How to spend a perfect weekend in New York
Three distinct itineraries for the next time you have someone in town or are visiting NYC yourself.
Sending you this edition of The Sunday Series on the day of the summer solstice feels extra poetic. As the longest day of the year, what better way to honor all the golden, generous light we got to soak up today than with a love letter to the city that’s been at its most brilliant lately? If you’ve been anywhere near New York (or anywhere near even a TikTok made by someone from New York), you already know…
The city has felt like a movie for a solid month straight. From the World Cup to KNICKS IN FIVE, it’s been electric!!! Put simply, these past few weeks have included some of my favorite memories made since moving here in 2018. I’m not ready to let a single hour of this summer slip by, which is where the idea for today’s letter originated.
Riding the wave of this high, I was lucky enough to host my dad and sister in the city this weekend. Somewhere between our many stellar reservations, long walks, and the magic of bopping around neighborhoods I know by heart, it hit me. I have dozens of New York weekend itineraries rattling around in my head.
And as my dear readers, that means you should have them too. So, consider this my solstice offering: the longest day of the year deserves the most intentional celebration of a city I’ve long been besotted with. Whether you’re a local who needs to pull together a long weekend itinerary for visiting guests (a few times a year, every year—you know the drill), or you’re planning a trip and want to do it right, today’s edition is for you.
Because New York rewards niching down. The best weekends here don’t belong to people trying to do everything. They belong to the ones who know where to go and, better yet, where not to. New York rewards the ones who can spend a slow morning in the Jefferson Market Garden before wandering up to the Morgan Library while everyone else is queuing for some dumb viral froyo. The ones who understand that a single afternoon at the Frick or the Whitney will almost always leave you more satisfied than a frantic sprint through MoMA and the Guggenheim back to back.
The ones who duck into the New York Public Library not because it’s on some list, but because it’s a beautiful building and a museum in its own right. It’s about riding a Citi Bike all the way up to the Cloisters or spending a quiet hour at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden before the rest of the borough wakes up. It’s about heading underground to NYC Transit Museum to learn something new about this city and how its people get around, because you’ve already gone to the Tenement Museum and 9/11 Memorial Museum.
Ultimately, this city has infinite versions to make your own. But because decision paralysis is a real thing, today, I’m sharing three distinctly unique long weekend itineraries you can recreate in New York City…starting with exactly what we did this weekend! The complete version of this post will be available exclusively to my paid subscribers.
Stay: Faena New York, Chelsea
This one is less about checking boxes and more about moving through the city the way people who actually live here do. A lot of walking, a lot of eating, a mix of neighborhoods, and a handful of restaurant anchors to build everything around. This is EXACTLY what we got up to this weekend with my dad and sis!!!
Friday: Shopping, Aperitivo, and French Fare
Start at Faena New York. Check in, drop your bags, grab a coffee, and after freshening up, head out for a long late-morning walk. Head south on The High Line until it ends in Meatpacking, where you’ll descend and meander through some shops, including YSL and Bottega on Gansevoort Street.
Then, make your way into West Village for some shopping. I’d recommend weaving down Hudson to hit Dot Reeder for a solid multi-brand selection before weaving over to Dauphinette on Grove. My sister found an epic vintage Chloe frock there this Saturday! Don’t miss Bleecker Street for reliables like La Ligne, LESET, and Buck Maison and Way Forward for fun custom embroidery—I got sissy some fun stuff here for her birthday last year, including a hat that said: “I’m expensive.”
After all that shopping, you’re going to need a beveraginooo. I’d recommend an outdoor table at Dante Aperitivo on Bank. Logistics-wise, it would make sense to do dinner downtown somewhere like Anton’s, Via Carota, San Sabino, or Waverly Inn, but we actually had a reservation on the Upper East Side at Chez Fifi, before coming back to Faena for a nightcap.
Saturday: Soho and Brooklyn Heights/Williamsburg
Take your time in the morning—that’s the point of staying somewhere with an epic wellness facility. We did the sauna and cold plunge circuit to shake off the previous night’s drinks before having a late breakfast at the hotel, which was totally the move.
From there, head to the Chelsea waterfront with a walk along the West Side Highway. Check out the Pier 57 Rooftop Park for epic views and Little Island as you walk along Hudson River Park. If you want a latte, cut back east at Charles Street for a stop at The Elk before walking over to your lunch res at King, a stunning Soho spot by Clare de Boer.
For vibes alone, your next destination requires an Uber/taxi over to Pier 11 in Seaport, where you’ll take the NYC Ferry to Brooklyn Bridge Park. While you could take a car or the train the whole way, the ferry ride alone adds dramatic flair, especially on a summer day! Upon arrival (just one stop), enter the code you received via text with your reservation at Concrete Shoals. Linger through golden hour before heading up to the Promenade—the brownstone streets in Brooklyn Heights are some of the most beautiful blocks in the entire city to walk.
My dad had requested Chinese (always make sure you’re taking requests from your visitors!) so we got in a car to Williamsburg for our table at Bonnie’s. But if you prefer to stick closer by, Ingas Bar or Vinegar Hill House are wonderful options. River Café if you’re going fancy or celebratory!
Sunday: Slow Going in West Village
For an easy morning, stop by Casa Magazines for the paper, then wander down for coffee at Bar Pisellino. Browse through Three Lives & Company for a book to take home. For brunch, I’d do Commerce Inn, Joseph Leonard, or Golden Swan. From there, it’s time to take a nap because dang, you’ve been busy!!!! Ps. don’t miss my West Village Guide if you haven’t seen it!
Stay: Warren Street Hotel (Tribeca)
Tribeca in summer feels like one of the city’s best-kept secrets. The cobblestone streets, the cast-iron loft buildings, the fact that it’s quiet enough on a weekend morning that you can hear yourself think. This itinerary intentionally doesn’t cover too much ground: Tribeca into SoHo and NoLita, the West Village, and Lower East Side. The whole point is to go slowly through a handful of prime downtown neighborhoods and not feel like you’re missing something somewhere else.
Friday: Cobblestones, Coffee, and a Classic Tribeca Spot
Check in and let the start of your weekend be beautifully unstructured. Walk Tribeca’s cobblestone blocks: Walker, White, and North Moore are some of the most beautiful. Find your way into a few shops while you’re at it. Foundrae is tucked away on Lispenard, Nili Lotan on Duane, and Clic on West Broadway are all fabulous. When you’re starting to feel peckish, choose between a casual lunch at Rigor Hill (my suggestion for the perfect turkey sandwich alone) or TikTok darling, Meadow Lane. Both have outdoor seating and ample options!
Come late afternoon, your room will be ready if it wasn’t already, which is as good an excuse as any to head back to The Warren. Enjoy some time reading in your beautifully appointed room, or head downstairs for a drink at the bar. Tonight, dinner is at neighborhood staple, The Odeon. It’s been a magnet for the downtown set since 1980; it allegedly looks practically the same as it did then. Get the steak frites. If you want “just one more,” the outdoor tables at Stafilli are wonderful for a glass of wine.
