Five days in New York - an itinerary

I originally created this for a friend of a friend who was visiting New York with her two children but it's great for anyone visiting for the first time or even again if you want to see the sights and go to some great places to eat! I have since shared with quite a few friends and thought I would share it with a wider audience! 
Here's some suggestions with the location of each in mind...

Lexington Avenue

 

Chrysler Building

DAY 1

Circle Line boat trip (3 hours around Manhattan on the Hudson and East River) http://www.newyorkcity.uk/boat-tours-in-new-york/
Pier 83 12th Avenue between 42nd and 43rd Street - must book!

Lunch at the Empire Diner http://empire-diner.com/ (no need to book)
210 10th Avenue corner 22nd Street and 10th Avenue

Empire State Building – must book! http://www.esbnyc.com/
5th Avenue between 33rd and 34th Street

Times Square – “Times Square is a major commercial intersection and a neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is located at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue, and stretches from West 42nd to West 47th Streets.”

Times Square

DAY 2

Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island Boat tour from Battery Park http://www.libertyellisfoundation.org/

Lunch at Ellen’s Stardust Diner – famous novelty restaurant http://www.ellensstardustdiner.com/ 1650 Broadway and 51st Street - must book!

Fifth Avenue! Drop off at Rockefeller Center. Radio City Music Hall same area. Walk up Fifth Avenue to the where the famous toy store FAO Schwartz used to be. It has unfortunately closed down. It has now been taken over by none other than Apple!  5th Avenue at 58th Street.  Walk across the road to Central Park – have a wander - there's lots to see!

DAY 3

Soho – shopping morning! West Broadway, Spring Street, Mercer Street, Prince Street – loads of high street and boutique shops

Lunch – Balthazar –  80 Spring Street
http://www.bing.com/local?lid=YN618x401681114&id=YN618x401681114&q=Balthazar+Restaurant+New+York+NY

Taxi to Bloomingdales (take passport to Customer Services for 10% discount on the day)

Serendipity - http://www.serendipity3.com/ 225 East 60th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenue  -  Great ice cream!

DAY 4

Guggenheim Museum – 5th Avenue and 89th Street (closed Thursdays) 

Sprinkles Cup Cakes – use ATM outside shop for a fab experience – gorgeous cakes! http://www.sprinkles.com/cupcake-atm Lexington Avenue between 60th and 61st Street

American Museum of Natural History – Central Park West at 79th Street
Metropolitan Museum of Art - Fifth Avenue between 80th and 84th Streets
 

DAY 5

Highline and Meatpacking District 

“The High Line is a 1.45-mile-long New York City linear park built in Manhattan on an elevated section of a disused New York Central Railroad spur called the West Side Line. Inspired by the 3-mile Promenade plantée, a similar project in Paris completed in 1993, the High Line has been redesigned and planted as an aerial greenway and rails-to-trails park. It runs from Gansevoort Street – three blocks below 14th Street – in the Meatpacking District, through Chelsea”
There are numerous boutique and designer stores in this area.

Lunch or Dinner – Pastis http://www.pastisny.com/ 9, 9th Avenue.  Booking recommended – very famous

Little Italy and Chinatown to have a mooch.

Other attractions/alternatives
http://www.viator.com/New-York-City-tourism/New-York-City-Bus-Tours-tours-tickets/d687-t8635?pref=204&aid=m3253 Best to pre book

Check out the link below for discounts on trips and attractions around New York
http://www.newyorkpass.com/En/?aid=140&gclid=CProgIyd-8MCFfQatAoddQUAEg

These days can be swapped around to suit .. depending on which day you start out on!