My husband and I visited the Big Apple during Memorial weekend. This was his first time and I hadn’t been to New York in 10 years. I wanted to make sure we did and saw everything we could. We also had plans to spend time in the Hamptons, so we only had two days in New York. How do you get it all done in two days? Here is a breakdown of our whirlwind trip.

Day 1 – Friday – Upper Manhattan

We stayed at my cousin’s apartment on Broadway street. She has the perfect location, in the upper West Side of Manhattan. She’s also right beside the subway station, so we couldn’t be any luckier. After a hearty breakfast at Hot and Krusty’s, we began our adventures in the city.

Walk through Central Park

Central Park is located in upper Manhattan. We took a lovely stroll through the park while taking in the beautiful scenery. Very therapeutic and highly recommended.

Central Park is within walking distance to the MET and to the Museum of Natural History, so we walked through the park and headed towards the MET.

The MET – Metropolitan Museum of Art

If you are in New York, you must visit the MET. Magnificent is an understatement. There is something for everyone – from modern art to pieces from ancient civilizations.

After providing the suggested admission, we headed straight to the rooftop, which has amazing views of the upper side of Manhattan.

We checked out the Psycho Barn from Alfred Hitchcock’s movie “Psycho”

We then went inside and spent most of our time in my favorite section – Ancient Civilizations.

We also managed to squeeze in one of the modern exhibitions – Manus x Machina – Fashion in an Age of Technology.

House of Chanel – Wedding Ensemble – Autumn/Winter 2014-15, haute couture

We were in the MET for about three hours and covered a lot, but there was still so much more to see. It’s said you can spend a whole day there. I believe it. However, we were starving and had to leave to find some food. This was one of the highlights of our trip. A definite favorite and highly recommended. We will definitely visit again.

Street Food

Fortunately for us there were many street food carts right outside the MET. We each ordered lamb over rice and devoured it. We were that hungry (gives you an idea of how long we stayed in the MET). The lamb over rice was delicious and hit the spot! I also had a hot dog (guilty pleasure … plus it’s New York).

Museum of Natural History

Our next stop was the Museum of Natural History, which is also walking distance from the MET and Central Park. We cut through Central Park to get to this Museum, got a little lost, but we eventually made it. Tip: make sure you ask for directions. People are very helpful, as long as they know the area. You definitely want to keep asking as you go along, to make sure you are on the right path.

The Museum of Natural History also had a great exhibition. Fun fact: The Museum of Natural History is featured in the film: Night at the Museum.

Once we finished seeing the Museums, we decided to head back to the apartment. It was after 5:00 p.m. so we had to get ready to go to our Broadway show.

Broadway – “Eclipsed” with Lupita Nyong’o

We took the number 1 train from 86^th street downtown to 42^nd street and headed to the Golden Theatre to see “Eclipsed”.  I was super excited (1) because this was our first Broadway show; (2) I love Lupita Nyong’o; and (3) I love Danai Gurira (yes, I’m a Walking Dead fan, and yes, Michonne is one of my favorites, but all that aside, Danai is very talented writer).

The show started at 8:00 p.m., but we wanted to get there by 7:45 p.m. We already had our tickets so we were all set. We purchased our tickets in the morning using a code from broadwaybox.com to get a discount. You can also buy discounted tickets beforehand at the same website http://www.broadwaybox.com/ (there is an online transaction fee). Another option is visiting the TKTS ticket booth in Times Square. Use the following app to see what shows are discounted on the day off https://www.tdf.org/nyc/7/TKTS-ticket-booths. Make sure you take a sweater, the theater is freezing!

“Eclipsed” was a captivating and heartwarming show. Very intense and quite sad, yet full of humor. The play portrays the lives of different women captured by a rebel commander during the Liberian Civil War. It addresses the very important issue of women as victims of war and rape. The entire cast was superb. I don’t want to say too much because I want you to go see it (if you can). I highly recommend this play.

Fun fact: Eclipsed is the first Broadway play to feature an all-female and all-black cast.  

Times Square

After the show, we walked around and enjoyed Time Square for a bit. We then had a late dinner to finish off the night. We had a lot of fun and quite an amazing first day.

Day 2 – Saturday – Lower Manhattan

We got up early and had another hearty breakfast at Hot and Krusty’s since we had a full day ahead of us. Most of our adventures for this day were located in lower Manhattan.

Statue of Liberty

We decided to start off early with the Statue of Liberty, so we could avoid the crowd. We took the number 1 train from 86^th street downtown to the South Ferry station. We then took the Staten Island ferry to Manhattan Island and back. The ferry allowed us to have a close-up view of the Statute of Liberty. We also had an amazing view of lower Manhattan.

This is the perfect option for those who have limited time and just want to see the statue. If you want to see more and actually visit the Statue of Liberty itself (museum/pedestal/crown), you may want to check out available tours online. For us, the Staten Island ferry was ideal, because it was quick and free.

Battery Park

Battery Park was our next stop as it was right beside the Staten Island ferry. The park is quite beautiful and provides a stunning view of the Statue of Liberty.

From Battery Park we continued our day touring the Financial District of Manhattan. Everything was in close proximity, so it was quite easy.

The Charging Bull / The Wall Street Bull  

The Charging Bull, also known as the Wall Street Bull, is located in Bowling Green Park in the Financial District.

Trinity Church

If you continue walking up Broadway, you will soon see the Trinity Church. Trinity Church is a beautiful Episcopalian church located near the intersection of Wall Street and Broadway.

Wall Street

You definitely want to take a stroll on Wall Street, which is home to Federal Hall and the New York Stock Exchange, among many other buildings.

9/11 Memorial and Museum

After walking on Wall Street, we went by the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. The 9/11 Memorial and Museum honors the victims of the 9/11/2001 and 2/26/1993 attacks. The Memorial has the largest man-made waterfalls in the United States.

The World Trade Center

The World Trade Center is right beside the 9/11 Memorial and Museum.

Our plan was to head up to the top of the World Trade Center and take in the view that we have heard so much about. Unfortunately, the line was too long and we didn’t have enough time. If you have time to go to the top of the WTC, definitely do it. You may want to consider buying tickets beforehand.

Brooklyn Bridge

Our next adventure was to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. We took the train to Brooklyn, so we could walk from the Brooklyn side of the bridge to the Manhattan side – you can also do vice versa if you prefer. This was another favorite, quite an enjoyable experience and very therapeutic.

City Hall

After we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge to the Manhattan side, we took in some of the sites around the area, including City Hall.

After a full day experiencing the city of New York, we decided to head back to the apartment.

Empire State Building

On our way back to 86^th street (traveling uptown), we stopped at 34^th Street to take a quick look at the Empire State Building. You can also go to the top of this building. Keep in mind that there is always a line.

If you have to choose a building to experience the view of the city, I would go with either the World Trade Center or the Rockefeller Center. The views are much better.

Rockefeller Center

We made a very quick stop at the Rockefeller Center (get off at the train stop with the same name). You can go to the top of “the Rock” and take in the view of the city. You can also visit Madison Square Garden.

After this stop we decided to call it a night. We had a full day and saw a lot. Not bad if I might say so myself.

So there you have it. This was our 48-hour adventure in the Big Apple. It was a whirlwind of a trip, but one we enjoyed thoroughly. We will definitely be back and visit other places such as the High Line and Chinatown. I know for sure we will repeat a few favorites (the MET, Broadway, and yes walk across the Brooklyn Bridge again).

A Few Tips

Accommodations

Hotels will be expensive, but if you book your hotel early, you will likely have a awesome location.

If city hotels are too pricey, consider renting an apartment or condo.  Condo/apartment rentals in New York are becoming more and more popular.

Getting Around

Do not rent a car! The subway system is extremely efficient and you can get around quite easily by just taking the subway. If you prefer to drive, you can always take an Uber.

Sightseeing and Entry Fees

There is so much to see and do in New York, but entry fees can add up costing you a pretty penny. Check out CityPass-NYC and get a discount on entry fees to some of the attractions listed above.

Where to Eat

Pretty much anywhere! New York is known for its fabulous cuisine! From fine-dining, to the delicious international street food carts, to all-American hot dogs

What are your favorite things in New York City? Any tips on other places to visit? Any recommendations for our next trip? Feel free to share.