How to Do New York City in a Weekend (From a Local)

When you only have a small amount of time in a city with endless things to do, it can get overwhelming to decide which sights to see and places to visit. If you find yourself in New York City with only 72 hours or less to see the city, here are the top 5 things you should actually spend your time doing (according to a local!):

1. The High Line

The High Line is an above-ground train track turned public park running near the Hudson River in Chelsea. It runs from 14th Street all the way up to 34th Street and is a great way to explore and see the city from a different point of view. The High Line is lined with plants, lookouts with amazing views of the city, and lots of photo opportunities. If you visit during the summer, fall, and spring, there are even food and drink vendors where you can stop to get a bite to eat during your walk!

This is a gorgeous spot that you don’t want to miss during your trip to New York City!

2. Central Park + The Metropolitan Museum of Art

These are more mainstream and obvious places to visit while in NYC, but they are famous for a reason. Central Park is HUGE and you could literally walk around for an entire day and not get bored. There are lots of different areas of the park including the Great Lawn, The Bethesda Fountain, The Central Park Zoo, and even more little gardens and ponds to walk around and explore. If you’re lucky and it’s nice out, it’s the perfect place to have a picnic on the grass and just bask in the sun.

End your time at Central Park by visiting the iconic Metropolitan Museum of Art and see some of the greatest art in the world. It’s a really big museum and you could easily spend hours on end admiring all of the art, but if you’re short on time just find the exhibits that interest you the most and spend time there! (Pro tip from a local: If the rooftop is open, go up there for some more amazing views of the city!)

3. Eataly NYC

Who knew you could take a trip to Italy and stay within the borders of Manhattan? If you’re looking for some amazing Italian food and an amazing experience in one of the coolest places in the city, head to one of Eataly’s locations in New York City. It offers some of the best Italian restaurants, cafes, and gelato shops you’ll find outside of Italy and it doesn’t hurt that the space it occupies is gorgeous too!

With views of the city and amazing food, you can’t go wrong by spending an afternoon exploring Eataly Downtown or Flatiron!

4. Walk the Brooklyn Bridge

Another pretty cliche New York activity, but hey, it’s truly great! It took me living in NYC for an entire year before walking the Brooklyn Bridge and I couldn’t believe I didn’t do it sooner, because it really is amazing. You get some of the best views of the city from the bridge and it’s a great way to see more of the city and even get out of Manhattan. If you’re feeling even more adventurous, you can ride a bike across too!

It can get pretty packed when the sun is out, but it’s definitely an activity you don’t want to pass up on doing if you find yourself in NYC with some free time!

5. Go shopping in SoHo

SoHo is known for its shopping scene with pretty much any store you could ever want being in the neighborhood. Whether you are ready to spoil yourself at a designer store or like to shop at stores like Zara and Forever 21, you will literally shop ’til you drop in SoHo. It’s also a gorgeous area to walk around and explore, even if you just decide to window shop. There’s a ton of boutiques and fun stores to pop in and out of, and lots of cute and yummy cafes for a break when you get tired!

The streets of SoHo are also incredibly aesthetically pleasing so be Insta-ready! 😉

What are some of your New York City must-do activities? Let us know in the comments below!

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