On my recent trip to Europe, my sister Rocio and I decided to break the trip up and visit New York for a few days. I hadn’t been to New York since I was in elementary school, so it was really cool to explore the city as an adult. New York absolutely stole my heart, I loved it! We decided to hit all the best spots for photos so I thought it would be perfect to share and Instagrammable Guide to New York! In this blog post I will be covering cool locations and cute restaurants.

Places

Flatiron Building

I’ve always loved photos of the Flatiron Building in New York. We stopped by very quickly to see it and shoot some photos. I decided to do some street shots from a little farther back. I loved how these turned out! There were a lot of people and cars so we just had to be patient 🙂

Central Park

We walked around Central Park for a few minutes before finding a little trail that led to these rocks overlooking the water and skyscrapers. It was such a beautiful setting! We could have set there forever if we had the time. Central Park is huge with tons of different areas. It would take a long time to walk the whole thing. This photo was taken on the Musuem of Natural History side of the park. I think it’s in the area called “The Ramble”.

Times Square

We stayed in the LUMA hotel in Times Square so we got to see Times Square at night and during the day. It was so packed at both times, but it was definitely less packed when we visited in the morning which is when I snapped this shot. It can be a little overwhelming with all the people but it’s definitely an iconic spot to visit and for photos.

Washington Square

I’ve always wanted to visit Washington Square because of the arch. It looks like a replica of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris! I shot some photos on both sides of it. Loved both! The park there was beautiful too, all the flowers were in bloom. Washington Square is in Soho which is a beautiful neighborhood in New York. You can find cool photos spots around every corner! This is the area where you will find a lot of cobblestone streets too.

Dumbo

Dumbo is a really cute area in Brooklyn where you’ll find this famous shot of the Manhattan bridge, framed perfectly by buildings on both sides. Fun fact: my grandpa actually grew up in this area! There were a ton of people shooting photos here when we visited so we had to be patient. After shooting at this spot we headed to Jane’s Carousel which is in the direction of the bridge. Turn left when you hit the park and follow the trail there!

Jane’s Carousel

Jane’s Carousel is located in Dumbo on the waterfront, very close to that famous shot of the Manhattan Bridge. When we visited the carousel was actually closed, which was actually perfect because we were able to shoot photos with out having to deal with all the people. The waterfront right in front of the carousel has amazing views of the Manhattan skyline, also perfect for Insta photos. To the right of the carousel is a beautiful park pictured below and just past the park you can find a pathway for the Brooklyn Bridge.

This photo was taken in the park underneath the Brooklyn Bridge. We stopped by this park after visiting Dumbo for that famous shot of the Manhattan Bridge and Jane’s Carousel, which was right next to this park. There were beautiful views of the Manhattan skyline from here.

Brooklyn Bridge

There are so many spots to capture cool photos on the Brooklyn Bridge! I took some on the metal structure of the bridge (not sure what it’s actually called) and a few standing shots. We finished shooting just in time because right after this it started pouring rain on us.

NOTE: We visited New York during the summer which is quite possibly the WORST time to visit because it is soooo humid there and rain storms happen all the time during the season. I’m not kidding you, I was a sweaty mess the whole time and went through like 3 outfits a day. No joke!! It was still beautiful though 🙂

Restaurants

Charley St.

Charley St. is an Australian cafe located in Nolita, near Soho. They offer a ton of healthy food options like bowls, toasts, and smoothies. We shared the Happy Morning and Naughty Eggs plates, both of which were absolutely delicious. The coffee was great too! The staff was very friendly and I loved the decor here.

The Butcher’s Daughter

We actually visited The Butcher’s Daughter in Venice Beach earlier this year and loved it! So I definitely wanted to eat at one of their New York locations. We decided to stop by the Nolita location because it looked really cute. The food there was super yummy and I loved the farmhouse inspired decor. It’s perfect for Insta photos!

Seamore’s

Seamore’s is a seafood restaurant with several locations around New York! We stopped at the Brookfield Place location for dinner. I loved the modern design and coastal twist of the interiors! The bar at the restaurant was really packed while we were eating. You can tell it’s a popular spot for drinks! We didn’t order cocktails but did have some delicious fresh juice, incredible appetizers (Maryland Crab Dip and the General Tso’s Cauliflower) and two great entrees (Seared Sesame Tuna and the Seared Fish Tacos).

If you are looking for a cute hotel to stay at in New York, check out my review of the LUMA Hotel Times Square!

Of course there are a ton of cool spots and restaurants in NYC that I didn’t list! These are just the spots I hit. I’d love to go back to NYC someday to explore the spots I missed. Maybe in the fall instead! 😉

XOXO