NYC 3 Day Itinerary: A Guide for First Timers

I’ve never met a person who didn’t have a visit to the Big Apple on their travel bucket list. Its diversity, food scene, bright lights and straightforwardness appeals to everyone. When I lived in Madrid, everyone I met around Europe would tell me of their dreams to visit NYC. They’d ask me all about it. But, I’d never been myself!

That’s right, as an American I still saw so much of Europe before ever making it to New York City. I knew that had to change, and have now been there TWICE. Take that.

Going to NYC for the first time can be quite overwhelming. There is SO much to see, and while one trip alone is unlikely to do it justice you can still get a lot in. Follow this first timer’s NYC 3 day itinerary to make the most of your long weekend in New York!

NYC 3 Day Itinerary

Day 1

See the Statue of Liberty

We arrived in NYC just before noon on a Friday, and dropped our bags off at our Airbnb on the Lower East Side. This location worked out perfectly for us, definitely recommend.

Our first stop was straight to Liberty Island. We grabbed a quick lunch from a nearby gyro cart (definitely try a food cart in NYC!) before rushing to catch our early afternoon ferry. It was incredible to see Lady Liberty up close, and I especially enjoyed the nearby Sculpture Garden.

We’d purchased our tickets to the island online ahead of time, and recommend you do the same, here.

Grab a Treat from Milk Bar Bakery

I’d seen pictures of this soft serve on Instagram and knew I had to try it. Milk Bar Bakery is behind this concoction said to taste “just like the milk at the bottom of a bowl of cornflakes.” Verdict? It does, but I learned that I don’t particularly enjoy cereal-milk-flavored soft serve. It’s definitely a unique treat worth trying, but for me it was more fun to look at than to eat! The chef and story behind the concept are certainly inspiring, though.

Admire St. Patrick’s Cathedral

We did A LOT of walking and there was something new to see around every corner. St. Patrick’s Cathedral was one of my favorite sights — an unexpected slab of intricate beauty in the midst of a bustling city street.

Scope out Rockefeller Plaza

My husband is a huge 30 Rock fan and got me into the show as well, so we had to swing by Rockefeller Plaza. We sat here for a bit to rest our feet before continuing the day’s adventures.

Before we strolled into Times Square (me for the first time) we had to swing by Hershey’s Chocolate World! Want a chocolate bar bigger than your head, nay, your torso?

Here. Go here.

Be a Tourist in Times Square

Ah, Times Square — an image the world fantasizes about. When I first saw London’s Piccadilly Circus I imagined Times Square would be similar, but this was certainly on a larger scale. We sat here for a bit to take it all in and, if I’m being honest, I couldn’t stop thinking about the massive waste of electricity…Anyone else?

Go up the Empire State Building

Ambitious as we were, we had decided to knock off the most touristy items on our agenda in one day. So, right around sunset we headed to the Empire State Building for some sprawling city views. Again, buy your tickets ahead of time if you can.

Eat New York Style Pizza

Food is a big part of any trip we take, and there was plenty of pizza involved on this trip. These slices from Joe’s Pizza were on point and everything we needed to top off a long first day. We enjoyed them seated on the small bench out front, watching the street produce vendors wrap up for the day. As a Chicagoan, I’m still a big fan of Chicago style pizza but I also loved my New York slice!

Day 2

Enjoy a Bagel at Washington Square Park

We started off day two by stopping into one of NYC’s many bagel shops to grab a coffee and this avocado bagel, to go. I highly recommend Ess-a-Bagel. Then, we made our way to Washington Square Park and stopped briefly along the way to watch a passing dance parade.

We settled in to eat our breakfast at the park, watching passersby and performers. It was a leisurely start to a leisurely day.

Eat at Kati Roll

Shortly after wrapping up breakfast, we walked on in search pf more food! One of Imtiaz’s favorite places in NYC is The Kati Roll Company, and having tried it I can highly recommend it as well. We found ourselves there a couple times over the course of the weekend.

Relax at Bryant Park

We enjoyed spending much of day two strolling through the city, and next made our way over to Bryant Park.

Bryant Park was definitely a highlight of this trip for me! It’s big and beautiful, with plenty to do. There’s an area to play board games, places to grab drinks and places to snag delicious waffles like the one above (guilty!). Sitting there, people watching with a hot waffle on a cloudy day, life was good.

Feel Classy at Bathtub Gin

That evening, we met up some of Imtiaz’s friends at Bathtub Gin. You NEED to go here on your next trip to NYC. The entrance is within an unassuming coffee shop, and once you’re through the doors to the speakeasy the ambiance and food will blow you away. Be sure to make reservations ahead of time, and dress to impress!

Day 3

Have Brunch at Jack’s Wife Freda

By this point in our trip, I realized how impossible it would be to see all of NYC over a long weekend (more of a reason to go back!) but that didn’t stop us from exploring as much as we could while there.

On our third day, we met a couple of my friends from the Fulbright program for brunch at Jack’s Wife Freda. Then, we hopped on the subway to make our way to Central Park. We had every intention of swinging by Levain Bakery to pick up their famous cookies on the way, but the line was WAY too long. Next time!

Meander through Central Park

We spent several hours alternating between sitting and wandering through as much of Central Park as we could. Who knew just how incredibly ginormous this place would be?! I could spend an entire day exploring it.

Walk the High Line

But, we had places to be. Hubby (boyfriend at the time) had booked us on a surprise sunset bout tour! We made our way to the docks, taking time to walk along the High Line first.

Take a Sunset Boat Cruise

At this point, we’d been walking for hours and were ready to sit back and relax on the boat tour. We went through Circle Line Cruises, and had a great experience.

Eat Italian at Carmine’s

After the cruise, we spent our final night in Times Square. We opted for dinner at Carmine’s and, ravenous as we were, were unable to finish the smaller portion of lasagna. Definitely go with a bigger group for this one.

As you can imagine, my first trip to NYC was a success and I can’t wait for the next time. New York is a destination that will feel new each time, since I already know my itinerary will look completely different the next time around.

Have more time in New York? Spend a day in Brooklyn, too!