Ahmed and I have both visited New York, but not together. I have been more recently and was shown around by my good friend Dani who lived in New York for 4 years during dental school. Dani and I went to New York for 48 hours, walked 52 000 steps, and completed her self-titled “Fairly Aggressive Itinerary”. My travel guide includes what we did in our 48 hours in the same order we did them, most of which was in the borough of Manhattan. Despite covering much ground, my New York guide might be the only one that doesn’t include taking a few hours to go to the Statue of Liberty. If you’re staying longer, there’s are extra things to do at the end of each of the “Things to Do” sections below.
In this guide you’ll find (click to jump ahead):
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When’s the best time to visit New York?
I feel like I write this on every travel guide, but fall and spring are considered the best times to visit New York. I visited mid-March and there was still snow on the ground, and boots and a winter coat were necessary to stay warm while sightseeing during the day.
Summer is too hot and humid to enjoy, and locals usually try to escape the city heat on weekends.
Winter is quite cold and can be snowy but will be the least crowded. You can find great deals by going in January or February, and December has holiday activities and over-the-top Christmas lights.
Where to Stay
Dani and I were on a tight budget when we visited New York. This severely limited our accommodation choices since New York is, you know, expensive. We stayed in the Gramercy Park neighbourhood at a place called Menno House. There are a limited number of guest rooms, as well as long-term tenants. It’s sort of hostel-esque: budget friendly, your own room, access to a kitchen, and a shared bathroom. I would definitely recommend the neighbourhood.
Realistically, anywhere in Manhattan close to a subway station is going to be convenient. In order to see everything on our list, you’ll need to make use of the subway regardless of where you’re staying (unless you want to walk even more than we did!). Midtown will be close to the main iconic sites, Greenwich Village is a good option if you’ve visited New York before, and Chelsea is full of art, culture, and food options. Williamsburg in Brooklyn is a trendy non-Manhattan option.
Explore New York hotel availability below:
FREE & LOW-COST THINGS TO DO:
1. Central Park
Located between the Upper West Side and the Upper East Side of Manhattan, Central Park is a must-see while in New York. A suggestion is to stop at nearby Levain Bakery for one of New York’s most famous cookies to eat while walking around the park (they even have a gluten free cookie now!). There is so much to see at the park, you can make a “park plan” using their map before you go if there are specific parts of the park you want to see. Or, you can just wander around and take in the sights and nature! I recommend making sure to take in the skyline views, the Loeb Boathouse, the Bethesda Fountain, and the Bethesda Terrace. You can even do a pedicab tour or a walking tour of the park (not free).
2. Times Square
An iconic piece of New York is Times Square, one of the world’s most visited tourist attractions. While awe-inspiring during the day, you really should go after dark to get the full effect. Times Square is a major intersection, and is famous for its massive, brightly lit billboards. Also prominent in Times Square is the hub of the Broadway Theatre District.
3. Grand Central Terminal
One of the most-visited destinations in New York City is Grand Central Terminal (seriously, it’s on like every “Things to Do” list). You might be wondering, “What am I going to see at a subway station?”. Well, when you hear about “Grand Central Station”, this is the building that is being talked about and seen in movies. There is architecture, artistic ceilings, and dining – you can even do a “Secrets of Grand Central” tour! Alternatively, you can just subway here and pass through and then say you’ve been to the famous Grand Central!
4. Gramercy, Union Square, & Flatiron District Neighbourhoods
Gramercy, Union Square, and Flatiron District are neighbourhoods in Manhattan, which are all nearby to each other. Gramercy is a quiet neighbourhood, home to neat brownstones and well-manicured streets lined with trees. Union Square is centered by a park by the same name, frequented by a mix of people. Named after the iconic Flatiron Building, the Flatiron District is a commercial neighbourhood home to high rises, hip bars, and food trucks. You can also find the original Shake Shack here, in Madison Square Park!
5. Brooklyn
We took the subway from Manhattan to the borough of Brooklyn. We wandered around the hip neighbourhood of Williamsburg, taking in the graffiti, which was more like art. If graffiti and/or art is your thing, there are even workshops with local artists available! We came to Brooklyn specifically for Roberta’s Pizza (pre gluten-free days, sorry GF followers! After pizza, we ended up weaving in and out of boutiques and got coffee at a trendy café.
6. Walk across Brooklyn Bridge
Spanning the East River, the Brooklyn Bridge goes from Manhattan to… Brooklyn! We walked back to Manhattan from Brooklyn along the bridge, taking in the beautiful Manhattan skyline along the way. There are 3 bridges that connect Manhattan to Brooklyn, but the Brooklyn Bridge is what we recommend choosing. It is spectacular day or night (we did both). It just might be one of the most iconic sights in New York!
7. World Trade Center Station
Go inside the World Trade Center station, which is a terminal train station and sits within the World Trade Center complex. If you visit the 9-11 Museum and Memorial, you can see the station right before or after. There are a ton of stores inside the station, and the white lines create mesmerizing symmetry (yes, I’m a nerdy math person who loves symmetry). While you’re in the area, catch a look at the One World Trade Center building, which is the main building of the rebuilt World Trade Center complex.
8. Staten Island Ferry
Free to ride, the Staten Island Ferry runs between Manhattan and Staten Island. The ferry runs every 25 minutes, with its route spanning 8.5km. We didn’t want to spend an entire half day taking a tour to visit the Statue of Liberty, so instead we rode the Staten Island Ferry, which passes by Lady Liberty. We rode from Manhattan to Staten Island, got off the ferry, waited, and then rode right back!
There are attractions on Staten Island you can explore, such as the zoo or museums.
9. The High Line
The High Line is an elevated public park on the west side of Manhattan between Gansevoort St. to 34th St., (you don’t have to enter at the endpoints, there are places to enter along the way). It is open daily from 7:00am to 10:00pm from April to November, and 7:00am to 8:00pm from December to March and is FREE to enter. The High Line is 2.4km long and is a repurposed old railway line. The purpose when it was redesigned was to expose the public to nature, art, and design. We got on the High Line midway and walked towards Gansevoort St. where we exited and moved on to our next stop, (Chelsea Market).
10. Chelsea Market
Chelsea Market is in, you guessed it, the Chelsea neighbourhood of Manhattan. We went for food (tacos to be precise), but you’ll find shopping here as well. Also housed in this building are business offices. It’s at the end of the High Line, so if you’ve completed that, this is a convenient next stop. It is open from 8:00am to 9:00pm.
Note: the food or purchases at the market are not free or low-cost, but visiting the market itself is free.
11. SoHo
SoHo is a trendy neighbourhood in Manhattan that we strolled through, and I felt very out of place. Everyone is so well dressed, and the buildings are immaculately kept. You’ll find high end stores and boutiques, as well as art galleries and upscale grocery stores. For example, when I visited there was a Dean and Deluca grocery store, which I only know about due to The Devil Wears Prada and the expensive strawberries (but it’s no longer there).
14. Washington Square Park
Recognizable by its iconic arch, Washington Square Park is happening. It is in Greenwich Village in Manhattan. You’ll find people out with their kids and dogs, people grabbing a coffee on a break from work, and people in the middle of chess games.
Other Free or Low-Cost Things to Do:
Since we had such a short visit, we didn’t get to everything (I mean, NYC is HUGE). These are either iconic New York spots or are on many “Things to do in New York” lists:
- Rockefeller Center (shopping center & square)
- New York Public Library (free)
- Visit Coney Island (take the Q train!)
- Ride the Roosevelt Island Tram ($3 USD)
- Tour the United Nations
- See if any of the museums are having free days while you’re in the city
- Check out some of New York’s most Instagrammable places!
TICKETED THINGS TO DO:
If you plan to visit several paid New York attractions, like the Empire State Building, MoMA, or the Statue of Liberty, tickets can add up quickly. A Go City New York Pass can save you a meaningful amount of money compared with buying each ticket separately; use our code CAPTURENCRAVE5 for an extra discount on any Go City pass. If you prefer to book attractions individually, compare prices on GetYourGuide and official sites to see what fits your plans best.
1. Broadway Theatre Shows
People come from all around the world just to see a theatre show on Broadway. Running diagonally, Broadway crosses through Times Square, so the two are often talked about together. There are so many shows you can see; you are bound to find one that interests you. We saw Aladdin the Musical, which was fantastic. I have friends who’ve seen The Great Gatsby, Lion King, and Moulin Rouge and loved them.
There are SO many shows to choose from; make sure you book tickets in advance to ensure you get to see the one you want.
2. 9-11 Memorial & Museum
The 9-11 Memorial and Museum commemorates the attacks of September 11, 2001, as well as the 1993 bombing. The museum is quite heavy, with voice messages of people who were on the 9/11 planes, stories of the lives affected, the aftermath of the attacks, and much more. We spent about 3 hours here and didn’t have quite enough time. The memorial outside is breathtaking and is a tribute to the lives lost. Be prepared for a solemn experience, but both the memorial and museum are well worth a visit.
While you can take your chances of lining up at the ticket office, if you’re on a schedule, it’s advised to book timed tickets ahead of time. There are also tours of the museum and grounds. The 9/11 museum can also be included in your city pass.
Other Paid Things to Do:
These are things we didn’t get to see due to our short time and very limited budget while in New York (this is where the Go City New York Pass would have been so handy). These are either iconic New York spots or are on many “Things to do in New York” lists.
Go up Tall Stuff
- Empire State Building
- Go to the top of Rockefeller Center
- Visit the One World Observatory
- Experience SUMMIT One, an immersive art experience
Museums & Galleries
Other:
- Do a “Best of NYC” cruise
- Go to an NBA game (basketball)
- Actually go to the Statue of Liberty
- Ellis Island (usually combined with Statue of Liberty)
- Try the FRIENDS Experience
MAP of Things to Do in New York City
HOW TO USE THE MAP: Click on the Wanderlog logo in the bottom right corner to open the full-size map up in a new tab. There, you can choose to just look at one category at a time or see all of the categories on the map at once (click the 3 squares in the top right to choose). You can also export the map to Google Maps, share the map with others, or save the map.
Helpful Planning Tips
I rely on these tools when planning my trips:
- Get Your Guide – reserve tickets for the Empire State Building, Broadway shows, the 9/11 Museum, and more
- Go City Pass – if visiting multiple paid attractions in NYC, save big with a pass
- Airalo eSIM – get US mobile data instantly on arrival, without roaming charges
- Stay22 – compare hotels near Manhattan, Brooklyn, or other neighbourhoods at a glance
- Wanderlog – keep track of your itinerary, plan your stops, and map out your restaurants
What a thoughtful and practical resource! I love how you’ve covered all four formats — the Google Sheets version especially makes sharing with the whole group so much easier. Good itinerary planning really does make or break a trip. I recently planned a group outing for 14 people and started by booking a tempo traveller in Delhi so our transport was sorted first, then built the entire day-wise itinerary around it. Your tip about saving an offline PDF is something I’ll be using on every trip going forward. Thank you for sharing this so generously!
What a fantastic 48-hour guide! The idea of walking 52,000 steps across Manhattan is both exhausting and inspiring — that’s the kind of trip you never forget. The High Line and Brooklyn Bridge walk are definitely on my list. It reminded me of how we planned a packed one-day sightseeing trip back home — we booked a tempo traveller in Delhi for our whole group to cover Qutub Minar, Red Fort, and India Gate in a single day. The secret to seeing a big city is great company and sorted transport! Thanks for such an honest and detailed guide.
Thank you so much for your comment! Definitely won’t forget how sore my feet were at the end of those 48 hours, that’s for sure!
So helpful
52,000 steps in 48 hours earns the ‘Fairly Aggressive Itinerary’ name, and honestly skipping the Statue of Liberty is a defensible trade for that much ground covered.
Yes it seemed like it would eat too much time and then be the only thing you’d see in a half day! Next time 🙂