Surprise, surprise!!! The Big Apple blog is here and it’s ready to inspire you. This blog will be focused on a weekend in the city that never sleeps. Although this could easily be a big trip, I do believe you could be satisfied with a weekend.

New York is high travel destination and is known for many things such as high fashion, pizza, street hotdogs, skyscrapers, and taxis. We also can’t forget Sex and The City, but we’ll leave that for the “Couples” blog section. However, this one can be followed by all solo travelers, students, couples, or anyone that wants a quick getaway from their daily routine.

With that being said, here are some things you can’t miss when spending your weekend in New York City.

Things To Do:

The Empire State Building

No one can really go to New York City without at least witnessing this iconic skyscraper. Featured in the blockbuster movie, Sleepless in Seattle, the Empire State Building is for sure a sight to see. If you have time to jump on the elevator and head to the top, you’ll be able to see New York through a beautiful bird’s eye perspective. This is a low budget attraction ($) as just experiencing this building is free.

Museum of Sex

Now I know that this should’ve been kept in the “Couples” blog section, but we’re all adults here for the most part and I believe we can all appreciate art. The Museum of Sex has a great display of paintings and artifacts that project the beauty of sensuality through them. On top of being extremely sophisticated, it also has its fun aspects with the souvenir shop being also a sex toy shop. If you’re a couple looking for something super fun to do or a solo traveler just wanting to indulge in art then this is your place to be.

American Museum of Natural History

Most of you will recognize this museum from the iconic movie, Night at the Museum with Ben Stiller. It is a great museum to take pictures and see artifacts that were featured in the movie. However, the American Museum of Natural History is a very educational museum that I personally enjoyed going to. It is filled with multiple exhibits that cater to everyone and with beautiful artifacts that are for sure a sight to see. I consider this a low to moderate budget attraction ($-$$) due to the fact your entry ticket can simply be whatever donation you would like to give. They do have set ticket prices for those who would just like to buy a regular ticket and they range from $13-23.

Central Park

Central Park is a must do when it comes to NYC. If you decide to go to the American Museum of Natural History, Central Park is conveniently located across the street. You can go on a beautiful stroll and see everything that the park has to offer such as gardens and such. This is a low budget attraction($) since it is free to enjoy it.

World Trade Center

If you are interested in New York history, the World Trade Center is a place you would like to visit. Home of the 9/11 memorial and museum, you’ll be able to witness structures, artifacts, and names of the victims from the September 11, 2001 attacks. It was extremely moving to see such devastating event turned into such a beautiful memorial piece. I highly recommend going.

Brooklyn Bridge

The Brooklyn Bridge is a beautiful sight to see! When it opened in 1883, it was considered the longest suspension bridge in the world. There are several spots in New York that have the best view of this bridge, however, you can simply cross it and that on its own is fantastic. It is approximately an hour walk so plan accordingly. This is a low budget attraction ($).

Times Square

Times Square is my favorite attraction in NYC, and I am sure it has to do with my addiction to shopping. Times Square is a couple of blocks filled with retail stores, restaurants, and more. It is home to a three-story M&M store if that says anything. It is a great place to walk around, shop, and have dinner. Stores don’t close until 2 am, therefor you have no excuse to not shop til you drop. This is a low budget attraction ($) however, you can shop to your own expenses.

Where To Eat:

Beetle House

Not necessarily a place to have dinner, but for you’re a place to go if you’re a Tim Burton fan. This place is filled with original artifacts and pieces from some of his movies including Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride, Edward Scissorhands and more! They do have a food menu however consider it bar food. The specialty drinks are absolutely amazing. I highly recommend coming here if you travel to NYC. This is moderate to high budget restaurant/bar. ($$-$$$)

Street Hot Dogs

If you’re looking for a quick bite that will blow your mind, then I suggest stopping by a food truck and grabbing a classic NYC hotdog. Depending on the truck, these are packed with flavor and for the most part is a good size to calm your hunger. These trucks or carts are scattered around through downtown Manhattan therefor are easy access. This is a low budget item ($).

Local Pizzerias

Please do yourself a favor, and do not visit any pizzeria chains in NYC. New York is filled with amazing local pizzerias that serve fresh and real pizza and Italian dishes. Most of them are family owned and small business so coming to these would be a great contribution to them. These restaurants tend to be pretty inexpensive therefor I consider them a low to moderate budget option. ($-$$)

The Grey Dog

AH! The Grey Dog...wow. If you want to devour a fantastic breakfast, lunch, or dinner, please come to The Grey Dog! This restaurant is filled with fun music, fantastic employees, and amazing food. We came during breakfast and it was so good we had to come two consecutive days. It does tend to get pretty busy during certain times so plan accordingly. We cannot recommend this place enough. Please come and enjoy this super chill restaurant and bottomless house coffee. This is a moderate to high budget restaurant. ($$-$$$)

Transportation:

Subway

The subway is the main form of transportation through downtown New York. With most of the attractions having a nearby station, it is convenient choosing the subway as your main transportation. On top of that, you can also consider it as an attraction since the New York subway stations are extremely popular. This is a low budget form of transportation ($) with tickets ranging from $2-15 depending how often you’re planning to ride it.

Rideshare

For the most part, I will be including rideshare as a form of transportation if available. It is an extremely quick and convenient way to get around with simple apps on your phone. I would tend to use these rideshare apps during night time and when we’ve had a fun night at the bar since it does make me feel more secure. Depending on how you use these apps, it can be considered a moderate to high budget form of transportation. ($$-$$$)

Weekend in New York City