Few destinations demand as much from their visitors as New York – and reward them as greatly. While the classic midtown landmarks remain, Manhattan’s true, modern energy has shifted to hidden chefs’ counters in Tribeca, immersive digital art labs downtown and rooftop gardens floating above the skyline.
Getting there used to mean a stressful, time-consuming slog and highway traffic, especially if you are flying through Pearson airport. Now, Air Canada’s direct service from Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport that flies non-stop to LaGuardia completely flips the script. Offering multiple round-trips every day, it delivers a seamless, downtown-to-downtown transition in a crisp 90 minutes. You trade the highway crawl for a quick ferry ride or tunnel walk across the Toronto harbour and, before you know it, you are touching down at LaGuardia with your sanity intact.
The only question left is simple: Can you handle 72 hours in the city that never sleeps? Here, we show you how to take a juicy bite out of the Big Apple.
Friday
1:30 p.m. – Lunch at Manhatta
Sixty floors above the Financial District, Manhatta offers one of the most stunning views of the New York skyline – and one of the most affordable three-course lunch menus in town. Photo: @manhatta_nyc
The Vibe: Sixty stories above the Financial District in J.P. Morgan’s former executive dining room. Manhatta is like an island in the sky looking down at the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn’s sprawling bridges.
The Move: Order the beef tartare with cilantro and pickled habanada, the legendary dry-aged cheeseburger and the rye-forward Brooklyn cocktail.
The Damage: Three-course lunch menu around $65 USD ($90 CAD). Reservations essential. (28 Liberty Street)
Beef Tartare: Cilantro, Pickled Habanada Pepper, Puffed Wild Rice Photo: Photo: @manhatta_nyc
A bar favorite—Dry Aged Burger, topped with koji onions and Cooper Sharp cheese on a seeded bun. Photo: manhatta_nyc
3:00 p.m. – Visit the 9/11 Memorial & Museum
Photo by Jin S. Lee, 9/11 Memorial and Museum
The Vibe: A quiet, emotionally arresting oasis. The reflecting pools sit directly in the footprints of the Twin Towers, featuring the largest man-made waterfalls in North America.
The Move: Descend 70 feet down to the bedrock slurry wall. Allow at least two hours to process the exhibits. Afterward, walk through Santiago Calatrava’s white marble Oculus next door to watch the light pour through the arcing structures.
Logistics: Memorial access is free; timed-entry museum tickets are $36 USD. Book well ahead. (180 Greenwich Street)
The Oculus, New York City | Designed by @calatravaofficial
Alternative Nearby: Across the street sits the Oculus, Santiago Calatrava’s white marble and steel masterpiece that serves as the soaring centerpiece of the World Trade Center Transportation Hub. Conceived as a sculptural dove taking flight, its winged form symbolizes rebirth and hope. Even if you don’t need a train, walk through—the engineering precision and the way natural light floods through the monumental ribs is absolutely stunning, completely redefining the experience of urban movement.
5:00 p.m. – Experience Mercer Labs
The Vibe: Futuristic! Moving past traditional gallery walls, this sprawling Lower Manhattan space is an immersive museum of art and technology featuring 15 multisensory, interactive exhibition spaces.
The Move: Experience Maestros & The Machines, an exhibition exploring how Mozart, Da Vinci and Hokusai might create if they had today’s 4D sound and projection-mapping tools.
The Damage: Tickets are $30 USD. (21 Dey Street). Book Ahead.
Mercer Labs. Photo: Marlon Moreno
Alternative nearby: An easy subway ride away, Pioneer Works is an artist and scientist-led nonprofit cultural centre in Red Hook, Brooklyn that fosters innovative thinking through the visual and performing arts, technology, music and science – all in a former iron foundry. On Sundays they host science lectures. On weekdays you can wander the galleries for free.
6:30 p.m. – Dinner at Grand Brasserie
Courtesy of @grandbrasserienyc
Courtesy of @grandbrasserienyc
The Vibe: High Parisian elegance set beneath soaring 80-foot ceilings inside landmark Grand Central Terminal. Commuters melt into diners amidst gleaming brass and plush red banquettes.
The Move: Start with the foie gras mousse on brioche toast followed by the bubbling, deeply comforting duck confit cassoulet. Pair it with a crisp Beaujolais.
The Damage: Dinner for two with wine is approximately $150 USD. (89 E 42nd Street) Reservations Required
8:00 p.m. – See “Buena Vista Social Club” on Broadway
The cast of Buena Vista Social Club. Photos by Matthew Murphy
The Vibe: The Tony and GRAMMY Award-winning musical transforms the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre into an intimate, soul-stirring Havana nightclub.
The Move: Watch world-class musicians bring the golden age of Afro-Cuban rhythms to life right on stage. Keep the tissues handy – this production is as heartbreaking as it is joyous.
The Damage: Tickets start at $99 USD. Book well in advance. (236 W 45th Street)
Saturday
11:30 a.m. – Brunch at Olio e Più
Courtesy of @olioepiu
Courtesy of @olioepiu
The Vibe: An open patio surrounded by lush greenery in the heart of Greenwich Village, overlooking the historic Jefferson Market Library.
The Move: Order the roasted beet salad with whipped ricotta, the fritto misto primavera and the beef scaloppine alla pizzaiola.
The Damage: Brunch for two is about $110 USD. (107 Greenwich Avenue) Olioepiu
3:00 p.m. – Climb The Empire State Building
The world’s most magnificent Art Deco skyscraper turned 95 years young. And Central Park looks like a postage stamp from the 102nd floor. Photo: Empire State Building
The Vibe: The world’s most magnificent Art Deco skyscraper.
The Move: Skip the standard 86th-floor deck. Go straight to the newly re-imagined 102nd-floor experience, featuring floor-to-ceiling glass and 360-degree vertigo views where Central Park looks like a green postage stamp.
The Damage: Premium tickets start at $50 USD. (20 W 34th Street) Book in advance
5:00 p.m. – Cocktails at The Plaza Hotel
Photo: The Plaza
The Vibe: Beaux-Arts elegance and old-world whispers beneath a stunning stained-glass dome.
The Move: Sink into The Palm Court, order a classic Champagne cocktail, listen to the live jazz pianist and soak in the room where F. Scott Fitzgerald and Truman Capote once made history.
The Damage: Cocktails start at $25 USD. Reservations suggested. (768 Fifth Avenue)
7:00 p.m. – Dinner at Society Café
Photo: @societycafenyc
Photo: @societycafenyc
The Vibe: A hidden market-to-table Art Deco gem tucked inside the Walker Hotel Greenwich Village. Low jazz, a sleek marble bar and an intimate neighbourhood crowd.
The Move: Start with baked local oysters finished with chili negi miso butter, followed by the octopus carpaccio and the striped bass with potato pavé.
The Damage: Dinner for two is about $160 USD. (136 W 13th Street) societycafeny
10:00 p.m. – Party at Walker Rooftop
Photo: Walker Rooftop
The Vibe: A lush, botanical garden-corridor rooftop floating directly above Tribeca, strung with glowing Edison lights.
The Move: Grab a teal booth and sip a nightcap while taking in skyline views that feel beautifully removed from the chaos below.
The Damage: Cocktails are around $20 USD. (77 Walker Street) walkerrooftop
Sunday
11:45 am. – Brunch at Buvette Café
Courtesy of @buvettenyc
Courtesy of @buvettenyc
The Vibe: A gorgeous French bistro the size of a shoebox where Greenwich Village goes to see and be seen.
The Move: The queue snakes down the sidewalk for a reason. Go early or late to slip onto a tiny marble table for a café crème and their legendary, oozing croque madame.
The Damage: Brunch for two is about $80 USD. No reservations. (42 Grove Street)
2:30 p.m. – Visit the MoMA
The Vibe: A global epicenter of modern art paired with a quiet, legendary midtown sanctuary.
The Move: Head straight to the Frida and Diego: The Last Dream exhibition. This first-of-its-kind collaboration with the Met Opera brings together Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, tracing their tumultuous relationship through paintings, photographs, and costume designs where art, theatre, and love stories collide. You will linger longer than you expect—do not rush this one; it needs time. Afterward, decompress in the museum’s sculpture garden, a quiet oasis where you can grab a white chair by the reflecting pool and watch Alexander Calder’s mobile twist in the breeze.
Frida Kahlo. Self-Portrait with Cropped Hair. 1940. Oil on canvas, 15 3/4 x 11″ (40 x 27.9 cm). The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Gift of Edgar Kaufmann, Jr. © 2025 Banco de México Diego Rivera Frida Kahlo Museums Trust, Mexico, D.F. / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo: Peter Butler
The Damage: Tickets are $30 USD. Book timed entries. (11 W 53rd Street)
Alternative Nearby: Walk ten minutes east to the newly renovated Frick Collection, housing timeless old masters inside an iconic, beautiful brutalist shell.
7:00 p.m. – Dinner at Seventy Seven Alley
The Vibe: A brand-new, hyper-exclusive culinary studio tucked along historic Cortlandt Alley inside Walker Hotel Tribeca, inspired by the neighbourhood’s rich gallery culture.
The Move: Secure a seat at the intimate eight-seat Chef’s Counter. Watch Netflix’ Next Gen Chef star London Chase craft a brilliant tasting menu structured entirely around elemental profiles: heat, acid, salt and depth. The mahi mahi ceviche with mango leche de tigre is pure art.
The Damage: Six-course tasting menu is $110 USD per person. Reservations essential. (28 Cortlandt Alley)
Monday
10:30 a.m. – Walk The High Line
The Vibe: An abandoned elevated rail line turned public park, threading wild grasses, sumac and asters directly through the architecture of the West Side.
The Move: Start at Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District. Walk north as the morning light hits the tracks and drop down into Chelsea Market if you crave a quick artisanal mid-day snack.
The Damage: Free. High Line info (Entrances at Gansevoort Street, 14th Street, 23rd Street or 34th Street)
1:30 p.m. – Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge at LaGuardia
The Vibe: A quiet, elevated sanctuary of calm right inside LaGuardia’s Terminal B before your short journey home.
The Move: Sink into a deep leather armchair, pour a glass of Canadian sparkling wine, connect to the premium Wi-Fi and look out at the runways as you recap your weekend.
The Damage: Complimentary access with your Air Canada business class ticket or elite status.
Where to Stay
Walker Hotel Greenwich Village
Walker Hotel Greenwich Village
A 1920s Art Deco-inspired elegance in the heart of the Village. Bathrobes and slippers await in every room. Some rooms offer Empire State Building views. Steps from Union Square and Washington Square Park. Breakfast at Society Cafe (see Sunday) is a must – the eggs with herb-flecked potatoes are worth the trip alone, helmed by Executive Chef Christopher Zabita. The lobby bar pours a mean Old-Fashioned with smoked sugar and a single large cube that melts just slowly enough. Enjoy live jazz music featuring talent from The New School, Monday through Saturday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. A library and fireplace invite you to linger. Rooms from $250. Book here (136 W 13th Street)
Walker Hotel Tribeca
Walker Hotel Tribeca
A former button factory turned minimalist gem in one of Manhattan’s most interesting neighbourhoods. The rooms are small but smart – everything you need, nothing you do not. Insane value for Tribeca. Steps from Soho, West Village and Chelsea’s best galleries. The rooftop bar (see Friday) is not to be missed, and the underground speakeasy, Saint Tuesday, pours inventive cocktails with live music most nights. Try the Chula – lavender-infused tequila and mezcal clarified with lemon, honey and orange flower water. A Blue Bottle Coffee outpost in the lobby means you never start the day wrong. Rooms from $200. Book here (77 Walker Street)
