Exploring New York in 3 days is a feat unto itself. You could spend years, I bet, in New York and not even scratch the surface of your itinerary. There are endless museums to visit, numerous restaurants to eat at, and an infinite number of things to see. Most of us don’t have eternity though, but we might have 3 days! New York is a never-ending list of amazing-ness, so prepare your whirlwind itinerary for discovering New York in 3 days with my travel guide.
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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.
Buy tours with Viator to explore New York with local guides. A good, curated tour saves you the hassle of commute and planning. Check out my list of curated Viator tours to New York.
Where to Stay
Staying in a hotel in a central location is crucial to exploring New York in 3 days.
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
Discovering New York in 3 days definitely requires you to see some 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.
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 touring New York in 3 days. 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.
Grand Central Station
When was the last time you walked through a train station with painted ceilings and hanging, glass chandeliers? Make sure to look up and admire the ceilings painted as a starry sky with depictions of the zodiac.
Central Park
Of course you must spend time strolling through the famous Central Park. It’s incredible how a giant park exists right in the middle of the concrete jungle that is New York. Don’t miss the interesting Alice in Wonderland statue in the middle of the park. And if you get tired, grab a coffee from the cafe and relax on the grass.
Saks Fifth Department Store
Looking for a unique investment-worthy outfit? Want to see some ultra-designer wear that’s red carpet worthy? Then window-shopping (or real shopping!) at Saks Fifth is a must on your to-do list. The Mondrian-coloured escalators alone are pretty cool to look at. Hang around here when the temperature gets too hot and admire some gorgeous outfits while you’re at it.
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!
Discovering New York in 3 days is highly do-able. Three days is enough time for a nice mix of indoor activities like visiting museums and seeing a broadway show to strolling leisurely in Central Park. But be sure to return to keep experiencing the energy and charm that only New York can exude.
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.
