Things to do in New York

1 – 2 Days in New York | Complete New York Itinerary

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Exploring New York in a day or even attempting to tour the best of New York in 2 days is going to be a frenzy affair but we can help you make a little order of the chaos. While New York in 2 days can be slightly more sedate, depending on your appetite to check things off your list, you can add and subtract a few things off the list below. Check out our 2 day itinerary to make the best of 2 days in New York. If you're there for just one in New York, you can adapt either of the day's plan to your liking and make the best of New York in a day. Happy hustling!

New York in 2 Days - Detailed Itinerary


Day 1

Run Time

Central Park

Price

Art Museums

Duration

9/11 Memorial

Price

Times Square

Duration

Broadway Show


Morning - Central Park


Start your 2 day NYC stint at Central Park, as early in the morning as possible. Grab a cup of coffee from the umpteen places around and take a nice walk across Central Park under the morning sun. The crowds are less ( except for the fitness enthusiasts) and the weather through the year is best during the morning hours. If you're in the mood to explore hidden nooks and corners of Central Park, you can opt for any of the Quirky Tours across Central Park, be it a TV and Movie Sites Tour, the quintessential PediCab Tour or the American Landscape Walking Tour. If you're in the mood to just stroll about, our specially curated Central Park Attractions Guide should help you hit up all the must visit spots. Read more

Early Afternoon - Art Museums


After the aimless ambling, grab a quick and heavy breakfast after which you can head to one amongst the many Art Museums in New York. Here's our list of Top Museums in NYC - Metropolitan Museum of Art | Museum of Modern Art | American Museum of Natural History | Whitney Museum of American Art | Guggenheim Museum. Each museum has a charm of its own, and if you're one to love museums, you should definitely try hitting atleast 2 of them. Depending on your taste, proximity from where you're put up and the kind of museum you'd like to explore, choose your pick and spend a good half of your earlya afternoon in one of the NYC museums. Read more

One World Observatory Priority Entrance Tickets
from
$35
All Day Hop on Hop Off Ferry
from
$31
Hop on Hop off Ferry + One World Observatory & 9/1...
from
$79
Madame Tussauds New York with VIP Fast Track Access
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$31
Gulliver's Gate: Skip The Line VIP Access
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$36
New York Explorer Pass - 3 Attractions
from
$92
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum Tickets
from
$30
Whitney Museum of American Art Admission Tickets
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$26.4
One World Observatory Priority Entrance Tickets
from
$35
Ripley's Believe It or Not with Admission to Relic
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$32
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum Tickets
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$30
Best of NYC Cruise with Intrepid Museum Skip the L...
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$68
Harbor Lights Cruise and Intrepid Museum Skip the ...
from
$65
Skip the Line Access to Intrepid Museum & Hop On H...
from
$68

Late Afternoon - 9/11 Memorial | One World Observatory


The National 9/11 Memorial & Museum is one of the must visits in New York, even if you're in New York for just a day. The memorial honours those died in the terrorist attack of Sepetember 11, 2001. Situated around the fallen Twin Towers, this beautiful memorial with bronze panels surrounding two pools of water is rightly rated #4 amongst the Top Things to do in NYC by Tripadvisor. RIght behind the museum is the One World Observatory, tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere offering splendid views of New York City from the top. You can grab tickets for going up the One World Observatory Observation Deck in advance and visit the building while you're in the vicinity.There are combo tickets that give you access to the One World Observatory and 9/11 Museum which are very popular and highly recommended. Read more

One World Observatory Priority Entrance Tickets
from
$35
All Day Hop on Hop Off Ferry
from
$31
Hop on Hop off Ferry + One World Observatory & 9/1...
from
$79

Evening - Times Square


Even if you're spending just one day in New York,, visiting the world famous Times Square is an absolute must! Go here around 6:00 PM and see why it is nicknamed the 'Center of the Universe' - the massive lit billboards, flamboyant shops, umpteen restaurants, broadway theatres and not to mention hordes of tourists walking by. Grab a seat by the TKTS steps and watch the world rush by. Grab a meal from the very first Applebees on Times Square and stay till midnight for the famous Times Square Midnight Moment. If you're one to like people watching, take a seat on the TKTS steps and watch the world rush by. Read more

Night- Broadway Show


There's no leaving New York without the quintessential New York Broadway experience. Even if you're spending just one day in New York, this deserves to be on the list. The Broadway district is on Times Square, so once you're done being amazed by the world's busiest street, you can check out the Headout App for tickets to any of the currently running Broadway shows and book a discounted ticket with just a few taps. Should you not get any on Headout, you can try for TKTS, Rush or Lottery Tickets and waltz in for the show. However, we recommend purchasing your tickets online in advance so that you can choose a good seat as it makes all the difference. Our seating chart guides should help you with that. If you're traveling with kids, you can even check out our curation of kid-friendly broadway shows. If you're looking to watch the classics, here are a few Broadway shows you can check out! Read more

Christmas Spectacular Starring The Radio City Rock...
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$41
Aladdin
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$59.5
The Phantom of the Opera
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$49
Chicago
from
$49.5
Beetlejuice
from
$49
Jersey Boys
from
$49
The Lion King
from
$94
Wicked
from
$89
West Side Story
from
$39
The Illusionists – Magic Of The Holidays
from
$39
Christmas Spectacular Starring The Radio City Rock...
from
$41
Tina - The Tina Turner Musical
from
$59
Twas the Night Before… by Cirque du Soleil
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$40
Mrs. Doubtfire
from
$59
Slave Play
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$59
Plaza Suite
from
$79
Rock of Ages
from
$49
SIX: The Musical
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$49
The Office! A Musical Parody
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$35
Derren Brown: Secret
from
$59
The Phantom of the Opera
from
$49
Aladdin
from
$59.5
The Lion King
from
$94
Wicked
from
$89
Chicago
from
$49.5
Frozen
from
$57.5
Christmas Spectacular Starring The Radio City Rock...
from
$41
Jersey Boys
from
$49
Mean Girls
from
$59
Beetlejuice
from
$49
Mean Girls
from
$59
The Phantom of the Opera
from
$49
Come From Away: A New Musical
from
$49
Frozen
from
$57.5
The Illusionists – Magic Of The Holidays
from
$39
Chicago
from
$49.5
The Lightning Thief
from
$59
Beetlejuice
from
$49
Jersey Boys
from
$49
To Kill a Mockingbird
from
$39
The Illusionists – Magic Of The Holidays
from
$39
To Kill a Mockingbird
from
$39
The Play That Goes Wrong
from
$79
West Side Story
from
$39
Derren Brown: Secret
from
$59
Jagged Little Pill
from
$59
Perfect Crime
from
$60
Slava's Snowshow
from
$59
Plaza Suite
from
$79
Drunk Shakespeare
from
$46.15
Rock of Ages
from
$49
Drunk Shakespeare
from
$46.15
The Office! A Musical Parody
from
$35
The Play That Goes Wrong
from
$79
Jersey Boys
from
$49
Fiddler on the Roof (A Fidler Afn Dakh)
from
$69
Sistas - The Musical
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$44.5
The Gazillion Bubble Show
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$49
Blue Man Group
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$89.5
Perfect Crime
from
$60
To Kill a Mockingbird
from
$39
Ain't Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Tempta...
from
$49
Oklahoma!
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$79.5
Tootsie
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$49
Hadestown
from
$99
Moulin Rouge
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$99
To Kill a Mockingbird
from
$39
Waitress
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$119
Tootsie
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$49
Freestyle Love Supreme
from
$139
David Byrne's American Utopia
from
$136
Aladdin
from
$59.5
The Lion King
from
$94
Wicked
from
$89
Frozen
from
$57.5
Mean Girls
from
$59
The Gazillion Bubble Show
from
$49
Blue Man Group
from
$89.5
Christmas Spectacular Starring The Radio City Rock...
from
$41
Tina - The Tina Turner Musical
from
$59
Christmas Spectacular Starring The Radio City Rock...
from
$41
Twas the Night Before… by Cirque du Soleil
from
$40
George Balanchine's The Nutcracker
from
$117
The Illusionists – Magic Of The Holidays
from
$39
A Christmas Carol
from
$49
Frozen
from
$57.5
Slava's Snowshow
from
$59
Christmas Spectacular Show & Holiday Lights Walkin...
from
$129
Christmas Spectacular Show & Grand Central Station...
from
$119
Christmas Spectacular Show & Times Square Dinner
from
$129
George Balanchine's The Nutcracker
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$117
Stravinsky & Balanchine
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$120
All Balanchine
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$120
New Combinations
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$120
Balanchine + Peck
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$120
Classic NYCB I
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$120
Swan Lake
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$120
Classic NYCB II
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$120
21st Century Choreographers I
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$120
21st Century Choreographers II
from
$120

Day 2

Run Time

Statue of Liberty

Price

Brooklyn

Duration

Chelsea Market

Price

Sightseeing Cruise

Duration

Observation Deck


Morning - Statue of Liberty


Start your second and last day in New York by touring Lady Liberty. Though we would love for you to witness the skyline from Lady Liberty's Crown, we must warn you that the whole excercise of a ferry to Staten Island, two thorough rounds of checking, then the tedious climb up and down and getting back to Manhattan will take you about 5-6 hours in total. If you're good to spend half your day at the Statue of Liberty, you can grab your tickets and spend a leisurely day here. Hop onboard a ferry and transport yourself to Ellis Island where the Statue of Liberty stands tall. If you're not in the mood for the tedious climb, then you can spend a an hour at Ellis Island, visit the museum and go for the free ranger tours before making your way back to New York City. However, the best bet for a tight itinerary is the free Staten Island Ferry that takes you close enough to Lady Liberty for a decent view, drops you off at Staten Island and takes you back to Manhattan; all in one and half hours time.Read more

Early Afternoon - Hop On Hop Off Tour


Like I always say, there's no better way to see the best of the city than on a Hop On Hop Off Tour. Jump aboard the Big Red Bus with other like minded tourists and lay back while the bus cruises you through the highlights of New York. Since you're in New York for such a short period, no better way to cover grounds than on a Hop On Hop Off. However, make sure you know the HOHO lines before hand so that you get on the line which interests you best. The Downtown Manhattan line is pretty interesting and covers a good portion of the must visits in New York. If the sun is not scorching, sit on the upper deck and enjoy clicking pictures while you tour NYC.Read more

Late Afternoon - Brooklyn


The Brooklyn Bridge is one of New York's most famous icons and a top destination for first time visitors in NYC. New York demands to be taken by stride, hence a walking tour is an absolute must while in New York. Go for 3:00 PM slot fo the Brooklyn Walking Tour and walking through the neighbourhood while admiring stunning views of the quaint brownstone neighbourhood and learn about the bridge's history. Walking through New York's oldest borough area with a historian guide taking you through the architectural and social history, art, culture, food and contemporary politics surrounding the area is a charming experience. Don't forget to explore DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) which is now a state of the art gallery while you're in the vicinity.Read more

Evening - Chelsea Market


Chelsea Market is an up town neighbourhood of myriad luxury malls, fabled restaurants, industrial office spaces and the home grounds to the famous Oreo cookie! You will find fountains bathed in neon light flowing next to cheery bakeries, gelato shops, hip jewelry stores and unmarked doors promising the unknown. The best way to explore Chelsea Market is to sign up for a Walking Tour that will take you around the highlights and best spots. The most recommended tour around Chelsea Market is the Food and Culture Tour that gives you the best of both worlds. You can learn the history of the market, view original artworks, peep by the Hudson River and taste Chelsea specialities from 7 famous shops in the market.Read more

Night - Observation Deck


Consuming aerial views of the City that never sleeps at night is an absolute must. Where you choose to go is completely up to you, but pick any of the Observation Decks in the city- Top of The Rock, Empire State Building, One World Observatory and feel the spirit of NYC wafting under the star lit sky. If you've ticked the One World Observatory on your first day, you can skip these. You can check out our in-depth Comparison of the Observation Decks in NYC to make a better informed choice. However, a friendly tip would be to go up the Rockefeller Building. It is far less crowded and offers better views of the Central Park and Empire State Building. Moreover, it is not as high as the Empire State Building which gives one a clearer view of the nearby buildings. Read more

Guide To Exploring New York in 2 days


Apart from our New York 2 day Itinerary, here are a few things that could come useful for your New York trip. Simply click and read to best explore New York in 2 days!