Our NYC

Iconic NYC Landmarks

Grand Central Terminal
Iconic Architecture & "Big City" Energy

To really get swept up in the energy of NYC, this is a must-visit for people watching and to admire the architecture. It’s a place that can truly represent the magic of NYC as it’s featured in a ton of movies and shows. From the streets that take you to the entrance, the spinning doors that promise relief from the weather outside and the architecture on the inside, this is a city jewel that you must experience. And don't forget to observe the constellations in the ceiling, I promise they will take your breath away.

St. Patrick’s Cathedral

This cathedral is a piece of art and a place where peace reigns in the middle of a city that is constantly on-the-go. You can find some quiet here, take a seat, and admire the architecture inside and out that is absolutely breathtaking.

Peaceful & Awe-Inspiring

Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island
Historical NYC Landmarks That Shaped The Land

Seeing the Statue of Liberty from afar is one thing—but going to the island where it stands offers an experience into the history of the United States. Not only do you get a unique view of the city from both the ferry ride and the island Lady Liberty stands on, you also get a chance to experience Ellis Island. These two places are integral to United States history as millions of immigrants passed through and saw the iconic statue on their way to a new beginning. They’re both a National Monument and entry is covered by the National Parks Annual Pass but the ferry ride itself is not covered. The ferry leaves from Battery Park in downtown Manhattan and the ride itself is about 15 minutes. You can also take the ferry to/from Liberty Park in Jersey City, both are the same price ($25.50).

Parks & Nature

New York Botanical Gardens

Some Nature In The Urban Landscape

The New York Botanical Gardens nestled in The Bronx is one of our favorite spots all year round. From Holiday Train Shows to Spring Orchid displays, you can stroll around the gardens and enjoy beautiful exhibitions of art both man-made and natural. Picnicking is limited at the gardens so if you want to bring your sandwich from Casa Della Mozzarella with you, you're limited to the Clay Family Picnic Pavilions, on Daffodil Hill, and at the Solar Pavilions near the Mosholu Entrance.

Central Park
Endless Trails, Lakes, & Incomparable Views

We like to call walking along the streets of the city “Urban Hiking” but for some “real” hiking in nature, Central Park is where you want to go. As you may guess from the name, it’s basically in the center of Manhattan and spans over 50 blocks between 59th St and 110th St. There are huge lawns, lakes, ball fields, and nature paths. You get amazing views throughout with the buildings of Manhattan towering around you behind natural beauty. Plan a hike or picnic and spend some time all around it as it makes it the perfect spot for a mini romantic getaway for a day!

The High Line

Another Unique Way To "Hike" Your Way Through NYC

For some more nature in the city, The High Line is a unique park/walkway that spans over 20 blocks on the west side of Manhattan. Between the 12th Street and 31st Street entrances/exits, there are multiple stops on this old train line converted to a series of connected gardens and art displays. With its city and river views, we love to walk through while stopping every so often in one of the many sitting areas along the way to enjoy the views. You can also get off and on at multiple stops along the way.

Washington Square Park

A Lively Hub With Street Performers & Chess Players

Washington Square Park is one of our favorite spots to go with a coffee or snack in hand to find a good sitting spot— the perfect place for people watching, live music, artists, or vendors. You could find chaos or peace, just depending on what day, but you’ll definitely have a memorable time.

Food

Los Tacos No. 1

Whether you're near Grand Central Terminal, on The High Line, or really anywhere south of Central Park, chances are you're not far from Los Tacos No. 1— our absolute favorite tacos outside of Mexico. They have multiple locations throughout Manhattan and are a perfect quick and delicious meal to grab in between activities.

🌮 Wall Street
🌮 Hudson Yards
🌮 Chelsea Market
🌮 NoHo
🌮 Times Square
🌮 Grand Central
🌮 Penn Station
🌮 Tribeca

Casa Della Mozzarella

For the absolute best picnic, pair your visit to the Gardens with a Sandwich from Casa de la mozzarella. This classic Italian deli makes delicious sandwiches with their fresh mozzarella they make in house. You can’t go wrong with any choice but we highly recommend The Casa sandwich from there. It’s also located along Arthur Ave which is the “Little Italy” of The Bronx so you can just go back there for dinner.

Arthur Ave- The Bronx's Little Italy

Casa Della Mozzarella is also located along Arthur Ave which is the “Little Italy” of The Bronx so you can just go back there for dinner.

Joes Pizza

Sometimes a late night snack after a good session of laughter is required and there are a bunch of good eats around the Comedy Cellar to help out. Joe’s Pizza is around the corner for a classic regular cheese or pepperoni slice

Artichoke Pizza

Artichoke Pizza is basically next to it for some specialty slices like Vodka sauce or Artichoke slices— you can’t go wrong with either.

Song e' Napule

While you absolutely have to try NY style pizza, you can also have a seat and try Song' E Napule where you can get an authentic Neapolitan pizza. This cozy spot proudly represents Naples, Italy and serves delicious Italian food with Neopolitan decor all around.

Pomme Frites

We also like Pomme Frites which is a simple no-frills french fry shop that serves great fries with a TON of different sauces.

Dominique Ansel Bakery

While on the topic of dessert, we love getting donuts in the city— specifically “Cronuts”. You can find our favorite versions in a few locations, one being at the Dominique Ansel Bakery. It has two locations, one near Madison Square Park and the other in SoHo. The SoHo location of Dominique Ansel usually has a very long line but they do have a nice garden vibe seating area in the back so if you want something more than a grab-n-go, that may be the spot for you.

The Donut Pub

Our other favorite versions of this combination of croissant and donut is at The Donut Pub. Open 24/7 and having a HUGE variety of donuts, this is the best version of your "classic" donut shop. The West Village location is the original spot, and the Astor Place location is perfect for grabbing a snack near Washington Square Park

Entertainment

Comedy Cellar – Catch big names in an intimate setting

One of the landmark comedy clubs in the world is the Comedy Cellar. It’s where every comedian dreams of having a killer set— and where ANY comedian might show up. Big time celebrity comics pop in all the time unannounced so you could get lucky. But no matter what, you'll have a fantastic night because NYC has some of the best comedians in the world and this is where they go night in and night out. We absolutely love going there because of the intimate setting and because for a reasonable price by NYC standards ($25ish entry plus two item minimum) you’re guaranteed an awesome night by laughing for hours.

Broadway

You absolutely must go to a Broadway Show because NYC is THE place for live theater. You can sometimes even see your favorite actors from the screen working on the stages of Broadway. Funny enough, we saw Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) signing autographs outside his broadway show down the block from the theater where they put on Harry Potter and The Cursed Child.

Try to catch a Wednesday afternoon show where the tickets can be a little less expensive for great seats or indulge with the weekend crowds to really capture that Broadway energy. We’ve gone to see the Sweeney Todd and Harry Potter shows and left both times in absolute awe of these actors. We love movies but it beats a movie any time.

St Mazie (Williamsburg, Brooklyn)

St Mazie - Over in Williamsburg is this Jazz Bar/Restaurant that’s perfect for a lively night out. They offer three different experiences with good food and live jazz in a cozy space, an outdoor patio seating area, and a basement bar. We really enjoyed our time in the front part watching a jazz trio perform and would definitely recommend it for a less touristy and more local feel.

Museums & Exhibits

American Museum Of Natural History

Whether you know it from the movies (Diana) or from going with your mom for a “day in the city” growing up (Alex), this is a museum we love exploring together nowadays! There are so many fascinating exhibits and shows to see at the museum that are both permanent and rotate from time to time. Last time, we spent hours in the new elephant exhibit and had such a good time—far from any boring school trips to museums as a kid. Make sure to also catch whatever is playing in the dome theater of the Hayden Planetarium or the Lefrak theater (or both!)

Museum of Ice Cream – Colorful, interactive, and sweet

Combining UNLIMITED ice cream and fun exhibitions, this “museum” is unlike any you’ve been to before. While this isn't a uniquely NY experience, we did it in NY ourselves and had such a blast, we couldn't recommend it more (especially on a hot day). Take some fun pictures, enjoy some unique and classic ice cream flavors, and just embrace your inner child throughout all the multiple levels and sections—like jumping in the sprinkles pool!

Van Gogh thing

Chill Vibes & Drink Spots

230 Fifth Bar

Getting a rooftop view in the city can be challenging without an attraction ticket but one of our favorite free/cheap alternatives are at the 230 Fifth Rooftop Bar Here you can get snacks and drinks for a reasonable price or simply pop in for a view of the Empire State building and other midtown highrises. It’s not quite a 360 degree view all around but it can definitely scratch that itch of getting a view from up high in the city.

Kingston Hall

Kingston Hall - A cool bar with a Jamaican themed menu and drinks in pineapples. Our favorite part is the place itself though as it has a colonial/island vibe with plenty of seating throughout and a free Pool table!

Please Don’t Tell

Please Don’t Tell - Secrets like this one are hard to keep in NYC but this speakeasy is a fun bar hidden inside a Hot Dog shop. It’s a fun experience to get in so just follow the instructions in the phone booth for a good time (and great mock and cocktails!) We got in without reservations on a weekday but calling ahead is recommended by many.

Coffee & Bagels

Paper Coffee

We once got caught in a rainstorm and stumbled upon one of our favorite coffee shops in the city— Paper Coffee. They have a great interior to hang out or work in but keep in mind there's no public wifi, so bring a hotspot or work you can do without internet— or just hang out in the awesome interior that has a modern-forest-cabin kind of vibe.

Brooklyn Bagel and Coffee Company

If you are in NY you have to get a bagel (we recommend ordering an “everything bagel with scallion cream cheese”). Brooklyn Bagel and Coffee company is great and there’s 2 locations in the city:

• 63 E 8th St, New York, NY 10003 (close to Washington Square Park)

• 286 8th Ave, New York, NY 10001 (in Chelsea by the High Line)

Start off your day with one of these and you won't be disappointed.

Sunset Spots

The Seaport

The Seaport – It’s where we took this picture (the picture)
One of our personal favorite spots to watch the sunset - The sun shining down the buildings at the golden hour is absolutely stunning and if you turn towards the water you can get a glimpse of the Brooklyn Bridge and a view that will steal your breath away.
Some of the best view are from Pier 15 & Pier 17 but honestly you cannot miss any of it by being close by.
Insider Tip: Great public restrooms nearby!

Brooklyn Bridge – Walk it at sunset for unforgettable views

If you are in New York then you should totally experience walking the Brooklyn Bridge.
Our favorite time to do it is in the morning when there’s not a lot of people and you can stroll at your own pace without having to worry about a thing. Taking your time to capture the perfect photo on the bridge with the city behind you on your way to Brooklyn is priceless and after that long walk you’ll definitely be hungry so here are some of our favorite spots to grab something to eat and keep enjoying the views and places around Brooklyn.

Battery Park

Battery Park - The southern most tip of Manhattan with a wide open view of New York Harbor, the Statue of Liberty and New Jersey.

Liberty Park

Liberty State Park - See the magnificent reflection of the sunset on the NY skyline from this park over the river in Jersey City. You've NEVER seen the sunset like this....

Brooklyn

DUMBO – Cobblestone streets, art, and that bridge view

This is an iconic neighborhood in Brooklyn to simply walk around and take in. Food, Art, and spectacular views where the Brooklyn Bridge is right above your head, the water a couple feet in front of you, and the city in the background.

Time Out Market

This place is great for quick bites and drinks so you can get a nice cozy corner on the rooftop terrace with the stunning view of the city in the distance. The best part is that the food is so diverse that you can find anything you'd like just looking around. Bakeries, Ramen, BBQ, Sandwiches, Pizza, Pancakes and more.

The Max Family Garden

A peaceful escape right in the city.

This small garden is just around the corner of the Time Out Market so even if you are on your way in or out this is a perfect place to get some fantastic pictures and some peace and quiet. It's a great spot to stop and rest while admiring the architecture of the city that never sleeps and the bridges that connect it.