Let’s face it right away, New York is NOT a city you can visit in one day. However, one day is much better than none. By following this realistic New York one day itinerary, you’ll make the most of the short time you have to discover its atmosphere and highlights.
There are so many incredible hidden places in Upstate New York, that visiting NYC in one day before the road trip is a good idea. New York has 5 main boroughs, called Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island.
The best way to see New York City in one day is to focus on its most famous area, Manhattan. It is not only the borough of the main landmarks, it also is the best area to stay in New York for the first time.
From skyscrapers to parks and islands, as well as food and architecture highlights, let’s start this action-packed but realistic New York one day itinerary!
New York in one day itinerary: a one-day guide to see it all!
Live the typical New York Coffee Shop experience
New Yorkers always start their day with an americano or expresso coffee. Most of the time, it is a take-away coffee. If you are doing a New York one day tour, you have to start your day with one as well!
We recommend the Black Press Coffee, a specialty New York Coffee Shop, located near Central Park. Black Press Coffee serves Brooklyn-roasted coffee, tea, and small bites in a bright, minimalist space. Try a freshly baked croissant with your favorite espresso drink.
- Address: 274 Colombus Avenue, between West 72nd Street and 73rd Street
- Price: reasonable prices for coffee and snacks vary from $3 – $8
- Opening hours: open daily from 7 AM to 7 PM
Morning walk in Central Park
From the coffee shop, head to Central Park, one of the most famous parks in the world. It is located between the Upper West Side and Upper East Side neighborhoods and is actually the largest park in Manhattan.
Central Park is an expansive urban park of more than 843 acres (341 ha). What makes it special? Well, among many other things, It includes a few lakes, bridges, the famous Bethesda Terrace, a few amusement attractions…
Central Park has numerous seasonal activities, including walking, boating, ice skating, picnicking, and watching live performances. This is a very entertaining park, there is always something to do or watch.
You can visit it any time of the year, every season offers something special.
In the fall, Central Park is a great place to stroll and view the fall foliage. In winter, it is often covered in snow! Summer and spring are when the park is the most alive and locals do picnics all the time there.
- Address: There are numerous entrances to Central Park. Two of the most popular entrances on the Upper West Side are located on Central Park West and 72nd Street or 79th Street.
- Price: Entrance to Central Park West is free! However, the prices of attractions may vary. For example, boating costs $25 per hour. In the fall and winter, ice skating costs $15 per adult and $10 per child.
- Opening hours: daily from 6 AM to 1 AM
Walk down 5th Avenue
Exit Central Park on the east side, and walk along 5th Avenue. Sometimes called Millionaire’s Row, 5th Avenue is known for having many big New York landmarks. We recommend starting it from Central Park and walking until St Patrick Church to see most of its highlights.
If you are an art lover, visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art, also known as The Met. This museum is located on 5th Avenue, near East 82nd Street. It is the largest art museum in the Americas, and the third most visited museum in the United States.
Its collections include 1.5 million works of art spanning 5,000 years of world culture, from prehistory to the present and from every part of the globe.
After visiting the Met, window shop at some of the famous 5th Avenue stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Tiffany’s, and Chanel. These exclusive stores are located on 5th Avenue, near East 57th Street.
Things to know about The Met
- Address: 5th Avenue, between East 82nd and 83rd Street.
- Price: $30 for adults, $22 for seniors, and $17 for students.
- Opening hours: on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 AM to 5 PM, on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 AM to 9 PM. It is closed on Wednesdays.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral
From the shopping district on 5th Avenue, walk south to East 51st street until you arrive at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. This cathedral is renowned for its titanic bronze doors, gorgeous high altar, and rich Neo-Gothic architecture, including thousands of stained glass windows.
This impressive cathedral is featured in many movies, such as The Godfather, Miracle in the Rain or Absolutely Fabulous. It is a very beautiful one that you should stop at during your 24 hours in New York.
- Address: 5th Avenue, between East 50th Street and East 51st Street.
- Price: free to watch from the street. If you wish to visit inside, self-guided audio tours of the cathedral cost $19.99 per person.
- Opening hours: 9 AM to 6 PM daily
Eat a typical bagel for lunch
After your morning exploring Central Park and the 5th Avenue, you must be starving! We recommend trying the typical New York bagels that you can find pretty much anywhere in the city.
One of the best bagel shops in NYC is actually located right near St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and is called Ess-a-Bagel. This Midtown East bagel shop has been open for over 40 years. Their bagels are known for their large size, which makes them perfect for sandwich making.
- Address: 831 3rd Avenue, between East 50th Street and East 51st Street
- Price: Bagels cost as little as $1.95, and bagel sandwiches vary in price from $5 to $17 each depending on your order
- Opening hours: 6 AM to 5 PM daily
Time’s Square
After your New York bagel lunch, walk west along 51st Street until you reach 7th Avenue. You can walk south along 7th Avenue until you reach the heart of Times Square. This area is a must see tourist destination, entertainment hub, and neighborhood.
Rest at one of the outdoor seating areas, and catch a street show while you gaze at the massive screens. It’s a great place to stop for a minute and people-watch. This area is certainly the busiest in the city, and it’s great to stop for a moment and take in the sights.
There are numerous souvenir shops, and specialty snack shops such as the famous M&M’s Store.
- Address: Times Square spans several square blocks from Port Authority to Rockefeller Center. The M&M’s Store is located at 1600 Broadway Avenue.
- Price: Admission to Times Square is free, but souvenirs are expensive in this area
- Opening hours: 24/7
The Vessel
To visit The Vessel, you first have to head to the neighborhood of Hudson Yards. The most direct route from Times Square to Hudson Yards is the subway 7, which takes only about 10 minutes. Alternatively, you can hop on a two-minute taxi ride or walk for 30 minutes.
Hudson Yards is a cool neighborhood in Midtown West with attractions, shops, office space, and modern residences.
The main attraction you have to see is The Vessel, an impressive art piece of 154 interconnected staircases painted in a shiny brown color.
Although you cannot take the stairs anymore, seeing it from the ground is still very impressive. If you stand right in the middle of it, you can get an incredible shot of three towers framed by the shape of the architecture of the Vessel.
- Address: 20 Hudson Yards
- Price: going in it is closed but looking at it from the street is free
- Opening hours: any time of the day
Go to an Observation Deck in New York
A New York one day itinerary would not be complete without visiting one of the three best observation decks of New York to see the skyline. You can choose between the three recommended below since they are all in Hudson Yard and Midtown Manhattan.
The Edge
Located only a 5-minute walk from the Vessel at Hudson Yards, The Edge is an observation deck that offers unparalleled views of the city skyline.
Standing at 1,131 feet tall (345m), it is the highest outdoor observation deck in the Western Hemisphere. Once you reach the top, you are greeted by a large outdoor deck.
With a glass floor and angled glass walls, you can feel like you’re floating above the city as you take in panoramic views of the iconic New York City landmarks. It is a unique experience to actually meet your goal of seeing NYC in one day, but from the air!
- Address: 30 Hudson Yards
- Price: general admission is $36 for adults, $31 for kids under 12 and $34 for seniors over 62
- Opening hours: 10 AM to 10 PM daily
Empire State Building
Another great observation deck, and the most famous one, is the Empire State Building. From Hudson Yards, you can reach it with the lines 7 and R in 15 minutes, or walk for 22 minutes.
The Empire State building is a 102-story Art Deco skyscraper that was built in 1931. Its name is derived from “Empire State”, the nickname for the State of New York.
Standing at 1,250 ft tall (381 m), It held the title of tallest building in the world for nearly 40 years. Today, it remains an important symbol of American architecture.
It offers stunning views of the city skyline and beyond. You can see famous landmarks like Central Park, Times Square, and the Statue of Liberty all from one spot. Plus, with 360-degree views, you’ll get an incredible perspective on the city.
- Address: 20 West 34th Street, in Midtown Manhattan
- Price: Ticket prices for the main deck on the 86th Floor Observatory are $44 per adult, $38 per child, and $42 per senior. Ticket prices for the more popular top deck on the 102nd Floor Observatory are $79 per adult, $73 per child, and $77 per senior.
- Opening hours: 10 AM to 10 PM daily, with a last admission at 9:15 PM
🤔 Read next: should you visit the Empire State Building or the Summit One Vanderbilt?
Summit One Vanderbilt
The Summit is a new observation deck that has quickly become one of New York’s top 3 observation decks.
It takes 15 minutes on subway line 7 to reach it from Hudson Yards, while it takes 37 minutes on foot. If you want to go on foot, you should visit it just after Times Square, as it’s much closer.
The observation floor of Summit is at a height of 1,210 feet (368 meters). So, what makes Summit One Vanderbilt special? Well, it is a modern building that offers immersive experiences in addition to the absolutely extraordinary views.
It has a lot of light shows, balloon rooms, and regularly reinvents itself with new events and exhibits. It is a super cool place to visit high in the sky to see both the skyline and a modern museum at the same time!
- Address: 45 E 42nd Street
- Price: depending on the experience you choose, prices vary from $42 to $62 USD
- Opening hours: 9 AM to 12 AM, with a last entry at 11 PM
High Line
From the Empire State Building, walk west along 30th Street for 23 minutes until 10th Avenue to enter the High Line. From Summit, you can take the subway line 7 or walk 37 minutes. If you choose to visit the Edge, it is only a 6-minute walk to the High Line.
The High Line is a famous 1.5 mile walkway that features beautiful gardens, modern artwork, numerous eateries, and plenty of spots to stop and rest.
It is a public park built on a historic freight rail line elevated above Manhattan’s West Side. It has become a global inspiration for cities to transform unused industrial zones into dynamic public spaces.
- Address: The High Line begins West 30th Street and ends in the Chelsea neighborhood. There are numerous entrances onto the High Line every couple of blocks along the way.
- Price: free
- Opening hours: 7 AM to 10 PM daily
Little Island for sunset
Walk along the High Line until you reach the southern end of Little Island. Little Island is a new free public park pier within the larger Hudson River Park.
This artificial island park with stunning views of Manhattan at sunset opened in 2021.
It has a very futuristic architecture and it looks like it is not a real structure, but more of an artificial intelligence generated picture! But we promise it is not. Little Island is real and you have to fit it in your one day itinerary for New York City.
The island features green spaces, a food stand, children’s play areas and even an open-air concert hall. There are plenty of places to relax, picnic and enjoy the great outdoors.
You can access the island by foot only. There are pedestrian crosswalks across the West Side Highway at 14th Street and 13th Street. Visitors may enter Little Island from the South Bridge near 13th Street or the North Bridge near 14th street.
- Address: Pier 55, at West 13th Street
- Price: free
- Opening hours: 6 AM to 11 PM daily
Have dinner at the Chelsea Market
Now that you’ve seen Manhattan’s main attractions and even managed to include a sunset on Little Island in your New York one day itinerary, it’s time for dinner.
Lucky you, the best food market in Manhattan is located only 6 minutes away from Little Island! Ok yes, we did it on purpose. The Chelsea Market is a super cool indoor gallery with food stands from all over the world.
These include delicious noodles, rolls, tacos, lobster rolls, seafood, pastrami sandwiches and classic dishes such as burgers and pizzas.
If you enjoy Middle Eastern food, Mizon is the place to go to. This restaurant has excellent Israeli food, including falafel or rib eye steak in a pita. The baby cauliflower appetizer is amazing as well.
- Address: 75 9th Ave
- Price: Chelsea Market is free to enter, but food and snacks are priced individually by each vendor.
- Opening hours: 8 AM to 9 PM daily
Night time in New York City
Here are two wonderful options to end your New York one day itinerary beautifully.
View on Manhattan skyline from Brooklyn
Cross the Brooklyn Bridge and walk to the DUMBO Manhattan Bridge view. This spot has been featured in many movies for a reason… It offers the most incredible view of Manhattan at night, and its thousands of lights.
Seeing the island you just visited from the other side of the river is a pretty nice way to end a busy day.
☀️ Summer trip? Here are the coolest events and things to do in Brooklyn in September!
Enjoy a jazz show at the Blue Note
End your 24 hours in Manhattan with a jazz show at the Blue Note! You can easily reach it from the Chelsea Market. Take the A Train to the Blue Note or ride a cab for 10 minutes.
This is a legendary jazz club where the biggest names in jazz music have played. It was opened in 1981 as the first jazz club in New York!
Its founder, Danny Bensusan, was convinced that jazz music, combined with good food and drink, could attract hundreds of people every night. The future proved him right! Blue Note performers have included Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, Sarah Vaughan, Lionel Hampton, and Ray Charles, Melody Gardot…
Today, it’s just as famous as it was in the 80s. People all over the world know that the Blue Note is the best jazz club in New York! And for good reason.
In addition to its incredible line-up, the Blue Note is a comfortable venue, with a bar at the entrance, where you can enjoy cocktails and a glass of wine from a first-rate wine list.
- Address: 131 West 3rd Street, in Greenwich Village
- Price: the cost of live jazz performances at Blue Note varies. Note that there is a $20 minimum spend per request required on all ticket types
- Opening hours: 6 PM to 12 AM from Monday to Saturday, and 11 AM to 12 AM on Sundays
New York in one day itinerary Map
If you are visiting New York for the first time, we know all the spot’s names might sound a bit blurry to you. However, when we put them on a map, it becomes much clearer all of a sudden!
Here is the perfect New York one day itinerary, with all the spots pinned. The orange pins are all the spots you should visit on a New York one day itinerary.
In addition, you can choose an observation deck from the three recommended in purple. Yellow pins indicate the best restaurants in the area.
New York in one day itinerary: FAQ
There are so many things to know when visiting a new city, especially when it’s a big one like New York City. We are here to make sure all your questions are answered so you can enjoy this one day in New York City with no stress!
What are the best things to do in one day in New York?
When you only have one day in New York, you have to visit Central Park, the 5th Avenue, one of the observation decks, the High Line and Little Island. Those are very different highlights that will give you a good idea of the atmosphere in New York City.
Can you see New York in 1 day?
It is impossible to see New York in only one day, even if you wake up at 5 AM and go to bed at midnight. However, if you only have the opportunity to do a one-day trip, you should absolutely take the chance and visit a bit of the skyscraper city for a few hours!
Where to stay in New York City?
We have a full guide on the best area to stay in New York City when visiting for the first time. We highly recommend checking it out before booking a hotel in an area that you know nothing about!
If you are short on time, here are three excellent options.
Arlo Nomad – our absolute favorite hotel in Midtown Manhattan. From your high-floor room, you will be mesmerized at the incredible floor to ceiling views on the skyline.
➡️ Check availability and prices here
✔️ 8,1/10 based on these reviews
Pod Brooklyn – it is ideally located in the north of Williamsburg, the best area to stay in Brooklyn. The Pod offers nice and clean rooms, as well as cool communal spaces, and even gym classes on their rooftop!
➡️ Check availability and prices here
✔️ 8,3/10 based on these reviews
Residence Inn by Marriott New York Manhattan/Central Park – if you want to treat yourself with a luxurious New York suite with a view on both Manhattan and Central Park, this is the right one for you! Live the Gossip Girl’s life that you’ve been dreaming of!
➡️ Check availability and prices here
✔️ 8,4/10 based on these reviews
How to get around when visiting New York for one day?
During a New York one day itinerary, you can easily walk from one place to another, take the subway or a taxi ride.
Since you only have a limited amount of time in New York, we recommend that you do not take the subway option if it’s longer than 30 minutes. Instead, take a cab or walk, you will get a better view of the city and not miss any minute of it!
What do I spend in one day in New York?
The average amount a tourist spends in New York in one day is $100 USD. It includes meals, transportation and activities. You will need to add an extra $200 USD for a double room in a hotel room, that can be split in half if you are two travelers.
As a tourist only spending one day in the big Apple, you will most likely spend more money. If you follow this itinerary, you will spend around $40 on food, $10 on public transportation, $30 to $80 on an observation deck entrance and $50 for the Blue Note jazz show or a similar event.
Can you walk across New York City in a day?
You cannot walk across the entirety of New York City in a day, but you can spend your day walking in New York City! Walking directly from the tip of Central Park in the north of Manhattan to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in the south takes around 1 hour and a half without stopping.
However, it’s the maximum you can probably do in one day if you want to stop to visit the attractions. With this itinerary, you can walk between every location if you are a good walker.
How long is Manhattan tip to tip?
The north of Manhattan to the south is approximately 14 miles. Walking from one tip to the other would last 5 to 8 hours depending on your level of endurance.
The journey would take you from Inwood Hill Park, to Harlem, Upper West Side, Hell’s Kitchen, Chelsea, Greenwich, Tribeca and the Financial District!
Tips for visiting New York City in one day
Plan your day in advance
You’ll want to spend a perfect day in New York if you only have a limited amount of time. To make that happen, we can’t stress enough how important it is to plan your itinerary in advance!
You can either follow this itinerary, or put on a map all the places you want to visit the most. Check in advance how to go from one place to another. This way, you won’t lose your limited time on planning during the d-day!
Choose the right outfit for the weather
It sounds obvious, but it’s easy to forget it in the excitement of a day trip. Check the weather forecast in advance and choose your outfit accordingly. It would be a shame not to visit a place because of rain or cold.
Wear good shoes
New York is a city where you walk a lot. If you only have one day to visit the most of it, you need to wear good and comfortable shoes! Your feet will thank you later.
Book the activities in advance
You do not want to spend one hour queuing at the Empire State Building to get a ticket to the top when you only have one day in New York, right? Make sure to book the tickets in advance if you are visiting big attractions.
The same goes for restaurants, if you want to eat in a particular place.
One day New York City itinerary: final thoughts
This New York City one day itinerary will give you a good introduction to this amazing city. You obviously can’t see all of New York in one day, but this itinerary covers a large portion of the east and west sides of Manhattan.
These city highlights include skyscrapers, parks, walkways, museums, and nightlife. They are also all easy to get to by walk, public transportation or cab to make your day trip to NYC as smooth as possible.
If you have time to stay in the area for one more day, take a day trip to Governors Island, an historical island located south of Manhattan and west of Brooklyn. Happy travels!
🚙 After visiting New York City, you should head north to Portland to discover all the gems of the US East Coast, like the fabulous Cape Cod. We’ve listed the epic stops on a New York-Maine road trip.
🏛️ If you want to visit Washington’s capital, we highly recommend the Georgetown district. To explore it properly, we recommend visiting Georgetown DC at night.
