How many days do you need to explore New York?
3 days, 7 days, 14 days or 30?
I would say New York is so big that even a month is not enough to fully explore it.
However, a week in New York probably would give you enough time to see the city from many angles.
And explore the main spots and primary sightseeing places.
In this article, I’ve dished out a detailed New York City itinerary for just 7 days with some helpful advice for anyone willing to visit the city.
Let’s explore the top things to do in NYC throughout mornings, afternoons and evenings.
Day 1. Arrival day and getting around
Morning
Most flights land early at JFK, LaGuardia or Newark.
With over 60 million visitors arriving to the Big Apple each year, you should book a ride in advance to reach Manhattan (using AirTrain and subway).
Start your New York City itinerary with a walk in Lower Manhattan.
Here, walking along the Wall Street area you can explore the financial district of the city visiting the New York Stock Exchange and Charging Bull.
If you walk towards Stone Street, you will find some of the most lovely spots for lunch.
For example, some of the top places that have numerous 5-star reviews there are:
- The Dead Rabbit – 4.7 stars, based on around 7,900 reviews
- Fraunces Tavern – 4.5 stars, based on 6,100+ reviews
- Broadstone Bar & Kitchen – 4.5 stars, based on 2,600+ reviews
Afternoon
Spend the afternoon at the One World Observatory in the Freedom Tower. From the top floor you see the harbor, bridges and uptown skyline.
Here, you can enjoy the sunset if you’re a sunset lover. This is the ideal time when you catch daylight views and night lights in one visit.
You can buy the tickets to the One World Observatory online here.
Evening at Battery Park and dinner
Walk to Battery Park after the tower visit.
By the way, ferries depart for the Statue of Liberty from here.
On the flip side, the park itself gives quiet harbor views. Street performers and food carts often line the paths.
For dinner, head to Tribeca.
One of the top local places is Bubby’s for tasty food or sushi bars along Greenwich Street.
This balances a first day between sightseeing and local dining experience.
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Day 2. Explore Midtown
Morning
Walk the Brooklyn Bridge from Manhattan to Brooklyn Heights.
Indeed, Times Square is among the top things to do in your plans.
Day 3 covers Midtown, the core of many New York itineraries.
So better to Start at Times Square.
Street performers, flagship stores and food chains draw tourists. Pretty energetic and so exciting!
For photos, visit early morning when there are not so many people there.
Empire State Building
From Times Square, walk to the Empire State Building.
It takes around 14-15 minutes. Here’s the map:
The building offers 2 observatories for city views:
- 86th Floor Observatory (open-air)
- 102nd Floor Observatory (enclosed, floor-to-ceiling windows)
Here, online booking helps avoid peak lines.
Shopping on Fifth Avenue
Continue along Fifth Avenue.
Shops range from luxury brands to Apple’s glass cube near 59th Street. Even if you don’t shop, it’s worth seeing it.
Also, locals suggest stopping at the New York Public Library on 42nd Street. The Rose Main Reading Room welcomes visitors for free and offers a quiet break.
Evening Broadway show
No NYC itinerary is complete without a Broadway performance, especially if you want to chill in the evenings.
Popular shows like Hamilton or The Lion King remain strong, but new productions in 2025 bring fresh stories.
Buy tickets from the official website here.
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Day 3: Brooklyn day
Book a whole day to have some time to experience Brooklyn and nearby areas.
Let’s start with the morning walk.
Morning
Walk the Brooklyn Bridge from Manhattan to Brooklyn Heights.
If you want to take cool photos, you will have to wake up early.
Dumbo is another area worth exploring.
Under the bridge you can find art galleries, independent shops and cafes.
When reaching Pebble Beach, you can take a picture or a selfie with an amazing angle with Manhattan Bridge in the background.
Afternoon
In the afternoon, move towards Williamsburg.
Overall, Williamsburg is known for street art and interesting shops.
Plus, there are many breweries and rooftop bars that attract younger people.
If you want to have some rest and taste some food there, Peter Luger Steak House is quite a popular option: it has 4.4 stars based on 14,400+ reviews on Google Maps.
Evening
End the day with dinner at Smorgasburg.
If you will still be in Williamsburg, visit Smorgasburg Williamsburg.
If you are back to your place in Manhattan, you can visit the one near the 9/11 Memorial & Museum near the City Hall Park (we’ll get to this one a bit lower).
All in all, Brooklyn has many food options like burger spots, pizzerias, fancy restaurants, etc.
If you want to spend your evening listening to some quality music, there are some good jazz clubs as well.
Here’s a video showcasing a few top jazz clubs in New York City.
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Day 4. Central Park & Museums
Morning
Your Central Park itinerary can last hours. It’s really huge.
Just for you to imagine that, the real size of Central Park is 843 acres or 1.32 square miles or 3.41 km².
To understand how big it is, let’s also compare with a few countries:
| Location | Km² | Acres | Real Size |
| Central Park | 3.4 | 843 | N/A |
| Monaco | 2.1 | 500 | 1.7 times smaller |
| Vatican City | 0.49 | 121 | 7 times smaller |
So in fact, Central Park is bigger than Monaco or Vatican City.
All in all, there are around 50 entrances to Central Park from all sides.
As an example, you can start at the south entrance by 59th Street.
No matter if you’re along, with your partner, or with kids, you’ll find something interesting to do here.
If you’re with a family, there is a zoo to make your time more enjoyable.
Here are some fo the top things you can do in the Central Park:
- Row a Boat on the Lake
- Explore Belvedere Castle
- Visit Bethesda Terrace & Fountain
- Walk Through The Mall & Literary Walk
- Strawberry Fields (John Lennon Memorial)
- Visit the Central Park Zoo
This is more than enough to secure half of you day (if not the whole day).
Afternoon & Evening
I’m putting here 2in1 afternoon and evening since if you decide to explore the whole beauty of the Central Park, you’ll definitely get tired and exhausted.
But if not, here’s what you can do more.
After the park, walk to Fifth Avenue and enter the Metropolitan Museum. It’s very interesting there.
Here’s what you can find there:
- Vast Art Collection Spanning 5,000 Years
- European Masterpieces by Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Monet
- Ancient Artifacts Including Egyptian Mummies and Sculptures
Pick one section rather than trying to see everything.
You can get the tickets here.
Alternatively, you can visit New York Philharmonic or Metropolitan Opera.
Both of them near the Central Park, although in different sides of it.
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Day 5: Staten Island
Morning
Day five adds a slower pace, time to slow down a bit.
The Staten Island Ferry remains free and runs all day.
From the deck, you see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
Unlike ticketed tours, this ferry doesn’t stop at the statue.
First of all, here’s where you can get tickets to there:
And here’s how to get to the Staten Island:
On Staten Island, explore the Staten Island Greenbelt or Staten Island Zoo.
Here’s a video to help you what you can do in Staten Island:
Evening
Finally, return to Manhattan and enjoy dinner in Chinatown.
Try dim sum houses, noodle shops, and fresh dumplings at small storefronts rather than tourist traps.
Locals point to Pell Street or Doyers Street for authentic food. Street murals now decorate corners, blending culture with art.
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Day 6: Queens
Morning
Queens is another borough of New York City.
It’s quite often skipped short New York City itineraries, but 7 days leave it some space to explore it.
Here’s a short video showcasing what you will see there:
The USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center lies inside the park. Visitors can tour courts when no tournaments run. The US Open each fall draws global crowds.
Afternoon
If you’re Asian food-lover, you will like Flushing. It offers the best Asian cuisine in the city.
In Fluching Queens, there are numerous restaurants that serve dishes from China, Korea, Taiwan and beyond.
Evening
If you’re visiting in summer, catch a Mets game at Citi Field.
If you want to make a tour to the stadium, here’s what you should expect:
Another alternative is Queens Night Market.
But keep in mind that it mainly runs on weekends.
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Day 7: Harlem and uptown highlights
Morning
Spend your last full day uptown.
The Apollo Theater in Harlem is one of the cornerstones of American music.
Organize a Harlem walking tour.
Walk along 125th Street and side streets, it’s quite interesting there.
Murals of musicians and civil rights leaders cover walls. Local shops sell African fabrics, books and art.
If you want to for eating, as one of the top options consider Sylvia’s soul food restaurant. It has quite a high rating based on 8,500+ reviews.
Afternoon
Take the subway to Morningside Heights. Columbia University’s campus is another destination worth exploring there.
After, you can walk to Riverside Park. From here you can see New Jersey across the Hudson.
Evening
Time to have the last dinner and have some rest.
Let’s not forget about the rooftop bars that offer amazing view of the city.
Some of the most recommended ones are:
- Overstory
- Westlight
- Nubeluz
- Panorama Room
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After all, if you want all the information in one place, here’s a table gathering all the information in one place:
| Day | Things to Do | Highlights |
| Day 1 | Explore Lower Manhattan | Wall Street, Stone Street lunch, One World Observatory, Battery Park, dinner in Tribeca |
| Day 2 | Central Park & Museums | Bethesda Terrace, Loeb Boathouse, Central Park Zoo, Metropolitan Museum, Upper West Side dinner, Lincoln Center |
| Day 3 | Midtown Spots | Times Square, Empire State Building, Fifth Avenue shopping, New York Public Library, Broadway show |
| Day 4 | Brooklyn Experience | Walk Brooklyn Bridge, Dumbo galleries, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Williamsburg shops, Smorgasburg or rooftop music |
| Day 5 | Staten Island & Chinatown | Staten Island Ferry ride, Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Staten Island Zoo, Chinatown dinner |
| Day 6 | Queens | Flushing Meadows Corona Park, USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Center, Flushing food courts, Citi Field or Queens Night Market |
| Day 7 | Harlem & Uptown | Apollo Theater, Harlem murals and food (Sylvia’s), Columbia University, Riverside Park, rooftop bars |
Key Takeaways
A 7 day New York itinerary is not obviously enough to fully explore the destination.
But it will give you some overview and understanding of the city vibes at least.
Hopefully, the information above will help you plan your trip to the Big Apple properly.
So do your homework, prepare as much as possible to avoid any unexpected situations.
Good luck!!
