Revenge Travels: New York City Bucket List
I’m headed to New York next week and am SO EXCITED! I started brainstorming things to do while I’m there for a couple of days and thought it would be fun to share my NYC Bucket List with you guys! That way, if you’re ever in New York you have some ideas to start with too!
One of the best parts about New York is that there are literally endless things to do. So many places to go, foods to eat & shops to browse. It’s impossible to see, eat & experience everything in one trip or even a lifetime.
Here is a list of some of my top bucket list things to do while in New York City!
Things To Do In New York City:
- Eat a Wowfull: WTF is a wowfull? Oh no biggie, it’s just a Hong Kong style egg waffle known as Gai Dan Jai. Crispy on the outside, soft and sweet on the inside. Served fresh with Chocolate Ice Cream, Oreo Cookie Crumbs and Pocky!
- Baking Class at Momofuku Milk Bar: No joke, you can actually take a class where you bake recipes from the momofuku milk bar cookbook!! They give you all of the tools and ingredients you need. You get to learn how to make one of their tasty cakes and how to take your scraps and make your own truffles out of the leftovers! The best part is that you get to bring your creations with you.
- Tour Mast Brothers Chocolate: Erin and the Chocolate Factory? Really hoping the owner tells me I’ve been chosen to take over the factory at the end of the tour. You can take tours of the factory on weekends and sample some of the goods! Who doesn’t want to see how candy is made!?
- Spin around the SeaGlass Carousel: If you go to Battery Park, you can ride on one of the COOLEST looking carousels I’ve ever seen. I get kind of a “dark Little Mermaid” vibe from it. You get to ride around in a glowing giant fish while listening to classical music!
- Drink & Play Retro Arcade Games: Head over to Barcade, a bar that’s filled with a ton of arcade games and an even bigger selection of beer on tap!
- Cake Push Pops: Head to Brooklyn and check out the massive new food hall, Dekalb Market Hall. There are a ton of vendors, including Pop Cake Shop! Grab one of their layered cake push pops, stuffed with customizable toppings like chips, frosting, cookie dough & cereal!
- Try World Famous Corned Beef & Pastrami Sandwiches: While you’re at Dekalb Market hall, check out icon Katz Delicatessen new location! Or, find them on the Lower East Side!
- Learn to Make Meatballs: My favorite restaurant is now doing cooking classes! Be sure to stop in and try some of the epic meatballs & spiked root beer floats at The Meatball Shop. If you love the food as much as I do, set up a cooking class with them so you can eat meatballs all year round!
- Eat & Shop Home Decor: I remember the first time I went to New York alone I stumbled upon ABC Carpet & Home and thought that I had died and gone to interior decorating heaven. You can eat at one of their amazing & beautifully designed (hello IG photos) restaurants: ABC Kitchen, ABC Cocina or ABCV. Now, you can also shop their decor online too!
- 9/11 Memorial and Ground Zero Walking Tour: You can check out Ground Zero and the 9/11 Memorial on your own, or opt to have a certified tour guide show you and share first hand stories. A great way to gain a better understanding of the tragedy and heroism from that day.
- Visit the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island: No trip to New York is complete without a tour of the Statue of Liberty! Take the ferry to check out the two iconic American landmarks.
- Channel Your Inner Fashion Blogger: Want to live like a blogger for the day? Grab your camera and check out these hot spots frequented by your favorite fashion bloggers: Central Park, Top of the Rock, Times Square, The Brooklyn Bridge, The New York Public Library and The Flatiron Building.
- Aerial Views of Manhattan: Hop on the Roosevelt Island Aerial Tram to see amazing views of the city!
- Catch a Broadway Show: There’s nothing more “New York” than seeing a show or musical. There are tons of options, but make sure to plan ahead because they do sell out! Shows like Wicked, Phantom of the Opera, The Lion King & Cats are all classics!
- Take a Boat Adventure Tour: Enjoy the city from a new perspective! The New York Media Boat zips you around to see over 400 sights like the Statue of Liberty, Intrepid Aircraft Carrier, the Brooklyn Bridge, Governors Island, etc.
- Grab a Drink at a Rooftop Bar: Another great way to enjoy the city views! Check out on of NY’s most popular rooftop bars and grab a drink or two!
- Take in a Little Art: Head to Chelsea on a Thursday night to hop around from gallery to gallery. Bonus: you might snag some free wine!
- Enjoy the Christmas Spectacular: If you’re in town from November 10th – January 1st, grab a few tickets to watch the world famous Radio City Rockettes!
- Eat a NY Bagel: A very debatable subject, where to find the BEST bagel in NYC? Some of the most famous: Bagel Buffet, Bagel Hole, Bagel Oasis, Ess-a-Bagel or Murray’s Bagels.
- Get a Slice of Pizza: Putting together a “Best Pizza in NYC” is a nearly impossible task. Some of the most famous: Motoring’s, Di Fara’s, Paulie Gee’s, Pier 76, Totonno’s and Sal & Carmine’s.
- Ride the Cyclone: Take a trip to Coney Island and ride the infamous rickety wooden roller coaster!
- American Museum of Natural History: Ever seen Night at the Museum? Check out some of the largest and most amazing museums in the world! You can even take a VIP Tour before the museum opens!
- Shop Til’ You Drop! Shopping in New York can be a little overwhelming. It seems like there’s a luxury department store or boutique on every block. Here are a few of my favorite places to shop when I’m in town: Bergdorf Goodman, Barney’s, Planet Blue, New York Vintage, Bird, Story, Kith, #RMHQ, Mixology and Space Ninety 8.
- Stay at (or visit) the Plaza Hotel: The Plaza is one of New York’s most iconic hotels. Remember in Home Alone 2 when Kevin has an epic solo-vacation and room service? If you can’t stay at the Plaza, it’s still worth stopping by to check out!
- Eat at Grand Central Oyster Bar: I know that oyster’s aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but this 104 year old restaurant is iconic. It’s worth visiting just to see the beautiful bar, but if you want the full experience grab a seat and enjoy some of their famous raw oysters or creamy oyster pan roast!
Want more bucket lists? See also: