Valentine's Day is always special for my husband and me. This year, we decided to take a quick trip to New York City to celebrate our love in the city that never sleeps. We planned everything in advance and made sure that we covered most of the iconic destinations in just 36 hours! If you want to find out what YOU can do in just 36 in the capital of the world, keep reading.
Also, If you want to see what I packed as a modest girl to New York, I made a video showing what I packed and the outfits I took for Max and me. Here is the link to that video.
Traveling
We left home around 2:45 am for the airport. We live about 1.5 from the Atlanta airport so we had to leave pretty early to get there. We took an early morning flight from Atlanta to La Guardia, and even though it was a bit tiring, it was worth it. We arrived at 8 am and as soon as we landed in New York, we felt the energy of the city.
9 am
Our first stop was a restaurant in Queens called La Abundancia. This was my second time visiting this restaurant, and I was eager to introduce Max to their delicious Colombian bread, pan de bono. We ordered a plate to share and enjoyed it with some coffee. And of course, we couldn't resist getting some pan de bon for dessert and to go.
Address: 153-40 Hillside Avenue Queens, NY 1143
After our satisfying breakfast, we headed to the metro station to make our way to Manhattan. We had purchased an unlimited metro card at the airport, which proved to be very convenient throughout our trip. As we rode the metro, we couldn't help but feel excited about all the possibilities that awaited us in the city.
11 am
After a delicious breakfast at La Abundancia in Queens, we headed to The Edge.
We had 11 am tickets to visit The Edge in NYC, which is a spectacular observation deck located at Hudson Yards. However, we still had our luggage with us, and we quickly found out that we couldn't go up to Edge with our suitcases. After a bit of searching, we found a nearby luggage storage rental that charged $10 for both of our suitcases for the day.
With our luggage safely stored, we made our way up to The Edge. We focused on taking in the breathtaking views of the city. The views from the Edge were simply truly amazing and provided us with a different perspective of New York. We took a few pictures and videos to capture the moment and simply enjoyed the beautiful day from atop of NYC.
The Edge was definitely the highlight of our trip, and we were amazed by the spectacular views it offered. If you're interested in booking tickets to Edge in advance, get them here.
If you want a guided tour with entry to Edge get your tickets from GetYourGuide.
Address: 30 Hudson Yards, New York, NY 10001
1 pm
After visiting The Edge, we stumbled upon a 99-cent pizza place and couldn't resist stopping for a quick bite to eat. I ordered two slices of cheese pizza and a can of coke for only $2.99! It was an excellent deal, and if you're in New York on a budget, these pizza places around town are a must-visit. You can also have two slices of pepperoni pizza and a drink for $4.99.
After satisfying our hunger, we picked up our luggage from the nearby storage rental and headed to check in to our hotel. We stayed at the Hilton in Times Square, using my Hilton Honors points. I have their American Express credit card, which allows me to earn points and get free hotel stays when I travel. Our room was on the 36th floor, with a king-sized bed and offered stunning views of Times Square. Check out my YouTube video vlog of our trip to see a room tour, room views and more about our trip.
4 pm
After we checked into our hotel and rested a bit from our flight, we changed into our outfits for the night and headed out to the iconic Brooklyn Bridge.
The timing was perfect, as the sun was just about to set. As we walked along the bridge, we stumbled upon a hot dog stand and decided to order a hot dog each. There's something about eating hot dogs in New York that just makes you feel like a true New Yorker. Max was also craving some fruit and unfortunately, this stand did not accept credit cards, so make sure to bring some cash when visiting. In addition to food stands, there were also souvenir stands and booths where you could purchase pictures from photographers and videos of yourself on the bridge. I decided to purchase a video of myself for only $10, which turned out to be a really cool souvenir of our trip.
As the sun began to set, we couldn't help but be mesmerized by the spectacular views of the city skyline. Even though I had been to the Brooklyn Bridge before, I would highly recommend visiting during sunset as it's truly a magical experience.
See the video here.
6 pm
As it got darker the wind got stronger and it started to get so cold that we only made it halfway on the bridge before turning back. However, that didn't dampen our spirits, as we were excited for our romantic valentine's dinner date later that evening.
7 pm
On our way to the restaurant, we made a quick stop at Grand Central Station, which is a beautiful architectural marvel. One of the unique features of the station is that they have corners where you can talk into a column and the person on the other side can hear you. I found this to be super romantic and cool to do. We also took some time to marvel at the stunning architecture of the building.
7pm
After exploring Grand Central, we headed back to Times Square where our restaurant was, Margaritaville. They have a rooftop restaurant with affordable dinner prices, and they sat us right in front of the Statue of Liberty model they have inside. While we ate, there was a beautiful light show, and we had stunning views of Times Square from our table.
The food was absolutely delicious, and we enjoyed the lively atmosphere and energy of the restaurant. It was the perfect way to end our day of exploring and sightseeing in the city.
9 pm
After our delicious dinner at Margaritaville, we stumbled upon a place called Paris Baguette, and we couldn't resist stopping by for some dessert. The display case was filled with so many tempting treats, it was hard to choose just one. In the end, we settled on some freshly baked bread, and my husband even bought an extra one to take with us for breakfast the next morning.
Our hotel was conveniently located just a couple of blocks away, so we headed back to our room to rest up for the night. The views from our hotel room at night were breathtaking. We had a stunning view of the Times Square lights, and it was amazing to see the city come alive at night. In the morning, we were in for another treat as we woke up to a beautiful sunrise over the city.
The Second Day
8 am
The next morning, I had a surprise planned for Max for Valentine's Day. I convinced him to wake up early and join me for a walk around Times Square at 8:30 am, and to my relief, he agreed. Little did he know what I had planned for him.
9 am
To keep him busy, I suggested we take some pictures together around the same block. I wanted to make sure we were in the right spot at the perfect time, so I stalled until 9 am hit. Once the time was right, I set up my tripod in front of a billboard, pretending that we were just taking another photo. That's when I told Max to turn around.
As he looked back at me, I could see the surprise and excitement in his eyes. We had our very own billboard in Times Square! We took some photos and videos together, capturing the moment and the memories forever. It was a truly unforgettable experience that we will cherish for years to come.
9:30 am
We then went to have breakfast at McDonald's , which was right in front of where the billboard was. The 2/$6 specials were perfect for us, we ordered two sandwiches and two coffees for only $12! It was a great deal, and we got to enjoy the beautiful views of Times Square while we ate. We sat in the heart of where the ball drops at midnight for New Year's, which was an incredible feeling.
After breakfast, we headed back to our hotel to shower, pack and rest before checking out. We loved that the hotel was so conveniently located, which made our trip easy and stress-free.
11 am
Once we checked out of our hotel, we hopped on a train and headed to the Oculus Center. This place was new to me, and I was excited to explore it. The metro train stops right inside the shopping center, which made it easy for us to navigate. We walked around the building, took a few pictures and enjoyed the architecture of the place. We even did some window shopping and enjoyed some of the beautiful stores that were available.
12 pm
The Oculus Center is located below the 9/11 memorial We were able to easily access the center by going upstairs and outside, where we found the 9/11 memorial museum and the 9/11 memorial pools. This is all located at the site of the World Trade Center.
As we walked around the park, we noticed there were two 9/11 memorial pools, which was something I didn't know before. I had only been to one in the past, but this time we were able to see them both. It was a deeply moving experience to be able to pay our respects to the victims of the September 11th attacks and to see the beautiful memorials that had been created in their honor.
Carrying our suitcases around town for the rest of the day was something that we were a bit concerned about at first. However, we soon realized that it was actually not that bad, and we saw several people walking around with suitcases as well. It was a reminder that in a city as bustling and vibrant as New York, everyone is always on the go, and there's always something new and exciting to explore.
We then walked to Wall Street and saw the Charging Bull. The bronze statue, also known as the Wall Street Bull, has become a symbol of financial prosperity and is a popular spot for tourists to take photos. However, we decided to skip the line to take a picture with the bull since we already had a hpoto there, and we didn't think it was worth the wait. But if you're interested in taking a picture with the bull, go ahead and knock yourself out!
1 pm
Next on our itinerary was a ride on the State Island Ferry, which offers stunning views of the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty. However, we got hungry along the way and spotted a restaurant that caught our attention. It was called Dos Toros Taqueria, and it was located right in front of the ferry terminal. We decided to give it a try and were blown away by the delicious food. We both ordered a burrito and a side of guacamole.
2 pm
The last destination of our trip was taking the Staten Island Ferry, which is a free boat ferry that takes you by the Statue of Liberty.
Before we boarded the ferry, we had to go through a security check. If you're traveling with a suitcase, you have to take the elevator, and there are police officers with K-9 dogs that will smell your suitcases before you board. This is all for safety reasons, but it didn't take long at all and we were soon on our way.
The ferry is quite large, with several floors, so it doesn't feel too crowded even though there are a lot of people riding it. As soon as we got on, we made our way all the way down to the front of the ferry where we got the best views of Lady Liberty and Manhattan from the water. We took several pictures and videos, trying to capture the breathtaking views of the skyline.
The ferry stops on the other side, and you have to exit and turn around to board another ferry if you want to head back. Its still free, but you have to go through another security check with the K-9 dog if you have a suitcase. It was all pretty fast and simple though.
Taking the Staten Island Ferry was an amazing experience. Not only did we get to see the Statue of Liberty up close, but we also got to enjoy the views of Manhattan from a unique perspective. And the fact that it was free made it even better! If you're ever in New York City, make sure to put the Staten Island Ferry on your to-do list.
3 pm
We took pictures outside of the building and took the metro outside of the ferry station to start our way back to the airport. Max almost lost his book bag in the train, and luckily I only had pillows inside of it, haha! The trip to the airport was long. We took a metro and a bus, and we almost missed our flight. We did end up arriving home safely!
After a romantic 36-hour trip to New York City, it's safe to say that our Valentine's Day was one to remember. From the stunning hotel views to the unforgettable experiences at the Edge and Brooklyn Bridge, my husband and I made the most of our time in the Big Apple.
Of course, one of the major highlights of our trip was seeing our own billboard in Times Square. It's not every day that you get to see your name and picture up in lights in one of the world's most iconic locations! But beyond the glitz and glamour of Times Square, we also took the time to appreciate some of the city's more sobering attractions, such as as the 9/11 Memorial Pools.
But it wasn't all sightseeing and solemn remembrance - we also indulged in some of the city's world-class food and drink, and took in the stunning architecture of the Oculus and Grand Central Station. And of course, no trip to New York would be complete without a visit to the Statue of Liberty, a symbol of freedom and opportunity that still captures the imagination of people around the world.
All in all, our Valentine's trip to New York City was a whirlwind of excitement, adventure, and romance. Whether we were admiring the city from above, strolling along the Brooklyn Bridge at sunset, or simply enjoying each other's company, it's clear that my husband and I made the most of every moment. So here's to many more unforgettable trips together in the years to come!
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If you want to find out how much we spent in total on our 36 hour trip, check out my YouTube video where I break down all the costs of our trip.
If you are interested in getting several attractions for one price, get the New York CityPASS®-
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