Hey, we’re sightseeing here!
It’s a real challenge for visitors to New York City, as there is so much to see and do. But when a local website asked New Yorkers for suggestions for what they called the “perfect day” in the Big Apple, a flood of differing opinions threatened to overwhelm tourists even more than ever.
Secret NYC, which specializes in highlighting the best of what Gotham has to offer, posted the appeal on social media with the simple instruction: “Someone just asked you the best way to spend 24 hours in NYC… Go.”
As expected, opinions came in quickly and ranged from “a morning stroll on the High Line,” presumably before the rush of unfamiliar Europeans begins, to visits to the less tourist-visited Morgan Library and Arthur Avenue in the Bronx.
Of course, there were also many tried and tested attractions – e.g. Chinatown, the Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park in autumn, the Staten Island Ferry with a free view of the Statue of Liberty.
And because New Yorkers can’t have a conversation without a few loudmouths, one person suggested driving across the city and “spending the remaining 19 hours pretending it doesn’t exist.” Another Apple-phobe said the best place in this city so beautiful it gave its name twice is “the airport, where you wait for the plane to take off.”
From more than 650 responses, the site’s editors have selected 15 unique itineraries for people to try – here are just a few of the more creative suggestions. Do you agree? Let us know your favorite day in NYC in the comments.
“Start the day with breakfast at the Loeb Boathouse in Central Park while listening to the mesmerizing sounds of a piano and sipping a Bloody Mary with a magnificent view of the lake in front of you,” suggested a romantic at heart.
“Start with a visit to the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens for some early morning birdwatching,” advised one lover of New York City’s vast natural landscapes, who suggested visitors complement the experience with a trip to Jacob Riis Park “for a few hours on the beach” and more birdwatching.
New York City’s ferry network is popular as an inexpensive way to see the sights from the water, as are the world-class botanical gardens in the Bronx and Brooklyn.
Many were very specific in their choices, naming some of their favorite places to eat and drink, from Chez Moi in Brooklyn – “for a lovely French dinner” – to “drinks and singing” at the fabled piano bar Marie’s Crisis in the Village.
And finally, there were those who couldn’t recommend enough walking – lots and lots of walking, according to one respondent, who suggested strolling all the way from Battery Park to Central Park with as few breaks as possible.
“Don’t sit down for too long, taking a break just to have a bite to eat,” they urged.
In fact, the first rule of New York is: always be in a hurry, even on vacation.
