There are so many places to see, and so many things to do in New York you could live there your whole life and still not see it all. If it is your first time going, it can be overwhelming to choose what to do. We went to New York in 4 days in early October. It was the perfect weather to walk around in without getting too hot (or cold). Below is an example of a New York 4 day itinerary.
Itinerary at a Glance
Day 1
Circleline Boat Tour of New York
Rockefeller Centre “Top of the Rock”
St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Times Square
Day 2
Walk over Brooklyn Bridge
Madison Square Garden
Wall Street
9/11 Museum and Memorial
Day 3
Natural History Museum
Central Park
Day 4
Broadway Show
Where to Stay
I stayed at an AirBnB in the Hells Kitchen district. It was a busy area day and night, and felt safe. It was close to A LOT of restaurants, and about a 20 minute walk to Central Park, Times Square and the Rockefeller Plaza.
Before you Go
Since I knew in advance that I wanted to see the main sites of New York, I opted to get a New York CITYPass
This was a great way to see a lot of sites, save money, and skip a lot of lines.
Day 1: Boat Tour, Times Square and Top of the Rock
Morning: We arrived in New York at 9:30 AM. After a quick nap, we took the Circleline Boat Tour of New York to start the day. It gave us a good orientation of New York and where everything was. We got to see the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the iconic views of New York. Their tours leave multiple times during the day, so it can fit into any schedule.
Afternoon: We went St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and walked through Time’s Square.
Evening: The Rockefeller Plaza and “Top of the Rock!” I would recommend the Top of the Rock (compared to going up the Empire State Building) because then you can see the Empire State Building and really great views of Central Park.
Tip: You can not go up to the Top of the Rock at whatever time you want. We arrived at around 5pm and they told us to come back at 7pm, so we had time to eat supper.
Suggested Reading: 8 mistakes I made visiting New York City: what I WISH I had known!
Day 2 in New York: Brooklyn Bridge, Wall Street, 9/11 Memorial & Museum
Morning: After breakfast, we walked from our apartment located in the Hell’s Kitchen district to the start point of the Brooklyn Bridge. If you don’t mind walking forever, then go for it. We saw the New York Public Library, Madison Square Garden and the Flatiron Building on our walk to the Bridge.
In your New York 4 day itinerary, I would recommend taking the subway, bus or Uber to the closest stop. It will save you SO much time and energy.
Walking over the Brooklyn Bridge was definitely one of my favourite things to do during my New York 4 day itinerary. It had incredible views of both Brooklyn and New York. When we got to the other side, we had some ice cream, pizza, and walked around the Brooklyn harbour front.
Afternoon: After the Brooklyn Bridge, we walked to Wall Street. We took a picture with the Bull on Wall Street, and walked along the waterfront. It has a nice park with some vendors, and a view of the Statue of Liberty.
Evening: Within walking distance from the waterfront is the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. I would highly recommend going. The museum was very emotional and informative. We went in the museum when it was still light outside, and when we were finished it was dark and the Memorial was lit up and very beautiful.
Day 3 in New York: Museums and Central Park
Morning: There are so many museums in New York, that it can difficult to decide which one to go to. We chose the Natural History Museum, and since this museum is located right next to Central Park we decided to walk around Central Park as well.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is also located next to Central Park, which we made a brief stop at (there are beautiful views of Central Park from their rooftop patio!).
Tip: There definitely isn’t enough time to do two museums AND Central Park in one day, so limit yourself to one museum a day.
Afternoon/Evening: I could have spent an entire day in Central Park! It is so big and beautiful. Look at the park benches when you go – they have different messages on each one!
Day 4: Broadway show
Our flight was at 7pm that night. This gave us enough time to go to see a matinee Broadway show! Since we had come to New York with only backpacks, we brought them into the theatre with us which didn’t cause any issues. If you have more luggage, I would recommend having your accommodation store your bags.
Another option would be to see a Broadway Show the night before, and spend a leisurely day exploring the city until it’s time to leave for the airport! The options are endless.
Which Broadway show you want to see is entirely up to you and what your preferences are. We saw Aladdin and it was amazing. I live in a small town, so experiencing a Broadway show was truly spectacular!
How to book your tickets: We booked our tickets online in advance, but same day discounted tickets are also available at a TKTS Ticket Booth.
Tips
- Take the subway, bus or an Uber if you need to get to point A to point B to save your feet. We walked everywhere, but by the end of the day we were exhausted. If you are primarily seeing the main tourist attractions, a Hop on Hop off Bus may be easier to use.
- Don’t try and schedule too many activities in one day. There is SO MUCH to do in New York, you won’t get it all done and will be rushed. We were in the Natural History museum for four hours and only saw two of the four floors! So take your time, and only plan 1-2 activities a day.
- Make sure you have a reliable way to get to the airport. Our taxi driver refused to drive us to the airport, which he probably wasn’t supposed to do. To get to the airport, we ended up taking the subway which was complicated due to construction. Next time I go I will book a ride to the airport so that I know I have a reliable way back.
Have you been to New York? Let me know what your favourite things to do are!
I lived in Brooklyn for a few years and I don’t think I went to the Natural History Museum or St Patricks – you’re so right, you could live there your whole life and never see it all! I found it overwhelming every time I stepped out my door. I’m glad you mentioned about taking the subway, it can get you anywhere and an MTA pass is so cheap. You can refill it as needed or buy a week or month pass.
Thanks for the tip, that’s great to know!! haha yeah my feet were killing me from all that walking, so next time I’m definitely going to take advantage of the public transportation 🙂
I love New York! We’re hoping to visit again soon in the next year or so, your itinerary will come in handy! Thanks for the tips 🙂
Hannah | https://getlost.blog/