New York City Three Day Itinerary

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Why Plan A Trip For New York City?

I have lived in New York City for eight years and it is the most exciting, diverse, yet chaotic place I have ever been to. Of all the places I have written about in the U.S., New York City is the one destination where I always recommend making a solid plan rather than trying to wing it—this city can easily overwhelm you. For example, if you're traveling up or down through Manhattan, the subway is the best way to get around. However, for cross-town travel, you are better off taking a cab or walking. Below, I have put together a three-day New York City itinerary

with insider tips from a New Yorker

. However, everyone has different preferences. Not a museum person? No problem! You can easily edit, add, or remove options from this

customizable itinerary with map

:

IToo long and don't want to read and digest the whole blog? Talk to a licensed New York City tour guide for just $10. You will find their details in the itinerary link above. PhotoSpot is industry partner for Guides Association of New York City (GANYC).

Best Photo Spots for Your New York City Trip:

Did it really happen if you didn’t capture it? :) The itinerary link above will also show you how others have taken their shots at the places you visit. Each activity recommendation includes photography tips and the best photoshoot locations to help you capture the best moments of your trip. You can also find all New York City's top photo spots in this collection along with map:

Day 1: Central Park, The Met and Times Square

Morning: Central Park Exploration

Start your day in Central Park, the most visited urban park in the U.S. This will involve a lot of walking, so make sure you have comfortable walking shoes and a good breakfast. New York City is famous for its bagels, thanks to its Appalachian water. You’ll find plenty of bagel shops near wherever you’re staying. You can enter Central Park from multiple points along 59th Street, but I recommend starting at the corner of

. What to See Inside Central Park The most picturesque and touristy parts of Central Park are located below 72nd Street, especially around Bethesda Fountain. 📍 Here’s a map of the best photo spots in Central Park:

Must-see locations in Central Park:

🚀 Pro Tip: Some of the best photo spots in the park are hidden! The photo spots map above will help you discover them.

: Gapstow bridge in Fall

Gapstow bridge in winter

Bethesda Fountain in Spring

Bethesda Terrace overlooking The Mall

Cherry hill in winter

Bow Bridge: Cross over to other side for this view

Midday: The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met)

The Met is one of the world’s greatest art museums, home to over two million works of art. Before entering, don’t forget to take a picture of the museum’s front view—it’s one of New York City’s most iconic buildings. The Met steps were made famous by

Gossip Girl

! What to See in the Met Temple of Dendur

The Great Hall

Rooftop Garden (if open—check at the information center)

"Washington Crossing the Delaware"

Greek and Roman Galleries

🎟️ Admission Fees: Adults: $30

Seniors: $22

Students: $17

Free for kids under 12

🚨 Note: The Met is closed on Wednesdays.

The Met and the stairs from Gossip Girl

Temple of Dendur inside the Met

Afternoon: Madison Avenue & Times Square

Stroll along Madison Avenue for upscale shopping and historic architecture. Head to Times Square, the heart of NYC’s entertainment district.

Surviving Times Square

: Did you know Times Square is the most photographed place in the world? Your first trip to New York City is incomplete without taking a picture here. However, over 400,000 people pass through Times Square daily—that’s eight times the population of an average U.S. city! So you will have to plan in advance how you want to spend your time there. ⏰ Best Time to Visit Times Square: After dark, when the billboard lights illuminate the area. 📍 Best Photo Spots in Times Square: The Red Stairs (above TKTS) is the most popular spot for tourists. Climb to the top for the best view of Times Square. But here’s a secret: The Red Stairs are always crowded and not ideal for portrait shots. Instead, I highly recommend standing on 7th Avenue and capturing a picture with the traffic and lights in the background—without the crowd. You can find all Times Square photo spots pinpointed on a map here:

🚨 Beware of Tourist Scams! Times Square is a hub for scams, including: “Free” music CDs that aren’t actually free. Costumed movie characters who pressure kids into taking pictures—only to demand money afterward. Pro Tip: It’s perfectly okay to say strong NO to a forced handshake or someone insisting on taking a picture that you might end up paying for. I just say "local" and walk by.

View from the Red Stairs

7th avenue sidewalk, perfect photography location away from crowd and with the dynamic view of the traffic and the billboards

Evening: Broadway Show

End your first day with an unforgettable Broadway show! 🎭 How to Get Broadway Tickets: Book in advance through Ticketmaster or TodayTix. Visit the TKTS booth for same-day discounts on Broadway and off-Broadway shows. 💰 Broadway tickets can be expensive, so I recommend booking early to get the best deals!

Day 2: Hudson Yards, The Vessel, The High Line & Chelsea Market/Little Island

The West Side of Manhattan is an underrated gem. This area offers a diverse range of experiences, including: ✅ A sky-high observatory ✅ A nature walk through the concrete jungle ✅ Some of the best views of Manhattan ✅ Incredible food options

Morning: Hudson Yards, The Vessel & The Edge

Start your day at Hudson Yards, NYC’s newest luxury development. What to See: 📍 The Vessel – Located right outside Hudson Yards, this unique architectural structure is one of the most photographed spots in NYC. 🚀 Update: As per the latest news, you should be able to climb The Vessel and take photos from the top. See the latest picture below 📸 Secret Photo Spot: Head to the second floor inside Hudson Yards mall, facing The Vessel. This is one of the most popular Instagrammable locations, often featured by NYC influencers. If you're visiting during the holiday season, you'll see beautiful festive decorations here.

Vessel from outside

Vessel: View from the top

View from the second floor of the Hudson Yard mall. Decoration during holidays Next, head to The Edge, located inside Hudson Yards. 🎟️ Tickets: You can buy them on the spot, but during the holiday season, I recommend booking in advance to avoid long waits. Ticket

🚀 Why Visit The Edge? It’s the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere. Offers some of the best panoramic views of Manhattan. 📸 Secret Photo Tip: One of the best photo spots is at the corner facing New Jersey. Have the photographer stand inside the building to capture a breathtaking perspective.

The corner facing New Jersey. Photo taken from inside the building

The Edge has one of the best 360 degree view of Manhattan Lunch Options at Hudson Yards For lunch, you can either: 🍽️ Try one of the dining spots in Hudson Yards OR 🍷 Dine at Peak Restaurant on the 101st floor, offering stunning city views. Booking required

Midday: The High Line, Little Island & Chelsea Market

Once you exit Hudson Yards (facing The Vessel), you will find the High Line entry to your left-hand side. The High Line is a former raised railway track that has been transformed into a scenic public walkway through NYC’s urban landscape. 🚨 Fair Warning: The High Line is more about the experience rather than being NYC’s top photo spot. You'll find better photo opportunities once you exit the High Line. What to See on The High Line 📍 Enter the High Line from the left corner of Hudson Yards (facing The Vessel). 🎨 Don’t miss the art installations! Before you start walking on the High Line, explore the art exhibition

. This might be one of the best art displays you'll find along the High Line, featuring rotating temporary installations, such as: The giant red "Tree of Life" The Giant Pigeon Sculpture (Ivan Argote: Dinosaur) 🚶 Continue walking along the High Line and experience the 1.45-mile-long (2.33 km) linear park, offering a mix of greenery and city views. 📸 Observation Deck at 16th Street: Stop here for some good photo opportunities.

Dont miss the art installations at the entrance of High Line. Tree of life (removed) and Giant Pigeon statue

High Line Observation deck near 16th street 🚀 Exit the High Line around 16th Street and head to Pier 57, one of NYC’s best-hidden photo spots. Secret Rooftop Spot at Pier 57: Once you enter Pier 57, you'll pass through a food hall before reaching the elevator to the rooftop. 🚨 Not many people know this! The rooftop is free and open to the public, but it’s not widely advertised. Many famous influencers capture amazing skyline photos from here. 📸 What to Capture: Little Island right in front of you NYC skyline stretching all the way to One World Trade Center

View from Pier 57 rooftop. Little Island in the foreground Next Stop: Little Island or Chelsea Market At this point, you have two options: 🌅 Option 1: Head to Little Island to watch the sunset. 🍽️ Option 2: Go straight to Chelsea Market for food options.

Sunset and the entrance of Little Island

Skyline view from Little Island Chelsea Market – A Food Lover’s Paradise Chelsea Market is one of NYC’s top food destinations! Some must-try spots include: 🍜 Very Fresh Noodles 🌮 Los Tacos No. 1 🦞 Los Mariscos 🍛 Ayada Thai 🥙 Miznon

Chelsea market entrance

Evening: Open Options

Most people call it a day after this packed itinerary, but if you’re still up for it, head to Greenwich Village—one of NYC’s most charming neighborhoods. Things to Do in Greenwich Village 📍 Washington Square Park – Capture the famous Washington Square Arch and enjoy the vibrant street performances. 🎬 Movie-famous Brownstone Streets – The charming streets of Greenwich Village have been featured in countless movies and TV shows, including: Carrie Bradshaw’s apartment (Sex and the City)

The Friends Apartment Building (Friends)

📸 These streets are perfect for capturing unique NYC shots! 🎷 Enjoy an Evening of Jazz – NYC is known as the Jazz Capital of the World. Greenwich Village has some iconic jazz clubs where you can enjoy live music in an intimate setting.

Washington Square Park

Friends Apartment

Carrie Bradshaw's apartment from Sex and The City. The steps are no longer accessible

Some Greenwich village shots: its the New York from the movies

Day 3: Lower Manhattan, Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge & DUMBO

Day 3 will be packed with history and iconic landmarks. If this feels like too much for one day, consider splitting it into two days by adding Brooklyn Bridge and DUMBO to Day 2.

Morning: 9/11 Memorial & Wall Street

What to See: 📍 9/11 Memorial & Museum: Start your day at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. 🔹 Before entering the museum, take time to see close by: The North Tower Pool

The South Tower Pool

These pools mark the spots where the World Trade Center towers once stood. Please be respectful of those paying tribute here. 🕊️ Inside the 9/11 Museum, you'll find historical exhibits and remains from the old towers. The videos and artifacts are not just a reminder of the suffering that day but also a testament to the bravery of New York firefighters and police officers, many of whom never returned.

Inside the 9/11 museum

WTC: North Tower Pool, where the north tower stood once 📍 Wall Street & Financial District Next, head over to Wall Street, where you'll find: The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)

Federal Hall

A view of Trinity Church through Wall Street

📸 Don’t miss the "

, which faces the NYSE—one of NYC’s most powerful modern landmarks.

New York Stock Exchange

Trinity Church from Wall St.

Fearless Girl statue in front of NYSE 🐂 Charging Bull Statue: A short walk from the NYSE, this famous bronze statue often has long lines of tourists waiting for photos. If you’re not keen on waiting, you can still snap a picture from the perimeter.

Charging Bull statue

Next Stop: Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island

🚢 How to Get There: The ferry to Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island departs from Battery Park. 🎟️

There is only one cruise service that goes to Liberty island

. Buy your ticket in advance from the

. 🚨

DO NOT fall for street vendors or Google ads offering Statue of Liberty tickets—these are common tourist scams! 🏛️ What to Expect: You can visit both the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island (history of immigration in US), or just the Statue of Liberty if you're short on time. To skip Ellis Island just continue on the same boat back to Battery Park. On the way back, make sure to board the ferry to Battery Park (New York City), NOT the New Jersey ferry.

Statue of Liberty: Many locals say its not worth the visit but I believe a New York city experience is incomplete without visiting Statue of Liberty

Next Stop: Brooklyn Bridge & DUMBO

How to Get to Brooklyn Bridge: Walk over to the Brooklyn Bridge Promenade entrance—keep in mind that it isn’t right next to the river. 🌉 Brooklyn Bridge Views: The bridge itself and its skyline views are among the most popular photo spots in NYC. Keep walking toward the middle of the bridge—this is where you'll find the best, unobstructed skyline views.

Brooklyn Bridge: You will find more open view of skyline towards the middle

Don't forget to capture the architecture of the bridge itself Exploring DUMBO (Brooklyn Side) 📍 How to Get There from Brooklyn Bridge: When you exit the bridge, look for a smaller section leading to the left.

Continue walking left until you come across a set of stairs—take another left.

This street will take you straight to DUMBO, home to one of the most famous NYC photo spots.

📸 Iconic Manhattan Bridge Photo Spot: This is the famous shot of the Manhattan Bridge framed by red brick buildings that you’ve probably seen all over social media. 📸Secret Photo Spots in DUMBO: The Time Out Market Rooftop – A hidden gem with stunning skyline views. Pebble Beach – Hands down, this offers the best sunset view of Manhattan’s skyline.

DUMBO: This Manhattan Bridge view is probably one of the most iconic view of New York Pro tip: Stand one block away from the crowd to get a clear shot

Time Out Building: View from the rooftop

Time Out Building: Another view from the roof top

Pebble Beach: Perfect spot to watch the sunset and see the New York Skyline light up Dinner & Heading Back 🍕 Where to Eat in DUMBO: The Time Out Market has plenty of affordable food options. For an authentic NYC pizza experience, try Juliana’s Pizza, a DUMBO favorite. 🚇 How to Get Back to Manhattan: Take a cab (can be expensive depending on traffic). Hop on a ferry back to Wall Street for a scenic ride. Walk to the nearest subway station for a quick return.

Alternative Activities Not In Itinerary:

🌆 Rockefeller Center & Top of the Rock Observation Deck – Since the itinerary already includes one observatory (The Edge), I have not added others. However, if you’re looking for an alternative to The Edge, consider visiting Top of the Rock for stunning views of the city. 🚉 Grand Central Terminal – Another important Midtown landmark not covered in this three-day itinerary is Grand Central Terminal. Known for its breathtaking architecture, it remains a busy transportation hub for daily commuters. 📚 Bryant Park & New York Public Library – Located very close to Grand Central Terminal, you can easily combine a visit to Bryant Park with the New York Public Library (NYPL). The NYPL welcomes more visitors per year than any other library in the world, but beyond that, the architectural beauty of the building itself makes it worth the visit. 🏙️ Summit One Vanderbilt – Another popular observatory, Summit is a great option, especially if you prefer to stay indoors during extreme hot or cold months. It offers a fantastic close-up view of the Empire State Building and features interactive indoor experiences, making it a unique alternative to outdoor observation decks like The Edge or Top of the Rock

View from the Top of The Rock

Grand Central: Inside the main hall

Grand Central: From outside

New York Public Library: Next to Bryant Park

View from the Summit

Where to Stay:

Any where within Manhattan should be fine. Most of your activities will be below 59th street (except Central Park) so try to find a hotel below 59th street. It will make it much easier for you to move around The New York City

will show you available hotels, their prices and ratings, on a map along with your itinerary so that its easy for you to decide how close you want to be to all your activities.

What to Eat:

I usually avoid making food recommendations since everyone’s tastes are different. However, New York City is arguably the best place to experience some of the most diverse cuisines in the world. The city boasts over 190 different types of cuisines, offering something for everyone. Start with three NYC essentials: a classic pizza slice, New York bagel and a New York style cheesecake (you can easily find top-rated spots on Yelp or Google). From Nepalese or Tibetan momos to the famous Halal Cart guys, you can explore a wide variety of cuisines by ordering through one of the many food delivery apps available in the city. Written by: Sam Sri Photographer, Writer and a New Yorker