The average New Yorker will adamantly say that they are not the type of people that love to go around their own city. People who live in the Big Apple know how much of a tourist destination their city is to other Americans and foreigners, which is why they do not make much of a big deal out of it. When coming across a New Yorker, you will likely hear that nothing is exciting to see once you live there and that Times Square is an overcrowded mess.
The truth, however, is that everyone who lives in their city is an explorer in their own right, especially in tourist hot spots like New York City. New Yorkers get the chance to check out the latest restaurants to open downtown, witness a beautiful exhibit uptown, and watch a play or event filled with celebrities in Times Square. There is always something new to discover in New York and the local explorers, which are its residents, can keep up with the City That Never Sleeps.
Amid the hustle and bustle of city life, New Yorkers can squeeze in a great weekend of relaxation and entertainment in Manhattan. Setting up an itinerary for a Manhattan weekend vacation will feel exciting because a 3-day schedule is not enough to completely absorb its beauty. You may choose to focus on the best tourist spots or the trending place, but you may also go for the hidden gems and the timeless places that keep the spirit of New York City to their core. For faster transportation, you can use the subway.
Friday Night
5:00 PM: Aire Ancient Baths
When you are traveling from outside the country or going off from a bus, you will look for a refreshing way to start your weekend trip to Manhattan. You will likely want to go to your hotel to freshen up, but you can begin your Manhattan adventure with a relaxing bath at one of the city’s well-kept secrets, the Aire Ancient Baths. Located in Tribeca, Aire Ancient Baths holds steam rooms and saunas that allow visitors to take a shower in ancient Roman fashion. The bathhouse offers sea salt baths, wine dips, and ice pools to help rejuvenate and prepare you for your exciting trip.
6:30 PM: Top of the Standard at Standard Hotel
After a refreshing bath, you will want to go to the base of the High Line, where you can visit the Standard Hotel. Top of the Standard lies at the rooftop of the hotel. The Top provides you with a stunning view of the Manhattan city skyline and the peaceful Hudson River. The Top also boasts a variety of cocktail options while you take a look at the beautiful and magnificent Art Deco lounge. You can enjoy the transition of Manhattan from a busy day to a colorful night during the sunset.
7:30 PM: West Side Manhattan
Your walk on the High Line will take you to West Side Manhattan, where you can witness the beauty of urban lifestyle. The High Line, which is a series of abandoned elevated rail tracks turned into pathways, weaves through many skyscrapers to help add natural beauty to Manhattan’s urban scenery effortlessly. If you have extra time during the morning, you could take a tour on the High Line to learn more about the 300 different plants that make up the garden in the sky.
8:30 PM: West Village
Treat yourself with fine dining on Café Clover, a restaurant on the corner of West Village. The restaurant boasts colorful banquettes and a chic atmosphere. Café Clover’s menu consists of healthy and delicious dishes that contain seasonal ingredients from the local scene like the chickpea pappardelle and the roasted cauliflower.
11:00 PM: Momofuku Milk Bar
If the mouth-watering meals from Café Clover are not enough, you can go to Momofuku Milk Bar for desserts. Aside from its tasty cakes and cookies, the Milk Bar also has sweet nightcaps like the Cereal Milk ice cream and the Crack Pie. You may wish to end your Friday night here to prepare yourself for an exhausting yet fun-filled Saturday in Manhattan.
Saturday
8:30 AM: La Mercerie Café
If you are looking for an exquisite NYC restaurant for a classic New York breakfast, you can visit La Mercerie Café. The eatery offers a great breakfast menu filled with croissants and cocktails to start up your morning. Located in the Roman and Williams Guild, the café also allows you to purchase everything they have on the shop from its plates to its tables.
10:00 AM: The Strand Bookstore
You have to visit the Strand, one of the world’s biggest independent bookstores, whether you are an international tourist traveling to the Big Apple or a New Yorker passing by. The Strand bookstore is a treasure of the city ever since its establishment in 1927. The timeless bookstore boasts a massive compilation of new publications, second-hand books, and out-of-print volumes. You will find almost any publication you can dream of inside this bookstore, from the limited edition of your favorite childhood book to the latest version of the most famous author.
11:00 AM Union Square Greenmarket
You will get the chance to sign up for a cooking lesson and make your meal at Haven’s Kitchen. You will first visit the Union Square Greenmarket, where you can find the best local ingredients. After your grocery on the market, you will go to the kitchen to cook your desired lunch with the help of one of the chefs of Haven’s Kitchen.
2:00 PM Judd Foundation
Late artist Donald Judd is known for his minimalistic style of art. Tourists and explorers will get the chance to see the artist’s masterpieces in their visit to the Judd Foundation. Judd’s old apartment and studio in a SoHo building currently serve as the location of the foundation, where people can pay for guided tours to explore the creative works of the conceptual artist. It also gives tourists a chance to experience how the culture embeds Judd’s art in their world.
3:30 PM: Browne & Co. and C.W. Pencil Enterprise
If you happen to love handcrafted writing materials, you can visit two of New York’s hidden gems for stationery treasures. South Street Seaport’s Browne & Co. stationery uses traditional printing with a letterpress from the 19th century for their products. Lower East Side’s C.W. Pencil Enterprise offers a vast collection of pencils from all over the world. Portugal’s scented pencils and South Korea’s rainbow paper pencils are only some of the rare products C.W. Pencil Enterprise has on its inventory.
5:00 PM: Creel and Gow
Creel and Gow provide an extensive range of exquisite and fascinating objects from the travels of Jamie Creel and his daring team. Creel and Gow is an excellent resource for people seeking to give their loved ones unique gifts that peak their most unusual interests. The beautiful shop’s inventory includes rare minerals, exotic accessories, taxidermy, silver shells, and other interesting oddities.
6:00 PM Albertine
The Payne Whitney house in Manhattan houses Albertine, the only uptown bookstore that devotes itself to French and English culture. With over 14,000 classic and contemporary titles, it is a perfect place for Manhattan explorers to relax on comfortable couches and read a book while staring at the constellation arts on the ceiling.
8:00 PM The Met Breuer
Madison Avenue’s The Met Breuer is the largest art museum in the US. The Met’s permanent display houses over two million artworks presented. Aside from its stunning collection, the Met also has a famous seafood restaurant, Flora Bar. The museum’s eatery allows you to eat your dinner at a sophisticated atmosphere with an artisanal wine on hand.
10:00 PM Bemelmans Bar
A trip to Manhattan will not be complete without indulging on a jazz experience. Carlyle Hotel is home to the iconic Bemelmans Bar, which is a representation of the old New York. Enjoy a delicious cocktail while listening to the best live jazz music the Big Apple has to offer. You may consider yourself lucky if you catch favorite performers settling in the private bar to perform for a small crowd for fun.
Sunday Morning
9:30 AM Via Quadronno
You may start your day with one of New York’s best cappuccinos from Via Quadronno, an Italian restaurant from the Upper East Side. The place breathes a classical aura that can make you feel like you are living life in one of the best cities in the world.
10:00 AM: Zabar’s
New Yorkers are known for creating a tradition around brunch. While a lot of restaurants serve brunch, you may find that setting your meal is more satisfying when you choose to eat at Zabar’s. The family-owned establishment provides you with an extensive array of quality ingredients. Operating since 1934, the timeless Zabar’s assures that you will finish your weekend trip with a satisfied taste. You may also enjoy your feast in Central Park.
2:30 PM Central Park
In your visit to Central Park, you need to take a stroll in Strawberry Fields. John Lennon’s song inspired Yoko Ono Lennon to create a peaceful environment for the “quiet zone” of Central Park. You may also take pictures of yourself and the city from the reservoir, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. An adventure to Central Park is the perfect way to end your Manhattan trip.
Use this itinerary for a splendid weekend in Manhattan with its hidden gems. The city offers a lot of ways for you to savor the city of New York. Once you’re there, you may even go off the schedule to find another adventure of your own.
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