New York City Weekend Getaway Itinerary: Girls Trip Edition

A New York City weekend getaway may be the world’s best girls trip. Vibey cocktail bars, Broadway shows, late night dinners, shopping in SoHo — the city really has it all! Plus, with 3 major airports, a newly renovated train terminal, and dozens of bus stations, New York is accessible from almost anywhere in the world. I am based in the Northeast and split my time between Boston and the Seacoast in New Hampshire. This guide is going to cover the perfect itinerary for a New York City weekend getaway, including where to eat, stay, and what to do, plus cover the easiest and best ways to reach the city.

Disclaimer: This blog post is sponsored by C&J Bus Lines. C&J is a premium bus service providing convenient, reliable travel from the New Hampshire Seacoast to Boston South Station, Logan Airport, and New York City. I recently rode the bus line to NYC. As always, all opinions written here are my own.

This post contains affiliate links. If you click and book through any of these links, I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you so much for reading and supporting my little corner of the internet!

How To Get To New York City

If you are coming from another country or far away city, the best way to get to NYC is flying into one of its 3 major airports: JFK, LaGuardia, or Newark. Newark is in New Jersey, so I find JFK + LGA to be the best options for reaching Manhattan.

If you’re traveling to New York City from another city in the Northeast, I highly recommend taking a bus right into Port Authority station in Midtown. This way, you’re arriving right in the city — a short walk or subway ride from your final destination, without having to deal with the chaos of navigating the city or some of the busiest airports in the world.

C&J Bus Lines: Seacoast To NYC Route

If you’re traveling from the Seacoast of New Hampshire, I highly recommend using C&J Bus Lines! C&J is a regional bus company, with routes connecting Portsmouth, Dover and Seabrook, NH to Boston, Logan Airport and New York City. I recently rode the coach from Portsmouth to New York City and had an amazing experience!

Each coach bus has comfortable amenities on board, such as restrooms and snacks + refreshments, plus complimentary, high-speed 5G WiFi and power outlets! If you’re traveling on the NYC route, you can also enjoy single seats for ample space + relaxation.

The journey takes a little over 5 hours and is direct — getting you and your luggage right to Manhattan without the extra effort of carrying your bags, grabbing a connecting train, or having to deal with TSA.

Where To Stay For A New York City Weekend Getaway

NYC has dozens of incredible neighborhoods to choose from, depending on where you’d like your base to be. I’ve stayed all over the city and am lucky to have several close friends who live here! After probably 25+ visits over the past several years, here are my recommendations for some of the most popular places to stay for a girls’ New York City weekend getaway:

Best Neighborhoods To Stay In NYC

SoHo (Downtown)

SoHo is the perfect base for a girls trip centered around shopping, brunch, and chic NYC vibes — with its cobblestone streets, boutique stores, and endless photo spots.

Staying here puts you within walking distance of Nolita, Little Italy, and the Lower East Side, giving you easy access to trendy restaurants, cafés, and nightlife while still feeling slightly more relaxed and less touristy than other parts of Manhattan.

Midtown

Midtown is ideal for first-time visitors who want to be in the heart of the action, with easy access to iconic sights like Times Square, Central Park, and Rockefeller Center.

It’s one of the most convenient areas to stay thanks to its central location and major subway connections, making it easy to explore the rest of the city and maximize your time during a short NYC weekend getaway.

Pro-tip: If you choose to ride with C&J, you will get dropped off right in Midtown!

Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Williamsburg is a great choice for a trendier, more laid-back girls trip, offering a mix of vintage shopping, independent boutiques, rooftop bars, and some of the city’s best food.

Located just across the river in Brooklyn, it also features incredible Manhattan skyline views and a more local, less touristy feel, while still being a quick subway ride away from all the major attractions in Manhattan.

Hotel Recommendations By Budget

Budget ($): The Jane Hotel

The Jane Hotel is one of the best-known budget-friendly stays in downtown Manhattan, located in the West Village near SoHo. It’s stylish, slightly quirky (think cabin-style rooms), and way more aesthetic than your typical NYC budget hotel.

You’re within walking distance of cute cafés, the Hudson River, and great nightlife — making it perfect for a girls trip where you won’t be spending much time in the room anyway. The hotel is sometimes called the West Village Eurohostel too.

Mid-Range ($$): YOTEL Times Square

YOTEL is a savvy, global hotel chain perfect for the modern traveler. The hotel’s branding is quite unique as it refers to its rooms as “pods” and check-in area as “mission control”. Each room comes with LED lights, a flatscreen TV, and a modern, comfortable bed.

The YOTEL has a wonderful location in NYC in Midtown, about a 10 minute walk from the Hudson Yards area to the south and Times Square to the east. If you’re looking for a modern place to stay with a prime city location, definitely consider the YOTEL the next time you’re traveling to New York!

Luxury ($$$): Park Hyatt New York

If you’re looking to splurge, the Park Hyatt New York is one of the most luxurious stays in the city, offering oversized rooms, a spa-like atmosphere, and a quieter Midtown location just steps from Central Park — perfect for a more relaxing, elevated girls weekend.

Now that I’ve covered how to get to NYC and where to stay for your New York City weekend getaway, let’s dive into the detailed weekend itinerary:

New York City Weekend Getaway: Day 1 (Friday)

Evening

Assuming today is mostly a travel day for you and you’ll be arriving in the evening — head right to your hotel to check in and freshen up. From here, I recommend a rooftop bar (if it’s nice out!) or a trendy cocktail bar and dinner.

Base yourself in Meatpacking / West Village this evening.

For dinner, I recommend Meduza Mediterrania! I’ve been here 2x now and it’s one of my favorite restaurants in the city — fun atmosphere / interior decor, shared plates, craft cocktails, and there’s sometimes a violinist who will walk around and play live music. The bar area gets pretty lively, making it a fun spot for dinner before a night out.

From here, walk towards West Village for one of two options for a cocktail — Employees Only or Dante. Employees Only is an award-winning Prohibition-style speakeasy and bar. It’s dimly lit, is usually standing room only, and has fun drinks. You can dance here if that is your vibe.

If you want something a bit more chill, head to Dante in the West Village for one of the best espresso martinis you’ll ever have. I love sitting at the bar in here. It’s the perfect spot if you just want to chat with your girl friends before heading back to your hotel and calling it a night.

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New York City Weekend Getaway: Day 2 (Saturday)

Morning

Begin your first full day in NYC at brunch! All great girls weekend getaways begin with a yummy brunch. One of my favorite brunch spots in the city is Jack’s Wife Freda. They have 5 locations throughout the city, with the most popular being SoHo, West Village, and Chelsea — the perfect jumping off points to the rest of your day.

Pro-tip: Be sure to grab a reservation online & in advance of your trip. This spot gets very busy!

If you’re unable to get into this restaurant, or are looking for something a bit more casual, I recommend Little Ruby’s! It’s a popular Australian cafe chain in the city with delicious, fresh food.

After brunch, do some shopping around SoHo! Broadway is the main road, but I also love bopping around Prince Street and Spring Street.

Pro-tip: Looking for a pick-me-up? Caffe Paradiso has some of the BEST lattes in the city. They are on tap and very viral. There may be a line outside, but I promise it moves fast and is worth the wait.

Afternoon

In the afternoon, head over to one of New York’s most iconic sights. There are TONS of options for this! If it is your first-time in NYC, I have this complete bucket list guide you could read and choose 1-2 sights from.

If the weather is nice (or if you’re visiting during the warmer months), I would do this:

Downtown: If you want to stay in this area, check out the Chelsea Market and go for a walk on the High Line (adjacent to each other).
Midtown: If it’s your first time in NYC, go see Rockefeller Center and Times Square. Maybe check out the observation deck at Top of the Rock or the Empire State Building (tix needed).
Uptown: Or, take the subway uptown and go for a scenic walk through Central Park.

Is it rainy? I would head to one of these museums / indoor attractions this afternoon:

The Met: Largest art museum in the US
The Oculus & 9/11 Memorial & Museum are adjacent to each other and both inside
Hudson Yards & The Vessel: Massive indoor shopping mall with cafes + restaurants too

If you’re visiting during December, I have an entire NYC holiday guide linked here!