New York 7-Day Itinerary
A New York 7 day itinerary helps you organise your trip to New York. You can see a lot in one week in New York City with plenty of time for the city’s highlights. Visit Uptown, Midtown and Downtown and have time to spare for a morning trip to the Statue of Liberty and an introduction to Brooklyn. Use my sample itinerary for a 7 day stay in New York, and be sure that you’ll see all the most important places.
Hey there, I'm Eric!
I'm a true New York fan with over 20 years of experience visiting and living in NYC. Here on my website, I share all my tips and valuable information to help you make the most of your trip. I personally test and regularly re-test everything on my site to ensure that what I write is useful, honest, and always up-to-date.
If you have questions, are unsure about something, or want me to check your itinerary, please email me at eric@newyork.co.uk. You can also follow me on Facebook or Instagram to get daily updates from New York.
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Read right away:
- Day 1 – Arrival in New York
- Day 2 – Midtown Manhattan & Empire State Building
- Day 3 – Fifth Avenue & Broadway
- Day 4 – Brooklyn & Dinner Cruise
- Day 5 – Statue of Liberty & Downtown Manhattan
- Day 6 – Downtown Neighbourhoods & Hudson Yards
- Day 7 – Williamsburg & Departure
Day 1: Arrival in New York
The first day of your 1-week itinerary in New York City is mainly about arriving, getting to Manhattan and easing into the city. After checking in, head out for your first evening in Midtown.
Arrival Day: Airport Transfer
Plan your transfer from the airport to Manhattan in advance, so you can travel to your hotel without stress after your flight.
Afternoon 17:00 – 19:00: Arrival at Hotel
Arrive at your hotel, check in and take some time to freshen up before going out for the evening.
Evening 19:00 – 20:00: Times Square
Start your trip with a visit to Times Square, where the lights, crowds and billboards immediately give you that classic New York feeling.
Evening 20:00 onwards: Dinner at John’s Pizza
End your first evening with dinner at John’s Pizza, a popular pizza restaurant close to Times Square.
Day 2: Midtown Manhattan & Empire State Building
Today focuses on Midtown Manhattan, combining sightseeing, iconic buildings and skyline views from one of New York’s most famous observation decks.
Morning 08:00 – 09:00: Breakfast at Ellen’s Stardust
Start the day at Ellen’s Stardust Diner, famous for its Broadway-style singing waitstaff and classic American breakfast menu.
Morning 09:00 – 11:00: Hop on Hop off Bus Downtown Loop
For your first exploration of the city, I recommend taking the Downtown loop of the Hop on Hop off bus. Discover several of Manhattan’s most famous neighbourhoods and landmarks from the top deck.
Morning 11:00 – 13:00: Hop on Hop off Bus Uptown Loop
Continue with the Uptown loop to explore more of Manhattan, or hop off the bus and head for lunch.
If you choose to have lunch, stop at Grand Central Terminal and admire one of the city’s most beautiful and historic train stations.
Afternoon 13:00 – 18:00: Midtown Highlights
Visit Midtown highlights including the Chrysler Building and SUMMIT One Vanderbilt while exploring the heart of Manhattan.
Walk past the New York Public Library and Bryant Park before continuing towards Times Square and the Flatiron Building area.
Explore the Flatiron District and spend some time in Madison Square Park, surrounded by historic buildings and busy city streets.
Evening 18:00 – 20:00: Dinner near Times Square
Have dinner near Times Square, where you’ll find countless restaurants and plenty of atmosphere in the evening.
Evening 20:00: Empire State Building
End the day at the Empire State Building and admire the illuminated Manhattan skyline after sunset.
Day 3: Fifth Avenue & Broadway
Today we’ll visit some of New York’s most iconic landmarks and combine it with time in Central Park and an evening on Broadway.
Morning 08:00 – 09:00: Breakfast
Start the morning with breakfast before heading to Rockefeller Center.
Morning 09:00 – 10:00: Top of the Rock
Visit Top of the Rock for unbeatable views over Central Park and Manhattan. After your observation deck visit, head to Fifth Avenue.
Morning 10:00 – 12:00: Fifth Avenue Highlights
Walk along Fifth Avenue past famous sights such as Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Trump Tower.
Continue along Fifth Avenue and pass landmarks including Tiffany’s, the Apple Store and the Plaza Hotel.
Afternoon 12:00 – 14:00: Central Park
Spend time walking or biking through Central Park and enjoy lunch from Whole Foods at Columbus Circle while relaxing in the park.
Afternoon 14:00 – 16:00: MoMA or Guggenheim
Choose between visiting MoMA or the Guggenheim Museum for an afternoon surrounded by world-famous art collections. Both are close to the park.
Afternoon 16:00 – 18:00: Time to Rest
Take a break at your hotel before heading out again in the evening.
Evening 18:00 – 19:00: Dinner
Enjoy dinner before heading to the Theatre District. Carmine’s is a great option if you’re with a group or large family.
Evening 19:00 onwards: Broadway Musical
Finish the day with a Broadway musical, one of the classic New York experiences. I’m happy you help you choose if you can’t decide which show to pick!
Day 4: Brooklyn & Dinner Cruise
Today takes you to Brooklyn for skyline views, a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and an unforgettable evening cruise.
Morning 09:00 – 10:00: Breakfast
Start the day with breakfast, one of New York’s best bagels, for example, before travelling to Brooklyn.
Morning 10:00 – 11:00: Subway to Brooklyn
Take the subway to Brooklyn to explore this popular borough. If you use Eric’s New York App, follow the ‘DUMBO – Brooklyn Bridge’ route.
Morning 11:00 – 12:00: Brooklyn Bridge Park
Walk through Brooklyn Bridge Park and enjoy views of Lower Manhattan across the East River.
Afternoon 12:00 – 13:00: Lunch in DUMBO
Have lunch in DUMBO, a neighbourhood known for its waterfront views, cafés and cobblestone streets.
Afternoon 13:00 – 15:00: Brooklyn Bridge
After lunch, start walking across the Brooklyn Bridge towards Manhattan while enjoying incredible skyline views along the way.
Afternoon 15:00 – 18:00: Helicopter Flight
Take a helicopter flight for unforgettable aerial views of New York City. If you ask me, this is one of the best activities in New York!
Evening 18:00 onwards: Dinner Cruise
End the day with one of my other favourites: a dinner cruise. Admire the Manhattan skyline from the water at night while enjoying great food and nice music.
Day 5: Statue of Liberty & Downtown Manhattan
Today is dedicated to Lower Manhattan, with famous landmarks, historic sights and a New York sports experience in the evening.
Morning 08:00 – 09:00: Breakfast
Start your morning with breakfast and maybe some coffee before heading downtown.
Morning 09:00 – 13:00: Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island or Sightseeing Boat Tour
Take the ferry to visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, or choose a sightseeing boat tour for skyline views from the water.
Afternoon 13:00 – 15:00: 9/11 Memorial & 9/11 Museum
Spend the afternoon at the 9/11 Memorial and 9/11 Museum, one of the city’s most important historical sites.
Afternoon 15:00 – 16:00: Oculus
Visit the Oculus, the striking transportation hub and shopping centre near the World Trade Center. It’s only a short walk from the 9/11 Museum.
Afternoon 16:00 – 18:00: Wall Street & the Wall Street Bull
Walk through the Financial District and see Wall Street, the Stock Exchange area and the famous Charging Bull statue.
Evening 18:00 onwards: Sports Game & Dinner at the Stadium
Spend the evening watching a live sports game and enjoy classic stadium food while experiencing the atmosphere of New York sports.
Day 6: Downtown Neighbourhoods & Hudson Yards
Today we’ll combine food, local neighbourhoods, walking routes and modern Manhattan highlights.
Morning 08:00 – 09:00: Breakfast
Start the day with breakfast before your morning activity. Don’t eat too much, though, if you’re planning on doing the donut tour, as a lot of tasting will follow!
Morning 09:00 – 11:00: Donut Tour or American Museum of Natural History
Join a Donut Tour through Manhattan and discover some of the city’s favourite sweet treats.
Alternatively, visit the American Museum of Natural History before continuing downtown.
Morning 11:00 – 13:00: Greenwich, SoHo, Chinatown & Little Italy Walking Route
Start the ‘Greenwich, SoHo, Chinatown & Little Italy’ walking route from Eric’s New York App. If you visit the museum first, take the C line to the starting point. The end point of the donut tour is nearby.
During the route, you’ll pass Washington Square Park, the Friends Apartment, and Bleecker Street. You can stop for a delicious New York pizza along the way.
Afternoon 13:00 – 14:00: Subway to 14th Street
Take subway line F and continue with the ACE line to 14th Street.
Afternoon 14:00 – 15:00: Meatpacking District & High Line Park
Explore the Meatpacking District before walking along the High Line Park.
Afternoon 15:00 – 17:00: Hudson Yards & Edge
Continue to Hudson Yards and visit Edge for panoramic views over Manhattan.
Evening 17:00 – 19:00: Dinner
Enjoy dinner before finishing your evening in the city. I can recommend some great sushi places, for example.
Evening 19:00 onwards: Drinks at a Rooftop Bar
End the day with drinks at a rooftop bar overlooking the Manhattan skyline.
Day 7: Williamsburg & Departure
Spend your final hours of this 7-day New York itinerary in Brooklyn before heading to the airport for your flight home.
Morning 08:00 – 09:00: Breakfast & Check-out
Have breakfast, check out of your hotel and store your luggage for the last part of your trip.
Morning 09:00 – 14:00: Williamsburg & Greenpoint Route
Take the subway to Williamsburg and follow the ‘Williamsburg – Greenpoint’ route from Eric’s New York App to discover another side of Brooklyn.
Afternoon 14:00 onwards: Pick Up Luggage & Airport Transfer
Return to your hotel, collect your luggage and travel to JFK Airport or Newark Airport for your flight home.
Are you staying less or more than 7 days in New York?
See here for a 4 day New York itinerary
See here for a 5 day New York itinerary
See here for a 6 day New York itinerary
See here for an 8 day New York itinerary
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