One Day Ideas in NYC

1. Central Park

Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux in 1857, Central Park is a world-renowned green urban space in the heart of Manhattan and most visited urban park in the United States. Located between the Upper West Side and Upper East Side and roughly bordered by Fifth Avenue, Central Park West (Eighth Avenue), Central Park South (59th Street), and Central Park North (110th Street), Central Park boasts more than 800 acres of rich heritage, beautiful landscapes, statues, and breath-taking scenery.

The National Historic Landmark and UNESCO World Heritage Site is also one of the most filmed locations in the world and home to the iconic Tavern on the Green restaurant which is one of the best spots in New York for a lazy brunch. Central Park Map

2. Times Square

Times Square is the beating heart of New York City where the bright lights, iconic buildings, and signature attractions draw crowds of tourists all year round. One of the world’s most visited tourist destinations with its colossal billboards, world-class theaters, and variety of entertainment centers, Times Square is sometimes referred to as ‘The Crossroads of the World.’

Formerly known as Longacre Square Time Square, the area was renamed after The New York Times moved into the Times Building in 1904 and is still the site of the famous New Year's Eve ball drop today. Times Square is also the center of the Broadway Theater District and the world's entertainment industry.

Times Square, Boundaries: Broadway, 7th Avenue, 42nd and 47th Streets, Manhattan, New York

3. The High Line

The High Line is a 1.45-mile-long linear public park that was built on a historic New York Central Railroad spur above the streets on Manhattan’s West Side and runs from Gansevoort Street to 34th Street on the West Side.

Designed through a collaboration between Diller Scofidio + Renfro, James Corner Field Operations, and Piet Oudolf, the High Line was founded by neighborhood residents in 1999 to prevent the elevated rail track from being demolished and was transformed into a contemporary public space where visitors experience an array of nature, art, and design. The High Line is open daily throughout the year, with seasonal hours.

The High Line, New York, NY 10011

4. Empire State Building

Located in Midtown Manhattan, the Empire State Building stands at 1,454 feet tall with a roof height of 1,250 feet and was named after the nickname for New York, which is ‘the Empire State.’ Designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon and completed in 1931, the 102-story Empire State Building is located on the west side of Fifth Avenue between West 33rd and 34th Streets and was built on a site that was originally part of an early 18th-century farm.

Today, the Empire State Building is synonymous with New York City and is one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, complete with its very own postcode! On a clear day, visitors can marvel at views of up to 80 miles on a clear day, which include Central Park, New Jersey, Manhattan, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts.

Empire State Building, 20 W 34th St, New York, NY 10001

5. Rockefeller Center

Located in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, the Rockefeller Center is large complex comprised of beautiful Art Deco buildings, an ice-skating rink and the sunken Rockefeller Plaza. Commissioned by the Rockefeller family and hailed as one of the greatest projects of the Great Depression era, the complex features 19 buildings of varying design ranging from the original center to later International-style buildings and spans 22 acres facing Fifth Avenue from 48th to 51st streets.

The complex boasts several features including the Radio City section, the Music Hall, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, 600 Fifth Avenue, and an ice-skating rink. The Rockefeller Center is also famous for its annual lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, which draws crowds of locals and tourists alike.

Rockefeller Center, 45 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10111

6. Museum of Modern Art

Fondly known as MoMA, the Museum of Modern Art is a modern art museum on 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. Housed in a striking, glass-enrobed Yoshio Taniguchi-designed building, the museum houses one of the most significant collections of modern art in the world, showcasing works by famous artists such as Picasso, Matisse, Cézanne, Magritte, Van Gogh, and Warhol.

The MoMA’s collection also includes comprehensive collections of architecture and design, paintings, prints, drawings, photography, sculpture, film and media, and artist’s books. The MoMA is also home to an extensive library with more than 300,000 books and exhibition catalogs, over 1,000 periodical titles, and over 40,000 files of ephemera about individual artists and groups.

Museum of Modern Art, 11 W 53rd St, New York, NY 10019

7. American Museum of Natural History (AMNH)

The American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) is one of the largest museums in the world. Located in Theodore Roosevelt Park opposite Central Park on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, the vast museum is made up of 28 interconnected buildings which house 45 permanent exhibition halls, including a library and a planetarium. The museum’s collections feature more than 33 million specimens of animals, plants, human remains, and cultural artifacts, meteorites, minerals, and rocks, only a small fraction of which are ever on display at any given time. The American Museum of Natural History is open every day of the year and can be explored on self-guided or guided tours.

American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), Central Park West & 79th St, New York, NY 10024, Phone: 212-769-5100

8. Fine & Rare

Set on a quiet street near the Morgan Library & Museum, Fine & Rare is a sophisticated spirits den that takes guests back to Old New York with vintage décor, Art Deco wallpaper, midcentury-style Chesterfield sofas, tufted leather banquettes, and a grand fireplace. Exuding a retro glam ambiance, the cozy retreat serves a menu of delectable dishes, unique and visually stunning cocktails, and hard-to-find spirits and rare spirits, along with live jazz and throwback bands every night. Signature cocktails include the ‘Choose Your Own Smoke’ with a rye or rum base, or the gin-based ‘Forever Young’ with mango puree and cucumber and lime juice, and menu favorites are tuna sashimi with pickled sea beans and watermelon radish and a seafood tower stocked with fresh oysters, briny clams and lobster claws.

Fine & Rare, 9 E 37th St, New York, NY 10016, Phone: 212-725-3866

9. RiverPark NYC

Tucked away in a quiet garden plaza Manhattan's Kip's Bay neighborhood with beautiful East River views, RiverPark NYC is a stylish, contemporary restaurant that serves a dynamic menu of modern American cuisine accompanied by a globally inspired wine list. Using fresh locally sourced ingredients from the restaurants own farm which is a few feet away from the kitchen and prepared from scratch daily, dishes on the menu reflects Chef Tom Colicchio's vision of offering a unique dining experience to a rapidly evolving neighborhood. River Park NYC is open for weekday lunch, dinner on Thursday through Sunday, and weekend brunch.

River Park NYC, 450 East 29th Street, New York, NY 10016, Phone: 212-729-9790