New York City itineraries

Midtown in a Day, Sunset on Top

One day, first time? Stay in Midtown. Start under the Grand Central ceiling, walk MoMA, Central Park and Times Square, stand on the SUMMIT glass floor at sunset, then finish on Broadway.

Downtown and Brooklyn from the Bowery

Base on the Lower East Side. Day one: the Statue, 9/11, the Brooklyn Bridge, DUMBO at dusk, Peter Luger. Day two: SoHo, the West Village, the High Line, Edge. Midtown barely comes into it.

Three Slices of New York from Herald Square

Three days from Herald Square beside Koreatown: Upper East Side museums and Central Park, a Staten Island Ferry start then the Brooklyn Museum and botanic garden, and a last day of dinosaurs, Grand Central and the Roosevelt Island tram. Penn Station is on the doorstep, so the airport runs are easy.

Festivals & seasons

• 1 — Midwinter low season: cold but cheap
• 2 — Lunar New Year Parade, Chinatown
• 4 — Cherry blossoms at Brooklyn Botanic Garden
• 6 — NYC Pride March & Shakespeare in the Park
• 7 — Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks
• 7 — High-summer heat and humidity
• 8 — US Open Tennis
• 10 — Autumn: the best season, Central Park colour
• 11 — TCS New York City Marathon
• 11 — Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
• 12 — Rockefeller Tree Lighting & Bryant Park Winter Village
• 12 — Times Square New Year's Eve Ball Drop

Souvenirs

• Strand Book Store tote bag
• Levain cookies
• MoMA Design Store objects
• I♥NY T-shirt or mug
• Russ & Daughters babka and halva
• Chelsea Market chocolate and spices
• Trader Joe's tote bag