6 DAYS IN NYC: FIRST-TIMER ITINERARY TO NEW YORK CITY
In today’s post, I’ll be sharing our “FIRST-TIMER ITINERARY TO NEW YORK CITY’’. I have always dreamed of visiting New York for years, and as soon as we got the opportunity, and after much planning and anticipation, I can honestly say it was one of the highlight trips I had in 2019. It was our first time in New York, and despite all the Instagram posts I had seen beforehand, nothing could have prepared me for the surreal excitement I felt as soon as we arrived in the concrete jungle.
There are hundreds of things to experience, to do, and to see in New York. It can be very overwhelming of what to include and what not in your “First-Timer Itinerary to New York City’’. It was kind of confusion about what to prioritize during our 6 nights & 6 days in the city, especially if you are a first-timer, like us. The best thing we did was, we start from listing down the “main attractions” we would like to visit that requires admission, and from there, we were able to plan our days on what to do or visit around that area.
SAVE MONEY & TIME WITH NY CityPASS– FIRST-TIMER ITINERARY TO NEW YORK CITY
The first thing that I will recommend to include to your “First-Timer Itinerary to New York City’’, is to avail the NY CityPASS, which includes one-time admission to 6 main attractions in NYC for 136$ per head. Not only it saves you money, but it also saves you so much time. There are different passes that you can avail of, depending on your requirements, of course.
WHERE TO STAY– FIRST-TIMER ITINERARY TO NEW YORK CITY
As a first-timer, we based ourselves in Midtown for 4 days, which is a very central part of Manhattan. We stayed at Hyatt Centric Times Square New York, a 4-star hotel, close to Times Square, well situated and accessible to different metro lines, and with a nice roof-top bar. We got a corner room which has a view on Times Square, however, the service was terrible for such a 4-star hotel- especially the housekeeping.
Top Tip: There are many stylish and well-located hotels in Midtown that you can choose from, depending on your budget.
Then on our last two days, we stayed at The Pierre Hotel located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. It’s a 5-star hotel and with easy access to Central Park, and on 5th Avenue.
WHAT TO VISIT– FIRST-TIMER ITINERARY TO NEW YORK CITY
Sure, we all have a different set of priorities depending on our interests, and as a first-timer in the city. But here’s our “FIRST-TIMER ITINERARY TO NEW YORK CITY’’, that we chose to prioritize during our visit.
Day One in NYC
Top Tip: If you are planning on visiting Top of The Rock at The Rockefeller Centre, you can skip the Empire State Building. The former has the best 360-degree views of New York from above compared to the latter. However, I can’t blame you if you want to add it to your list, who goes NYC for the first time without visiting one of the most iconic buildings in the city, right? And plus, Empire State Building is part of the NY CityPASS.
Top Tip: If you’ll include Roosevelt Island on your FIRST-TIMER ITINERARY TO NEW YORK CITY, and if you are a fan of the movie SERENDIPITY, the cafe is just a few meters away from the tram station.
Day Two in NYC
Top Tip: If you are up for an adventure, I highly recommend doing the doorless helicopter flight. I made a separate post of our experience 30-Minute Doors-Off Helicopter Tour in NYC. And, if you fancy having a drink with a nice view, 230 Fifth Rooftop Bar is worth trying, its chic penthouse bar & lounge featuring a rooftop garden located in the Flat Iron District Iron.
Top Tip: If you are a Gossip Girl fan, it would be a crime not to visit the MET, the famous steps where Blair, Serena, and their friends hung out before and after school. You can see or take a photo of the steps for free, however, if you want to visit the museum, there will be an admission fee of 25$ (if I recall correctly), and this is not part of the NY CityPASS. Make sure to go to the rooftop too.
Day Three in NYC
Top Tip: Mornings are always the best time to explore the city, and to enjoy taking unlimited photos before the hustles start. Better to start from Dumbo, then walk across the Brooklyn Bridge to Manhattan to see an incredible view of the Manhattan skyline, which by the way, crossing the bridge is completely free.
Top Tip: We opted for a ferry ride to Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island since round-trip ferry is included in the NY CityPASS. However, there are varieties of boat tours and ferry rides operating from Battery Park in Downtown Manhattan. Position yourself at the upper deck on the right side to see the Statue of Liberty and Manhattan skyline from afar. And also, I would recommend paying a visit to the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, also, an audio guide is included in your CityPASS too.
Top Tip: The best time to visit The Top of the Rock is at SUNSET. You will see the best 360-degree views of New York from above. Here you’ll get the very best view of The Empire State Building and Central Park. Top of The Rock is also included in the NY CityPASS.
Day Four in NYC
Top Tip: Access to the High Line is free. It’s a 1.45 mile-long park. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes since all these areas are ideal for a walk.
Top Tip: If you are looking for elegant, calm surroundings and with spectacular views over Central Park as a backdrop, I highly suggest checking Asiate Restaurant at the Mandarin Hotel.
Top Tip: It’s good to pay respect at the National 9/11 Memorial & Museum. A visit to this museum was chilling and heartbreaking. Admission is also included in the NY CityPASS. Also, if you are after for a skyline view, I will not really recommend the One World Observatory, it’s a closed and modern observatory, and it is not part of the NY CityPASS.
Day Five in NYC
It was a laid back day for us since we’ve done all the top 6 attractions from our NY CityPASS. And we moved to our second hotel at The Pierre. We stayed most of our day in our superb room and had an afternoon walk at Central Park and on 5th Avenue.
Day Six in NYC
It was a beautiful sunny day in the city, we spent our last full day at the hotel, walking through Central Park, and wander the Upper East Side neighborhood. We found this beautiful bookstore which is located inside the Cultural Services of the French Embassy. Lastly, we had the last bite of the best burrito we ever had, before heading back to the Airport.
Top Tip: Tipping in the USA is always expected. Make sure to have some 1 dollar and 5 dollar notes in your wallet at all times to avoid being caught short. Average tips in restaurants are expected to range between 15%-22% of the total bill. Taxi drivers and hotel staff also expect to be tipped.
Remember this statement, ‘‘New York is always a good idea”? Well, it’s one of the statements that surely has true meaning. I can already feel a magnetic pull back to the city that I know will last a lifetime. Thank you, and I really hope that it will come in useful to some of you who are planning your first trip to New York.
Want to read more posts about New York? Check out;
- What I Wore in NYC
- My review of The Pierre Hotel – an iconic hotel in NYC
- Doors-Off Helicopter Tour in NYC
C’est Jess
