How To Spend A Day In NYC
Avoid Times Square, the Empire State Building and other tourist traps, and stick to what makes NYC great. Spending a day in NYC may prevent you from experiencing all the sites and spots the city offers, but you can still embrace the New York experience by sticking to a jam-packed itinerary. Here are some destinations that should make the cut if you’re seeing New York City in 12 hours.
Grand Central Station
Chances are, if you take a train to New York City, you’ll arrive at Grand Central Station. A destination in itself, take in the arched windows stretching across the wall, turquoise ceiling speckled with constellations, balconies and marble floor. If time permits, stop at Magnolia Bakery. While the NYC favorite (known for its rich banana pudding) offers fewer items at its Grand Central location, you can beat the lines that flock its Bleecker Street store.
Get the best bagels and coffee at Zucker’s Bagels & Smoked Fish
Whether the chewy texture of NYC bagels comes from the city’s water or cooking methods, tourists head to New York for its breakfast claim to fame. Just a three minute walk from Grand Central Station, Zucker’s is one of midtown’s most popular bagel destinations, founded in Tribeca in 2006. According to the bagelry’s website, Zucker’s sticks to tradition, hand-rolling and kettle-boiling its bagels “using only unbromated and unbleached flours and a touch of malt syrup.”
To try one of the most popular items, order the Zucker’s Traditional–a bagel with Nova Scotia salmon, cream cheese, tomatoes, capers and red onions. If you’re craving a classic bagel and cream cheese, Zucker’s has plenty of spreads such as jalapeño, sun-dried tomato and scallion tofu.
Bryant Park
After getting your Zucker’s bagel to go, take the 0.5-mile walk to Bryant Park. While the space cannot compete with Central Park’s vastness, Bryant Park is one of New York’s most beloved destinations.
If you’re spending a day in NYC during the wintertime, enjoy the city’s only free admission ice skating rink. Bundle up and brace yourself for the biting New York winds as you glide past a glowing Christmas tree. The park also boasts a winter village where you can find hand-crafted jewelry, candles, artwork and hot cider.
In the summer, sit by the bronze Josephine Shaw Lowell Memorial Fountain to listen to live music and enjoy the warm breeze. The Bryant Park website often announces current park activities that you can participate in such as yoga and dance classes.
MoMA
If you’re spending a day in NYC, seeing one of the city’s renowned museums is a must. Home to almost 200,000 contemporary artworks, the Museum of Modern Art is one of New York’s most well-known destinations.
Begin your visit by taking the elevator up to the fifth floor where the museum holds its oldest works of art (from the 1880s-1940s). On this floor, you can find some of the most famous galleries such as Gallery 503: Picasso, Rousseau and the Paris Avant-Garde. Gallery 506 holds a collection of Henri Matisse works such as “Dance (I).”
On the fourth floor, find artwork from the 1940s-1970s. Be sure to check out Gallery 403 which holds Jackson Pollock works, Gallery 402 (pieces inspired by Harlem). The second floor offers artwork from the 1970s to today. Stop by Gallery 206 where, according to the MoMa website, artists “invoke the human body” to “address matters of self-enlightenment, trauma, anti-racism and social justice.”
Take the subway to SoHo
After your MoMa visit, take the subway to SoHo–an NYC neighborhood south of Midtown that carries cast-iron architecture, trendy boutiques, vintage stores and acclaimed restaurants.
SoHo is one of the best places to shop in New York City, so spend some time searching through the neighborhood’s various thrift stores. Book lovers can also find a home in Soho, as shops such as McNally Jackson Books have expansive collections and beautiful layouts.
If walking past the neighborhood’s arched windows and columns tires you out, order a coffee a at one of Soho’s charming cafes such as Matchaful or Maman.
Enjoy NYC scenery on a Citi Bike or E-scooter
Seeing NYC architecture and scenery is made easy with Citi Bike and E-scooter rentals. After SoHo shopping, walk to Washington Square Park. There you can find the magnificent Washington Square Arch (New York’s version of the Champs-Élysées focal point), NYU students, artists and locals sitting by the fountain. Start your ride there and make your way down to Battery Park, a journey that should take about 20 minutes.
At Battery Park, take in the views of the Hudson River as you watch the sky slowly turn pink and orange. Try to spot a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty as you look past the water.
Have a drink at a speakeasy
Before concluding a day in NYC, you have to visit a speakeasy. During the Prohibition era, speakeasies referred to illegal establishments that sold liquor to patrons. While drinking alcohol is no longer illicit in the United States for those over 21, speakeasies have not left the city.
Perhaps part of the allure of modern speakeasies is how they mimic the secrecy of the 1920s establishments. Disguised as shoe shops, fast food restaurants or phone booths, only after entering a back entrance or walking downstairs can you find the cocktail offerings.
Since your bike ride left you in the southern tip of Manhattan, search for speakeasies in the financial district. Our suggestion is The Little Shop, a speakeasy hidden beneath a bodega. The Black Cherry cocktail is one of its most popular drinks on the menu.
End the day with a show
A day in NYC cannot be complete without a visit to a comedy club or theatre. Though Broadway gets the most recognition, you don’t need to head back up to midtown to see a performance; smaller venues will provide just as many laughs.
