– This post was written by Megan Witkin –
If you’ve only got 24 hours to spend in New York City, then you’ve got to make every ‘New York minute’ count!
This handy itinerary is built from the bottom up – start in Lower Manhattan in the morning and climb your way to the Upper East Side by the end of the day. We’ll tell you how to get around New York, so you can see the best bits of NYC in one day and maximize your time in the Big Apple.
It’s the city that never sleeps, and if you’ve only got one day in New York City, neither will you!
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AM: Lower Manhattan
1. Cruise by the Statue of Liberty
With only 24 hours in New York City, you may not have time to spend visiting each and every landmark as thoroughly as you’d want to. However, that doesn’t mean that drive-by sightseeing is any less fun.
Not enough time to go to Ellis Island? No problem! Take a New York sightseeing cruise and tick some landmarks off of your list: the Manhattan skyline, Governors Island, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Statue of Liberty.
Although the cruise doesn’t make a stop on Ellis Island, it’s a great way to see the symbolic sights of NYC, and you’ll get to see everything twice with a roundtrip ticket.
🌟 Insider tip: If you are pressed for time, opt for the 1-hour cruise, but if you’ve got time to spare, there’s a 90-minute cruise option, too.
On a budget or need to get started earlier than 10:00? The Staten Island Ferry is free to ride, it doesn’t require a ticket and it operates 24 hours a day, so you can squeeze in a snapshot of the Statue of Liberty on even the tightest timeline.
📍 How to get there: The Staten Island Ferry departs from Whitehall Ferry Terminal by subway, train, or bus.
⏱️ Total time spent: 1 hour (roundtrip)
2. Grab a bagel and schmear near The Battery
A crisp early morning ferry ride or cruise on the Upper Bay should inspire you to continue your 24-hour New York City itinerary. Next stop: West Bank Gourmet Deli for a New York classic – a bagel with cream cheese. With opening hours starting at 06:00, you can get started early (or wrap up a late night).
With a warm breakfast and a cup of Joe in hand, pick a bench at Battery Park and enjoy a sunrise over the New York harbor. This historic waterfront has been preserved as a thriving green space for decades and contains a Korean War Memorial, an East Coast Memorial dedicated to casualties suffered in WWII and the Museum of Jewish Heritage.
Once you’ve finished every last morsel, trek to the Charging Bull for a quick selfie, a 2-minute walk from The Battery. If you can spare another 3-minute walk, you’ll run right into the New York Stock Exchange building in the heart of the Financial District.
📍 How to get there: From the Whitehall Ferry Terminal, take a left and walk 1 minute to The Battery.
⏱️ Total time spent: 30 minutes
3. Pay a visit to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum
Any American can easily tell you where they were and what they were doing on the morning of September 11, 2001. Many were on their way to work or school when two airplanes intentionally crashed into the World Trade Center towers. As the towers burned and crumbled, nearly 3,000 civilians were killed, and thousands more injured.
The 9/11 Memorial and Museum commemorates the heroic actions of police officers, firefighters, and volunteers on that fateful day. Inside, visitors will find salvaged pieces of the Twin Towers on display, as well as stories and mementos from survivors and victims of 9/11.
September 11, 2001, forever changed the social and political landscape of the US, but it is especially poignant for New Yorkers. The 9/11 Memorial and Museum stands as a daily reminder of the horrific events that occurred, as well as an emblem of faith and unity.
Have more time than you planned? Opt for a 3-hour guided tour of Ground Zero and the 9/11 Museum for an enriching experience about how one singular day changed the face of a nation.
📍 How to get there: Take the subway or the train and alight at World Trade Center.
⏱️ Total time spent: 2 hours
4. Rise above NYC at One World Observatory
Just a 4-minute walk from where the World Trade Center towers once stood is a skyscraper that takes heights to a new level.
The One World Observatory – also known as the Freedom Tower – now dominates the Manhattan skyline. It serves as a symbol of resilience for local New Yorkers and provides incredible views of the Big Apple at dizzying heights.
Take the Sky Pod up 102 floors in 47 seconds flat, and you’ll find casual cuisine and fine dining options to suit your budget – and your 24-hour New York City timeline. If you want to stay longer, there’s a bunch of interactive, multimedia displays that tell the story of the city.
📍 How to get there: From the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, it’s a 4-minute walk. Head east toward Greenwich St., then turn left on Vesey St.
⏱️ Total time spent: 1 hour
PM: Midtown Manhattan
5. Gaze up at the Empire State Building
They don’t call New York the ‘Empire State’ for nothing! The Empire State Building stood as the tallest building in the world for nearly 40 years, an unbelievable feat considering its construction in the late 1920s and its grand opening in 1931.
Its gilded Art Deco details, marble facade, and towering height make it the most photographed building in the world. For those with only a New York minute to spare, then a few snapshots from the outside will have to suffice, but if you are after the views from the top, you can access the 86th floor, as well as the 102nd floor.
🌟 Insider Tip: A one-day stay in New York City can be tight on time, so if you need to get your day early, the Empire State Building opens at 08:00. That said, there’s no better way to kick off 24 hours in NYC than with tickets for a sunrise experience at the Empire State Building. You’ll get the top all to yourself, which is a great thing to do if traveling alone in NYC.
📍 How to get there: Alight at the 33rd Street subway station and walk the length of one city block toward 5th Ave.
⏱️ Total time spent: 30 minutes
6. Get off the beaten path at Highline Park
Sure, we all know Central Park is a must-see during your one-day visit to New York, but if you want to get off the tourist track and find a little solace in the city, Highline Park may be just the ticket.
You’ll have to budget a few extra minutes to get there, but taking a step back (literally) from the New York City grid will get you views from a new perspective.
This former rail line sits 30 feet above the ground in the middle of the historic Meat-Packing District, making it a perfect spot to view the Midtown Manhattan sights with a picnic lunch, including the Hudson River.
📍 How to get there: It’s a 20-minute walk west from the Empire State Building, or take the subway and alight at 23rd Street.
⏱️ Total time spent: 30 minutes
7. Fly through Times Square
You and 330,000 of your new best friends will all find themselves in this bustling center on any given day on your way through Midtown Manhattan.
The sheer scale of Times Square is sure to impress at any time of day (or night). Flickering displays, colorful billboards, and cheeky advertisements create a kaleidoscopic effect as they cover every square inch of Times Square.
A one-day trip to New York City would be remiss to miss it, especially when there’s an entire calendar bursting with new and exciting events hosted at Times Square, including concerts, art exhibitions, and the world-famous New Year’s Eve Ball Drop.
📍 How to get there: Take the subway and alight at Times Sq – 42nd St.
⏱️ Total time spent: 20 minutes
8. Take in the views from the Top of the Rock
In a city as big as New York, there’s countless ways to get a new perspective; the top of each skyscraper offers a different view of each pocket of NYC.
The Rockefeller Center – or 30 Rockefeller Plaza if you want to get technical –was built by John D. Rockefeller in 1931 and is yet another example of New York’s signature Art Deco architecture.
This sprawling high-rise complex consists of 19 commercial buildings – including Radio City Music Hall – spread over a whopping 22 acres. See it all from the Top of the Rock, an observation deck for million-dollar views of Midtown Manhattan from the 70th floor.
Want to keep your feet on the ground? Take a quick lap around The Rink at Rockefeller Center and immerse yourself in a romantic scene from your favorite Christmastime movie or TV show.
📍 How to get there: From Times Square, head west on 48th street by foot, or take the subway and alight at 47-50 Sts – Rockefeller.
⏱️ Total time spent: 45 minutes to 1 hour
Late PM: Central Park
If you’ve managed to stick with our 24-hour NYC agenda to this point, you’ll likely reach Central Park in the evening when most of the landmarks and attractions within the park may be closed. No matter when you arrive, Central Park has plenty to offer.
More to do in and around Central Park
- Central Park Zoo
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art (the MET)
- The Guggenheim
- Museum of the City of New York
- The American Museum of Natural History
🌟 With this city pass, you can visit all of the attractions above!
9. Take a ride on the Central Park Carousel
If you can manage to get there before 18:00, then mounting one of these colorful horses at the Central Park Carousel is definitely worth the ride.
Even if you catch it after it closes, the historic Central Park Carousel still awakens childhood nostalgia in a whimsical woodland setting since its opening in 1871.
📍 How to get there: The Central Park Carousel 🎠 is located within Central Park. It operates from 10:00 to 18:00 every day.
⏱️ Total time spent: 10 minutes
10. Go for an evening stroll at The Mall
Take a breath of fresh air on a leisurely stroll through the center of Central Park along The Mall, a unique thing to do when in NYC.
Lined with American elm trees, The Mall is a perfect place to unwind, listen to music, or people-watch in the middle of the city.
On the southern side, you’ll find sculptures and statues of famous American authors on the Literary Walk. Walk further north where the Concert Ground hosts musical performances during the summer months.
🌟 Insider Tip: Central Park is a cool retreat from the scorching heat of summer – and a magical snowy wonderland in the depths of an East Coast winter.
📍 How to get there: The Mall is open from 06:00 to 01:00, and is located within Central Park.
⏱️ Total time spent: 20 minutes
11. See an illuminated NYC skyline from the Great Lawn
Closed during the winter and crawling with day trippers in the summer, the Great Lawn lies in the precise middle of Central Park.
Locals play pick-up games of baseball, lovers lay out in the sun for picnics, and visitors reach a clearing to snap photos of the New York City skyline at any time of day or night from the Great Lawn.
🌟 Insider Tip: Can’t access the Great Lawn in winter? Check out the Belvedere Castle instead, a mid-18th-century villa with romantic views of Central Park and Turtle Pond.
📍 How to get there: The Great Lawn is located in the center of Central Park and is open from 06:00 to 01:00. You can enter the nearby Belvedere Castle for free until 17:00.
⏱️ Total time spent: 20 minutes
Evening: The Bronx
12. Eat a ballpark frank outside of Yankee Stadium
Once you reach the Upper East Side, cross the Harlem River on the Macombs Dam Bridge to reach the mecca of Major League Baseball – Yankee Stadium.
While Yankees tickets may be hard to come by during your one-day visit to NYC, you can still gain access to the interior of this iconic sports destination within opening hours.
Part sports venue, part museum, visitors can take a home-turf tour of the 27-time World Champions. See authentic Yankees memorabilia from athletes like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, and Derek Jeter.
📍 How to get there: Take the subway to Harlem/148 St. and cross the Macombs Dam Bridge by foot, or alight at 161 St/Yankee Stadium to be dropped off at the entrance to the stadium.
⏱️ Total time spent: 30 minutes
Late Night (or Early Morning) in NYC
13. Attend a late-night recording of a TV show
It might take quite a bit of coordination to get official tickets to any number of TV show recordings prior to your one-day NYC visit, but there are plenty of ways to snag a ticket on a whim during your stay in New York City.
Late-night shows, like Saturday Night Live, have stand-by tickets available starting at 07:00 on Fridays. Stand in line long enough, and you could be lucky enough to see the 19:30 dress rehearsal, or the famous 11:30 showtime.
Did you know that many late-night shows are recorded during the day? Talk shows starring comedians Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and Stephen Colbert are all filmed in the early afternoon. Get in the queue between 07:00 and 09:00 and you could be selected to join the audience!
Looking for an even more spontaneous plan to get on national television? Become part of the upbeat weekday crowd during a daily recording of a morning news program – Today or Good Morning, America. Fans begin queueing in the early morning hours to prepare for 07:00 airtime.
📍 How to get there: Pick your favorite show and check the map for the filming location.
⏱️ Total time spent: 1 hour
14. Catch a local vibe at the Queens Night Market
Open until midnight every Saturday from April to November, the Queens Night Market is free to enter. You could spend hours browsing hundreds of vendors selling fresh produce, local meats and cheeses, as well as artisan crafts and art – all to the tune of live music 🎶.
Described as exceptionally kid-friendly, the Queens Night Market is an inexpensive, but highly rewarding, experience to add for a local feel and a completely unique thing to do in NYC.
📍 How to get there: The Queens Night Market is hosted every Saturday (closed in winter) at the New York Hall of Science complex. Parking is limited, so take the train to Mets-Willets Point, or hop on the subway and alight at 111th Street.
⏱️ Total time spent: 2 hours
15. Watch a ‘Midnight Moment’ at Times Square
There are very few places on Earth that emulate the energy and chaos of Times Square in New York City, and a one-day schedule in NYC would be incomplete without at least one pass-through of this pulsing intersection.
Lingerie ads, Broadway billboards, and newsreels typically line the skyscrapers by day, but for just a few moments in the middle of the night, Times Square turns into a larger-than-life canvas.
From precisely 11:57 until midnight, the big screens pause their programming to display works by contemporary artists and feature a new artist each month.
This transformation is known as the Midnight Moment, and is the largest, longest-running digital art program in the world.
📍 How to get there: With a pedestrian-only path, the best way to enter Times Square is via Broadway.
⏱️ Total time spent: 3 minutes
