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Ready-made trips · United States

New York in 5 days

The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, the Met and Central Park, and a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.

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Length
5 days
Best time
April to June, September to October, December
Pace
Moderate
Day trips
None, all in the city

Five days in New York: The Met and Central Park; The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island; Across the Brooklyn Bridge. Each full day is one of our own checked days, planned to be walked in order, with opening hours checked and lunch and dinner suggestions close to the stops.

Day by day

1First Evening in New YorkArrival

  • When you arriveBryant ParkMidtown park.Tip: A relaxed green space behind the New York Public Library, genuinely popular for outdoor events and a seasonal ice rink in winter.

Lunch nearby: Bryant Park Grill or Urbanspace Vanderbilt

Dinner: Bryant Park Grill or Urbanspace Vanderbilt

2The Met and Central Park

  • MorningThe Met MuseumWorld-class art museum.Tip: One of the largest and most comprehensive art museums in the world — genuinely impossible to see fully in one visit, so prioritize specific wings based on interest.
  • AfternoonCentral ParkMassive urban park.Tip: Genuinely vast — renting a bike is a good way to cover more ground than walking alone allows, given the park's real scale.
  • If you have timeGuggenheim MuseumFrank Lloyd Wright’s spiral gallery on Fifth Avenue.Tip: Take the lift to the top and walk down the spiral.

Lunch nearby: E.A.T. or Sant Ambroeus Madison

Dinner: E.A.T. or Sant Ambroeus Madison

3The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

  • MorningStatue of LibertyLady Liberty on her island, with Ellis Island’s immigration museum on the same ferry.Tip: Buy ferry tickets only from Statue City Cruises; crown tickets sell out months ahead, pedestal tickets weeks ahead.
  • AfternoonBattery ParkThe harbour park at Manhattan’s tip, where the Statue of Liberty ferries leave.Tip: The SeaGlass carousel is a magical ride for children.
  • EveningStone StreetA cobbled lane of old taverns in the Financial District, full of outdoor tables.Tip: Fraunces Tavern, where Washington said farewell to his officers, is round the corner.

Lunch nearby: Pier A Harbor House or Fraunces Tavern

Dinner: Juliana's or Time Out Market New York

4Across the Brooklyn Bridge

  • MorningBrooklyn BridgeHistoric bridge.Tip: Walking across offers genuinely iconic Manhattan skyline views — go early morning or evening to avoid the heaviest pedestrian and cyclist congestion.
  • AfternoonDUMBOIconic photo spots.Tip: The famous Manhattan Bridge photo spot on Washington Street draws real crowds — go early morning for a clear shot, and explore the surrounding cobblestone streets for less-photographed corners.
  • If you have timeBrooklyn Bridge ParkPiers of lawns and playgrounds along the Brooklyn waterfront, with Jane’s Carousel.Tip: Jane’s Carousel sits in a glass pavilion right under the bridge.

Lunch nearby: Time Out Market New York or Juliana's

Dinner: Fraunces Tavern or Eataly Downtown

5A Last Morning in MidtownLast morning

  • Before you leaveGrand Central TerminalHistoric station.Tip: A genuinely stunning Beaux-Arts train station — the main concourse's celestial ceiling mural is worth looking up for.

Lunch nearby: Grand Central Oyster Bar or Urbanspace Vanderbilt

Dinner: Grand Central Oyster Bar or Urbanspace Vanderbilt

Where to stay

Midtown

The Manhattan of the postcards: Times Square, the theatres and the skyscrapers.

Subway lines from Times Square and Grand Central to everywhere; trains to JFK via Penn Station.

Greenwich Village & SoHo

Tree-lined streets, jazz clubs and cast-iron boutiques downtown.

West 4th Street subway (A, C, E, B, D, F, M); walk to SoHo and the Village.

Lower Manhattan

The Financial District and Battery Park, by the Statue ferries and the 9/11 Memorial.

Fulton Street subway hub; the AirTrain to JFK via the E train or LIRR.

Everything in the plan is ready to book

The full plan has a map of each day, directions between stops, opening hours, restaurant choices, hotels in these areas and tickets, tours and trains linked to book with the provider you choose.

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