over the next 4 days I'm going to show you every important thing you need to see and do while visiting New York City but the best part is as long as you watch this video all the way to the end you won't have a single moment of stress because I've planned out everything just for you I've spent over a decade living here and there are three important things firsttime tourists need to know bring comfortable sneakers or walking shoes you will need them nothing will ruin your trip faster than sore feet you don't have to buy a metro card anymore all sub and buses take Omni contactless payment simply have a tap to pay enabled on your phone or a credit card with a chip tap it on any bus or Subway entrance and you're set and unlike London or Tokyo you pay one flat fee no tapping out required to exit check the weather forecast daily including the hourly because the weather here can change fast with the wind rain and humidity don't forget your umbrella and there's one thing you need to know on day four of your trip that could ruin the whole thing if you're not careful talk more about that later day one we'll be concentrating on Midtown Manhattan if you're ambitious you could walk this entire route for breakfast a few options at different price ranges Tick Tock Diner right across the street from Penn Station this place is that wild American Diner you've seen in the movies open 24 hours you could probably split one of their insane pancake or french toast plates between two people breakfast starts at $9. 95 for two eggs any style and range up to $20 this place is a staple in Midtown and of your favorite if you're on a tighter budget and just want something grab and go best bagel and coffee is a nice option two eggs on a bagel starts at 5. 95 and a bagel with cream cheese starts under five bucks I recommend and everything bagel with scallion cream cheese for a true New York experience feeling a little more adventurous margon is a Cuban restaurant that's a bit of a Hidden Gem just a block from Time Square they've got a very potent Cuban coffee and huge Breakfast Platter starting at around $10 this place is a vibe from breakfast walk to Time Square and take it all in I recommend father Duffy Square as a starting point to snap some photos near the big red steps this is probably the most famous destination in the United States this could also be the moment if you want to go to a Broadway show during your trip to line up for the tkts booth for discounted Show tickets don't linger too long as this is also where almost every tourist scam in New York occurs we have an entire video dedicated to this but if anyone tries handing you a CD a bracelet or Spider-Man ask to take a photo with him keep on walking and don't make eye contact trust me this is your first opportunity but not your last on this itinerary for souvenir shopping Grand Slam actually has affordable t-shirts keychains and other trinkets which could be perfect to buy if you're looking for the I Love New York theme they're the spot to load up you are less than a 10-minute walk to Bryant Park and from late October to early March it's home to the winter village which is the best seasonal Holiday Market in the city but it's also one of my favorite Parks perfect for relaxing at a table people watching and soaking in New York and a little bonus it has the Big Apple's cleanest public restroom you could practically eat off the floor in there a bonus next to Brian Park is the New York Public Library this could be one of the best free things to do in the city my wife I love wandering this Library between the reading rooms and the hallways it's like being inside a free museum and speaking of free museums their palansky exhibition on the ground floor is practically like walking into one the original Winnie the Pooh the Declaration of Independence all on display inside at this point it's time you experience one of the city's best tourist attractions and observation deck now if you're absolutely on a shoestring budget across the street from the library is a stavos Naros Library and they have one of my favorite free secret spots in the city on the seventh floor a rooftop Terrace that's open to the public and can scratch that skyscraper itch but I say you take it one step further my top pick Summit one Vanderbilt I visited all five of the paid observation deck to New York and this one is my favorite I even went before it opened to the public and talked to the artist senzo digital who designed it and the rooms with reflecting glass depend on the sunlight or lack of it to change the experience so you could go more than once and have a completely different time I love how surreal it is and the views from the outside aren't bad at all for $20 extra you can ride a scent to the top although I don't even think it's necessary my second favorite observation deck is Top of the Rock if the weather is nice there's no beating it at only 70 floors up it is the shortest of the observation decks so you'll feel more immersed in Midtown Manhattan tickets start at just $40 so it's also one of the least expens of options and they added a new attraction called beam which let you feel what it was like to be one of the Builders of the skyscraper definitely not for those with a fear of heights after your observation deck Adventure stroll over to Grand Central Terminal New York's most beautiful Transit Hub this is a must visit and if you want to learn even more about it join the official Grand Central Tour by walks tours where you'll find out about the history and stories that make this one of New York's most iconic locations use this QR code to book it right now as they tend to fill up fast you've probably worked up an appetite for lunch here's a few options you could walk downstairs and check out Grand Central's food court which has quite a large selection my favorite Taco chain in New York Los Tacos number one has one of their six locations right across the street from Grand Central their ababat pork tacos are my top pick and even my Mexican wife Adriana is obsessed with them at $5 each they're not cheap but worth it the best street food in New York are at Halal trucks and Royal Halal is a bit of a sleeper their Bengali Style Chicken Tia over rice for $9 is a steal and one of my favorite grab and go lunches in Midtown this would cost double inside a nicer restaurant after lunch walk or Subway up to Central Park start at 59th Street and Columbus Circle listen you can spend an entire day roaming Central Park I've done it it runs over 50 blocks you don't need to as a firsttimer just soak it in a little I'd advise walking to sheep's Meadow to see the lawn and skylight views behind it and also explore the area around Bethesda Terrace and walk in the arcade to see the archways and the only ceiling in the world that has mint tiles The Fountain and pond are always a peaceful site as well we have an entire video dedicated to exploring Central Park if you need even more ideas if you're not exhausted after all of this a 15minute walk away you could add on the med one of the world's premier art museums ad Mission $30 and if you want to know how to see it quickly we shot a video with my old art history professor and he's gone weekly for decades but you could spend an entire day inside if you wanted it's one of the cultural gems of the city here are some dinner options in the Midtown area Sarge's Deli this is my alltime favorite Jewish deli and it's not named cats's sares has a way more local Vibe and their Pastrami and corn beef sandwiches are massive but they actually have tons of different Diner options so soak in this local ie Con in Murray Hill that isn't swarm with tourists easy paa anas this is a quirky dinner choice in Hell's Kitchen this Fusion of Venezuelan and Spanish food has the city's only paa burrito but their Tapas and sangria are fantastic it would make for a cozy little date night too John's of Time Square this is not the only pizza spot I'm mentioning in the video but it's the only one that's inside of an old church and their location just a few blocks from Time Square is perfect if you have show plants after afterwards and the Pizza Delicious here are some nighttime options attend a Broadway or Off Broadway show you won't be too far from most of the Broadway theaters if you decided to buy discounted tickets earlier at the tkts booth or in advance before you arrived in the city you could always save this for another night as well you could head for a rooftop bar my pick beast and butterflies of all the rooftop bars I've covered in the last five or so years this one has gotten the most attention from the viewers loow loc at inside the M social Hotel past the lobby they have a stunning view of Time Square and really tasty drinks and food to boot unique would be an understatement and this may be the only rooftop bar I can think of where children are welcome New York has plenty of jazz clubs but Birdland really stole my heart I've been back after filming there for my anniversary and recommend it to many of my friends and family visiting as well you can even do dinner and drinks here if you'd like as waiter service is included the performers are topnotch today we'll be focusing on Lower Manhattan or downtown as it's known by locals let's get moving with some cool breakfast choices our budget option is Leo's Bagels this could be the most popular Bagel Spot in lower Manhattan I've seen long lines here I recommend ordering in advance on their website to skip said line a cream cheese bagel will run you $4.
75 they're fresh handrolled and you won't be disappointed Pearl Diner this reminds me of the diners I grew up with across the Hudson in New Jersey a little hole in the wall that's been around for more than 50 years 10 to 20 bucks will go very far here you'll enjoy the nostalgic Vibes we'll start at the saddest Memorial in the city dedicated to the day when the city changed forever September 11th 2001 The Fountains lie where the two buildings used to stand it's a spot for reflection so please no smiling selfies as an extra add-on you can go to the National September 11 Museum and I had never gone until this past year I've got to tell you it brought back memories from decades ago admission $33 and I will warn you some of it is graphic and realistic they have tissue stationed in many of the rooms so make sure you're prepared but if you can handle it it's an important stop to really understand what this city has gone through the Oculus is one of the cleanest Transit hubs in New York and it looks like you're inside a spaceship it's also home to a mall which is very expensive but at a minimum I'd stop inside for a photo as it's so aesthetically pleasing fun fact Spanish architect Santiago krava intended it to resemble a dove leaving a child's hands do you see it a few photo spots for you that are nearby charging Bowl there's always a line for this but they say rubbing the Bull's assets brings Financial luck but don't expect it to lower your hotel bill Fearless girl I'm a fan of this statue which was installed in 2017 Fearless girl was meant to a message about workplace gender diversity you can also snap a quick photo of the New York Stock Exchange which is the world's largest Stock Exchange although they do not offer tours to the public not a lot of Americans even know about Federal Hall which is where the United States began on April 30th 1789 George Washington was sworn in as the first president of the United States here and it's a free museum now run by the National Park Service certainly worth a visit for my history Buffs out there now let's walk down to Battery Park if you have kids or just a kid at heart ride the Seaglass Carousel which is one of Manhattan's best little hidden gems just $6 for a spin in this mock aquarium I've never seen anything like it walk over to the Staten Island Ferry which is free I want to reiterate do not buy a ticket from anyone here The Boat Leaves about every half an hour bored and sit on the right side as you walk on because you'll be passing one of the best views in New York the Statue of Liberty absolutely for free this is both a local and tourist favorite the whole round trip will be about an hour once you arrive to stat Ione just turn right around and reboard to head back to Manhattan now I did not include a trip to the Statue of Liberty and Liberty Island here you could totally do this in Ellis Island but you'd eat up more than half a day if you want to know how to do it check out our video on the whole process right here when you arrive back in Manhattan go for a walk on Stone Street the cobblestones are recreated for how New York looked back in the 1600s this was home to the city's first breweries and you can still stop for a beer at one of the many restaurants it feels like Harry Potter World who's up for another Hidden Gem this one is my favorite the elevated acre located just up the stairs at 55 Water Street and it provides incredible views of the East River and Brooklyn Bridge I've never taken anyone here who wasn't completely shocked that a little Urban Oasis could exist in the middle of the tall building of lower Manhattan get ready to impress your friends or family all right it's time to regroup we'll walk Uber or Subway to Chinatown starting at Deer Street this is the most instagrammable Street in Manhattan and it's also home to bloody angle the sharp Bend in the middle of the road this was once a favorite site for assassinations by rival Chinese gangs and today it's home to some of New York's best Chinese food who's up for some lunch your first choice tasty hand pulled noodles this could be chinatown's best outdoor seating option with an amazing view and it's hard to go wrong with any of their dumpling choices which are affordable at around seven bucks for a plate if you've never had rice noodles before Tony's is an excellent place to begin also fast and affordable I was introduced to this by my Chinese American friends Ben and Ming and I've been hooked ever since Deluxe Greenbow this is a locals pick for the best soup dumplings in Manhattan the seating is communal style and it's everything you'd want in a Chinatown experience fast service and delicious food order the steamed pork and crab mixed tiny bun starting at 9. 95 this place is cash for venmo only if you have room for dessert after any of those spots across the street is the original Chinatown Ice Cream Factory an absolute Staple in the neighborhood and they have exotic flavors like leachy so come open-minded to try something new if you want to dedicate more time to Chinatown we have an entire compilation video with hours of options you could eat away and entire day here if you wanted time to walk off that food coma or Subway taxi if you're tired to Soho starting at the Pearl River Mart this legendary store has one-of a-kind items imported from Asia fashion snacks all at a great price this is more fun to me than going on a shopping spree to some bougie high-end shops on the same street which if that's your jam feel free because you'll be right there let's take a photo opportunity on green and Grand Street if Soho was characterized by a single Street I'd say this is it so snap a picture to commemorate your quick journey through it I'm going to offer one more detour here if you skip dessert in Chinatown or just want a unique gift to bring home Dominique Andel Bakery is incredibly famous and if you want coffee or some sweets pop in and enjoy their unique creations like the Cookie Shop no alcohol just a sugar rush or buy some of their sweets to take back home with you wherever you live if you have any energy left walk North through Greenwich Village and hit up Washington Square Park which has always been a cultural Mecca you'll likely run into some live music and for people watching it's unmatched and a fun Easter egg you can see the Empire State Building through the Washington Square Arch if you look directly through it from the fountain take a break you've earned it because for dinner I've got a wide range of choices tonight starting with Burger Joint the late Anthony Bourdain was a big fan of this spot located inside the Thompson Central Park Hotel it's a bit of a Speak Easy Vibe if you find it I love their burgers though they won't come cheap at$ 1225 for a single Patty but trust me they're worth it and the interior feels more East Village than Midtown if you want to explore Korea Town Kobe Q inside food Gallery 32 is my wife Adrian and my favorite fast Korean barbecue spot in the area their barbecue rice full with pork is our go-to but there's a lot of variety and you can eat at one of the many other vendors as well inside the mall jongro is a sit down Korean barbecue spot on a street with lots of them the prices are competitive and it's a nice group activity as all the meat is cooked for you by the staff I recommend reservation in advance if you want something a little more upscale lynon's in SoHo is so simple yet the food is completely on point they've managed to maintain a healthy menu with fresh food my wife and I have had amazing experiences here there wasn't a single item we didn't love here are some nightlife pairings to go with your dinner choices if if you have dinner in Midtown hit up Rudy's bar and grill in Hell's Kitchen this is my all-time favorite dive bar open since 1933 the beer is cheap their blond ale is three bucks and every drink comes with a free hot dog yes a free hot dog I love it these prices are straight out of 2,000 plus it's the perfect blend of local characters and tourists if you want to explore the village the village underground is a legendary Comedy Club I saw Pete Davidson here before he blew up and you never know who's going to walk through those doors if you do stay in the area check out McDougall between Bleecker and West Third now this is a younger crowd but there's so many bars on the street as well as late night eats so you really can't go wrong if you want to party well into the night last call in New York 4:00 a. m.
