A New York girls trip should be on everyone’s bucket list. It is the perfect destination to spend a week or weekend with your girlfriends. The great thing about the city is that there is something for all walks of life, so you know you’ll be able to plan an inclusive trip that excites everyone.
New York is definitely a place you need to visit more than once, but this guide is tailored specifically to curating the perfect girls getaway. Amazing brunch spots, shopping, cool neighborhoods and places for cocktails are all included. Plus, a couple of Sex and the City and Gossip Girl hangouts for good measure. Let’s get into it:
Places to Stay in New York
I recommend staying in either the Meatpacking District or SoHo. These neighborhoods are trendy and situated amongst some of the best places to shop and eat.
Gansevoort Meatpacking District
This is a popular hotel for partygoers and trendsetters. It has a rooftop pool and bar as well as a fun lobby bar that gets packed (albeit with a younger crowd).
The Standard
For beautiful views of the New York skyline, the rooms have floor to ceiling glass windows. The rooftop bar is popular for both locals and tourists.
Crosby Street Hotel
Located on a cobblestone side street in the heart of SoHo. The hotel is located in close proximity to the famous Museum of Modern Art Design and a block from the Spring Street subway station.
The James New York SoHo
A well-situated hotel located near the best shops, restaurants, and art galleries in SoHo. Smaller rooms, but this is Manhattan after all. A great, affordable place to stay during your girls getaway to New York.
The Broome
The cutest hotel courtyard in New York. The open-air Moroccon-tiled courtyard is a dream. Best for smaller groups.
The Dominick
Rooftop pool, insane views, full-service spa, and 4 restaurants on-site. If you stay here, you might want to budget a day just to enjoy all the hotel has to offer.
Other hotels to check out:
How to Get Around New York
Uber
There are Ubers everywhere, so you won’t have a problem getting from place to place. Depending on how many girls you are traveling with, this might be a better option than the Subway.
NYC Subway
I’m sure you’ve heard, New York traffic can be a nightmare. Google map your destinations before hailing an Uber because it might be faster to take the subway.
First we have the Coffee, then we do the things
Kobrick Coffee
I loved the vibe here. Beautiful decor with exposed brick and hanging plants. The perfect place to come with friends, to work, or to grab a coffee before walking the Highline.
Two Hands
Great coffee and healthy food options. Three locations, one in Nolita, Noho, and Tribeca.
Bluestone Lane
Progressive cafés with trendy locations all over the states. There are a few New York spots, so if you’re in the mood for coffee, search to find one nearby.
Joes Coffee
A coffee chain with cafés all over the city. Head here instead of Starbucks for a more New York experience.
The Elk
A specialty coffee shop and general store in West Village
Cause it’s 11:30 and the girls be Brunchin’ Brunchin’
Balthazar
A favorite spot for brunch and lunch for tourists and locals alike. If you are in New York during the holidays, I highly recommend coming here for a festive brunch. The place will make you feel like you are staring in your own New York-based holiday romantic comedy.
The moules frites and scrambled egg pastry were insanely good, and all the eggs benedicts are a popular choice. This place gets busy, so I suggest heading there an hour before you want to eat to put your name down.
The wait was 2 hours when we went during the holiday season. It is in a fun area for shopping, so go explore and come back close to your table time.
Sadelles
One of the most popular brunch spots in the city. I suggest going on a weekday if possible or making a reservation. Order a dish featuring their famous bagels, often voted #1 in the city.
Other popular dishes include the pancakes and smoked salmon. Order the sticky buns to start, because who said appetizers were only a dinner thing.
Minnies on Clinton
A small menu with diverse brunch options. Cute café to head to for a girl’s brunch.
Bubby’s
A fun Sunday brunch spot to cure an NYC girls trip sized hangover. Located in the trendy meatpacking district. This place gets packed on Sundays. They don’t accept reservations for brunch, so get there early or put your name down and explore the district while you wait.
Citizens of Gramercy or Citizens of Bleecker
If you’re looking for something quick or a little healthier, pop into Citizens of Gramercy or sister restaurant Citizens of Bleecker, for a smoothie bowl, latte and green juice.
Lunch in New York
Jacks Wife Frieda
A classic spot for lunch after some shopping or exploring. There are three locations, Soho, Chelsea, and West Village. Try the rosewater waffle or green shaksuka.
Taim
For a quick lunch on the go, try Taim for some of the best falafel in the world
By Chloe
For quick, casual plant-based comfort food, head to one of the 7 By Chloe locations around the city
Todd English Food Hall
A New York girls trip needs to include a trip to 5th avenue and the famous Plaza Hotel. The hotel houses the Todd English Food Hall that features a ton of great spots for lunch. There will be something for everyone to choose from. Finish lunch with a Lady M Mille Crepe Cake
Happy Hour Cocktails
Wildair
The Wildair website describes this space perfectly, “A place to share simple food and enjoy delicious wines made by amazing people.”
Sel RRose
Great place for oysters and a glass of champagne
Wythe Hotel
Head up to Lemons for natural wines, small plates and a great view of the city
Dante New York
Pop in for an afternoon snack and a negroni. Seriously one of the best negroni’s you will ever have. Don’t take my word for it. They just took home the #1 ranking in the 2019 World’s Best 50 Bars Awards, as well as “World’s Best Bar” by Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards. Try the hummus or burrata if you’re hungry.
Windmill NYC
Cool spot in the Lower East Side for a drink before or after dinner
Girls Dinner Ideas in New York
Charlie Bird
Nothing like devouring homemade pasta in brown butter sauce while Notorious BIG tells you how much he likes it when you call him big poppa. Great Italian food in a quaint space with old school hip hop beats. Order the razor clams, farro salad, pasta in brown butter sauce, and drink alllll the red wine.
L’Artusi
Probably the best Italian food in the city. Try to secure a reservation in advance or get there early. I recommend sharing a bunch of dishes family-style.
Olmstead
If you’re looking to have dinner in Brooklyn, head to Olmstead. The dishes feature seasonal ingredients, so everything is fresh and the menu is always changing. They have a great wine list too.
Dirty French
From the Major Food Group, owners of Sadelle’s and Santina. Located in the Ludlow hotel, this french restaurant has a cool NYC vibe with great people watching. The fashion!! Dinner here will get you pumped up for a night on the town. A girls getaway to New York needs at least one night out, right?
Pastis
French restaurant in the Meatpacking district. Fun energy. Go here if you don’t go to Balthazar for brunch for that cozy, French experience.
Blue Hill
A unique (and expensive) dining experience. If the gang on your New York girls trip are foodies, consider heading here. They forage all of their ingredients from a farm upstate.
If you’re in the mood for a certain cuisine head to:
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Uncle Boons for Thai
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Wayan for Indonesian
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Cosme for Mexican
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Ippudo for Japanese Ramen
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Una Pizza Napalitana for Pizza – Line up at 5pm!
Fanelli’s Cafe – One of the oldest bars in New York
After Dinner Drinks
The Standard
For some of the best views in the city, head to the Top of the Standard. It can be tricky to get in on busy nights, so plan accordingly.
Vandal
The latest restaurant/nightclub by the Tao group. The space is located in the Lower East Side and is 2 floors, with a cellar style nightclub.
Tao
Popular nightclub with DJ’s and great people watching. Same group as Vandal above.
Monkey Bar
If you’re in Midtown, check out Monkey Bar for a cocktail in the Carlyle Hotel. They will usually have live music or jazz.
Bitter End – Live Music
The oldest rock club n New York. Woody Allen, Tracy Chapman, Bob Dylan, Lady Gaga, and Taylor Swift have all played here. It’s a famous spot where many artists have been discovered.
Tomi Jazz
Jazz and cocktails. The perfect combo. Check the website for the live music schedule
Bar Beau
Fun Brooklyn bar that is a coffee shop by day, cocktail bar and restaurant at night.
Bemelmans Bar
The best place for a martini and people watching. Might even see a celebrity or two. Bill Murray is known to enjoy a martini here.
Treats
MILK Bar
Come for some soft serve or a fresh chocolate chip cookie
Doughnut Plant
Go classic with a glazed donut. You’re welcome.
Tompkins Square Bagels
Order something savoury or opt for a sweet bagel with birthday cake cream cheese. Vegan cream cheese available.
Wouldn’t be an NYC Girls Trip without some Shopping…
Bleecker Street
A funky street in the West Village with great shops and restaurants.
Soho
Start on Prince and West Broadway and head toward Spring Street. Wander around the area, turning down various streets that look interesting to you, or take a look at the shops and plan around stores you want to hit. A few favorites of mine include Ace, the Laundress, Reformation, Sea NY.
Vintage Shopping
Pippin Vintage Jewelry, Resurrection Vintage, Awoke Vintage, What Goes Around Comes Around and No Relation Vintage are local favorites.
Midtown Shopping
Hit 5th avenue for designer shops. Start at Bergdorf Goodman (if you’re there during the holiday season, this is the place to see those iconic window displays). While there, take a quickkkkkk peak at Times Square, but otherwise I would avoid this area at all costs. Very touristy and busy.
Upper East Side
Channel your inner Blair and Serena during your NYC girls weekend with a trip to the Upper East Side. Take an uber to Madison Avenue between 60th and 72nd. There are a ton of designer shops in the area, including the famous Barneys.
Things to Do
The best way to spend a girls weekend in New York is to explore the various neighborhoods. Times Square not included. I would break up your trip into areas and create itineraries based on things you’d like to see in each borough.
Explore Brooklyn
Walk the Brooklyn Bridge and explore the area of Dumbo. Head to Domino Park and Time Out Market. Go to Bar Beau for coffee or a cocktail, and eat a delicious meal at Olmstead. Brooklyn is surging in popularity, and the real estate there is said to be more expensive than SoHo now. It’s worth spending a few hours checking out the shops and restaurants.
Meatpacking District
Explore this unique neighborhood full of cool shops, restaurants, and bars. Check out the new 50-million dollar Restoration Hardware. The third floor is a bar where you can grab a drink and sip in one of their furniture displays, testing out the comfortable couches and people watching. The 6th floor has a rooftop restaurant that would be perfect in the summer for a glass of rosé and small bites.
Other must-see spots are Gaansevort Plaza, the Highline, Chelsea Market, a drink at the Top of the Standard.
Greenwich Village
Shop Bleecker street, have a negroni at Dante, check out the Friends Apartment and Carrie Bradshaw’s stoop. Really cool area near Soho that I would recommend walking through.
Soho
Get lost on the streets of SoHo, one of the coolest areas in the city. So many trendy shops, cocktail bars, and restaurants. Make sure to check out Prince Street and the side streets nearby. Have a drink at Fanelli’s Cafe, one of the oldest bars in New York. Take a peek at their old permits hanging on the wall dating back to 1847.
Highline + Chelsea Market
Start at Chelsea Market and sample some local food and shop. The market is located right near the end of the Highline, so grab a coffee and walk up the stairs for the 20-minute walk down the Highline.
Hudson Yards
The Highline ends at Hudson Yards, a new development, and shopping complex. The Vessel art installation lives outside. I wouldn’t spend a ton of time here, but worth checking out before turning around and heading back down the Highline.
Midtown + Central Park
The busiest area in New York, Midtown is where you’ll find the cities famous landmarks. Walk Park Avenue, shop on 5th, and take in city views from the top of the Empire State Building or Top of the Rock. From there, wander through Central Park with a coffee before heading back to explore the Plaza Hotel and Todd English Food Hall.
Museums to check out in NYC
See a Broadway Show
Choose from one of the classics or go modern with tickets to Hamilton, Mean Girls, or a celebrity-written show. Jake Gyllenhaal just wrapped his Broadway show. Check out New York Theatre Guide for new shows. You can reserve in advance or head to Times Square early on the day-of for discount tickets.
For views of the city:
Gantry Plaza State Park
A 12-acre state park on the East River on Long Island City. It is located in Queens and offers up beautiful views on the New York City skyline. Iconic buildings like the Empire State Building in Midtown are on full display. This is a really cool way to see the city from a different perspective across the water.
Top of the Rock
For an iconic shot of the New York skyline, opt for heading up to the Top of the Rock, versus the Empire State building, so you can get photos with the ESB in your shot. Very cool to see during the day or at night. Here is more information on when to visit and tickets
I hope this gave you some ideas for your girls trip to New York. Feel free to send me a message on Instagram with any questions!
Check out these other girls trip destination guides for your next getaway:
Austin
Palm Springs
Vancouver
Turks and Caicos
Seattle
xx
Kaylee
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