17 Nov 5 Days In New York: The Only Itinerary You’ll Need
New York is (as POTUS puts it) “HUUUUGE” and there is no shortage of things to do. If you love food, New York can offer you any kind of cuisine your taste buds desire; if you love night life, there are shiny bars and clubs around every corner; if you love the performing arts, well, the city currently has forty-one Broadway theatres, so take your pick; and if you love sightseeing, there is certainly no shortage of things to see and explore. But with so much to see and do, NYC can be daunting as a first- or even second-time visitor, which is why we’re here to help you create the ultimate New York itinerary.
We’ve been fortunate enough to visit The Big Apple three times. Our most recent trip was with SAA Voyager and Nedbank, who challenged us to experience the best of the city (doing more than we’d ever done) all whilst enjoying the perks of our new cheque and enhanced credit cards as part of the #VoyagerJourneys campaign…speaking of which (in case you hadn’t heard), SAA Voyager have recently launched the world’s first mile-earning cheque card, meaning you no longer need to have a credit card (or credit record for that matter) to earn miles while you spend on everyday things like food, (and in our case) flights, and hotel bookings – so you should check it out!
Without further ado, this is what we recommend as a 5 Day New York Itinerary:
DAY 1 NEW YORK ITINERARY
PAY YOUR RESPECTS AT THE 9/11 MEMORIAL
You cannot visit NYC without stopping by the 9/11 memorial. The memorial is such a chilling (yet beautiful) tribute to everyone who lost their lives that day. The sound of water from the twin reflecting pools, surrounded by trees, really allows you to take in the gravity of the area. Visit the museum on site to further the experience, and right across the road is The Oculus, World Trade Centre (PATH) – a very unique building which has some great shopping (and also makes for a great photo opportunity).
HOP ON THE STATEN ISLAND FERRY AND SAY HI TO LADY LIBERTY
Free for all commuters, this 25-minute ferry takes you to Staten Island, past the very famous Statue of Liberty. You can, of course, pay for a tour to get a closer look at her, but the view from the ferry is definitely good enough…and it’s free.
HEAD OUT ON A CHINATOWN WALKING TOUR
You would have worked up an appetite by now, so a food tour is exactly what you need. The Chinatown district in Lower Manhattan is home to the highest concentration of Chinese people in the Western Hemisphere, which also means the highest concentration of amazing Chinese food. We booked our Chinatown tour through Airbnb (you can also contact Chad the chef directly through @chinatownfoodtours) and the 1.5 hour walking tour included three stops where we tried baked Cha Siu Bao buns, Beijing-style pan-friend dumplings, and sesame-studded pancakes (yup, they were as delicious as they sound). You are completely immersed in the culture and it really does feel like you are in the middle of China, so don’t skip this on your trip to New York.
SEE THE SUNSET FROM THE TOP OF THE ROCK
No view is more iconic than from the Observation Deck at the Rockefeller Building aka The Top of the Rock. Overlooking the city and the iconic Empire State Building, it’s a sunset to remember. We booked the VIP access tickets to skip the queue (and earn some extra Voyager Miles) so highly recommend it. You’ll get a 360-degree view from the deck, so bring your camera (and patience to cope with all the fellow tourists).
DAY 2 NEW YORK ITINERARY
WALK ACROSS BROOKLYN BRIDGE AT SUNRISE
Seeing the Manhattan skyline as you walk across the first steel-wire suspension bridge in the world (whilst the sun rises) is pretty special. Take the Metro to High Street Brooklyn Bridge (assuming you’re staying somewhere on Manhattan), and then walk a few minutes to the start of the pedestrian walkway. Just be aware that you are sharing the bridge with locals, so be mindful, and make sure to stick to the pedestrian pathway, as you might get knocked by a bicycle or runner.
HIT 5TH AVENUE
The most famous shopping street in America (if not the world) awaits. A range of international retailers have locations on the street, so take your time, and see where you end up.
GAZE UP IN GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL
Opened to the public on February 2, 1913, Grand Central is a world-famous landmark and transportation hub, situated in Midtown Manhattan. Over 750,000 people pass through every day, so it’s a VERY busy place. When there, don’t forget to look up at the beautiful ceiling mural, and try find the whispering gallery to experience a #OnlyAtGrandCentral phenomena.
EAT THE BEST TACOS IN THE CITY
Make your way to the Flatiron building for another iconic snap, and whilst there, pop in at Tacombi for some of NY’s best tacos. We opted for some vegan options (as well as beef for Stevo) and chose to have some mild salsa on the side (the restaurant host gave us a word of warning that including the salsa on the tacos is not for the faint-hearted). The decor and vibe inside is really cool, so enjoy it and definitely come hungry.
SEE THE CITY FROM THE AIR
This had to be one of our best experiences. You can’t really understand the size and beauty of New York unless you jump on a helicopter and dangle your feet out of the open door heli’. We booked the 30-minute sunset flight (with guaranteed shoe-selfie) with FlyNYON, and took to the air just before sunset. We wizzed over the Hudson River, turned right over Central Park, saw the Empire State Building, One World Trade Centre, and finished at Lady Liberty herself. Absolutely incredible experience. Check out our pics if you need more convincing…
DAY 3 NEW YORK ITINERARY
STROLL (OR CYCLE) AROUND CENTRAL PARK
Whether you choose to walk (or hire a tandem bike like we did #MoreVoyagerMiles), enjoy your morning in one of the most iconic parks in the world. You’ll see plenty of dog walkers and local joggers, and depending on the season you visit, you may just witness a colourful explosion. Either way – grab a coffee and a bagel (as the New Yorkers do) and enjoy this slice of nature in The Big Apple.
TAKE A HISTORIC PIZZA TOUR (BUT COME HUNGRY)
Some say the minerals in the city’s water give New York’s pizza it’s unique taste. Some say it’s the best pizza in the world. What we know for a fact, though, is that the city has no shortage of pizza restaurants, and we highly recommend booking Scott’s Pizza Tours #NotSponsored for a memorable afternoon in pizza eating (because even if you’re a vegan or travel vegan like Chanel, it’s something you have to do when in New York). We visited three different pizzerias offering different kinds of pizza, and we walked away understanding the history of New York (and our own ability to expand our stomachs) a lot better. Have fun rating each pizza slice you try, and see if you’re an old school European like us (spoiler: turns out we love original Napoli pizza the most).
SEE THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA ON BROADWAY
Of course you can choose to see any theatre performance that is running (we were very tempted by The Lion King and Moulin Rouge also) but as this was our first-ever Broadway experience, we wanted to choose the longest-running Broadway musical – The Phantom of the Opera. It really is something magical – but a word of warning: there are loud bangs and bright lights throughout the performance, so if you tend to react badly to them, be careful!
DAY 4 NEW YORK ITINERARY
GO TO THE TOP OF THE VESSEL
At the time of writing this, The Vessel is New York’s shiny new penny. It’s the latest creation part of the major $25-billion investment in Hudson Yards, and if you ever wondered what 154 interconnected staircases looked like, well now you have the option of walking those stairs and viewing this architectural marvel from a new vantage point. We recommend booking your tickets online and arriving early (it opens daily at 10am) to be one of the first to get to the top for (almost) people-free shots.
VISIT THE COLOR FACTORY (OR ANY OTHER POP-UP EXHIBIT THAT IS CURRENTLY ON)
New York’s art scene is as colourful as the inside of New York’s M&M store, and depending on when you visit, there will be an array of pop-up (and permanent) museums and exhibits ready to fascinate and entertain you. We loved our time acting like kids at The Color Factory during this trip, and have visited the American Museum of Natural History before, so cannot recommend them both enough. If you’re struggling to decide, here’s the full list of museums found in NYC.
GO BAR HOPPING IN SOHO AND THE LOWER EAST SIDE
We found ourselves at Mr Purple for a Friday night of beers and rosé. We know there’s plenty bars on offer, so hop around as far as your feet (and wallet) can take you. No matter which rooftop you end up on though, the sunset views are guaranteed to make it worth your while.
VISIT TIMES SQUARE (AND SEE THE MIDNIGHT ART GALLERY COME TO LIFE)
You cannot be a tourist in New York and not visit Times Square. It’s shiny, and loud, and completely over the top, but when standing in the middle of the chaos, looking up, you’re definitely reminded that you’ve made it to one of the best cities in the world. Also – we have yet to see it, but – our friend Jon recommends visiting Times Square at midnight for the art gallery which comes alive on all the big screens. See here for more info.
DAY 5 NEW YORK ITINERARY
OFFER BANANAS TO KING KONG AT THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING
It’s one of the world’s most famous buildings, so you couldn’t leave without visiting. One tip we recommend (for a cool photo opportunity) is taking a banana with you on your visit so you can “feed” King Kong on your way up to the top. Once on the 86th floor, walk the full way around and admire this grand city you’ve explored.
GET LOST!
Spend the rest of your day riding the subway and meandering through the various streets and neighbourhoods. Maybe there’s a shop or restaurant you visited during the first four days that you want to visit again, or a museum you didn’t quite get to see in detail – use this day to go back and discover some unexpected things – New York certainly doesn’t have a shortage of them.
If you happen to follow our itinerary, drop us a comment below and let us know how it went!
If you enjoyed this post, you may also want to read our London #VoyagerJourneys post: 5 Days in London – the Only Itinerary You’ll Need.
Huge thanks to Nedbank and SAA Voyager for sponsoring this blog post, and allowing us the opportunity to enjoy our second of three #VoyagerJourneys, with all the perks and benefits of our new SAA Voyager cheque and enhanced credit cards. You can read our full Online Privacy Policy here.
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