New York first-timer weekend

Day 1

1. 09:00Levain Bakery — Cookie for breakfast, no regrets
2. 10:00Central Park — Loop down to Bethesda Fountain
3. 12:30The Met — Two wings max
4. 17:30Top of the Rock — Sunset slot — book it
5. 20:00Joe's Pizza — Slice for dinner
6. 21:30Comedy Cellar — Late show

Day 2

1. 10:00Chelsea Market — Graze breakfast
2. 11:30The High Line — Walk north to Hudson Yards
3. 13:30Washington Square Park
4. 15:00Katz's Delicatessen — Late-lunch pastrami
5. 20:00Attaboy — Bartender's choice

Day 3

1. 09:30Brooklyn Bridge — Before the crowds
2. 11:00DUMBO — Coffee + the bridge photo

The icons

• Central Park — Enter at 59th & 5th, wander up to Bethesda Terrace.
• Top of the Rock — Better than the Empire State — because you can see it.
• Brooklyn Bridge — Walk it toward Manhattan for the skyline ahead of you.
• The Met — Pick two wings max — it's a marathon, not a sprint.

Eat like a local

• Katz's Delicatessen — Pastrami on rye at the counter — don't lose your ticket.
• Joe's Pizza — The classic fold-and-walk slice.
• Levain Bakery — The chocolate chip walnut cookie. Worth the line.
• Chelsea Market — Graze the stalls, then walk the High Line above.

Neighborhood wandering

• The High Line — Elevated park on old rail tracks — enter at Gansevoort St.
• Washington Square Park — Street pianos, chess hustlers, NYU energy.
• DUMBO — The Manhattan Bridge photo, then the waterfront.

Nights

• Attaboy — No menu — tell them what you like.
• Comedy Cellar — Book ahead — surprise drop-ins happen.