New York City

Head north on Washington Blvd, turn left on Exchange Place. Station is on the corner.

Take the Newark–WTC line. Direct, no changes. Follow exit signs for WTC / Greenwich St.

Exit WTC station onto Greenwich St — the memorial pools are immediately visible. Enter via the visitor entrance on Albany St. Deeply moving; allow the full 90 minutes. Must visit today — closed Tuesdays.

Head south through the memorial plaza, past the Oculus, through Battery Park. Castle Clinton is the round sandstone fort at the waterfront tip. Arrive by 12:10 PM.

~25 min ride. Stops at Liberty Island, then Ellis Island. Allow 3–4 hours total for both islands. The Statue of Liberty Museum (ground floor) has the original 1884 torch. Last return ferry typically departs ~5:30–6:00 PM.

Take the Journal Square–33rd St line from Exchange Place. Exit at 33rd St (6th Ave & 33rd St), Midtown Manhattan.

Walk 1 block east to 34th St–Penn Station on 7th Avenue. Take the 1 train uptown to 116th St–Columbia University. 8 stops. Columbia's main gates are right at the station exit.

Meeting at 8:00 AM. Beautiful Beaux-Arts campus — walk the grounds after your meeting. Low Library steps and Butler Library are iconic.

Walk 10 min south from Columbia to 110th St (Central Park North). Enter the park and stroll south. Highlights: Harlem Meer, the Reservoir, Bethesda Fountain (~72nd St), Bow Bridge, Strawberry Fields (~72nd St west side). Exit east at 5th Ave & 82nd St.

Exit Central Park at 5th Ave & 82nd St — the Met is right there. Use the side entrance on 81st St to skip the main entrance queue. Don't miss: Egyptian Wing (Temple of Dendur), European Paintings, Greek & Roman galleries. Open until 5:00 PM on Mondays. Closed Wednesdays — today is the right day.

Walk west across the park from the Met. Exit at Central Park West & 79th St. The museum is directly across the street.

Dinosaur halls, the massive blue whale, the Hayden Planetarium, and the Hall of Ocean Life. Open until 5:30 PM. Book timed entry online.

Take the 1 train south from 79th St to 34th St–Penn Station (~13 min, 6 stops). Then PATH JSQ–33rd St from 33rd St back to Exchange Place (~22 min).

Take the Journal Square–33rd St line. Exit at 33rd St & 6th Ave. The Empire State Building is a 3-min walk east on 34th St.

20 W 34th St. Go early to beat crowds. Pre-book timed entry online at esbnyc.com. Two observation decks: 86th floor (outdoor) and 102nd floor. The pre-visit museum about the 1931 construction is excellent.

Head north from 34th St to 42nd St.

89 E 42nd St. Marvel at the celestial ceiling (track down its gold star constellations), the famous opal clock, and the whispering gallery. Excellent food options in the lower-level dining concourse for lunch.

From Grand Central to St. Patrick's Cathedral.

5th Ave at 51st St. Free entry. Gothic Revival masterpiece — soaring ceilings, stunning stained glass, peaceful atmosphere amid the Midtown bustle. Worth sitting quietly for 10 minutes.

45 Rockefeller Plaza. The plaza, golden Prometheus fountain, and Art Deco architecture are free. Top of the Rock observation deck requires a ticket — spectacular 360° views including the Empire State Building from above (you can't see it from the ESB deck itself). Consider a sunset ticket (~6 PM) for the best skyline colours.

Best experienced after dark when the LED billboards and neon lights are fully ablaze. Street performers, energy, and chaos in the best possible way. The TKTS booth (red steps on 47th St) sells same-day Broadway tickets at up to 50% off if you want to catch a show.

Take 1 2 3 or N Q R W from Times Square–42nd St south to 33rd St (1 stop, ~3 min). Then PATH JSQ–33rd St back to Exchange Place (~22 min).

Take the Newark–WTC line from Exchange Place. Exit WTC and walk north on Broadway ~10–15 min to reach SoHo (starts around Canal St / Prince St).

Bounded by Canal St, Houston St, Lafayette St, and West Broadway. Main strips: Prince St, Spring St, and Broadway. Famous for cast-iron architecture, art galleries, independent boutiques, and flagship stores. Great for wandering — no particular itinerary needed.

Walk north on Broadway or 6th Ave (~20 min), or take the 4 6 from Spring St–Lafayette to 28th St (2 stops, ~5 min). Saravanaa Bhavan is on Lexington Ave at 26th St, in the heart of "Curry Hill" — NYC's Little India strip.

81 Lexington Ave, Curry Hill. Part of the beloved global South Indian chain, with one of the best NYC locations. Pure vegetarian, Tamil-style. Must-orders: ghee roast masala dosa, Mysore masala dosa, medu vada, and finish with a filter coffee. Casual, no-frills, very affordable — and the dosas are as good as it gets in the city.

Take the 4 6 from 28th St south to Fulton St / WTC (~10 min). Then PATH NWK–WTC back to Exchange Place (~8 min).

Check TKTS booth on 47th St (Times Square) for same-day discounts. Or book in advance at Broadway.com.

Elevated park built on a former freight rail line, running from Gansevoort St to 34th St on the west side. Free, open daily. Great art installations and Hudson River views. Connect from PATH 33rd St or WTC.

Take A C from WTC to High St. Washington St has the iconic bridge-framing shot. Pebble Beach offers stunning views of Manhattan across the East River. Brooklyn Bridge Park is a lovely riverside walk.

The West Village, Chelsea galleries, Lower East Side, or Williamsburg (Brooklyn) are all great for an unstructured afternoon.