I feel like a lot of my vacations start with a concert or a major event... New York City was another one. What made me go to NYC? The Jonas Brothers concert for my birthday at Yankee Stadium!
In all reality, New York City has never really been on my list. I prefer smaller (and slower paced) destinations. On top of that, I think there is too many things to do in New York City to narrow down into a weekend. With that being said... here are my top recommendations for your trip here!
Where to Stay:
Since we were only going to be here for a few days, we wanted something that was centrally located and made it easy to get around. So, we decided on SpringHill Suites by Marriott - specifically the Chelsea location.
Shout out to the front desk for the very nice upgrade to give us a city view! Even though the reviews stated that you wait awhile for the elevators, we expected this since it is close to Times Square and many other touristy spots. Otherwise, we loved what we had for the price we paid.
Where to Eat & Drink:
I am a foodie and narrowing down this list was the hardest thing to do when planning this trip. It is simply hard to go wrong with food in this city, and by no means were we ever disappointed.
Ess-A-Bagel: Did we eat here for breakfast every morning, which was 3 days in a row? Yes, yes we did. I now understand why NYC bagels are elite. Don't be afraid by the line, it moves quickly and is well worth the wait.
Monarch Rooftop: On a whim, we decided to grab drinks before our dinner Friday night. What a better way to see the city than on a rooftop. This place was half a mile from our hotel, so we decided to make a reservation for standing room only, but they ended up having a table for us. Drinks will run you $15+ per drink, but you can't really beat the view.
La Pecora Bianca: This place came recommended by one of my friends. It is an Italian chain within the city, so for reference, we dined at the Bryant Park location. What we ordered: cacio e pepe fitters, local burrata, tagliatelle bolognese, bucatini cacio e pepe, and the tiramisu for dessert.
$1 Pizza Stands: Literally any $1 pizza place is a hit. We did end up ordering Joe's pizza to be delivered after the Jonas Brothers concert, but I actually prefer the $1 pizza we had by Times Square more.
Ralph's Coffee: I randomly stopped here at Rockefeller Plaza for a caffeine pick-me-up and it was truly some of the best coffee I've had in a hot minute. We also went to the location in the Upper East Side, which has a sit down section too.
Sites to See:
World Trade Center
Empire State Building
Central Park
Rockefeller Center
Shopping in SoHo
Times Square
Edge in Hudson Yards (will run you about $50 per ticket)
St. Patrick's Cathedral
