Travel Guide: New York City

This past weekend, I had Friday and Monday off from work so T and I decided to take advantage of those extra days and spend them in the Big Apple with his parents. We took a big gamble by visiting New York when we did- the city gets some of it’s coldest temps in February! Fortunately, it was sunny and in the 50s and 60s while we were there so we were extremely lucky. We couldn’t have had better weather if we had custom ordered it! T, his parents, and I have all been to NYC multiple times and had all done the really touristy things (9/11 memorial, Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, etc.) so we wanted some new NYC experiences. To compile the list below, I did some research online, read reviews, and reached out to friends who live or have lived in the city. I am by no means an New York City expert but we had a great time and loved all the places we visited/ate so I wanted to share them with you!

Where we stayed

West 57th Street by Hilton Club – This was a very nice hotel and in a great location. We were able to get around the city easily and I loved that it was a block from Central Park. I would definitely stay here again.

Where We Ate –

The Smith – We ate at The Smith Lincoln Square on our first night in NYC and it was the perfect dinner to start our trip. I had the salmon over rice and butternut squash and it hit the spot. The Smith has great ambience and an added bonus – there is a photobooth in the basement!

Julianas Pizza – I researched where to find the best slice of pizza in Brooklyn and decided we would try Julianas. It definitely rivaled my favorite pizza in Atlanta (Antico’s). We had the margherita pizza. The ingredients were fresh and the pizza was delicious!

Juice Press – After all the pizza, T and I were really craving some fresh juice. We searched for a juice bar near our hotel and picked up some juices one morning before heading out. They were incredibly fresh and they had unique flavors that I haven’t seen at other juice bars.

Jack’s Wife Freda – T and I ate here Saturday night and it was my favorite dinner of the trip. We ordered the zuchinni chips to start then I had the vegetable curry bowl and T had the lamb. We both loved our meals.

Sweet Revenge – This is a dessert bar that serves beer and wine with cupcakes. Need I say more? This was the perfect spot for a night cap after dinner one night.

Luke’s Lobster – Fresh sustainable lobster rolls in the middle of NYC. They have a couple of locations around NYC and we really liked it. This is a great lunch spot.

Piccolo Café – My second favorite meal of the trip. We ate here on our last night. It was 60 degrees and the sun was starting to set and we ate amazing authentic Italian food outside. The whole experience was perfect.

The Plaza Hotel Food Hall – We ate lunch here right when we got into NYC. This food hall is in the basement of The Plaza Hotel and is similar to an upscale food court. We were all able to get what we wanted so it was the perfect option for us.

Levain Bakery – Even though I am still staying off sugar, holidays and vacations are exceptions. When we planned our trip to NYC, I knew I HAD to get a Levain cookie. The line was soooo long (almost a block) and an hour long wait. I will tell you this…well worth the wait! Those cookies were the best cookies I’ve ever had and I would 100% wait an hour for them again.

Ess-a-Bagel – I met my one of my best friends, Taylor, here for breakfast on Monday morning since it was near her office and I’m glad I did. It was a truly authentic New York bagel experience.

Momofuku Milk Bar– We ran into to the Milk Bar when we were in Williamsburg to try their “Cereal Milk” soft serve with Captain Crunch on it. Honestly, I wasn’t as impressed as I thought I’d be. We also tried their birthday cake truffles and those were incredible- I’d definitely recommend the truffles if you ever go!

What We Did

Central Park – I can’t take a trip to NYC without visiting Central Park. Even in the middle of winter, Central Park is stunning. We walked through several times during our trip since our hotel was only a block away.

Brooklyn Bridge – This was my first time walking the Brooklyn Bridge and it was one of my favorite activities. It was a beautiful day and I loved looking at the NYC skyline, the water, the Statue of Liberty and other NYC landmarks.

Brooklyn Heights – After we crossed the Brooklyn Bridge, we ate lunch at Julianas and enjoyed the pier and walked along the water to Brooklyn Heights to look at all the adorable brownstones. I am a sucker for a cute brownstone so I loved doing this!

Williamsburg – Per a recommendation from T’s coworker, we then ventured to Williamsburg to check out some bars he recommended. They were Maison Premiere, The Commodore and Radegest Hall and Biergarten.

Church at St. Patricks – On Sunday morning we attended a church service at St. Patricks. The church , with it’s high ceilings and stained glass windows, was beautiful.

The Met – We stopped by the Met because T and I had never been. We only spent an hour there but I could have spent all day exploring. We spent the most time looking at the paintings of Van Gogh, Matisse, and Monet.

Comedy Club – On Sunday night, T and I saw Joel McHale do stand up at Caroline’s on Broadway. Joel was hilarious and I would definitely go back to Caroline’s for another show. We also tried to get into the Comedy Cellar but all their shows were sold out the entire weekend. Reserve your tickets in advance!

Chelsea Market – Chelsea Market almost felt like home because it reminded me of Atlanta’s Ponce City Market. We walked around looking at all the restaurants and cute shops. I wish I could have eaten at every booth!

The High Line – We left Chelsea Market and started walking on The High Line because it was such a beautiful day! It was the perfect end to our trip.