One Day in NYC - 24-hour Itinerary for New York City
Amazing public parks, architectural marvels, international flair, the Big Apple has a lot to offer.
What are the must-see attractions if you only have 24 hours?
We created an itinerary ideal for a one-day visit to NYC; just keep reading?
To see all the main sights, let's start early — at 7 am, let's head to the Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge is one of the main tourist attractions in New York City. While there was once even a railway line on the bridge, it is now open only to personal vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists, and even commercial vehicles are banned from using the bridge.
Over 10,000 people cross the bridge every day, so visiting it in the morning is maybe not such a bad idea.
Brooklyn Bridge offers a perfect view of Lower Manhattan skyscrapers on one and historic Brooklyn on the other side.
At 9 am, we can continue to lower Manhattan to the World Trade Center Complex
9/11 memorial is located where the World Trade Center towers once stood, represented by two square reflecting pools. There is also a 9/11 Museum close to the memorial. Don't miss the Oculus, an impressive terminal station, part of the World Trade Center complex.
If you have time, visit the One World Observatory, located on the top floors of One World Trade Center, the tallest building in North America with amazing panoramic views. Taking an elevator is a unique visual experience with its virtual time-lapse recreating the development of New York City's skyline throughout history.
And when you enter the observatory, a short video presentation about New York eventually reveals the impressive New York skyline below.
11 am is a great time to stop for a quick bite, so let's take a metro to the Chelsea Market
Chelsea Market is a paradise for foodies, offering an array of restaurants from all over the world. A more proper word to describe Chelsea Market would be the "food mall" because of its design, where you can simply walk from one restaurant to the next.
Chelsea Market was transformed into its current form in 1997 from what was originally a factory complex of the National Biscuit Company. Did you know that the OREO cookie was invented in this building?
Don't miss Los Tacos No. 1, supposedly the best tacos in NYC. There's plenty of cheap eats in New York City, from dollar pizza (yes, a slice of pizza for just one dollar) to an array of fast food joints like hot dogs. Check out our guide for great cheap eats in NYC.
It's now 12:30 pm, so let's walk to one of the newest architectural marvels, the Vessel
To get there, take a 1.5-mile or 2.3 km long walk on High Line, an elevated park, built on a former rail line. The High Line Park is also a great place to relax in one of many sit-down areas and even admire the street art on the way.
We’ve arrived at The Vessel, an extraordinary 16-stories-high structure opened in 2019, as a part of the Hudson Yards Redevelopment Project. You can climb this interactive artwork on its spiral staircase and experience New York from a new angle.
Or perhaps you can even visit the Edge, which is the newest and highest sky deck in the Western Hemisphere.
At 3 pm, let's take a subway to Bryant Park and the Public Library
Bryant Park is a small but impressive park outside Main Library, with great outdoor seating areas. In the summer you can enjoy movie nights and, in the winter, you can go ice-skating.
Stop to see The Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, dubbed "Main Branch," which is the main location of the Ney York Public Library system. It was opened to the public in 1911 and designed in the Beaux-Art style, featuring numerous impressive rooms.
The building was featured in numerous movies and TV shows such as Sex and the City, Ghostbusters, and The DayAfter Tomorrow.
At 4 pm, let's take a short walk to the Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal is a world-famous commuter train terminal full of shops and restaurants spread out through several different levels.
You will probably recognize the Main Concourse with its iconic clock in the middle from the movies, as it is a popular meeting place. It was completed in 1913 and features an impressive Beaux-Arts architecture.
Don't miss the Whispering Gallery located one level below the Main Concourse, where you can also stop and grab a coffee and something to eat.
At 5:30 pm, let's continue to what is probably the most famous city park in the world, Central Park.
While New York City is home to hundreds of parks and recreation areas, offering a great escape from the busy city streets, Central Park is the city's most well-known park.
In fact, it is the most visited urban park in the United States. It features lakes, meadows, impressive buildings, and more. Central Park is also an extremely popular recreation spot.
Don't miss the famous Bow Bridge, featured in many movies, Bethesda Terrace and Fountain overlooking The Lake, beautiful Belvedere Castle and many other attractions within the park.
It’s 7:30 pm and what better way to wrap up our New York experience than by visiting Times Square
Did you know that Times Square is one of the busiest pedestrian areas in the world, located in the heart of Manhattan?
It is famous for its enormous electrified ads creating a surreal neon atmosphere, famous theatres, shopping, and dining.
Times Square got its name from the New York Times Tower, headquarters of the New York Times newspaper built in 1904.
It is also the center of New York's entertainment industry with its Broadway Theater District, and the venue of New Year's Eve ball drop.
And if you are not tired at this point, you can even attend one of many Broadway shows. It is a great way to finish your day.
And now, let's look at some of the tips that might come in handy on your day-trip to New York City:
You'll have to walk a lot, so bring comfortable shoes.
Feel free to skip any of the attractions, depending on how tired you are, how early in the day you want to start, if you're going to go out in the evening if it’s raining, if some attractions are too crowded, etc.
Depending on where is the location of your accommodation, you can even reverse your plan and start your day in Central Park and work your way down towards Lower Manhattan and end your day at Brooklyn bridge.
Or even change your plan and add new attractions to the list.
If you want to attend any popular Broadway or comedy shows, make sure to reserve your tickets way in advance.
During the winter, days are shorter, so if you want to experience more attractions in daylight, you can visit New York City during summer, spring, or fall.
There are tons of other amazing things to do in NYC, from interesting museums, amazing neighborhoods, beautiful parks, jazz clubs, theatres and comedy shows, and much more.
🗽Want a complete NYC pdf guide for $6.99?
Our travel guide is a mobile-friendly .pdf document that you can store on your phone for offline use. It covers the top 10 things to do in NYC, plus 10 additional attractions, maps, links, opening hours, one, two, and three-day itinerary, and other information that will help make your trip to NYC stress-free.
Cover photo: Adobe Stock, Other photos: Unsplash