New York City is a place you can’t just visit once. It takes at least a handful of visits to fully embrace all that this lovely city has to offer. Any the state itself? Don’t even get me started. For our anniversary this year, Chase and I decided to switch things up and embark on a roadtrip. This lovely area was our first stop.
We made our itinerary very minimal because we truly wanted to explore and leave room for any additional things that may have popped in our head to do. Here are some recommendations of places and accommodations to add to your itinerary.
Where to Stay:
For our trip, we stayed at Hotel Scherman in Manhattan. It was the perfect place with close proximity to restaurants and must-see attractions.
We especially enjoyed their BEAUTIFUL rooftop area. It drew our attention to the city skyline and really made us feel like we were in New York. Here are some other nice places to consider:
- Royalton Hotel
- Airbnb
- Hotel Scherman
- Carnegie Hotel
- Hampton Inn Manhattan Chelsea
- Piu Plaza Manhattan Time Square
- Arlo Midtown
We found the nicer places to stay in New York filled up quickly. So, I recommend booking your accommodations a few months in advance. If you are nervous about cancellation policies, I recommend booking through a website like Booking.com. The only thing is, they often have added fees associated with them. So, I’d recommend you do the research and compare prices!
Where to Eat:
1. Friedman’s:
This lovely restaurant features the perfect meals to get your day going. I will say, it is a tad bit of a wait on the weekends. But, truly worth it! We loved that they serve breakfast almost all day. My husband ordered the Pastrami Hash and I got their B.E.L.T sandwich that came with a side of hash. We found the hash to be a little unflavored.. but nothing some good hot sauce couldn’t fix. Besides that, everything else was DEE-LISH. Next time we go, we’ll definitely explore their chicken and waffles, french toast and lunch options.
2. Dallas BBQ:
So, funny story, the last time I came here I did not really enjoy it. I was wondering what the hype was. My husband was adamant about how great it is. So, we went back. Turns out, I just ordered the wrong things!
This time around, I ordered their hot wings (with fries) and a piña colada. Chase ordered the same thing, but instead he got their sticky wings and a strawberry margarita. We really enjoyed them! They were fresh and quite a decent size.
For the record, this place is definitely not your high end restaurant. And if you order their wings, you’ll probably end up making a mess. So, I wouldn’t recommend coming here super dressed up.
3. Empanada Mama:
If you happen to be in the Hell’s Kitchen area again, you’ll have to stop by Empanada Mama. You’ll be in for a treat! They have a wide variety of options (including gluten-free and dairy free). We both ordered their shredded chicken & spicy chicken empanadas with some lemonade. At the time, they were around $5.25 per empanada. They aren’t super filling, so I’d say maybe stop by here for a quick lunch. Unless you plan on purchasing large quantity of empanadas.
4. Sarabeth’s:
Okay, so we may have a slight obsession with brunch spots! But, this high end restaurant is a great place to go if you love staple breakfast foods like eggs, waffles and french toast. Their Three-pepper home fries are also phenomenal!
5. Other restaurants to check out:
- Amorino Gelato & Cafe — Desserts
- Ci Siamo — Italian Restaurant
- Añejo — Mexican Restaurant
- The Smith — American Restaurant
What to do:
Our absolute favorite spot in New York is Central Park. During this trip, we decided to try something different and book a photoshoot through Airbnb. We thought, “how often do we come to Central Park?” So, we went for it! It turned out absolutely lovely thanks to Madeleine. At the moment, she charges $90 per person for an hour long shoot. Just keep in mind, it is a group shoot. You won’t need to take photos with everyone in the group, but you will have to share that hour with them.
Some popular spots to stop by during your stroll through Central Park are Belvedere Castle, Bow Bridge, Wagner Cove, Bethesda Terrace, Bethesda Fountain & The Mall & Literary Walk. All of these areas are also popular spots that movies have been filmed at. But not just that, they are also very beautiful areas to sit and reflect. Something that is hard to do in the bustling city of New York.
If you are looking to browse around manhattan, feel free to add these activities and locations to your itinerary:
- Skating at Rockefeller Center
- Top of the Rock
- Bryant Park
- Madame Tussauds
- Riverside Park South
- MET Museum
- Museum of Ice Cream
- Brooklyn Bridge
- Washington Square Park
- Madison Square Park
- Watch a Broadway show
- Shopping on 5th Avenue
- Luxury Picnic in Central park — @PICNICFEELS
Parking
If you plan on driving, just know that the rumors are true: parking in New York is a pain. Either you end up paying a leg and a foot, end up parking in the wrong place, or you just can’t find a spot period.
Before heading up there, we decided to do our homework and look up some garages where we could just leave our car for the entirety. We figured, Uber is pretty fair priced in the city and the subway system is very wide spread. And, we could always walk places. So, for the price of around $35 for two full days… we made our reservation with OnAir Parking.
This company basically books you a spot at a garage and you only have to pay a flat rate. Which is usually cheaper than the prices they charge at the gate. So, it pays to book things in advance sometimes.
We were sent to Meyer’s Parking, right in the middle of Time Square (where we planned on hanging around the entire weekend) and only an 8 minute walk to our hotel. It was perfect! Pick-up and drop off was a breeze and our car was still in tact when they returned it to us.
In case you’re wondering who I am, HELLO! I’m Sandra and I hope you have enjoyed reading this blogpost. Please comment below if you found anything here handy for your trip. Also feel free to share any tips or ideas you found helpful while in New York!
Thanks as always for your support. Don’t hesitate to browse around and see my other travel tips on other blog posts!
Keep Shining,
Sandra H.
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