A 48 Hour Adventure Through the Big Apple

Being a First Time visitor to NYC is exciting, but trying to fit everything into a weekend can be overwhelming. Is it possible to see the best of the Big Apple in just 48 hours? Absolutely. If you are planning 2 days in New York City, this itinerary covers everything from the Staten Island Ferry to Broadway.

Arrival: Tips for a First Time Visitor to NYC

Getting there! My daughter & I hopped aboard our flight from Chicago’s O’Hare airport heading to New York’s JFK airport. There are 3 airport options near NYC (JFK, EWR, and LGA) and we found our preferred flight was to JFK.

After deboarding the plane at JFK, our next step was getting to our hotel. We opted to stay in midtown at the IHG Even Hotel in Midtown East. The hotel is just a few blocks from Grand Central Station. We took the Air Train to the Jamaica station and then the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) to to Grand Central. From there, we walked to our Hotel.

Since it was late and we were tired, we decided to grab some dinner and relax before our busy two days of site seeing. My daughter remembered in the movie A Quiet Place: Day One there was scene involving Patsy’s Pizzeria and since there was a location near out hotel we decided to try it. After dinner, we enjoyed a free drink at the hotel bar and then back to the room to rest.

Day 1: Soaking in Midtown Manhattan

Morning: Bagels & MOMA

For breakfast, we walked to Ess-a-Bagel (.4 miles from Even Hotel) because hey in NYC you need to try a bagel right?! And then from there over to MOMA (.6 miles). MOMA has a LOT of fantastic art, but the reason we chose to visit MOMA vs. The Met, was because we really wanted to see The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh. The cool thing about seeing this painting in person is that you can see the texture of the painting. Van Gogh applied the paint in thick layers resulting in a highly textured surface that you just don’t notice unless you see it in person. My daughter majored in Art in college so she was very excited to see so many famous paintings by artists that she had studied.

After soaking in the art at MOMA, our next stop was Central Park, which was just a short 10-minute walk away.

Afternoon: Central Park & Times Square

We hung out in the park and enjoyed the fantastic weather while watching the geese. The park is a place where you can feel miles away from the city’s chaos – then you look up and see the skyscrapers. Such a surreal contrast between nature and man-made! After our relaxing time in the park, we decided to head for the opposite vibe – Times Square!

There are so many fun places to see in Times Square. We made stops at the M&M’s store, Krispy Kreme for the “Big Apple” donut, the Disney Store, & Carlo’s Bake Shop. People watching is also crazy fun here. After Times Square we decided to go up to the top of the Empire State Building.

Evening: Empire State Building

It was getting to be the golden hour when we reached the Empire State building. The views were fantastic from every angle. And did you know there is a 3 Story Starbucks Reserve in the building? After our visit, we headed back to the hotel to rest up for another busy day in the Big Apple.

Day 2: History and Landmarks

Morning: The Statue of Liberty

The next morning, we headed back to Grand Central Station to grab a train heading toward the Staten Island Ferry. The Staten Island Ferry provides a FREE and easy way to see the Statue of Liberty from the water and is a great option if you just want a great view of Lady Liberty. You do have to get off the ferry at the Staten Island side, but you can get right back in line and head back to Manhattan immediately.

Afternoon: Wall Street & 9/11 Memorial

After our round trip ferry ride, we walked around the Wall Street area. There were so many people taking pictures with the Charging Bull statue on Wall Street. Apparently, touching the bull’s testicles is believed to bring good luck! We passed by Trinity Church which you may remember from the movie National Treasure and headed to the 9/11 memorial and museum. The museum is closed on Tuesdays and unfortunately that’s what day we were there so we didn’t go inside. The Ground Zero memorial outside is free to visit and consists of two reflection pools and a waterfall located right at the footprints of where the Twin Towers once stood. It’s a sobering place to remember, honor and pay respects to the victims of the 9/11 attacks and to the rescue personnel and their families.

The rest of our day was spent back in mid town visiting Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall, FAO Schwarz, Ellen’s Stardust Diner, Los Tacos No.1, and seeing a broadway show.

Where to Stay in NYC

We opted to stay in midtown at the IHG Even Hotel in Midtown East. A major reason why is that the hotel is just a few blocks from Grand Central Station. We were very pleased that our room was clean and quiet. From JFK, we took the Air Train to the Jamaica station and then the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) to to Grand Central. From there, we walked to our Hotel.

Quick Tips for Traveling NYC

Airport: Getting from JFK to Grand Central is very easy and affordable thanks to the Air Train & Long Island Rail Road

Walking: You will walk A LOT! Bring comfortable shoes!

FREEBIE: The Staten Island Ferry is an easy way to see the Statue of Liberty from the water for FREE!

9/11 Museum: They are often closed on Tuesdays, so make sure you check before you go

Getting around: Google Maps works really well for the New York City Subway system

Day 3 Home!

The two-day sprint was over. We flew home exhausted but with a phone full of photos and our heads full of memories. We walked for miles and saw a ridiculous amount in such a short time. For a First Time visitor to NYC, a two-day trip is less about seeing everything and more about the highlights. NYC is a city you can visit again and again and still feel like you’ve only scratched the surface. My only question is, what should I do next time?