Visiting Washington Square Park in New York City – it’s been on my to do list the last 3 trips to the city. This recent trip to New York was all about visiting new places (as accidental as that was). I didn’t make it over to some of my favorite places, but I did also check out new spots – including Top of the Rock and The Highline.

Washington Square Park in New York City Morning Itinerary

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A post shared by Giulia🌴 San Diego | Style & Travel Content Creator (@palmtreesandpellegrino)

Start with coffee to go at Joe Coffee Company

Start with coffee at local chain Joe Coffee Company. I personally like to grab a cup to go, especially in the winter and take it with me for a morning walk around the park. They have 17 locations across the city, but it makes for a cute stop if you want to spend some time warming up. And who doesn’t love a Tiffany blue cup?

Take a walk through the Washington Square Park

Once you have your coffee in hand, make your way to Washington Square Park. Despite having the name “park” in the title, I assumed the arch was the only thing to see while visiting the Washington Square. It is actually a pretty big park where you can also find a bench to sit on and people watch.

Of course, make sure to stop by the iconic arch for some photos. I feel like everyone that comes to New York makes a stop here. Somehow, in my 5+ visits to the city I never made it. If you’re looking to get some photos like mine, make sure to arrive early (we arrived around 8:30 AM) to get it to yourself!

Grab Breakfast at the Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company

Bagels are one of my all time favorite foods. Whenever I visit New York City, it’s number 1 on my to eat list. We checked out the Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company, which is about a 5 minute walk from the park. They have 4 locations in the city, and are not only delicious but vegan friendly! One of my friends couldn’t stop raving about the tofu cream cheese.

Note: Yelpers say that this place can get crazy busy on weekends. In fact, right as we were finishing our bagels at around 9:30, a swarm of people flooded in the door.