Day 1: June 17
Landing
The first day in NYC was technically a “half-day,” considering that’s the day we landed and everything. The first thing we did was go to the hotel. Even if it’s too early for your check-in time, most hotels will hold your luggages for you, so you don’t have to roll your luggages with you the whole day.
The hotel we stayed at was the Hilton Club The Central at 5th New York. I very much enjoyed my stay here! The room was very clean, and the service was great! Plus, the location of the hotel was very convenient since it was right on 5th avenue. This gave me access to walking around midtown Manhattan and many tourist spots, such as St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, New York Public Library, etc.
Joe’s Pizza
After settling our stuff at the hotel, we went and got lunch at the infamous Joe’s Pizza. If you’re planning on eating here, expect a long line, however, it’s very efficient, and it didn’t take more than 20 minutes for me to reach the front of the line. I would say the line is definitely worth it, as this pizza is highly regarded as to be the best pizza in NYC!
Address: 1435 Broadway
Hours: Every day 10AM-3AM
The Drama Book Shop
The Drama Book Shop was unlike any other I’ve been to before. If you’re a lover of theatre, I highly recommend stopping by to take a look at their impressive collection! They have a cute sit-down area if you want to work on something, and they have such magical and creative decorations to draw customers in.
Address: 266 W 39th St, New York, NY 10018
Hours: Monday-Saturday 10AM-7PM; Sunday 12PM-7PM
Kinokuniya USA
Kinokuniya USA was just as impressive, but in a different way. 3 stories of japanese literature, as well as english literature, and a large selection of anime merch and stationary, left me in awe. I was very overwhelmed by everything they had, and if you’re looking for your next read, or a new favorite pen, be sure to visit! They had a whole collection of fountain pens, pencil cases, Japanese learning materials, and much more!
Address: 1073 Avenue of the Americas
Hours: Monday-Saturday 10AM-8PM, Sunday 11AM-7:30PM
New York Public Library
I absolutely enjoyed my time at the NYPL! The building is beautiful on both the front and the inside. The library has very interesting exhibits inside the building. I visited the Polonsky Exhibition of The New York Public Library’s Treasures and A Century of the New Yorker. Aside from exhibits, I also visited the McGraw Rotunda and the Salomon Room. If you want to visit the Rose Main Reading Room, you must sign up for a tour, or visit during 10-11 am Monday-Saturday.
Address: 476 5th Ave
Hours: Mon, Thurs, Fri, Sat 10AM-6PM; Tue-Wed 10AM-8PM; Closed on Sunday
Summit One Vanderbilt
This tourist spot is famous for its interactive exhibitions, and unique experience. I don’t doubt that it’s a beautiful spot to view the city skyline, however, when I went, it was cloudy, so we saw nothing. I would recommend only attending when there’s good, clear weather.
Address: 45 East 42nd Street
Hours: Every day 9AM-12PM; Last entry is 10:30PM
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Quality Italian
For dinner, my mom and I ate at Quality Italian, located at Hell’s Kitchen. A high-end Italian restaurant, its menu was filled with delicious, authentic, Italian dishes. Highly recommend it if you’re willing to spend the money!
Day 2: June 18
Central Park
The morning started off with an hourish walk through Central Park. The walk went through many of the famous spots: Grand Army Plaza, The Mall and Literary Walk, Bethesda Fountain, Bow Bridge, Belvedere Castle, and the Shakespeare Garden. Finally, the destination was the American Museum of Natural History. There weren’t many crowds, and we walked around the park from 9:45-11 am.
American Museum of Natural History
The museum is full of so many exhibits, and it is impossible to see them all your first time being there, so, I recommend choosing beforehand which exhibits you would like to see. Personally, I spent about 3 hours there, and saw a few exhibits. Here are some exhibits that wesaw:
- African Mammals
- African Peoples
- Asian Peoples
- Ocean Life
- Gems and Minerals
- Entire Fourth Floor (Quickly walked through)
Additionally, I attended shows they had such as Encounters in the Milky Way and Worlds Beyond Earth. As for the queue, I entered through the Central Park entrance around 11AM, and the queue wasn’t too long. I probably waited around 20 minutes, 30 minutes maximum. Something to note, for all museums, certain people do get discounts, such as New York residents, students, etc, so be sure to take advantage of those discounts.
Address: 200 Central Prk W
Hours: Every day 10AM-5:30PM
Barnes & Noble at Union Square
I feel confident when I say that this Barnes & Noble is a must-see for every book lover. Four floors tall, there is an endless amount of books to choose from, and the way the bookshelves were arranged made it so easy to find specific books! This is a great spot for taking those aesthetic, pinterest, bookstore pictures! Plus, you can pick up a book or two while you’re stopping by!
Address: 33 East 17th Street
Hours: Sun 10AM-9PM, Mon-Thurs 9AM-9PM, Fri & Sat 9AM-10PM
SOHO
From Barnes & Noble, we made our way down to SOHO and did some shopping. In my opinion, I think this is a much better place to go shopping than 5th avenue! There are so many stores to choose from!
Moulin Rouge
After shopping in SOHO, my mom and I went back to the hotel to get ready for our Broadway show, Moulin Rouge! As someone who has never seen the movie, and had no idea what to expect, I was blown away! The theater and sets were beautiful! The costumes were stunning, and the signing was amazing! I was so impressed by the talented actors, actresses, and dancers, and as a big fan of Jordan Fisher, I was so excited to hear him perform live!
Miss Korea BBQ
After being famished, we made our way to K-town and ate at 24-hour restaurant, Miss Korea BBQ. This restaurant was delicious, and offered a wide variety of meats and side dishes. The workers were very kind, and very efficient, even at midnight.
Address: 10 W 32nd St
Hours: Open 24 hours!
Day 3: June 19
Museum of Modern Art
Although not as big as the American Museum of Natural History, MoMA still has a lot to offer, including the infamous Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh and Water Lilies by Claude Monet! Divided by years, you can view art from the 1880s to present time and from artists such as Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, and Andy Warhol! I personally love Impression and Post-Impression, so I spent much of my time on the 5th floor, which includes art from the 1880s-1940s. I also ventured to the 4th floor, and walked through art from the 1950s-1970s. I would recommend going in the morning right where it happens so it’s not too crowded.
Address: 11 W 53rd St
Hours: Sun-Thu & Sat 10:30AM-5:30 PM; Fri 10:30AM-8:30PM
McNally Jackson Books
After MoMA, I took the subway to Downtown Brooklyn to visit McNally Jackson Books. Although they have many locations, I went to the Brooklyn location so I could visit Brooklyn, and because of the layout of the store! I’ve never visited a bookstore like this, and was grateful that I visited this location! Plus, the store is located in a mall with many delicious food options!
Address: 445 Albee Square
Hours: Every day 10AM-9PM
Brooklyn Bridge
From the bookstore, I walked toward the Brooklyn Bridge, and proceeded to walk across it! It’s certainly a long and tiring walk, so make sure you’re prepared to deal with the heat. However, the view is fantastic, and I definitely think this is something everyone should do once.
Strand Bookstore
Strand Bookstore is one of the oldest bookstores in NYC, and has a large collection of books, including a rare collection! With its tall shelves, you’re certain to find what you’re looking for in here! And while you’re at it, you can go ahead and buy yourself a souvenir too! I got a tote bag!
Address: 828 Broadway
Hours: Mon-Sun 10AM-9PM
Ichiran Ramen
For dinner, we ate at a famous ramen restaurant, Ichiran Ramen. Modeled after a traditional ramen restaurant in Japan, their famous Tonkatsu Ramen was delicious! The service and experience were amazing! If you’re introvert, this is definitely a good place to eat. Seating is situated like a bar, however, there are dividers in between customers to create a sense of privacy, and food is delivered through a curtain, so you never have to interact with a server.
Address: 152 W 49th St
Hours: Mon-Thurs 11AM-10PM; Fri-Sun 11AM-10:30PM
Day 4: June 20
Today was my mom’s birthday, so we spent our day visiting the places she had on her bucket list!
The Vessel
First thing in the morning, we visited the Vessel, located in Hudson Yards, and next to the Edge and the mall. The Edge is another observation deck, however, we did not visit the attraction. In my opinion, I think the Vessel is a very nice piece of architecture, but you won’t spend an hour staring at it. I would focus on many things around the Vessel, such as Hudson Yards, Chelsea Market, The Edge, etc.
JP Morgan Library
One of the most stunning places I visited, the Morgan Library is filled with interesting exhibitions and gorgeous architecture. An exhibition on display at the Morgan Library that I absolutely loved was the Jane Austen exhibition. This exhibition detailed Austen’s personal life and journey to becoming an author. It shows the intimate details of her relationship with her sister and nieces, and displays first editions of many of Austen’s works including Pride and Prejudice. In addition to books, the Morgan Library showcases beautiful artwork and musical compositions by Debussy and Mozart. If you’re a lover of Jane Austen and music, be sure to stop by!
Address: 225 Madison Ave
Hours: Sat-Sun, Tues-Thurs 10:30AM-5PM; Mon Closed; Fri 10:30AM-7PM
Flipper’s
For brunch, we went to a restaurant in SOHO called Flipper’s. Flipper’s serves delicious breakfast and lunch options, as well as souffle pancakes, also known as “Japanese pancakes.” The food was delicious, and very filling! Additionally, you must know they do not do reservations, only walk-ins or waitlists.
Address: 337 W Broadway
Hours: Mon-Fri 9AM-5PM; Sat-Sun 8AM-6PM
More Shopping!
We basically spent the rest of the day shopping and trying out deserts in SOHO, and the Flatiron district. Some bakeries we went to included Lady M Boutique, Levain Bakery, and Salswee. These bakeries had so many delicious desserts including crepe cakes, croissants, cookies, etc!
Conclusion
And that’s all we did on our trip to New York! It was such a fun trip, and I loved tailoring the itinerary to my personality and interests! There’s so much to do in New York. If you’re a foodie, you should visit all the restaurants you want. If you’re one for sightseeing, make sure to stop by those staple tourist areas. If you’re a book lover like me, I hope this guide helped you with planning your trip to New York City!
I hope you enjoyed this itinerary! If you’re the type of person who’s looking for those aesthetic pictures, and a book-lover, I hope this helped you in planning your trip to New York City!
-Jacqueline