Four days in New York

The first stop on your Big Apple adventure is as quintessential a New York experience as pizza, bagels and Times Square selfies. Yep, we’re talking about Central Park, NYC’s most celebrated green space, and the lush leafy lung of Manhattan. Designed by award-winning landscape architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux back in the 19th Century, the park spans some 843 acres and is home to everything from a boating lake to an ice-skating rink. 

You could easily spend an entire day in the park and still not see everything. Our advice? Use your Go City NYC pass to rent your own set of wheels for the day or – perhaps better still for newbies – take a guided bike tour of the park’s highlights, thus eliminating the very real risk of getting hopelessly lost somewhere up in the Ramble. Either way, you’ll want to check off the picturesque Loeb Boathouse, fairytale Belvedere Castle, rolling Sheep's Meadow, and the elegant Bethesda Terrace with its accompanying fountain, topped with the spectacular Angel of the Waters sculpture.

Done exploring? Choose your own adventure from the park’s ‘big two’ museums. On the east side, the mighty Metropolitan Museum of Art spans some 5,000 years of creativity and imagination – don’t miss Monet’s Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies and Vincent van Gogh’s Self Portrait with a Straw Hat. On the west side, the American Museum of Natural History charts nothing less than the origins of our planet and its evolution, from literal stardust to titanosaur fossils and early human tools.

Explore more things to do in Central Park here.

After lunch – both museums have excellent options and there are plenty of takeout stands dotted around the park – it’s time for a little retail therapy on one of the finest shopping streets on the planet! Sashay down Fifth Avenue to browse stunning window displays from the world’s most luxurious brands and, if you have deep enough pockets, to give your credit card a serious workout. Cartier diamond ring, anyone? 

Make a stop at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral along the way. Hailed as one of the most beautiful churches in the world, this glorious Neo-Gothic cathedral took more than 20 years to complete. Your pass bags you express entry, and plenty of time to take in the jaw-dropping architecture, all soaring spires, graceful stone arches and swoonworthy stained-glass windows. 

Love it or hate it, Times Square is one of those New York attractions that kind of has to be seen to be believed. A total sensory overload at any time of day, it’s particularly dazzling after dark, when those massive digital billboards and neon signs light up the night sky. Be prepared for crowds – Times Square heaves with tourists at all hours, but  fear not: your Insta reels will thank you for it. There are plenty of casual dining options here too, from the city’s ubiquitous hot dog carts to tasty tacos and classic New York slices.

Don’t skip the chance to take in a Broadway show. Here’s where you can sing your little lungs out to some of the world’s biggest musicals (hello Wicked, Hamilton and The Lion King) and catch Hollywood stars treading the boards in hard-hitting dramas.

Tip: if you have time, we also highly recommend taking a guided walking tour of the area, or visiting one of Times Square’s many cool and quirky museums – Madame Tussauds, RiseNY and the Museum of Broadway for the win.

When in New York, do as New Yorkers do and grab a bagel for breakfast. You’ll find plenty of bakeries and cafés selling these in Greenwich Village – ask for a lox bagel (salmon and cream cheese) if you really want to look like a local. Suitably fortified, join a guided walking tour to discover the history of the neighborhood and take a stroll through the historic New York University campus. 

Your walk will take you through Washington Square Park, a hangout for students and avant-garde artists since time immemorial. Have a rest on the steps of the central fountain and watch street performers, musicians and skaters strut their stuff. You’ll also spot famous filming locations from Friends and learn about former residents including Edgar Allan Poe and John Wilkes Booth. You’ll also stop by the Stonewall Inn, birthplace of the LGBTQ+ Movement in America. 

The next part of your four-day New York adventure sees you call at the neighboring areas of SoHo (South of Houston Street), Little Italy and Chinatown. Again, a guided walking tour will get you straight to the good stuff, keep your timings on track, and make sure you don’t spend several hours walking circles in Chinatown’s dense labyrinth of bustling streets.

Prepare to salivate at the heady scents of frying chili and garlic as you discover Chinatown’s rich history, calling at the splendid Mahayana Buddhist Temple and Confucius Plaza with its enormous bronze statue. You’ll also take a walk along Doyers Street – aka the Bloody Angle – which inspired Scorsese’s Gangs of New York epic.

Don’t skip the many selfie opportunities afforded by SoHo’s famous cobblestones and cast-iron architecture, all beautifully restored façades with arched windows, elaborate columns, decorative cornices and sculptural fire escapes – no filters required.

Check out our guides for more things to do in Chinatown and in SoHo. 

As the sun begins to set, head to the High Line Park to get a unique perspective on the Hudson and Midtown skyline. This former railroad track has been transformed into a verdant floating greenway that passes over some of New York City's most historic neighborhoods. There is, of course, a tour for this too, but you can also easily go it alone – it’s not so easy to get lost when you can only walk in a straight line. Take in the cool public art installations and admire some of New York's most iconic buildings along the way, including the Empire State Building and Frank Gehry’s IAC Building. 

Afterwards, drop by Chelsea Market at the High Line’s southern end for a bite to eat. Set inside the biscuit factory that invented the Oreo cookie, the market’s array of dining options is a fitting legacy. Think fresh lobster rolls, world-class-tacos, sizzling steaks and some of the best baked items – mini donuts and gooey brownies – that you’ll find anywhere in town.

A visit to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum is essential for anyone seeking an understanding of the New York psyche both before and after September 11, 2001, or indeed for anyone who just wants to pay their respects.

The museum details the horrific events of that day and honors the thousands of victims as well as those who risked their lives to save others. Be prepared for a deeply moving and reflective experience, and be sure to pause for a few quiet moments by the waterfall that cascades into twin reflecting pools where the original towers once stood. The names of victims of both the 1993 and 2001 attacks are engraved in stone around the waterfall. 

Afterwards, head up to the One World Observatory just next door. At more than 1,250 feet above the streets, it’s the highest viewing deck in the Western Hemisphere, so expect wide-ranging views that take in Manhattan, the Statue of Liberty and – on clear days – even parts of Connecticut.

As you wander towards Wall Street and the Financial District, keep your eyes peeled for the rather architectural oddity that is the Oculus Mall: dove in flight or pile of rotting fish bones? You decide. Head up into Wall Street where the iconic New York Stock Exchange, historic Trinity Church and twin Charging Bull and Fearless Girl statues are sure to keep your camera busy for a while.

Next stop: the soaring Gothic towers of the Brooklyn Bridge and the charming waterside neighborhood of DUMBO over the other side of the East River. This is another of those routes that you can do on a rented bike, or with the added commentary and points of interest that come with a guided cycling or walking tour.

Either way, you can expect to fill your Insta with some of the best views of Manhattan from anywhere in town, plus bleeding-edge DUMBO street art and that iconic angle of the Empire State Building framed beneath the arches of Manhattan Bridge from Washington Street.

Stick around for sundown when this lively neighborhood really ramps up the charm, with neon lights bouncing off the cobbles and waterside bars and restaurants buzzing into life. This is also the place for out-of-this-world New York pizza, so make sure to find a spot for dinner! 

It’s your last day in town, but don’t let that get you down; there are still some absolute New York gems still to explore. First up is the architectural stunner that is Grand Central Station. Take in the jaw-dropping grandeur of the central terminal’s celestial ceiling murals, set your watch by the extraordinary Tiffany glass clock on the facade and the four-faced opal clock which hangs above the main information booth. And don’t skip the chance to visit the Whispering Gallery, where sweet nothings muttered on one side of the arches are carried clear as a bell all the way over to the other.

Meander up through the Diamond District, where thousands of jewels glitter in every shop window along 47th Street then onwards to priceless gems of a different variety at the Museum of Modern Art (aka MoMA). For, inside this striking Yoshio Taniguchi-designed building lies one of the most significant collections of 20th-century art in the world, with landmark works by the likes of Van Gogh, Picasso, Cézanne, Magritte, Pollock, Matisse, Dali and Warhol. Think starry nights, water lilies, soup cans and melting clocks and you’ll get the general idea.

Of course, even the briefest bite of the Big Apple should factor in a trip to the top of the Empire State Building. Built at record speed during the Great Depression, this iconic skyscraper is about as glorious an example of Art Deco architecture as you’ll find anywhere in the world. So, as well as those magnificent Manhattan views from the 86th floor observatory, there’s an opulent lobby to ogle, complete with glittering chandeliers, 23-karat gold leaf ceiling and scale model of the Empire State Building itself.

You can also shake hands with King Kong, watch video reels that showcase the Empire State Building’s many contributions to popular culture, and snap selfies with bronze sculptures of 1930s construction workers. Then there’s the main event: mindblowing panoramas from more than 1,000 feet above the streets of Manhattan. Hang out for a while on the open-air deck as more and more of New York’s skyline gems reveal themselves – Central Park, the Chrysler Building, One World Trade Center, the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, the Hudson and even, on clear days, parts of Pennsylvania and Connecticut up to 80 miles away.

Check out our complete guide to visiting the Empire State Building here.

What better way to wrap up your four-day NYC adventure than by catching a Knicks basketball game or the New York Rangers on the ice at Madison Square Garden. The 20,000-seat venue in the heart of Herald Square is also a solid bet if you fancy seeing some live music – previous performers here include Bowie, Sinatra and Mariah, so you can be sure it attracts some pretty big names. It even bore witness to Marilyn singing happy birthday to JFK and hosted two Ali-Frazier fights!

And, if you have the time and fancy digging a little deeper into Madison Square Garden’s illustrious history, you can even take a guided tour.