48 Hours In New York City – A Complete Itinerary From A Local

New York is a city like no other! The only city that can be exhausting and exhilarating, all at the same time. If this isn’t #1 on your bucket list, well, go on.. add it now!

2 Days in New York City isn’t time to see everything, but it’s enough time for a great experience and some of the city highlights. There’s a lot to do in New York City. It’s an overwhelming trip to plan, but fortunately, you’ve found the perfect itinerary! This itinerary is great for your first visit to New York City if you’re looking to do lots of sightseeing.

Friday: Evening

Once you’ve checked in, start your Big Apple weekend at the iconic Empire State Building or Top of the Rock. Both offer panoramic views of the city. At the Empire State Building, a saxophonist plays on the Main Deck/86th floor Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights from 9 p.m. to midnight between Labor Day and Memorial Day. In the summer, it’s from 10 p.m.-1 a.m. You can buy your tickets online, or onsite on the second floor. The last elevator to the top of the Empire State Building leaves at 1:15 a.m. One tip: don’t pay the extra money to go up to the 102nd floor.

Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center is another option for great city views. There are three viewing promenades, the highest being on the 70th floor. Top of the Rock has timed ticketing and it’s only open until 11 p.m. The wait time usually isn’t as long as the Empire State Building and there’s more room to move around, but you’ll need to make sure you can make your scheduled time. The trips to the top of both cost about the same and each offers VIP access for an extra $30 per ticket. Top of the Rock also offers the option to pay an extra $15 to come back within 24 hours of your first visit, so you can take in the view at a different time of day. And don’t worry: there’s a bar at the top. You can linger on top of the city that never sleeps before making your way to bed.

Saturday: Morning

Breakfast at Russ and Daughters

Russ & Daughters, a store dating back to 1914 on the historic Houston Street on the Lower East Side. The first thing you want to do when you step through the door is grab a ticket. Then take in all that’s around you while you wait: one counter offers smoked fish, caviar and shmears. Take a few steps down and you’ll see egg salad, tuna salad, eggplant salad and a selection of herring. On the other side, there’s a counter that offers tempting sweets like dried fruit, rugelach and babka. Or check out the cooler where you’ll find soups and some other pre-prepared items like latkes and blintzes. Along the wall you’ll see wire baskets holding bagels and bialys, some of the best the city has to offer. If you’d rather have crackers with your shmear, they carry those too. If you don’t want to deal with the hustle of the iconic location, check out there newly added restaurant just around the corner: Russ & Daughters Cafe.

Brooklyn Bridge

Now that your tummy is satisfied, head off to a walk along the Brooklyn Bridge. This historic bridge is one of the oldest roadway bridges in the United States and was the first steel-wire suspension bridge constructed.

Its beauty is unlike any other. It can be said it inspired more art than any other manmade structure in the United States. Artists such as Georgia O’Keeffe, Andy Warhol, Arthur Miller and many more have incorporated the bridge into their works. It has also appeared in TV shows and movies alike, including “Sex and the City”, “Moonstruck,” “Godzilla” and “Spider-Man.”

I promise if you take a walk on the bridge, you will find yourself inspired.

Saturday: Afternoon

Explore Dumbo (which stands for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass), you have made it across the bridge, you might as well check out this newly developed neighborhood with a cool vibe and local eats. Formerly an industrial area full of deteriorating warehouses, this area is experiencing a revitalization. The construction of the Brooklyn Bridge Park had a lot to do with that. The park runs over 2 km along the East River waterfront and is continually growing.

Grab a snack at one Dumbos newest editions Time Out Market, before heading back to Manhattan.

Saturday: Evening

Catch a Broadway show! There is no shortage of selections on shows to choose from when visiting New York whether it be on or off-Broadway! Currently on my radar, is the readaptation of Alanis Morisettes Jagged Little Pill.

Serendipity 3, no trip to NYC would be complete without stopping by this sweets paradise. Famous for its frozen hot chocolate (pictured below)

This café is not popular because of the movie. In fact, it’s the other way around: it was chosen as a set for a movie scene because of its fame. Serendipity 3, New York’s first coffee house boutique, opened in 1954 with 4 tables, 16 chairs and Tiffany lampshades. Fun fact, Andy Warhol made some of his first sketched at Serendipity. Now that you are in a full sugar coma, try to get some sleep, you have a big day ahead of you, for your final day in the big apple!

Sunday: Morning

Start your Sunday Morning exploration of New York City off with a walk along the High Line, a 1.45-mile elevated park that’s packed with plants and art installations. You’ll enjoy lovely views of the city and also be close to lots of restaurants along the edge of Chelsea to grab a bite to eat after your walk. You can start your journey along the High Line by taking the 1 or C train to 23rd Street and then making your way to 10th Avenue.

Brunch at Bubby’s, a fantastic diner-style concept that started in 1990 as a pie company. They have since expanded to 2 Manhattan locations and several in Japan while remaining a Tribeca institution. The vibe is casual and comfortable with big wooden tables and huge windows. They serve food all day and the space is consistently packed for all meal periods. The food is slightly more sophisticated than your average diner plates but they do all the simple classics extremely well. Their scratch-made American menu includes favorites like crispy chicken biscuits, huge market salads, and breakfast all day like fluffy stacked blueberry pancakes, eggs benedict & huevos rancheros. This is comfort food at its finest in a warm space that feels like home.

Sunday: Afternoon

No trip to NYC, would be complete without a visit to Central Park. At 840 acres, Central Park is the largest park in Manhattan. It has been the setting of major and low-budget films, musical performances, weddings, wedding proposals and — for that reason — plenty of tourism. The park bustles with activity and beauty year-round and is filled with so many unique and interesting sights, you couldn’t possibly capture them all in one day, but you can definitely try! See also My Ultimate Guide to Central Park

No trip to NYC, would be complete without a visit to Central Park. At 840 acres, Central Park is the largest park in Manhattan. It has been the setting of major and low-budget films, musical performances, weddings, wedding proposals and — for that reason — plenty of tourism. The park bustles with activity and beauty year-round and is filled with so many unique and interesting sights, you couldn’t possibly capture them all in one day, but you can definitely try! See also: My Ultimate Guide to Central Park.

Sunday: Evening

Before you say goodbye to my fair city, take in the view of the Manhattan skyline at 230 5th. Offering some of the best views of the City skyline, 230 Fifth is among Manhattan’s largest indoor and outdoor rooftop-bar and event spaces. Although it’s primarily a lounge and event space, 230 offers a variety of small and large dishes, along with a popular all-you-can-eat brunch buffet and a wide range of specialty cocktails. The penthouse and rooftop are heated in cold weather and stay open to the public all year long.

FOLLOW ME -

Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest | Facebook