5 Days in New York City: The Concrete Jungle

NYC can be overwhelming. This itinerary groups activities by neighborhood to save your feet and your sanity.

Trip Overview

• Duration: 5 Days
• Pace: Energetic
• Best For: First-time visitors, Culture vultures

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Day 1: Midtown Icons

Focus: Times Square, 5th Avenue

Morning

Start at Rockefeller Center. Go to Top of the Rock (advanced booking recommended). Walk up 5th Avenue. See St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Afternoon

Visit MoMA (Museum of Modern Art). Lunch at a food cart (Chicken & Rice). Walk through Times Square (it's best for a quick photo, don't linger).

Evening

See a Broadway Show. Dinner in Hell's Kitchen (9th Ave has endless options).

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Day 2: Central Park & Museums

Focus: Upper East Side

Morning

The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Arrive at opening (10 AM). Focus on the Egyptian Wing and Impressionists.

Afternoon

Grab a hot dog and wander Central Park. See Bethesda Fountain and Bow Bridge.

Evening

Dinner on the Upper West Side. Walk by Lincoln Center to see the fountain illuminated.

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Day 3: Downtown Cool

Focus: SoHo, Tribeca, West Village

Morning

Shopping in SoHo. Broadway is chains, cobblestone side streets are boutiques.

Afternoon

Walk over to the West Village. See the Friends apartment corner. Grab a cupcake at Magnolia Bakery (touristy but good). Walk straight to Washington Square Park to people watch.

Evening

Jazz club in the Village (Blue Note or Village Vanguard).

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Day 4: High Line & Chelsea

Focus: Architecture & Food

Morning

Start at Hudson Yards. See The Vessel. Walk the entire length of The High Line (1.45 miles) south to the Meatpacking District.

Afternoon

Lunch at Chelsea Market. Walk over to Little Island, the new floating park on the Hudson.

Evening

Dinner in the Meatpacking District or Chelsea. Rooftop drink at The Standard or Restoration Hardware.

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Day 5: Brooklyn Day

Focus: DUMBO, Williamsburg

Morning

Walk the Brooklyn Bridge from Manhattan to Brooklyn. Explore DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass). Photo stop: Washington Street.

Afternoon

Take the East River Ferry north to Williamsburg. Explore the vintage shops and breweries.

Evening

Dinner at Lilia or Misi (if you can get a res) or slice at Joe's. Watch the sunset over the Manhattan skyline from Domino Park.