NEW YORK CITY IN FIVE DAYS
Guide for a short trip to New York City
You can easily spend months in New York City and the surrounding boroughs and still not see and experience enough. Here's a list of first-timer sights to see. Try to pick a few things from these lists and not rush too much because you'll be back.
Central Park & Museum Mile
Central Park​
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You can easily spend a full day exploring Central Park. Visit the Loeb Boathouse, Central Park Zoo, Bethesda Terrace, and try a Bike or Walking tour.
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The Museum Mile
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On the famous 5th Avenue, you'll find eight of the world's best museums:
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1. The Metropolitan Museum of Art
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4. Museum of the City of New York
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6. Cooper-Hewitt National Museum of Design
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7. National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts
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8. Goethe House German Cultural Center
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Not on Museum Mile but should be considered in your museum planning:
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3. The Morgan Library & Museum
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5. National Museum of the American Indian
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6. American Museum of Natural History
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8. Whitney Museum of American Art
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Midtown & Times Square
Midtown Highlights
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Home to the most iconic buildings and neighborhoods in New York, including:
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3. United Nations Headquarters
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6. Rockefeller Center and the Top of the Rock viewing deck
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9. Times Square and Broadway
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11. Gramercy Park
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12. Union Square
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13. Hell's Kitchen
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Downtown
So much is in lower Manhattan that it will take a few days to explore the various neighborhoods and sights.
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1. Chinatown
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2. Little Italy
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3. Nolita
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5. Chelsea & The Highline
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8. West Village
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9. SoHo
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10. Tribeca
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11. East Village
12. Noho
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Statute of Liberty
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Farther down from the rest of downtown, the Statute of Liberty on Ellis Island is accessible by ferry tours. If you want to only see the statute from a distance, the Staten Island Ferry is free and runs frequently.
Brooklyn
Brooklyn and Around
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1. Brooklyn Bridge. If weather permits, walk across.
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2. Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden
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3. Williamsburg
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4. Greenpoint
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5. Bushwick
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6. Coney Island. Farther out but a perfect experience outside of the city.
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Bronx & Harlem
The Bronx​
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3. Food: Arthur Avenue, "Little Italy"
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Harlem & East Harlem
Explore Harlem and iconic sights like the Apollo Theater and visit East Harlem, known as "el Barrio" for colorful street art and authentic Puerto Rican dishes.
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