New York City is a vibe of its own with people always on the go, loud honking in traffic and plenty of late night activities. Although I will admit that Hollywood has exaggerated what New York looks like in person, it still is a lively place with much to see and do. During my three-day stay, I sought out to find a few of New York’s top tourist spots. Although I did not make it to every place on my bucket list, I still saw and experienced a lot. In this blog you will find a few of my favorite spots in beautiful New York City.

“New York is not a city, it’s a world.” – Truman Capote, Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1958)

“Somewhere between living and dreaming there's New York.”

Times Square

This stop goes without saying as one of New York’s biggest tourist attractions and entertainment hubs. Located in Midtown Manhattan, Times Square offers everything from shopping centers to Broadway shows to visiting popular tourist attractions like Radio City and Hershey’s Chocolate World. There is much to do and it is especially beautiful to visit at night. The bright lights and bustling city will make you feel welcome to New York.

Common tourist attractions:

Radio City Music Hall
Madame Tussauds New York
Broadway Theatre
Hershey’s Chocolate World
The Red Steps

The FRIENDS Experience: The One in New York City

This trendy coffee house designed to resemble Central Perk from the set of the TV show Friends, is an experience that will pull on your heart strings and make you feel as though you were transported into the show itself. There are several fun photo opportunities that allow you to take photos alone or with friends. At the end of the experience you will find a replica coffee shop where you can order coffee or pastries and a gift shop to buy FRIENDS souvenirs.

ADDRESS: 130 E 23rd St, New York, NY 10010 (Located on the corner of Lexington Ave. and 23rd St.)

HOURS: Wednesday to Sunday: 10 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. (last entry), Closed Monday & Tuesday

PRICE: $60 for standard ticket

Starbucks Reserve Roastery

Opened in 2018, Starbucks Reserve has experiences all around the building depending on what you’re in the mood for. Upstairs is the Arriviamo Bar which features inspired cocktails and coffee creations. The Scooping Bar I discovered to be the most popular area in the Reserve which allows guests to speak with a Coffee Master to choose a specially packaged Starbucks Reserve coffee roasted onsite in which they can scoop themselves. The Main Bar is the place to go if you want to try try the exclusive coffee and pastry options only found at this site.

ADDRESS: 61 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011

RECOMMENDATIONS: Caramel brûlée eggnog latte, Coffee Eggnog Holiday Cookie, Olive sfilatino

PRICE: There is no entrance fee.

Grand Central Station

Located in Midtown Manhattan, Grand Central is a thriving NYC landmark that is not only a center for transportation, but also offers more than 70 options for shopping and dining. It is also the location for one of the most iconic scenes from Gossip Girl when Serena comes back from boarding school and is spotted at Grand Central Terminal.

ADDRESS: 89 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017

PRICE: Free to enter

Rockefeller Ice Rink

A seasonal ice skating rink located at Rockefeller Center, the ice rink is a popular scenic spot perfect for visiting during the holiday season with a large Christmas tree. Surrounding the area are food trucks and upscale shops and restaurants.

ADDRESS: 600 5th Avenue, Rockefeller Center, New York, NY 10020

Chelsea Market

ADDRESS: 75 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011

Located in the heart of New York City's Meatpacking District is Chelsea Market, a food and retail marketplace with a global perspective. It is currently considered one of the greatest indoor food and retail marketplaces in the world today. Restaurants range from oyster houses to currywurst to fresh bakeries. The market is also a great place to shop with popular stores such as Anthropologie and Bosman Books. Here are a few of my food and drink recommendations:

CULL & PISTOL - Recommendations: Raw oyster platters, Oyster shots

BERLIN CURRYWURST- Recommendations: Traditional Currywurst

Visit Chinatown

A vibrant stop in the heart of Lower Manhattan, this neighborhood features an array of Chinese and Southeast Asian restaurants, bubble tea shops, markets and souvenir stores. Here you can find everything from dumpling shops to hand-pulled noodles and pork buns. Here are a couple of my favorite stops along Chinatown that I recommend:

YUE WONG RESTAURANT - 60 Bayard St, New York, NY 10013 - Recommendations: Crispy duck with white rice, Soup Dumplings

GRAND STREET SKEWER CART - 246 Grand St, New York, NY 10002 - Recommendations: Lamb or beef skewers

Museum of Illusions

ADDRESS: 77 8th Ave, New York, NY 10014

Museum of Illusions features exhibits to deceive the eye including kaleidoscopes and holograms, tilted and reverse rooms, as well as fun installations like Head on a Platter, a Cloning Table and more.

This is my second Museum of Illusion with the former being the one located at the Mall of America in Minnesota. Out of the two I’d have to say the Minnesota location is more in my favor but I still enjoyed this one as well. MOI has locations across the U.S. including in Seattle, Atlanta, Chicago and Vegas.

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