Hey Guys!
We’re back from another trip to New York City and boy did we have a great time!!
Our dates for this trip were March 26-31, 2026.
I’ve visited NYC several times over the years, but there’s always something new to see and do, which is one of the things I love about this city!
Read here where we visited during Christmas ….it’s was magical!
This time we were traveling with my sister and brother-in-law, and as usual, we had a pretty full itinerary planned for our visit!
We arrived at our hotel around noon on our first day, dropped off our luggage and wasted no time getting out to explore!
We spent the afternoon visiting some of Midtown Manhattan’s most popular attractions, including the New York Public Library, Grand Central Terminal and SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, which ended up being one of the highlights of our trip!
We also enjoyed some delicious New York pizza, coffee and pastries, a Broadway musical and a late-night visit to Times Square.
And to top it all off, my brother-in-law had a very special birthday surprise planned for my sister!
So, let’s get started!
Views from the plane as we were arriving to NYC!
Arriving in New York City – Hampton Inn New York Times Square
We arrived at the Hampton Inn New York Times Square around noon, dropped off our luggage and headed out to explore!
We chose this hotel because of its convenient location in Midtown Manhattan, which made it easy to walk to many of the attractions we had planned for our visit.
And with so much on our itinerary for the day, we certainly didn’t want to waste any time!
Read reviews here on the Hampton Inn….we really enjoyed our stay here & they offered a free breakfast each morning!
Exploring Times Square
Our first stop was Times Square!
Now, I’ve been to New York City several times before, but there’s just something about Times Square that never gets old!
Between the enormous digital billboards, bright lights, crowds of people and all the hustle and bustle, there’s definitely no place quite like it!
You will definitely see some interesting characters around this part of NYC!
Tip: Do not give your camera to any of the characters around Times Square as I’ve read they will “hijack” your phone until you give them a tip. Also, DO NOT scan any QR codes as many are scams and do not walk around with your phone unlocked or someone could snatch your phone and transfer money from your Venmo account to their account. Lots of shady characters in this area so be cautious.
We spent a little time walking around, taking pictures and soaking up the atmosphere before heading off to grab some lunch.
Read reviews here
And what better way to kick off a trip to New York City than with a slice of New York-style pizza?!
Lunch at Joe’s Pizza
For lunch, we stopped at Joe’s Pizza, a popular New York City pizzeria known for its classic, thin-crust slices.
After a morning of traveling, pizza sounded pretty good to us!
Joe’s Pizza isn’t just another NYC pizza place! It’s actually one of the city’s most famous pizzerias, dating all the way back to 1975 when the original location opened in Greenwich Village!
Over the years, Joe’s has become known for its classic New York style pizza, with those big, thin slices that you can fold in half!
It has even appeared in the movie Spider Man 2!
The walls are covered in pictures of celebrities who have eaten here!
We stopped at the Times Square location on Broadway, which was a convenient place to grab lunch before continuing our sightseeing around Midtown Manhattan.
The pizza and service were very good!
Once we finished eating, we continued making our way through Midtown Manhattan toward the New York Public Library.
But first, we made one more stop for coffee and pastries!
Read reviews for Joe’s Pizza here
Coffee and Pastries at Maman
Before visiting the New York Public Library, we stopped at Maman for coffee and pastries.
Maman is a charming café known for its cozy atmosphere, French-inspired menu and delicious baked goods.
The inside was so cute!
After walking around Times Square and grabbing lunch at Joe’s Pizza, it was nice to slow down for a few minutes and enjoy a little something sweet.
We ordered coffee and pastries before continuing our walk through Midtown Manhattan. It was the perfect afternoon pick-me-up and a fun stop to add to our first day in New York City.
The coffee was really good but my sister wasn’t overly impressed with her pastry.
Read reviews here
Visiting the New York Public Library
From Maman, we continued on to the New York Public Library.
The library’s main building, the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, is one of the most recognizable landmarks in Midtown Manhattan.
Click here to read about everything you can see while visiting the library
Its grand Beaux-Arts architecture, impressive marble interiors and famous lion statues make it well worth a visit.
We started outside, where we admired the building’s beautiful façade and took a few pictures with Patience and Fortitude, the iconic lion sculptures guarding the entrance.
The building opened in 1911 and took approximately 16 years to design and complete. At the time it opened, it was actually the largest marble building in the United States!
And speaking of marble, here’s a fun fact! The two famous lion statues guarding the entrance, were carved from Tennessee marble! Who knew?!
Inside, the library was just as impressive.
Between the grand marble staircases, enormous columns, beautiful ceilings and elaborate architectural details, it’s hard to believe this is a public library!
The library has four floors but only floors 1-3 are open to visitors. The third floor is especially worth visiting because it’s home to the magnificent Rose Main Reading Room.
Floor two has a visitor center, exhibitions, gift shop, Astor Hall and a cafe.
We spent some time wandering through the hallways and admiring the gorgeous artwork and architecture throughout the building.
Look at these ceilings!
One of the most famous rooms in the library is the Rose Main Reading Room, known for its enormous windows, beautiful chandeliers, and incredible painted ceiling.
Unfortunately, the reading room is only open for tours during certain hours of the day and if we wanted to do a tour, we would have had to wait over an hour for the next one and we didn’t have time do that. I was a bit disappointed because I really wanted to see this room!
Another great thing about visiting the library, admission to the building is free!
Look at these incredible murals!
If you’re planning to visit, I would allow at least 30-45 mins to admire the architecture, explore the public areas and take pictures, You could easily spend longer if you want to visit the exhibitions.
Just be sure to check the library’s website before you visit, especially if you’re hoping to see a particular room, since some areas may be closed or have restricted access.
Tip: There are bathrooms located here too!
Read reviews here
After finishing up at the library, we headed to Grand Central Terminal for our next stop!
Visiting Grand Central Terminal
After leaving the New York Public Library, we continued exploring Midtown Manhattan and made our way to Grand Central Terminal.
Even if you’re not planning to catch a train, Grand Central Terminal is definitely worth stopping by!
Heading inside the terminal
The first thing that catches your attention when you walk into the Main Concourse is the enormous ceiling painted with constellations.
In fact, there are approximately 2,500 stars depicted on the ceiling!
It’s absolutely beautiful!
Grand Central Terminal first opened in 1913 and is one of New York City’s most famous landmarks.
Between its gorgeous architecture, massive arched windows, marble floors, and famous four-faced clock a it’s quite an impressive place!
The clock dates back to 1913 and is probably one of the most photographed clocks in New York City!
Don’t forget to snap a picture of the other famous clock on the outside of the building!
It measures 13 feet across and is surrounded by the sculptors of Mercury, Hercules and Minerva, representing speed, strength and wisdom. The clock was installed in 1914!
Another interesting feature is the Whispering Gallery, located near the Oyster Bar.
Apparently, if two people stand in opposite corners of the arched passageway and whisper towards the walls, they can hear each other from across the room!
Unfortunately, we didn’t try this out because I found out about this after we returned home from our trip! 🙁
The station also has plenty of restaurants, shops, and places to grab a quick bite if you’re hungry.
If you’re visiting during the Christmas season, Grand Central hosts an indoor Holiday Fair in Vanderbilt Hall, featuring vendors selling handmade gifts, jewelry, artwork and other unique items.
After spending a few minutes looking around and taking pictures, we headed to our next attraction, SUMMIT One Vanderbilt.
Read reviews for Grand Central Terminal here
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt – One of Our Favorite NYC Attractions!
After leaving Grand Central Terminal, we headed to SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, and WOW, what an experience!!
Of all the things we did on our first day in New York City, this was definitely one of our favorites!
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt is an observation deck located high above Midtown Manhattan, but it’s so much more than just a place to enjoy the views!
The experience includes several immersive rooms filled with mirrors, reflections and some pretty incredible views of the New York City skyline!
One of the first things that caught our attention was the mirrored floors and ceilings.
Everywhere you looked, you could see reflections of the city and the people around you. It was such a unique experience!
And the views were absolutely incredible!!
We could see the Chrysler Building and so many other famous New York City landmarks from high above the streets of Manhattan.
It was amazing seeing the city from an entirely different perspective!
Another fun part of our visit was the room filled with floating silver balloons!
We had a great time walking around, taking pictures and watching the balloons float through the room.
There were so many great photo opportunities throughout SUMMIT that it was hard to put our cameras down!
After this room, we headed to the next room.
It was called Transcendence 2, another mirrored space with shiny silver, cloud like sculptures scattered across the floor.
From here, we headed to the next room called the Levitation room.
This is one of the most thrilling parts of SUMMIT One Vanderbilt!
It’s located on the 92nd floor and features two glass enclosed ledges that extend out from the building approximately 1,070 feet above Madison Ave!
The floors are completely made of glass! This is included with your admission and an employee will take your picture that you can purchase if you wish.
The next room will be Unity. This interactive room allows visitors to see their faces transformed into clouds on a giant screen!
The final room was the Apres room. It’s located on the 93rd floor and where you will find a cafe, cocktail bar, gift shop and an outdoor terrace where you will find incredible views of the city!
Tip: There’s also Ascent, an optional glass elevator experience that travels even higher along the outside of the building. It requires an additional ticket which can be purchased as a combo when you purchase your admission.
If you’re planning a trip to New York City and trying to decide which observation deck to visit, I would definitely put SUMMIT One Vanderbilt near the top of your list!
We’ve visited NYC several times over the years, and this was one of the most unique attractions we’ve experienced.
It was absolutely worth adding to our itinerary, and I would highly recommend it!
Tip: Get the sunglasses they offer you to use because it is very bright!!
Read reviews here & Purchase tickets here
Tip: Other buildings that you can go to the top of for spectacular views & neat experiences are: Top of the Rock, Empire State Building, Edge NYC, and One World Observatory.
We spotted the Edge during our visit of the SUMMIT.
After spending time exploring SUMMIT, we headed back to our hotel to get ready for our evening on Broadway!
Seeing The Outsiders on Broadway
After leaving SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, we headed back to our hotel to freshen up and get ready for our evening plans!
And what better way to spend an evening in New York City than seeing a Broadway show?!
We had tickets to see The Outsiders, the Broadway musical based on S.E. Hinton’s novel.
If you’re familiar with the book or movie, you’ll recognize the story of Ponyboy Curtis and the rivalry between the Greasers and the Socs.
There’s just something special about seeing a Broadway production in New York City! Between the talented performers, music and atmosphere of the theater, it’s an experience I always enjoy adding to our NYC itineraries.
I have to admit, I was not impressed with this show. I have seen many Broadway shows and this was definitely my least favorite of all!
Read reviews here
After the show, we were ready to grab something to eat, so we headed to another popular New York City spot!
Dinner and Cheesecake at Junior’s Restaurant
Our next stop was Junior’s Restaurant in Times Square!
Junior’s is probably best known for its famous New York-style cheesecake, but they also have a pretty extensive menu with sandwiches, burgers and other classic American dishes.
After a full afternoon of sightseeing and an evening at the theater, we were definitely ready for dinner!
We ordered our food and, of course, couldn’t leave without trying some cheesecake!
If you’re visiting Times Square or attending a Broadway show nearby, Junior’s is a convenient place to stop for a meal or dessert.
For me, the food was average but the desserts were good!
Read reviews here
But our night wasn’t quite over yet!
My brother-in-law had arranged a special surprise for my sister, and we were headed back into Times Square to see it!
A Special Birthday Surprise in Times Square!
After dinner at Junior’s, we headed back out into Times Square, but we weren’t quite finished with our evening!
My brother-in-law had arranged a special 50th birthday surprise for my sister, and we were all headed to Times Square to see it!
He had arranged for a Happy Birthday message to appear on one of the giant digital billboards!
How cool is that?! I didn’t even know that was a thing!
My sister waiting for it to appear on the screen!
With all the bright lights, enormous screens and crowds of people, Times Square is already quite an experience at night. But seeing a birthday message for my sister up on one of those huge screens made the evening even more memorable!
Of course, we had to take plenty of pictures to capture the moment!
It was such a fun way to celebrate her birthday and something we’ll remember for years to come!
After a very full day of sightseeing, delicious food, incredible views from SUMMIT One Vanderbilt and a Broadway show, we finally headed back to our hotel for the night.
And that wraps up our first day in New York City!
We certainly managed to pack a lot into our first afternoon and evening, and we still had several more days of exploring ahead of us!
Stay tuned for Day 2 of our New York City adventure!
Tips for visiting New York City
- Wear comfortable shoes because you will be doing A LOT of walking!
- Stay somewhere conveniently located near the attractions you plan to visit
- Plan your sightseeing by neighborhood – use google maps to map out your attractions so you can group them together instead of doing a lot of backtracking
- Book popular attractions in advance – depending on the time of year you are visiting, popular attractions can book up or sell out…especially Broadway shows
- Learn how to use the Subway
- Don’t try to see everything in one day – you will wear yourself out because most attractions are not close to one another & requires a lot of walking.
- Take advantage of free attractions like Times Square, the Library, Central Park, Bryant Park, Grand Central Terminal, the Staten Island Ferry & walking across the Brooklyn Bridge
- Be prepared for crowds! NYC is busy especially around Times Square, Rockefeller Center and other popular tourists attractions. If you want to see an attraction without hoards of people, go early!
- Be Smart about Safety – it is important to pay attention to your surroundings. Keep your purse or bags secure, especially in crowded places & public transportation. If someone dressed as a character in Times Square wants to take a picture with you, be aware that they will want a tip. Never scan a QR code!
- Check attraction hours before visiting
- Make time to experience NYC at night – Times Square is especially impressive at night when all the giant billboards are lit up!
- Do not accept a ride from anyone that approaches you inside the airport. Always use the official taxi stand or your rideshare app’s designated pick up area.
- Allow plenty of time for airport transfers. Traffic in NYC is horrible! It took us 1.5 – 2 hrs just to get to our hotel when we arrived because of a wreck and construction! Because we took a taxi, the meter kept running and we ended up with a $121 taxi fare!
- Always check the weather before heading out so you’re prepared for the day.
- Know where the public restrooms are located. You can always go inside a coffee shop and use the restroom but some restaurants won’t let you use their restroom unless you make a purchase.
