New York itinerary
7 days, hour by hour · USAOctober–May
- Days
- 7
- Stops
- 33
- Per day
- ≈ $149
- First stop
- 08:30
Short answer
The TripWalkers New York itinerary runs 7 days and lays out 33 stops, hour by hour, for October–May. The first three days:
- Day 1 Midtown: Empire State, Bryant Park, Times Square
- Day 2 Lower Manhattan: Liberty and 9/11
- Day 3 Central Park and the Met
Staying less? Start with the first days — TripWalkers uses the opening days of this plan for shorter trips too. Food, entry fees and local transport come to about $149 a day (excluding accommodation and flights).
Day 1 · 09:00–20:30
Midtown: Empire State, Bryant Park, Times Square
Landmark
Top of the Rock
Rockefeller Center's observation deck and the best view of the Empire State Building. Timed tickets (~47 USD); clearest in the morning.
≈ $47 per personCulture
St. Patrick's Cathedral
Neo-Gothic cathedral on Fifth Avenue. Free entry.
FreeFood
Ess-a-Bagel
A proper New York bagel: everything bagel with scallion cream cheese. The queue moves fast.
≈ $8 per personLandmark
New York Public Library & Bryant Park
The Rose Main Reading Room is free. Take a lunch break in the park.
Free- 6 h 15 min · travel, break, free time
Landmark
Times Square
Best when the lights come on in the evening. Get discounted same-day Broadway tickets at TKTS.
Free
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Empire State BuildingThe 86th floor. The classic alternative to Top of the Rock.
- Los Tacos No. 1 Times SquareAdobada tacos (marinated pork). The best quick bite in Times Square.
Day 2 · 08:30–17:30
Lower Manhattan: Liberty and 9/11
Landmark
Statue of Liberty Ferry Battery Park
The first Statue City Cruises ferry leaves at 08:30 (~26 USD, pedestal included). Ellis Island has an immigration museum. Book crown tickets months ahead.
≈ $26 per person- 30 min · travel, break, free time
Landmark
9/11 Memorial
The twin tower pools. Free entry; the museum costs ~33 USD.
FreeLandmark
Oculus & Westfield World Trade Center
Calatrava's white station. Great for photos.
FreeFood
Joe's Pizza Broadway
New York slice pizza. Fold it and eat it standing up.
≈ $4 per person- 2 h 15 min · travel, break, free time
Landmark
Brooklyn Bridge
The walk from Manhattan to Brooklyn takes 30 minutes. Continue to DUMBO for sunset.
Free
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Staten Island FerryA free ferry. See the Statue of Liberty from the water without climbing the pedestal.
- Eataly DowntownAn Italian food market at the World Trade Center.
Day 3 · 09:00–17:00
Central Park and the Met
Nature
Central Park
In winter, look for the Wollman ice rink and a snowy Bow Bridge.
FreeCulture
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Egyptian temple, Vermeer and the American Wing. 30 USD for visitors from outside New York; allow at least 2 hours.
≈ $30 per personFood
Levain Bakery Upper West Side
Giant cookies, right by Central Park.
≈ $6 per personCulture
American Museum of Natural History
Dinosaurs and the blue whale. ~28 USD for visitors from outside New York.
≈ $28 per person
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Shake Shack Upper West SideBurgers, as an alternative to the cookies.
- Guggenheim MuseumFrank Lloyd Wright's spiral. An alternative to the AMNH.
Day 4 · 09:30–17:30
Brooklyn: DUMBO and Williamsburg
Landmark
DUMBO Washington Street
The classic Manhattan Bridge frame. No crowds in the morning.
FreeNature
Brooklyn Bridge Park
A riverside park with Jane's Carousel and the Manhattan skyline.
FreeFood
Juliana's Pizza
Coal-oven pizza in DUMBO from the original Grimaldi's pizzaiolo. Opens at 11:30.
≈ $30 per person- 1 h 15 min · travel, break, free time
Shopping
Williamsburg Bedford Avenue
Vintage shops, record stores and cafés. Take the L train.
FreeNature
Domino Park
A riverside park on the former sugar factory site, with Manhattan views at sunset.
Free
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Peter Luger Steak HouseA steakhouse since 1887. Cash only; book ahead.
- Brooklyn Heights PromenadeA walkway with views, lined with brownstones.
Day 5 · 09:00–16:30
High Line, Chelsea and Greenwich Village
Nature
The High Line
A park on a former railway line. Walk from Gansevoort to 34th Street; quiet in the morning.
FreeFood
Chelsea Market
A food market in the old Nabisco factory. Try Los Tacos No. 1 and a lobster roll.
≈ $15 per personCulture
Whitney Museum of American Art
American art, plus terraces with views of the High Line.
≈ $30 per person- 30 min · travel, break, free time
Landmark
Washington Square Park
The arch and street musicians, with NYU all around.
FreeLandmark
Greenwich Village Walk
Bleecker Street, the Friends building and a cupcake from Magnolia Bakery.
Free
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Joe's Pizza Carmine StreetThe original Joe's, in the Village.
- Little IslandAn artificial island park over the river. An alternative to the Whitney.
Day 6 · 10:00–17:30
MoMA and Fifth Avenue
Culture
Museum of Modern Art
Van Gogh's Starry Night and Monet. Discounted after 16:00 on Fridays.
≈ $30 per personFood
The Halal Guys 53rd Street
Chicken over rice from a street cart, with white sauce.
≈ $12 per personShopping
Fifth Avenue Stores
Saks, Tiffany and the Apple Cube. Christmas windows in winter.
FreeLandmark
Grand Central Terminal
The zodiac ceiling and the whispering gallery. Stop at the Oyster Bar.
Free
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Katz's DelicatessenPastrami sandwich, on the Lower East Side.
- Rockefeller Center Ice RinkIce skating and the Christmas tree in winter.
Day 7 · 09:00–14:30
Lower East Side: an easy farewell
Food
Russ & Daughters
Lox and bagels since 1914. A farewell breakfast.
≈ $18 per personCulture
Tenement Museum
A guided tour of an immigrant tenement building. Book ahead.
≈ $30 per personLandmark
Little Italy Mulberry Street
Cannoli from Ferrara and the Italian neighbourhood.
FreeShopping
Chinatown Canal Street
Souvenirs and dim sum at Nom Wah Tea Parlor.
Free- 30 min · travel, break, free time
Landmark
Penn Station / AirTrain
AirTrain plus LIRR to JFK takes 45 minutes. Farewell.
Free
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Clinton St. Baking CompanyPancake breakfast, as an alternative to Russ & Daughters.
- New MuseumContemporary art on the Bowery.
Getting around: get an OMNY (contactless)
Contactless payment on subway and buses costs 3 USD per ride, and rides are free after 12 in a week
Good to know: 6 things that make a New York trip easier
- Subway: 3 USD contactless with OMNY, and free after 12 rides in a week. To JFK, take the AirTrain plus LIRR or the E train; a taxi is a flat 70 USD.
- Museums: the Met costs 30 USD for visitors from outside New York, the AMNH 28 USD and MoMA 30 USD. Many offer "pay what you wish" on certain days.
- Winter is 0-5°C with a chance of snow, so the plan leans towards museums. Christmas windows and ice rinks run in December; January brings sales.
- Tip 18-22% in restaurants and 1-2 USD per drink at bars. Prices do not include tax (8.9%).
- Bagels, slice pizza, pastrami and halal carts cost 5-15 USD; a sit-down meal is 30+ USD.
- Book the first Statue of Liberty ferry and crown tickets months ahead; Top of the Rock is timed entry.
Spending: ≈ $1,050 per person for 7 days
- Food$520
- Entry and tours$330
- Local transport$70
- Other$120
Excludes accommodation and flights. 2026 price estimate, per person.
On world lists: 5 places in this city
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Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need in New York?
This itinerary is built for 7 days. With 3 days, do the first 3 — TripWalkers uses the opening days of the plan for shorter trips too.
How much does a day in New York cost?
In this plan, food, entry fees and local transport come to about $149 per person per day. Accommodation and flights are not included. Figures are 2026 estimates.
What time should you start the day in New York?
The first stop is at 08:30. Most days start early so you arrive before the crowds, and evenings end with dinner.
Which season is this itinerary for?
This page covers October–May. There is a separate plan for June–September: opening hours, the sea and the weather change the route.