NYC Travel Diary

I couldn't let 2023 go by without sharing the details of my end-of-summer trip to NYC. It was spur of the moment and a complete delight - I highly recommend! My cousin and I traveled by Amtrak and I don't think I'll ever fly to NYC again. Especially if you're on a budget and wanting to spend your money on more important things (like food and shows), I definitely encourage you to take the train.

Now, before I jump into our itinerary, I have to warn you it is the ultimate millennial tourist line-up and I have zero regrets. We were only there for a few days and packed everything we could into every minute - while still allowing for an afternoon rest back at the hotel. There were a few things we didn't get around to - the 9/11 memorial, Chinatown, The Met - but, overall, we checked off everything.

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TRANSPORTATION 

Amtrak from Virginia to NYC // All Subway or walking in NYC

HOTEL

The New Yorker

*perfectly located near Penn Station for arrival and departure on the train*

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ITINERARY

Thursday

6:20 am - Train

3:30 pm - NYC!

4:00 pm - Hotel check-in

5:00 pm - Dinner in Times Square

Shopping around Times Square - Disney Store, souvenirs

10:00 pm - Nighttime bus tour of NYC

Friday

9:00 am - Left hotel and grabbed a croissant from a street cart

10:00 am - Taylor Swift exhibit at Museum of Arts & Design

11:00 am - Bloomingdale's

12:30 pm - Serendipity 3 for lunch and frozen hot chocolate

2:00ish pm - 5th Ave., The Plaza Hotel, Central Park

5:00 pm - Dinner

7:00 pm - Harry Potter & The Cursed Child (Broadway)

Saturday

9:00 am - Summit Observation Deck

Afternoon things - Ralph's Coffee, St. Patrick's, Rockefeller Center, 

American Girl Store, FAO Schwartz

Evening - Harry Potter store

Dinner - a little Mexican place across from our hotel

Sunday

Morning: Breakfast at Tick Tock Diner

10:00 am - Shopping at Stoney Clover and wandering around the West Village

Stopped at Milk Bar for a snack

3:00 pm - Once Upon a One More Time (Broadway)

Dinner: Bond 45

Walking around Times Square

Dessert: Junior's

Monday

Amtrak home at 5:00 am

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I'm hoping to have my next NYC trip be during the holidays. There's nothing more magical than that!