48 Hours In New York City: Travel Itinerary

48 hours in New York City isn’t nearly enough time to see all that the city has to offer—or even a fraction of it. Still, it’s plenty of time to get a taste of the Big Apple.

This itinerary will take you to three of the city’s five boroughs and includes some of my favorite spots to bring friends when they visit. I’ve left most of the major tourist attractions like the Empire State Building and The Met off this list; if hitting those sights is important to you, I’m assuming you’ve already got a spot for them on your itinerary!

Day 1

9:00 AM: Fly into LaGuardia Airport

Out of the three major airports that serve NYC (LaGuardia, Newark and JFK), I think LaGuardia is the best one to hit the ground running on a quick trip.

From the airport, hop on the M60-SBS bus or grab an Uber for a short ride into Astoria for our first stop.

10:00 AM: Brunch at Queens Comfort

This is the very first place Johnny and I went when we came to scope out neighborhoods before moving to the city. We picked it because it was open and we were starving. We had no idea it was a Queens staple, but we quickly found out why.

There’s a hype man out front that tells jokes while you wait (get there early—a line forms pretty quick after it opens). The interior is decorated with vintage toys. You can bring your own booze.

The menu is classic comfort food and is always changing. When we were there the selection included dishes like deep fried mac and cheese covered in Sriracha and French toast dipped in Fruity Pebbles.

12:00 PM: Walk the High Line

The West Side Line was an elevated train track within the New York City Railroad line that was abandoned in 1980. It sat unused until 2006, when the city began work to turn the space into an elevated park.

Today, High Line Park runs adjacent to the Hudson River from the Meatpacking District up into Chelsea. It’s a totally unique feature in a city known for its skyscrapers and a great place to take photos.

2:00 PM: Drinks at City Vineyard

Cool off from your walk with an ice-cold cocktail at nearby City Vineyard. Grab a spot on the rooftop deck for some of the best Hudson River views in the city.

4:00 PM: Stroll the Shops at Chelsea Market

This one-time Nabisco factory has been converted into an indoor flea market of sorts (but like, not gross). You’ll find local shops, food vendors, artisans and plenty to look at. This is a great place to pick up souvenirs of the non-I-heart-NY-tee-shirt variety.

Google’s New York City headquarters is across the street, which is also kind of cool to see.

5:30 PM: Freshen Up

You’ve been walking all day. If it’s summer, you’re stinky. If it’s winter, you’re frozen. Take a few minutes to freshen up and grab some Starbucks from any street corner.

7:00 PM: Dinner at Mermaid Inn

One of my favorite restaurants in the city—seafood, if you couldn’t guess from the name. The Mermaid Inn has two locations, one in the East Village and one on the Upper West Side, both equally delicious.

I recommend a reservation if you don’t want to wait, but they do take walk-ins. If you’re ready before 7, pop on over early for the daily happy hour, which includes $1 oysters!

9:00 PM: Music at Rockwood Music Hall

I’m not big on nightclubs, so that aspect of Manhattan nightlife is wasted on me. What I do love, however, is live music. If that’s your bag too, you’ll love this spot.

Rockwood Music Hall is a multi-room music venue with three stages. Every night, each stage has a rotating lineup of different acts across all kinds of musical genres, some of which require tickets and some that do not.

Stage 1 is always no cover and no tickets required with a different act every hour. I love this because you don’t have to commit to paying cover for a band you’re not sure about (although they’re almost always great). If you’re not feeling it, you only have to wait until the top of the hour until the next act starts.

12:00 AM: Nightcap at McSorleys

A New York City mainstay, McSorley’s is billed as the oldest Irish tavern in New York City. From what I’ve read, the accuracy of that is debatable, but in any case it’s been open a long freaking time.

There’s so much history to this place. It’s been frequented by Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt. No women were allowed in until 1970. They only serve two drinks: dark and light ale, which makes it the perfect no-frills spot to grab one more before calling it a night.

Day 2

10:00 AM: NYC Ferry to Williamsburg

There are lots of transit options to get from Manhattan to Brooklyn, but in my opinion the best one for sightseeing is hands down the NYC ferry. It’s the same price as a ride on the subway and you don’t have to risk getting blasted in the face with a hot garbage breeze while getting on it.

Take the ferry from East 34^th Street to the North Williamsburg stop and you’ll find yourself in the heart of one of Brooklyn’s most popular neighborhoods.

11:00 AM: Smorgasburg (Saturdays and Sundays, April through November)

How do I describe Smorgasburg? Let me see… quail eggs on a stick. Spaghetti donuts. Waffle ice cream cones made of an actual waffle. And a whole bunch of other less exotic but really, really good food, all lined up in rows of tents just waiting for you to come and Instagram—I mean eat—it.

Smorgasburg is held Saturdays in Williamsburg (close to the ferry stop mentioned above) and Sundays in Prospect Park (also in Brooklyn) from April through November.

12:30 PM: New York Transit Museum

I’m not a huge museum person, but this one is right up my alley. It’s located underground in a decommissioned subway station, with the exhibits housed in subway cars from various eras.

I love that unlike many of the city’s museums, which overwhelm me with their sheer mass, you can easily get through this one in an hour or two.

3:00 PM: Walk the Brooklyn Bridge

Make your way back into Manhattan on foot via the Brooklyn Bridge. Photo ops galore! Just be sure to stay in the pedestrian lane or risk getting creamed by a pissed-off cyclist (my husband).

4:00 PM: Power Nap

So. Much. Walking. Sneak in a little snooze before the evening’s festivities.

5:30 PM: Drinks at the Top of the Rock

Top of the Rock is an observation deck perched 70 floors up on top of 30 Rockefeller Plaza (’30 Rock’ ring a bell?). The views are incredible, but it costs $40 just to go up there!

A better bet is to head up to Bar SixtyFive, an upscale cocktail lounge located almost all the way at the top. You’ll have to fork over about $20 a drink, but you’ll experience the same amazing views and at least have a cocktail to show for it.

Note that the dress code is “cocktail chic” (their words, not mine), so you’ll want to change out of your grubby tennis shoes first. Call in advance to make sure it’s not closed for a private event.

7:00 PM: Dinner at Becco

All of the cheese. All of the pasta. All of the wine. That’s all you need to know.

9:00 PM: Broadway Show Or Rock The Yacht Cruise

Pick your poison: step into a nearby theater for a world-class play or musical, or head to the piers and hop on a nighttime sightseeing cruise around Manhattan (if you want to see the skyline at night, this is the way to do it!).

I’ve done Hornblower Cruises’ ‘Rock The Yacht’ cruise with friends a few times and the photo ops did not disappoint.

Pro tip: if a Broadway show isn’t in the budget, Off-Broadway (or Off Off-Broadway) are often of equal caliber at half the price or less.

12:00 AM: Late Night Bite

Head to the East Village and hit up Crif Dogs, where a hot dog saying ‘Eat Me’ hangs out front, and take your pick from a listing of topping-covered wieners.

If you’re in the mood to keep the party going, step into the phone booth and enter the not-at-all-secret secret speakeasy behind the wall, Please Don’t Tell.

Day 3

9:00 AM: Pre-Flight Nosh

Grab a bagel at Katz’ Deli before heading to the airport to jet off.

Enjoy your trip!

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