From Charlotte to NYC: A whirlwind weekend guide for solo travel to the Big Apple

There’s nothing I can say about New York that hasn’t been said plentifully — and better — by some of the greatest writers and thinkers of the past century. Rarely can something be called “best in the world” without hyperbole.

What I can tell you is that if you have not yet used your proximity to the Big Apple from Charlotte Douglas to take a weekend trip, consider this your sign.

From CLT to NYC

• Flights from Charlotte to NYC range from $80 to $240 for a round trip.
• There are often 20 or more flights a day leaving Charlotte for one of the New York airports (JFK, LaGuardia and Newark). My preference is to fly into LaGuardia. Located in Queens, it’s the closest airport to Manhattan — plus you can avoid some of the chaos of JFK, which is a major international hub.
• Commute into the city either with an (admittedly expensive) rideshare service, or for a cheaper option, take one of the airport link buses to the subway and ride to the subway stop nearest your destination.

As part of my self-appointed duty to find some of the best ways to experience New York on a quick, solo weekend trip, here are my favorite places to stay, things to do and bites to eat.

When to go in NYC

I’m partial to the city, so I haven’t disliked going there any time of year. However, fall is on the horizon, and it is an excellent time to see the city shine.

Peak foliage is typically in the latter half of October, but the leaves start to change early in the month. The mild weather makes walking all the more enjoyable, and walking is my favorite way to feel immersed in Manhattan’s energy. When I visited in early October 2024, it was still in the low 70s during the day with full sunshine.

Where to stay in NYC

I tend to choose between two vibes: a calm, neighborhood feel or a more bustling, buzzy spot. For the former, I like to stay on the Upper West Side by Central Park and for the latter, in Lower Manhattan near Chelsea, SoHo or Greenwich.

The Upper West Side is a bit quieter, with beautiful brownstones, but still provides easy access to some of NYC’s best offerings: It’s home to Lincoln Center (with the Metropolitan Opera and New York City Ballet), Central Park West and the American Museum of Natural History. Particularly as a woman traveling alone, I find walking in this area to feel easily navigable and safe.

Chelsea and SoHo offer a different side to the city, one in which you’ll find a ton of restaurants, lots of nightlife and shopping. The area feels younger and more vibrant, but also busier. I still feel very comfortable in both these areas when alone, but I would be a bit more mindful about walking around solo at night.

Upper West Side hotels

Arthouse Hotel is a staple for me: I’ve stayed probably five or six times, and it’s always a consistent experience. The service is great, the downstairs bar and lounge are charming and cozy, and the walkability for Upper West siders is excellent. It’s nice but not pricey or stuffy, and while the rooms are on the smaller side, you’ll have everything you need for a comfortable stay. Depending what time of year you travel, you can expect rooms to start around $250/night.

The Wallace is just a block away from Arthouse, so you’ll get all the same benefits of the good location with a different vibe. Wallace is a bit more expensive but still surprisingly well priced for what you can expect inside. The hotel offers spacious rooms and a beautiful lobby bar. Nightly room rates at The Wallace typically start at $350.

Both hotels get you to the park in a little more than a five-minute walk.

Downtown hotels

There are a few strong options I’ve returned to, but expect the cost in this area to jump significantly between a “basic” hotel and anything three stars or above. One thing that hasn’t been said about New York is that it’s inexpensive … still, there are ways to stay in some lovely spots downtown without going way over budget.

The Hotel Chelsea is a true icon, built in the 1880s and beloved by some of the most famous writers and artists of the 20th century who lived there when the hotel was low-rent residences (think: Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen and Jack Kerouac). An extensive renovation was completed in 2022, so it’ll run you around $500 a night these days, but it offers an unparalleled experience of the city’s rich history.

The Marlton Hotel in Greenwich is another favorite at about half the nightly price of Chelsea. The location is excellent, and the wood-paneled lobby embodies charming, old-school New York. The on-site restaurant, Chez Nous, is quite good, as well.

The least expensive (on average) of my favorites in the area is Walker Hotel Tribeca. The hotel (and rooms) are on the smaller side, but everything is well-appointed and the design is lovely. It’s nearly impossible to find anything at this budget — rooms start at $199 — in the area that is also this nice. There’s a nice gym, a rooftop bar with great views and you can get easily on foot to everywhere you’d want to go.

NYC food and beverage (aka the best part)

Admittedly, dining is a large portion of what I enjoy about visiting the city. New York’s food scene is untouchable, and it doesn’t matter if you were there last month or last year, you’ll always have the opportunity to try something new to you.

My personal, definitive list of New York bites could stretch on quite long, so consider this a very brief selection of great eats.

Upper West Side restaurants

Because it’s a little quieter area, the food scene isn’t as buzzy as downtown, but there are a few reliable staples I return to.

Located on the rooftop of Kimpton Theta in midtown, Sprezzatura is a rooftop bar with a charming Italian Riviera feel. Expect expansive views of the skyline and an indoor/outdoor setting.

Bar Sprz, as it’s affectionately known, has a great happy hour menu and something it calls a “Piccola Cena” (or little dinner). Happy hour includes $8 glasses of wine, $10 cocktails and small plates from $3 to $11. The Piccola Cena menu, which translates to “Little Dinner,” is set at just $25.

When staying uptown, The Mermaid Inn is my favorite traditional, sit-down dinner spot. It’s got a cozy, Cape Cod neighborhood feel, but it’s also always lively. The food and service are both consistently excellent, and I’ve never had a meal here that I didn’t enjoy start to finish. There’s a happy hour with $2 oysters and a great cocktail menu.

Finally, there’s the classic Empire Hotel rooftop. This brick cocktail bar has both a lunch taproom and a cozy parlor with small plates and vintage cocktails. It’s got a perfectly New York feeling, with some of the best cocktails in the area.

Downtown NYC restaurants

If you’re calling Chelsea or SoHo home base, you’re close to just about every hotspot you can imagine — and you’re likely to just stumble into a cafe or restaurant that’s well above average.

La Mercerie is currently in contention for Manhattan’s best chocolate chip cookie, and it has a great brunch and dinner menu, as well. It’s a unique spot that’s a mix of contemporary French cuisine, a pastry counter and espresso bar, and a home decor shop. Beyond the can’t-miss chocolate chip cookie, the Nicoise salad tastes like a real bite of France, and the crudo is fresh and delicious.

Jeffrey’s Grocery in the West Village is similar to Mermaid Inn in that it’s got a friendly, relaxed feel alongside some truly stellar seafood. About 75% of its diners are walk-ins — a rarity in New York — so if you do need a reservation, the small selection is released two weeks ahead of time, and you’ll want to snag it quickly. Expect handhelds like lobster rolls and fish sandwiches, alongside classic seafood offerings like shrimp cocktail and mussels.

Then there’s Chelsea Market, where you can grab a quick, less expensive bite to eat for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It’s a mix of retail and food vendors, and while it can get quite busy inside, the food hall is iconic for good reason. I like Los Tacos No. 1 and Filaga Pizzeria.

Finally, Locanda Verde in Tribeca, famously co-owned by none other than Robert De Niro, makes for a fun night out. It’s inside The Greenwich Hotel, so expect a fancier atmosphere. The pasta in particular is excellent, and so is the steak tartare.

What to do in New York City

Simply taking the city on by foot is one of my favorite ways to spend time.

If you want to get your steps in, Central Park is a must, and you can access it anywhere from 59th to 110th Street. The High Line is also a nice walk; 1.45-miles long, it was built on an elevated section of what used to be the New York Central Railroad.

If you’re a museum-goer, The MET on the Upper East Side is quintessential NYC. The largest art museum in the United States and one of the most visited in the world is quite a mindblowing place. MoMA in Midtown has a completely different array of pieces but is also a truly impressive museum.

Depending on which you’re more called to, New York’s offerings for sports and for live entertainment are also unbeatable. Madison Square Garden and Yankee Stadium are iconic, and I don’t need to tell you that Broadway is, too. Off-Broadway, there are many great options as well, from theater to live music to comedy. Either of these environments — sport or live shows — always make me feel more connected to the heartbeat of what makes New York so special.

This is a city that famously never slows down, but one of my favorite parts is how easy it is to slip into the swirl — if only for a weekend.

And if you can, snag that window seat on the flight home. The view from the air, leaving Queens, never gets old.

This story was originally published August 8, 2025 at 5:30 AM.

Sunny Hubler

The Charlotte Observer

Sunny Hubler is a Charlotte-based editor, writer and journalism instructor. You can catch her teaching yoga and meditation in her free time, nerding out over good books, exchanging travel stories or trying to get a 2/6 on Wordle.