48 hours in New York

by - 10:13

My best friend has recently returned from her week-long trip in New York. This was her first (and I am assuming that it absolutely isn't her last) long haul flight, because she is scared of flying. However, by spending a week in the city meant that she could really pack everything in, even things that I had never heard of all within a week. It goes to show that the more you spend in a place, the more beautiful places you discover and the most you can make from the trip. I feel like the only thing that scared her on the flight home was knowing that she was leaving such a beautiful place to return to the cold land of Britain.

However, British Airways accidentally released return flights for £96 last week, and if you're unfamiliar with plane prices, they usually are about £500. It didn't take them long to clock onto their error, when the whole of the UK were trying to hop on board for a 2-day trip to New York for a fifth of the price of what they normally pay. I am pretty sure someone in their head office got a huge bollocking for that too. 

This had me thinking, while I was waiting for my page to load so that I could book my tickets, what would I do if I had just 2 days in the big city? Where would I go? What would I see? Oh, and for those wondering, no I didn't get the tickets, they were sold out - goes to show that the early bird really does catch the worm.

Although there are lines of  'must sees and dos' when it comes to this city, here is my list of what I would do if I had just 2 full days and 2 nights in New York.

And on to the final night, can you really visit New York without seeing a show on Broadway. I don't think that you can. I have heard that Come From Away is meant to be pretty awesome, however, the School of Rock musical would definitely my port of call.

Start the day bright and early at around 8am to get the most out of the 48 hours. The first attraction was my favourite part of the trip, although it will take around 3 hours to complete, so it all really depends how much of a TV and film lover you are. I have put this first, because I feel like it such a good thing to do. There is no doubt that New York has been used for numerous famous films and TV shows. There is a tour bus that goes around that takes you to some iconic places and tells you about some celebrity houses. Gossip Girl and Friends were my 2 favourite spots, and the bus took us to the Gossip Girl hotel and places from iconic scenes. It stopped in Tribeca also, meaning I could get a full view of apartments from the likes of Beyonce and the Olsen twins! This was my favourite part of the trip, although it will take around 3 hours to complete, so it all really depends how much of a TV and film lover you are.
The devastating terrorist attack of 9/11 now has a memorial ground, Ground Zero. It is best to get here early, as there are always huge queues. When I visited, 3 years ago, my ticket was bought online and we were at the front of the queue, however, we still arrived a good half hour before it opened. It is astonishing, and really puts everything into perspective on how tragic the event actually was. 
As you would have already had a full-on morning. The next thing that I would do is take a trip to Brooklyn Bridge. This will show you the clear difference between Manhattan and Brooklyn, which will put you in awe. 
You still have a few hours space before it gets dark, so you can either pick from Chinatown or Wall Street, whichever attraction has the most interest to you and your holiday-goers. Personally I would chose Chinatown, because I love Chinese street food and I have heard that the one in New York is meant to be insanely big, filled with decorations, beautiful little huts and yummy food.
As for the night time, your best bet is to go to the top of the Empire State Building for a glimpse of the Manhattan view at night. You take the lift to the highest floor of the building, after queuing. Again, buying tickets online is your best option, with discount available.
On your way back to the hotel, take a stop in Grand Central Terminal too, only for a quick look on the most famous train station in the world. You will be able to see straight away why this train station is known for it's amazing sculpture.
DAY 2 
Your first port of call on your second and final day should be the Top of the Rock building in the morning. This way, you can view the streets of Manhattan by day and you will be amazed at how many tall buildings there actually are in New York.
As yesterday was very crammed, why not take a walk down to Central Park. It all comes down to how much time you want to spend here, as the park is endless to walk. My suggestion is to stay at the south end of the park, and perhaps hire a bike if the day is nice. Nothing like toning those little legs while visiting one of the most beautiful parks in the world.
What would NYC be without the iconic sighting of Miss Liberty herself? Perhaps, get on the Circle Line that will take you through the water, under the bridge, and will also give you chance to stop at Ellis Island. You will be able to get a full view of the Statue of Liberty even if you don't get off the boat.
From here, walking down Fifth Avenue seems like a good option, recognised around the world as one of the most prestigious shopping streets. Following this, why not head over to Times Square. Times Square is stunning, and quite surreal in the both day and the night.
Your last day-stop of the day is Greenwich Village. Although it may not be as bohemian as it was in its beatnik heyday,  it's still home to some of NYC's best jazz bars, clubs and little delis, perfect for grabbing a bite to eat. 

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