Day 1

 

Afternoon

Arrive in New York and checked into our hotel, the Affinia Shelburne, located in central Manhattan not far from Grand Central Station.

​

We went for a bite to eat at a cafeteria near Grand Central Station. The cafeteria style restaurant is typical of Manhattan with a huge "buffet" of delicious salads and prepared foods for people on the go.  

 

After lunch went for a long walk toward Central Park. Along the way we stopped in interesting shops, including the NBC store, the famous toy shop, FAO Schwartz and stopped for a photo outside of Rockefeller Centre. 

​

Once we reached Central Park we walked to the antique merry-go-round where my son and mother went for a ride. The sun was shining and we had a glorious time meandering through the walking trails in the park.

​

Evening

We met our cousins for dinner at the 5 Napkin Burger restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, which is close to the Theatre District. The gourmet burgers were juicy and delicious. Although it's a burger joint, I highly recommend reservations, particularly if you are going to the theatre afterwards.

​

We chose to see Newsies on Broadway which was a fabulous, high energy show with amazing choreography. We all enjoyed it very much.

​

Day 2

 

Morning 

We took the subway south to Chelsea and headed toward Chelsea Market which is located at West 13th Avenue in the old Meatpacking District. The Market is an old renovated food hall with restaurants and high end food vendors. We spent an hour feasting our eyes on the delicious food and admiring the interesting architecture.

 

From there we went for a walk along the High Line. This is a 1.5 mile (2.4 km) linear park built on an elevated old rail line. It is lush with plants, flowers and shrubs. It is very unique. There are shady spots to sit and watch the world go by. It is surrounded by interesting architecture and even some exhibits. Highly recommended.

​

Afternoon

We booked a food tour with Foods of New York Tours for this afternoon. Food tours are one of my favourite ways to get to know a city. The tour covered the Central Village (Greenwich Village) and SOHO. This 2.5 hour tour was entertaining, educational and delicious. Our guide was a local New Yorker who knew the history of this area and the best places to taste some unique food including the best Italian food, Indian street food, dessert and more. Highly recommended.

​

After the tour we felt we had to walk off some of the food so we continued walking and shopping in the SOHO neighbourhood. Although it used to be considered an "alternative" area with many artists, it has turned into a busy shopping area and is very crowded. 

​

Evening

After resting in our hotel for a little while we headed to an iconic New York restaurant in the Meatpacking District, called Buddakan. This is a large, glamorous restaurant serving modern Asian cuisine. It is filled with young people out for a fun night. We enjoyed the delicious meal, lively atmosphere and excellent service.

​

On our way back my son insisted that we go to the Top of the Rock - the top floor of Rockefeller Centre which is an observation deck to enjoy the night-time views of Manhattan. This was an excellent idea! The views were breathtaking with the lights of Times Square, and directly across from us was the Empire State Building lit up in all its glory. 

​

Day 3

​

Morning

This morning we had breakfast at a  diner near Grand Central Station and then headed to Grand Central Station for a tour of this historical and elegant building. We learnt about its history and the recent renovations and restoration it has undergone. We had lunch in its upscale food court.

​

Afternoon

We went for a walk around Times Square to pick up souvenirs and headed back to the hotel for a rest.

​

Evening

We decided to go the Metropolitan Museum of Art. There was an excellent exhibit of impressionist art and fashion. This was a very interesting exhibit which included important works of impressionist art and beside each group of paintings they displayed the fashion from that time period. Some of the dresses and suits were the originals worn by the people in the paintings. It was a very unique exhibit. The Met is one of the largest art museums in the United States. Highly recommended.

​

We ate dinner in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, not far from the museum, at Fig and Olive which serves fresh Mediterranean cuisine. Reservation recommended. 

​

Day 4

 

Morning 

Checked out of the hotel and headed home.

​

For more ideas of things to do in New York see my New York itinerary in 5 days.

​