I discovered New York in November 2025: eight days exploring Manhattan, Brooklyn and even the Bronx, with autumn in Central Park and the first Christmas decorations. Here is what I would do again without hesitation.
Must-sees
- The High Line: the old elevated railway turned into a walkway, from Chelsea Market to the Hudson Yards towers. Street art and architecture at every step.
- The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island: ferry from Battery Park. I took the Hard Hat Tour ticket, which gives access to Ellis Island’s abandoned hospitals, a moving visit.
- The 9/11 Memorial and the Financial District, with the Charging Bull.
- Central Park, stunning in autumn, then Harlem and its brownstones and the Natural History Museum.
- Dumbo and the Brooklyn Bridge, with the most photographed view of Manhattan.
- Fifth Avenue, the Rockefeller Center, St Patrick’s Cathedral, Grand Central and Times Square at night.
- Top of the Rock for the view of the Empire State Building and Central Park.
A game in New York
Watching an NBA game at Madison Square Garden is the ultimate American show. I saw the Knicks vs Nets derby: atmosphere, entertainment and giant screens, you leave exhausted and delighted.
Where to eat in New York
- Eataly, next to the Flatiron: a piece of Italy in Manhattan.
- Chelsea Market, the unmissable indoor food hall.
- Brooklyn Diner, near Central Park, for a real American diner.
- Taqueria by El Prieto for traditional tacos.
- Arthur Avenue, the real Little Italy, in the Bronx.
- Cap’t Loui in Koreatown for a Cajun seafood boil eaten with your hands.
Practical info
- Flight from Frankfurt to JFK, then Manhattan without a taxi: AirTrain and subway, easy and much cheaper.
- Where I stayed: Hyatt Place New York / Chelsea, very well located, with a skyline view.
- Bring good shoes: in New York you walk a lot.
- Book the Statue of Liberty and the observation decks in advance.
My travel diaries
November 15, 2025🇺🇸 New York - Cajun seafood boil at Cap’t Loui in Koreatown
November 14, 2025🇺🇸 New York - Top of the Rock, Carnegie Hall and the Empire State Building at night
November 13, 2025🇺🇸 New York - Dumbo, the Brooklyn Bridge and the real Little Italy in the Bronx
November 12, 2025🇺🇸 New York - Harlem, its brownstones and the Natural History Museum
November 11, 2025🇺🇸 New York - Central Park in autumn and the Veterans Day Parade on Fifth Avenue
November 10, 2025🇺🇸 New York - Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and the 9/11 Memorial
November 9, 2025🇺🇸 New York - High Line, Fifth Avenue and an NBA derby at Madison Square Garden
November 8, 2025🇺🇸 New York - Arriving in Manhattan: Flatiron, Eataly and a skyline view