This past summer, we took a group to NYC for a missions trip. We planned our itinerary so that we would have a couple of days for sight seeing as well. NYC is a huge place with tons of options to choose from as far as where to go and what to see. It is possible to pack a lot into just a couple of days if you plan accordingly!

One of the first things on our list, was to take our group to Time Square. We wanted them all to be able to take in this iconic place!

We purchased tickets for one of the sightseeing bus tours. It was a great way to see the city and to get from one place to another.

Honestly, the tour guides themselves were not very impressive. They did give us a couple of gems each time as far as famous landmarks. I honestly took the earpiece out and just took pictures as we went. They seemed to be making some of the information up as they went along and then begged for tips as people got off the bus.

Having said that, I would absolutely buy the tour tickets again. If you read the details listed on the brochure, there are tons of attractions that you are able to visit for free with your tour ticket. So, it can be totally worth it if you are able to go to numerous landmarks. I think that next time, we will just walk from one attraction to the next and not even worry about the bus.

We were all anxious to visit the 9/11 memorial site. With our tour bus tickets, we had free admission to the museum. It was all humbling and overwhelming.

We spent several hours there… Otis could have spent all day at the museum. There was so much to read and take in. We will absolutely go back.

As we went over the list of attractions that we had access to, we noticed Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum. We headed there and probably had too much fun! We laughed so much through crazy poses and took hundreds of photos! It was such a fun experience!!

Another place we went to was Top of the Rock. This was also included in our tour bus ticket. When I visited NY as a teenager, we went to the top of the Empire State Building. Comparing the two, I prefer Top of the Rock. At this location, the Empire State Building can also be in your pics!

Many students in our group had never been to NYC. Of course, they wanted to see the Statue of Liberty. Instead of taking the tour to the statue, we opted for the Staten Island Ferry. This was free. It gave us all a nice ferry ride where we went right past the Statue of Liberty. We were able to see her, take lots of pics, and see the skyline from the water.

We were able to fit all of this, plus some shopping, in about two days!!

One more excursion that is totally worth mentioning is Broadway!! If you have the time and the budget, go see a show! We took our group to see The Lion King. Y’all it was so phenomenal!!

If you know me, you know I am a Disney fan anyway…. but I literally started crying during the opening song. They are all singing Circle of Life as I have tears rolling down my cheeks. Otis may have laughed at me. 😂😂 It was all so magical and well done. The tickets aren’t cheap, but definitely worth it!

If you only have a couple of days in NYC, plan well…. you can fit a ton in a short timespan!!