Nylah Mitchell/Fourth Estate

Copy editor Nylah Mitchell shares her guide to the Big Apple for spring break

BY NYLAH MITCHELL, COPY EDITOR

Spring break is finally here! Whether you’re planning a solo day trip or a week-long family vacation to New York City (NYC), this checklist recommends only the best places to visit. In this selection are tourist hotspots, as well as beloved local dives. 

Dining

First morning in NYC? Try Flipper’s in Soho for amazing pancakes or visit Maman for a French-inspired breakfast and lunch. Recommended dishes include the Papa’s Breakfast bowl and Rose’s Steak Sandwich, both served with balsamic mixed greens. 

For lunch or dinner, Eataly in Flatiron offers multiple Italian restaurants inside its bustling grocery store. Try La Pizza & La Pasta for simple yet delicious Italian food. The Lo Spaghetto al Pomodoro is “delizioso” topped with parmesan. 

Not in the mood for Italian? Consider Din Tai Fung for Chinese, or Hamachi Sushi 34 for Japanese delicacies. Craving Mexican? Los Tacos No. 1 is a popular yet perfect taco spot. For those with a low spice tolerance, it does lean on the spicier side of tacos, so be warned. Its rival, Tacombi, receives rave reviews from almost every downtown New Yorker around. 

For those who just want a good ol’ burger and fries? Head to 7th Street Burger  for a classic smashed cheeseburger with crispy fries dipped in their house sauce. Want a McDonald’s-inspired ‘Happy Meal’ with Instagram picture-worthy plating? The Happiest Hour is just the place. With a wide variety of bites and burgers, the happiest meal, priced at $22, will get a burger of choice, fries and a cocktail/mocktail, along with a burger keyring souvenir. 

The Go-to Spots

No New York trip is complete without trying an authentic bagel and pizza slice. Pop-up bagels is a cute touristy spot that offers a unique experience with a tub of cream cheese for dipping. Leon’s Bagels is a gem for an artisan bagel with picturesque packaging. Above all, any local deli or bodega will never lead astray; the best bacon, egg and cheese sandwich ever had is at a local deli. 

For pizza, try Rosa’s Pizza, Gotham Pizza and any $1.50 pizza shop for a classic and most gigantic New York slice. Whether a simple cheese, pepperoni or Margherita slice, each will disappear in no time. 

Need to hit a sweet treat? Van Leeuwen Ice Cream is a must-visit spot to fulfill such craving. From Lucie serves the best cakes and sea salt chocolate chip cookies. Sugar Hill Creamery in Harlem, a Black-owned and woman-led business, is the tried-and-true spot for ice cream. New Yorkers rave about the What’s Up, Doc?, carrot cake flavor, and the Nunu’s Peach Cobbler flavor. 

Shopping 

Have time to kill and want to stimulate the wandering brain around a bookstore? Rizzoli Bookstore is the place to flip through endless coffee table books. Strand Bookstore, the Corner Bookstore and Shakespeare and Co. are great places for a literary escape. Check out McNally Jackson for classic literature, stationery and curated staff picks to fall back in love with reading. 

For vintage shopping, NYC has countless stores, but L Train Vintage and Tokio7 are top picks for designer finds like Comme Des Garçon and Acne Studios. These spots are perfect to stop by and hunt for cool designer pieces. 

For Viewing Purposes 

For the film buffs, the Paris Theater hosts a number of vintage film screenings with Q&A sessions with film critics and directors. The theater is only footsteps away from Central Park and tickets are sold for $15 for students. To add some reviews for a Letterboxd account, Film at the Lincoln Center screens indie films and is currently running its annual French film festival. Students can purchase tickets for $19. 

In a historic city, visit the 9/11 Museum near the One World Trade Center. At the memorial, interact with artifacts and sacred rubble from the catastrophic event. Students can purchase tickets for $30, and on Mondays, visitors can tour the museum for free between 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.  

No New York City checklist is complete without the inclusion of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Venture into several exhibits documenting the periods of the 20th and 21st centuries. Students can purchase tickets for $17. 

Stuck on campus for spring break? Look for opportunities from Mason to New York City. Previously, Mason has offered shuttles to NYC for $30 or less. For more information and ticket inquiries, visit GMU Transportation.