New York City is a city of layers—Lenape homelands, a Dutch trading post, an immigrant engine that redefined modern life. Its skyline is a ledger of ambition; its parks and stoops are the city’s living rooms. In seven days, you’ll touch the icons and still have time to chase the flavors and stories locals swear by.

Expect art from the ancient world to tomorrow’s prototypes, Broadway lights, bridges built like cathedrals, and neighborhoods that feel like passport stamps. From Ellis Island’s moving archives to the Met’s temples of culture and MoMA’s modern revolutions, you’ll see how New York keeps inventing itself.

Pack comfortable shoes and curiosity. Use tap-to-pay (OMNY) on the subway, and plan key reservations—Statue of Liberty pedestal/crown, observation decks, and popular restaurants—ahead. Come hungry: bagels and smoked fish in the morning, slice-joint poetry at lunch, and destination dinners by night.

New York City

The five boroughs are a world tour: Lower Manhattan’s history, Midtown’s marquee museums and theaters, Brooklyn’s converted warehouses and waterfront parks, Queens’ unrivaled global cuisine, and Harlem’s music heartbeat. Landmarks dazzle—Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park, Grand Central—yet the small details steal scenes: a corner bodega’s bacon-egg-and-cheese, a brownstone stoop on a tree-lined block.

• Top sights: Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island, The Met, MoMA, American Museum of Natural History, High Line, One World Observatory, Top of the Rock, Summit One Vanderbilt, Brooklyn Museum, Whitney Museum, Central Park.
• Neighborhood highlights: SoHo and Nolita boutiques; West Village dining; Chinatown and the Lower East Side for heritage eats; DUMBO’s cobblestones; Williamsburg’s indie energy; LIC for skyline views; Harlem for jazz and soul food; Jackson Heights and Flushing for a globe-spanning food crawl.
• Fun facts: The subway opened in 1904; the Brooklyn Bridge predates the Eiffel Tower; NYC speaks over 600 languages; pizza debates are as eternal as the skyline.

Getting there: Fly into JFK, LGA, or EWR. Compare fares on Trip.com and Kiwi.com (typical roundtrip from major U.S. hubs: $150–$450; international varies by season). From JFK, allow ~60–75 minutes to Manhattan via AirTrain + subway; from LGA, ~40–60 minutes via bus + subway; from EWR, ~45–70 minutes via train or rideshare.

Where to stay (by vibe): Midtown/Times Square for Broadway and transit; NoMad/Flatiron for stylish central bases; SoHo/Greenwich Village for cobblestones and cafés; Lower East Side for nightlife; DUMBO or Williamsburg for skyline views and creative dining; Long Island City (Queens) for value + quick subway to Manhattan.

Browse stays on VRBO (New York City) or compare hotels on Hotels.com (New York City). Tip: If you’ll ride transit daily, staying near a major subway hub (Times Sq–42 St, Union Sq, Fulton St, Atlantic Av–Barclays, or Court Sq) saves time.

Day 1: Arrive, SoHo & the Village Stroll, Skyline Sundown

Morning: Travel day—fly into NYC via Trip.com or Kiwi.com. Check in, freshen up.

Afternoon: Shake off the flight with a SoHo–Nolita wander: cast-iron facades and galleries. Coffee at La Cabra (cardamom buns and meticulously light-roast brews) or Everyman Espresso on Spring St. For a late lunch, Balthazar does the French brasserie canon (order the steak frites or onion soup), while Rubirosa’s thin-crust vodka pie is a local obsession.

Evening: West Village amble—brownstones, record shops, and perfect people-watching on Grove St. Dinner at Via Carota (rustic Italian; marinated artichokes and cacio e pepe salad are standouts) or L’Artusi (housemade pastas). Nightcap at Dante (aperitivo legends) or Katana Kitten (highball-forward Japanese-American bar). If jet lag hits, a Levain Bakery cookie-to-go is medicine.

Day 2: Statue of Liberty, Financial District, Tribeca or Chinatown Eats

Morning: Fuel up at Russ & Daughters Cafe (smoked salmon on a bialy; try the “Classic” board) or Black Seed Bagels (hand-rolled, wood-fired). Head to Battery Park for the ferry—allow 4–5 hours for Liberty Island and Ellis Island. The museum at Ellis is one of NYC’s most moving places; build in time to browse the family records rooms.

Afternoon: Walk the canyon streets of the Financial District: Trinity Church, Federal Hall, the New York Stock Exchange facade. Coffee at Blue Bottle at 1 WTC plaza or Hole in the Wall on William St. Pay respects at the 9/11 Memorial; if you want a view, One World Observatory delivers a sweeping harbor panorama.

Evening: Two great dinner directions: Tribeca’s Chambers (neo-bistro creativity; seasonally changing) or Chinatown’s Wo Hop (late-night Cantonese institution) and Hwa Yuan Szechuan (spicy dan dan noodles) on East Broadway. Dessert from Chinatown Ice Cream Factory (black sesame or pandan), then a quiet stroll on the revitalized Pier 17.

Day 3: Central Park, Fifth Avenue & MoMA, Midtown Lights + Broadway

Morning: Start on the park’s south end. Breakfast at Sarabeth’s Central Park South (classic pancakes) or near-mythic bagels at Ess-a-Bagel (Midtown East). Enter Central Park by The Pond, loop Bethesda Terrace and the Mall; rent a rowboat at the Loeb Boathouse when in season, or visit the Ramble for woodland calm.

Afternoon: Fifth Avenue icons: St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Rockefeller Center’s Art Deco bas-reliefs. Art lovers: MoMA’s masterworks (Van Gogh’s Starry Night, Warhol, Judd). Quick lunch ideas: The Modern’s Bar Room (elevated but swift) or a brisk stop at Xi’an Famous Foods (hand-pulled noodles with cumin lamb) a few blocks away.

Evening: Pre-show dinner near the Theater District: Joe Allen (industry haunt) or Ippudo Westside (tonkotsu ramen). Catch a Broadway show; arrive 20–30 minutes early. After-curtain views: Top of the Rock frames the Empire State Building; or The Roof at Park South for cocktails. Late slice at Prince Street Pizza (spicy pepperoni squares) if cravings strike.

Day 4: Brooklyn Bridge to DUMBO, Williamsburg Creativity, Rooftop Views

Morning: Classic walk across the Brooklyn Bridge (30–45 minutes one way; go early for space). Coffee at Butler in DUMBO (buttery kouign-amann) or Almere. Explore Brooklyn Bridge Park’s piers and Jane’s Carousel; photos under the Manhattan Bridge arch on Washington St.

Afternoon: Head to Williamsburg. Lunch at L’industrie Pizza (paper-thin slices with burrata) or Win Son Bakery (Taiwanese baked goods; scallion pancake egg sandwiches). Browse indie shops on Bedford Ave; coffee at Devoción’s sunlit “coffee greenhouse.”

Evening: Dinner options: Lilia (wood-fired Italian; malfadini al limone) or Misi (vegetable-forward antipasti and pastas). For skyline cocktails, Westlight atop The William Vale or the Panorama Room on Roosevelt Island (ride the tram over the East River at sunset). Night owls can sample Brooklyn Brewery or live music at Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Day 5: Museum Mile, UES Cafés, Harlem Jazz Night

Morning: Breakfast at Maman (lavender latte + pistachio chocolate croissant) or Café Sabarsky inside the Neue Galerie (Viennese pastries, Klimt nearby). Dive into The Met—Egyptian Temple of Dendur, American Wing, arms and armor, and roof garden views (seasonal).

Afternoon: Pop to the Guggenheim (Frank Lloyd Wright’s spiral makes the art a procession). Lunch at Via Quadronno (Panini Milanesi, tiramisu) or Pastrami Queen (smoky, hand-carved sandwiches). Stroll through Central Park’s Conservatory Garden on the way north.

Evening: Harlem dinner at Red Rooster (fried yard bird; cornbread with honey butter) or Sylvia’s (soul food classic). Catch a set at Minton’s or Bill’s Place (intimate jazz rooms with serious pedigree). Post-show sweet: Sugar Hill Creamery (seasonal small-batch ice cream).

Day 6: Queens Food Adventure, LIC Views, Jackson Heights to Flushing

Morning: Start in Long Island City. Coffee and pastries at Café Henri or Breadbox. Walk Gantry Plaza State Park for arguably the best Midtown skyline vista. Art stop at MoMA PS1 for cutting-edge exhibitions.

Afternoon: Lunch at Casa Enrique (Michelin-starred Mexican; cochinita pibil and enchiladas verdes) in LIC. Ride the 7 train to Jackson Heights for a global crawl: Tibetan momos at Lhasa Tibetan, Bangladeshi sweets at Dhaka Sweets, Colombian arepas from Arepa Lady. If you press on to Flushing, hit Nan Xiang for soup dumplings or Tianjin Dumpling House for hand-pressed buns.

Evening: If it’s baseball season, a Mets game at Citi Field (solid local food stands). Otherwise, return to LIC for dinner at Levante (Neapolitan pies) or head to Astoria for Taverna Kyclades (grilled octopus, lemon potatoes). Toast the day at ICONYC Brewing or rooftop spots like Savanna Rooftop.

Day 7: High Line & Chelsea Market, Last Bites, Departure

Morning: Breakfast near the High Line: Citizens of Chelsea (Aussie brunch, halloumi bowls) or Daily Provisions (crullers, BEC sandwiches). Stroll the High Line’s elevated gardens and art installations, then dip into the Whitney Museum in the Meatpacking District for contemporary American art and terrace views.

Afternoon: Lunch at Chelsea Market: Los Tacos No. 1 (adobada, squeeze of lime), Very Fresh Noodles (hand-pulled biang biang), or Miznon (whole roasted cauliflower). Last-minute shopping in the West Village or SoHo, then head to the airport. Allow 2–3 hours before departure for security and transit.

Evening: If you have a late flight, one last treat: Dominique Ansel Bakery (SoHo) for a DKA or seasonal pastry. Promise yourself you’ll return—because there’s always more New York.

Local logistics tips: The subway’s OMNY tap-to-pay is fastest; weekly fare capping helps if you ride a lot. Yellow cabs are reliable for late nights or when you’re luggage-laden. Many top restaurants release reservations 14–30 days out; for hot tables (Lilia, Don Angie), set alerts and consider off-peak times or bar seating. For big attractions (Statue of Liberty, observatories, museums), morning entries beat crowds.

Book your stay: Explore apartments and brownstone flats on VRBO or compare hotel deals by neighborhood on Hotels.com. For flights into JFK, LGA, or EWR, check live prices on Trip.com and Kiwi.com.

In one week, you’ll trace New York’s story from harbor to rooftops, tasting your way through delis, pizzerias, and modern kitchens along the way. Keep this itinerary handy—it’s equal parts playbook and invitation to wander, because the best moments often happen on the walk between point A and B.