One Day In NYC Itinerary For First Time Visitors

Last Updated on 18th July 2024

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Are you planning a trip to New York City for the first time? Are you wondering whether it’s possible to see NYC in a day? Do you need help putting together the perfect New York itinerary to ensure that you see and do as much as possible in just one day? You’ve come to the right place!

After visiting New York five times in the last eight years, as well as spending a whole month living there over Christmas and New Year in 2021/22, I’d like to think that I’m now somewhat of an expert when it comes to creating the perfect NYC itinerary!

If you’re a first-time visitor to the Big Apple and you want some help planning a trip to New York, check out my ultimate guide below on how to see NYC in one day!

Need some extra help planning your trip to New York? Check out my Ultimate New York City Travel Guide ebook which includes hundreds of helpful tips and recommendations! You can also join my FREE NYC Facebook Group for more advice and inspiration!

NEW YORK TRAVEL ESSENTIALS
Flights: Skyscanner / Kiwi.com / Expedia / Trip.com
Accommodation: Booking.com / Hostelworld / Agoda
Transport: Flixbus / Rentalcars.com / Big Bus Tours
Activities/tours: Get Your Guide / Viator / Klook / Go City
Travel insurance: SafetyWing
Hotel reviews: TripAdvisor
My backpacking essentials: Amazon
Luggage storage: Radical Storage
New York Passes: Go City Pass / New York CityPASS
USA eSIM: Airalo

One day in NYC itinerary summary

Breakfast at Tompkin’s Square Bagels
Statue of Liberty
One World Trade Center and 9/11 Memorial
Washington Square Park
Flatiron Building
Empire State Building
Bryant Park/New York Public Library
Lunch at Joe’s Pizza
5th Avenue – Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Tiffany & Co
Central Park
Grand Central Terminal
Sunset at Summit One Vanderbilt
Dinner at Ellen’s Stardust Diner
Time Out Market New York
Brooklyn Bridge

Who is this 1 day in New York City itinerary for?

How to spend one day in New York City itinerary

This guide to spending 1 day in NYC is tailored for first-time visitors to New York. I’ve tried to include all the best New York highlights so that you can experience the classic attractions such as the Top of the Rock, the Empire State Building and Central Park, as well as see some of the lesser-known hidden gems of the city.

I do want to caveat this NYC 1-day itinerary by saying that it will be a very busy, full-on day with lots of walking (around 3-5 hours!). You’ll be out exploring for the entire day and you’ll likely be exhausted by the end of your one day in New York, but if it’s your first time in the magical city, I promise it will be so worth it!

You also don’t have to tick off every single place/sight/attraction in this post as I understand that it’s very full-on! I just wanted to include as many things as possible in a one day itinerary to show you that it is possible with a very busy itinerary!

If lots of walking isn’t up your street, you might want to consider purchasing the Big Bus Sightseeing Tour one-day pass which allows you to jump on and off the bus as many times as you want during one day. It stops at or near most of the sights and attractions in this one-day itinerary so it’s a good alternative to walking! This also saves you a lot of time so you have more time to spend at each sight/attraction.

My mum and I used the Sightseeing Bus on our first two visits to New York and it’s a great way to get around the city to ensure you see and do as much as possible in just 1 day.

Find more of my New York itineraries here!

One day in New York itinerary map

Top 10 things to do in New York City

Morning – one day in NYC itinerary

Breakfast at Tompkin’s Square Bagels

Begin your 1-day NYC itinerary with breakfast at one of my favourite places in the city; Tompkin’s Square Bagels.

There are two branches located just around the corner from each other, but the Avenue A branch is the best one in my opinion.

The bagels are huge and you can choose from dozens of different types of bagels and fillings.

Statue of Liberty – one day in NYC

A half an hour’s walk downtown from Tompkin’s Square takes you to Pier 36 for the next stop on this NYC itinerary.

As you only have 1 day in New York, unfortunately, you won’t have time to take a proper tour of Liberty Island itself (unless you forgo many of the other attractions and sights on this list), but you will be able to take a 1-hour cruise around the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, or the free Staten Island ferry.

The cruise departs from Pier 36 in Lower Manhattan, cruises along the East River, past the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, underneath the Brooklyn Bridge and then returns to the same pier.

Book a 1-hour Statue of Liberty cruise here!

One World Trade Center and 9/11 Memorial

Another half an hour’s walk through Seaport, the Financial District and the New York Stock Exchange takes you to the tallest building in the Northern Hemisphere; the One World Trade Center.

One World Trade was built adjacent to where the iconic Twin Towers once stood and it’s aptly nicknamed the “Freedom Tower” thanks to its connotations with that fateful day in 2001.

Next to the imposing structure, you’ll find the 9/11 Memorial pools where you can pay respects to the people who lost their lives in the 2001 terrorist attacks.

The National September 11 Museum is also an incredible place to visit, but you might not have time to fit it in on this itinerary, so it’s definitely one to add to your New York itinerary for next time!

Book tickets to the 9/11 Museum here!

Read more: 30 Best NYC Museums

Walk towards Central Park

After paying your respects at the pools and admiring the giant Freedom Tower, it’s time to begin the long walk towards Central Park.

The walk takes you all the way through Lower Manhattan, Soho, Washington Square Park, 5th Avenue, Midtown and more!

It’ll take you between an hour and a half and two hours to get from the One World Trade Center into Central Park, but you’ll see so many of New York’s iconic skyscrapers and landmarks as you walk, so it’s very much worth getting the steps in!

Alternatively, you can take the subway from Fulton St to 5th Avenue/59th Street at the southeast corner of Central Park if you don’t feel like walking. There are many metros that will take you there, including the 4, 5, N, R and W trains. This will also save you a lot of time so you have more time to spend at each attraction.

Afternoon – one day in New York itinerary

Washington Square Park

Your first top on the walk towards Central Park is Washington Square Park, one of my favourite parks in New York City.

Washington Square Park is a great place to hang out at any time of year in New York and it’s brilliant for people-watching, resting your legs for a few minutes and watching the dogs play in the dog-friendly area.

Flatiron Building – one day in NYC itinerary

Continue past Union Square (a great place to visit if your 1 day in New York is at Christmas time) and check out the iconic Flatiron Building.

This 285-foot-tall triangular-shaped building is one of the more unique skyscrapers in Manhattan and it certainly stands out as you’re walking towards Midtown.

If you’re feeling a little peckish at this stage, pop into the nearby Eataly branch to grab a bite to eat before continuing with your one-day NYC itinerary.

Empire State Building

The Empire State Building is one of the most famous buildings in the world and it’s an iconic landmark in New York, even lending its name to one of the city’s most affectionate nicknames, “The Empire State”.

Many people would suggest heading to the 86th and 102nd floors to enjoy the Empire State Building Observation Deck, but this one day in NYC itinerary doesn’t include a visit to the ESB’s observatories as I personally think it’s better enjoyed from other observation decks, rather than looking out from it…

Bryant Park/New York Public Library

Just a few blocks north of the Empire State Building, you’ll hit Bryant Park and the New York Public Library, another area of the city that’s arguably even more magical at Christmas in New York.

If your one day in New York isn’t at Christmas, you can still enjoy Bryant Park and the world-famous library. Even though it’s not the biggest garden space in the city, Bryant Park is still a great place to visit at any time of the year as it’s located in such a great location to many of Midtown Manhattan’s other top sights and attractions.

Joe’s Pizza – one day in NYC itinerary

You’re probably feeling quite hungry after all that walking, so it’s time to visit one of New York’s most iconic pizza institutions; Joe’s Pizza!

There are many Joe’s Pizza branches located around the city, but you’ll visit the one on Broadway as it’s just one block from Bryant Park.

A slice of Joe’s Pizza costs around $4.50 and it’s a pretty sizeable slice and undoubtedly one of the best pizza slices in Manhattan, so it’s well worth the money!

Walk up 5th Avenue (Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick’s Cathedral)

Once you’ve stuffed yourself with delicious pizza, head back onto 5th Avenue to continue the walk up to Central Park.

Stop at one of my favourite places in the world, the Rockefeller Center; another excellent place to visit if you’re spending one day in New York at Christmas.

The Top of the Rock observation deck is something that I would always recommend as one of the best things to do in New York City. I haven’t included it in this one-day NYC itinerary because I wanted to share the Summit observation deck instead, but you could easily swap out Summit for the TOTR and it would still be a truly remarkable experience…

On the opposite side of Fifth Avenue, you’ll see the spectacular St Patrick’s Cathedral which looks like something straight out of a fairytale.

If you’re spending a day in NYC at Christmas, you might also want to check out the Radio City Music Hall while you’re near the Rockefeller Center.

Central Park (Bethesda Terrace, Bow Bridge, The Lake)

Another 8 blocks north takes you to the southeast corner of Central Park, which is home to another one of my favourite buildings in the world, The Plaza Hotel.

From here, there are several routes you can take into the world-famous park. If you’re in New York at Christmas, check out the iconic Wollman Rink and even don a pair of ice skates if you want to squeeze an extra Christmas activity into your itinerary or continue down The Mall and Literary Walk towards Bethesda Terrace, The Lake and Bow Bridge.

You could easily spend an entire day in Central Park alone, but as you’re just visiting NYC for 1 day, you’ll only have time to see a handful of the top Central Park sights.

Grand Central Terminal – best things to do in one day in NYC

In the late afternoon, head back towards Midtown Manhattan to see the world-renowned Grand Central Terminal.

You can walk from Bethesda Terrace in Central Park which will take around half an hour or you can walk to the subway station at 68 St – Hunter College and take the number 6 train to Grand Central – 42nd St.

Once inside the world-class train station, admire its beautiful architecture and main concourse and don’t forget to head to the “Whispering Gallery” near the Oyster Bar to check out the domed ceiling where you can whisper into respective corners and hear it right across the hall!

Evening – one day in NYC itinerary

Sunset at Summit

By now, it should be late afternoon/early evening which means sunset is just around the corner, so it’s time to head to one of New York’s newest, and arguably best, attractions and observation decks; Summit One Vanderbilt.

The observation deck at Summit OV only opened in late 2021, so it’s one of the city’s newest additions to its already-incredible skyscraper scene and this might just be the best observation deck in the city!

As well as offering unparalleled views of Manhattan and beyond, Summit is also an immersive and interactive attraction that boasts a weird and wonderful room that’s covered in floor-to-ceiling mirrors, with a huge window looking out to the city. It takes a few minutes to adjust your eyes to the scene, but it makes for a truly incredible experience, especially at sunset.

Tickets to Summit’s observation deck at sunset start from $55 per person, so it’s not the cheapest place to see the city from, but it’s 100% worth it for those magical golden hour views!

Book tickets to Summit One Vanderbilt here!

Times Square – one day in NYC itinerary

After spending an hour or two at Summit and watching nightfall on the “City That Never Sleeps”, head back down to earth to visit one of the most famous attractions in New York City.

Times Square is a place that people either love or hate; it’s super touristy and ridiculously busy and there are always people trying to sell you stuff or get you to take a picture with someone dressed up as a famous character, but it’s a place that I firmly believe everyone needs to see at least once during their trip to New York.

Times Square at night is like no other place on earth; it’s busy and chaotic but it’s also full of an electric, tangible energy that just can’t be described until you experience it for yourself.

Dinner at Ellen’s Stardust Diner

If it’s your first time in New York City, you’ll probably be very overwhelmed by the immense offering of places to eat. I’m pretty sure there are more restaurants in New York than you could actually feasibly visit during your lifetime, so it’s no wonder that it can be a little overwhelming when it comes to choosing where to eat if you’re only in NYC for a day.

There are more than 50 restaurants that I could recommend to you alone, but I’ve chosen Ellen’s Stardust Diner as your place for dinner during your one day in New York as it’s an iconic institution in the city and not only is the food incredibly delicious, but it’s also such a fun and unique place to eat in NYC!

Home to the famous singing and dancing wait staff, Ellen’s Stardust Diner employs people who dream of performing in a Broadway show, so they’re incredibly gifted when it comes to performing and entertaining. The food is also truly yummy and it’s just such a great dining experience in New York!

Subway to Brooklyn – one day in New York

If you’ve still got some energy left in you and you’re ready to see more of the city at night, head to the 50 St subway station and take the C, E/A, D or F train to the High Street – Brooklyn Bridge station in Brooklyn.

The train takes around half an hour, so it gives you the chance to rest your feet for a little while after an incredibly busy day so far!

Time Out Market New York

Less than a 10-minute walk from the subway station is one of my favourite rooftop bars in New York; Time Out Market.

Despite only being 5 stories high, the rooftop at Time Out Market New York offers spectacular views of the Manhattan Bridge, the Brooklyn Bridge, the East River and the Manhattan skyline.

It’s a great place to grab a cocktail and enjoy the beautiful view back across Manhattan before heading to the final stop of your one day in New York!

Walk over the Brooklyn Bridge back to Manhattan

To conclude your epic NYC itinerary, walk over one of the most famous bridges in the world; the Brooklyn Bridge!

It will take you between 20 minutes and one hour to walk across the bridge, depending on how many times you stop to take pictures of the incredible 360° views of the Manhattan skyline, the Brooklyn skyline, the Manhattan Bridge, the Statue of Liberty and more.

Conclusion – best things to do in one day in NYC

There you have it; the ultimate one-day New York itinerary for first-time visitors! As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, it’s going to be a whirlwind, hectic day, but it will be so worth it to see and do as much as possible during your one day in NYC!

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Have you ever spent one day in New York? Do you have any other ideas to add to this NYC itinerary? Let me know in the comments or on Instagram at @imjustagirl_16.