New York, a city that you probably have known as “The City that Never Sleeps,” and it’s pretty right when taking into consideration its estimated influx of 404,000 people daily.
NY is recognized as the most diverse city in the world. Now, I suppose you’re wondering why. Did you know that more than 800 languages are spoken in New York City, and 4 in 10 households speak a language other than English making the city a hub of cultural and language mix?
One cannot deny that tourists from all over the world are attracted to visit this amazing city because of its diversity and greatness.
If you’re planning to visit New York, the best time to visit the city will be from April to June and then from November and December.
April to June is the spring season, the weather is delightful, and the tourists are fewer than usual, making the city less crowded. New York is in its best festive mode in November and December, with Thanksgiving being followed by Christmas and New Year.
Whenever you’ll decide to visit, you will surely need an itinerary! Exploring New York in just one weekend may seem challenging at first, but if you keep on reading, you may find a ready-to-use itinerary for a perfect 3-day stay in NY!
A little about ESTA USA
If you have been planning to go to the US, you might have (if your country participates in the Visa Waiver Program) come across the ESTA at some point of your trip preparations. ESTA It’s an acronym for “Electronic System for Travel Authorization,” which is a system developed to pre-screen travelers entering the USA.
The ESTA Visa covers it all, namely, either business, tourism, or transit trips.
The online visa stays valid for 2 years and expires after 2 years from the date of its issuance.
Characteristics of ESTA are as follows:
- Multi-purpose – ESTA is meant for tourists, business travelers, and those who wish to transit through the USA on their way somewhere else.
- Multi-entry – It is valid for 2 years starting from the date of approval, during which you may enter and exit the USA as many times as you wish.
- Flexible – Each time you enter the USA, you may stay for up to 90 days in a row.
- Low cost – the fee that an applicant needs to pay for ESTA is only 49 Euro.
If you want to know if your country is taking part in the Visa Waiver Program, check more information about ESTA. Apply online and get the approved document delivered straight to your email inbox in just 3 business days!
Your Perfect 3-day NYC Weekend Itinerary
So well, let’s suppose you’ve already applied for your ESTA and you’re planning to visit New York soon but have no idea where to go and what to look for while staying in the city.
To help you out, we have prepared the NYC Itinerary for you to present and describe some tips on how to experience an unforgettable weekend in NYC and not spend a fortune.
So, let’s get it started. First, you should consider buying a New York Tourist Pass. Keep on reading to find out why.
How to plan your budget?
As you start to plan your weekend in New York City, you’ll see that entry prices to famous tourist attractions mount up rapidly.
Fortunately, New York, like other prominent tourist destinations, offers various great tourist passes that may help you save a lot of money on attractions. There are various tourist passes to choose from, but the two passes that are most recommended are the New York Explorer Pass and The New York Pass.
The key difference between the two passes is that The New York Pass is day-based, which means you buy the pass for a set number of days and then visit as many of the 100+ accessible sites as you wish within that time frame.
The New York Explorer Pass, on the other hand, is only suitable for 30 days and allows you to visit a limited number of free attractions. Depending on the number of attractions you want to see in New York City, you should decide which pass is most suitable for you.
Let us assume you spend your three days in New York City visiting the following attractions:
- The Met = $25
- MoMA = $25
- Top of the Rock Observation Deck or Empire State Building = $38 or $42
- Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island = $19.25
- 9/11 Memorial Museum = $28
- Madame Tussauds = $37
- 2-Day Hop-On Hop-Off Bus = $69
Without any passes, the cost of these seven attractions is $245.25. The New York Explorer Pass will save you $67.25, and the New York Pass will save you between $111.25 and $41.25, depending on the option you choose.
As you can see, both passes provide an excellent value for anyone who wants to know a lot of attractions on their trip. However, make sure to do the math and see if purchasing a tourist pass will genuinely help you save money.
Where should you stay?
After we have advised you on how you can save some money thanks to the Tourist Pass, there’s now time for the issue of your accommodation in NYC.
You’ll never be able to run out of things to do or visit in NYC, but to do that, you need a full night’s sleep, a well-rested body and mind, and without having a place to relax, it’s impossible to have energy to explore such a huge metropolis.
Several websites and apps offer accommodation or hotels at various prices and locations. You may search these sources so that you can find the best place for you to stay and rest.
Some people have recommended Lexington, New York City to book a stay, but it may be overbooked, so you can check Booking.com or Airbnb for more accommodation options at best prices.
What to visit and when?
When your budget is properly planned and your accommodation booked, there’s probably time for the most exciting part of your trip, namely must-see spots in the city. Now, you may be confused about where to start.
To be honest, New York City is a place where every spot is worth visiting. Even if it may be a small inconspicuous one, it may turn out to be an extraordinary and one-of-kind experience.
Friday
So, you’ve just arrived, and it’s nighttime, but you shouldn’t be wasting your time and should start getting out right away.
The first step you should make is to go to Times Square.
Times Square fully depicts New York life. The giant billboards, the busy roads, the people, everyone is trying to picture the moment. There you can meet people from every sphere of life and at any age. You’ll see foreigners, people speaking different languages, and representing all kinds of cultures creating a unique cultural mix vibe.
So, when you’re done with Times Square, it is dinner time now!
For dinner, you should head to Midtown which is located on Broadway. It has some of the best restaurants offering food made by some of the best chefs.
As your last activity for Friday night can be seeing a show on Broadway.
Book your ticket in advance and take part in one of the most famous worldwide performances.
Saturday
NY is an enormous city. That’s why your Saturday should be set around visiting Central Park, New York Public Library, Grand Central Station.
When you reach Grand Central Station, don’t forget to get your lunch there.
After a quick refreshment, you should visit the Met, MoMA, Guggenheim, etc.
And next, visit Rockefeller Center & Empire State Building.
By now, when you’re done with all of these, it should probably be dinner time.
So, we advise you to head back again to Midtown.
After having your dinner, it’s time for some window shopping on one of the best shopping streets in the world, 5th Avenue.
After a long day of exploring, it’s time to head back to Lexington, NYC, for a good night’s sleep. You have a big last day ahead of you! Take some rest and be ready for another busy day!
Sunday
Here are the places you should visit on Sunday, so adjust your time and routine accordingly:
● Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island
● Wall Street
● 9/11 Memorial & Museum
● Lunch: Chinatown or Little Italy
● Option #1: Explore Lower Manhattan
● Option #2: Chelsea Market & The High Line
● Dinner: Greenwich Village
● Comedy Cellar or Jazz Club
If you managed to get to the end of the list, it is where your unforgettable weekend in NYC comes to an end.
Final words
Indeed, it was a brief trip, but we’re pretty sure that you were given the opportunity to witness the finest of New York City. The places that have been listed in this itinerary are exactly the places that represent the nature of NYC par excellence.
Since New York City never sleeps, as said earlier, the city will be ready to welcome you whenever you schedule your next trip, which you must do! Don’t forget to obtain your ESTA online at least 3 days in advance!