72 Hours in NYC

Spending a weekend in NYC?! Start here with today’s New York City Travel Guide:: featuring where to eat, drink, stay & shop.

Happy Monday y’all! I am almost embarrassed it took me so long to share this post. Spoiler alert, it has taken me a month. In my defense, the week after we got home was a whirlwind. Some very exciting, very unexpected things happened so life took precedent. I know I’ve been teasing y’all with this ‘very exciting thing’ for a while now, but I am just over the moon and can’t wait to share with y’all soon! But let’s get to it while y’all are here:: our 72 Hours in NYC breakdown!

*Disclaimer: Tyler & I find ourselves in NYC about once a year & I’ve never done a NYC post for y’all. I have no clue why! There is only so much you can do, only so many meals you can eat in 3 days in the city, so I am including other activities & restaurants for y’all that we’ve experienced in the past! I also asked for NYC recommendations on my stories before our trip & got SO many amazing recommendations. I am sharing all of those below as well!

See my other NYC posts here: Packing List / Photo Opp / Fun Printed Pants / How to Stay Present

Where to Stay:

The Roger: It was our first time staying at this little boutique hotel, and we loved it! We would definitely stay there again. It is a great central location, which is what we wanted, and made it easier to walk to so many different places. The room we stayed in was their Queen Terrace Room, and while it wasn’t very big, you couldn’t beat the terrace views. The size of the room didn’t really matter to us because we were literally only there to sleep.

What to Do/See:

– WALK: The feeling you get when you’re walking around NYC is like nothing else. It is my favorite way to take in the city.

-Top of the Rock: If you want an amazing view of the city, put this on the top of your list. We went a few years ago when we were in NYC & it was so worth it. I would definitely do it again, but we didn’t have time to squeeze it in this past trip.

-Walk the Brooklyn Bridge: Another activity we’ve done in the past & it still is one of my favorite things to do. The views are amazing. It’s a really cool experience that I highly recommend.

-The Color Factory: This interactive exhibit was so fun! The huge ball pit at the end was my favorite part. Tyler & I were just wandering around SoHo, and stumbled upon the exhibit. We had some time to kill, so we decided to see what it was all about! I am a sucker for these experience type museums. I think the Museum of Ice Cream was better, but it was still something fun to do!

-The Highline: We’ve done this a few times & loved it. The views are great, and it’s a fun way to see that part of the city!

-NYC Public Library: Sex & The City anyone?! The architecture is so pretty, and it’s worth checking out if you’re in the area.

-Central Park: This is an obvious recommendation, but a must when in the city! We always walk through the park when visiting & check out Bethesda Fountain, but this year we did the row boats in the park and had the best time. The row boats are a more seasonal activity, but if it’s a nice day I highly recommend!

-Chelsea Market: If you’re in the area & haven’t been, it’s definitely worth checking out! It’s a unique stop in NYC that has a little bit of everything.

-Jack Dempseys: If you’re a huge CATS fan like me, and happen to find yourself in NYC during a UK game, this is the one stop you need to go to watch the game. It’s a famous UK bar & so fun!

Where to Shop:

-Soho: This is one of my favorite places to shop in NYC, they have just about any store you could want.

-5th Avenue: Think your major box stores + luxury brands. 5th Avenue is iconic area for shopping in NYC.

-Bleeker Street: I mentioned before that we like to walk a lot when in NYC, and we just so happened to take this street when walking in lower Manhattan. There are so many cute shops we stumbled upon on this street!

Coffee/Breakfast:

–Felix Roasting Co: Tyler & I were on the hunt for a Chase Bank ATM, and I caught this cute spot out of the corner of my eye. We popped in for coffee & a HUGE croissant from Supermoon Bakehouse. I don’t think I’ve seen a cuter coffee shop y’all.

–Maman: We started our trip with coffee & yummy pastries from their Nomad location. They have the cutest cups which make for a great instagram photo opp.

–Blank Slate Coffee: This coffee shop was a block away from The Roger & super convenient for us. They also serve breakfast items.

–Penelope: This is a great spot for a classic brunch. FYI: it is super small inside, so be prepared to wait.

–Bubby’s: There are no words for this brunch! It was SO SO yummy. Whatever you do, get some pancakes! I will definitely go back next time I’m in NYC.

Lunch:

–Ruby’s Cafe: Order the fried chicken sandwich & thank me later. I loved this cute little spot for lunch.

–Salvation Taco: This was a last minute recommendation during our last trip. The weather was BEAUTIFUL & I could eat tacos every day, so we opted for lunch & margaritas on their rooftop. If it’s a nice day, I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend. Their menu is super limited on the rooftop, but worth it.

–Serafina: We popped in here for pizza one day during our last trip. We wanted to sit outside because it was so nice out, and this fit the bill. The pizza was delicious too!

–Delicatessen: We needed a little something to hold us over between brunch & dinner, so we went here for their cheeseburger egg rolls. They were as good as they sound.

Dinner:

–Maysville: Our NYC friends (from KY) recommended this restaurant to us because there is a KY connection. We actually had reservations elsewhere that night & decided to go here instead, and I am so glad we did. It was so good! I loved the atmosphere too.

–The Smith: This was a recommendation from several people. The appetizers were amazing & the vibe was really fun! I didn’t love my entree, but everything else we really enjoyed.

–Stanton Social: This is a go to spot for us when we’re there with friends. It is SO fun, and their food is SO good. I love love love tapas style restaurants & this one is one of my favorites. Stanton Social & Beauty & Essex are both Chris Santos restaurants, and while they have similar menus the atmosphere is so much cooler at Stanton Social!

–Morandi: Another go to spot for us. It’s the most charming Italian restaurant in the Lower West Side. The food is so good & the atmosphere is so nice.

–Beauty & Essex: This restaurant is always recommended to me when in NYC, and we’ve been to the NYC & Vegas location. It is a great spot, but I like Stanton Social better.

Drinks:

–St. Cloud: This rooftop bar is located in the The Knickerbocker hotel in Times Square, and has a great vibe. We typically don’t hang around Times Square, but I’d go back to this rooftop for sure!

–Down The Hatch: If you’re looking for a hole in the wall bar in the West Village this is your place! We stumbled upon this bar one night & loved it!

–NoMad Bar: Located in the NoMad Hotel, this bar is a cool spot to grab a drink before a dinner.

–Ink 48 Rooftop: This rooftop has some of the best views! We went in the middle of November & still had a great time.

–Refinery Rooftop: Another rooftop bar worth checking out. There is a great view of the Empire State Building too. They also have food, but we can’t vouch for their food.

Sweets:

–Levain Bakery: There are no words for these cookies y’all. They’re so worth the trip to the Upper West Side for them. We tried nearly every cookie they make & they’re all sooooo good! Maybe the best cookies I’ve ever had.

–Dough: I had these donuts several times while in NYC. I seem to stumble upon them in coffee shops & such, so I’ve never been to their location, but they’re insanely delicious!