10 Days in the Concrete Jungle

Javier Zuluaga

20 Nov 2023

Join me on an epic 10-day adventure through the bustling streets of New York City. From iconic landmarks to hidden gems, this blog will take you on a journey you won't forget!

Trip to New York

Get Your Guide

Viator

Day 1Deli Delights and Bridge Wonders

$90

$ 11

Holiday Inn Hasbrouck Heights-Meadowlands, an IHG Hotel

Depart from your stay 🏨

44 - 53 min

Directions

New York's Oldest and Best Delicatessen!

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

•

$19

1 - 2 min

Directions

No-frills deli with theatrically cranky service serving mile-high sandwiches since 1888.

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

•

Free

16 - 20 min

Directions

Beloved, circa-1883 landmark connecting Manhattan & Brooklyn via a unique stone-&-steel design.

10:30 AM - 11:30 AM

•

Free

14 - 17 min

Directions

Historic park with Ellis Island & Statue of Liberty views, plus ferry service to both islands.

12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

•

Free

9 - 14 min

Directions

Fresh salads, plates + grain bowls available for pickup and delivery every day, made in-house from scratch, using whole produce delivered that morning.

2:30 PM - 4:00 PM

•

$36

5 - 8 min

Directions

Perched sixty stories above Lower Manhattan, Manhatta is a new restaurant from Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group, combining sky-high views with the down-to-earth spirit of a neighborhood spot.

7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

•

$35

Day 2Coffee Bliss and Market Magic

$119

$ 9

Holiday Inn Hasbrouck Heights-Meadowlands, an IHG Hotel

Depart from your stay 🏨

32 - 39 min

Directions

Cafe by day, cocktail lounge by night. Coffee always available.

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

•

$23

4 - 5 min

Directions

Indoor marketplace renowned for its wide range of grocers (fish, produce, etc.), shops & eateries.

9:00 AM - 10:30 AM

•

Free

12 - 15 min

Directions

Plaza, pools & exhibits honoring victims of 1993 & 2001 WTC terrorist attacks. Free timed admission.

11:00 AM - 2:00 PM

•

$33

7 - 10 min

Directions

2:30 PM - 4:00 PM

•

$28

4 - 6 min

Directions

7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

•

$35

Day 3Brunching with Lady Liberty

$106

$ 14

Holiday Inn Hasbrouck Heights-Meadowlands, an IHG Hotel

Depart from your stay 🏨

37 - 45 min

Directions

Breakfast Spot, Coffee house

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

•

$21

14 - 17 min

Directions

Iconic National Monument opened in 1886, offering guided tours & a museum, plus harbor & city views.

9:00 AM - 11:00 AM

•

$25

36 - 44 min

Directions

This urban oasis features shaded picnic tables, hibachi-style BBQ grills & river views.

11:30 AM - 1:00 PM

•

Free

17 - 21 min

Directions

1:30 PM - 3:00 PM

•

$32

4 - 5 min

Directions

Historic Greenwich Village concrete-&-green park known for its stately arch & prime people watching.

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

•

Free

4 - 5 min

Directions

7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

•

$28

Day 4Parks, Sushi, and Stunning Views

$165

$ 14

Holiday Inn Hasbrouck Heights-Meadowlands, an IHG Hotel

Depart from your stay 🏨

34 - 41 min

Directions

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

•

$22

11 - 14 min

Directions

Waterfront views of Manhattan, Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island, plus miles of tree-lined walkways.

9:00 AM - 11:00 AM

•

Free

32 - 39 min

Directions

Billed as the "world's most famous arena", this icon hosts pro sports, concerts & other big events.

11:30 AM - 1:30 PM

•

$35

14 - 17 min

Directions

7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

•

$35

5 - 8 min

Directions

Observatory on top of Rockefeller Center, with an ocean-liner style design, offering city views.

3:30 PM - 5:00 PM

•

$40

6 - 9 min

Directions

Quality Bistro is one of New York's best restaurants. Located in Midtown Manhattan, Quality Bistro offers French and American brasserie fare in grand open space for indoor and outdoor dining. Quality Bistro is open for limited indoor dining and covered and heated outdoor dining Tuesday-Saturday...

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM

•

$33

Day 5Stadium Thrills and Artistic Marvels

$153

$ 17

Holiday Inn Hasbrouck Heights-Meadowlands, an IHG Hotel

Depart from your stay 🏨

33 - 40 min

Directions

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

•

$25

10 - 12 min

Directions

Home of baseball's New York Yankees, this 2009 ballpark replaced the storied House That Ruth Built.

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

•

$33

23 - 28 min

Directions

Works from van Gogh to Warhol & beyond plus a sculpture garden, 2 cafes & The Modern restaurant.

10:30 AM - 12:30 PM

•

$30

22 - 27 min

Directions

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM

•

$29

18 - 22 min

Directions

Open-air, honeycomb-shaped attraction offering 16 stories & 80 landings for visitors to climb.

2:30 PM - 3:30 PM

•

$10

11 - 16 min

Directions

7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

•

$26

Day 6Brunching, Pickles, and Central Park

$71

$ 14

Holiday Inn Hasbrouck Heights-Meadowlands, an IHG Hotel

Depart from your stay 🏨

30 - 36 min

Directions

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

•

$18

4 - 5 min

Directions

Popular park 30 feet above street level on an old rail line, with river & city views.

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

•

Free

16 - 20 min

Directions

Towering Neo-Gothic church from 1879 with twin spires & storied history opposite Rockefeller Center.

10:30 AM - 11:30 AM

•

Free

22 - 27 min

Directions

12:00 PM - 1:30 PM

•

$26

11 - 16 min

Directions

Sprawling park with pedestrian paths & ballfields, plus a zoo, carousel, boat rentals & a reservoir.

1:30 PM - 4:30 PM

•

Free

6 - 8 min

Directions

7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

•

$27

Day 7Pork, Pizza, and Museum Adventures

$156

$ 14

Holiday Inn Hasbrouck Heights-Meadowlands, an IHG Hotel

Depart from your stay 🏨

44 - 53 min

Directions

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

•

$21

10 - 12 min

Directions

Metropolitan zoo with 265 acres that harbors 10,000 animals in replicas of their native habitats.

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

•

$34

44 - 53 min

Directions

B Side Pizza & Wine Bar uses authentic Pavesi Italian wood burning oven for all of our wood fired pizzas and plates. We have a wide variety of wine and beer.

12:30 PM - 2:00 PM

•

$29

12 - 18 min

Directions

Flight museum on an aircraft carrier whose exhibits include a Concorde, submarine & space shuttle.

2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

•

$36

8 - 10 min

Directions

7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

•

$36

Day 8Coffee, Art, and Tapas

$122

$ 9

Holiday Inn Hasbrouck Heights-Meadowlands, an IHG Hotel

Depart from your stay 🏨

41 - 50 min

Directions

Bluestone Lane is an Australian-inspired coffee shop, cafés & lifestyle brand committed to providing a genuine daily escape for all our locals. We offer premium coffee and healthy and delicious eats through an always welcoming experience that embraces our ‘Aussie’ approach to life.

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

•

$25

7 - 10 min

Directions

A grand setting for one of the world's greatest collections of art, from ancient to contemporary.

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

•

$30

5 - 6 min

Directions

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM

•

$36

2 - 3 min

Directions

Lively, Barcelona-style tapas bar serving a menu of Spanish classics—like paella, churros, sangria, pulpo, and much more— and market-driven seasonal specials in a warm, modern space in NYC's Upper East Side.

7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

•

$31

Day 9Korean Cuisine and Iconic Landmarks

$134

$ 9

Holiday Inn Hasbrouck Heights-Meadowlands, an IHG Hotel

Depart from your stay 🏨

35 - 42 min

Directions