An easy way to enjoy NY on a short visit is to WALK DOWN BROADWAY – all the way to Battery Park. Here is a walking tour, which you could split into 2/3 trips. I like to start in Central Park. (or reverse, and walk uptown, of course).
CENTRAL PARK to UNION SQUARE – A GREAT WALK.
I like to go in to the Park across from the Museum of Natural History at 77th street. The Museum is good for a rainy day – skip the dinosaurs and see the Marine mammals and undersea exhibits, and the planetarium show - it's open on Mondays, when other things are closed.
Cross into Central Park at 77th by the Museum, OR 72nd by the Dakota and Strawberry fields. You can also take the subway UP to 72nd on Broadway, get a hot dog across from the Subway, and walk WEST to Central Park at 72nd street. I often wander down through the park to 59th street and exit at 5th avenue at the Plaza. You can do this in an easy ½ hour walk. Great people watching.
MIDTOWN, ROCKEFELLER, 5th AVENUE
Walk out of the park at 59th Street at the Plaza, and enjoy walking down 5th avenue (Saks, Tiffanys, ESPN, H&M, etc.) to 50th street and Rockefeller Center, Saks and St Patricks all meet at 50th. (Or you can go to the Time Warner center at Columbus Circle on the West end, great views, bathrooms).
There are some inexpensive places to eat UNDERNEATH Rockefeller Center – just go inside 30 Rock and down the stairs - and a Starbucks right underneath the plaza, and nice bathrooms. Lots of tables. (Don't eat in the fancy two restaurants right by the skating rink, but check out the cafeteria and the pizza places behind them) (NOTE: you can also take the subway uptown to directly UNDER Rockefeller Center, or if you're tired, you can take the subway DOWNTOWN from Rockefeller).
From the inside of Rockefeller Center You can go up to the Top of the Rock observation tower. Use the coupons or get a discount $2 off coupon from the people wearing red blazers handing out cards around the skating rink (which is a café in the summer). NO food up there, but lots of food in the bottom of Rock Center.
From Rockefeller Plaza, go back to 5th and you can continue walking south on 5th avenue to 42nd street and BRYANT PARK – behind the NY Public Library with the lions is on 5th, Bryant Park is the big park behind it which runs to 6th. Lots of tables and chairs and sandwich places in the park. Lots of people to watch. The best public bathroom in the city. Flowers, even.
TIMES SQUARE/2nd STREET to UNION SQUARE
At 42nd, You could go East 2 blocks on 42nd street to Grand Central Station, there are lots of touristy stores and lots of places to eat inexpensively UNDERNEATH Grand Central Station. Also washrooms. But it's not so interesting south of Grand Central, just Park Avenue and apartment.
Or go WEST 2 blocks to Times Square, and eat on the new little tables where they've blocked off Times Square. Try visiting the tourist office at 46th and Broadway, (washrooms) and pick up coupons - (you could get to here from Rockefeller, too).
From either Times Square or Bryant Park at 42nd Street, You could keep walking south down either 5th avenue, 6th avenue or Broadway, to 34th Street (Herald Square) and Macy's. Lots of discount stores and inexpensive shopping, and of course Macy's, which often has good deals – lots of food around Macys. But it's really crowded and wild and noisy and crazy here. Washrooms and food in Macys.
From Herald Square, some shopping on 34th, or Keep going 2 blocks south on 6th - I like the buffet called SPEEDYS at the corner of 33th and 6th avenue, south side, because they have lots of salad and stuff but also fried chicken, roast pork, etc. Can be pricy if you get a lot of heavy food, though. There's also a burger heaven around here and other lunch places. Greeley Square, where you can sit and eat (crowded)
Detour: (You can walk West to Madison Square Garden – not very good food around here – but there are LOTS of food places inside Penn Station, which is right next to Madison Square Garden.) However, I like walking down Broadway to 23rd street, which is the Flatiron building. Another nice park, Madison Square – and food places around the park. (Not as many) The famous Shake Shack is in Madison Square – huge lines, and don't go right at lunch.
Then keep walking down Broadway to Union Square. Lots of shopping, lots of food – A fun sit-down restaurant is Chat & Chew, at 10 E 16th Street, just to the East of Union Square. A little crowded, but cheaper than the restaurants on Union Square.
UNION SQUARE TO SOHO
You could keep walking down Broadway (or University) to HOUSTON, which is Soho (South of Houston) and NYU territory, lots to look at, and increasing places to eat, because it's university territory. To your WEST is Greenwich village, to the EAST Is the East Village – punkier. In the middle is SOHO. Great hotdogs and Broadway &8th – lots of food here.
5th avenue ends at Washington Square, which is 4th Ave.
SOHO to Canal - to Chinatown.
CITY HALL – BROOKLYN BRIDGE
Keep walking right down Broadway to City Hall, City Hall Park, the Fountains, and Wall Street.
YOU CAN WALK OVER THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE AT CITY HALL
Keep walking South, to the world trade Center, Ground Zero, Battery Park, and CENTURY 21 - the big department store that survived 911, and has lots of stuff for everyone.
END UP IN
BATTERY PARK, free washrooms at the Museum of the American Indian, at the Customs House, right at Broadway and Battery park. Great building. Free.
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FOOD:
Most pubs have food – it's the law. Irish pubs are usually better. Some are awful, of course – greasy fries and overpriced burgers. There are delis and bagel shops everywhere. Most deli's have upstairs seating, and you can choose your own food or anyone will make you a sandwich to go – just go in any deli and go up to the sandwich counter.
Lunch is always cheaper. Watch out for restaurants around Times Square and Broadway – often $ and bad. You can read menus outside. Lots of lunch deals. If you end up in Greenwich village (or the East Village) at supper, there are lots of cafes and places which post their menus and specials on blackboard.
SHOPPING:
Union Square
Soho – for looking, not so much for buying
CENTURY 21 – by the World Trade Center – has a complete shoe store with athletic shoes, and everything else, it's great fun to watch people here.
VIEWS:
Go down to Battery Park for views of the statue of Liberty. My favourite wandering place down there is South Cove – head West along the top of Battery Park to Wagner Park – nice benches, great views of the Hudson! Nice trees, etc.
AVOID:
South Street Seaport – just a shopping mall, really – good view of the Brooklyn Bridge, though
Little Italy – awful food, too many tourists
Canal street – Chinatown, full of people from Florida trying to buy fake handbags
Empire State Building – long lines, and the view is better from the Top of the Rock
Staten Island ferry is free – but once you go over you just walk across the terminal and come back – nice views, just a bit crowded. Leaves on the ½ hour from Battery Park.
Learn to stop and have a drink or a coffee and a sandwich when you're tired – and a washroom. Use the parks – lots of people watching, and a good rest.
Remember: 20 blocks to a mile. So Central Park to Union Square is really only 2 miles – with stops.
I have easily walked this in one day – including lunch – but not much shopping.
