New York! The city that never sleeps. We have visited New York City many times, and still feel we’ve barely scratched the surface of what this incredible city has to offer.
Still, there are many sights in New York City that are a must-visit, especially if this is a first time visit, or if you want to spend a couple of days seeing the highlights of the city.
With that in mind, we’ve put together this itinerary for 2 days in New York. It focuses primarily on what we feel are some of the top attractions in the city, favourites that we’ve visited multiple times across many visits.
Obviously, with only 2 days in New York, there is only so much you can see and do. We’ve laid this itinerary out to be as logical as possible, so you spend more time sightseeing and visiting attractions and less time travelling from place to place.
We’ve also focused our itinerary primarily on the island of Manhattan, with a brief sojourn to Brooklyn. New York City is made up of five boroughs, and whilst we have many favourite places across the other boroughs, we think that trying to include too much if you have a limited window of time will be detrimental to your trip.
Following the step by step itinerary, we’ve also included a map of the adventure, as well as a range of practical information to help you make the most of your trip. From tips on accommodation, to transport, to saving money, this guide should give you everything you need to plan the perfect 2 day New York getaway.
If you are visiting for longer, check out our itinerary for 3 days in New York City.
Table of Contents:
Itinerary for 2 Days in New York City
This itinerary focuses on the highlights of the city, and is ordered by the way we would suggest you do the route.
Of course, as with all our itineraries, this is just a suggested starting point to help you plan your trip. Feel free to adjust this itinerary to suit your particular interests – New York City truly has something for everyone. In addition, many attractions are open quite late, so you can definitely fit a lot in if you are up for it.
It’s also always worth checking each attraction you plan to visit for opening hours and dates. Although most of the attractions on this list are open 7 days a week, some are closed, have seasonal hours, and may be closed for holidays and special events. So we always recommend checking dates and hours for any attractions you really want to visit before your trip to avoid disappointment.
New York: Day 1
Your first day in New York has you focusing on the southern end of Manhattan island, starting with the city’s most famous statue.
Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
We think it’s fitting that the first place you visit on your tour of New York City is the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. When the immigrants were flooding to the USA during the 19th and 20th centuries, they knew they were in touching distance of their dream of a new life when the Statue of Liberty loomed into view.
This is perhaps the most iconic statue in the world, and one which is an unmistakable symbol of New York City, and the USA in general.
Next to the Statue of Liberty, which is found on Liberty Island, is Ellis Island. This was the home of the United States’ busiest immigration inspection centre from 1892 to 1954, with over 12 million immigrants passing through the doors here as they arrived into the USA.
We think combining a visit to these two locations is the perfect way to start your time sightseeing in New York.
To visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, you need to take a ferry. Note that only ferries operated by Statue Cruises, which is authorised by the National Parks Service, are permitted to actually land on the islands. There are lots of other cruises which go round the islands, but if you want to land, you need to take an official ferry with landing rights.
These ferries run year-round with the exception of Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Depending on the time of year the first ferry will be at either 8.30am or 9.30am. We’d recommend getting the first ferry so you have plenty of time to see everything and still fit other places into the rest of the day.
You can either book your ferry directly with Statue Cruises here, or you can take advantage of the New York Pass. This attraction pass includes a great many benefits, including round trip tickets to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty with Statue Cruises.
However, it doesn’t include access to the pedestal or crown of the Statue of Liberty, so if visiting these is important to you, you will need to book pedestal tickets or crown tickets directly from Statue Cruises. You can also buy tickets at Battery Park, with the official ticket booth for Statue Cruises found inside Castle Clinton. However we recommend booking in advance to skip the ticket lines.
Another option we’ve done is to take a walking tour which includes the cruise to the Statue of Liberty. We’ve done and can recommend this 3.5-hour Early Access Statue of Liberty Tour with Ellis Island with Take Walks. A tour is a great way to really learn about the history of what you are seeing, and Take Walks in our experience offer some of the best guides out there. This tour also takes the first ferry, allowing you to beat the crowds.
Overall, expect to spend around 3-3.5 hours visiting the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Ferries depart from Battery Park, which is found on the south western corner of Manhattan.
Wall Street
From Battery Park, it’s just a few minutes walk to the next stop on our itinerary, Wall Street. This is the most famous financial district in the world, home to the New York Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ.
This is a place where fortunes are made and lost, and it’s here that some of the most spectacular financial dramas of our time have played out. The name of the street itself has inspired movies, and a visit here is a popular stop for visitors to New York.
Don’t miss a photo with the famous Bull statue, which symbolises a bull market, a time when stocks are on the up.
9/11 Memorial & Museum
The events of September 11th 2001 left an indelible mark on the city of New York and its people. Two passenger planes hijacked by terrorists slammed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center, with two further planes crashing into the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania.
This was the deadliest terrorist attack in history, and it resulted in the deaths of 2,977 people. In the years following the attacks, many more deaths have been directly attributed to the attacks, largely of cancer and other respiratory diseases as a result of the toxic debris released into the air.
Three of the buildings of the World Trade Center collapsed as a result of the attacks, including the iconic “Twin Towers”.
In the years following the attacks, a competition was announced to create a memorial to the victims. The end result was the 9/11 Memorial and Museum.
This is in two parts, an outdoor memorial and an indoor museum. The memorial, which is titled “Reflecting Absence”, consists of two huge pools into which the largest man-made waterfalls in the USA continuously pour. These sit in the footprint of the original towers, and the names of all the victims are printed around the perimeters of each pool.
The Memorial is free to visit, and sits in the shadow of the new One World Trade Center, a spectacular glass fronted skyscraper which is the tallest building in the USA.
Below ground, you will also find the 9/11 Museum. This is a paid attraction, which tells the story of 9/11, from the events leading up to the attack, to the attack itself, and the days afterward. This is a moving place to visit, with so many stories of loss and tragedy, although mixed with tales of bravery and heroism.
The museum is open daily from 9am until either 8pm or 9pm depending on the time of year. There’s a lot to see here, so expect to spend a couple of hours on site. You can buy tickets on site, but we’d recommend booking them online in advance to skip the queues. You can do that here. The 9/11 Memorial Museum is also included on the New York Pass.
If you would prefer to take a walking tour of some of the key 9/11 sights, then we can recommend this excellent 9/11 tour, led by a local, which includes 9/11 Memorial Museum tickets. We did this tour and can highly recommend it for those wanting to learn more about the 9/11 attacks and subsequent events from a guide who lived through the experience.
World Trade Center Station
Ok, I appreciate including a train station might seem a bit odd. In fact, I’ve included two on this itinerary!
The World Trade Center Station is a pretty epic building, and I think you’ll agree, well worth a visit. The centerpiece is “the Oculus”, a magnificent white ribbed construction that gave me the impression of being inside a giant futuristic whale.
It’s a great spot for some photos, and I think worth a few minutes of your time at least. It’s also only a short walk from the 9/11 Memorial Museum, on the way to the next stop on this itinerary.
Brooklyn Bridge
From the World Trade Center Station it’s a short walk to Brooklyn Bridge, one of the most famous bridges in New York, which links Manhattan with Brooklyn.
Opened in 1883, when the bridge opened it was the longest suspension bridge in the world. It was also the first bridge to link Manhattan with Brooklyn.
Today the bridge is used for pedestrian, cyclist and vehicle traffic. It’s appeared in many films and TV shows, and along with the Statue of Liberty and Empire State Building, is an iconic New York sight.
Since opening, the bridge has been a popular tourist attraction, and I’d say that a walk across Brooklyn Bridge is a must for any visitor to the city. Plus it’s free, so what’s not to love. You can walk across the whole bridge to Brooklyn if you want, or you can just take on a part of it, depending on how you feel.
Boat Tour
By this point you might feel you have done enough walking for the day. So a nice boat ride that takes in the Manhattan Skyline might be in order.
You have a few options, depending on your budget. If you invest in a New York Pass, there are a few options you can choose from, with various departure points around the city.
Of course, if you’d prefer not to take a cruise you have some other options. First, you could stay in Brooklyn. There’s plenty to see and do here, with the New York Transit Museum a personal favourite of ours. The views from Brooklyn Bridge Park are also excellent, and you can also watch the sunset across the Manhattan Skyline.
For those with the stamina to keep exploring, our next stops on this itinerary are in Midtown. You can get here using public transport or Hop on Hop bus (included on the New York Pass).
You can also get up to midtown by using the New York Ferry Service. From DUMBO, you can take the ferry up to East 34th Street, which will bring you close to Midtown and the next stop on our tour.
Times Square
Another New York icon, Times Square has been wowing visitors with its technicolor billboards since it was given the name Time Square in 1904.
Times Square is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world, with over 50 million visitors coming here every year. It’s the intersection of Broadway and Seventh Avenue, and actually spans a number of blocks. It’s also not actually a square, despite the name!
Since 1907, Times Square has been where New York has celebrated New Year, with the famous ball drop taken place here at midnight every New Year’s Eve. This is a spectacle watched in person by over a million people, with countless millions more tuning in from all around the world.
The real highlight for me of a visit to Times Square is just to gaze in wonder at all the spectacular lights, the throngs of people, and to soak in the feeling of being at what truly feels like the centre of the world.
It’s also the heart of Broadway, which hundreds of shows to choose from. I’ve put a Broadway show on the list for the second day, but of course you can also see a show on your first day if you prefer. This is also a good place to find tickets for TV shows that are being filmed – on one visit to New York, we got audience tickets to see David Letterman just by wandering around Times Square!
Top of the Rock
Our last stop for the day is to the top of the Rockefeller Center. Before you head up, you should definitely explore around the base, as there are some notable sights, including the famous statue of Hercules.
We think the view from the Top of the Rock, 850 feet above the city, is one of the best in New York. From the cruise ship inspired viewing area you are rewarded with spectacular views of Central Park to the north, as well as midtown and downtown Manhattan to the south.
Of course, there are a few other options vying for your attention when it comes to getting a great view of the city. The obvious other choice is the Empire State Building, which we have scheduled for your second day in the city.
We think it’s worth going up both – the views are excellent from both, but you can only see the Empire State Building from the Top of the Rock.
Of course, it’s up to you. As we usually use a New York Pass when we visit New York, we can visit both as they are both included. But it’s up to you of course, depending on your budget and interests. There’s plenty to do in the area around the Rockefeller Center, so we don’t think you’ll run out of options!
You can buy tickets in advance of your visit online here, or from the official website here.
Do be aware that the Rockefeller Center operates a timed ticketing system. Holders of passes and advance purchase tickets from third party sites need to book a time in person at the box office on site. We advise doing this early into your trip and waiting times can be long.
However, once you have booked your time you don’t need to wait in line – just return at the correct time for access. If you purchase your ticket directly from the Top of the Rock website then you can specify a time in advance when you purchase.
New York: Day 2
For your second day in New York you’re going to visit some of the best museums in the city, as well as a few more iconic locations. Let’s get started!
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
If you love art, then a visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art should be high on your shortlist during your visit to New York.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, usually referred to simply as “The Met”, is one of the most visited art museums in the world, and the largest in the USA.
The art collection has something for everyone, spanning 5,000 years of human history, from the Ancient Egyptians right through to the present day. It includes artifacts, paintings, sculptures and objects from around the world.
There are actually two locations occupied by the Met, with your ticket good for access to both of them for three full days. The main location is on Fifth Avenue, with Met Cloisters found in Fort Tyron park, about seven miles. All are open throughout the week.
If you’re not from New York State, there’s an entry fee for the Metropolitan Museum of Art. You can buy your ticket online in advance here, and skip the ticket lines.
If you’d prefer to take a guided tour of the museum to gain more insights into what you are seeing, we recommend this guided walking tour of the Met.
Guggenheim Museum
A short walk from the Met on Fifth Avenue (which will give you plenty of opportunity to window shop in some of the high-end stores in the area!), is the second art museum of the day, the Guggenheim.
Formally known as the Solomon. R. Guggenheim Museum, this spectacular building is worth a visit to appreciate the architecture alone. It was designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright, and along with seven other properties designed by Wright it actually forms a World Heritage Site.
Of course, the art collection is also impressive. The collection focuses on Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, Modern and contemporary art, with artists including Cezanne, Kandinsky and Modigliani on display. There are also regular temporary exhibitions showcasing other artworks.
The Guggenheim is open daily, and there’s an admission fee. It’s free to holders of the New York Pass, or you can buy your ticket with skip the line access online here.
Central Park
One of the most impressive things about Manhattan, to me at least, is that a massive part of this island is given over to a huge expanse of park.
Spanning 843 acres – in some of the most expensive real estate in the world – this massive green area will likely be instantly recognisable to you. This is because it’s one of the most filmed parts of the world, with hundreds of TV shows and films using the park as a backdrop.
There’s lots to see and do in the park. First, you can obviously just take a walk. Be aware that the park is pretty big, so it might take you a while to get around. Highlights include the Ornamental Bridge, Bethesda Terrace and Fountain and Strawberry Fields. Central Park also has its own zoo, a 3,000 year old Egyptian obelisk, and a carousel ride.
Another popular activity is to take a horse drawn carriage ride around a part of the park. These are a popular with families and a romantic option for couples.
Central Park itself is free to visit, but visiting attractions within or taking part in any rides of course has a fee. You can also rent bikes, with holders of the New York Pass qualifying for free Central Park bike rentals.
You can also book a carriage ride in advance here, and bike rentals in advance here.
Museum of the City of New York
If you prefer your museums to tell the story of a place and its people rather than art, then you will want to visit the Museum of the City of New York. We really love this museum, and you can learn a lot about the city. We can also recommend the Queens Museum if your travels happen to take you over there.
Dating from 1923, the museum focuses on telling the stories of New Yorkers, through a series of objects and images. In fact, the museum has over 1.5 million objects in its collection! There are plenty of interactive exhibits too, as well as videos.
All in all, this is a wonderful museum to come to if you want to get an insight into life in New York over the years. It’s open every day and there’s an entry fee. You can buy your tickets online in advance here.
It’s also included for holders of the New York Pass.
Grand Central Terminal
The thing about New York is that it has so many iconic locations that you will recognise from film and TV, and many of these are well worth a visit. After all, if they are scenic enough for a movie, there must be something to them.
That’s why I have another train station on the itinerary. But not just any train station – Grand Central Terminal.
Arguably one of the most famous train stations in the world, Grand Central Terminal is primarily a commuter rail station, bringing commuters into Manhattan from the northern parts of wider New York City.
Grand Central Terminal was opened in 1913, and is today one of the top ten most visited attractions in the USA. It’s also the third busiest train station in North America, and is a designated National Historic Landmark.
The highlight for many is of course the main concourse area – a huge meeting area which, like many sights in New York, has featured in numerous movies and TV shows, from the Avengers to North by Northwest.
Grand Central Terminal is free to visit, and there are a range of shops and eateries on site, including a food court.
New York Public Library
I’m a big fan of Winnie the Pooh, a series of children’s books by British author A.A. Milne. So when I learnt that the main branch of the New York Public Library is where the original toys that inspired the books are to be found, naturally we had to visit.
If you’re interested in seeing this wonderful slice of literary history for yourself, you’ll find them in the children’s section of the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, which is the main branch of the library.
There’s more to see at the library than Winnie the Pooh. Visitors are welcome in many of the rooms, including the wonderful General Research Division reading room.
If you do visit, just remember that this is of course a working library, with people doing actual research and work. So be mindful and respectful, as you would in any library, and obey any notices regarding photography.
The library is open daily, and is free to visit.
Empire State Building
The Empire State Building barely needs an introduction. Arguably the most famous skyscraper in the world, this 102 storey art deco building dates from 1931.
When completed, it was the world’s tallest building, a title it held for 40 years. Today it’s the second tallest building in New York, after the One World Trade Center. Many other skyscrapers have been built around the world since the Empire State Building opened, but I would say that none has quite managed to be as iconic as the Empire State Building.
In 1933, the Empire State Building started a distinguished career in film and TV, when played host to an angry King Kong. Since then, it has starred in over 250 movies and TV shows!
You can of course visit the Empire State Building, and take a ride up to the observation decks on the 80th, 86th and 102nd floors. The 86th floor is home to the main outdoor observation deck, which is most famous and visited floor, which offers spectacular views across the city. You’ll also find the famous binocular lookouts here, which are always a popular photography element for visitors (although you’ll also find these at the Top of the Rock).
The Empire State Building is open daily from 8am to 2am, so you can visit during the day or at night, depending on if you want to see the city by day or by night. There’s a fee to visit, and it’s included for holders of the New York Pass. You can also buy tickets (with optional skip the line) in advance here. We’ve found they are slightly cheaper than the official site.
For more information, see our guide to visiting the Empire State Building.
Broadway Show
We think it would be a shame to visit one of the world’s most famous theater districts and not take in a show. The Broadway area is home to some of the most well-known plays and stage actors and actresses in the world, with performances to suit all tastes.
On a recent visit to New York, we took in a performance of Phantom of the Opera. We figured that as this is the longest running Broadway show, it must have something going for it, and we were certainly not disappointed.
There are of course plenty of shows to choose from, across a wide range of price points. We’d advise booking tickets in advance if there’s a particular show you really want to see, as the more popular shows can sell out fast. If you want to save money, consider less popular shows, off-Broadway shows, or matinee performances.
And that’s it for our 2 day New York itinerary! Now let’s summarise what you’ve seen, see a map of the itinerary, and then consider some practicalities for your visit.
2 Day New York Summary
- Day 1: Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island, Wall Street, 9/11 Memorial & Museum, World Trade Center Station, Brooklyn Bridge, Boat Tour, Times Square, Top of the Rock
- Day 2: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Guggenheim Museum, Central Park, Museum of the City of New York, Grand Central Station, New York Public Library, Empire State Building, Broadway Show
Map for 2 Day New York Itinerary
To help you visualise our 2 day New York itinerary we’ve put together this map. You can also see this on Google Maps here.
How To Get Around New York City
New York City is a big place. Even focusing solely on Manhattan, you are looking at an island which is 13.4 miles long and 2.3 miles wide.
So whilst obviously you can get around on foot, you are likely going to want some other options as well. Thankfully, NYC has a plethora of transit options to help you get around which include the metro, buses, taxis, and ferries.
First though, if you follow our itinerary, you should be able to do the majority of it on foot. We set it up that way so you can spend more time sightseeing and less time travelling. Obviously, depending on where you choose to stay, you’ll need to get to the start point each day. Also, if you’re travelling from downtown to midtown, you’re not likely going to want to walk.
Here are some of the options we suggest for you for this itinerary. We also have a detailed guide to getting around New York, which you might find helpful.
Subway / MTA
One of the most economical ways to get around New York City is via the extensive subway system. With over 450 subway stations, this is one of the largest subway systems in the world. It’s also one of the oldest, so be aware that delays are a possibility!
We find the subway is the fastest and easiest way to get around New York when we visit. It’s particularly good for getting you from downtown to midtown, and the prices are very reasonable. You can buy individual fares at stations, or you can purchase a Metrocard which works on a number of transit options in the city.
A contactless payment system called OMNY is also rolling out across New York, although is not due for completion until 2023.
Taxi
New York’s iconic yellow taxis are ubiquitous and fairly well priced. They’ll get you pretty much everywhere you need to go, although be aware that traffic across New York can be fairly dire, so it can take a while.
There are of course alternatives to the yellow taxi, including ride-sharing services such as Uber and Lyft. These need to be booked in advance using their apps, and do generally work out cheaper than a yellow cab.
Bus
Another option for getting around New York is to take the public bus. There are hundreds of routes serving the city, and prices are reasonable. You can pay using either cash (exact change, coins only), or you can use a Metrocard.
Ferry
Launched in 2017, the NYC Ferry service is one of the newest options for getting around the city. We really loved using this service when we stayed in Brooklyn – it offers excellent views, and rides cost the same as the subway.
You need to buy tickets from tickets machines near the ferry port, or you can use the NYC Ferry app.
Hop on Hop off Bus
Finally, the other way we enjoy getting around New York, particularly when sightseeing, is to take the Hop on Hop off bus, such as the Big Bus New York. You can buy tickets for this in advance here.
When we travel in New York with the New York Pass, this comes with free access to one of the HOHO lines. We enjoyed the live commentary on the bus we took, and learning about different areas of the city that we might not have heard of.
Of course, this isn’t the cheapest way to get around the city, but we think if you invest in something like the New York Pass, then it’s definitely worth taking advantage of.
There are of course lots of other ways for getting around New York, including the train, bicycles, and even an aerial tram!
However, for our 2-day itinerary, we think the above options are likely to be the most common options. Again, you can see all the options for navigating the city in our detailed guide to how to get around New York.
Where to Stay in New York
We have visited New York many times, and one thing we have definitely learnt on our trips is that whilst there is a huge amount of choice in the city, it primarily falls into the mid-range and high-end categories. Budget accommodation is definitely harder to find, and can sell out well in advance. So if you find a good deal, book it early!
Based on our experiences, we wanted to share some recommendations for where to stay in the city for this itinerary. Ideally, you’ll want to stay in Manhattan itself, although Brooklyn, Williamsburg, and Long Island City can also be a good option if you stay near a subway station.
Note that different parts of Manhattan will cost different amounts at different times of the week. In our experience for example, downtown Manhattan around Wall Street tends to be less expensive over the weekends as there are fewer business people using the hotels. So definitely shop around and try different dates if you are flexible with your trip.
Here are some options, ordered from less expensive through to more expensive.
- HI NYC Hostel – found in uptown New York just ten minutes’ walk from Central Park, this Hostel offers great value dorm style accommodation in a good location
- The Local Hostel NYC – just across the river in Queens, this hostel has a kitchen, rooftop terrace, and a range of accommodation options from private rooms to dormitories. It’s a few minutes’ walk from the nearest subway, and Times Square is just 8 minutes ride away, making this a great value well location budget option
- The Jane Hotel – this quirky 2* hotel found in Greenwich Village offers well priced rooms which are styled like a ships cabin, and all of which offer river views. Bathrooms are shared, but the prices are great for Manhattan, and there’s a restaurant on site.
- Hotel 31 – this is a very well located midtown 2* hotel found just 650 yards from the Empire State Building. It offers a variety of rooms at reasonable prices, including some great value private rooms with shared bathrooms.
- Radisson Hotel New York Midtown – just 200 yards from the Rockefeller Center and within easy walking distance to most midtown attractions, this is a great value 4* hotel offering everything you need for a comfortable stay in Manhattan
- Gild Hall – A Thompson Hotel – well located for downtown attractions and a short walk to Wall Street and the Statue of Liberty ferry departure, this is a well-appointed 4* hotel with comfortable rooms and an on-site restaurant. We enjoyed our stay here.
- Warwick New York – this historic 4* midtown hotel is one of my favourite hotels in New York. It’s a historic hotel originally built by William Randolph Hearst, the infamous publishing magnate and builder of Hearst Castle. Spacious rooms and friendly staff combine with a great location to make this a great mid – upper end hotel in the city.
- The Sherry Netherland – Found on Fifth Avenue, this 5* hotel is a great luxury option located across from Central Park and The Plaza. It has everything you would expect of a 5* hotel – lovely rooms, helpful staff, stunning interiors, and a fantastic location.
Of course, there are lots more options to choose from across the city, but we think that should start you off well.
We’ve also used apartment rental sites for visits to New York. Booking.com do apartments as well, but we also recommend Plum Guide for apartments for your New York City trip.
Plum Guide carefully curate their listings so their options tend to be of a very high quality whilst still being available at a range of price points. See their listings for New York City here.
If you can’t find what you want on the Plum Guide, or you want some new options to try out, we wrote a whole post on the best alternatives to AirBnB which you should check out!
We also have a page full of travel resources, which includes our tips for getting the best deals on accommodation, which you can find here.
Walking Tours of New York City
One of our favourite ways of exploring a city is on a walking tour, and New York is no exception. A good walking tour will pair you up with a knowledgeable city expert, and is a really good way to either get an introduction to a city, or to hone in on a particular topic that interests you.
We’ve taken a number of walking tours in New York, all of which we did with Take Walks, our favourite walking tour company. We’ve taken walks with them in cities all around the world, and have always had a good time.
Take Walks offer a wide range of walking tours in New York. Here are some options to consider, plus you can see all their New York tours here.
- A tour of the Broadway Theaters with a behind the scenes look at the Disney New Amsterdam Theatre!
- A tour to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, including access to the Statue Pedestal
- A tour focusing on the memory of the events of 9/11 with a trip up the new One World Trade Center building
- A tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a great way to get an insight into the museum collection with an expert led tour
- A tour of TV and Movie locations across Manhattan, including a tour of the NBC Studios
Naturally there are lots of other walking tour companies and options. If you invest in a New York Pass for example, this includes a number of walking tour options. There are also a wide range of walking tours available here on Viator and here on GetYourGuide.
Saving Money On New York Attractions
New York is not what you might call a budget destination. Whilst we have tried to include many free sights and attractions on our itinerary, many locations do charge an entry fee, and this can be quite high. This is fairly standard across the USA, and is one of the main costs of travel in the USA.
The good news is that if you plan on visiting a number of attractions, you can take advantage of one of the various city attraction passes that is available. If you take advantage of everything these passes offer, you can end up saving a lot of money.
However, you will have to decide if each pass is worth it for your visit, based on the attractions you really want to see. We have a detailed guide to the various New York attraction passes here, which we suggest checking out.
For this itinerary though, we recommend the New York Pass. Nearly everything is included, and at time of writing, the New York Pass offers free entry to over 100 attractions across the city.
These include a lot of high value and popular items like the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, Hop on Hop Off Bus, Statue of Liberty, 9/11 Memorial Museum, and many more.
The card also includes walking tours, bike rentals, rides at Luna Park – the list goes on!
If you were to visit all the paid attractions in our list, including taking the Hop on Hop Off bus tour, you would be looking at over $350 in attraction entry costs per person. So straight away the New York Pass would save you around $100 per person!
What we really love about the New York Pass is just how much it includes. We find that this means we often end up doing things we might not have done, just because they are included, so why not? So we don’t need to think twice about adding a museum or two to our tour, or taking a walking tour, or hiring a bike.
It also includes skip-the-line access at a wide range of attractions so in addition to saving you money, the pass can also save you time. Overall, if you are going to follow our itinerary and plan on visiting many of New York’s top attractions, we can highly recommend the New York Pass to save money.
Of course, it won’t save everyone money, so you should check the inclusions against your planned itinerary to be sure.
Check prices and buy yours in advance of your trip here. Passes can be activated up to 24 months from purchase.
We can also recommend checking out the New York Explorer Pass from GoCity and the New York CityPASS.
Practicalities for Visiting New York
To help you plan your trip to New York, we wanted to share some information on some of the practicalities you should be aware of. Hopefully this knowledge will help you prepare for your time in the city.
Electrical outlets in New York City
Like the rest of the USA, New York uses a 110v-120v system. There are two types of plugs, formally known as types A and B. Plug type A has two flat parallel pins, and plug type B has the same plus a round grounding pin.
If you are travelling from anywhere outside North America, you will likely need some kind of travel adaptor like this. You should also be aware if you are coming from Europe, Asia, Africa or Australasia that the voltage is different. So you will need to check your devices to be sure they support the 110-120v system. Otherwise you will need a power convertor like this.
In our experience, most lower powered electrical devices like laptops, camera chargers, phone chargers etc. work across voltages from 110 – 240v. However, higher powered devices like hair straighteners, curling irons, hair dryers, and kettles do not.
You can read more about travel adapters in our guide to the best travel adapters on the market, which includes voltage convertors as well.
Currency in New York City
The United States is the home of the United States Dollar, so obviously this is the currency you’ll be using in New York City. Dollars come in note form, from $1 bills up to $100 bills. There are also a range of coins, ranging from 1 cent to 1 dollar.
Credit cards are widely accepted across the city for everything from dining to attractions. However, you will want to keep currency to hand, as tipping is very common in the USA. Having a good collection of dollar bills on hand will always be useful.
In addition, single fares on buses can only be bought using coins, although Metrocards can be bought and topped up using a credit or debit card.
We would suggest using a credit card for your purchases where practical, as this will save you carrying large amounts of cash around with you. Just make sure you have a credit card which doesn’t charge you for foreign transactions if you are visiting from outside the USA.
Safety in New York City
These days, New York is a relatively safe city to visit- a far cry from the seventies and eighties when crime was rife.
However, as with any major city in the world petty crime is an issue, and you should take precautions with your valuables so as to minimize opportunities for theft and pickpocketing.
Simple things like keeping purse and wallets out of sight in a zippable pocket, and not leaving valuables like phones lying out in plain sight will go a long way to ensuring a safe trip.
Internet Access in New York City
As a major metropolitan city, New York is obviously well connected, and it’s easy to find free WiFi as you wander the city. Coffee shops, hotels, restaurants and attractions are all good places where WiFi should be fast and free to access.
If you want to get online with your phone using data, you have a few options, which I outline in my guide to getting online when travelling. The USA is not overall a cheap destination for data in my experience, but it is possible to pick up a SIM card for an unlocked phone if you wish.
One thing to be aware of, depending on your carrier and device, is that all the huge skyscrapers in New York do impact the passage of mobile signals, creating a sort of canyon effect. Combine this with the sheer number of people in the city, and you can expect network access to be a little sporadic and slow at times.
Further Reading
Well, that just about finishes off our guide to what to do when visiting New York City for two days! Hopefully you’ve found it useful, and it’s answered any questions you had about your trip.
We also wanted to share some more content we’ve written on New York and travelling in the USA in general, to ensure you have all the information you might need. We’ve also got a few third-party resources to recommend that we think you might find helpful for your trip.
- If you’re visiting for longer, see our guide to spending 3 days in New York City
- We have a detailed guide to getting around New York, which should help you plan your transport in the city
- An attraction pass will likely save you money on your visit to the city if you visit enough attractions. See our review of the top New York passes for our thoughts on which are best.
- We have a complete guide to visiting the Empire State Building
- If you enjoy walking tours, check out our review of some of the Take Walks New York walking tours
- Wondering how much to budget for your trip? We have a guide to how much it costs to travel in the USA to help you plan
- If you’re heading on from New York and thinking of hiring a car, take a look at our tips for driving in the USA
- If you’re looking for a guide to New York, we can recommend the Frommer’s EasyGuide to New York City.
And that’s it for this guide! As always, if you have any feedback, comments or questions, just pop them in the comments section below and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. Safe travels!
Eve Mitchell says
I had no idea that the Met is the largest art museum in the US. I would love to go to this museum when I visit NYC next summer!
Laurence Norah says
It sure is! Have a great time in New York!
Stefanie says
Great article! Quick question: we plan on using your itinerary and visiting Rockefeller Center as our last stop on Day 1. Is there a way to reserve our time before we get there, if using New York Pass? I am worried that when we arrive late in the day, there will not be any available times left if we have to reserve in person.
Laurence Norah says
Hi Stefanie!
Thanks very much! So there are many attractions you can pre-book with the New York Pass (see list here), but the Rockefeller Centre is unfortunately not one of them. You can turn up in person to book a slot for another time, but there isn’t currently a way to do this online 🙁
Have a great time in New York though!
Laurence
Aileen Counce says
Hello, How are you today? I loved reading about your 2 day Itinerary in NYC, My sister and I are traveling there Sept. 14-16 before a 7 day cruise. I’m going a little crazy the past 2 days trying to figure out how to make the best of our time there on our budget. I’m definitely leaning towards the NYC pass, but I’m worried about reserving the dates & times since I have no idea how long it might take to get to each attraction. Plus I know you mentioned a lot of attractions are open late. The ones we have been interested in show hours between 9 or 10am to around 5pm, which also worries me about getting the most out of our passes. Do you have any extra advice on how to book the attractions that require advanced reservations? We would also like to visit the Museum of Natural History. What do you suggest on when we should try & fit that in? I appreciate any input you can give us. My mom says I’m overthinking it. Lol
Thanks So Much
All the pics are wonderful
Have a great day!
Laurence Norah says
Hi Aileen,
All good here, thanks very much! Glad to hear you enjoyed the post.
So ultimately whether or not you have the pass, you are likely going to want to reserve attraction entry. Many sites, especially the most popular ones like the Empire State Building or Statue of Liberty, pretty much require a reservation these days. If they don’t require reservations, then you run the risk of having to wait in a long line for entry, which will also lose you time. So it’s just easier to use the pass to save money and the reservations tend to save you time overall as well.
I don’t think you are overthinking it necessarily, but it is easy to get a bit overwhelmed, especially if you want to see and do a lot in a short span of time!
My tip would just be to put together some kind of document like on Google Docs or similar, and put an itinerary together. All you need to know is how much time you want to spend in each place, and then use a tool like Google Maps to plan the travel time between the locations. I’d recommend adding in 15-20 minutes on top just to be on the safe side. Then once you have an idea of your itinerary, you can make your reservations. Most locations don’t require you to be super precise with the timing, and most of them won’t mind if you are a bit late or a bit early to be honest.
For the Museum of Natural History, the most logical day to visit that if following my itinerary is Day 2, as it’s close to the Met.
Let me know if I can offer any more advice, I’m happy to help out. Have an amazing time in NYC, and enjoy your cruise as well!
Laurence
Aileen says
Thank You So Much Lawrence, All your info is a great help & I appreciate you getting back to me so quickly. Enjoy your great next adventure & stay safe out there.
Aileen
Oscar says
Can you please recommend a 2 day tour guide in New York city. thanks
Laurence Norah says
Hi Oscar,
Thanks for your comment. So we don’t know any guides that we would personally recommend for a two day tour in New York. Normally we take a variety of walking tours and then sightsee on our own. It sounds like you want to hire a guide for a couple of days, and whilst we are sure these services are available, we don’t know any to personally recommend.
Sorry not to be of more help, but have a great time in NYC nonetheless!
Best
Laurence
Nichole says
Thank you so much for this post! Myself and my 11yr old are going to try to follow this but was wondering if you had it in a format that we could print? Even just a mini checklist! If not, I’ll type one up from your great info – just thought it would be easier on one sheet to travel will and keep us on track! 🙂
Laurence Norah says
Hi Nichole!
My pleasure! So there is a print button on each page, on the side on desktop and at the bottom on mobile. If you click that and go through the process then you should get a printable version. It will be too long, but it should be easier to copy the parts you want from that into a printable 🙂
Hope this helps, have a great time in New York!
Laurence
AnnR says
Great itinerary but there’s no way anyone, even a 20 year old, would have the energy for all this in 2 days. Seriously.
Laurence Norah says
Hi Ann,
Thanks for your feedback. We think this itinerary is definitely achievable, especially as many of the attractions are open late. However, we always stress that our itineraries are just starting points / suggestions, and folks should build off them. So if you want to do less, feel free to do so of course 🙂
Enjoy New York City!
Laurence
Cathy Smith says
Thank you SO MUCH for this wealth of information! It is an immense help in planning our trip to NYC this August. I found your site by Googling “two days in New York City,” which is how long we will be there. What a wonderful surprise to find your do-able plan!
Laurence Norah says
Delighted to be able to help Cathy! I hope you have a wonderful trip to New York City and do let me know if you have any questions!
Thomaz says
I really appreciated your post, thank you !!
Laurence Norah says
My pleasure Thomaz! I hope you have a great trip to NYC and do let me know if you have any questions 🙂