My first time in New York, USA
During the summer of 2019, I’ve had the amazing opportunity to travel to New York City for the first time. It was life-changing! This is why I decided to share with you all must-eats, must do’s and must-sees. The advice that I share here is paired with tips I got from my cousin who has lived in the city for a few months.
MUST EAT's
My first meal in NYC was a burger at this place called Bareburger, you can choose what you want in your burger and they also have amazing waffle fries. ShakeShack is also a great option. The best locations are in Madison Square Parc or Flatiron district (which is also the first one ever).
If you’re a big brunch person and want to experience it in the city of New York, I’d advise you to try one of the following places: Sadelle’s in Soho where you can get their homemade bagels with fresh toppings. It’s quite pricy and busy but worth the hustle! Or, The Butcher’s daughter which is quite a popular and modern brunch place in Soho. 
For the people that have a sweet tooth (like I do), I really recommend Maison Kayser where you’ll get pastries with amazing coffee, Bubby’s which is located in Chelsea where they serve amazing pancakes (although, one portion is a lot so I’d advise to share one). If you’re more of a yogurt fan, try out Chobani’s, in Soho, where you can add whatever toppings you wish. It’s healthy AND not too pricy! Lastly, you have the Magnolia bakery where they have the best cupcakes you can find. The shop is located in Greenwich village.
Izakaya Mew!: To all you sushi lovers, let me spare you the search for the best sushi in New York City. This place is located in Midtown Manhattan and is tricky to find as it’s an underground restaurant, but it’s worth the hunt, I promise you! From experience, I’d advise you to go at the opening time because when I went, there was already a line in front before it even opened. It looks lovely inside but when I was in New York, I took the sushi at the Airbnb to eat in.
In the Flatiron district, you’ll discover this modern covered Italian market called “Eataly” that also has small restaurants inside. You can taste fresh pasta with a glass of wine.
In little Italy, you’ll find a restaurant called Rintintin that has good food and a quality ambiance. It’s not so pricy and has a wide variety of food.
Must Do's
Every large city has a wide variety of museums and New York is no exception except there’s never enough time to go visit all of them. Here are my recommendations:
- The MOMA. It was very unfortunately temporarily closed when I was there but my cousin raved about this museum.
- 9/11 memorial museum. It gave me chills. It’s so worth it! The exposition and the memorials are beautiful. MUST DO!
- The top of the Rock or/and the Empire state building. I did both of them. If you have to choose one, I’d go for the Top of the Rock because you can see Central Parc AND downtown (as well as the Empire State). It gives the best overview of Manhattan and surroundings and is also the best for pictures.
- On the Upper eastside, next to Central Park, you can find the Guggenheim museum. The architecture is very cool and it’s worth checking it out!
- The MET. Simply: BREATHTAKING
If you’re a person that loves beautiful bars, I would not miss The Hoxton hotel‘s rooftop bar with its breathtaking view that makes you feel like you’re not in New York City anymore until you turn around and see the beautiful skyline.
Apart from all the museums, it’s also a must to walk around and take in all the different parts of New York. If there’s one thing you can’t not do is to walk over the Brooklyn Bridge. This is one of my favorite memories of the entire trip. It’s a lovely walk from Brooklyn to Downtown Manhattan. I’d advise you to go at night to see the beautiful skyscrapers’ lights.
If you’re a vintage lover, I’d for sure visit Chelsea’s market: an old factory for concept stores and vintage lovers…Don’t miss this!
Lastly, the High line. It was a high railway which has now grown to be a lovely walking trail. Keep in mind, it’s quite a long walk. If you don’t want to do the whole thing, I’d advise you to start at the Chelsea Market.
Of course, another iconic visit in New York is the Statue of Liberty. When I was there, we took a boat and also walked around Liberty Island. It was very impressive.
If you have the chance to go to a musical on Broadway, I’d for sure do so. It’s such a different world and the artists are incredibly talented. It’s best to book tickets in advance though.
Must see's
Here I’m going to list some things that are worth seeing in the city. For starters, Grand Central Terminal, the iconic station which is impressive to see in real life.
Soho and Little Italy are very fun to walk around in. In these neighborhoods, you can also find popular as well as unique shops. The ambiance is very nice and different from the ‘typical’ New York. Soho is also the place to find vintage clothing stores! The Hudson Yards is a neighborhood that is seen as the newest in the city. You can find more than 100 different stores, amazing culinary experiences, modern buildings, etc.
Then if you leave Manhattan for the day, Williamsburg (in Brooklyn) is also a very great place to spend a few hours. It’s a vintage neighborhood with musical and artistic culture.
Those are all the highlights that I thought were worth mentioning, I hope you enjoyed it! Stay tuned on my Travels page to read all about my best tips.
