Oh New York. I've been holding off on writing this last part of our New England trip {see the rest of our trip to Princeton here, Marblehead here and Boston here} because I just didn't know where to start. New York is my very favourite city in the world and there is just so much to cover!

I was kind of wondering how I would do it justice too, that concrete jungle where dreams are made of. Home to so many of our favourite movies, restaurants, shops. The vibe and the energy. The Pumpkin flavoured everything. The New Yorkers. I love it all. So in the end I've decided to group it into details of our favourite places to visit there with photos from this recent trip {I'm very lucky in that this was my 5th trip there so this time around we didn't really do anything too touristy and instead focused on exploring some new parts of the city and felt like a true New Yorker rather than caught up in the tourist trap of Times Square {we didn't even step foot there this time around!}}. I've written about our favourite food places in this post online here and I'll give you a quick city guide at the end of tomorrow's part 2 if it's your very first visit.

// Accommodation; This trip was spread out with 5 nights in NYC first and then 2 nights at the end after we'd been around some of the rest of New England. We stayed in a couple of different hotels both booked through Mr & Mrs Smith {my fav boutique hotel finder};

    // The Roger Hotel. I've written a full honeymoon review of this hotel over on So You're Getting Married here.  It's a classic smart New Yorker in a great location for just about everything you could wish for. Boutique in style there are extra little touches that make a difference.

   // The Standard Hotel; a hip hotel with serious views straddling over the High Line in the Meatpacking District. I'll always remember the time I had a bath with all the lights off just watching the glittering skyline out of our window here. And our sunset evening on the rooftop terrace {below}

Lots of people asked me which one I'd recommend out of these two and in truth I loved them both but for different reasons. I'd say it depends on what kind of style you like and which location will suit you best. The Roger whilst still boutique and stylish is very classic New York. It's also set in midtown so perfect for shopping/Central Park/all the main tourist sites perfect for first timers. Whereas the Standard was a lot more hip with a rooftop bar {amazing for sunsets}, an on trend vibe and set in the Meatpacking District which would be great for those on a second trip perhaps wanting to see a different side to the city. You definitely won't go wrong with either though.

We also had a couple of nights in // The Sohotel as a more budget option to keep the costs down for a couple of nights. It was OK and in a really really great location for all of the brunch spots we wanted to visit in Soho but I wouldn't really recommend unless you are looking for somewhere on more of a budget.

Our favourite places to visit;

// Governor's Island 

We got the ferry over from Brooklyn's Pier 6 to Governor's Island, an island in between Ellis Island {where the statue of liberty sits} and Manhattan. You can also get the ferry from downtown Manhattan. I think it's only open in the summer months from around May to the end of October but we loved our afternoon spent here where we hired bikes and cycled around in awe of the amazing views but also the relaxed atmosphere and a welcome escape from the bustling city. There are food courts here and lots going on over the weekends. 

// Union Square Greenmarket 

The best greenmarket {farmer's market} in all of Manhattan. We loved spending an hour or so checking out all of the incredible produce from the local and upstate farms. Full of flowers, fruit and pumpkins in October all set in beautiful Union Square with the Empire State looming above and some really lovely streets/shops around. We walked from here down to the West Village.  

A classic from Friends/Sex and the City but still one of my favourite areas of the city. It does just feel like a village. So many gorgeous streets, cute independent cafes/shops here to explore as well as Greenwich Park with that famous fountain and arch. You'll want to walk down most of Bleecker Street for sure.

// Walking the Brooklyn Bridge

No matter how many times I visit New York, walking the Brooklyn Bridge and seeing the skyline before us will always be top of my list. This was the very first thing we did after we dropped our bags off at the hotel and got changed. It's best to walk it back towards Manhattan from Brooklyn for the best views but either way is special. We really love the area called Dumbo {down under the brooklyn bridge} that it brings you out onto in Brooklyn too. Visit Shake Shack or Juliana's after!

// Brooklyn Brownstones

Brooklyn is now my very favourite part of NYC. Move over Manhattan, Brooklyn just had a much more laid back vibe yet all the cool things you expect and want from NYC in general. The Brownstones are dreamy, the halloween decorations insane, the cute neighbourhood cafes and Trader Joe's store, the views from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. We spent a lot of time wandering around these streets and soaking up the neighbourhoods. 

// Brooklyn Bridge Park Piers

The area by the waterfront along from the Brooklyn Bridge. We loved this spot for walking by the water with all the high rises of Manhattan just across from you, lots of park space to chill out or get really great pizza or ice cream {see this post}.

// The Standard Rooftop Bar {at sunset}

This was at the top of our hotel for the last two nights of our stay and we decided to wait until our last evening to watch the sunset. We found a secret part of the terrace by going through the main bar and then out onto the roof but anywhere you are you'll find breathtaking cityscape views and a beautiful pink sky as the sunsets. It was a magical end to our stay.