
Many flights pass through New York City, especially when you’re travelling to Europe. Rather than passing through the airport, why not stop for a couple of days and explore New York City? Most people have some idea of what to do in the city, but you won’t have time to see everything in two short days. Use this guide to plan the perfect New York City stopover.
Book a Convenient Hotel
With only two to three days for your short stopover, you’ll want to select a hotel centrally located in New York City. Available hotel options cater to any budget, so check the hotel location and read recent reviews.
Think about what you want to do during your visit. Finding a hotel close to your must-see activities will save you a lot of transportation time. If you have to cover a lot of ground, staying close to the subway is always a good choice. New York is huge, and the subway offers the fastest and cheapest mode of transit.
Visit a Museum
New York has some of the world’s best museums, so deciding which one to visit is the hard part. The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met), the American Museum of Natural History, and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) are all great choices. Check the museums’ websites for opening hours, location details, and admission prices.
See a Broadway Show
If you like live theater, see a show at one of over 40 theaters on Broadway. Organize tickets in advance or buy discounted seats the day of the show at the ticket booth in Times Square.

Walk Through Central Park
Central Park is New York’s largest park and one of the most filmed locations in the world. With over 40 million annual visitors, it’s also America’s most visited urban park. See the highlights on a guided tour or download the park’s app to create your own self-guided tour.
Visit Chelsea Market
We are a food and travel site and would be derelict in our duties to not mention Chelsea Market. As one of the world’s best indoor food halls, it’s a great place to explore any day of the year. It’s also near The High Line, a park that runs along a disused section of elevated rail line and offers great views of the local area.

See the Best View of New York
For amazing views day or night, select from three options. Go to the Observation Deck at the Empire State Building, the Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center, or One World Observatory at One World Trade Center. When you see New York City from this height, you’ll appreciate just how large and densely populated the city really is.
Have Unique New York Experiences
For something you’ll only find in New York, don’t miss a few key experiences. Allow time for visiting the Statue of Liberty, shopping on Fifth Avenue, or visiting Wall Street.
But perhaps the best tip for the perfect New York City stopover is to leave time to just wander and make your own fantastic discoveries.
This post is part of a campaign by IHG Hotels. It is part of our series about great cities for a stopover. Also in this series find great suggestions for your London Stopover, Los Angeles Stopover and Iceland Stopover. Stay tuned for more great cities to explore.
Leave a Reply