Let’s start this with a disclaimer — your tastes may vary. You might not like the schedule or you might find something else that appeals to your tastes much more than something I’ve listed on this New York City itinerary.

The goal of the itinerary below is to make the day work for you! While this list will hit many of the major tourist sites in NYC, it won’t feature all of them by any means (and having been multiple times, there’s so many niche destinations that are definitely worth the visit). That said, if you’re there for the first time and want a little guidance? Start with the below and adjust to your perfect day from there!

Start at Central Park: 8 to 10AM

Feel free to delay this start time if you’re not a morning person (I’m certainly not).

If you’re staying anywhere near Central Park, start your morning with a leisurely walk out to the park, or take the subway in to any of the multiple stops. Grab some breakfast and/or coffee on your way so you can enjoy it while you walk, as there are plenty of options to choose from in NYC. At this hour in the morning, the sights you’ll want to see (such as Strawberry Fields) might not be too packed yet, which will give you plenty of time to meander, and also plenty of open space for your pictures.

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Wander the Metropolitan: 10 – 12

Since you’re already in Central Park, your next stop is just a short walk away.

Two hours to go through the Met? Definitely not enough, but for a taste of the museum, it’s a great introduction. You can go with a guide, or you can simply wander on your own through some of the better known exhibits (like the Temple of Dendur), or go a little deeper to see some of the more niche exhibits that are still every bit as fascinating. You can pay as much as you’d like to enter, but they do have a recommended entry fee, if you want to budget for that.

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Lunch

Head back down towards the Times Square area and pick a restaurant for lunch. There are plenty of options (and plenty of chains), but if you want something that’s very New York and still familiar and easy to find (and is often a stop for tourists), I recommend Junior’s — and don’t forget to enjoy a slice of their cheesecake!

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Radio City Music Hall: 1 – 3

Once you’re finished eating, take a short walk towards Radio City Music Hall. They regularly do guided tours, so you won’t have to wait long to join the next one (and can explore the gift shop and Rockefeller area if you do have to wait). You can buy these tickets online, but space doesn’t fill up too fast and they run frequently, so you can stop in and buy your tickets on the day-of — and if there’s a lot of time before your tour, you can even hit up Magnolia Bakery (located nearby) and enjoy a cupcake in Rockefeller Square.

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Circle Line Tours: 3 – 6

Once you’ve finished with Radio City Hall, you’re going to start walking down to the harbour. This one will be a little more of a hike than the others today, but still won’t be that far. Thanks to the simplicity of New York’s grid system, you’re going to walk down to 43rd from Radio City, then past 11th and the Hudson Parkway to reach the piers, where you’ll find Circle Line Cruises. You can pre-purchase your tickets if you’d like (do that here), but pay attention to which pier it departs from, or you may find yourself running around the city (Pier 83 is your closest to your last stop at Radio City).

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Dinner & A Show (TKTS): 6 – 11PM

Don’t forget to grab your tickets (and don’t pay full price by checking out the tips here!) and once you’ve got your seat ready to go, head to Restaurant Row (West 46th St between 8th and 9th Avenue), where you’ll find plenty of prix fixe options that will make sure you dine and dash before your show starts, so you won’t miss a moment. Enjoy your show (and maybe even a drink in a souvenir cup) and relax those legs after a long day of hiking around the city.

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Times Square: 11PM

After your fantastic day, take a few moments to simply linger in Times Square. With the neon lights illuminating the world around you, a bustle of noise and activity, and the energy of crowds leaving their shows, it’s a fantastically New York way to finish your evening before you head back to your hotel and get some well-deserved rest (so you explore plenty more the next day!)

As I said at the top of this – your tastes may vary. This may sound like a drag to you. But, if you only have a single day and you’re new to New York, you can use this as your starting point to customize a great day in the Big Apple.

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