Explore New York (the city of skyscrapers and pythons) in 24 hours. Seriously, I was walking on Brooklyn Bridge and a man carrying a large yellow python around his shoulders walked right past me. I yelped as the snake reared its head at me. It was an exciting moment and the only thing I regret now is that I didn’t have the instinct to snap a photo in time!! New York is a never-ending list of amazing-ness, so prepare your whirlwind itinerary with my guide below if you only have one day in New York.
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Essentials
Language: The main language of business is English but Spanish is widely spoken as well.
Currency: The US dollar.
Voltage: 120 volts. The US uses the 2 prong plug. See my post on Essential Items to Pack in your Carry-on for tips on what plug adapters to buy.
Major Train Station: Grand Central Terminal
Major Airports: LaGuardia Airport (best choice if you’re staying close to Manhattan), John F. Kennedy International Airport (best choice if you’re staying in Brooklyn), Newark Liberty International Airport (best choice if you’re staying in New Jersey).
Getting There
It only takes one hour to fly from Toronto Pearson airport to New York LaGuardia airport. LaGuardia airport was only about 30 minutes away from the hotel we were staying at in Midtown Manhattan. A taxi cost us about $80 USD from LaGuardia to the hotel due to traffic jams. Our return Uber ride back to LaGuardia was about $70 USD. The taxi costs are definitely pricey, but it was very convenient.
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Where to Stay
Staying in a hotel in a central location is crucial to exploring New York in 24 hours.
Pestana Park
Location: Class B, 23 E. 39th Street , NY 10016 , New York (right by East 39 and Madison Ave.)
A clean and charming boutique hotel right in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. Note that the rooms are small even though it’s charming and functional. The queen-sized bed (super comfy!) takes up about 3/4 of the room so bear in mind maneuverability is limited. This place is steps to Bryant Park, the New York Public Library (with the famous stone lions guarding the front) and the Grand Central Station.
As lovely as this boutique hotel is, it can get noisy if other guests slam their hotel doors. The rooms are very close together and early risers sometimes slam their doors going in and out for breakfast. Other than that, the rooms and location are perfect.
What to See and Do
Exploring New York in 24 hours definitely requires you to see the main attractions listed below.
Brooklyn Bridge
Get stunning views of the New York skyline and a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty when walking across this bridge. It takes about an hour, or an hour and a half, to cross the entire bridge depending on how often you stop to take photos. The stone arches are immensely tall and impressive. It’s a truly beautiful bridge. And it gets windy, so watch your belongings.
This is where I bumped into a man carrying a yellow python around his neck. I thought it was a toy at first—until the python raised its head at me. I ran to the other side of the bridge and the main thing I regret now is I didn’t snap a picture in time!
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
Ever wanted to see paintings by Andy Warhol, Salvador Dalí, René Magritte, Vincent Van Gogh, Marc Chagall, and a host of other legendary artists? This must be on your list of places to see while exploring New York in 24 hours. It is a bucket-list item for anyone who has ever wanted to see artwork by these world famous artists. The amazing thing is: all that art is available under one roof. A truly priceless collection.
Broadway and Times Square
A dazzling street filled with towering LED screens. You might want to be careful just a bit if constant flashing lights cause you nausea and headaches. I found it pretty intense at night. It’s definitely a cool, and almost mythical place, but it was crowded and the lights and screen animations were intense. Overall, a very cool thing to see where every screen is a giant ad marketing something to you.
The streets were crowded and there were lots of little street shows going on, but beware of grifters and pickpockets! They usually try to get you involved as part of their show and then ask you (and the crowd) for money before it begins. I recommend just staying away as they purposely drag the thing on and you’ll be stuck there for hours.
Where to Eat
Breakfast at Tartinery
Located by Pershing Square, this lovely joint serves beautiful breakfasts (and it’s too bad we only found it on our last day!). I could’ve eaten here every day for breakfast as I find it served the best food for value (New York is notoriously expensive). Order a nice flat white, yogurt and granola with fruits, with a beautiful fresh croissant to top it off.
Dinner at Bryant Park
A fine-dining restaurant right in Bryant Park with a beautiful terrace to eat your dinner while enjoying live music in the park. If you walk to the side of the restaurant by the statue, you might discover a little hidden cove decorated with flowers. It made a great backdrop for my photos and it’s a cozy place to rest your feet. Try the lamb kabobs with shishito peppers and tuna tacos for appetizers. Then order the grilled flounder for your main.
Dessert at Carlos Bakery
Ah! I cannot believe I finally got to eat at Carlos Bakery. He’s known for his extravagantly decorated cakes on the Food Network channel, but he started his reputation with his bakery. I tried a large carrot cake slice and it was scrumptious. Note that many of the cake slices and pastries come in large portions, so I’d advise sharing it if you want!
Exploring New York in 24 hours is a feat to accomplish. I highly, highly recommend you spend a few more days if you could. But if not, then definitely plan to come back in the future for a longer stay to try some New York style pizzas and pastrami.
Planning for some dream trips or bucket-list journeys? Check out my other travel guides for more tips and tricks on planning your ultimate dream getaways.
