New York, New York! If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere, they say. Of course, you’ll need to figure out how to get around first. While most people tend to view New York as a scary place filled with brash and busy people, the fact is that it’s incredibly easy to get around the city and enjoy yourself once you get the hang of things.
Today, we’re going to take a deep dive into everything you need to do in order to plan a trip to New York, and we’ll share with you some of the most fun and exciting activities for you and your trip mates from Manhattan to Montauk, and everywhere in between!
Getting to New York
Your first order of business will be to decide how you’re going to travel into the city. There are tons of different travel options for getting from where you are into New York, and some of them are quite affordable. Depending on your travel budget, you’ll probably find that one method of travel is best suited for you.
Traveling by Plane
New York is home to several international airports, including two that are located in the boroughs of New York City.
John F. Kennedy International Airport and Laguardia International Airport are the most popular airports to fly into, thanks to their proximity to Manhattan. Both of these airports are located in Queens, with JFK to the south, and Laguardia to the north. Each of these airports is international, and thousands of planes from all over the world fly into these airports each day.
The Newark International Airport is also a popular airport for New York travelers, thanks to its close proximity to New York City. Despite being in New Jersey, this airport is still less than twenty miles from NYC. Many travelers will fly into Newark International to save a few bucks on their travel costs, as flights to Newark tend to be slightly cheaper than those to LGA or JFK.
Beyond the “big three” of NYC-area airports, there are several other smaller airports throughout New York, including eight more international facilities throughout the state, and well over a dozen additional facilities that serve domestic aircraft.
Depending on what you’d like to do once you arrive in New York, you may find one of these facilities to be a good fit for your trip. However, most people tend to stick with either JFK, LGA, or Newark for their travels.
Once you’ve arrived, there are a few different ways for you to make it to your destination.
From JFK, the AirTrain can take you to Jamaica station, a major train hub in Queens that connects to the Long Island Rail Road, several subway lines, and Penn Station. Newark International offers similar AirTrain service, and Laguardia Airport offers bus service at all airline terminals, with free transfers to practically every subway station.
If you prefer to travel more privately, there are a litany of different car service providers, as well as taxi cabs, Uber and Lyft. These options are more expensive, but they can provide you with door-to-door service from your terminal to your destination. If you’re planning on taking a shuttle or car service, it’s helpful to book in advance to avoid any hiccups regarding price or service.
Traveling by Train
If you aren’t too keen on the idea of flying into New York, traveling by rail may be a viable option for you. Amtrak connects the entire continental United States by rail, and there are a variety of different trips you can take that will bring you to New York.
For people in the Midwest and on the west coast, traveling by rail isn’t the most practical option. But, for those on the east coast, and for anyone who lives near an Amtrak hub, traveling by rail can be an affordable and low-stress way to get into the city.
Traveling by Car
If you’re more of a road tripper, you can obviously take your car to the city as well. But, unless you’re on a larger road trip or you live in the immediate vicinity of New York, traveling by car is probably the least advisable method.
For one, driving in the city can be frustrating and difficult. The busy nature of the city means that there’s usually traffic, and everyone is in a hurry. Construction and road work are constants in New York City, and it isn’t uncommon to encounter detours requiring you to reroute yourself.
Perhaps more importantly, it’s expensive. Virtually all of the entrances into the city require tolls, and parking in the city is difficult. Free spots are virtually non-existent, and metered street parking is hard to find, and often requires you to follow parking laws that are difficult for newbies to understand.
You’ll find parking garages on practically every block in the city, but they can be quite expensive. Parking for less than an hour will run upwards of $10, and parking for several hours or a day will set you back at least $30, and significantly more at peak times.
Staying in New York
There’s certainly no shortage of places to stay in the greater NYC area; it all depends on what you’re looking for. From five star suites overlooking Central Park to more modest rooms in budget-friendly hotels to an apartment or room rental from Airbnb or VRBO, there’s no shortage of great places to stay in the area.
With the advent of services like Airbnb, some tourists relocate multiple times during their stay to enjoy a different perspective of the city.
One thing you’ll quickly realize about staying in Manhattan is that it’s quite expensive. Even the most modest accommodations in town will run you north of $100 per night, and that number balloons significantly if you’re staying somewhere nice, or if you’re in town for a holiday or event. On average, most tourists spend about $250 per night for a modest room, and significantly more for a suite.
One way to keep your lodging costs down is by staying outside of Manhattan, or in a less desirable area of the city. Accommodations in northern or southern Manhattan tend to be more affordable than those in Midtown, and they become even cheaper if you stay in one of the other boroughs, or across the river in northern New Jersey.
Staying outside of Manhattan does present a bit of a trade-off since it will take you longer to commute into the city at the start of the day, and back to your room at night. Staying in Manhattan will make your travel easier, and it’s also nice to be able to pop back into your room for a refresh after a long day in the city.
If you plan on staying in Manhattan proper, travel sites, as well as deal sites like Groupon are indispensable, and they can save you hundreds on your room and board during your trip.
If you plan to take in the other sights and sounds of New York beyond the city itself, you’ll have no problem finding more reasonable accommodations on Long Island, the Hudson Valley, or further north.
Getting Around the City
When it comes to getting around, there is no shortage of ways to move from point A to point B. New York City boasts one of the most comprehensive public transit systems in the country, with subways running 24 hours a day throughout the five boroughs, and bus service as well.
Or, if you’d prefer to stay at street level, you’ll find rental kiosks throughout the city for Citibike, which allows you to rent a bike anywhere in the city, and return it to any other Citibike kiosk you find. Soon, you’ll be able to do the same with motorized scooters.
A word of caution regarding bikes and scooters; New York City is one of the fastest-paced and busiest places on earth, and it can be a dangerous place for bicyclists, people on scooters, and anyone else using motorized transit. Unless you’re 100% comfortable with riding a bike in a busy city, we’d recommend steering clear of these methods.
If you’re able, getting around on foot is one of the best ways to see the city and really get a feel for the character and history of the various neighborhoods. Plus, you’re only ever a few feet from a subway or bus station, so if you need to cover more ground, just hop on a bus or train.
If you prefer to drive and want to get a feel for what wheeling around in the big city is all about, you can rent a car. Thanks to services like Zipcar, you can rent a car conveniently in the city for an hour, a few hours, a day, or even longer.
As we mentioned earlier, mass transit remains the best and most affordable way to get around the city. Plus, it’s an incredibly easy stem to understand. No matter where you’re going, you can get there for $2.75 each way. Load money onto a Metrocard, and swipe the card to board any subway train or bus throughout the five boroughs.
Depending on how much you’ll be traveling, it may make sense for you to purchase a weekly or monthly unlimited Metrocard, which costs $33 and $127, respectively, and provide you with either 7 or 30 days of unlimited rides anywhere in the city.
Finding Your Way in the City
Regardless of how you prefer to get around the city, New York is one of the easiest places for you to find your way in. With the exception of the lowest portion of Manhattan, the financial district, the entire rest of the city (and virtually all of the sights of Manhattan) are built on a grid. This grid makes it easy to orient yourself no matter where you are.
Here’s all you need to know about traveling in Manhattan:
- Streets move east to west
- Avenues move north to south
- Fifth Avenue divides the east and west sides of Manhattan
- The closer you are to Fifth Avenue, the lower the address number
The only exception to this system is Broadway, which takes a less predictable path through Manhattan. When you’re uptown or downtown, Broadway runs north to south, but from 44th Street to just beyond Union Square, Broadway runs diagonally.
Unfortunately, the other four boroughs aren’t quite as logical when it comes to navigating. But, even the most difficult parts of town are easy to get around with the help of your smartphone.
What to Do in New York
The greater New York City area is one of the most lively and historic parts of the country. There is no shortage of sights to see and things to enjoy, and you’d need a lifetime to experience all that there is to offer.
The good news is since there’s so much to see and do, you’re sure to enjoy an action-packed trip that’s filled with memories that will last forever. This list represents is just the tip of the iceberg, but it’s a great place to get started as you plan a trip to New York.
Stuff to See
Whether it’s your first time in the city or your hundredth, there are tons of attractions and museums in the immediate area. Here are a few of the classics.
Central Park
Since it was completed in 1879, Central Park has been the crown jewel of the city, and an ideal way to escape the typically busy streets for some much-needed rest and reflection.
Central Park is an enormous complex that offers beautiful scenery, lakes, and plenty of architecture and design elements. Be sure to check out Loeb’s Boathouse, the Jackie Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, the USS Marine monument, Strawberry Fields, and the Ornamental Bridge. These sites are just the beginning of what Central Park has to offer.
Central Park has over twenty entrances spanning 60th-110th streets in Manhattan. But, much of the park’s most beautiful elements exist north of 70th street. We recommend entering the park in that area, so you have plenty of energy to see the most beautiful sections of the park. If you have time later, you can head to the southern area of the park and soak that in as well.
Rock Center and Top of the Rock
Rockefeller Center is where much of the magic in New York happens, at least with regard to show business. The Rockefeller Center complex houses most of the city’s television studios, as well as restaurants and other attractions, including beautiful sculptures, like Atlas and Prometheus.
But, the true allure of Rockefeller Center is the Top of the Rock observation deck, where you can take in the most incredible view Manhattan has to offer.
The Statue of Liberty
Since the late 1880s, the Statue of Liberty has presided over New York Harbor, shining a light onto the people of New York. As one of the premier sights in the city, the statue is something that you must behold before leaving New York.
There are five different ways to see Lady Liberty. You can get a great view from Governors Island, Battery Park, or from Liberty State Park across the river in New Jersey. Liberty State Park is usually the least crowded place to see the statue since it’s in neighboring New Jersey, where there’s typically much less foot traffic.
You can visit Liberty Island and see the statue up close and personal, too. Ferry service is available to Liberty Island as well as Ellis Island, so you can tackle two incredible New York landmarks in one day.
American Museum of Natural History
One of the most iconic museums in the world, the American Museum of Natural History, is located just off Central Park West, and inside, you’ll find several floors packed with world history from prehistoric times, through the first recording humans, all the way through today.
This cavernous museum requires several hours to traverse, but you could easily spend a full day here, too. With so many other historic sites and museums in the area, this is a great stop to schedule into a day spent in upper Manhattan.
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Met houses one of the world’s most incredible collections of art, and it’s a must-see on your trip to Manhattan. The facilities and artwork are both world-class, and travelers from the world over flock to the Met year after year on their city trip.
The museum’s first two floors are among the most popular, and they house permanent collections of Greek, Roman, Egyptian, and Islamic art. Beyond these exhibits, there are rotating exhibits that showcase a broad range of art from across the world since the beginning of time.
Best of all, the museum is open until 9 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, so you won’t have to worry about being rushed as you take in the beautiful artwork.
Grand Central Station
One of the most breathtaking examples of design in Manhattan can be seen at Grand Central Station. Since the early 1910s, Grand Central Station has been New York City’s major transit hub, connecting rail services from all over the world to midtown Manhattan.
While it’s fun to marvel at how many people and trains arrive and depart Grand Central on a daily basis, the real draw here is the absolutely breathtaking architecture and design. The Grand Concourse is one of the most beautiful areas of the city, and it’s worth spending a day getting lost and taking in the sights and sounds of the station.
Plus, there’s plenty of amazing restaurants, bars, and attractions within Grand Central Station, so there’s no shortage of fun activities to engage in.
The Empire State Building
While everyone should make it a point to see the Empire State Building before they die, the expensive admission fees, long lines, and scores of tourists can detract from the luster of this incredible building. But, if you’re looking for something to fill an afternoon, it’s still well worth the trip, even if it’s expensive.
Take a tour of the building, and if you’re brave, venture out onto the glass-floor observatory and take in the sites on the ground from a perspective almost 1,100 feet off the ground.
Stuff to Eat
Beyond all the sights, New York is known as one of the best international food cities in the world. From street food to Michelin star-level cuisine, New York has it all. With such a thriving diversity of cultures, you’ll find restaurants that cater to every style of cooking in the world, much of which is world-class.
Eat as Much Pizza as You Can
Sure, pizza may have been invented in Italy, but one could argue that it was elevated to an art form in America. The first pizza in America can be traced back to pioneering Italian-American (and New Yorker) Gennaro Lombardi. Lombardi opened his self-named pizzeria in 1905 in the Little Italy section of downtown New York City. Back then, he was getting a nickel a slice.
Plenty has changed since Gennaro opened the country’s first pizzeria, but one thing has remained the same: New York’s pizza excellence.
Pizza purists will argue for hours about what makes New York pizza so special, but there are a few constants that New York pizza requires, and these elements are beyond reproach. A proper New York pizza is hand-tossed, and they’re usually around 20” in diameter. Once the dough has been tossed, the pizzaiolo adds tomato sauce and cheese before throwing it into a roaring hot gas oven.
Beyond the classic New York style, the city is also famous for Neapolitan style pies. In fact, many of the first pizzerias, like Lombardi’s of Little Italy, employed the Neapolitan style of pizza making. While these pizzas are similar to New York-style in many ways, there are a few key differentiators.
Most notably, a Neapolitan style pizza must be cooked in a wood-fired oven. This style of oven offers a unique flavor and characteristic burnt spots that are a favorite of most pizza lovers. These pies usually offer a thin coating of tomato sauce and are topped with fresh mozzarella and basil. Compared to New York style, there’s much less sauce and cheese on the pie.
New York is home to some of the best pizzerias in the country, and since it’s one of the better deals in the city (you’ll find spots in most neighborhoods offering slices for a buck), pizza makes a great lunch when you’re on the go.
If you’re wondering where to start, this list of the 28 best New York City pizzerias should keep you occupied during your stay.
The Kosher-style Delicatessen
With scores of European immigrants making their way to New York City, they brought with them rich cultural traditions and unique foods. As early as the mid-1800s, delicatessens throughout the city catered to the growing immigrant population, with each group contributing something to the mix, especially Jewish-Americans, who brought with them our beloved pastrami sandwich.
Today, true Kosher delis are few and far between, but there are still some incredible examples, like Russ and Daughters on the Lower East Side, that carry the torch. If you’re looking for the best pastrami sandwich in town, Katz’s deli, also on the LES, is a popular haunt that’s tough to beat.
New York Bagels
If there’s one thing that New York is famous for beyond pizza, it’s bagels. For over a century, bagels have been a go-to breakfast for busy New Yorkers starting their day, and you can’t leave the city without enjoying one.
We’ll leave it up to you to decide who has the best bagels in NYC, but with great options in every neighborhood, you’ll have no trouble finding plenty to nosh on.
Fine Dining
One of the meccas of fine dining, New York, is home to some of the top chefs in the world, and some of the most innovative restaurants. The city is home to 75 Michelin-star restaurants, including five restaurants that boast three Michelin stars. These restaurants are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the delicious fine dining options New York has on offer.
Street Food
Every metropolitan area has a street food scene, and NYC is no different. From classics like the dirty water dog and the hot pretzel to Halal favorites like lamb over rice or falafel, there’s a different on-the-go option at every street corner. These days, there are also plenty of food trucks offering some of the trendiest and tastiest food around.
Eat It All In One Place: Smorgasburg
Since 2011, Smorgasburg has been one of the largest food and cultural events in New York City. In the warmer months, Smorgasburg pops up at locations in Brooklyn and Manhattan, and during the winter, this roving food festival takes root indoors at the Brooklyn Flea Market.
Visitors will find a treasure trove of different food options, including food from around the globe, and pop-up shops from some of the area’s hottest restaurants. If you’re looking to pack the most New York food awesomeness into the smallest amount of time, be sure to stop by Smorgasburg.
Final Word
New York is one of the most iconic cities on earth, and it’s rich with culture and vibrancy. Taking a trip to New York is something that everyone should do within their lifetime. Keep in mind that our guide is just the beginning of what there is to do in New York. But, if you start with these tips, you’ll be well on your way to planning an amazing trip to the Big Apple.