The following itinerary lets you get a taste of the Big Apple [1] over a long weekend without becoming overwhelmed. If you have more than a few days, consider adding in one or more Day Trips [2].
Start your day early with a visit to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island [3]. Grab a slice or a simple lunch from a vendor’s cart to enjoy in the High Line Park [4] and take in the latest art installation. Browse through quirky boutiques and galleries or take a self-guided walking tour through Greenwich Village [5], SoHo [6], or other unique Lower Manhattan [7] neighborhoods before finishing the night off in one of the area’s top restaurants [8] or hot Chelsea clubs [9].
Spend the morning at the Museum of Modern Art [10], before dipping into beautiful Central Park [11]. When the park ends at 59th Street, continue south on 5th Avenue [12], shopping or window-shopping along the way. At night, brave the Times Square [13] madness to take in a Broadway show and dinner in the Theater District [14]. Visit the Empire State Building [15], open until 2 a.m., to end the day with the lights of the city laid out before you.
In the morning, hit the Upper West Side [16] to pay a visit to the iconic blue whale at the American Museum of Natural History [17], stock up on road trip goodies at Zabar’s [18], or swap sides of the park to fill your classic art tank at the Guggenheim Museum [19] or Frick Collection [20] on the Upper East Side [21]. Check for free evening concerts at Manhattan School of Music [9], like Café Jazz featuring student jazz combos in an intimate setting or the school’s impressive 19-piece Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/discover-new-york-city
[2] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/discover-new-york-city/explore-new-york-city/day-trips-new-york-city
[3] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/lower-manhattan/statue-liberty-and-ellis-island
[4] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/chelsea-and-the-garment-district/the-high-line-park
[5] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/greenwich-village
[6] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/soho
[7] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/lower-manhattan
[8] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/food-and-drink
[9] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/entertainment/live-music
[10] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/midtown/museum-modern-art-moma
[11] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/central-park
[12] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/midtown/fifth-avenue
[13] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/midtown/times-square
[14] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/midtown/theater-district
[15] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/chelsea-and-the-garment-district/empire-state-building
[16] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/upper-west-side
[17] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/upper-west-side/american-museum-natural-history
[18] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/shopping/food-and-gourmet-shops
[19] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/upper-east-side/guggenheim-museum
[20] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/upper-east-side/the-frick-collection
[21] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/upper-east-side