5 days in New York City is a bare minimum to get a good idea of Manhattan and see some of the other boroughs. Of course, there's a lot more you can do - nine years in the city and I'm still discovering new sides to New York. Oh and don't worry, I haven't forgotten about shopping, Broadway shows and nightlife , you can find it at the bottom of the blog.
First we can divide Manhattan into three zones
Uptown : Anything north of 59th Street, where Central Park begins, is considered Uptown.
Midtown : The part of Manhattan between 14th and 59th streets is called Midtown.
Downtown : The portion of Manhattan south of 14th Street to the southernmost tip of the island is called Downtown.
In most cases, your hotel will be in Midtown and it's best to start exploring there because that's where the most famous sights are.
You will start the day with breakfast and I have summarized where you can find it in all parts of the city here CLICK
Day 1. Midtown
After your breakfast, stop by our travel center, get a free city map and your tickets, passes, etc. Afterwards you can go to Bryant Park and Grand Central, which are close to each other.
Next we go to one of the observation decks, Empire State Building or Top of the Rock. Both are located in Midtown. Personally, I prefer the Top of the Rock during the day because of the great view of Central Park and the Empire at night because of the beautiful view of the lights of Up and Downtown. On the way there you will pass the two sculptures LOVE and HOPE, take a photo break for a nice memory.
At the end of the day you can browse around Times Square and let yourself be enchanted by the neon signs and the many people.
Click on red icons on the map for details
Day 2. Midtown Part 2
On the following day two, a good start is a walk on the High Line Park, located on the west side of Midtown. There is also the restructured area called Hudson Yards. At the end of the High Line Park on 14th Street is Chelsea Market where you can browse, eat and shop. Afterwards you can go to the Flatiron Building and Madison Square Park. If you walk there along 14th Street, you will pass Union Square, a beautiful square with many shops.
Click on red icons on the map for details
Day 3. West Village and Downtown
On day three you explore the southern tip of Manhattan. The best place to start is at the Statue of Liberty. The earlier you get there, the shorter the waiting time will be. The ferry leaves at 9 a.m., my advice is to get in line no later than 11:30 a.m. To save you the hassle of queuing for your tickets, purchase your ticket with us in advance. CLICK
After visiting Lady Liberty, stop by the 9/11 Memorial, check out the most expensive train station ever, Oculus, and finally, head to the city's tallest building, One World Observatory . Behind you can browse the outlet store Century 21 before heading north towards China Town, where you can get the cheapest souvenirs and memorabilia such as I LOVE NEW YORK T-shirts, mugs, snow globes etc. Little is just a few blocks away Italy, also famous for cheap memorabilia and good food.
After the delicious meal, a little exercise and a nice walk in the West Village will do you good. The district is famous for the atmosphere and wonderful old New York houses, where many people from the film and music scene live. There is also Washington Square Park where there is the Triumphal Arch and a beautiful water fountain, great for relaxing.
Click on red icons on the map for details
Day 4. Uptown and Central Park
On the 4th day, you'll be a bit tired and there's no better place to relax than in the most famous park in the world, Central Park. First, the path takes you to the southwestern tip of the park past Columbus Circle, where you can find the Time Warner Shopping Mall or have a coffee with a view of Central Park in the lobby, which is on the 39th floor, of the luxury hotel Mandarin Oriental . Just a few blocks north is the world's largest opera house, the Lincoln Center. The place there looks great and great for souvenir photos. From there you can go to Central Park ( everything to Central Park ) just to relax or stop by some of the many famous museums, such as the Museum of Natural History where a night in the museum was filmed, the Metropolitan and the Guggenheim, to name just a few of the most famous. There is a list here if you would like to find out more about the museums. CLICK
You can end the day with a cable car ride from Manhattan to Roosevelt Island. It costs the same as a subway ride of 2.75 USD and is also included in the weekly ticket. The view will remain in your memory forever.
Click on red icons on the map for details
Day 5. Brooklyn and East Village
The last day on which you get to see the famous Brooklyn Bridge and Brooklyn, next to the East Village and Lower East Side, the former "Little Germany". But first things first, you start your last day where the big money is and where the first American President George Washington was sworn in, on Wall Street. From there it takes about 15-20 minutes to walk to the Brooklyn Bridge. Crossing the bridge will be one of the most beautiful walks of your life that will take you to Brooklyn Bridge Park. After you have looked around there a bit, we continue to DUMBO (Down under Manhattan Bridge overpass). From there you cross the Manhattan Bridge to the Lower East Side, which used to be "Little Germany" before the German immigrants moved on to Pennsylvania. Lastly, stop by the East Village, there are great little restaurants there.
Click on red icons on the map for details
Many of the sights are also included in the different passes
Shopping, nightlife and Broadway shows
Shopping: The main shopping streets are 5th Ave., Madison Ave. north of 59th Street and SoHo. There are two outlet centers near New York: Woodbruy Outlet and Jersey Garden Malls. I have compared the two outlets for you here. CLICK
Broadway Shows: Tickets for all Broadway shows are available locally in New York at reduced prices at our travel center or on our website .
Nightlife: Nightlife takes place in the many rooftops, bars and nightclubs. We have tailored tours for every taste.