NYC Travel Guide: Things to do, Where to Eat, Drink and Stay

Welcome to New York City. I'm Jenna and I will be your local guide sharing the top 30 things to do. This goes beyond your stereotypical list. There will not be any Empire State Building on this list, but instead this is about the experiences. This is what to do, what to eat, drink, where to stay, and when to visit. So keep watching and if you enjoy this video, don't forget to give it a thumbs up, click the subscribe button, and if you enjoyed it, please share it with your friends. In a place nicknamed the Big Apple, we have to start with food, but did you know, quick fun fact, that it is called the Big Apple not because of apples, it has nothing to do with food, but because of a 1920s racing column called Around the Big Apple. So number one, we have the bagel. In New York City, we are known for the bagel. There's actually something in the water that makes our bagels super unique, and you can also try a rainbow bagel at the bagel shop in Brooklyn, Williamsburg. I highly recommend it. You can try it with eggs for a salty-sweet combo or with a smear of confetti cream cheese, which is super fun and colorful. Highly recommend it. Number two, have a really good slice of pizza. There are so many amazing pizza places that are definitely worth checking out. In Brooklyn Heights, there is a fun rivalry between Grimaldi's and also Giuliana's. I recommend Giuliana's, which has a shorter line, just FYI. But if you're on a budget, there are also some amazing $1 slices that you have to check out, and go check out my challenge video for more. It's a little cold because I was talking for too long. Number three, have a burger. Have a burger at a place like Shake Shack, which is a super classic, or the Burger Joint, which is like a speakeasy hidden inside a hotel. Number four, have a pastrami sandwich. You don't know how good this is until you try it. Head downtown to Cap's to have this pastrami sandwich, which is a little bit pricey, but so worth it. And whatever you do, don't lose your ticket. Number five, food markets. If you tried every single New York City restaurant one per day, it would take you about 20 years to try all of them. And that's not even including new restaurants popping up. So try a few different restaurants and a few different culinary styles all in one at a food market. Some of my favorite places are Smorgasburg, which is especially during the summer, and Chelsea Market, open all year round, which has some of the best tacos. Number six, have a decadent dessert. New York City has some of the best, biggest, most delicious desserts. So while you're here, you have to try something like this ice cream here at the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory in Brooklyn Heights. Number seven, enjoy brunch. Come to a classy Instagrammable spot like the River Cafe behind me with beautiful views of the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan skyline, or go to a diner dive and have a milkshake worth sharing that's so big, but so fun and colorful at a place like Big Daddy's or Black Tab. Number eight, have a coffee. No, not Starbucks. I'm talking about a cute coffee shop complete with caps, board games, records, you name it. New York is known for some really great coffee and coffee shops. Take the subway or take a taxi. The number one trick to figure out whether a taxi is taken or not is seeing if the light on top with the numbers is actually lit up. If it is lit up, that means that it is free and available. If not, that means that it is taken. If you want to learn more about the subway, check out my other video all about the subway. Number 10, take a helicopter ride. I've actually taken a helicopter ride here in New York City, in LA, in the Czech Republic and Australia, and my absolute favorite experience is here in New York because of all the tall skyscrapers. You get an amazing perspective of the whole city from the air. Number 11, take a free ride on the Staten Island Ferry. The Staten Island Ferry is the best free ride, views of the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty, so you don't have to spend a full day visiting the Statue of Liberty, especially if you have a limited amount of time here. Watch my video for more of where to stand and where to catch it. Number 12, visit another island. Head to the family-friendly Governor's Island or, with one metro swipe, head in a red tram over to Roosevelt Island. Number 13, go to Brooklyn. If you have time, you must venture outside of Manhattan to other boroughs like Brooklyn. My favorite spot is right here in Brooklyn Heights, where you can have appreciation for this wonder by walking across it. Number 14, visit a neighborhood. Travel around the world within New York City by visiting another neighborhood like Little India, Koreatown, Chinatown, or the New Little Italy along Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. Number 15, go to the top of a tall building. The top three observatory decks here in New York City that you have to pay about $30 for with an amazing view are Top of the Rock, One World Trade Center behind me, and the Empire State Building. My top recommendation is to go to the Top of the Rock because then you would have the Empire State Building in your view. For better views of the bridges, head to the One World Trade Center, which is further downtown and has a better downtown view. 67 stories up, we are on the Top of the Rock. I recommend definitely come here for sunset, but come two hours ahead so that you make sure you get the right time slot. Number 16, go to touristy spots like Times Square. Even though some locals might warn you against it, it is crowded for a reason. It is truly a one-of-a-kind place, and I remember when I first came to Times Square, looking all around me, it is so bright. There are so many lights that you really have to check it out. Even if it's a quick visit, you need to come to Times Square just to see it at least once. Number 17, go to a museum. New York City has over 100 museums. I recommend you travel uptown to the Museum Mile, a collection of 10 museums, including the Cooper Hewitt, the Guggenheim, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. If you have a short period of time, come visit my favorite museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, also known as the Met. It has a really great Egyptian wing, including the Temple of Dendur, which was fully relocated and saved from the floods of the Nile. Also, they have seasonal costume exhibits at the Costume Institute. Number 18, go on an adventure. If you enjoy rock climbing, you will love coming here under the Manhattan Bridge, and you can climb and boulder right here outdoors or on the actual rocks that make up Central Park. Number 19, go to a park. Even though it's called the Concrete Jungle, there are so many wonderful parks here. You can enjoy a beautiful day in Central Park or even the High Line, which is an elevated railroad tracks-turned-park, or even a park near you. Number 20, watch the sunset, or if you're an early riser, watch the sunrise. Two of my favorite places for watching the sunset are here in Brooklyn Heights, overlooking the pylons, or in Gantry Plaza in Queens. Number 21, get lost in a book. If you love books, you will love the Strand Bookstore, or the Morgan Library, or the New York Public Library, right next to Bryant Park. Number 22, see a show. Known for some of the best shows in the world, you can see revivals and classics on Broadway, and for more affordable shows, go to Off-Broadway or Off-Off-Broadway. The more offs, the more affordable it is. Number 23, see a movie differently. Enjoy a movie under the stars in a New York City park like Bryant Park, or have a dine-in theater experience at a retro-style theater like Nighthawk. Number 24, wear whatever you want. Most New Yorkers do wear black. Oops. But you can wear whatever you want. Even if you wanted to wear a rainbow, colorful tutu, New Yorkers wouldn't give you a second glance. Number 25, have a night on the town. It is called The City That Never Sleeps for a reason. Enjoy classic cocktails at a hidden speakeasy, or dive bars that have pool, live jazz, and ping pong, like one of my favorites, Fat Cat. Number 26, go shopping, or at least window shopping. Head uptown to Fifth Avenue for some of the prettiest windows, or go vintage shopping in Brooklyn. Head to SoHo for some more fun shopping and cobblestone streets. Also, check out my video about SoHo for more. Number 27, follow in famous footsteps. There are so many iconic series and movies that are shot here in New York as their backdrop. From Friends, to Seinfeld, to Sex and the City, and Gossip Girl, you can go on custom tours that follow all of these movies and series around the city. Number 28, stay somewhere unique. For convenience, Midtown Manhattan is the best location to see Times Square, a lot of Midtown Manhattan attractions, and is really close to the subways, but I also highly recommend Airbnb. I have stayed in Airbnbs as staycations here in New York City, and definitely love that local authentic experience. If you stay with a super host, or just a really good host, they will give you recommendations of places right near you, and some of their local hidden gems. You can also use my code down below to get $40 off your first Airbnb. You can stay in a modern skyscraper, or a Brooklyn brownstone, just like this one. Number 29, do something different. I wish I could include everything there is in New York City in this whole video, but I can't. So, definitely look up your favorite things, and see if there's a museum, or an exhibit, or even a tour dedicated all to it. You would be surprised, there are some really fun, quirky, unique things that this city has to offer that you can't find anywhere else. Number 30, visit again in a different season. As New Yorkers think, New York is the center of the universe, you will likely want to come back again. So, my favorite time to visit is definitely the spring, when you can see the cherry blossoms, and it is not as warm and crowded as the summer months, which is the most popular time. So, my top recommendation is to visit during the spring, in April or May, or in the fall, during September and October, when you can hopefully see the leaves changing color, which is so beautiful, and the fall weather is much better than summer. If you love the holidays, you will love visiting the city in December and January. That is when you can go ice skating at Rockefeller Center, or the less crowded Bryan Park. You can even enjoy beautiful window displays at 5th Avenue, and see the Rockefeller tree. I'm Jen, thank you so much for watching the top things to do in New York City. As always, say yes to new adventures, and I'll see you next time. Bye!