Three days in New York City: a route that follows the map

Spend day one downtown, day two in Midtown and Central Park, and day three on the West Side. Grouping the days this way keeps travel to a few short subway rides and leaves room for the city's free sights: a harbor ferry, a bridge walk, the park and the High Line.

Several of the three-day itineraries that come up first in search are published by companies selling sightseeing passes or bus tours, which have every reason to fill each day with paid attractions. This one has four paid stops at most across three days, and you could drop any of them. The free stretches are the ones we'd protect if the schedule slips.

Book these before you go

• Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The ferry is the only way onto Liberty Island, and Statue City Cruises is the only authorized seller with access to both islands. Boats leave from behind Castle Clinton in Battery Park after security screening. Pedestal and crown access are separate ticket types; crown tickets require a minimum height of 42 inches, and refunds are available up to 24 hours before departure. [1][2]
• The 9/11 Memorial Museum. It requires an advance ticket and is open six days a week plus select Tuesdays, so most Tuesdays are out. The memorial plaza outside is free every day. [3]
• One observation deck, if any. Decks sell entry for a set date and time, and at the Empire State Building moving to a sunset slot can cost extra. Our deck comparison covers which view to choose. [4][5][6]
• A Broadway show, if a particular one matters to you. If you're flexible, TKTS booths sell same-day tickets at up to 50% off, plus an $8 service charge per ticket, and the TKTS app shows what's on sale in real time. [7]

Day 1: Lower Manhattan and the harbor

Take an early boat from Battery Park to Liberty Island and Ellis Island. With screening and two islands to see, plan on most of the morning. [2]

Walk north to the 9/11 Memorial for the early afternoon. The plaza is free; if you booked the museum, its own guidance is to allow at least 45 to 90 minutes. [3]

In the late afternoon, walk the Brooklyn Bridge from Lower Manhattan toward Brooklyn Heights. The pedestrian promenade is open at all times, though repairs can narrow parts of it. Have dinner on the Brooklyn side and take the subway back. [8]

Day 2: Midtown and Central Park

Start at Grand Central Terminal. If your deck is SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, this is its day: the entrance is in Grand Central's transit hall, and it opens at 8 a.m. If you chose the Empire State Building, it stands on Fifth Avenue between 33rd and 34th Streets, a short walk south. [10][11]

Head up to Central Park for the middle of the day. Aim for Bethesda Terrace, mid-park at 72nd Street, then cross Bow Bridge over the Lake, which the Central Park Conservancy calls one of the park's most photographed features. The fountain on the terrace is switched off for a restoration the Conservancy expects to take about a year; the terrace itself stays open. [12][13]

If you would rather spend the afternoon indoors, The Met is on Fifth Avenue along the park's east side. It is closed on Wednesdays and open until 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays; adult admission is $30, and New York State residents pay what they wish. [14]

Spend the evening at a show. The TKTS booth in Times Square sells same-day evening tickets; keep a second choice in mind in case your first is sold out. [7]

Day 3: The West Side

Walk the High Line, a public park on Manhattan's West Side, north toward Hudson Yards, where it has park-level access at 30th Street. It opens at 7 a.m. and closes at 10 p.m. from April through November, or 8 p.m. from December through March. [15][16]

Edge is at Hudson Yards, where the walk ends, so it's the natural deck for this day if you skipped one on day two. Use the afternoon for whatever the first two days crowded out: a museum, a longer visit to the park, or a neighborhood you walked past and want to see properly. [5][16]

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