Head to Chinatown for lunch
Back on land in Manhattan, you can take a scenic walk to Chinatown, making note to pass through Wall Street and the renowned New York Stock Exchange on the way. In Chinatown, you’ll have your pick of affordable Chinese bakeries, where you can pick up baked buns, egg tarts, and pastries—sometimes for less than $1 each. You can never go wrong with Fay Da, Golden Steamer, and Golden Fung Wong, all situated on Mott Street.
Cross the Brooklyn Bridge
Once you’re nice and full, get a move on toward the historic Brooklyn Bridge that connects Lower Manhattan with Downtown Brooklyn. Walking across the 1.1-mile structure takes about a half-hour on its own, but accounting for the pictures you’ll take and views you’ll want to soak up—not to mention the foot traffic created by yourself and your fellow tourists—it’s safe to block off an hour for the experience. Don’t forget to look where you’re going and keep right where possible.
Visit the Transit Museum
Downtown Brooklyn’s Transit Museum is located within a decommissioned subway station, and adult tickets will run you $10 a pop—you’d be hard-pressed to find a (universally) cheaper museum in the city (shoutout tot the free-for-all Queens Museum and pay-what-you-wish Brooklyn Museum, also great options depending on your plans for the day.)
Walk the High Line
Shift from one elevated park to another as you exit Little Island, and climb up to the High Line, a suspended railroad track-turned-trendy walkway that connects the Chelsea Market to Hudson Yards. Take your time on the stroll, stopping for photos whenever possible and plopping on a seat whenever needed.
Enjoy a happy hour cocktail
Exit the High Line at W. 28th Street and catch happy hour at Porchlight, which runs from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and all-day Sunday. The drink menu includes $11 mint juleps, salty dogs, dirty vodka martinis, and daiquiris. Accounting for a $2 tip, the bill only racks up to $13, a decent price for the cool atmosphere and much-needed walking break. If you want to go cheaper, there are some $6 beers on offer and a $5 flask of spiked punch. A few of the other best happy hours in the city, if you’ve skipped the High Line and find yourself elsewhere: Mermaid Oyster Bar (locations in Times Square, Chelsea, Greenwich Village, and on the Upper West Side); Dante West Village; Fish Cheeks in the East Village; Brooklyn Public House; and Bed-Stuy’s Bad Luck Bar.
Grab a classic New York slice
With a little buzz going, it’s time for dinner. And if you feel nervous at the thought of a $1 slice of pizza, trust us: it’s a quintessential NYC experience. Pick up a couple slices at 99¢ Delicious Pizza on W. 35th Street and 7th Avenue—or any other lowkey dollar pizza joint you find along the way—and snarf it down as you stand in awe of the nearby Empire State Building. Then, begin walking north toward Times Square.
See Times Square as it lights up the night
Cliché as it seems, Times Square is among the most significant landmarks in the world, providing all the flashing lights you could imagine in addition to street entertainers and shops. If you’ve never been, after dark is the best way to experience it, when the sun isn’t stealing any attention from the glowing billboards.
Top off the night with banana pudding at Rockefeller Center
At this point you’ve seen almost all of the highlights, but no New York agenda is complete without a medium cup of banana pudding from Magnolia Bakery. You may have to wait in a line, depending on the day of the week, but once you’ve secured your dessert, you’ll be right next to Rockefeller Center, where you can roam a slightly less stimulating plaza.
