Last Updated on October 20, 2023 by Tori Pines
Have a quick work trip coming up in NYC? Maybe you have a long layover. Or perhaps it’s a stop along a north eastern U.S. road trip. Whatever the reason, you have just one night in New York City and want to make the most of it!
There are endless amounts of things to do in New York City. So how do you pick what to do with so little time? Of course, this answer is different for everyone, depending on the style of traveler you are. However, there are a few things in New York that are perfect for pretty much everyone, and are must-sees when visiting the Big Apple.
I’ll help you plan out what to do and where to eat during your one night in New York City. If you want to swap anything out, or just have extra time, then I’ll include extra recommendations at the end as well.
While the city has so much to do over an entire week, one night in NYC is better than none. So get out there and enjoy every minute you’ve got!
This post may contain affiliate links for activities, destinations and products that I love, and think you will too!
How to Get Into the City
Something that people don’t explain enough is how to get into New York City. It can be pretty tricky, especially if you’re flying, if you’ve never done it before.
If you are driving, then you should probably drive into the heart of the city and park at the hotel you are staying at. If they have parking, that is. Sure, parking at a hotel in downtown can be expensive, but since it’s only one night it shouldn’t be too bad.
For more information about parking in and around the city check out this Where to Park in NYC guide to help you.
If you are flying, then I highly recommend using public transport to get from the airport to Manhattan. This goes for any of the airports you are flying into, Newark, LaGuardia or JFK.
Public transport will be the fastest and the cheapest option. Plus there’s just something about taking the subway into the city that is so much fun. Just try not to have too much luggage to haul around.
Before you go, take notes about how to get from the airport you’re flying into to Manhattan. Have them written down or on your phone so that you don’t waste any time once you land. But, I also recommend putting the destination into your GPS on your phone as well, because it does a pretty good job at guiding you, and making sure you are on the right track.
But please note, if you are not familiar with the city, and especially if you don’t have a ton of experience with subway systems, I highly recommend doing research in advance and not solely relying on your phone. It can get extremely confusing. I even got confused after doing tons of research in advance so I can’t imagine how hard it would have been without!
And of course, make sure to plan out your route back to the airport too!
Here’s some super helpful guides for each airport:
Where to Stay for One Night in New York City
There are a million and one places to stay in NYC at a huge range of prices. To start, you’ll want to decide if you’ll stay at a hotel or a vacation rental. Personally, for short trips I think a hotel is a must. It’s so much easier and faster to get in and out of and they typically are in better locations.
But which hotel to pick? Of course the hotels closer to the big attractions are typically more expensive. But time is of the essence for this trip, so try to stay close to the action if you can.
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My absolute favorite place to stay for one night in NYC is the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel. It’s a really nice hotel without being super “fancy schmancy”. So hopefully the rates shouldn’t be outrageous, especially compared to the others close by.
But the best part is the incredible location. You are just blocks away from almost all of the places listed on the itinerary below. And for the rest, you are literally steps from the subway station.
Some other options include:
Hampton Inn New York Times Square
Hyatt Centric Times Square New York
The Westin New York at Times Square
Further away and a little cheaper:
Holiday Inn Express Manhattan Midtown West
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott New York Manhattan/Central Park
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What to Pack for One Night in New York City
You won’t need much for a night in New York City, but that’s the important tip. Don’t bring too much. Especially if you take the subway into town, you won’t want to lug it all over, and you will have a hard time fitting it on the trains/subways.
At most, bring a small carry-on suitcase. And please learn from our mistakes! Invest in a good one, like a Samsonite or you might end up with broken wheels while you’re walking in the middle of the city to your hotel. Not like we know from experience or anything…. Or if you prefer to carry it, a great crossbody duffle will work as well.
For a purse, I always recommend having an anti-theft bag when exploring a big city. I have this anti-theft bag and love it.
Otherwise, you really don’t need much. Wear comfortable shoes to allow for plenty of walking and be sure to dress for the weather for the time of year that you visit.
One Night in New York City Itinerary
For this itinerary we will assume you get into Manhattan around lunchtime and leave around lunchtime the following day. If your hours are different then adjust accordingly. Remove anything you don’t have time for, or add in things from the sections below if you have some extra time!
- Now that you have made it into the city, check into your hotel and drop your bags. It’s time to hit the ground running! Get some energy for the afternoon by grabbing some coffee either from your hotel or at Gregory’s Coffee.
- It’s lunch time and you probably are thinking that you must try the famous New York Style pizza. It’s true, it really is as delicious as you’ve heard. For some of the best in town, stop at Joe’s Pizza. There will definitely be a line. It’s the sign of a great place to eat. But don’t let that scare you away, the line moves pretty quickly. There’s a few locations but the one at 1435 Broadway will be the closest to everything else you’re doing for the day. And depending on where your hotel is, you can probably walk through Times Square on your way!
- After you fill up on all the carbs you possibly can, walk it off on your way to Pier 88 where you’ll jump on an afternoon sightseeing cruise. I recommend Circle Line Cruises, as they are a part of the New York City CityPass where you can save money on a bunch of attractions! The cruise is an hour and a half long and is the perfect way to see some of the biggest sights (including the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge, one of the most famous bridges in the US!) and learn so much about the history and fun facts along the way! Plus you’ll get gorgeous views of sunset over the water.
- Now that the sun has set, it’s time to find dinner. If you’re looking for something casual you must grab dinner at Los Tacos No. 1. It might look like a hole in the wall, but the long line out the door will prove just how delicious it is. Some other nicer sit-down options are Totto Ramen or Vida Verde (21+). Or if you’re looking for something super fancy, 53 and La Grande Boucherie are good options.
- After dinner, you have to see a Broadway show. You are in NYC for one night after all! I’m a big fan of Phantom of the Opera (sadly it’s not on Broadway anymore) Wicked and The Lion King, but there really is something out there for everyone. Plus, if you bought the CityPass, they offer really great discounts on Broadway tickets!
- If Broadway isn’t your thing…just kidding, I really think you should try it anyways. There’s so many different types of shows. Want something funny? The Book of Mormon. You’re into history? Hamilton. Love Harry Potter? Yup, there’s a Broadway show for that too.
- After the show, spend some time exploring the city at night. Walk around Times Square and watch the street performers doing their thing, while the lights glow from all around you. Pick up candy from the M&M store or watch them make Krispy Kreme donuts as you wait in line to get them hot and ready.
- Find one of the best bars in NYC for a late night drink as you wind down for bed.
- Be sure to wake up bright and early to see as much as possible today!
- Walk to Ellen’s Stardust Diner for one of the most unique things to do in the city. All of the servers are aspiring Broadway singers so they take turns singing as they serve you breakfast! But the line here gets LONG, so show up as early as possible so you don’t have to waste those precious minutes standing on the sidewalk. Normally restaurants like this don’t have the best food since the reason you come is for the show. However I actually really love the food they serve and it isn’t insanely overpriced either.
- After breakfast, walk a few blocks to Rockefeller Center where you can go to Top of the Rock. It’s an observation deck with stunning views of the city. We tried a few observation decks and this one was by far our favorite.
- Head north to Central Park. Wander aimlessly, enjoy the views, people watch and take in some of the quiet amidst a bustling city around you. If you want to, you can rent bikes, take a carriage ride, or go on a walking tour. There’s lots to do in Central Park.
- If you have time, visit the American Museum of Natural History located on the outskirts of the park. Even though it doesn’t actually look like the one from the movie Night at the Museum, I still like to pretend they all come to life at night. (Dum dum you give me gum gum?)
- Wrap up your one night in New York City by grabbing a quick lunch. If you didn’t visit Los Tacos No. 1 last night then you must enjoy lunch there today. Otherwise, visit Urban Hawker, a food court with a great variety of cuisines at good prices. And it’s all delicious. We might have tried like four of the different stalls in one lunch. Hey, we wanted to test them all out for you, okay?
Other Great Things To Do with Just One Night in NYC
- 9/11 Memorial and Museum
- One World Trade Center Observation Deck
- Empire State Building Observation Deck
- SUMMIT One Vanderbilt Observation Deck
- Little Italy and Chinatown Food Tour
- Grand Central Station
- Rockefeller Center (Ice skating in the winter)
- The High Line
- Explore Brooklyn
- Brooklyn Bridge
- Statue of Liberty
Other Great Places to Eat with Just One Night in NYC
- Trapizzino
- Eataly Downtown or Eataly Flatiron
- il Cortile
- Ess-A-Bagel
- Jing Fong
- Jeffrey’s Grocery
- Chelsea Market
- Katz’s Delicatessen
One night in New York City might seem short but you can pack it full with tons of great things to do and food to eat! Do as much as you can while exploring this wonderful city with whatever time you’ve got.
