We were lucky to have another day in New York City. Since this was going to be our last day in the Big Apple, we made sure that no minute was wasted.
That’s why we woke up at 11AM.
Giving us only 12 hours to tour the busy, bustling district.
Kidding aside, we were really tired and beaten up from our first day touring New York, and the mezcal from Café el Presidente left me with a slight hangover.
At any rate, we were still able to see a good deal of New York in only 12 hours. Read our guide below to learn more.
11AM-12PM: Brunch at Eataly (Caffe Lavazza)
Eataly is a café slash restaurant slash Italian market at the corner of 23rd Street and 5th Ave. It’s known for its high quality Italian espresso, Italian breakfast, and American-inspired paninis. We ordered the New York PLT which is made of uncured pancetta, wild arugula, beefsteak tomato, and housemade aioli. You can split it with your companion as their serving is huge (at least for me). It’s also very affordable at only $5.80 (or P290 at P50 forex).
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| No joke - Caffe Lavazza and the New York PLT cured my hangover |
The café also has an indoor market that offers coffee beans, all kinds of cheese you can think of, and imported Italian products like olive oil tomato sauces, and a lot more.
You can also swing by Sabbia, Eataly’s rooftop restaurant bar. Enjoy high quality beers, Italian wines, cocktails, and music that hits the soul. We weren’t able to try this though, so please tell us what it’s like. You may learn more by clicking here.
1230PM-3PM: Bike from Chelsea Village, to the Hudson River, to Downtown New York
Citi Bike is affordable at $12 for a Day Pass. This is inclusive of unlimited 30-minute rides within 24 hours. Remember:
- Ride for only 30 minutes or less. If you extend 30 minutes, additional rates will apply ($4 per additional 15 minutes).
- Find a Citi Bike station to park your bike at, before your 30 minutes end. Docking it back in a Citi Bike station will officially end your time.
- Don’t just lay your bike down. Remember to dock it correctly for the system to be able to officially end your time.
- Afterwhich, pick up another bike and ride again!
Helmets are provided, so worry not about your safety. Also, make sure to bike along the designated bike lanes. Follow street signs and stoplights. For more information on safety, click here.
We toured around the city streets that led to the Chelsea neighborhood, to the Hudson River, to downtown New York. It was such an amazing and liberating experience. Just remember to bring with you a comfortable bag and a bottle of water. And your GoPro camera if you prefer.
Click here to see popular tourist routes you may enjoy.
330PM-430PM: Brooklyn Bridge
My Tita got tired after rounds of biking, so we took a cab from downtown New York to the Brooklyn Bridge. The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest bridges in the USA. It connects Manhattan and Brooklyn via the East River.
This is, indeed, a must-see when you’re in New York. Its majestic size and suspensions are breathtaking, and its architecture simply stuns. It also gives you a view of Manhanttan from a distance – exactly what you see in the movies.
5PM-6PM: The Flatiron Green Cafe
We then took a subway from the Brooklyn Bridge City Hall Station to our hotel near The Flatiron. The afternoon air was nice and relaxing, so we decided to take a break at The Flatiron Green Cafe. It’s an outdoor café by The Flatiron building where you can simply relax, people watch, and take in the city vibe of New York.
I felt so foreign all these past hours, but this relaxing moment made me feel like I was part of the city, just like everyone else.
7PM-10PM: Dinner and Drinks at East Village (Pylos Greek Restaurant and The Black Ant)
We then stopped by our hotel at Wyndham Garden to prepare for our family dinner, then took a cab to Pylos Restaurant at #128 E 7th St. It’s an authentic Greek restaurant at the hip East Village, serving the finest food and wine.
Afterwards, we walked through the grungy, artsy streets of East Village. We stopped by The Black Ant, a modern, creative Mexican restaurant bar at #60 2nd Ave. for some drinks. It was a good way to cap off our awesome stay in New York!
11PM: Retire
We retired at 11PM as I was expecting a 5AM flight the next day. It was definitely a day of adventure – seeing and exploring all these sites in New York for only 12 hours.
New York City is a whole new world with a lot of landmarks and nooks to delight both tourists and locals. You'll want a month in this city, but if you only have 12 hours, please plan your day ahead. Set goals. You may not be able to see everything the travel books say, but at least you'll get to do everything in your list!
New York City is a whole new world with a lot of landmarks and nooks to delight both tourists and locals. You'll want a month in this city, but if you only have 12 hours, please plan your day ahead. Set goals. You may not be able to see everything the travel books say, but at least you'll get to do everything in your list!
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