It’s your first trip to New York City (NYC), but you only have a three-day weekend. While it’s impossible to see all of the city’s five boroughs in such a short time – NYC natives discover something new themselves every day – you can still enjoy a multitude of essential sites in the city. Read on for a programme to help you make the most of your stay. It contains the sights and sounds you need to know before you go.
Day 1 (city centre)
Admire the New York skyline
New York is known for its skyline and all other cities’ skylines are compared to New York’s – the line created by Manhattan’s buildings is iconic. In NYC, more than 100 buildings are 150 metres high.
While you can experience this vastness anywhere in NYC, it is best seen from the panoramic balconies of the Empire State Building and the Top of the Rock – Rockefeller Center. After you’ve enjoyed the scenery from the top of a skyscraper, you’ll probably want to check out a scenic spot on the mainland that gives you a broad perspective of Manhattan’s Lower and Midtown neighborhoods. You’ll find it on day three of this itinerary, when you cross the Brooklyn Bridge and have a wide choice of scenic sites at Brooklyn Bridge Park and Brooklyn Heights Promenade.
Have a walk in Times Square
Times Square is where it all happens. 24/7, the twinkling lights, big screens, and crowds of busy anonymous people perfectly express the excitement of a city that never sleeps. For maximum effect, visit the square after sunset, the power of the light will make you think it’s still daytime. Much of the area is pedestrianised, so you can stroll the streets in peace. While you’re there, dine at one of the most popular restaurants on Restaurant Row (46th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues) and shop at huge flagship shops with spectacular add-ons that are attractions in their own right. For example, Toy’s “R” US has a Ferris wheel in its shop
Is it still light out? From Times Square, take a 15-minute walk north to 6th Avenue. You’ll pass iconic buildings like Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall Radio.
You will then arrive at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), where you will discover one of the world’s finest collections of contemporary art.
Say hello to Broadway
No city feels like the theatre like NYC. Whether you like dramas, comedies or musicals, you’ll always find the style you like in the theatres of Broadway, the city’s theatre district. The most prestigious stars can be found here. You can choose from shows that are still running, such as Chicago and Mama Mia, or newer shows that everyone is talking about, such as Kinsky Boots and The Book of Mormont, or even plays starring movie stars like Matthew Broderick, Helen Mirren and Jake Gyllenhal. All of these shows justify the name of the district becoming synonymous with the theatre itself. Head to the TKTS booth in Times Square for discounted tickets to one of the day’s shows and to climb the red steps for a great view of the area.
Day 2 (Uptown, Bronx and Queens)
Walking in the Museum Mile (Upper East Side)
The legendary Museum Mile complex is in fact much longer than a mile (1.6 km). It covers two city blocks. Regardless of its precise length, this Upper East Side structure on Fifth Avenue can hold more art per square foot than any other place in the universe. Your visit begins at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on 82nd Street, where you can see temporary exhibitions and the museum’s permanent collections. The museum contains more than 2 million works of art, spanning the history of mankind. Continue your walk to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art on 89th Street. The tour continues to 104th Street, where two museums vie for your attention: the Museum of the City of New York offers special exhibitions of local history, and across the street, El Museo del Barrio is a showcase for Caribbean, Latin American and Latino art. In total, the Mile is a collection of eight world-class New York museums.
The wild life (Bronx)
The city is known for its cultural offerings, famous skyscrapers and Central Park, but many people don’t realise that NYC is home to the largest urban zoo in North America: the Bronx Zoo, located in Bronx Park and operated by the Wildlife Conservation Society. The zoo covers an area of more than 1 km² and is home to 6,000 animals of 600 different species. Visitors will be amazed at the immense diversity of life on earth and learn details about the lives of all kinds of creatures: Madagascar hissing cockroaches, king cobras, snow leopards, small sea lions. Architecture buffs will be impressed by the structures: the gates of the Rainey Memorial, the Rockefeller Fountain and the Beaux-Arts style buildings of Astor Court Zoo are all landmarks.
Those who visit the Bronx will find that it is also a paradise for plant lovers. The New York Botanical Garden, which is located in another part of the huge Bronx Park, is a listed building. Its one square kilometre area is home to over a million plants. The garden is home to the largest herbarium in the Western Hemisphere, a renowned scientific research programme and an incredible schedule of exhibitions and displays.
Play ball (Bronx or Queens)
The Mets and Yankees are two prestigious teams that play in relatively new stadiums. These stadiums have state-of-the-art amenities that pay tribute to the great history of baseball in NYC. The plaques on the monuments in Yankee Stadium Park reveal a glorious past and pay tribute to the greatest players: Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Reggie Jackson, Thurman Munson and many others. The city’s majestic ballpark salutes the baseball hero whose name it bears, Jackie Robinson Rotunda, and his role as a pioneer in American civil rights.
Day 3 (Lower Manhattan, Brooklyn and Staten Island)
Cross the Brooklyn bridge (Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan)
When it opened in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was the longest suspension bridge in the world. Although this record has long since been surpassed, the bridge remains an iconic structure and an eloquent symbol of man’s ability to imagine and accomplish. This major landmark is also one of the most remarkable walking routes in New York. You can cross the bridge in either direction, but it is recommended that you take the underground to Dumbo or Brooklyn Heights, both of which are equally interesting in terms of tourist spaces, before beginning your walk across the East River towards Lower Manhattan, taking pictures of the Port of New York and downtown.
Take the ferry to Staten Island (Lower Manhattan and Staten Island)
The five-mile boat ride from Lower Manhattan to the northern tip of Manhattan Island takes 25 minutes and is free. The scenery is priceless.
Throughout the voyage, you will take in magnificent views of New York Harbor and Lower Manhattan. At the end of the crossing, passengers are transported to historic St. George’s, home of the Staten Island Museum and the splendid St. George’s Theatre, which has entered its ninth decade.
Celebrate American History (Lower Manhattan and the New York Bridge)
For over a hundred years, the Statue of Liberty, holding its torch high to light the way to a better life, has symbolized the hope and opportunity that the United States offers. Seeing the statue up close during the Staten Island ferry ride always provides an emotional thrill. Another boat ride of historical and tourist interest is to Ellis Island, a fortress island with exhibits commemorating the thousands of immigrants who passed through here to formalise their status before entering the city.
Come back soon
There is still so much to do and see after this 3-day stay that we hope to see you again very soon. If you’d like to know what you can do on a longer stay, check out our recommendation for a 5-day New York trip.
