Itinerary: 2-day New York city guide

What to do and see in New York in just 2 days? It’s a tight schedule, but it lets you make the most of your time and see plenty of major sights and landmarks. Perfect if you’re between flights or squeezing in a quick visit before or after traveling elsewhere in the United States or Canada.

Day 1

AFTERNOON: Times Square and Midtown

• If you arrive in New York late morning, you’ll likely reach your hotel around 1 or 2 pm. Stay in the Times Square area. This puts you within walking distance of Midtown‘s major sights, so you can see a lot without taking the subway.
• Start by exploring the famous Times Square intersection with its bright neon signs and billboards. It’s one of New York’s most iconic images.
• Head east on 42nd Street. You’ll pass Bryant Park, dominated by the Empire State Building and bordered by the New York Public Library. Continue to One Vanderbilt, Grand Central Terminal, and the impressive Chrysler Building.
• From here, you can either continue to the East River to see the United Nations headquarters, or head back and walk up Fifth Avenue toward Central Park, passing Rockefeller Center and St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
• Consider visiting an observation deck around 6 pm—either SUMMIT One Vanderbilt or the Empire State Building. You’ll get sweeping views across the city. You can also visit one of these at night instead.
• You can then walk up Fifth Avenue to Rockefeller Center.

EVENING: A Broadway musical or an observation deck

• For the evening, you have options. Head to the Theater District to catch a Broadway musical. Musicals are a New York specialty and make for a memorable night.
• If you didn’t visit SUMMIT or the Empire State Building earlier, go at night. You really should see the city from above to grasp the scale of New York.
• Late in the evening, return to Times Square to see it lit up. You can also visit One Times Square, the observation deck overlooking Times Square. If you stay until midnight, you might catch the Midnight Moment on Times Square.

Day 2

MORNING: New York’s Financial District

• Check out of your room, leave your luggage at the hotel desk, and head out early to make the most of the morning.
• Spend the morning exploring the other major side of New York: the Financial District. Take the subway to the southern tip of Manhattan and enjoy views of New York Harbor from Battery Park. You’ll see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island in the distance.
• Walk up Broadway and see the Charging Bull statue, then turn onto Wall Street. You’re now in the heart of New York’s financial district, with narrow streets lined by towering buildings. You’ll see the New York Stock Exchange and, across from it, Federal Hall, where the first U.S. government met. Don’t miss the Fearless Girl statue either.
• Continue along Wall Street to the East River to see South Street Seaport and the Brooklyn Bridge. Across the water, you’ll see the downtown Brooklyn skyline.
• Head toward the World Trade Center. You’ll find the memorial and the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. You’ll also see One World Trade Center, New York’s tallest building. Next to it is the Oculus station, designed by architect Santiago Calatrava.

AFTERNOON: Choose your activity and depart

• Around noon, you have three options. First: go to the top of One World Trade Center for views from One World Observatory. This viewpoint is especially rewarding because you see New York Harbor on one side and the city on the other.
• Second option: walk north toward Canal Street to explore TriBeCa, Chinatown, Little Italy, and SoHo. Walk up Church Street past the Jenga Tower, then head to Worth Street and Doyers Street, the most characteristic street in Chinatown. Cross Canal Street and walk up Mulberry Street through Little Italy.
• Third option: visit a museum. New York has world-class museums. If your hotel is near Times Square, consider the MoMA, the Museum of Modern Art.
• Plan your time to return to your hotel, collect your luggage, and head to the airport. Leave yourself plenty of time to avoid any delays.

Want a longer itinerary?

If you’re staying longer than 2 days in New York, check out these other itineraries: