Hello everyone! Time has been flying by, especially since we took our weeklong trip to NYC for my husband’s 40th birthday. So much fun! Vacation is always so fun but it’s a lot of work and planning, am I right?! Even though vacation can cause some work, we had an absolute blast! NYC is such an amazing city. So many places to see, places to eat (my favorite part), places to shop and etc. Thank you to all who followed along on Instagram with our trip and thank you so much to everyone who gave us recommendations too!
I wanted to share a recap along with my recommendations after we came home and I have had time to gather my thoughts from our trip. Read below for my NYC Travel guide…things to do, eat and see!
NYC Travel Guide-Things to Do, Eat and See
Where we Stayed
Remember all NYC hotel rooms are on the smaller size. The bed was SO comfy.
For the first portion of your trip we chose to stay in Soho. It stands for South of Houston Street and is awesome! We stayed at the Soho Grand and we both agree we loved that location of the hotel better than the second part of our trip. Soho Grand has 3 bars/lounges in the hotel which were perfect to enjoy a nice and relaxing nightcap. My husband loved using the Peloton in their gym each and every morning we were there. The staff was very friendly and the bed was very comfy. We did see a famous musician staying at the hotel (We are too old to know his name, ha! Someone from “5 seconds to Summer” with lots of groupies waiting outside for him).
View from our Soho Grand room…I requested a corner room for more of a view.
Soho would be our first choice to stay at again. Soho is known for its amazing shopping (so many cute boutiques and major retailers in the area) and lots of yummy dining options. This area is much less congested (or atleast it seemed that way) than other parts of the city. NYC is crazy crowded at all times of the day, so it was nice to be away from the madness. We were able to sleep in since it wasn’t as loud with all the honking horns and sirens. It is very close to Tribeca and I kept my eyes out for any celebrities (Beyonce or Taylor Swift (whom both supposedly have penthouses in Tribeca) but I never saw any like I had hoped! Bummer!
Me standing outside of the Soho Grand ready to shop!
For the 2nd half of our trip we stayed at the NoMad to experience a different city location. The NoMad’s rooms were so unique and fun. The Nomad is a smaller boutique hotel type experience. Thanks to my cousin for the hookup with an amazing room! The Nomad has a super cool bar as well as a restaurant. A different room setup from usual hotels with a freestanding claw foot tub and more in the open layout. Great location to walk to different city attractions. Madison Square Garden was 3 minutes away, Empire State Building was 9 minutes and Times Square was 15 minutes away. Since the hotel was in such proximity to popular city go-to spot’s, the area did have more population and noise. 
Standing in front of The Nomad waiting on an Uber
Interesting Things to Do
Me standing in front of the iconic Plaza Hotel.
The Plaza Hotel was breathtaking!
I wish we could’ve stayed here but paying nearly $1,000 per night seemed excessive. Maybe one day! This is where Home Alone was filmed and lots more movies. It was fun to just walk through it and admire the beauty. This hotel was full of a cute shops and casual dining options on the lower level. We enjoyed a drink at The Champagne Bar. My tip: If you are want a table for tea (the hotel does high tea, which looked so fun) make a reservation in advance. I had no idea and thought it would be easy to get a table in the middle of the day and I was wrong. People watching at the bar was so good!
Enjoying a drink and a cheese board at The Plaza.
After we left The Plaza, we ventured onto Fifth Avenue. Very busy, but fun to admire all of the window displays and such. Since there are a multitude of stores do your research prior. Ton’s of high-end retailers are here. The Gucci store and really all the stores were so tempting for me. “Thankfully” my hubby was there to shut down me buying all my wants. LOL.
View of the amazing architecture of The Edge at Hudson Yards
Another good shopping area is Hudson Yards. From what I understand, Hudson Yards is an upcoming area in NYC that is gaining lots of attention. Also filled with very high-end and beautiful stores in the Hudson Yards shopping center. And lots of dining options. The Edge (pictured above) is the highest outdoor sky deck with a glass bottomed balcony that is 100 stories up. My heart was pounding the entire time while we were on the balcony.
We visited Time Square before we went to a Broadway show. If you go to Times Square be prepared for the crowds; it was the most crowded, congested part of our trip but it is worth seeing it all lit up.
A Broadway show is must while in New York, right?! The Broadway show (technically I think it just moved to “Off Broadway”) we went to was Rock of Ages. Oh my goodness, it was hilarious and we were able to get front row seats which made it even more enjoyable. We laughed so much and loved the music! Casey usually falls asleep in Broadway type shows and he loved this show. We highly recommend this show as we found it fitting for both us. One of the highlights of our trip! I have also seen Wicked many years ago and it was good but Casey fell asleep if that tells you anything.
Me standing in all the leaves in Central Park
Another must is Central Park. Absolutely beautiful place especially during Fall with the leaves changing colors and falling. The park is full of monumental attractions and it was so enjoyable walking through here where you feel like you escape the madness of the city around you.
Walkway in Central Park
We hired a pedi cab who gave us a tour of Central Park. It was well worth it as it was a super chilly day and our feet were tired. We hired him for 30 min as he gave us a rundown of all the famous and historic spots in Central Park. He took lots of pictures of us as well. You can also hire a horse-drawn carriage (which we did on our first trip to NYC). Tip: Pedi cabs all charge differently, some are less money than others. I recommend looking around for the rate on the side of their cab before choosing. I know this seems minimal but vacation prices always add up so I like to save when we can.
Central Park
The Loeb Boathouse was suggested by many of you in Central Park. The driver said the Boathouse is very popular during the summer when the weather is nice because you’re able to enjoy all the views of Central Park and they have boats and an outdoor seating area. I went in and walked around and thought about getting a table for lunch or a seat at the bar, and it was definitely full of pretty views. But it was a cold windy day, so we decided to go to the Plaza across the street for a drink instead.
High Line Park was a very cool park. This is public park that it built on a historic freight rail line that’s elevated above the streets on Manhattan’s West side. The gardens were beautiful and lots of cool artwork is all throughout the area. I would recommend going if weather is nice. When you’re up high, it does get chilly because of the wind.
One sentimental place to go is the 9/11 museum. This was our first time visiting the museum. The museum was very informative and emotional as you would expect. We are glad we paid our respects and went to this museum. Some areas are restricted from children going into. The 9/11 Memorial is beautiful and just outside the museum.
One of the views from the One World Observatory
It was a rainy day, so we decided to visit the One World Observatory as well right after the 9/11 museum. The 360 degree views of NYC were amazing! Our friends recommended this to us and I loved it! It is almost like a tour within a tour because we saw the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State building (which we went to on our last trip) and so many other famous sites from the windows without actually going to every single one. The tour gives you interactive 3-d Ipads which inform you of all the buildings you’re looking at which was so helpful.
On one of the nicer days, we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge; it was super crowded that day. Walking the bridge is one of those things that you do once to say you did it and to experience it, but we would probably never do it again. It was just so crowded and there isn’t much room to move. If you want to get your steps in, then this is the place to do it at! The bridge is 1,595.5 feet line.
After walking the Brooklyn Bridge, we did stay in Brooklyn the rest of the day and evening. We enjoyed walking around the Dumbo area (Mixture of Manhattan and north Brooklyn Heights). The Dumbo area is full of fun flea and food markets. Walking along the water was so nice at sunset. We got to see amazing views of the Manhattan Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge. We saw Ferry Tours that went along the waterfronts and we heard the boat tours were beautiful.
Since we did SO MUCH WALKING one night we went and got foot massages. We never rode the subway our entire trip. We either used Uber, taxied or walked (#1 way of transportation). So the foot massages were a nice relaxing treat that we both enjoyed. It was great to unwind since we were on the go so much.
Good Food – Good Mood
I am a proud foodie. Good food instantly lifts my mood. Casey (who is an avid health nut) relaxed on this trip and let us eat all the good food. He did make me workout with him a few times to burn off the extra calories so…. That was fun. Haha!
Brunch
My husband was a champ at brunch! He reviewed all of the hottest spots on Yelp, read the reviews and made sure to make us reservations where we needed to if he could.
Cupping Room Cafe in Soho = Yuuuum! Great option for a late breakfast as they serve breakfast until 3 p.m. Coffee is strong and tasty. Traditional breakfast options with great taste. The pancakes are so fluffy and good!
Standing on the stoop of Cupping Room Cafe
Clinton Street Baking Co. for brunch is must do. Soooo amazing! Best brunch all week. We were initially told we would have an hour wait but thankfully we only had to wait 20 minutes. If you do have a longer wait then no worries because they serve breakfast all day! I had the banana pancakes which were amazing. We walked 30 minutes to get there but it was worth it. After that walk , I deserved pancakes! Will do cardio for pancakes! Haha!
The Smith was one of the many restaurants that were close to the NoMad. The French Toast was awesome and we loved it. We actually went there twice we enjoyed it so much.
Sydelle’s in Soho had amazing reviews but we couldn’t get a table for brunch. This restaurant was voted one of the Best Brunches in NYC.
Lunch/Dinner
La Esquina had such a cool vibe. It is mexican food with a twist. Food was flavorful and the drinks were yummy. This isn’t your average touristy place and it seemed like a lot of regulars visited here. Casey’s tacos were some of the best street tacos he has ever eaten and trust me when I say we eat a looooot of Mexican food. Very dim lights and very tight quarters after you walk downstairs and a popping bar scene as well. Make a reservation in advance.
Mercer Kitchen serves a delicious burger. The atmosphere was very dark and moody. No windows downstairs so I felt claustrophobic. We went for lunch, but we did not go back for dinner. 
STK Rooftop came highly recommended. We didn’t get the full experience because it was cold and windy so the roof access was enclosed and all walls were closed. Which was a bummer. They had a limited menu upstairs too. This be a fun place to go to during the summer when you can get the whole experience. A DJ was there playing music which added to the atmosphere.
Ipidoo was where we had ramen. Ipidoo was rated very good on Yelp and we did have an hour wait. This was my first time trying ramen and I thought it was a good. Casey has had ramen prior and he said he’s had better FYI.
Polo Bar was the place I looked forward to the most. We got reservations 2 months in advance which I have heard is entirely necessary unless you are a celeb or etc. The restaurant has a cool old school vibe mixed with classy. The waiters looked like they were straight out of a Ralph Lauren show. Drinks and food were delightful. The pigs in a blanket were so good as was the bread that they serve. Casey had steak and onion rings which he devoured. I didn’t care for the chopped salad FYI.
Carmine’s was our late reservation after the Broadway show. The portions were HUGE family style portions. Very touristy spot, but our server told us even Sarah Jess Parker is a regular. Wish I could’ve seen her! We shared spaghetti and meatballs and a Caesar salad. Since the portions were so massive, we only ate about half of it. Our waiter was amazing and sat and talked to us for a long time. Gave us great NYC recommendations. Good service is a big plus!
Joe’s Pizza is famously known so we each grabbed a slice. The pizza was nothing special and I wouldn’t go out of my way to go back.
Juliana’s Pizza was another talked about pizza place, but it wasn’t the best pizza in my opinion. The wait was almost an hour. We almost skipped the line and went to Grimaldi’s next door but the wait was just as long.
Prince Street Pizza was raved about being the best pizza hands down, but we never made it here to eat. A for sure place to eat next time we’re in town!
Eataly was an Italian type market. The market vibe had small counters and limited sitting areas. Eataly wasn’t a fave of ours. Maybe it was all the rain, but we didn’t love the grocery store feeling.
Chelsea Market was awesome in so many ways! We loved it and would certainly go back. The market had multiple eating and shopping options. Decorated everywhere for Halloween and we enjoyed looking at all of it. I heard the Christmas decorations were amazing too.
Places we heard were amazing but didn’t make it….Catch, Jacob’s Pickle, Beauty and Essex, Tao, Bathtub Gin and Bobo.
Drinks/Desserts
The Coconut Cream Cake at the Polo Bar was best we have ever eaten. Sweet treat that was exquisite! Brought that out for his birthday and had champagne to compliment it.
One night we walked miles to go to the Doughnut Planet before they closed. I had the tres leche which was so good! Tip: Don’t go late to any of the hot bakeries in town because all of the good stuff sells out earlier in the day.
Starbucks Reserve is so cool! If you’ve never been to a Starbucks reserve, definitely check out the one in the meatpacking district. It’s unlike any Starbucks you’ve ever been to and worth going at least one time. The coffee aroma was amazing. If you’re a coffee lover it’s so cool to see the process.
View of Starbucks Reserve
Restoration Hardware in the Meat Packing District was 5 or 6 stories and we enjoyed sipping wine as we walked through the floors and admired all of the gorgeous home decor. There is a rooftop restaurant that looked wonderful but we didn’t make it for dinner. It’s on my list for next time.
Cheesecake Bakery (Sorry, I can’t recall the name but it was near our hotel in Soho and found on Yelp) was divine. We stopped on our way back to the hotel after dinner at La Esquina and so glad we did. We sampled different mini cheesecakes and they were all delicious.
What I Wore
I’m not even exaggerating when I say we walked 15+ miles. Since we did so much walking, I wore my Golden Goose sneakers and my over the knee black boots a TON! Both great options for style and comfort. I alternated with both so I wouldn’t get blisters although I definitely recommend packing Band-Aids. It did get chilly towards the end of the trip so I stuck to my over the knee boots for added warmth.
Black Sweatshirt//Faux Leather Leggings//Hat//Similar Golden Goose
Cream Moto Jacket//White Booties//Grey Turtleneck
Leopard Cardigan//Over the Knee Boots//Black Turtleneck
Similar Green Trench/Sweater Dress//Taupe Boots
Amazon Dress under $30//Over the knee boots//Black Moto jacket//$14 Studs
2 staples for day and evening were the: Black over the knee boots and leather leggings. The boots were perfect to wear during the day with my leather leggings and both transition well into nightlife. Great comfortable look to go to the cool restaurants and not look under dressed.
If you’re going during Fall, I would suggest wearing layers. I topped my outfits off with a trench coat or my cream & black Moto jackets (Great addition to dinner dresses) and I always wore a nice sweater or long sleeves. It got really chilly a few days and I wished I had brought a chunky scarf to put around my neck. This packable puffer jacket would be great to bring.
Suggestions
Crossbody bag – Since it’s such a crowded town a crossbody is so handy and no one can grab it off f you easily. I wouldn’t overstuff your bag either, so everything fits securely.
Portable charger for your phone. This comes in handy when you’re out and about all day. Many battery packs fit easily in your purse and can charge your phone quickly.
Download the Uber app if you don’t already have it. We could get an Uber within a few minutes anywhere we were. Also, used Yelp a ton! We used it constantly to read reviews on the places we were eating and visiting.
I hope my NYC Travel Guide-Things to Do, Eat and See post was beneficial to you! If it was helpful, please pin to your Pinterest boards so more people can find it! I put hours into this post so that it could really be of help if//when you are planning a trip to NYC! Special thanks to my sweet followers who gave us recommendations! I hope you all can make it to NYC sometime!
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