

A 14-minute walk from the Chelsea Market will take you to Greenwich Village.

It is New York’s most bohemian neighborhood spawned some major historical moments, from the Beats to LGBTQ rights.

In this district, you won’t see tall buildings, but rather small red-brick buildings, making its streets full of charm.

Apart from walking in the streets of The Village, you can take a break at the Washington Square Park. This place is full of life, you can observe a game of chess, listen to a jazz concert, watch people drawing…It is also super close to the Triumphal arch.

This is also in Greenwich where you can find some TV-famous landmarks : the building from FRIENDS, the Magnolia Bakery from Sex And The City and the Carrie Bradshaw building…

Final stop of the morning ! Less than 15 minutes of walking will lead you to the trendy neighbourhood of SoHo (South of Houston Street).

Mostly known for its designer boutiques (on Mercer Street), high-end art galleries (Morisson Hotel Gallery), and museums (New Museum of Contemporary Art), it’s also famous for its atypical architecture (cast-iron industrial buildings).

10 minutes from SoHo, you will land in Little Italy for a well deserved pizza or pasta plate !

The Italian district is full of restaurants, bakeries and pizzerias, mainly on Mulberry Street, so keep this place in mind when you are on the lookout for a place to eat !

It’s also a place to find and admire the numerous street art works.

Right after Little Italy, you will change atmosphere when entering Chinatown.

Same as for Little Italy, it is a wonderful place to eat out, there are so many good and affordable restaurants there.

The main street is Canal Street, but the most beautiful for the eye are Pell Street and Doyer Street, so definitely go discover those last ones !

If you want to buy souvenirs or food, then head toward Mott Street.

If you walk 10 minutes south of Chinatown, you’ll see New York’s most emblematic bridge : the impressive Brooklyn Bridge.

The iconic hybrid cable-stayed / suspension bridge with its stone arches, spans the East River from Brooklyn to Manhattan.

About 10 minutes from the Brooklyn Bridge, you will be at the heart of one of the most famous financial district in the world : Wall Street.

This street includes the New York Stock Exchange, the Federal Hall with the statue of George Washington, the Charging Bull (symbol of strength and power of the people).

At the end of the street, you can also check out Trinity Church, one of the most famous churches in New York.

You simply cannot come to New York and not stop by the 9/11 Memorial. It’s only a few minutes from Wall Street.

The memorial is located at the World Trade Center site, the former location of the Twin Towers that were destroyed during the September 11 attacks.

The memorial consists of 2 huge pools, which are the largest manmade waterfalls in the United States.

The names of every person who died in the 2001 attacks are engraved in bronze around the twin Memorial pools.

Final stop of this very long day ! Located 5 minutes away from the 9/11 Memorial, this neighbourhood originally written as TriBeCa (Triangle Below Canal Street), once home to industrial warehouses, is now the district chosen by celebrities to buy huge lofts featuring a view of the Hudson River.

The neighborhood offers a spectacular view of the Hudson River and luxury hotels, boutiques ans restaurants throughout.

The area is also home of the Tribeca Festival, which brings world-premiere movies to the City every year.

To enjoy the area, I’d suggest taking a walk along the Hudson River Park and Pier 25.

Day Five

For this last day in New York, I’d suggest slower pace and fewer activities, so that you can have some free fime the afternoon to see for favourite spots again.

So First, take the subway to the Guggenheim Museum.

This unique building was designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright from 1943 until 1959. It was elected a National Historic Landmark, and included on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

The exhibitions changes several times a year, so I would recommend checking the official website before (here), but honestly the building itself outshine the art collection, with its spiral ramp riding to a domed skylight, it is worth the visit !

The Metropolitan Museum of Art also called the Met, is the largest art museum in America. It’s as well the 3rd most visited US museum, and 8th most-visited art museums in the world. Its permanent collection contains over two million works !

As for the American Natural History Museum, it’s huge so I’d recommend choosing a few rooms ro visit.

Personally, we did all the rooms of the 1st floor : The Great Hall, the American Wing, the Egyptian Art, the European Sculpture and Decorative Arts, Greek and Roman Art and the Modern and Contemporary Art.

The building in itself is also very impressive, both from the outside and the inside.

And that wraps up my one week itinerary in New York !

It was an unforgettable trip, if you have more time it’s definitely better as there’s sooo much to see and do in New York !

If you plan to travel to the United States, check out this article, detailing what to know before your US vacation !

If you need a personnalized itinerary, you can fill this form and I’ll find you the best accommodations, flights and itinerary !