I love New York. It’s my favourite city (after London, of course!) because there’s just so much to do, see and eat! Last year, Mr S and I visited twice and I was really able to get to grips with the city more.
We had such a wonderful time, doing all the touristy things, eating some great food and just living the life in the city that never sleeps! That being said, I thought I’d put together a list of my favourites for anyone visiting the city for the first time.
1. The Top of The Rock
The Top of the Rock is the Observation Deck at the Top of the Rockefeller centre…now why go here to view the cityscape rather than the Empire State Building? Well, to see the Empire State Building of course!
From the 70th floor of the Rockefeller Centre you can see a 360 degree panorama of the sparkling city below.
For me, part of the magic of the city is that incredible skyline, and the Top of the Rock is the perfect place to see it from.
2. Statue of Liberty Cruise
The iconic Statue of Liberty on Ellis Island was a real must-see for us and one of the best views of the statue is from the deck of a New York Water Taxi…
Isn’t she a magnificent sight to see?
3. Walk the High Line
I’ve been to New York a few times, but as the last time was around 6 years ago, it was long before the High Line was finished in September 2014.
The High Line is a very pretty elevated public park built on a historical freight rail line. The 1.45 mile long space runs from The Meatpacking District to the northern edge of Chelsea and it’s a great place to take a leisurely walk, grab an ice cream and check out some public art.
4. Drinks on the Roof of The Standard
The Rooftop of the The Standard Hotel in the Meatpacking District is the perfect location to enjoy a glass of champagne while admiring the view of New York City.
Mr S and I totally loved this hotel, not only for the incredible panorama of the city, but for the fabulous buzzy atmosphere, enhanced by a DJ playing lively music.
I’d arrive early to snag a table as this is a place that gets incredibly busy when the sun’s out.
5. Brunch at Balthazar
Balthazar is a New York classic, and I was very excited to try it for the first time when Mr S and I were in the city last December.
With a very buzzy atmosphere and a menu of French bistro classics, it’s the ideal place to settle in for a long boozy brunch. They even have a whole wall devoted to their wine collection!
6. Chelsea Market
Chelsea Market is basically foodie heaven! It’s an indoor food court packed with fantastic producers selling artisan bread, oils, cheese and chocolate. There’s also plenty of places to pick up a take away lunch and eat it out on the High Line.
How about one of these for a luxury lunch?
7. A Very Special Dinner at La Bernadin
I’d highly recommend
La Bernadin for a special occasion, especially for a honeymoon or anniversary.
Not only does it have three Michelin stars and a menu of incredible seafood, but the decor is beautifully elegant and there is no pretentiousness or stuffy atmosphere.
I’d go back just to have this dessert again!
8. Tao Downtown for a Club Night
Tao Downtown was by far our favourite restaurant in New York, it’s actually the only place that we went to both times that we visited last year.
The restaurant has a really fun, clubby atmosphere themed around a giant statue of a Buddhist Goddess. Food is Pan-Asian and includes lots of my favourites such as sushi, dim sum, and marinated meat and fish options, everything we tried was fantastic.
After dinner, you can head down to the separate nightclub for fantastic cocktails all night.
9. Spend the Day in Central Park
I’d definitely recommend spending a sunny day walking through NYC’s most famous park…
Take some time away from the city to take in the greenery, fountains and sculptures…
And some of the talented street performers.
I’d also suggest having lunch at the
Loeb Boathouse, though we had to wait an hour for our table, we had the most beautiful view of the lake and the sailboats floating tranquilly through it.
It may seem super cheesy but we absolutely loved rounding off the whole experience with a romantic horse drawn carriage ride through the park.
10 Visit Ground Zero
At the former site of the World Trade Centre’s Twin Towers lies a memorial commemorating victims of the 2001 9/11 attacks. The memorial features two large waterfalls and pools set with the former foundations of the towers.
3,000 people died in the attacks on the World Trade centre and every single one of their names is engraved in bronze around the two pools.
The memorial area is surrounded by trees so that it is slightly cut off from the urban hum to become a quiet place for contemplation. It is a very moving and beautiful site, and one that I would highly recommend seeing.
There are just so many more wonderful things to do in New York, this is just a handful of my top picks. What are your favourite things to do in the city that never sleeps?
