It seems easy to plan the route in New York ; just search the internet for 3.5 or 7 days and here it is, ready to go. The problem is that museums are not included in all those itineraries . And this can change everything because some museums are free on some days and hours of the week and if you want to save money this is a good opportunity to consider.
In this itinerary we will therefore consider the classic itineraries but also trying to include visits to the main museums, the free ones, and those included with the purchase of the CityPASS .
The best way to always have an eye on the itinerary in my opinion is to use a Google Excel sheet . I can share mine so I can download and edit it at your convenience. Consider that you will probably spend the first day and half of the second to sleep to recover the jet lag.
If you don’t know how to edit the Excel sheet, write me a comment below to help you!
Another tip: I have entered too much for each day. So consider giving up something. In some days you can find 3 free museums but you will only have to choose one (remember the minimum offer of 5 $ for each museum). For the itinerary including the part of Wall Street and the memorial you can take advantage of this Free tour.
Below you will find the points of interest that I have marked and the day by day itineraries.
What to see at Christmas in New York?
Keep in mind that not everything is open at Christmas. The zoos are closed and the gospel mass is the same. Wherever you go the evening will be full of people while in the morning you will find it deserted. If you are looking for photographic ideas take advantage of the morning of the 25th to take all the photos in your favorite panoramic points!
Also visit museums such as the Memorial to avoid the solid afternoon queue or the Empire State Building.
To breathe the Christmas air you can admire the shop windows like those of Macy’s in Herald Square or the skating rink at Rockefeller Center (ps: don’t expect to have the opportunity to skate, the track is super full!).
After sunset you can decide to have an aperitif on one of the panoramic terraces and then dine in the luxurious restaurants or prefer cheaper options.
Are you looking for the real Christmas atmosphere? then take a tour of the neighborhoods of Dyker Heights ! Here you can find the offer for the panoramic tour.
Before going on an adventure …
Let’s now analyze the itinerary day by day, leaving out the most descriptive part of each place (for this there is the beautiful guide of the Lonely Planet 🙂 ) but concentrating on the path to be taken, on the advice and the prices.
Before leaving, remember to have done these things:
- Having taken out travel insurance. Why? because your health card here is worth nothing and ending up in hospital in america unfortunately means having to sell your house to be able to pay for the treatment. Good travel insurance can cost very little; what I recommend is annual insurance. Considering that it costs like having the insurance for two trips, you have the advantage of being covered all year round. Here you can find the article that talks about Columbus insurance (you can also request a quote by scrolling down this site to the end)
- Having purchased all the attractions in advance. If you travel in the Christmas period you will already be predisposed to queue, but nothing annoys more like making it even longer. That’s why it is necessary to buy in advance all the tickets of the attractions you intend to visit. For some, however, it is necessary to buy them a few weeks in advance to make sure you can enter such as the Top of the Rock or the Vessel (the latter free but online booking required). In this article you will find the reference to the tickets to buy for each attraction.
- Purchase the CityPASS. If you are looking for a discount for attractions, the CityPASS is a good opportunity to save up to 44% (on the entrance to the 6 most beautiful attractions) and skip the line at the ticket office. You can buy it online from here.
- Having requested and obtained ESTA. Requesting it is very easy, just go to the official website (finding it on Google is not easy as the sites that pay for it in your place are sponsored first). The official website is esta.cbp.dhs.gov. On the homepage click on the blue button “Create new request” (you can change the language of the site) and follow step by step all the questions that will be asked. As a place of residence in the united states you will need to enter your hotel, so remember to book it first.
- Will you visit NY with the Hop of Hop offs ? Then your itinerary will be selected by the stops of the famous bus that goes around the whole city. You can buy tickets on this page and download the itinerary map here.
How to get from the airport to your hotel
You will probably land at John Fitzgerald Kennedy International Airport and from here you will have a number of options:
- Use the taxi. Be careful as the estimates that will make you are exclusive of taxes and highway tax. So you will have to add something like another 20 dollars plus the tip (here from 15% to 10%). In short, to avoid rip-offs, make sure to purchase your travels in advance. For about 70 euros here you can buy a transfer from the airport to your hotel and vice versa (certainly a lower price than what they would ask you on the spot).
- Use the train + bus . From the airport, take the Air train without fear (there are indications) that will take you out of the various terminals (because there is also the one that goes around the other terminals, give us an eye). You will have to pay once you get off the train, around 7dollars. I had read about the possibility of making a subscription to save money but asking for information on the place they told me it was not included to go to the airport. Once you get there you will find machines to buy your weekly Metro pass, the MetroCard (priced at $ 34). If you are two, remember to buy it in one trance because for some strange security system it was not possible for us to purchase two of them in succession and the card was refused (they let us pass anyway and advised to buy it the next day in any metro stop). The single ride instead is 2 dollars and 75 if I remember correctly.
Now all you have to do is get a NY subway map (you can also find it on arrival from the Air Train) so you never lose sight of your ride! The metro is very efficient;
Day 1: Savoring NY between Times Square and 5th Avenue
The title speaks of a 7-day itinerary but we know well that booking 6 nights in NY and arriving from Europe the first and last day are travel. That’s why the itinerary will be 5 days and in the last we will insert the advice on what to do if there is more time left.
It starts right from Macy’s, with its windows set up and then continues towards Times Square. Here is the recommended itinerary (which you obviously don’t have to follow to the letter! Get carried away by instinct to discover all the streets in the surrounding area).
You can start the day by having breakfast at Starbuck with oatmeal (oatmeal with honey, dried fruit etc) for just $ 3 or a little more, continuing with McDonald’s cappuccino ($ 3 while at Starbuck at 4.50 ) and accompanying it with pancakes with maple syrup ($ 3). There are brioches around but I never tried to hear if the flavor was the same. You have to be a little creative to avoid not spending everything on breakfast 🙂
ITINERARY OF DAY 1
- Times Square
- Grand Central Terminal
- New York Public Library & Bryant Park
- Bryant Park
- Empire State Building (around 4pm)
Times Square is the famous epicenter of tourism in the city, and unlike what you imagine it seemed smaller to me, due to the effect of the monitors that surround it. An advice; if you plan to spend the new year here, remember that many people flock to the square in the morning so as not to lose their place. This means that once you are inside you will not be able to go out or move. There are many restaurants in the adjacent streets although as you can imagine the prices will not be the cheapest.
If you want to take a break from crowds and technology, take refuge in nearby Bryant Park, famous for its colorful seasonal gardens, many free activities, excellent toilets, a French-style carousel, a free skating rink, a beautiful green lawn with tables and chairs, the outdoor reading room with illustrated books and historical moments in the summer, and many outdoor dining. Right next to the park is the New York Public Library and all around are iconic Manhattan skyscrapers.
At around 4pm (at least a couple of hours before sunset time due to the long line to go up) don’t miss the view from the Empire State Building.
During the Christmas period, the queue to go up is about 1 hour (80th floor). To get to the terrace (86th floor) you can use the lift or walk 6 floors. During the holidays the queue to go up the top floors in the elevator was 40 minutes.
⚠️ 102 you will find large windows with a 360 ° view can also be visited with an extra ticket. It cost $ 20 more. Is it worth? You decide.
💸 Cost? $ 34 opp included in CityPASS
Where to eat? In the surroundings you will find many Hot Dog carts and any other food if you want to try street food. Dave and Buster’s is a family chain that combines a sports bar with traditional American food and hundreds of popular arcade games. Alternatively try UrbanSpace Food Market.
Nearby you can also find the National Geographic Ocean Odyssey, Gulliver’s Gate and Top of the Rock.
Rooftop bars: Refinery Rooftop Bar (63 W 38th St), SkyRoom Rooftop Bar (330 W 40th St).
Day 2: High Line Park
Our second day falls on Thursday, which is why in the second part we did not mark visits to make room for free museums. On the above itinerary the days of the week are marked in which it is possible to take advantage of the free ticket for some museums (offer $ 5).
- High Line Park
- Chelsea Market
- The Vessel
- Flatiron Building
The High Line Park has many interesting views of the city (it is the old disused path of the elevated railway and is open until 19) and you can easily walk it from one end to the other. On the way there are many photographic ideas as well as some murals and locations with public events. Very suggestive although certainly of greater impact during spring. At the end of the walk you will find the Chelsea Market which has transformed a former factory into a commercial atrium that caters to gourmets.
Within this market you can taste everything; from lobster to tacos, immersed in the history of the city. Here is a preview of the dishes as shown on this site. The price of $ 36 should therefore be that for lobster.
The Vessel; some tips to visit it for free. The extraordinary hub of Hudson Yards is its spiral staircase, an imposing new landmark that must be climbed. This interactive work of art was conceived by Thomas Heatherwick and Heatherwick Studio as a focal point where people can enjoy new perspectives of the city and each other from different heights, angles and vantage points.
The correct site to get your tickets for free is hudsonyardsnewyork .
How to get tickets:
Same day: For specific FREE tickets for the same day, visit the site on site starting from 9:30. Tickets for the same day are available on all interactive kiosks in the shops and restaurants of 20 Hudson Yards and interactive kiosks in Public Square and Gardens. All FREE tickets are issued on a first come, first served basis. Tickets are distributed for the next available time period and allow a single entry during the allotted time period. PS: at Christmas there are no free tickets, book in advance!Future Dates: Limited quantities of tickets are also available for future bookings in a 14 day window. These tickets can only be booked online.
Day 3: Boat trip and Wall Street
If you purchased the CityPASS you will also have included a Circle Line cruise to choose from between Landmarks Cruise, Harbor Lights Cruise or Liberty Cruise, or a ride on the BEAST. To know the departure times you must go to the Circle Line website. Remember to go at least 1 hour before the scheduled time (we arrived earlier than 1 hour and they were all already ready to board. We arrived just right to find a seat sitting outdoors even if it was freezing).
The itinerary is thus composed in order of proximity but the advice is to visit the museums in the morning to avoid the two hours in a row. The same is true of the Wall Street Bull ; if you want a photo while you are about to touch the joys of the animal you will have to go very early in the morning to avoid the queue to take the photo as well there. Yes, you got it right; during the Christmas season, a line is formed to touch the bull’s balls.
- Wall Street
- Charging Bull
- 9/11 Memorial Museum
- South Street Seaport
- Battery Park
- Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island
- One World Observatory
- 9/11 Memorial
The 9/11 Memorial is really very large and to visit it all accurately it could take up to an hour, it all depends on your curiosity about the facts. Inside the structure (24 $ ticket included in the CityPASS) you will find the Foundation Hall in the basement or the remains of the so-called slurry wall ( the architectural diaphragm built in 1966 when you had to look for a solution to prevent the Hudson River water penetrated into the foundations ). Nothing was left out and every remnant of that tragic day, as well as nearby shops swept away by debris, were brought back to the museum.
To visit the Statue of Liberty you can use the workers’ ferries (free, called Staten Island Ferry) that do not dock, or pay $ 28 to reach it (the crown has an extra cost of $ 18). On the Circle Line tour the passage near the statue is included. On the tour offered for $ 44, you can visit Liberty Island, climb the pedestal lookout and reach nearby Ellis Island to visit the Immigration Museum.
One World Observatory is atop the tallest building in the western hemisphere. The Observatory is located on the 100th, 101st and 102nd floors of the One World Trade Center. The price is $ 34.
Day 4: Brooklyn Bridge and the Christmas lights in Brooklyn
During this day I only entered the Brooklyn Bridge because although it was easy to reach, also thanks to the nearby metro for not having to cross it on foot, due to the large amount of people the day passed really fast. In the itinerary I also marked the area in the Bronx; I was not able to make a jump as it is very distant even if the journey on the metro must be quite short. I had to go to the Bronx as the Botanical garden is free on Saturdays but in winter I preferred to leave out gardens and gardens. Ps: do not venture around here just to take the famous photo on the staircase … the inhabitants of the area are starting to ill tolerate all this fame.
- Bronx
- Brooklyn Bridge
- DUMBO
- SoHo
- Little Italy & Nolita
- Chinatown
- Dyker Heights
So let’s start to discover the Brooklyn Bridge together with other millions of people. Unfortunately, the Christmas holidays are not the best time to get the infamous iconic photos, but we are creatively preparing to give you some glimpses of the DUMBO district , reachable at the end of the bridge.
This place is a destination for shots thanks to the film Once upon a time in America by Sergio Leone, which frames its foreshortening. This former industrial area is to be explored and offers beautiful views!
Around 5pm if you are still in the area you could venture into the Dyker Heights neighborhood to admire the illuminations. If you prefer to take an organized tour you can take the opportunity to visit Queens, and then reach Dyker Heights in Brooklyn, the district known for its extravagant Christmas decorations. Here are some tours to admire New York in the evening with all its lights:
- Christmas lights tour between East Manhattan, Queens, Dyker Height and Rockefeller Center (€ 49.30)
- Dyker Heights bus tour of 3 hours and 30 minutes (€ 55.06)
Don’t forget to take some time, before the illuminations, to visit the neighborhoods of Little Italy and Soho!
Day 5: Between the museums of Central park and the cableway
The last (or penultimate) day I reserved for the discovery of Central Park and the museums that surround it such as the Museum of the City of NY (free on Sunday), Natural history (With the CityPASS), The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim.
- Central park
- St. Patrick’s Cathedral
- Museums
- Cableway Rooslvelt
You won’t have all the time to visit all these museums but you can choose a couple for the day. Continue with a walk in Central Park, in search of the places immortalized by the film years ago.
Then here is a gem that not many know; Roosevelt Island and its cableway. The view of the city of New York from here is truly spectacular and the absence of the mass of people makes it very pleasant for a walk. For the cost of a subway ride or included in your MetroCard, this decades-old institution makes you fly through the air on a journey from Roosevelt Island to Manhattan’s Upper East Side, offering eagle-eye views of the East River and city skyline. Roosevelt Island is a perfect balance between old and new.
What did we leave out?
There are some things that we have not included in the itinerary because they are particular or because they fall on specific days such as Sunday , the day of the celebration of the Gospel mass.
Many churches where you can attend, both for a fee and for free. In Canaan Baptist Church it is possible to attend for free but try to write some time before to make sure everything is ok and asking to be able to participate. Go an hour before, around 9 to receive a warm welcome.
If you plan to shop and visit the SUPREME store, remember that during the Christmas holidays the waiting time is about 1 hour or more.
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