New York City is the the ultimate American urban center, with the island of Manhattan being the first stop on most itineraries. But even Manhattan is large enough to be overwhelming to first timers. With the help of my sister (a Manhattan local), I have compiled a guide to the best day in Manhattan, to help you make the most out of your visit. Get a good pair of shoes and be ready to make plenty of coffee stops. This itinerary is packed!
Morning
Start your day off like the locals do and make brunch your first stop. Make your way to Bubby’s Highline. This is a trendy brunch place with the possibility of celebrity sitings and fantastic bloody marys. Make sure to get there early, lines can get crazy after 10.
After you have finished your breakfast, take a walk up the high line. The high line is a former railway turned elevated park/walkway. Today, the highline is an iconic example of contemporary landscape architecture.
History Lesson: The highline was originally a road-level railroad in the mid 1800s. There were no barriers between the trains and traffic other than flag-bearing cowboys. Naturally, this was not the safest solution and the number of accidents that occurred led to Tenth Avenue earning the nickname “Death Avenue”. By the early 1900s a plan was in place to build elevated tracks which were open to use by 1939. By the 1950s, the growth of interstate trucking began to have a noticeable effect on rail industry. The last train operated on the highline in 1980.
Once you have reached the end of the highline, head to the metro station and make your way to 30 Rockefeller Plaza. While undoubtedly touristy, the views from the top are some of the best in the city. After soaking in the sights, head up to Central Park.
Afternoon
Meander through the park, take your time and enjoy it. There are plenty of attractions within the park including pedal boats, caricature artists, and hansom cabs. Of course, the park is large enough that just walking through people watching will keep you entertained.
Keep walking up the park until you arrive at 90th street. Once there, make your way over to 5th Avenue. You may find yourself a bit hungry, so it’s a good time to stop for some food at Bluestone Lane for a coffee and snack.
Once your stomach stops rumbling, head down the block to the Guggenheim Museum, the premier modern and contemporary art museum in New York City. The building that it occupies is enough reason to choose the Guggenheim. If contemporary art just isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other museums on the same block.
History Lesson: One of the most notable aspects of the Guggenheim collection is the building it occupies. While this building is classic, it is not the original home of the museum. The idea for the unique structure was conceived as a ‘Temple of the Spirit’; a new way to organize space for art. Frank Lloyd Wright (the architect of the building) produced four sketches between 1943 and 1944. Wright initially landed on a ‘Ziggurat’, or inverted pyramid, with the intention that guests would take an elevator to the top and descend at a leisurely pace. It was this, in addition to the location next to the park, that produced the continuous spiral building recognizable today.
Evening
Make your way back down the island to the trendy Greenwich Village to spend the rest of your day. Greenwich is the one of the hippest neighborhoods in the city and you will find more than enough options for dinner, dessert and drinks to keep you going into the evening.
Greenwich has a number of restaurants to choose from, but check out Chomp Chomp, a hawker-style Singaporean restaurant. After dinner, walk two blocks to arrive at Pasticceria Rocco. This is the ultimate bakery to cap your night off with a cookie in New York City. If you aren’t exhausted after your long day of exploring Manhattan, then get ready for a night on the town. Hit one of the neighborhoods bars and relax after your best day in Manhattan 🙂
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