WHY ARE WE LIKE THIS?

When Devon was working in Niagara Falls last March, we decided to fly up for a long weekend to visit him.

Most people would’ve spent the weekend enjoying the falls, maybe exploring the area, and then flying home. I, however, opened Google Maps and the following conversation ensued…

“New York City is only six hours away…”
“You think it’s worth the drive?”

After just a little convincing I had Devon thinking it was a totally reasonable idea, before long we had somehow planned a whirlwind trip that would give us just over 24 hours in one of the busiest cities in the world.
Looking back, was it a little ridiculous?
Absolutely.
Would I recommend trying to see everything New York has to offer in a single day?
Not even a little.
But if your goal is to squeeze as much adventure as humanly possible into one day, then welcome—you’ve found your people.

The Early Morning Adventure
Our flight landed around midnight, so after grabbing a few hours of sleep (ahem, three hours).By 3:00 a.m., we were loading into the car and pointing it toward Manhattan.
Somewhere around sunrise, the New York skyline started appearing in the distance, and suddenly everyone who had been half asleep was wide awake.
We grabbed breakfast on the road and before long we were seeing sights like the tunnel, Chinatown, and the Ghostbusters Headquarters out the window.

By 9:30 a.m., we had checked our bags at the hotel, parked the car, and officially started the timer (If you want to know where we stayed or parked then stay tuned- that post is coming!)

Twenty-four hours.
Let’s see what we could fit in.

Lower Manhattan
Our first stop was the Statue of Liberty.
With only one day, we decided to admire her from Battery Park instead of taking the ferry. That choice alone probably saved us several hours, and honestly, the views were still incredible. Liberty Island is still on my bucket list, but for now getting to see her will suffice.

From there we walked to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum.
No matter how many pictures you’ve seen, standing there around the reflection pools was a grounding moment. It was one of those places where the city seemed to slow down and life was put into perspective. We moved to the museum and spent far more time there than we expected, reading exhibits and reflecting before finally heading back outside.

Learning the Subway… One Ride at a Time
Next came what Devon was honestly most nervous about—the subway. As the Safety Patrol of our trips Devon was a little hesitant to step onto the subway, but realistically if we wanted to hit everything on our list there was no other way to travel. If you’ve never navigated New York’s subway system before, it can feel overwhelming. Thankfully, once we figured it out, getting around the city was surprisingly easy.
(If you’re planning your own trip, I’ve put together a complete guide explaining exactly how we navigated the subway, what apps we used, and the mistakes we made along the way.)
With our confidence growing after a mostly successful first ride, we headed toward Central Park.

Central Park & Dinosaurs
Before entering the park, we grabbed hot dogs from a street vendor because… it just felt like something you have to do in New York and let’s be honest, your girl is not about to pass up a good hot dog.

We wandered through the winding paths with absolutely no rush, watching horse-drawn carriages pass by, admiring the skyline peeking through the trees, and soaking up the energy that somehow makes Central Park feel both peaceful and alive at the same time.

Eventually, we made our way to the American Museum of Natural History.
This ended up being August and Ella’s favorite stop of the entire trip.
We had planned for to stay until close- about two and a half hours- and I was sure this would give us more than enough time to see the whole museum. Boy, was I wrong!

Instead, nearly two and a half hours disappeared while we explored dinosaur fossils, giant whales, crystal exhibits, and just about everything in between. When closing time rolled around, we were nowhere near ready to leave.
If we ever make it back, this museum alone deserves an entire day.

Bright Lights and Tired Feet
By evening, our feet were definitely starting to notice everything we’d packed into the day. Thankfully, Times Square has a way of waking everyone back up.

The giant screens, music, crowds, and endless lights were exactly what the kids needed for one final burst of excitement. We wandered through souvenir shops, took the obligatory family photos, and soaked in the atmosphere before admitting that we had officially reached our limit.

Well… almost.
One more stop.

The Charging Bull
The line for photos wrapped around the statue, so we improvised, we stood to the side of the Bull and waited for small openings between groups. We managed to capture a few pictures without waiting forever- a definite travel hack!

The Perfect Ending
After a quick break at the hotel to drop of souvenirs and rest our feet, we walked to Fraunces Tavern for dinner.

Hands down, one of the best meals of the trip.
Months later, I’m still thinking about that chicken pot pie and it has a fun historic background- George Washington visited the Tavern! The atmosphere and food made this a must-do stop.

One Last Morning
The next morning started with fresh bagels before picking up the car for our final few stops.

As a Taylor Swift fan, there was absolutely no way I was leaving New York without seeing Cornelia Street. It wasn’t a long stop, but it was one of those little moments that made me smile.

Then came what was probably the most expensive “quick stop” of the trip…
The Harry Potter Store.

If you’re a fan, prepare your wallet.
Between the incredible displays, interactive experiences, Butterbeer, and exclusive merchandise, it was almost impossible to leave empty-handed.
Worth every penny.
…Probably.

So… Was It Worth Driving Six Hours for Just One Day?
Without question.

Did we miss Broadway?
Yep.

The Empire State Building?
Sure did.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art?
Maybe next time.

But that’s the thing about New York.
You’ll never see it all.

Instead of trying to check every box, we focused on the places that excited our family most—and somehow managed to pack an unforgettable adventure into just over 24 hours.

It was exhausting.
It was a little chaotic.
It required an unreasonable amount of walking.
And honestly…

We’d do it again tomorrow.