Is 2 days in New York enough? Well, kinda. With a plan that strings the big sights together in the right order, you can fit in the Guggenheim, Central Park, the view from the Empire State Building, a pastrami sandwich at Katz’s and a free boat ride past Lady Liberty, and still sit down to one of the best meals of the trip on Staten Island.
Spending two days in New York? The Big Apple is truly a one-of-a-kind destination, and that’s why I’ve put together the perfect 2-day NYC itinerary.
Believe me, it’s incredibly easy to head out into the big city with aspirations of doing and seeing it all. And having those great expectations is a wonderful starting point for the perfect 2-day New York trip.
While I always recommend leaving yourself room to explore New York without the constraints of a strict itinerary, if you’re only in the city for a limited period of time, hitting the hotspots is vital. This route is built from my own trip and my photos: day one works south from the Guggenheim on the Upper East Side to Ground Zero, and day two crosses the Brooklyn Bridge and the harbour. Each stop has a rough timing, the ticket prices and opening hours you need, and how to get to the next one, so you spend your time in the city, not on your phone.
What are you waiting for? Let’s pack those bags and take a bite out of The Big Apple. And if you’re planning a longer trip, here’s the ultimate USA bucket list for more epic adventures around the United States.
Your 2 days in New York at a glance
- Day 1: the Guggenheim, Central Park, Times Square, the Empire State Building, the High Line and the 9/11 Memorial
- Day 2: breakfast at Katz’s Deli, the Brooklyn Bridge and Dumbo, the Staten Island Ferry, dinner at Enoteca Maria and the Statue of Liberty
Day 1: from the Guggenheim’s spiral to Ground Zero
The first of your two days in New York is going to be a day filled with iconic landmarks, attractions, art and history. It runs roughly north to south, so you’re never doubling back: start on Museum Mile, cut down through Central Park to Midtown, then finish downtown.
10.30am: get a taste of fine art at the Guggenheim
There’s nothing quite like starting your morning admiring fine art. An extensive collection of modern and contemporary art is on show at the Guggenheim Museum, and this iconic building is an excellent spot to see thought-provoking pieces of art and sculpture.
Not only is the art you’ll see inside beautiful to look at, but Frank Lloyd Wright’s building also features a unique spiral design: you take the lift to the top and walk down the ramp past the exhibitions, and it makes the perfect ‘Gram shot from the street outside.
The museum opens daily from 10.30am to 5.30pm; allow about an hour and a half. Adult tickets are $30, and on Tuesdays and Sundays from 4pm to 5.30pm it’s pay what you wish.
Tickets
Book your entry ticket to the museum in advance for skip-the-line access.
12pm: head through beautiful Central Park
A journey through Central Park is the best way to get a true sense of what New York is all about, completely kooky and all. The Guggenheim faces the park at 88th Street, so walk in opposite the museum and make your way south for a couple of hours, picking up lunch from one of the carts or cafés as you go.
Highlights of Central Park include the Ramble and the Lake, a woodland set beside the water and perfect for finding some serenity in the park, while Strawberry Fields is a memorial to the Beatles’ John Lennon, opposite the Dakota building where he lived. Finally, Sheep Meadow is a huge lawn that’s perfect for relaxing in the sun.
Psst… If you find yourself at Bethesda Fountain surrounded by hordes of tourists, watch out for the creepers who sneak up on you, placing snakes on your shoulders for the LOLs. It totally freaked me out on my first visit.
Do
Get the best of Central Park with this guided sightseeing bike tour, which covers far more of the park’s 843 acres than you’d manage on foot.
2.30pm: immerse yourself in Times Square
Leave the park at Columbus Circle and walk about 15 minutes down Broadway to Times Square. Equally as famous as New York itself, Times Square has a life all its own. Its gigantic billboards and lights create an almost surreal feeling of limitless excitement.
The square is a prominent feature in pop culture and is still used to premiere worldwide events. It also hosts the annual New Year’s Eve ball drop, which is always a hit with New Yorkers and visitors.
Seeing the dazzling sights of the square is a must and also gives you endless opportunities for social media buzzworthy shots. It’s at its brightest after dark, which is when I took my photos, so if you’re staying nearby, come back for another look in the evening.
Top Tip
Want to see Times Square lit up and the skyline from above in one go? Experience Times Square at night with a skyline bus tour, including an entry ticket to the Edge observation deck.
3.30pm: discover the Empire State Building
The Empire State Building, a 15-minute walk south-east of Times Square, is more than a distinct part of the NYC skyline. The building is instantly recognisable and has featured in massive moments of pop culture history, economics and global industry.
Let’s not forget the epic views from the observation decks: the open-air deck on the 86th floor and the glass-walled one on the 102nd. All my skyline photos on this page were taken from the top. The second floor of the building is now a fully interactive museum dedicated to the history of this iconic building, complete with a walk-through King Kong scene, and for any history buff, it’s a spot worth checking out.
The building is open daily from 10am until late, and tickets for the 86th floor start at about $44, or about $79 if you add the 102nd floor. For more on the city’s other decks, from the Top of the Rock to Summit One Vanderbilt, see my guide to the famous landmarks in New York City.
Tickets
Get ahead of the queue at the Empire State Building with the skip-the-line access ticket.
5pm: explore the High Line
While most of NYC is quite the concrete jungle (besides Central Park), there are numerous other picturesque escapes into nature. The High Line, located on Manhattan’s far West Side, is a 1.45-mile-long former railway line with a new lease of life.
Take the 7 train from Times Square to Hudson Yards (34th Street) and join the High Line at its northern end, then walk south to Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District. Lined with food vendors and public art exhibits, walking the High Line is fun from the first step, and some of the best restaurants Manhattan has to offer are dotted along the route, with Chelsea Market just below the 15th Street exit.
A botanical masterpiece planted with wild grasses and perennials, it’s the perfect place for a guided walking tour. It’s open from 7am to 10pm from April to November, and until 8pm from December to March.
Do
Learn how a freight line became a park on this guided walking tour of the High Line.
7pm: the National September 11 Memorial and Museum
Close off your first day by visiting the National September 11 Memorial. From the southern end of the High Line, walk to 14th Street and take the 1 train to WTC Cortlandt, about 15 minutes. Two beautifully constructed memorial pools stand where the twin towers of the World Trade Center stood.
Around the pools are the names of the 2,983 people killed in the attacks of 11 September 2001 and the 1993 bombing. Visit the memorial pools to pay tribute and experience a painful but vital part of NYC history. The memorial is free and open daily from 8am to 8pm, so aim to arrive before it closes.
The museum below closes earlier: it’s open from 9am to 7pm (last entry 5.30pm), closed on Tuesdays, and adult tickets are about $28. If you want to go inside, which I’d recommend, it’s an easy add to the start of day two, before Katz’s.
Tickets
Book the memorial pools and museum together with a guided tour of Ground Zero.
Day 2: Katz’s, the Brooklyn Bridge and the boat to Staten Island
On day two of your trip, you’ll explore Lower Manhattan and the water around it. Look forward to incredible views from the Brooklyn Bridge before heading to Staten Island for one of the best meals ever. Then end the day basking in the shadow of Lady Liberty.
Top Tip
Plan day two for a Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Enoteca Maria, the Staten Island restaurant at the heart of the afternoon, only opens on those three days.
8am: get your breakfast fuel at Katz’s Deli
A crown jewel of the Lower East Side and a dearly loved hotspot in New York is Katz’s Deli, at 205 East Houston Street since 1888. The classic menu has a massive list of NYC favourite sandwiches and more.
As one of the few remaining authentic Jewish-style delis not just in the city but in the entire country, be sure to grab a bite of their delicious pastrami and corned beef. It opens at 8am every day (and stays open around the clock at weekends), and going early means a shorter queue.
Top Tip
Hang on to the paper ticket you’re handed at the door. You hand it in when you pay, and losing it costs you.
10am: capture epic moments at the Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge is a must-visit during any trip to NYC. From Katz’s, it’s a 30-minute walk or a short taxi ride to City Hall, where the walkway starts, and with numerous tours of the bridge and the Brooklyn Heights Promenade available, it’s a surefire way to truly sink into New York.
Enjoy walking along the bridge towards Brooklyn, with the Manhattan skyline behind you, or set your visit for sunrise or sunset: these are the perfect times to take epic pictures of the bridge. For a great time exploring the bridge, opt to rent a bicycle: cyclists now ride in their own protected lane on the roadway, which leaves the wooden promenade to walkers.
If you have more time to spend in NYC, an afternoon wandering around Brooklyn is a must. The bridge brings you down into Dumbo, and the Time Out Market in the Empire Stores building alone is enough to keep you occupied for a few hours.
Do
The Brooklyn Bridge is best explored with a guided 2-hour bike tour.
2pm: catch a ride on the Staten Island Ferry
Departing from Whitehall Terminal on the southern tip of Lower Manhattan (from Dumbo, the NYC Ferry crosses back to Pier 11/Wall Street, a ten-minute walk away), catching a ride on the Staten Island Ferry is an incredible adventure. The best part is that it’s one of the best free things you can do in NYC. Ferries run round the clock, about every 15 to 30 minutes, and the crossing takes about 25 minutes.
Hitching a ride on the ferry is the easiest way to get glimpses of not just the bay but the Manhattan skyline. While on the ferry, have your camera ready for picture-perfect moments of the Statue of Liberty and more as you skip across the water to Staten Island.
Top Tip
For the best view of Lady Liberty, grab a spot on the right-hand side of the boat on the way to Staten Island, and on the left on the way back.
3pm: explore St George, then wine and dine at Enoteca Maria
Once on Staten Island, you can take in the sights of St George, where the ferry docks. The island is beautiful and holds many gems: it’s a lovely breakaway from the bustling nature of NYC with a small-town charm.
One of the great gems of Staten Island is Enoteca Maria, an authentic Italian wine bar and restaurant a five-minute walk from the dock, up the steps past Borough Hall and next to the St George Theatre. This amazing spot serves up traditionally delicious Italian favourites paired with classic wines, all cooked by Italian nonnas (it’s epic). These days the kitchen is shared with grandmothers from around the world, so the menu depends on who’s cooking.
It opens on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only, with seatings at 12.30pm, 2.30pm, 5.30pm and 7.30pm. Book a table by phone or WhatsApp; the 5.30pm seating fits this itinerary best.
7.30pm: indulge in history with the Statue of Liberty
Finally, on your trip back to Manhattan on the Staten Island Ferry, have your camera ready for the Statue of Liberty. It’s the perfect way to round up your 2-day NYC itinerary.
If you’d rather see her up close, I highly recommend heading onto Ellis Island as well, as there are numerous tours that offer insight and delight into the history and construction of the statue. Seeing Lady Liberty up close is a moment you’ll never forget, and many different tours are available to help you do this. Statue City Cruises is the only operator that lands on Liberty and Ellis islands: boats leave Battery Park from about 9am, the last ones go mid-afternoon, and an adult ticket is $26 (pedestal and crown access cost a little more, and crown tickets sell out months ahead). To fit it in, take the first boat of the morning and push Katz’s to a late lunch.
Tickets
Book a Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island ticket with the ferry as early as you can.
Have more time? Add these to your itinerary
- MoMA: six floors of modern art in Midtown, from The Starry Night to Warhol’s soup cans. It’s on 53rd Street, a short walk from Times Square, and an easy swap for the Guggenheim if you’d rather see the big names.
- Williamsburg: cross into Brooklyn for pizza, street art, vintage shopping on Bedford Avenue and Smorgasburg’s food stalls on Saturdays in season. Brooklyn Brewery has moved from its old taproom, so check its new home is open before you go.
- The Top of the Rock: if you only go up one building, this is the view that includes the Empire State Building itself. My guide to the best things to do in New York has more ideas for a third day.
Handy tips for planning your 2 days in New York
Top tips
- Check the reviews before you eat: Tripadvisor is a great way to find out how other travellers rate certain places and restaurants. Do NOT enter a NYC restaurant without checking the reviews first (controversial, I know, but I find that the food in NYC is very hit and miss).
- Price up a pass: booking the New York City Explorer Pass gets you into a choice of more than 95 NYC attractions with a scan-and-go system, which can save money if you’re doing several paid sights.
- Book flights and tours early: Skyscanner is the best way to compare flights to New York, and GetYourGuide and Viator are the easiest ways to hand some of the planning over to tour experts.
What to pack
- A comfortable pair of walking shoes: this is key. If I could go back to my first time packing for New York and skip all the cute sandals in favour of a pair of trainers, I totally would. If you want comfort as well as style, opt for a pair of Tropicfeel Canyons: they’re super-comfortable and my go-to travel shoe.
- A backpack to keep your belongings safe: a backpack or a bumbag (or a fanny pack, if you’re American) is great for keeping cash and valuables strapped close to you.
- A refillable water bottle: a water bottle that can loop onto your bumbag (or fit inside a backpack) is great for long days on your feet.
Best time to visit
New York works year-round, but for comfortable walking weather, go from April to June or from September to November. Summer is hot and humid, and winter brings short days, so in December and January start early to fit day one in before dark.
Getting around
There are loads of public transport options in NYC. The subway and buses run everywhere and are both cheap: a ride costs $3, and you tap in with a contactless card or your phone (OMNY). After 12 paid rides in seven days, the rest of that week is free. If you would rather skip public transport, New York City’s yellow cabs are easily recognisable, and for a reasonable fare, they’ll get you where you need to be.
Where to stay
- The Westin New York at Times Square: this is where I stayed on my NYC trip. It’s centrally located and close to many of the city’s most famous attractions and venues, including most of day one.
- Gansevoort Meatpacking: set in the Meatpacking District on the west side of Manhattan, at the southern end of the High Line, this hotel is perfect if you’re looking to stay in one of New York’s more trendy and vibrant areas. Or compare hotels in New York on Booking.com.
Map
Read next
- The best things to do in New York
- Famous landmarks in New York City
- The best weekend getaways on the East Coast
- Brilliant all-inclusive resorts in the USA
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