What to do in NYC?
My first time going to New York City was extremely overwhelming, so I have decided to put together a sample 3-day weekend itinerary of my top NYC recommendations including tourist sights, restaurants, and places to visit that capture the most breathtaking views of New York City.
Check out my video of my recent trip to NYC, if you have not seen it.
But first, in regards to transportation, here are some suggestions. If you do not like using the subway, then transportation can get pretty expensive in the city. When my friend and I were getting around NYC, we took full advantage of the Hop on Hop off Tour Bus. For $59 you can purchase an “All Around Town 72 Hour Tour”. In other words, by purchasing this ticket you can get to almost any part of NYC for 3 days for only $59, while at the same time, you get to experience an eye-opening tour of the city’s most iconic landmarks and culturally diverse neighborhoods. These buses run every 15 minutes. Depending on the specific district/neighborhood you want to get to, hours may vary, but these buses generally run from 8:00/9:00am – 8:00 pm. At the times the buses were not running, we simply used the yellow cabs that are accessible at all hours of the day.
Day 1: Times Square, Empire State Building, MoMA, 9/11 Tribute Museum
It’s your first day in NYC!! I would suggest waking up bright & early and grabbing some coffee and breakfast from Pret a Manger, a bakery/restaurant first founded in Europe. NYC has these bakeries scattered all over the city. They offer quick bites that you can take to go or large plates if prefer to have a sit down breakfast. After breakfast, walk over to Times Square, which is busy at all hours of the day. I personally would not spend too much there, but it’s certainly a must-see if you have never seen it before. Then, hop on the Hop on Hop off Tour Bus to start exploring the city. Make sure you take the Downtown Tour. First stop will be the Empire State Building. I would definitely recommend buying tickets in advance to avoid the line. Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. 7 days a week.
After you go up to the top of the Empire State building, I would take the time to walk down the famous 5th Avenue. Whether or not you are coming to NYC to go shopping, you should check out America’s fashion capital. At the end of 5th Avenue, you will reach the Museum of Modern Art 
features both classic pieces, which include Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night, and new exhibitions that are updated every few months. Buy tickets in advance. It will take you a few hours to go through the vast exhibitions, so make sure you have your walking shoes on. Aside for art exhibits, there are a few cafes in this museum just in case you get hungry. My favorite part of the museum was sitting by the fountains in the gardens in the courtyard afterwards, so make sure you spend time relaxing in these peaceful gardens before you leave MoMA.
Hours: 10:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Open seven days a week, open until 8:00 p.m. on Fridays.
Ticket price: $25 for adults, $14 with Student ID, & children under 16 are free.
After this, hop back on Downtown Tour Bus and sit & relax while the tour guide tells you about the various districts including Flatiron District, Greenwich Village, Soho, and Chinatown/Little Italy.
Depending on how much time you have, feel free to hop on and off as you would like, or just ride the bus until you reach the City Hall/World Trade Center/Brooklyn Bridge/911 Tribute Center stop.
I would recommend walking by the new World Trade Center, but more importantly visiting the 9/11 Tribute Museum. This was by far one of my favorite parts of the trip. The time and thought that went into paying tribute to each life that was lost on this day is remarkable. You can easily spend 3 hours in this memorial museum.
Hours: 10am-6pm Mon-Sat, 10am-5pm Sun.
Ticket price: $15 for adults, $10 with Student ID, & children between 8-12 are $5.
Dinner: TAO Uptown, an Asian fusion restaurant, has the coolest environment and very good music. I would definitely recommend making reservations in advance for a Friday or Saturday night.
Day 2: Statue of Liberty, Rockefeller Center, Broadway
Grab some breakfast and hop on the Downtown Tour Bus. Stay on until you get to Battery Park/Ellis Island/Statue of Liberty Ferry stop. Once you arrive, walk down to Battery Park, where you can see the Statue of Liberty perfectly. There are so many options when it comes to viewing this famous landmark. You can either just look at it from Battery Park. If you want a closer look you can always take a ferry. There is a ferry boat that passes right past the Statue of Liberty for free. However, if you would like to go to Liberty Island and see the Statue of Liberty directly, you can purchase tickets in advance as well. Hours: First boat departs from mainland at 8:30 a.m., last boat departs from mainland at 3:30 p.m., last ferry departs from Liberty Island at 5:00 p.m.
Hop back on the Downtown Tour Bus and enjoy the tour until you get to the Rockefeller Center/Radio City/Top of the Rock stop. The nicest time to visit the Rockefeller Center is when all the lights are up during the holidays, but it is still worth walking through the plaza even if the holiday season has passed. In the winter, The Rink at Rockefeller Center is a very popular attraction. The Top of the Rock Observation has arguably the best views of NYC. Hours: 8 a.m. – Midnight (ticket office closes at 11 p.m.). Ticket price: $34 for adults & children between 6-12 are $28.
Your trip to NYC is not considered complete until you have gone to a Broadway show. I would definitely suggest going to a show before dinner. These shows are meant for people of all ages, kids included. Some classic broadway shows include Aladdin and The Lion King. 
Dinner: Nusr-Et, a steakhouse which originated in Turkey in 2010, is home to “the most delicious & the highest quality” meat. You may know Nusr-Et as “Salt Bae”. There are currently only two locations in the U.S., one in NYC and the other in Miami. I have been to the one in Miami and I would highly recommend making this restaurant a top priority. Check out the end of my Miami video for a sneak peak of the incredible presentation that accompanies every dish that is ordered. Make reservations in advance.
Day 3: Central Park, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Madison Square Park, Flatiron District
Grab some breakfast, pack a picnic basket, and head toward the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Met is home to 5,000 years of world history including a wide collection of Medieval Art, Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas, Greek & Roman Art, and Egyptian Art, just to name a few. It will take you at least 2-3 hours (if not more) to go through this entire museum.
Hours: Sunday–Thursday (10 a.m.–5:30 p.m.), Friday and Saturday (10 a.m.–9 p.m.)
If you buy tickets at a Museum ticket counter, the amount you pay is up to you. Suggested admission is $25 for adults, $12 for students, free for kids under 12.
Once you finish touring the Met, walk down the Met stairs and across the street to the world famous Central Park. The list of things to do and see is endless in central park. I would recommend wandering from place to place until you run into something beautiful. I randomly stumbled upon Strawberry Fields, a living memorial to John Lennon (if I have any Beatles fans on here). There are endless things to do and see including Central Park Zoo, Shakespeare Garden, The Pond, or The Mall and Literary Walk. I would recommend looking at Things to Do and See before you go to Central Park, so you have a general idea of what you want to see. I suggest bringing along a picnic with you and explore this park for the rest of the day. Make sure you wear your walking shoes!
Dinner: For dinner, I suggest heading to Madison Square Park and looking at the amazing architecture of the Flatiron building, a residential building. If you are in the mood for burgers, fries, and shakes, you are in the right place because Madison Square Park houses the original Shake Shack. However, if you are interested in one of the finest Middle Eastern cuisine in the city, I would suggest going to Ilili.
Other Personal Favorites:
230 Fifth: On 5th Avenue. Rooftop garden bar that has the most incredible views of the city!!
Pulqueria: This is a Mexican restaurant in the basement of China Town that has the best tacos I have ever had in my entire life. Also, the environment is very authentic and cozy.