Best Things to Do in NYC – Weekend Trip

If you’re coming to New York City for only a weekend, it can feel challenging to know the best things to do!

To keep it simple, here are 7 categories of things to do that will help make your decisions easier.

Here are our local recommendations for the best things to do for your weekend trip in NYC.

We recommend doing at least one thing from each main category or more. If there’s a category you’re stoked on, do more in that category. 😁

Note: This article was written by a real live human being, not artificial intelligence. 🥸

Podcast of Best Things to Do in NYC for a Weekend Trip

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Best Things to Do During an NYC Trip Overview

1. Go to a Broadway Show
   • Get cheap Broadway tickets through a ticketing app (TodayTix or Ticketmaster) or TKTS Booth
     • The TKTS Booth can take 30-120 minutes in line.
     • Go to the Lincoln Center location for shorter wait times.
     • If you can avoid weekends, do it.
     • If you want to see two shows, you can skip the line by showing your ticket from the previous day at the booth
2. Go to an Observation Deck
   • The Edge is probably our favorite
   • One World Trade (see Downtown)
   • Top of the Rock
3. Go to Chelsea
   • Little Island
   • Chelsea Market
   • Pier 57
   • Highline
4. Go to a Museum
   • Museum of Modern Art
   • American Museum of Natural History
   • The Metropolitan Museum of Art aka MET
   • 9/11 Museum (see Downtown)
5. Go Shopping
   • 5th Ave
   • Soho
   • Rockefeller Center
   • Hudson Yards
   • Columbus Circle
6. Go Downtown
   • See the One World Trade Center (and/or do the Observation Deck)
   • See the Statue of Liberty from a distance (here) or go to the Statue & Ellis Island, but it takes a LONG time, about 4-6 hours. Don’t get scammed on tickets going to the Statue; buy them beforehand.
     • Or, take the Staten Island Ferry for a closer view. It’s free and takes anywhere from 60-90 minutes round trip.
   • Charging Bull/Wall Street
   • 9/11 Museum, be prepared for a very somber yet well-presented experience.
7. Explore Central Park
   • Heckscher Playground
   • Balto Statue
   • Central Park Carousel
   • Literary Walk
   • Alice in Wonderland Statue
   • Conservatory Water
   • Loeb Boathouse
   • Bethesda Terrace & Fountain
   • The Mall
     • This video/route shows you how to do all the best spots in Central Park in roughly 2-3 hours

This Episode’s You’ll Have to Check It Out Segment – Eataly NYC

Eataly has three locations in New York, Flatiron, Downtown, and Soho and 20 across the globe. They have locations in places like Dallas and Las Vegas, and even as far as Istanbul and Japan.

From the Eataly website: “The idea was simple: to gather high-quality food at sustainable and reasonable prices, to celebrate Italian biodiversity, and to create an informal, natural, and simple place to EAT, SHOP, and LEARN — all under one roof.”

On top of a robust collection of authentic Italian groceries, bites, and drinks, most Eataly locations have restaurants and bars inside the store. It’s the perfect spot to grab some food for a picnic at one of NYC’s amazing parks!

Related: Our Favorite Italian Restaurant in NYC, Giano

The Flatiron location has a rooftop restaurant, the Downtown location has a beautiful wine and cocktail bar, and the Soho location has a pizza and pasta focused restaurant.

Be sure to check out their events for when you’re in town! Eataly often has unlimited wine and food fests, cooking classes, and more.

Check out the NYC locations here (links open Google Maps in new tab):

• Downtown
• Flatiron
• Soho