New York City in the fall is a wonderful time to visit! It can be overwhelming for anyone who’s visiting for the first time. I’m a Jersey girl, transplanted to Florida, who had the privilege to live a short train ride away from the greatest city in the world for more than half of my life. Here’s a list of places I love that are a must-see in the city. You could probably spend 1 day to explore each area – downtown, midtown and uptown – or pick and choose one from each to do in a day!

Downtown:
  1. Go shopping in Chinatown. There are hundreds, if not thousands of shops and stalls filled with anything and everything you could possibly want to buy – scarves, perfume, jewelry, souvenirs, even knock-off designer items. Lots of stores use cash only and most of them are willing to barter. 
  2. World Trade Center Memorial – September 11, where you can pay your respects and learn more about that tragedy that changed New York more than two decades ago. 
  3. South Street Seaport – On the east of the island, explore this port and catch a unique view of the borough of Brooklyn, one of NYC’s trendiest places to live right now, and…
  4. …The Brooklyn bridge – This physics masterpiece and architectural wonder is as much functional as it is beautiful. Tens of thousands of cars and people cross this brick bridge daily so watch out for commuters (they’re not friendly to tourists).
Midtown
  1. Walk on The High Line. This elevated park was once the NYC Railroad. Now it’s a 1.45 mile long greenway that doubles as an art gallery. 
  2. Of course, you must visit Times Square. They’ve eliminated car traffic so it’s easier to explore, so walk around. Look at the ads. Climb the ruby-red TKTS stairs. Take selfies. This is the heartbeat of the city that never sleeps!  
  3. A Broadway play –  Any one will do! Some have lotteries you can enter, if you want to take your chances to win a pair of tickets on the day. Grab a pic of your playbill but put your phone away when the play starts!
  4. Chrysler Building – This skyscraper, in all of its Art Deco glam, is like a diamond in the skyline of New York. You can go into the lobby and be transported back in time to the roaring ‘20s. 
  5. Visit the Empire State Building for a dizzying and breathtaking panoramic view of the city. It will take you a few different elevators to climb the 102 stories but once you’re up there, you won’t regret it – unless you’re afraid of heights.
  6. Walk up 5th avenue and admire all of the window displays while you make your way to Rockefeller center. You can also go to the “Top of the Rock” or walk around the plaza where soon they’ll be setting up the Christmas tree.
Uptown
  1. Take a walk in Central Park. Visit the Central Park zoo. Grab a hot pretzel and take a seat on a bench to people watch. This giant park provides a soothing reprieve in the midst of the concrete jungle. 
  2. Central park divides the Upper East and West Sides. On the Upper West Side, you can walk through streets perfectly lined with brownstones. On the Upper East Side, you can go shopping on Park Avenue. 
  3. If you’re in the city around Thanksgiving, catch the parade balloons being blown up on Columbus and west 77th St. They’re so much larger in person than you think! 
  4. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, or the Met, is arguably one of the greatest art museums in the world. It’s the largest art museum in the Americas with a permanent collection of over 2 million pieces of art. Take half of a day and immerse yourself with famous paintings, brilliant sculptures, and intriguing exhibits. 
  5. The Guggenheim – With its recognizable spiral design, this museum was designed by famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. You don’t have to be an architectural enthusiast to enjoy this icon!
Bonus
  1. Take a ferry tour on the Hudson for beautiful views of the island!
  2. Visit Lady Liberty. Did you know she’s actually located in New Jersey waters?

If you go to NYC this fall, tag us @hatchcreatives in your stories! We want to live vicariously through you. Enjoy!