New York Over New Year – A Trip to Remember
New York over New Year is honestly such a perfect time to visit. There are fewer people than in the weeks leading up to Christmas, but all the decorations are still up, which makes the whole city feel magical.
And the weather? Honestly ideal. The crisp, cold air makes it so much easier to explore the city without getting tired or overheated. We’ve also been in July, and while that was a great trip too, it was so hot. I definitely prefer New York in the winter.
We were incredibly lucky with the weather this time – blue skies every day and no rain or snow. Couldn’t have asked for more.
We stayed in two different areas. First, we spent three nights in the Financial District at One Dutch Hotel – such a lovely apartment-style hotel.
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After that, we moved up to Midtown for five nights and stayed at Executive Hotel Le Soleil, which was also really nice and perfectly located.
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Day by Day in New York
Tuesday
We started the day with breakfast at Apollo Bagels – and we went back a lot. Their bagels are amazing. The one with salmon is an absolute must.
From there, we walked to the 9/11 Memorial and then continued towards the Brooklyn Bridge. Walk all the way across – the further you go, the fewer people there are, and it’s much easier to take photos.
In DUMBO, we had lunch at Time Out Market, which is such a great spot with loads of options and a really nice atmosphere.
We walked back to Manhattan via the Manhattan Bridge, then continued through Chinatown and up to SoHo. Here, we had a tiramisu latte at Enly… honestly, wow. So good.
Dinner was at Palm Street, a cosy Asian spot that I can really recommend.
After dinner, we took a walk down to Wall Street, where there’s a Christmas tree almost as beautiful as the one at Rockefeller – but with hardly any people around.
Wednesday (New Year’s Eve)
We grabbed Apollo Bagels again and took them back to the apartment.
Then we headed down to Battery Park, where I had booked tickets for the ferry to the Statue of Liberty. Such a great experience – definitely book in advance with Statue City Cruises.
Afterwards, we walked to L’Industrie Pizzeria – a must. There was a 20-minute queue, but completely worth it. The café next door lets you sit and eat your pizza if you buy drinks from them, which is such a nice touch.
We walked part of the High Line before taking a taxi back to get ready for New Year’s Eve.
Dinner was at Joseph’s, a truly authentic Italian restaurant – such a great experience.
Later, we went out onto the Brooklyn Bridge to soak in the New Year atmosphere and see the lights across the city before heading home to welcome the new year.
Thursday
We started the day (of course) with Apollo Bagels before taking a taxi to our new hotel in Midtown.
We walked along 5th Avenue, admiring the beautiful buildings and doing some shopping.
Lunch was at The Elgin, a really cosy spot in Midtown that we loved.
Later, we went to see the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center – such a classic New York experience.
By the evening, we were completely exhausted, so we had Raising Cane’s (SO good!!) in bed while watching Home Alone 2 – Lost in New York. Perfect.
Friday
We picked up bagels from a local bakery and had breakfast in bed before heading out.
First stop was Times Square, followed by Bryant Park, where the Christmas market and ice rink were still open.
Later, we went up the Empire State Building at 6pm to see the city lights. Such an incredible experience seeing New York in the dark.
Dinner was at Coqodaq, which I had managed to book in advance. It’s a super trendy Korean BBQ spot, known for its chicken – and it did not disappoint. Amazing food, great music, and mostly locals.
Saturday
We started early at the M&M’s store in Times Square to create personalised M&Ms as a gift. We had tried the day before, but the queue was insane, so going early is definitely the way to do it.
Breakfast was at Maman, where their avocado toast is just so good. They have several locations in the city.
We then headed towards Hudson Yards for a bit of shopping and visited The Vessel, which I had booked tickets for. It’s such a fun experience walking all the staircases.
We also walked a bit of the High Line again.
Dinner was at Bubba Gump in Times Square – definitely the most touristy place we went, but still really fun and surprisingly good food (especially if you’re a Forrest Gump fan).
Sunday
That morning, we tried bagels from Liberty Bagels, where you can build your own. They were so good – definitely try one with jalapeños!
After breakfast, we walked through Central Park all the way up to The Met. It was such a beautiful day and such a lovely walk.
We stopped at Levain Bakery for cookies – another TikTok find from Filippa, and they were incredible.
Later, we grabbed a drink at a small café before heading to Glace for hot chocolate. We queued for about 20 minutes, but it was absolutely worth it.
We walked back through the park and picked up Los Tacos to eat in bed. Honestly, the best tacos I’ve ever had.
Monday
We started the day with Liberty Bagels before heading to SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, which I had booked in advance. Such an amazing experience and an incredible view – especially of the Empire State Building.
It’s actually perfect to do Empire State at night and SUMMIT during the day, so you get both perspectives.
Lunch was at Papillon, which was completely covered in Christmas decorations – it was honestly insane (in the best way). In December, you can’t book and have to queue outside, but in January we could book a table, which made it so much easier.
Later, we did a bit of shopping before taking the Roosevelt Island tram. Such a simple but really special experience with amazing views.
We stopped by Crumbl Cookies to bring some treats back to the hotel – so good.
And yes… we ended the day with Raising Cane’s in bed again.
Tuesday
Our final day. We grabbed one last lunch at Joe’s Pizza before heading to the airport.
Final Thoughts
All in all, such an incredible trip. New York is truly a must.
If you have the time, I would definitely recommend checking out the restaurants you’d like to try in advance and booking them through OpenTable. It’s super easy, and with so many amazing places in New York, it can feel a bit overwhelming once you’re there. Booking ahead means you’ll get to experience exactly the spots you’ve been dreaming about.
The city has completely stolen my heart, and I already know I’ll be back one day. I really hope!
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