January 15, 2024

We Went To New York: Here’s Our Updated City Guide

We have some new gems to tell you about…

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So this post is a little belated, but I thought it was better late than never! Last November we headed back to New York and just had a wonderful time. Not only were we treated to perhaps they best weather I’ve ever had there – not a cloud in the sky and unseasonal warmth that left us in light jackets! – we got the chance to revisit some of our favourite places that we hadn’t been to in years, and discover some new gems too. So it’s time to share!! If you’re new to my New York guides, then it might be best to start with my original post (although it’s from 2017 so a little outdated now!), my revised post from 2020 is more current, but the best way to browse all my recommendations is with this map that has been viewed a whooping 140,000 times! How mad is that?! It’s pretty helpful if I do say so myself and contains colour-coded guides for hotels, brunches, dinners, coffees, shopping, nightlife, sightseeing and more…

TRIP TAKEAWAYS:

The jet lag is killer – especially when your little one has reprogrammed you to start every single day at 6am. The latest we managed to sleep till was 5am on the final morning!! Hack this by leaning into it, booking early breakfasts and dinners and being in bed by like 9pm. Not the most glamorous, especially in the city that never sleeps – but we weren’t actually too jet lagged when we returned home.

You no longer need a metrocard for the subway! They accept Apple pay – you just tap in when you start a journey. The subway is still the best, cheapest and quickest way to get around.

I think I’m converted to staying in Williamsburg. I really love the neighbourhood vibe and the restaurants there are incredible – I never felt like we were missing out by not being based in Manhattan. It just suits the stage of life that we’re in right now (although if I visited with my girlfriends I’d definitely want to be somewhere more central – just depends what you’re looking for!).

Leave extra space in your suitcase – the shopping is just too good (and yes I ended up paying for excess baggage on the way home!).

OUR FOUR-DAY ITINERARY:

I always think that it’s helpful to pop our itineraries here – just incase you’re looking for a good place to start and build out your trip from. Do keep in mind that we’re knackered parents. HA! There is SO much more that we could have packed in, but ultimately we wanted to be a little more of a slower paced trip there than we usually do. And also, we’ve been a few times before so didn’t do any of the classic tourist stuff because we’re lucky enough to have done them already. My previous two New York posts have itineraries that are more geared up for that..

DAY ONE

3PM – Arrive at JFK.

5PM – Check-in to hotel and drop off bags. We explored the local area and did a lot of our Christmas shopping in Smoochie Baby.

7PM – We had dinner at Cafe Mogador, and managed to fit in a slice from Joe’s afterwards too. I was still hungry, so we grabbed some ice cream and also took a detour to the local Trader Joe’s because I love supermarkets abroad.

9PM – Back to hotel and back to bed.

DAY TWO

9AM – Breakfast at Sunday in Brooklyn – will always recommend here.

10:30AM – Shopping in Williamsburg – find all my recommendations here. Definitely check out Credo. Back to hotel to drop off bags and grab some snacks.

2PM – Walk over the Williamsburg Bridge and to The Vintage Twin (great, but pricey, for Levi’s 501’s), then up to FAO Schwarz to pick up something for the little guy.

7PM – Dinner at ABC Kitchen, then back to the hotel.