24 HOURS TO CONQUER THE BIG APPLE (2024)

In a true orderly fashion, Nate & I decided to take a last-minute trip to New York and only gave ourselves 24 hours to explore. Oh & did I mention it was our FIRST time visiting New York too?! Our hope is that this travel blog will give you all the insight you need for your vacation to New York!

Here are a few things to do in New York that we would consider doing again, & some ideas that came highly suggested by some of our favorite Adventure fans (join below) & a few New York locals!

1. EXPLORE CENTRAL PARK - Talk about one of the most beautiful places in New York City! Yes, it was winter when we visited & it was snowing at one point, but it was SO gorgeous & SO peaceful! Central Park is massive, which leads me to some questions you might have...

• What is the best way to SEE Central Park? For us, it was renting bikes! BUT... DON'T DO WHAT WE DID! We paid more for bikes than we should have ($15 per bike per hour)! So make sure to check Groupon or Viator for discounted rates! Generally, there are bike shops one or two blocks away from the park & they charge half the price for double the time! If you're looking for the most romantic way to see Central Park, go with the Horse & carriage!
• What TO DO in Central Park? Click HERE for the Central Park map. This website for Central Park is FULL of details that would have been a HUGE help for us! I would also suggest checking Groupon & Viator for activities in the park that may be on discount!
• How LONG should I spend at Central Park? I can tell you, 1 hour is NOT enough time! We have been told if you can get at least half a day, this would be best. But honestly, I felt like we could have been there for a full day! It was indeed an experience that you should NOT miss!
• What is the BEST time of year to visit Central Park? Again, after talking to several locals and experiencing New York & Central Park during the winter time, we suggest going during the Fall or Spring. You get fewer crowds, beautiful colors & the temperatures are ideal to where you don't freeze or overheat!
• What are the BEST THINGS TO DO in Central Park? We only had about an hour of exploring, and it was essentially a 'get thru as much as possible in an hour' type visit, which was unfortunate. With saying that, we personally can't tell you from our experience BUT, according to Central Parks website, these are the MOST POPULAR THINGS TO DO in Central Park: Strawberry Fields, Central Park Zoo, Ice Skating, Horse & Carriage Rides, Bike Rentals, & Yoga Classes

2. RENT CITI BIKES AND EXPLORE NEW YORK CITY - If we had our wits about us this day (watch THIS short clip when we rented Citi Bikes), we would have probably saved $40 in bike rentals! If you think about the cost of parking a car & the amount of time wasted sitting in traffic, it makes sense why New Yorkers either walk or ride a bike to get around! BEFORE you rent a Citi bike in New York, read these tips below:

• Before downloading the Citi Bike App, click HERE for a discounted ride with our coupon! 
• Check rates FIRST before you activate a bike and pull it off the bike racks. Typically the longer you rent the bike (full day vs. 2 hours), you can get a better rate by selecting a whole day. The Citi bikes charge PER MIN after your first 30-minute ride. When we rented our bikes, it was $1 PER MINUTE after our first 30 minutes. Long story short, if you plan on riding all over New York to see different sites, you might be better off renting for a 'full day' vs. anything after 30 minutes!
• If you sign up for a FREE Citi Bike membership,  you will have 30 days of access to the Citi Bike program. All trips on pedal bikes up to 45 minutes and ebikes are included at no charge! Find details HERE in the Citi Bike App & click the 3 bars on the top left corner & look for 'Get Unlimited Classic Rides'. We didn't do this because we had no clue it existed! So, if you plan on being in New York City for a few days and don't mind riding a bike from 'A' to 'B', this is the BEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK!
• When you are DONE with your Citi Bike, double-check where the CLOSEST DOCKING STATION is in relativity to your final destination. If you are watching the time and cost increase as you are riding to your final destination, it's the WORST feeling when you have to backtrack a mile to end your ride! Nothing like throwing away money while riding a bike!
• When you DOCK THE BIKE, ensure you get a GREEN light before you walk away! If you get a YELLOW OR RED LIGHT, the bike did not dock properly and will continue charging you! Yep... we made that mistake and nearly missed noticing it! Also, double-check the app has CLOSED out your ride! If it didn't close it out, it means the bike was not 'docked' correctly, and it thinks you are still out riding your bike, so it keeps charging you! LEARN FROM OUR MISTAKES!!
• Don't go OUTSIDE THE BIKES SERVICE AREA. You will get a nice little fee with that 'out of service area'... just be aware of your locations!
• If you find a Citi Bike rack that is full, DO THE FOLLOWING:  select "time credit" on the kiosk screen to request an additional 15 minutes of ride time at no extra charge, you will be directed to the nearest station with empty docks, and you will need to go to the identified station and return the bike there.

⬇ CONTINUE BELOW FOR MORE THINGS TO DO IN NEW YORK CITY ⬇

Since we only had 24 hours to explore & had so many things to do in New York... we clearly had to prioritize accordingly! We obviously didn't make ALL of our list - BUT- we do plan on going back to New York City & plan to hit these other locations as well:

• Little Island
• Pier 57 Rooftop Park
• The Highline (another rooftop park)
• The Vessel
• Experience going to the TOP of the Empire State Building
• The Morgan Library & Museum
• The Edge
• Pier 35 & 36
• Statue Of Liberty
• Flatiron Building
• Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
• Walk the Brooklyn Bridge
• Tear Drop Memorial (across the river in Jersey)

As you can probably tell from our adventure video (watch it HERE), we were pumped about the location of the InterContinental New York Times Square and how close it was to MULTIPLE of our New York must see's! 

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT (click HERE or HERE to see resort rates & pictures):

• Bellhop will greet you and assist with your bags the minute you pull up to the front door. They are actually REALLY helpful, especially for insight into what the locals do! BE SURE TO HAVE A COUPLE BUCKS on hand and give them a tip (if you think they deserve it)
• The hotel is located in one of the busiest locations in New York, one block away from Times Square! 
• 17 miles from the John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) & 9 miles from the LaGuardia Airport. QUICK TIP: Check HOPPER for discounted flights & hotels! 
• 1 Full-service restaurant/ lounge option on site (The Stinger Cocktail Bar & Kitchen). QUICK TIP: This is also where you can find breakfast in the morning!
• Basic Gym open 24 hours (big enough for about 10-12 people)
• Free Wifi 
• Parking directly across the street $60 - $80 (it is not covered parking) QUICK TIP: If you are still wanting to do some exploring the day you are leaving, they were happy to let us leave our car in the parking area. This was WAY cheaper than trying to find parking all over city!
• Daily hotel fee of $40. QUICK TIP: You are supposed to be able to use it as a room credit towards drinks/food in the mini bar or for lunch/dinner, but DOUBLE TRIPLE CHECK before you check out! 
• You can book excursions on-site (check HERE to see things to do in New York City). 
• Laundry service on site for additional fee $$