It sounds like a ridiculous idea to even think about only spending 24 hours in the Empire State, but if I have to pick any city in the world to spend only one day in, New York is the clear winner. The city is packed with attractions and activities that it fully stretches out your 24 precious hours.

Before we begin, I would suggest staying somewhere near Times Square, because it’s the pulsating heartbeat of the Big Apple. Sure, the hotels may be more expensive, but by just staying even one street away from the actual Times Square, your hotel rates instantly becomes cheaper.

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Here goes your day:

Start your day early at Times Square, around 7am. It’s one place that is never quiet no matter what time it is. Bright neon billboards illuminate the Square at any given time of the day, and crowds may thick and thin but never dissipate.

It gets your adrenaline pumping and puts you in the mood to start the day. Soak in the atmosphere here for a bit, then off you go, to grab some bagels and hot coffee nearby. Junior’s Restaurant & Bakery (at W 45^th) makes a decent choice. They aren’t the most delicious but they’ll do. Get a cup of coffee to go with it but don’t take a sit inside. There’s no time. Head to the nearest subway and get yourself to Central Park.

Central Park makes a welcoming sight in the morning. Joggers and cyclists dot its vast grounds, and the air has a dewy fresh scent to it.

Take a stroll, wander around and find a good bench to park yourself at. I suggest one with a good view- at the lake or the Bethesda Fountain and Terrace, so you can admire the sights while you bring out your bagel and coffee and just live in the moment. After your breakfast break, head over the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The MET), which is next to Central Park.

You have to visit at least one museum while in New York, and the MET is a good choice.  On a normal trip, you can spend eight hours here, but if you’re on a time crunch, shrink it down to two hours. The MET has everything from the ground to the space, pick your exhibits well.

I suggest heading to The Milstein Hall of Ocean Life and The Fossil Halls. The former draws you into the mysterious underwater world, with videos, interactive displays and beautifully restored ocean dioramas dotted around the hall framed by a 94-foot long giant blue whale, hung from the ceiling.

The extensive collection of dinosaurs’ remains at the Fossil Hall is filled with fossilised structures of these giants that once roamed earth. While you can find armors, sculptures or cultural objects of different varieties in many museums around the world, you can’t find giant fossils of dinosaurs in other places.

Be as trigger-happy with your camera here. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance you get so close to these fossils. If you have some time, pick a third exhibit, if not, head out.

It’s lunch time.

I know it’s not on many people’s dining list, but I’d work my way down to Serendipity 3 on 225 East 60th Street. It’s really known more as a dessert paradise, but I went there for lunch and everything was delicious. I first learnt about the restaurant from the movie Serendipity, and later discover its renowned USD1, 000 Sundae on a Travel channel, and made it a point to dine there.

The restaurant first started in 1954, along with two other friends in a basement two blocks away from its current location. Marilyn Monroe was known to frequent the place to satisfy her sweet tooth, as did Jackie Kennedy who developed a liking to the Frrrozen Hot Chocolate. Serendipity3 might be known for their desserts but the first sip of my coffee tells me that they’re famous for a reason. Their coffee is divine. And I will recommend their chicken wings to anyone who’d listen to me. It’s spicy, tangy and crunchy, a combination that’s heavenly to my palate. Do not leave the place without trying their Frrrozen Hot Chocolate. If it’s good enough for Jackie Kennedy, it’s good enough for you.

With all that food, it’s time to walk it off. Hunt for the High Line at the Meatpacking district.

I read that it’s a walkway, a garden park, a place to chill out, and an oasis to escape to. The one-mile High Line Park runs from Gansevoort Street, three blocks below West 14th Street, in the Meatpacking District, up to 30th Street, through the neighborhood of Chelsea to the West Side Yard.

Open from 7 am to 10 pm, different sections of the walkway offer different views of the city. Each section is unique. There’s a portion resembling a mini theater with tiered seating, except your show is the ongoing traffic from the street below you visible through a glass panel where a stage should be. There are deck chairs in another section, where you can lounge and catch a tan. At another section, you can roll around the long grass patch, or just relax with a good book in hand.

The bridge also has cafes and stalls selling food, making it an ideal spot to catch up with friends. After your walk outdoors, it’s time to take it indoors to The Grand Central.

The largest subway station in the world, The Grand Central has an old school charm and an air of mystery to it. It’s fun to just stand right in the center, watching lines of people scurrying about, rushing to their next train, and reliving The Fisher King, Conspiracy Theory, I Am Legend and Hackers- movies that were filmed here.

The architecture here is amazing, remember to look up at the ceiling and admire the design conceived by Paul César Helleu, a French portrait artist. Once you’ve had enough, move on to grab a quick dinner before you catch a musical.

There’s no lack of musicals in New York and your problem is only which to watch. There’re the classics like The Lion King, Cats and the Phantom of the Opera. Then there are the newer productions like The Book of Mormon, Kinky Boots and even School of Rock. You just have to do lots of homework beforehand before you arrive, so you don’t get into an argument with yourself on which to watch.

After the delightful musical performance, it’s not time to call it a night yet. Head over to the Empire State Building. There are two buildings in New York that offers stunning views of the city- The Rockafellar Center or the Empire State building. For me, the latter won out. While the Top of the Rock may offer a calming view of Central Park, it’s the Empire State that gives you an aerial view of the city it’s named after. At night, the city lights up like fireflies in the dark and makes quite a sight. You can easily make out Times Square from the top, just look out for the brightest spot below, shining like a million lights, thanks to the walls of billboards.

After you’re done, make it back where the action is then, right at Times Square.

Depending on how long you stay at the top of Empire State, it could easily be one to two am. You can take a walk to Times Square. The streets are surprisingly safe- at almost every corner of the streets here lurks a police car, usually with a pair of law enforcers on the look-out. You’ll see crowds starting to thicken as you get nearer to Times Square, despite the lateness of the hour. Before you know it, you’re back where you started in the morning. This time, the atmosphere is different, almost electric.

Buskers still fill the square, some in weird costumes, others singing at the top of their voices. Tourists bump to one another, trying to grab that perfect selfie with their favorite billboard as backdrop. This is the best place to hang out for as long as you want, way deep into the night, just people watching. You lose track of time, but it doesn’t matter, because you are in the city that never sleeps.

That is how you should spend your 24 hours in New York.

If you have more time to spend in the Empire State, check out what are the top ten things to do here.

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I find myself in the middle of Times Square in New York City at midnight, marveling at bustling human traffic, glaring neon signs from giant billboards, and brightly lit stores. I feel a rush of adrenaline-my heart was racing, palms were sweating, thoughts scattered. It had just hit me that I’ve finally arrived in a city I’d always dreamt of visiting. After seeing it in countless movies and TV shows, it feels surreal to be finally here.

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There are a million and one things to do in the city, but with only eight short days, I need to plan and prioritize. Here’s my ten to-do list in the Empire State.

1. Visit Times Square

The energy here is indescribable. As early as seven in the morning, gawking tourists fill the Square, capturing the mandatory shot of posing in front of the billboard tower.

There’s a stepped seating area with the Giant Billboard view in the middle of Times Square. At any given time of the day, it brims with crowds. I bought a bagel and coffee one morning and sat at the top of the steps- the perfect place to people and billboard watch. You can never get tired of watching the billboards, a colorful blend of Broadway musicals, shows and brands of all sorts.

If you’re here on a weekday morning, you might even catch the taping of ABC’s live taping of the Good Morning America show.

Times Square is even more captivating at night. The velvet night sky creates the perfect canvas for glittering billboard signs. The crowds get thicker as the night deepens. You tend to lose sense of time, because the illuminated square and throngs of people lend illusion that the night is young. You don’t get the sense to rush off but to linger, but it could easily be 2am.

2. Take a Walk in Central Park

I entered the park for the first time and everything looks familiar- I’ve seen so much of it in movies that it feels I’ve been here before.  There are bicycle paths for cyclists, separated from the jogging lanes, and pockets of grass fields for picnic and play. Then there is this wondrous lake that gives a beautiful view of the city skyline.

If you don’t have time to linger, just head to The Bethesda Fountain and Terrace.  Featured in movies, TV series and books, I feel it’s the prettiest part of the park. The Angel of the Waters Fountain at the lower terrace level is a quaint respite from the concrete jungle surrounding the park. The aged look and color of the Angels sculpture adds an air of mystery to fountain. I was strangely mesmerized by it.

3. Visit a Museum

There are plenty of museums in New York City. If time doesn’t permit, do at least one. The Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) ranks at the top.

One of the largest museums in the world, it packs over 5,000 years of culture. The Greek and Roman Galleries are the most captivating. Giant carved marbles of royalty, the suffering, and the dead lined along this gallery built according to the theme.

There’s also an Arms and Armor Gallery, showcasing a sparkling display of amusing-looking armors and varying guns and spears.  The medieval Art gallery, housed in a hall beautifully themed, is sadly lacklustre.

Next to visit is the American Museum of Natural History.

Here, you can find anything from Space to the earth’s core. My favorite is the fossil halls.

The wide collection of dinosaur fossils is a definite eye opener. It’s amazing how these giant creatures once roamed and ruled the earth. And this is the only place to see so many of the remains of these magnificent creatures.

The Milstein Hall of Ocean Life is another stunner. Forming the centrepiece in its hall is a 94-foot long giant blue whale, hung from the ceiling. Videos, interactive displays and beautifully restored ocean dioramas are dotted around the hall.

If you have time for three museums, visit MOMA- the Museum of Modern Art. It’s called by some one of the most influential museums in the world, with works dating from the 1800s too now. Some of the world’s most creative art reside here. You can stay hours in here, just marvelling at the works of great artists like Pollock, Van Gogh, Mattisse, Warhol, Haring and more. Designed by Japanese architect Yoshio Taniguchi, The MOMA building itself is a conversation piece.

4. Walk the Brooklyn Bridge

I’ve been told by a handful of people if I ever visit New York to stroll along the Brooklyn Bridge. So I did. A common fixture in movies, I thought I wouldn’t be impressed by it. It’s after all, just a bridge. Up close, there’s a lot of marvel about. That is, if you manage to get to the bridge’s walking path. Its surrounding area is being hoarded up for renovation.

There’s only a dubious makeshift sign on a piece of cardboard pointing earnest bridge-walkers in the direction of a questionable path. I took the leap of faith and did find myself at the beginning of the bridge, staring at the web of steel wires holding it up.

It’s the first steel-wire suspension bridge to ever be built, and 129 years later, it still stands sturdy. It’s mind-boggling how the structure can be held together by steel wires and limestone and granite. In its lifetime, it has carried horse-drawn carriages and trolley traffic. It currently has six lanes of traffic to and fro between Manhattan and Brooklyn. If you walk to the center of the bridge, you can catch a gorgeous view of the Manhattan skyline.

Tip: Morning and evening views at the Brooklyn Bridge differ greatly. Sunrise views at Brooklyn Bridge lend an inspiring start to the day, with its yellow-orange hue casting a golden veil over the skyline; while the twilight scene gives a more mysterious and magical feel. Visit the bridge twice to experience a different view of the city.

5. Go to the top of the Empire State Building

It’s always a debate on which gives a more spectacular view, the Empire State Building or Rockafeller Centre. To me, it’s pretty clear. The Top of the Rock may offer a calming view of Central Park, but if you want an aerial view of the Empire State, you have to visit the building named after it. The Observatory deck gives a 360 degree view of the city. The active streets below are seen but not heard. From the 86^th storey, they are only soft murmurs. Like the Brooklyn Bridge, both day and night views are different. In the day, the view from the top shows a greyish city, except for that one illuminated spot of flashing billboard signs, and yellow ants crawling around the city grid. At night, the city lights up like fireflies in the dark and the city is still as busy.

Tip: For day visits, try to make it as early as possible, the queue to get to The Observatory Deck can be a long wait of two hours. Anytime between 11am to 8pm is peak period to get to the top. For night visits, the Deck closes at 2am and the last visiting time is at 1:15am. The queue is around half hour at midnight.

6. Get up close with the Statue of Liberty

I always thought Lady Liberty is an imposing woman, but up close, she’s quite petite. From Battery Park, you get a glimpse of her on Liberty Island, a tiny green figure staring out into the open sea, if it’s not foggy. A short 20-minute Ferry will take you to her, where you can take an audio tour around the tiny island and learn about how this Mother of Exiles landed here.

Ordinarily, you could climb up her head, but the lady is undergoing some cosmetic changes for her 125^th anniversary. At the foot of the statue, you get to appreciate the expert craftsmanship of this Freedom symbol. Her cloak looks as if it’s bellowing in the wind. Her features are an aristocratic sharp and her arms beautifully crafted. Hollow on the inside, this iconic statue is created out of copper. The seafoam green she now spots is a result of oxidized copper. There’s also a different view of the Manhattan city skyline here , compared to the Brooklyn Bridge.

Tip: Do not visit on weekends. The crowds taking the ferry are five times longer than weekdays. And try to buy your tickets before the actual day of visit. Otherwise you’d have to double your queuing time. You can easily get tickets in the city, at the Visitor’s Center.

7. Watch a Broadway Musical

You’ve not really been to New York if you didn’t catch a musical or two. And there are plenty to choose from. There are the classics like The Lion King, Chicago, Mama Mia and Wicked, and then there are the new ones like Spiderman: Turn off the Dark, Bring it On: The Musical (why would there be a musical for this is a mystery to me), Sister Act, Rock of Ages and Evita. The best case scenario is that you catch a classic and a new production. The former because the quality of the cast is superb, you are guaranteed a phenomenal time. And you’d want to also catch a more recent production because a contemporary take on musicals may be refreshing. I caught Spiderman: Turn off the Dark and loved it. The most expensive musical production, the show sees Peter Parker doing cartwheels in the air and hurtled himself across the stage and right above the audience. It’s like an acrobatic show and musical rolled into one. With music by Bono and The Edge from U2, this new breed of musical measures up the classics with its uniqueness.

Tip: Tickets to musicals are not cheap, especially when you intend to catch more than one. It’s not unusual for visitors to wait in line directly outside the theater on show days to try their luck on getting discounted tickets. There is however, no guarantee. It depends on the ticket sales for the day. Another way is to wait in line at the TKTS booth at Times Square (TKTS Discount Booths). The queue here may take up to three hours. But this allows you to go for your second choice if you can’t get your first. TKTS sells tickets to both Broadway and Off Broadway shows. However, my favorite way to get tickets is go straight to the Visitor’s Center. There, the staff are able to get discounts ranging from 30%- 60%, depending on the popularity of the show you’re after. No queue, no hassle. They print a discount coupon for you, and you just head to the desired theater and get your tickets.

8. Walk the High Line

I read that it’s a walkway, a garden park, a place to chill out, and an oasis to escape to. Sounds like a lot to live up to for a former elevated New York Central Railroad. But it really is all that. The one-mile High Line Park runs from Gansevoort Street, three blocks below West 14th Street, in the Meatpacking District, up to 30th Street, through the neighborhood of Chelsea to the West Side Yard. Open from 7 am to 10 pm, different sections of the walkway offer different views of the city.

Each section is unique. There’s a portion resembling a mini theater with tiered seating, except your show is the ongoing traffic from the street below you visible through a glass panel where a stage should be. There are deck chairs in another section, where you can lounge and catch a tan. At another section, you can roll around the long grass patch, or just relax with a good book in hand. The bridge also has cafes and stalls selling food, making it an ideal spot to catch up with friends. I’ve never seen anything as refreshing as this before.

Tip: In Summer, try walking on the High Line either early in the morning or in the late afternoons to evening. The sun might be too harsh for an afternoon stroll, unless your intention was to get a tan.

9. Visit the Grand Central Station

I took the subway to The Grand Central Station. The moment I emerged to the surface level, it’s like stepping into a movie set, because the station is yet another main fixture in movies. Titles like The Fisher King, Conspiracy Theory, I Am Legend and Hackers spring to mind. The largest station in the world, the station has an old school charm and an air of mystery to it. I stood right in the center, watching lines of people scurrying about, rushing to their next train. It makes an interesting sight. The architecture here is amazing, remember to look up at the ceiling and admire the design conceived by Paul César Helleu, a French portrait artist. The station serves more than a place of commute. It has a dining concourse and a market selling produce.

Tip: If you want to learn more about the history behind the Grand Central Station, there is an audio tour available at the Main Concourse where you can roam the place and get all the details and insights of its architecture and development.

10. Visit the 9/11 Memorial

There is a new World Trade Center being built right now, called One World Trade Center. It was previously known as Freedom Tower.  Next to it is the 9/11 Memorial. Visitors can visit the memorial, but you must reserve a pass first at the Memorial Preview Center. Yes, it all sounds a bit confusing. You take the subway to the Fulton Street and when you get out, there isn’t any sign pointing you to the Preview Site/ Center to collect passes to visit the memorial site. There are only huge signs pointing you to the memorial site, only to be told you need a pass with a designated visitation time. Then you turn around the hunt for the Preview Center, a small inconspicuous place easily missed.

Near this preview center is also a museum commemorating the victims. Between you and me, I’d say save the effort lining up for passes to visit the memorial unless you really want to, just visit the museum will do. The exhibits are powerful enough to convey the ugliness of the terrorist act.

And that’s how I spent eight precious days in New York. In between, there was also a lot of eating, plenty of shopping and a whole lotta walking. How would you spend a week in New York City?

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