Top 5 things to do in New York City
There is a lot to see and do in New York, so today I share my personal Top 5 things to do in New York City with you.
Top 5 Things to do in New York City: Go up the Empire State Building
Yes this might be a rather obvious one, but honestly go and see it. You have a perfect 360 view of New York. But save the money for the 102nd floor. Yes it is higher up than the main observation deck on the 86th floor but you are indoors only and (in my opinion) the view does not equal the extra money spent.
We’ve been up twice, once during the day and once at night.
Both views are stunning, but the night view certainly is more memorable. The Empire State Building opens until very late, so there is a slim chance of beating the crowds by going extra late (or extra early if you are one of those rare morning persons)
Top 5 Things to do in New York City: Walk the High Line Park
The Highline Park was something we completely missed first time round. It is an unused elevated rail track on the West Side that was transformed into a garden walk a couple of years ago. Start at the bottom (somewhere below 14th Street) and walk all the way up to the end at 34th Street. It sounds a lot, but it actually is a pleasant stroll (around 1.5 miles) that allows you to see the city from a completely different angle. But wrap up warm, it can be very windy up here.
Top 5 Things to do in New York City: Shop at Macy’s
Going to New York and not going on a shopping spree? Nope, didn’t think so either. For me every NYC trip includes at least one trip to Macy’s (more likely one a day if we are being honest). I can literally spend (and have spent) hours in there. They have just about everything you can wish for and if you are lucky enough to go during sales (which I seem to manage quite regularly) you can grab some real bargains.
As a visitor go to the mezzanine floor first and get your 10% off visitor pass.
Shopping as a plus size girl isn’t always easy (or fun), but Macy’s offers an amazing selection of designer clothes (like Ralph Lauren and Michael Kors) in plus sizes. And you don’t have to hunt through aisles of other clothes first to find them. On the 7th floor they have dedicated half a floor to plus size only, so you can browse with ease and go crazy (at least I do).
Top 5 Things to do in New York City: Have a bagel at Pick A Bagel and a pastrami sandwich at Katz’s Delicatessen
All that exploring is eventually gonna leave you starving (and wishing for a foot massage… that might just be me though). There is plenty of great food all around you, from posh restaurants to quick street food. So if you are going hungry you only have yourself to blame.
My favourite go to for a quick lunch is Pick a Bagel on the Upper East Side (saying that I think they have more shops around, but this is the one I’ve tested and liked). You can pick from a variety of bagels and a myriad of fillings. And if I say filling I mean proper deep filled, so probably not ideal if you are counting calories or watching your carb intake.
For a true New York classic head down to the Lower East Side for a pastrami sandwich at Katz’s Delicatessen. You might not know that you know it, but I would be very surprised if you don’t remember that famous scene from ‘Where Harry met Sally’. Yes this is the very same deli.
I would advise to time your visit well to avoid hitting any rush hour, as the ordering service is both chaotic and a bit dated. Don’t expect a proper menu or even anyone talking you through the food on offer. Just have a look, take a pick and hope for the best… and don’t faint when you pay, a pastrami sandwich will set you back a good 20$. But with the amount of meat in there it will keep you going for the rest of the day.
Top 5 Things to do in New York City: Go and see a show
Living in London, where most of the musicals are right on my door step, I don’t quite fancy hitting the Broadway to see yet another musical. But what we have done is went to see the ‘New York Spring Spectacular’, one of the shows with the legendary Rockettes at the Radio City Musical Hall, as well as head to the Lincoln Center for a performance of the New York City Ballet (third time lucky, first two visits were always outside their season). So whatever takes your fancy really, everything goes in the city that never sleeps.
