This post may contain affiliate links. We may receive a small commission, if you make a purchase. Read Disclosure.
Three days is the perfect length of time to explore New York City, especially if it’s your first time.
You can visit the iconic landmarks, while still have time to spend lingering in cafes, exploring neighborhood communities, getting cultured in museums and shopping for boutique items.
If this is your first time in NYC, then this itinerary is for you. The following 3 day itinerary of New York City will make sure you have a great time, whilst also making sure you are not overstretching your budget or skipping attractions.
This NYC itinerary focuses on different areas of the city each day, plus we have some tips on how to extend this itinerary, or swap out attractions that don’t interest you.
Feel free to adapt this itinerary to your needs and taste. And if you need more inspiration, head to the bottom of this post for more guides on NYC to help make your travel plans simpler.
- NYC at a glance 🔍
- Day 1: Financial District & Brooklyn
- Day 2: Empire State Building, High Line and Central Park
- Day 3: Statue of Liberty, Greenwich
- Top Tip For Saving On New York City Attractions
- Where To Stay In New York City
- Getting To and From The Airport
- Map Of This Day 3 New York City Itinerary
- Free PDF: Download This 3 Day New York Itinerary
- Video: Watch Our NYC Adventures Here
- More NYC Travel Tips
- Pin To Save On Pinterest
Note: This New York itinerary will involve a lot of walking. Get yourself walk fit before you leave. You can always jump on the subway if your legs tire. It’s $2.90 per ride, or you can buy a 7 day unlimited pass for $34, but I’m not sure you’ll get your money’s worth with that deal for just three days, especially if you do walk around a lot.
NYC at a glance 🔍
- Accommodation options: NYC has a lot of accommodation options, though it’s famously expensive, and rooms are small. The most budget-friendly hostels, boutique hotels, and vacation rentals go for a minimum of $100 USD per night, and luxurious hotels for a minimum of $300 USD per night.
- Getting around: NYC is well serviced by the metro. The Subway connects most attractions and neighborhoods.
- Unmissable sights: Bike around Central Park, watch a show on Broadway, and do a food tour of the Greenwich neighborhood.
- Money saving tip: You can save money on attractions in NYC by getting yourself a NYC Explorer Pass. This can give you discounts to many of NYC’s top attractions, restaurants, and entertainment options.
Looking to reserve an apartment in NYC? Click here to browse.
Day 1: Financial District & Brooklyn
The first day of this itinerary will explore the Financial District of Manhattan and Brooklyn. This is where some of the most iconic landmarks are such as One World Trade Center, the viewpoint of the Statue of Liberty, and Brooklyn Bridge. You can also dip into Chinatown or Little Italy for something to eat.
Don’t worry, on the second and third day we will head further inland in Manhatten to visit the more iconic attractions, but if you’d rather see the Empire State Building and Central Park first, just swap these days around.
Stop 1: The Oculus
Step in to marvel at the Oculus, the centerpiece of the World Trade Center Transportation. It’s probably the second most famous train station in NYC, after Grand Central Station, and connects to different subway lines and the PATH train to Jersey, as well as a plaza and shopping mall.
The Oculus has a crisp, clean, and unique design that speaks of promise and lightness. I like the inside of it more than the outside.
Take your photos, people watch, and grab a coffee from Joe Coffee or Épicerie Boulud. You may even want to grab a pastry breakfast from here as well, if you didn’t have anything before arriving in the Financial District.
Stop 2: One World Observatory, 9/11 Memorial and Museum
Once you leave the Occulus, you will find the One World Observatory, 9/11 Memorial and Museum on the grounds where the World Trade Center once stood.
I think it’s important for any visitor to NYC to stop by this memorial to honor those who lost their lives and to feel how NYC is still healing from this devastating moment in history.
Take your time to walk around the Memorial Park, admire the reflection pools, and visit the Survivors’ Tree.
After that, head into the One World Observatory Tower to visit the museum and for incredible views from the observation deck.
I recommend you aim to arrive for opening of the One World Observatory Tower (9:00am) so you can skip the queues. Depending on how long you like to soak in views, you only really need up to an hour here.
If you don’t get the NYC Sightseeing Pass for entry into One World Observatory, I recommend buying a skip the Line pass.
One World Observatory is the sixth tallest building in the world and the tallest building in the western hemisphere. This skyscraper stands next to the footprints of the original World Trade Center buildings that were destroyed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Fingers crossed you have clear skies as the views over Manhattan and New York Harbor are extraordinary, and you get views way beyond Manhattan as well!
After admiring the views, head straight to the 911 Museum as lines here only get longer as the day moves on.
You can spend time after it to look more at the 911 Memorial site if you didn’t get enough time before going up the Freedom Tower.
You could easily spend a couple of hours in the 911 Museum. It is quite traumatic and tissues are tastefully spread around the museum. You can read more of our experience at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum here.
Top tip: Book your timed-entry tickets online in advance and have your QR code ready, otherwise you will have to wait in the line to get tickets and you may have to purchase them for later in the day and come back. You can get Skip the Line tickets for the 9/11 Memorial and Museum here.
Stop 3: Explore Wall Street
It’s definitely worth wondering around Wall Street in Lower Manhattan and checking out the statue of George Washington on the steps of Federal Hall National Monument.
I love how he is looking out over the New York Stock Exchange reminding them of the Founding Father’s values and keeping them honest. Ha!
Unfortunately, you can’t go inside the NYSE, although I had the pleasure of being interviewed in there for Cheddar TV and even heard the final bell ring.
It’s pretty impressive, but so is the building from the outside. If you visit during Christmas the decorations are pretty.
If you want a cheap and easy lunch, we’ve eaten a couple of times at Open Market around the corner from the Federal Hall. It has a wide variety of buffet style food to choose from.
Stop 4: Walk over The Brooklyn Bridge
From Wall Street you can walk up to the beginning of The Brooklyn Bridge.
Take your time walking across The Brooklyn Bridge and watch out for bikes doing their best to zig-zag between the pedestrians.
They do have a separate lane for cyclists and pedestrians, but popularity means that lane can easily be swallowed up by the crowds.
Stop 5: DUMBO, Brooklyn
Once you make it to the other side, you’re now in Brooklyn. Brooklyn is a fascinating borough with many neighborhoods to explore, from the family friendly Park Slope to trendy Williamsburg (who’s cafes feature heavily in our list of best cafes in NYC).
Prospect Park is also often regarded as almost as beautiful and grand as Central Park, but as you only have 3 days in NYC, you probably won’t have time to visit this park on this occasion. Mark it to come back to on another trip.
However, you will have time for DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) in Brooklyn Park. This is a short stop where you can get amazing views of the Brooklyn Bridge from Pebble Beach, and then after visit Jane’s Carousel, a vintage carousel ride in Brooklyn Park.
Get the iconic shot of Manhattan Bridge from the cobblestone intersection on Water Street for your Instagram feed, Grab an ice cream at Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory, and wander along the waterfront. You get some amazing views of Manhattan from here.
Stop 6: Famous Pizza for Dinner
You can’t visit New York without indulging on pizza. You’ll find slices of it on every street corner.
However, in DUMBO, you’ll find two of the most iconic pizza places in New York. They both regularly appear on the best pizza in New York City lists – and they are right next to each other!!
We ate at Grimaldi’s Pizzeria, which was seriously good pizza and a pretty decent price considering how famous it is.
Press play to watch and drool:
Next door is Juliana’s, which had a much longer line that Grimaldi’s. I would go for an early dinner to miss the crazy lines that often happen here.
Walking Map of Day 1 in New York City
Day 2: Empire State Building, High Line and Central Park
The second day takes you into Midtown Manhattan and the most iconic landmarks and viewpoints. You may want to do this day first if you want to tick off the iconic items first.
Stop 1: Empire State Building
Breeze right on up to the top of the Empire State Building at your first top. There will be no lines at opening hour, but wait a couple of hours and you’ll be waiting a couple of hours in line!
As you are in the middle of Manhattan Island, you get great views of the entire island from the observation deck, which is what makes Empire State Building different to Top of the Rock Observation Deck and the Freedom Tower views.
It’s definitely worth visiting all of them for their unique perspectives. If you love views, we have a guide on where to find the best NYC views in the city.
Stop 2: High Line / Flatiron District
The High Line is a unique attraction that is free to visit. It’s a former elevated rail line turned into a park, and it easily gets you away from the chaos of the big city skyscrapers into a garden oasis. Well kind of.
You still get the high rises, but at least they are not crowding in on you and you are elevated off the street on a pedestrian flower lined walkway.
It was kind of bleak and sparse when we visited in the winter, but Spring and summer is sure to burst with floral colors and aromas.
There are plenty of things to stop and look at on the way to the High Line, including Macy’s which is the largest and first of the Macy’s department stores.
If you visit NYC at Christmas, you’ll want to include a visit with Santa.
You may want to stop in at Chelsea Markets for an early lunch, or head into Hudson Yards which has tons of great restaurants. Stop by to see the Vessel, also known as the Edge, a unique architectural gem made up of interwoven staircases.
Alternatively, head to the Flatiron district, one of my favorite areas in New York, where you can sit and rest in Madison Square Garden with a quick and easy, yet delicious, picnic lunch or visit the original Shake Shack, which quickly became our favorite fast-food burger joint.
If those legs are still up for walking, you could walk all the way up to Bryant Park and enjoy New York City life, or jump on the subway.
Stop 3: Bryant Park
Bryant Park is my favorite park in New York. During the warmer months, it feels like a lush jungle oasis, and during Christmas time, it’s the prettiest and best place for ice skating.
Don’t miss the gorgeous Bryant Park hotel, one of my favorite buildings in New York. The Grand Central Library and New York Public Library, is also on Bryant Park if you want to visit here
A couple of blocks away is Culture Espresso Coffee, which we thought was the best we had in New York. On the other side is a Bluestone Lane, if you want a flat white and a lamington. If you’re fussy about coffee, we have a complete guide on Aussie cafes in NYC because we do believe Australians have the best taste in coffee – of course, we’re biased.
You are also a couple of blocks away from Grand Central Terminal, if you want to quickly walk over to get a photo under the iconic clock.
Read more: Don’t miss these other coffee shops we love in New York.
Stop 4: Fifth Avenue
Walk along the famous Fifth Avenue up to Central Park and do some shopping along the way, if your budget allows. Window shopping is what I tend to do best.
Be sure to stop and look at the window displays in the stores, most notable Saks Fifth Avenue.
St Patrick’s Church is also pretty enough to stop and look at. It’s a definite break from the constant high rises and gives you a glimpse into New York of yesteryear.
Read more: Girly things to do in New York City
Stop 5: Central Park
You could spend hours in Central Park, or even a full day – it’s one of my favorite places in New York City. It has museums, art galleries, restaurants, and even a zoo.
Some of its famous museums on the Upper West Side include the Metropolitan Museum of Art and American Museum of Natural History.
I know Museums can be pretty amazing, but from my experience they don’t differ too much from one to the other, and zoos are the same.
If you only have time for one museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) is supposed to be the most amazing, and you could do a quick walk around it or spend a couple of hours there, depending on how much you enjoy modern art.
But since you only have three days in New York, I wouldn’t recommend going to Central Park Zoo or general museum as there’s too much to do that’s a bit more exciting than this. But, you adapt this NYC itinerary to suit your style.
My favorite thing to do in Central Park is to rent bicycles and cruise around the park. It makes it easier to see the entire park.
The northern end is quite hilly and there isn’t a lot to see, it’s very different to the southern end, so I suggest turning back once you reach the lake.
Do not miss The Mall, which has been in plenty of movies. It’s just a long avenue of trees. Also make sure to visit Strawberry Fields and the John Lennon Memorial, as well as the Alice in Wonderland Statue, and Belvadere Castle.
The fountain in the middle of the park is a popular place to visit, and you can even hire row boats on the lake here.
My girls love climbing all the rocks scattered around the park.
Read more: Things to do in Central Park in any season and things to do in the Upper East Side and Gossip girl self guided tour (many are near Central Park)
Stop 6: Broadway
You’re in New York, you can’t miss a Broadway show. I took my girls to Lion King, which was just as good as I had imagined! The costumes are spectacular and the beginning is one of the best I’ve seen in the theater.
On our last trip to New York, we took my parents to see Wicked. It was fantastic. I loved how it filled in the backstory of the Wicked Witch, and how she was misunderstood and actually a good person.
The music was inspiring and the costumes and set design awesome! I can’t recommend both shows enough.
This is one of our top things to do in NYC with teens.
Stop 7: Times Square
If you are not too tired after Broadway, pop into Times Square to see the flashing lights and night time atmosphere. Those lights do make it feel like it’s the middle of the day.
Times Square is not where I tend to spend a lot of time. It’s just a square with flashing light advertisements and overpriced stores and restaurants, although we actually do like the Hard Rock Cafe here.
It’s very touristy, but it’s worth seeing and having a photo at. It is Times Square after all.
You can always find time to fit it into your New York itinerary on another day.
Walking Map of Day 2 in New York City
Day 3: Statue of Liberty, Greenwich
The last day of this itinerary takes you to see the last of these iconic attractions. It can also be adjusted if you would rather spend time relaxing in a park, going on a food tour, or visiting a museum.
Stop 1: Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
Another landmark you cannot miss on any trip to NYC is to see the Statue of Liberty. If you book a Statue of Liberty tour, I can’t stress enough the importance of arriving as soon as it opens, or at least within the hour after.
The lines Statue of Liberty cruises can be soooo long. If you just want to see the statue and don’t want to get off to see her up close, you can get the free Staten Island ferry which sails right past her.
Liberty Island is a very popular New York attraction, and if you’re not sure if it’s worthwhile visiting the statue and the museum, you can read about our experience visiting the Statue of Liberty here. For us, we thought it was very worthwhile.
If you beat the crowds you will love it. We didn’t have time to do the Ellis Islands part of the tour. If you don’t want to miss this important historical site then allow for extra time.
Battery Park is worth wandering through either before or after your tour.
Stop 2: Washington Square Park
Jump on the subway (or 40 minute walk if you’re up for it) to Washington Square.
It’s quite the gathering spot for Avant-garde artists, chess enthusiasts, joyful children, and playful puppies.
Washington Square is well known for its large marble arch, fountain, and for its history of bohemian gatherings intent on changing the world for the better.
It’s a cool spot to soak up the sun and a little of local New York life. As a natural born hippy, I love it.
Broadway Street near here in SoHo is also pretty fun for shopping and people watching if you want to add in a little of that.
Stop 3: Indulge at Molly’s Cupcakes
Okay, time for one of the best cupcakes in New York.
Many tourists will queue for hours to get a famous Magnolia cupcake. However, I don’t do lines, and I recommend you don’t either.
Molly’s Cupcake is only a 5 minute walk from Washington Square, you will find no lines (hopefully) and a place to sit, play a game, and dive into deliciousness.
If you are gluten free, get your hands on their gluten free chocolate cupcake. It is seriously the best cupcake I’ve ever had.
There are cute swinging chairs at the counter you can sit at and the coffee is pretty good here too.
Stop 4: Explore Greenwich Village
If you were a hippy, a bohemian, and a change maker of the 60’s, Greenwich Village was your spirit home.
The tree lined streets of this popular residential neighborhood are now filled with cafes, bars and restaurants and is still the place to be. All are welcome in Greenwich; you may even spot a few celebrities here.
Greenwich is divided into East and West Village so take a walking tour and see which areas you like best.
Bleecker Street is famous for music venues.
Don’t miss Gay Street, a short angled, narrow street with Federal Style homes on one side and Greek Revival on the other. It is atypical New York and quietly hides amongst the grid of Greenwich Village.
It’s been in a few movies and music videos. Here are things to do in Greenwich Village NYC.
One of the best ways to explore Greenwich is on a walking tour (that includes Molly’s Cupcakes!). Book your cupcake walking tour of Greenwich Village here.
Stop 5: Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center is where you’ll find three of New York’s most famous landmarks: MoMA, St Patrick’s Cathedral, Saks Fifth Avenue.
There’s also the Top of the Rock, the ice-skating rink (during winter) and NBC Studios. You can catch the Today Show filmed here if you visit in the early morning.
Our girls love it as it’s home of the American Girl Doll Store. It’s a bit too busy and sterile for me, but I still think it’s worth a visit.
You may wish to do the Radio City Music Hall tour, home of the famous Rockettes. My parents wanted to visit, and it was included in our NYC Sightseeing Pass, so why not?
I ended up really enjoying it. The theater is beautiful and you will get to meet a Rockette and find out about their lives as high kicking dancers.
For the late night show lovers, here’s where you’ll find the Late Show with Jimmy Fallon.
I was fortunate enough to get a sneak peek at the set of Saturday Night Live upon visiting The Today Show online offices for a meeting.
It looks pretty cool. I think you’ll have fun there if you can get in.
Stop 6: Top of the Rock sunset
Why not end your NYC 3-day itinerary with a glorious sunset at the Top of the Rock? Be aware sunset is the most popular time of the day to visit, so you’ll want to book your timed visit in advance and be prepared, lines will be long.
It’s nice to see the twinkling of the Manhattan lights after the sun has gone down as well.
I recommend you get the Express Pass for skip the line access and priority of the lifts. You can also purchase this flexible day ticket from Get Your Guide, which will allow you to skip the public general admission line for the Box Office, but doesn’t give you priority in the lift.
After your visit to Top of the Rock, this may be a good opportunity to relax with a cocktail in a rooftop bar. We have a whole guide on the best rooftop bars in NYC here.
Top Tip For Saving On New York City Attractions
It’s no secret that NYC is an expensive city to visit, but you can save on attractions by getting a New York Sightseeing pass.
It offers you discounts and free entry to many of New York’s top attractions, including most of the ones mentioned on our 3 day itinerary.
You can learn more about how to save with the NYC sightseeing pass here.
Read more: For more budget saving tips, read this guide on New York travel tips to help save you money and time.
Where To Stay In New York City
We almost always stay at the INNSIDE New York Nomad when we visit NYC, because we think it has the best location and an affordable price. Rooms are spacious for NYC standards and are always clean, well maintained, and equipped for our needs.
We loved it for its modern vibe, decent price, state of the art amenities and fantastic location near Chelsea Market and the Flatiron District.
You can walk to many places and it’s right near the subway station.
You can find our full review of INNSIDE New York Nomad here.
Read more: Check out more recommendations for accommodation in NYC here.
Getting To and From The Airport
New York has three airports: LaGuardia Airport, JFK, and Newark Liberty International Airport (actually in New Jersey).
Where you fly into will depend on your budget, time, your choice of airline, and also consider the location of where you are staying at in New York.
If you stay on the west side of Manhattan, then Newark Airport may be the better option.
The AirTrain is the cheapest way to get into Manhattan from JFK and Newark Airports:
- From JFK, it’s $8.50, which includes your entry into the subway to continue to your hotel in Manhattan
- From Newark into Penn station it’s between $32 and $13, depending on the time of day, and it takes about 40 minutes – way cheaper than taking a taxi.
From LaGuardia Airport, you get the bus Q70 Limited to Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Ave Subway Station and then take the subway for a cost of $2.90. It took me one hour to reach Manhattan, and buses depart every 8-10 minutes.
Also check out shared transport shuttle services. You prepay for your spot in a van that shuttles you to the door of your hotel (Manhattan only). It may involve some wait time, but at prices starting at $35 it might be worth it if you have heavy luggage and don’t want to lug it around on public transport. Learn more here.
If there are a few of you in your group, it might be cheaper to catch an Uber or check out Dial7, which was recommended to me as an excellent limousine pick up service to get too and from the airport.
Be aware that taking cabs from the airports into New York do involve tolls. The toll from New Jersey to NYC is between $14-$16 depending on the time of day.
You will still have to pay toll fees and gratuities, but there are coupon codes available with Dial7. Final out more here.
Hot Tip: The Sightseeing Pass includes a free shuttle trip to the airport from your hotel, which I think is an incredible inclusion and another reason why they are such a great deal for saving money on your trip to NYC.
Find out more about the shuttle service inclusion here.
Map Of This Day 3 New York City Itinerary
To help you navigate your way around NYC, and to plan each day, here is a map of the above itinerary which includes travel time between attractions.
Free PDF: Download This 3 Day New York Itinerary
We’ve planned out a 3 day itinerary for you, including maps and main attractions. It will save you time!
Video: Watch Our NYC Adventures Here
Check out our New York City travel videos for more inspiration.
More NYC Travel Tips
To help you plan your trip to NYC, here are some other guides that might help you plan your trip:
- Engaging Things to Do in NYC with Teens
- A Long Weekend in NYC with Teens: Broadway, Shopping, Gossip Girl & Tasty Treats
- Best COMPLETELY Free Things To Do In NYC For Budget Travelers
- Classy Things to Do in Upper East Side New York City
- Your Ultimate Self-Guided Tour of Gossip Girl’s Iconic NYC Film Locations
- Unmissable Things to Do in New York City For First Timers
- NYC Travel Tips: Things To Know Before You Go!
- Unique Ways To Enjoy A New York City Summer!
- Most Romantic Things to Do in NYC For Date Night
- The Best NYC Food Tours For Foodie Travelers
- Free (Or Cheap) things to do in NYC with Kids
- Exciting Things To Do In NYC With Kids!
Pin To Save On Pinterest
What would you add to this 3 day NYC itinerary? Any extra tips to save time and money?