Curious New York: a weekend guide
Author: Danielle Contray
New York is a magical place, even if it’s your second, third or fifth visit to the city. From an urban park stretching along an elevated railway track to a tiny museum in a freight elevator, there are plenty of quirky spots to be tried and tasted in The Big Apple. Here’s a 48-hour guide for curious travellers seeking the unexpected in New York City. The best part? You don’t even have to take a full day off work.
Friday
Evening - Make your escape
With frequent flights to New York from London departing every day, you’ll be spoilt for choice. Catch an early evening flight from Heathrow to JFK to minimise your holiday leave and maximise your first evening in Manhattan.
22:00 - Nightcap
A quick luggage drop off at the InterContinental New York Barclay and stroll to Grand Central Station. If a trip to New York's biggest station doesn't sound like a particularly 'curious' take on your first night, look again. The station has a 'secret' bar that’s perfect for your first taste of the city. The Campbell was once the private office and reception hall of a Jazz Age financier, and was restored in 2017 with the sound of cocktail shakers having replaced the clack of typewriters. You’ll find it hidden in a side room off the station – giving you a novel way to take in a classic New York landmark.
Saturday
08:00 – A taste of classic New York
Woken up bleary eyed? The charm and chatter of Lexington Candy Shop, a family-run luncheonette that turned 100 in 2025, will lift your spirits after a long flight. Located in Manhattan’s Upper East Side, this nostalgic eatery offers a glimpse into the city’s soda-fountain-filled past (you can even order an egg cream). Don’t miss the delicious all-day breakfasts here. Think stacks of pancakes stuffed with the likes of blueberries and pecans, while the Walnut Cinnamon Raisin French Toast remain a firm favourite.
10:30 - Get arty
After breakfast, hop on the subway to the other side of Manhattan, where the Whitney Museum of American Art sits in trendy Renzo Piano-designed digs. The expansive galleries display more than 4,000 painters, sculptors, architects, film makers and performance artists from the 20th and 21st centuries. You'll discover some new artists to love, but the galleries also house their fair share of Mark Rothkos and Georgia O'Keeffes. Look out for Calder’s Circus: a delicate sculpture that includes a pom-pom lion. The Whitney's major exhibitions are always popular, so remember to reserve tickets in advance.
13:00 - Live the high life
Gansevoort Peninsula, home to the first public beach in Manhattan, is just across the street from the Whitney. Sink into one of the sky-blue deckchairs and dig your feet into powdery sand. Gaze at the vast Hudson River fringed by skyscrapers. Then take to the High Line – an urban park that stretches along an old, elevated railway track from the Meatpacking District up 22 blocks to Midtown. Stop at an ice cream stand along the way – you’re on holiday, after all.
17:00 - Foodie quest to Queens
The High Line descends to street level at 34th Street – and you can walk from here to Hudson Yards to catch the 7 train. Ride it all the way to Hunters Point Avenue in Queens and you'll be in the heart of New York's hipster district: Long Island City. Here you’ll find the quirky Michelin-starred Meju, with its Korean menu of fermented foods – the Michelin Guide describes the venue as being ‘as much a classroom as it is a restaurant’.
20:00 - Life on the Edge
After you’ve had your fill, make your way back to Hudson Yards where you’ll find the highest outdoor sky deck in New York. Edge’s outdoor deck juts out from the 100th to 101st floors of 30 Hudson Yards and boasts impressive views of the city. Boldly head to The Eastern Point where there’s space for one person to stand surrounded by angled glass panels overlooking the staggering skyline. Then, for even more of an adrenaline rush, stand on the glass floor and look down at the streets of Manhattan below. For something a little more refined and relaxed, you could toast the twinkling city with a glass of bubbly from the Edge Bar.
Art attack
The Whitney Museum of American Art’s 27,000-plus works are on exhibition in its fancy new designer digs near the High Line – which has twice the space as its previous home on the Upper East Side, meaning that more of the collection can now be on full-time display.
For more designer shopping
Take a trip to Woodbury Common Premium Outlets in upstate New York, where you can find more than 250 big stores including brands such as Gucci, Prada and Givenchy with items often below traditional retail prices.
Take the High Line
Rise above the hustle and bustle of midtown at one of the High Line’s many free activities including tai chi classes, stargazing or wildlife tours. The wildflower field on The High Line stretches roughly between West 26th and West 29th streets.
Sunday
10:00 - Brunch bunch
New Yorkers take brunch seriously, but most restaurants don’t raise the gate until noon. Maximize your time by heading to Buvette, a sweet French spot in the West Village where doors open earlier in the morning. Order the much raved-about croque-monsieur or the fluffy steamed eggs, made via the espresso machine’s steam wand and served with prosciutto on country bread.
Noon – Browse boutiques and artefacts
Forget the chain stores that have proliferated in SoHo and on Fifth Avenue and head to the West Village. Odin stocks high-end menswear, while Alexis Bittar is a jewel-box of a store displaying the designer’s signature Lucite pieces – New York style icon Iris Apfel is a fan. If you’ve got time, you should also head to Cortlandt Alley (around 15 minutes from West Village with the help of public transport) and check out Mmuseumm: NY’s smallest museum at about 36 square feet housing thought-provoking artefacts all housed within a former elevator shaft. Previous exhibits include ‘Objects of Collapse’ and ‘Last Meal Receipts'. Across Lower Manhattan, Aedes de Venustas stocks an array of sought-after scents, including ones from its own label.
16:00 - Homeward bound
There are plenty of flights back to London to choose from. Hop on the 19:10 from JFK, which touches down in Heathrow at 07:10 – leaving you enough time to grab a caffeine fix on your way into the office.