NYC Snapshot: How to Hit The Highlights

It isn’t that there’s no perfect way to see New York City for the first time, it’s that there are too many perfect ways. The good news is that there are so many fabulous places to see, eat, and stay that it’s hard to go wrong. Here’s one way to spend your first day.

Where to Stay: Choose The Standard on Washington Street for a clean and comfortable room, attentive room service, and a host of amenities. The views of the Hudson River and downtown NYC will let you know that you’ve really arrived in the Big Apple.

Where to Eat: It’s a tough call; you can get any type of food you want in New York City, and it’s definitely worth checking out the cuisine in Chinatown or Little Italy. But for American style food, visit The Dutch on Sullivan Street. For a hearty surf and turf meal, choose the cracked rock crab claws, the 18 oz. New York strip steak, and a side of housemade fries.

What to See: Unless you have plenty of time, skip the long lines leading to the top of the Empire State Building. Instead, head to the Rockefeller Center for the Top of the Rock Observation Deck experience. You won’t have to wait nearly as long for your turn to have an unobstructed view of the dazzling city, and you’ll feel like you’re on top of the world.

Only in New York: It isn’t fun in the same way that many of the popular NYC attractions are, but the powerful 9/11 Memorial and Museum is breathtaking, and something no American should miss out on seeing.

This is only a tiny snapshot of everything NYC has to offer, but it’s a great start.