NYC by myself for 4 days - what to do?

[SoTiredNeedHoliday]

I haven't been for years - looking for hints on what to do and where to go as a solo tourist.

What do you like doing? I could spend a whole day in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

When will you be there? And what neighbourhood will you be staying in?

The high line is a nice walk and you can finish at Chelsea Market and get some delicious street food (I fully recommend the spicy hand pulled noodles!)

French onion soup at the restaurant in Central Park!!!!

The Tenement Museum is really interesting. Also we went for an evening in AIRE spa. It was very relaxing and refreshing after a day of seeing the sights.

Highly recommend all the above. Seeking out unusual shops and I’d add MoMa and the Brooklyn Bridge. SoHo worth looking around too plus Hudson Yards.

thanks. Going in about 10 days and staying in Tribeca

also any more restaurant or cafe tips

I would look in your neighbourhood. You won’t really want to be going too far away from where you are staying in the evening unless you are wanting a pre theatre dinner. Have you done a search of the Michelin guide? There’s loads and many are not starred but will be reliable quality. Also Time Out will have useful listings for all price points. Have not stayed in that area so cannot recommend anywhere.

Bubby’s for breakfast on Hudson St. When we went Paul Rudd was sat at the next table. Can’t guarantee that for you but the pancakes are also yum!

9/11 memorial and museum
Staten Island ferry
Walk around Central Park
Shopping!

I was also very happy shopping for my hobbies. I sought out yarn shops, independent bookstores, stationers etc rather than chain stores.

Just come back from NYC. I’d say:
9/11 memorial
Brooklyn Bridge
High Line walk
MOMA
If you’re a Hamilton fan - Trinity Church
Broadway if you have time for a show - Cabaret was fabulous
Food was great everywhere!

I wasn’t a huge fan of 911 memorial - not sure I’d go on my own. Too miserable.

If you're in Tribeca you're within walking distance of the High Line and Chelsea Market, definitely lovely for an evening stroll. I found the 9/11 Museum profoundly moving and thought-provoking. I'm glad I went. We also saw Cabaret, I enjoyed it - my sister less so! Hamilton is the obvious winner but I can imagine tickets are expensive. Empire State Building at night was amazing (and helped me to feel less terrified of the height). 😅

I went for the first time last year and would love to go back, it really is like nowhere else in the world!

Oooh this takes me back to my early 30s, when I was fed up of waiting for someone to go with! Haven’t been since 2012 when returned with DH, so my references are all out of date. I loved visiting Ellis island to learn about immigration and found 9/11 museum so moving I cried in the loo (this was the small basic one they had just 2yrs after the event).

Perhaps an organised event for the evening or a show? It was then I found myself a bit lost, but to be honest after walking all day I was happy to flop on my bed to read after an early dinner.

Can’t wait till DS (10) is old enough to appreciate NYC so I can go again, as love it, but another Orlando trip next month will do for now (I’m also very happy to be going there).

have a fab time

Any of the 'view points' are very good. Empire State great for history, I really enjoyed no 1 Vanderbilt and Top of the Rock also good. If you like jazz, I would recommend Birdland Jazz Club in mid town - it's very traditional though rather than trendy jazz and cocktail bar. Would echo Tenement museum recommendation. Also Ellis Island. If you're interested in art I can make many more suggestions.

@RossGellersCat I’m not a fan of being moved by death on holiday. Just not my thing. There’s a lot more to see and it’s a quite out of the way area.

NYC is fab!
you will walk miles so comfy shoes.
have a look at the map and group things together according to area.

The high line is lovely and Chelsea market for an on the go dinner/lunch.

look into buying theatre tickets before you go, we queued up in Times Square - 2 hrs in the rain and most of the top shows had sold out - we saw a new to broadway show called Kimberley Akimbo - it was really good though.

See if there’s any sporting events while you’re there - we watched a basketball match in madison square, now I’m bit a basketball fan by any means but it was so entertaining- was a highlight of our trip!

The original Winnie the Pooh is in a glass cabinet in the New York library, worth a look if you’re passing.

Empire state building is one of my favourite places ever - it’s iconic - so many movies filmed there you feel like you’ve been there before. Plus great views!!

Transport wise, we found the subway ok. It was busy so not scary but not sure I’d use it alone at night.

Walk Brooklyn bridge - pizza in Juliana’s is one of the nicest pizzas I’ve ever had.

Bubba gumps restaurant in Times Square was good for a meal too - staff were really entertaining and the food was lovely! Not as expensive as I thought it would be.

Laughing at it being a “quite out of the way area” 😅

It’s smack bang in the financial district, being the WTC it would be. Wall Street, the charging bull, battery park, ghostbusters HQ, One WTC, Statue of Liberty viewpoint, Staten Island Ferry, Trinity Church, The Oculus, One WTC observatory. Yeah, nothing to see here!

Never mind the fact it is about 4 blocks from the OP in TriBeCa.

You are handy for Chinatown and Soho too as well as little Italy. So many good places to eat and I liked eating a different course in a different restaurant to really get the feel of things.

One of the greatest cities in the world, and you "don't know what to do"?!
All the things you would do if there with a friend...... off the top of my head.....
Empire State Building
Top of the Rock
Met Museum
MOMA
Guggenheim
Ellis Island
Greenwich Village
Ground Zero memorial
Central Park
Fifth Avenue
Broadway
Tines Square
Helicopter tour
Grand Central Station

...... and all the other things in the guidebook!

Your only issue will be lack of time, tbh.

thanks all. Great comments. Its not I don't know what to do @Cynic17 its not I don't know what to do - I am looking for current tips and things I may not have done before or been too on prior visits.

What about places for dinner? Any recommendations?

I did this! Skipped a lot of the really classic touristy stuff as had been before years ago

high line and Chelsea market
the met
MOMA
the whitney
9/11 museum
walk over Brooklyn bridge and wander around dumbo
wander through Central Park
shopping at Macy’s

food - depends how much you want to splash out. Gramercy tavern is an institution and not too spenny. L’industrie pizza - be prepared to queue! Allll the bagels, donuts, cheesecake etc.

thanks @Ddimerq

For shows I see that @Beautifulsunflowers has said book in advance. Can I just book online on the day though? Or go to the box office and see whats left - like you can here?