New York City United States 7 Day Itinerary

7-Day Itinerary for Exploring New York City

Day 1: Arrival and Times Square

  • Stay at: The Knickerbocker Hotel (8th Ave & W 42nd St) or similar, centrally located and close to main attractions.
  • Breakfast: Magnolia Bakery (761 Broadway) for classic New York bagels or pastries.

Activities:

  1. Start your day with a stroll around Times Square, take a photo at the iconic M&M’s World and TKTS Booth.
  2. Visit the Empire State Building (5th Ave & W 34th St) for breathtaking views of the city.
  3. Lunch: Shake Shack (777 8th Ave) or Artichoke Basille’s Pizza (60 Larimer St).
  4. Head to Central Park, explore Strawberry Fields and Bethesda Fountain.
  5. Evening at leisure, consider a Broadway show at the Times Square Theater District.

Day 2: Museum Day

  • Breakfast: Joe’s Pizza (7 Carmine St) for classic New York pizza.

Activities:

  1. Morning visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art (5th Ave & W 82nd St), one of the world’s largest and finest art museums.
  2. Lunch at The Modern (9 W 53rd St) inside the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).
  3. Afternoon visit to the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum (Pier 86) featuring historic aircraft and spacecraft.
  4. Dinner: Carmine’s Italian Restaurant (2450 Broadway) for family-style Italian dishes.

Day 3: Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island

  • Breakfast: Sarabeth’s (Central Park South at 60th St) for brunch.

Activities:

  1. Take a ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island from Battery Park.
  2. Lunch on the go, grab a sandwich from a street vendor near Battery Park.
  3. Afternoon visit to One World Trade Center Observatory (Fulton St & Washington St) for panoramic city views.
  4. Dinner: The Oyster Bar (Pearl St at Fulton St) for fresh seafood.

Day 4: Brooklyn Exploration

  • Breakfast: Egg (109 North 3rd St, Williamsburg) for creative brunch dishes.

Activities:

  1. Cross the Brooklyn Bridge and walk through DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass).
  2. Lunch at Juliana’s Pizza (270 Adams St) in DUMBO.
  3. Explore Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn Museum, and Prospect Park.
  4. Evening: Visit Brooklyn Brewery (79 N 11th St) for craft beer and local atmosphere.

Day 5: Upper Manhattan & Harlem

  • Breakfast: Levain Bakery (167 W 74th St) for famous chocolate chip walnut cookies or croissants.

Activities:

  1. Morning visit to The Cloisters (Fort Tryon Park), a museum dedicated to the art and architecture of medieval Europe.
  2. Lunch at Red Rooster Harlem (310 W 125th St) for Southern-inspired dishes by celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson.
  3. Afternoon visit to Apollo Theater (253 W 125th St), a legendary venue in African American history and culture.
  4. Evening: Explore Harlem’s vibrant nightlife, perhaps at Ginny’s Supper Club or The Cecil.

Day 6: Shopping & High Line

  • Breakfast: Russ & Daughters Cafe (127 Orchard St) for bagels with lox and cream cheese.

Activities:

  1. Morning shopping on Fifth Avenue, visit stores such as Tiffany & Co., Bergdorf Goodman, and Apple Store 5th Ave.
  2. Lunch at Shake Shack (691 Fifth Ave) or Eataly Flatiron (200 5th Ave).
  3. Afternoon walk on the High Line, an elevated park built on a former railway line.
  4. Dinner: The Spotted Pig (314 W 11th St) for modern British gastropub fare.

Day 7: Departure

  • Breakfast: Clinton St. Baking Company (206 E Broadway) for pancakes or eggs benedict.
  • Departure: JFK International Airport or LaGuardia Airport, depending on your flight schedule.