New York City Day Trip For First Timers

Sites ->

WTC 9/11 Memorial (Memorial is free but museum has a cost)

Battery Park (Free)

Statue of Liberty (Priced)

Charging Bull (Free)

Brooklyn Bridge (Free)

Grand Central (Free)

Rockefeller Center (Free- Top of  The Rock is Priced: Offers better view than Empire State Building)

Central Park (Free)

Times Square (Free)

Transport ->

NYC offers great public transport with Subways. Per ride cost is $2.75

MTA MAP

Taxi

Drive

Details ->

-From Port Authority or Penn Station take Subway E to World Trade Center

WTC
911 Memorial

- Follow directions to WTC Memorial
- There are 2 beautiful fountains
- 9/11 museum is priced.

Battery Park
Ferry Details

- Walk towards Battery Park.
- You can see the statue from the shore for free and without waiting.
- Taking the ferry to the statue will consume at least 2-3 hours and much longer on a long weekend

Charging Bull on Wall Street
http://chargingbull.com/

-Walkable from Battery Park

Brooklyn Bridge
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooklyn_Bridge

- Take Subway 4, 5 or 6 from Charging Bull on Bowling Green Street to Brooklyn Bridge
- At the beginning of the bridge, just before you start there is a small korean restaurant called Koki and Veggie which is very good and inexpensive
http://www.menupages.com/restaurants/koki-vegi-kiosk/menu
- I recommend going till the center of the bridge (there is liberty statue view) and returning.
- The bridge also offers biking option.

Grand Central Station
Things to do

- Take Subway 4, 5 or 6 from Brooklyn Bridge to Grand Central
- Whispering Gallery (you can talk in one corner and it is heard in another)
- Nice restaurants in the lower level including indian food
- Market place that offers fresh produce
- Beautiful blue ceiling

Rockefeller Center
Top Of the Rock

- Walk to Rockefeller Center from Grand Central
- Top of The Rock offers a much better 360 degree view than Empire State Building.
- During winter, they have an ice skating rink and during holidays the biggest Christmas Tree.
- There is a LEGO store with beautiful displays

Central Park
Park Details

- Short walk to Central Park from Rockefeller Center or Take Subway B, D, F or M to 57th Street.
- Plenty of bikes available for rent. Consider buying a groupon deal (http://www.groupon.com/browse/new-york?context=local) for cheaper bikes.
- The park offers a zoo, lake, boating, merry go round or just a pleasant stroll.

Times Square
http://www.timessquarenyc.org/index.aspx

- Take the Red Line (1, 2 or 3) subway from 59th Street to Times Square 42nd street
- Climb the red stairs in the middle of the times square and take plenty of pictures! 

Port Authority Bus Terminal or Penn Station are walkable from the Times Square

Suggestions to survive the day long trip-

- Wear comfortable footwear.

- The subway stations are underground and do not offer any cellular network.

- City street maps and the Subway maps are available for free at any of the information centers.