Sightseeing in NYC: The Itinerary
Brooklyn Bridge
There is so much to see in a city as big and old as New York City fitting everything in, even over multiple trips, is impossible. That is why it is good to have a plan going into it. I am a planner and for me that is very important when travelling. But I also know (from experience) that the plan needs to have some flexibility to it. Some times places are closed unexpectedly or something took much longer than you thought. It can help to have a list of must sees, really want to see and would be nice to see. That way you know in advance what your priorities are.
Travel Tip - Group sights together to maximize time.
Statue of Liberty
New York City, with its 5 boroughs, takes a while to get around. It’s public transportation is good, but it can still take a while to get between places. To make the most of your time try to plan your day at places that are near each other. Sometimes, because of opening hours, this is not possible, or a place might not be near anything else you want to see. In that case you could start or end at the sight that isn’t close to other places. The key is to try and plan it so you have the least amount of travel time.
1 Week NYC Itinerary
Travel Tip - Look into City Cards
Whenever I travel to a bigger city, I look into what city/sightseeing cards or passes are available. These “cards” (most are also an app now) are usually sold in day increments and include a variety of popular attractions and discounts with purchase. Often you can save quite a bit buying the card vs. paying for things individually. The more days, the better the savings. 5-7 day cards are usually worth it. 2-3 days sometimes aren’t unless you cram a lot into your itinerary.
Some of the attractions have fast pass on them and you get to skip the ticket line because you already purchased the card. Pay attention to the possibility that you need to book a time beforehand. Almost all attractions allow you to book this online if it is required. These cards don’t start until you use them, so if you are in a place for longer than the length of your pass you can wait the extra time and do things that aren’t included.
Cities like NYC have multiple pass options. We went with the New York Pass. It included most of the attractions we wanted and some things we hadn’t thought about. Like renting bikes and riding them in Central Park. The New York Pass (or the one you choose) lets you add an attraction if you have unexpected extra time without having to check your budget.
