Only Have 24 Hours in NYC? Here’s What to Do

While 24 hours in New York City isn’t very long, you can still pack in numerous activities and meals. When you’re in a time crunch, it’s even more important to plan efficiently to make the most of your time.

In this article, we’ll break down the best way to spend one day in NYC.

This itinerary will cover:

• Breakfast
• Morning activity
• Lunch
• Afternoon activity
• Dinner
• Evening activity
• After-activity drinks
• The final, and most important, late-night meal

Let’s do it. 👇

Note: This article was written by a real human who lives in NYC, not artificial intelligence. 🥸

Breakfast + Central Park

The best way to start your day in New York City is with a bagel and a stroll through Central Park. There are loads of great bagel spots, but we recommend Liberty Bagels near 5th Avenue.

They have a sandwich called The Works, which is basically a bacon, egg, and cheese meets a McMuffin. Delicious and super filling!

Pro Tip: Order ahead on their website and skip the long lines. 🙌

Morning Activity – Choose a Museum

Once you’ve had your breakfast, choose one of the three following museums to explore:

1. American Museum of Natural History
2. The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met)
3. The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

If you choose the American Museum of Natural History or The Met, you can walk there after having (or while eating) your bagel. It’s about a 45-minute walk through Central Park, where you can see some of the famous sites.

The Met is on the Upper East Side, and the American Museum of Natural History is on the Upper West Side.

The MoMA, in Midtown, is just a 5-10-minute walk from Liberty Bagels.

Lunch

After exploring one of these world-famous museums, you will be ready for lunch! Our recommendation?

Pick a cuisine, then find it in our collection of Google Maps lists, where we highlight our favorite options by category. You can get 100% free access (seriously) by signing up for our newsletter here.

Afternoon Activity

For your afternoon activity, we recommend choosing one of the following options:

• Observation deck
• Another museum
• A Broadway matinee
• Shopping

Dinner

You may see a theme here, but the best way to spend a day in New York City is to eat your way through it.

So, pick a dinner spot, again check our Google Maps lists, and extra points if you opt for one with a happy hour for drinks and food.

Nighttime Activity

While our top recommendation for a nighttime activity on a one-day NYC itinerary is a Broadway show, there are a few other options.

Some great nighttime activities in NYC include:

• Broadway shows
• Comedy shows
• Jazz clubs
• Concert
• Sporting events (loads of professional teams in the city)

New York City is a playground for adults, so find something fun to do!

And then… 👇

After Show Drinks (This Episode’s You’ll Have to Check It Out)

After you’ve experienced any of the live entertainment NYC has to offer, you can head to Gin Mill for some after-activity drinks.

Gin Mill is a sports bar through and through, and the drink prices are unbeatable. Here are some reasons we love the Gin Mill:

• M-F happy hour until 8 pm with $5 beer & well drinks, $7 top shelf drinks
• Daily specials include $14 pitchers of beer, $1 hot dogs, and $20 buckets of beer
• Sports on, always! Audio for certain games, like when New York teams are in the playoffs
• Live music downstairs in the speakeasy some nights; other nights, karaoke, DJs, etc.

Check out the Gin Mill here.

Late-Night Meal

Arguably, the most important part of your 24 hours in New York City is to finish your night with a slice of pizza. 🍕

There are loads of great pizza spots in NYC, but our top recommendation for a late-night slice is at $1.50 Fresh Pizza on Broadway near 55th street (there are other locations, too).

Many pizza places are open til 11 pm, but some, like $1.50 Fresh Pizza, are open until as late as 4 am.

24-Hour NYC Itinerary Recap + Next Steps

24 hours in New York City is a quick trip, but you can still pack in loads of enjoyable experiences!

This itinerary will help you make the most of your short time in the city.

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