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A Day and Night in New York City

Description:

Beginning on the Upper West Side, heading across Central Park and down to Soho and the Village, then up to the lights of Times Square, this is a whirlwind one-day tour of some of New York City's many attractions.

Photo: On the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. By Monica Arellano-Ongpin.

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Author: Sarah

Day 1 - New York City

Start on the beautiful Upper West Side (hotels in the area include the Hotel Lucerne) and eat a hearty breakfast (Nice Matin is French and a little more fancy; Café con Leche is a casual Cuban eatery) or grab a bagel to go (H&H on Broadway at 80th Street is considered one of the city’s best). Enter Central Park at 81st Street and walk across the park to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. After taking in your fill of the world’s most impressive museum (don’t try to do it all in one day or you’ll exhaust yourself; prioritize your favorites), get down to Houston Street by bus (the M1 to South Ferry goes all the way down Fifth Avenue) or subway (6 train from 86th & Lexington to Spring Street) and eat coal oven-fired pizza at Lombardi’s. For a fancier meal (and maybe some celeb-spotting) try the French bistro Balthazar. After lunch, window-shop and people-watch your way through SoHo and the West Village (check out Washington Square, a hub of activity for nearby New York University) and grab a cup of coffee or a pint at the Blind Tiger on Bleecker Street). Make sure to get up to Times Square so you can gawk at the lights, push through the crowds, and still make it to your Broadway show (the St. James Theatre is a favorite for big musicals) on time. Finally, eat a late sushi dinner at Blue Fin and toast a day’s worth of the Big Apple.

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