New York City… the one and only. There is something about that city that I find infectious, drawing me back every few years. I took my first solo trip to London, read more about that here, and decided to take another but make NYC my host this time around. The city is so easy to navigate, and with so much to do, you will have to take another trip back! I can’t wait to go back for another solo trip and spend more time in Brooklyn, as that is my favorite borough.

Getting to the City

I like to avoid taking taxis at all costs; I get car sick easy and the car ride to the city can be long. I have used public transportation to get to Manhattan from both JFK and Newark. It is often cheaper to take public transportation, so for me, that is why I prefer it.

From JFK

Follow the signs for baggage claim and then follow the signs for the AirTrain. You will exit the airport, cross a short cross walk, and take the elevator to the platform. The AirTrain is a short ride to the stop called “Jamaica” at the LIRR (long Island Rail Road) station. Once you arrive at the Jamaica station, you will pay by “tap” (using Apple Wallet or a credit card to tap) for your AirTrain ticket and find the platform to take you to either Penn station or Grand Central Station. It is about a 20 minute ride on the LIRR from the airport.

On the way back to the airport, take the LIRR to Jamaica. From the Jamaica stop, get off and take the AirTrain to your terminal.

From Newark

After you land, follow the signs to baggage claim. From there, you will see signs that say to the train (EWR) and follow those. You will need to take the “tram” to get to the EWR (train station). You will take a quick tram ride and will arrive at the train station to board the EWR. Board the EWR and have your ticket ready- someone will be buy to validate it. Get off at Penn Station. From the pickup spot at the airport it is about 3 stops and about 35 minutes. Read more about the public transportation at Newark here.

After doing both options, I recommend both. They are both easy to use and reliable. I might suggest JFK only because the EWR platform is outside, and even though there is a small room to huddle in on the platform in inclement weather, I liked how the AirTrain is fully covered. My suggestion is pick the airport that has the best flight options and go from there.

Where to Stay

I have visited NYC a few times with family, but for my solo trip, I wanted to ensure I had a a hotel that felt safe as I was on my own this time. Previously I had stayed in Times Square and I didn’t enjoy the crowds and noises that come with that location.

I decided to stay at Pod 39 Hotel. I looked at so many hotel options and so many of these hotels are so expensive! I wanted one that was relatively affordable for New York and landed on this one. My other must have was location. I wanted to be near a subway stop for ease of mobility. From the hotel, Grand Central Station was about 7 minutes and there was a closer subway stop that was about 4 minutes. As a solo female traveler, I felt completely safe in that hotel and in the neighborhood and would absolutely recommend it. Some other hotel options I considered was the Moxy Hotel chain and CitizenM.

Book your stay here

What to Do

Your itinerary depends on how long your solo trip is. These activities can be applied regardless of how long you are in the city for. I suggest breaking down your itinerary by neighborhood to maximize time in each.

Day 1: Midtown Manhattan

Settle in and then head out to visit Bryant Park. In the summer, you will find the grass open with a farmer’s market with craft stalls, food vendors, and games.

Next, stop by the New York Public Library. This library is free to enter but there is a bag check at the door. The inside of the library is absolutely beautiful. There are a couple of places to sit and get work done if you are working while in New York and need a change of scenery.

Visit Times Square, and if you feel inclined, see a Broadway show. Visit the Empire State Building, SUMMIT One Vanderbilt and the Edge, which both offer stunning view of the city. SUMMIT One is often described as a more immersive and interactive “experience,” while The Edge is more focused on the outdoor platform and views.

I highly suggest visit the Top of the Rock building for a view of the Empire State Building. While the Empire State Building is great, I much prefer the Top of the Rock as you get more expansive view of the city in my option. The Top of the Rock is located on the top floor of the Rockefeller Center. Buy tickets here.

Stop by Rockefeller Center, Carnegie Hall, and Radio City Music Hall. Be sure to see a Rockettes performance!

Day 2: Upper Manhattan: Upper East Side and Upper West Side, and Central Park

Start your day with a delicious bagel from Modern Bread and Bagels or Absolute Bagels in the upper West Side.

Start the day with a walk through Central Park, starting at Ice Rink at the Davis Center, stopping by the Glen Span Arch, walk to North Meadow Baseball Field 6, down to Belvedere Castle, Ladies Pavilion, and end at Bethesda Terrace.

You will recognize Bethesda Terrace from a wide range of movies and TV shows. Keep going through the park until you reach the Central Park carousel.

While on the West Side, visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Natural History Museum. Check out West Side Community Garden

Be sure to head to the infamous Zabars and grab a cookie from Levain Bakery.

If you aren’t tired from your day, stop by the shops on 5th avenue and visit the iconic Plaza Hotel.

Day 3: Lower Manhattan: Soho, West Village, Greenwich Village, Chelsea, and Meatpacking

Start your day at the Vessel, then walk the Chelsea High Line, a 1.45 mile long walk through Chelsea, bringing a bit of greenery in the city.

Afterwards, visit Chelsea Market for food and shopping and stop by The Little Islands.

Make your way to Cornelia street in the West Village and explore the charming West Village streets.

Stop by Union Square Park and make your way to Bleecker Street and Canal Street. Be sure to also visit the infamous Fellini Coffee!

Visit Washington Square Park for some iconic photos and beautiful scenery.

You truly can spend hours here wandering the streets. So many famous shows use building shots and you can spend a whole day visiting filming locations from shows such as Sex in the City, Gossip Girl, YOU, Friends, Only Murders in the Building, How I Met Your Mother, Seinfeld, and so many more. If you like comedy shows, be sure to visit Comedy Cellar for a night of fun.

Day 4: Brooklyn

Start the day by taking the subway down to City Hall/ Chambers Street. You will see the Brooklyn Bridge steps away. The Bridge is roughly 1.1 miles from start to finish. To avoid large crows, get to the start of the bridge no later than
8:00am.

Once across, stop by Dumbo for the iconic picture of the Brooklyn Bridge. Visit Brooklyn Bridge Park for some great views of the city. You can also stop by Dumbo for the iconic picture of the Brooklyn Bridge. My suggestion is to type in Brooklyn Bridge Park in Google Maps once you cross the bridge and it will take you right through Dumbo on the way.

Be sure to stop by Time Out Market for free restrooms, shopping, and a variety of food options in the form of a food hall. This one is very similar to the one in Chelsea.

Head to the Brooklyn Promenade to see the charming Brooklyn Brownstones and another view of the Manhattan.

Stroll the streets or Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, and Carroll Gardens.

Take the subway over to Prospect Park and stroll the charming green space.

Make your way over to Williamsburg for an afternoon of shopping and sight seeing. Stop by Domino Park for a beautiful view of Manhattan.

Day 5: FIDI, River Cruise, Additional Exploration

Start your day downtown and start walking up the West Side Highway. You will have amazing views of the city. You can even walk to the Little Islands if you didn’t have time to see that before if bad weather disrupted those plans. Head back to the One World Trade Center.

This is also a great time to hop on the ferry and head to visit the Statue of Liberty, or spend some time in Hoboken, New Jersey. Another great option is a river cruise. The company, City Cruises, is a popular one.

Check out the Oculus building in FiDi (Financial District) for shopping, subway connections, and free restrooms.

If you are on your solo trip and working, you might want to rearrange some of the days to accommodate the work schedule and move to the weekend or sight see in the morning. Do note on the weekend, there are fewer trains to Brooklyn. An easy way to avoid that issue in the morning is to walk the Brooklyn Bridge and take the subway back.

Where to Eat

Coffee/ Matcha: Bluestone Lane, Blank Street Coffee, Seven Grams Caffe, Fellini Coffee, Ralph’s Coffee

Fast Casual/ Grab and Go: Rooted, Springbone Kitchen, Dig Inn, Los Tacos No.1

Breakfast: Bubby’s, Leon’s Bagels, Breakfast by Salt’s Cure, The Butcher’s Daughter, Gertrude’s, St. Jardin. For a gluten free option try Modern Bread and Bagels

Sit down: Bar Primi, 12 Chairs, Fiaschetteria Pistoia, Tacombi, Dudleys, Emmett’s on Grove, and L’Artusi.

Grab a sweet treat in at Ella Crown Bakehouse, Mia’s Brooklyn Bakery, Winner bakery.

I hipe New York City is magical and lively, encouraging another trip back!