New York City, New York - things to see, what to eat, drink, & explore (2026 TRAVEL GUIDE)

click HERE to jump to my 2.5 DAY NYC ITINERARY!

AHHHH NEW YORK CITYYYY !!! I've been dreaming of visiting this city since I was a child, probably due to all the movies and shows I watched that always highlighted New York as an iconic city. I always knew I wanted to visit, but never felt the time or age was right. I remember saying as a teen that I wanted to wait until I was 21 to visit, and that passed YEARS ago and yet I still haven't checked New York off my list. I knew I needed to make it happen and it would happen when the time was right. Summer 2026. The stars aligned and I was able to make it happen.

Since it was my first time visiting the city, I wanted to see all of the touristy things. It felt like I had a few things I needed to see while I was there to truly solidify that I visited New York. I only had 2.5 days to squeeze everything in and I made it happen. I built out my trip itinerary in order of priority and then by area, which allowed me to see so many different parts of New York all throughout the weekend.​

​Where I Stayed: Moxy NYC Times Square - right in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. I loved this hotel. Great location, walking distance to Broadway and the famous "red stairs". The rooftop bar was beautiful, stunning view of the Empire State Building. Only flaw is that yes, you're basically staying in Times Square so it is a busy area and can be overwhelming if you're not used to big cities. Would I stay here again? Maybe if I was visiting with first-timers or if the price was right. Throughout my trip I visited a few different areas that I would try to stay in next time, a little slower-paced and a more diverse neighborhood/community would be ideal.

What I Ate: ​New York is a city where the food (& drink) options feel literally endless. I suggest taking a walk around wherever you stay, see what stands out to you, and explore it.
​
A few of the standouts for me, in no particular order:
CLASSIC HOT DOG (preferably all-beef from Nathan's)
CHARLES PAN-FRIED CHICKEN (yes. yes x10000. my mouth is watering rn.)
SKINNY LOUIE (SMASHBURGER, FRIES, & SHAKES. had this both nights after the clubs)
BLEECKER STREET PIZZA (well, pizza in general, but this place was great)
MAGNOLIA BAKERY (BANANA PUDDING & COOKIES)
CAFE D'AVIGNON (ICED COFFEE + PASTRIES)
MAMAN (COFFEE)

Where I drank, danced, & played:

ROOM 207 (speakeasy-ish bar with craft cocktails)
MAGIC HOUR ROOFTOP (city views & great drinks!)
ANIMAL (just gay guys doing gay things)
OBERON (just gay guys doing gay things)
THE COCK (just gay guys doing gay things)

Things to see/explore:
BRYANT PARK
GRAND CENTRAL STATION
5TH AVENUE
PALEY PARK
CENTRAL PARK
TIMES SQUARE
DUMBO
BROOKLYN BRIDGE
CHINATOWN
STATUE OF LIBERTY
9/11 MEMORIAL
OCULUS
BROADWAY
TOP OF THE ROCK OBSERVATION DECK
FLATIRON BUILDING
WASHINGTON ARCH
WEST VILLAGE
LITTLE ISLAND
THE HIGH LINE

 

​CTXYZ New York City — 2.5 Day Itinerary

Day 1
Times Square
Bryant Park
SNFL New York Public Library Rooftop
Grand Central Station
Tudor City Bridge
Walk up 5th Avenue
Paley Park
Central Park

Day 2
DUMBO
Brooklyn Bridge
Chinatown
Statue of Liberty Boat Tour
Oculus
9/11 Memorial
Broadway Show
Observation Deck
Times Square (at night)

Day 3 [Half-Day]
Flatiron Building
Washington Square Arch
West Village
Little Island
High Line