The perfect itinerary for a week-long trip to New York

Struggling to plan your New York itinerary? Here’s my “ideal” schedule that lets you see the most in the least amount of time. Feel free to customize it to match your interests. Also check the list of New York holidays to avoid finding attractions closed.

Day 1 in New York

• Flight to New York and arrival at the airport.
• Transfer to your hotel. See Airport transfers to New York for different options you can book in advance.
• First steps in your new neighborhood.
• Explore the Theater District and Times Square, the heart of Manhattan. The goal: fight jet lag and fatigue to get into the New York rhythm as quickly as possible.

Day 2

MORNING – Statue of Liberty

• Wake up around 5 am to 5:30 am due to jet lag.
• Quick look at the Charging Bull before the crowds arrive. The bull is located on Bowling Green, just steps from Battery Park.
• Visit the Statue of Liberty by taking the first ferry from Battery Park. The first ferry departs at 8:30 am from April 1st through summer, and at 9:30 am in fall and winter.
• Visit Ellis Island. Tip: have lunch on the terrace at Ellis Island’s cafeteria and enjoy stunning views of the Manhattan skyline.

AFTERNOON – World Trade Center

• One World Trade Center. You can go to the top of One World Observatory for panoramic views of New York: buy tickets for One World Observatory here.
• 9/11 Memorial. If you wish, you can visit the 9/11 Museum.
• Oculus, the new World Trade Center transportation hub. You can also pass by the striking Irish Hunger Memorial.
• At the end of the day, grab a drink on the World Trade Center waterfront and stroll through Battery Park to catch the sunset.
• To see it all: join our guided tour of Manhattan’s historic heart, which includes the World Trade Center, Oculus, the Financial District, Wall Street, the Charging Bull, the old Dutch neighborhood, and Manhattan’s historic port.

Day 3

MORNING – Brooklyn Bridge and Financial District

• Early wake-up again due to jet lag.
• Walk along the Brooklyn Heights Promenade for views of the Manhattan skyline (Clark St. subway).
• Brooklyn Bridge Park and the DUMBO neighborhood in Brooklyn.
• Cross the Brooklyn Bridge.
• Once on Manhattan, pass by City Hall, the New York Stock Exchange, the Federal Reserve Bank, the Woolworth Building, and St Paul’s Chapel.
• Continue to Wall Street: the New York Stock Exchange, Federal Reserve Bank, and more.
• Lunch options available in the Financial District.

AFTERNOON – Lower Manhattan and SoHo

• Consider taking a helicopter tour of New York for an unforgettable experience.
• Back on solid ground, continue through Chinatown and Little Italy.
• TriBeca and SoHo.
• At the end of the day, why not take the PATH train to New Jersey and watch the sunset from Paulus Hook? Spectacular views of New York!

Day 4

MORNING – Midtown

• Go to the top of Top of the Rock. Another option if you want to go higher: check out the new Summit One Vanderbilt observation deck.
• Rockefeller Center.
• St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
• Explore Midtown. Walk down 42nd Street to see: Bryant Park, the New York Public Library, Grand Central Terminal, the Chrysler Building, the United Nations (you can visit by booking in advance with the UN).
• Lunch available at Grand Central Terminal’s food court. Don’t miss the whispering gallery.

AFTERNOON – Midtown

• Visit the Museum of Modern Art or the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.
• Shopping on Fifth Avenue. Find the top shops in our New York shopping guide.
• In the evening, catch a Broadway musical, a 100% New York experience!

Day 5

MORNING – Chelsea

• Flatiron Building and Madison Square Park.
• Chelsea.
• Walk down the High Line, a remarkable elevated park.
• Meatpacking District. Continue to Little Island, an artificial island on the Hudson River.
• Lunch at Chelsea Market in the Chelsea neighborhood.

AFTERNOON – Greenwich Village

• Visit the Whitney Museum of American Art.
• Greenwich Village and Washington Square Park.
• Take a cruise in New York Harbor. I especially recommend the Harbor Lights cruise at sunset, New York’s best-selling cruise.
• If you haven’t visited SoHo by day 5, join our guided tour of four neighborhoods: Greenwich Village, SoHo, Little Italy, and Chinatown.

Day 6

MORNING – Roosevelt Island

• Take the Roosevelt Island Tramway.
• Explore Roosevelt Island and Four Freedoms Park, located at the island’s southern tip.
• Alternative: if you prefer, you can fit in a visit to the 9/11 Museum here. You can do both if you start early on Roosevelt Island, then take the 4-5-6 subway line directly down to Wall Street.

AFTERNOON – Beyond Manhattan
Time to see more than just Manhattan! Spend this afternoon in another New York neighborhood. I recommend:

• Coney Island. See New York’s beach side!
• Another idea: explore Brooklyn with our guided tour of the best of Brooklyn. The tour includes the street art neighborhood of Bushwick, the vintage vibe of Williamsburg, and DUMBO at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge.
• Late afternoon: enjoy views of the Midtown skyline from Gantry Plaza State Park in Queens.
• A trip to the Bronx.
• Return to Times Square for another dose of neon now that you’re on New York time! Visit Madame Tussauds museum if you like.

Day 7

MORNING – Harlem and Central Park

• Visit Harlem. If it’s Sunday, you can attend a Gospel service in Harlem. Otherwise, walk along Martin Luther King Boulevard (125th Street) to see the Apollo Theater and experience Harlem’s atmosphere.
• Explore Central Park. See the Belvedere Castle, Bethesda Terrace, the Imagine memorial, and Bow Bridge.
• For lunch: pack a picnic in Central Park.

AFTERNOON – Museums and Empire State Building

• American Museum of Natural History or Metropolitan Museum of Art.
• Don’t miss the architecture of the Guggenheim Museum.
• Pass by Grand Army Plaza or Columbus Circle.
• Go up the Empire State Building at the end of the day through sunset. Stay until dark to see New York light up. Book your Empire State Building tickets.
• In the evening, say goodbye to New York with a round trip on the Staten Island Ferry.

Day 8

MORNING – Free Time

• I suggest keeping this morning free to revisit a place that impressed you, such as the Financial District, or to shop.
• For more ideas, you’ll find plenty more to see in our New York guide. You can also book many activities in Activities and excursions in New York.
• Another option: join one of our guided tours of New York. Our guides will be happy to welcome you and show you the best of the Big Apple!

AFTERNOON – Departure

• You must check out of your hotel room by noon, but you can leave your luggage at the front desk.
• Take one last walk through your neighborhood, then arrange your transfer back to the airport.
• Don’t forget to tell us about your trip on the New York forum and on our Destination New York Facebook group! 🙂 You can share your itinerary and compare it with what you actually did on the ground.