Here’s a complete guide to New York City with everything you need to know about planning a visit, including the list of my favourite, ‘must-see’ sights!
It’s a city no matter how many times you visit, you find new places to explore, new buildings have popped up, and new experiences have been formed. It’s a city you can enjoy any time of the year! I’ve been fortunate to travel twice, once in the summer and once at Christmas. Honestly, I loved both times equally as much!
I’ve done a full separate guide to Christmas in New York: Christmas In New York
Please note: some of the photos used on this blog were taken from a recent trip in 2022. Some photos are from our previous trip back in 2014!
Airports
The two main International Airports are Newark Airport and John F Kennedy Airport. It doesn’t matter which one you choose as they both have good transport links into Manhattan. Both take roughly an hour on the subway to get into Manhattan.
Getting Around New York
The best way to get around New York City is by Subway! There are buses and taxis, but the roads are that congested, and the Subways are so much quicker! Plus, the taxis are not cheap!
The Subways are brilliant in the city! They cover the whole of New York, run very frequently, and are very affordable. They are one of the oldest and largest transport systems in the world!
My advice: don’t try and walk everywhere, use the Subways and save your legs! New York is big and if you are trying to see a long list of sights in just a few days, you soon get tired walking everywhere!
Depending on how many days you are in the city, you can buy yourself a 7-day Metrocard, which you can use unlimitedly on the Subways. Or if you are only in the city for a couple of days, you can log your bank details onto a website called OMNY, and pay contactless for each train ride.
For more information about OMNY, please visit their website: https://omny.info/
For more information about the different ways of paying for transport around the city, and what the best option may be for you, please visit this website: https://new.mta.info/fares
Where To Stay
On my first visit to the city, I stayed in Brooklyn. On my second visit to the city, I stayed in Manhattan.
Depending on your budget, it will depend on where you may want to stay. Staying in Brooklyn is a lot cheaper, but you are further out from the centre. That being said, there are good transport links from Brooklyn to Manhattan. So as long as you don’t mind travelling on the Subways every day, Brooklyn will save you money!
If you have a bigger budget to play with, Manhattan is more of an ideal location if you want to be more central. We stayed in the Hyatt Grand Central. The location was perfect for us! Right next to the Grand Central Train Station, giving us easy access to lots of different Subway lines. Not only that, 5th Avenue and 6th Avenue were within walking distance!
City Pass
Getting a City Pass might help you save your dollars when visiting the city, so it’s worth looking into! We got the C3 City Pass which included 3 observation decks, that we planned to go up: The Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, and The Edge.
Before you visit, I recommend looking into what your want to do, and if purchasing a City Pass will save you money or not. If you do purchase a City Pass and have chosen the attractions you want to use it for, I recommend booking time slots for each one, if you can! To do this you will have to go on the attraction’s own website. For example: if you have chosen the Top of the Rock for one of your free attractions, you will need to go onto their website to book a time slot with your City Pass.
Here is the website for the City Pass: https://www.citypass.com/new-york
What To See And Do
New York City has so much to offer! Here are my top recommendations on what to see and so when visiting the city:
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is a great neighbourhood to visit! Located on the south banks of the East River, here are my three favourite spots in the area:
Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge is one of the most famous bridges in the world! It is a hybrid cable-stayed/suspension bridge with connects Manhattan to Brooklyn, over the East River. It is one of America’s oldest roadway bridges. The bridge opened in 1883, after taking 14 years to construct. It was the first steel-wire suspension bridge to be built. It’s had a few names over the years; New York and Brooklyn Bridge and East River Bridge. In 1915, the bridge was given a new name; Brooklyn Bridge. The name we all recognise today!
The bridge is not small as it contains 6 lanes for cars, cycle paths, and pedestrian paths! Getting a photo on the bridge without anybody in it is almost impossible! Hundreds of people from right around the world come to walk across the famous bridge in New York. The best time to go for a good photo, with minimal people around, is at sunrise!
If you only have time to walk this bridge once, I recommend walking from Brooklyn to Manhattan. By doing it this way round you will see the magnificent skyline of Manhattan. It will take you about half an hour to cross the bridge. This includes time to stop and enjoy the views over the East River, and time to take plenty of great photos. Don’t forget to look out for the Statue of Liberty in the distance on Governors Island.
If you are somebody who loves retracing the steps of actors and actresses, the Brooklyn Bridge has been used in many films over the years. It is one of New York’s most popular filming locations! It has been used in; Sex and the City, Enchanted, Hudson Hawk, The French Connection, Limitless, Transformers, Gossip Girl, and many more.
DUMBO
DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) is a fairly new hot spot that has arisen in the city! It’s the spot a lot of Instagrammers go for the famous photo of the Manhattan Bridge. A place full of quirky cafes, picturesque cobble streets, and fantastic views of the Manhattan skyline!
Location for the famous Instagramable spot: 39-21 Washington St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Brooklyn Bridge Park
Brooklyn Bridge Park has one of my favourite views of the Manhattan Skyline and the Brooklyn Bridge! On a clear day, you can see as far as the Statue of Liberty and watch the Staten Island ferry go and back forth.
Manhattan
Manhattan is the most densely populated of New York Cityâs five boroughs, and the most famous one too! Whenever you visit the city, this tends to be the place you will spend the most time. The main neighbourhood people relate to when they talk about visiting New York City. It’s a neighbourhood with so much to offer!
Here are my favourite things to see and do:
Staten Island Ferry/Statue of Liberty
Staten Island Ferry crossing is a ‘must-do’ while you’re in the city! It’s a free ferry that travels from Manhattan to Staten Island, traveling across New York Harbour. It is free to do and provides incredible views of the Statue of Liberty and the impressive Lower Manhattan Skyline. It takes just 25 minutes to cross and has been rated in one of the guidebooks as, ‘one of the world’s greatest water voyages!’
The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France; built by Gustave Eiffel in 1886 out of copper. The statue was once a dark brown colour, but due to oxidation over the years, the copper has turned green, the colour we know the statue as now. It has become the world’s famous symbol of freedom!
The Staten Island Ferry travels from Whitehall Terminal in Lower Manhattan to St George Terminal on Staten Island. You can catch it back and forth as many times as you want, without it costing you a penny.
During busy periods the ferry runs every 15 – 20 minutes. When rush hour dies down during midday and into the evening, the crossings will run every 30 minutes.
Wall Street
Wall Street-based in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan is one of the world’s most famous streets. The street is an eight-block-long street, which runs from Broadway to South Street. Due to Wall Street, New York City has been called both the most economically powerful city and the leading financial centre of the world!
If you have traveled all the to New York, you must take a walk down Wall Street. You will see the brokerage houses, big banks, and the NYSE building.
Broadway Boulevard
Broadway Boulevard is Manhattan’s most famous street that runs diagonally through the street grid system. Starting at the Bowling Green on State Street in Lower Manhattan, it travels right through the whole of Manhattan, passing through Union Square, Madison Square, Times Square, Central Park, then through the Bronx, heading north up to Sleepy Hollow in Westchester County, where it terminates. It is one long street; 33 miles long. I do not recommend you try to walk it all in a day!
Not sure which part of the 33-mile-long boulevard you should visit? Here are the parts I recommend:
- Want to see the famous Broadway Theatres? Go to the section of Broadway Boulevard in Midtown Manhattan.
- Fancy a bit of clothes shopping? Start downtown near Canal Street and head up through Union Square/14th Street. Also, there are clothes shops that cater to both wholesale and retail trade down 34th street.
- After some good furnishings and home decor? Travel Broadway between 23rd and 34th street.
- Want to visit one of the world’s largest department stores, Macy’s Herald Square? Located on 34th Street, along with other national department stores.
- Visiting at Christmas time? Make sure you pop into Union Square Christmas Markets.
The best time to visit Broadway Boulevard is on weekdays and early on weekends. The 34th Street area can get extremely congested with people, especially during rush hour and on weekends!
Macy’s Department Store
Macy’s Herald Square is one of the world’s largest department stores and the biggest in America. It’s located down Broadway Boulevard, 34th Street. The department story contains 11 floors of shops, cafes, restaurants, a visitor centre, and so much more!
Big movies like 34th Miracle Street, Home Alone II, Scrooged, Elf, The Family Man, Noel, You’ve Got Mail and many more have been filmed here at Macy’s!
If you are visiting at Christmas, a visit is certainly worthwhile! They decorate their store with true Christmas spirit!
How to find it:
Located at Herald Square, between 34th and 35th Street on Broadway Boulevard. With entrances on 7th Avenue and 34th Street.
Flatiron Building
The Flatiron Building, formally known as the Fuller Building, is a triangular 22-story steel-framed landmarked building located on 175 Fifth Avenue. It sits on a triangular block formed by Fifth Avenue, Broadway, and East 22nd Street. The name ‘Flatiron’ comes from its resemblance to a clothes iron. The building has been called, ‘one of the world’s most iconic skyscrapers and a quintessential symbol of New York City’. It had been used in many filming locations over the years; Friends Sit-Com, Spider-Man, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles TV series, and many more.
Times Square
Times Square, the big famous square, full of colourful, flashing billboards! Located at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue, West 42nd to West 47th Street, it’s one of the world’s more visited tourist attractions. It attracts more than 50 million visitors a year! Not only does it attract tourists, but it is also a hot spot for filming. Big movies like Spiderman, New Year’s Eve, Enchanted, and Captain America have used this very spot.
Interestingly, the square was formally known as Longacre Square. In 1904, The New York Times changed its name to Times Square.
Broadway Show
Get yourself to a Broadway Show! I went to watch Chicago. It was one epic show!
If you’re not bothered about a particular show, the best way to save money is to book on the day. In order to do this, head over to the TKTS booth in Times Square. They offer discounted tickets to same-day performances. There is also now an app you can download on your phone to get real-time listings of all Broadway shows. The official app is called TKTS.
Ground Zero 9/11 Memorial
The Ground Zero 9/11 Memorial is a tribute to all those whose lives were lost and the survivors of the 11th September 2001 and the 26th February 1993 terrorist attacks. Located where the Twin Towers once stood, there are two large reflection pools with the victims’ names filling the sides of each pool. It’s absolutely heartbreaking! It has become the country’s largest man-made waterfall.
9/11 Memorial Museum
The 9/11 Memorial Museum is one of the most sobering museums I’ve ever experienced! Honestly, you need to go and see it for yourself! Based underneath, in the fountains of the Twin Towers, the place tells the story of everything from pre-attack, to the moments as the attack happens, to the aftermath. It is devastating!
To plan your visit, I recommend booking a time slot in advance! You can book a headset audio guide, or go around with a tour guide. If you have a City Pass, you can use it as one of your free entries. However, the guided tour or headset isn’t included in the City Pass. This is something you will have to pay extra for!
For more information about the museum and to book a time slot, please visit their website: https://www.911memorial.org/visit/museum
The Oculus
The Oculus Centre or as some call it, the World Trade Center PATH station, is absolutely stunning! It has become the most expensive train station in the world, costing 4 billion dollars to build! Not only is it a train station to 12 different Subway lines, but it’s also home to a Westfield Shopping Centre. Basically, a place with something for everyone!
The design of the Oculus Centre was designed by a Spanish architect, Santiago Calatrava. It was designed to resemble a dove taking flight. Honestly, it is one of the most beautiful train stations/shopping centre’s I have ever seen!
Washington Square Arch
The Washington Square Arch is a marble triumphal arch built which was built in 1892. It is one very beautiful arch to go and see and a very popular filming location! The arch was modeled by Stanford White on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. When I saw it, it reminded me of the Arch de Triomphe which had been shrunk down to fit inside Washington Square.
Chrysler Building
The Chrysler Building is a beautiful Art Deco-Style skyscraper, located on 42nd street. A building that stands out for miles along the city skyline, all for the right reasons! It has become such an iconic landmark of Manhattan! Believe it or not, it once used to be the tallest building in the world! Today, as the city has grown higher, the Chrysler Building is slowly becoming buried! But despite everything, it is still known as a masterpiece in Art Deco architecture!
Walking 5th and 6th Avenue
Walking down 5th and 6th Avenue is a must! Two of the most famous streets in New York City! This is where you will find a lot of the big high street stores, Radio City Music Centre, Rockefeller Centre, the Empire State Building, and so much more!
Empire State Building
Empire State Building was once the world’s tallest building! It may no longer be the tallest building anymore, but still today, it is one of the world’s most famous office buildings! At different times of the year, they light up the tower with different colours, to celebrate holidays, special occasions, and support important organisations.
To go to the top, I recommend booking tickets in advance. If you have the City Pass, you can use it as one of your free entries. There are two viewing platforms to visit. One on the 86th floor, and the other on the 102nd floor. You have to pay extra to go up to the 102nd floor. We decided not to, as the view on the 86th floor was magnificent enough!
For more information about your visit and booking your time slot, head over to their website: https://www.esbnyc.com/
Rockefeller Centre
A lot of you will know the Rockefeller Centre for the Top of the Rock. However, the place is so much more than just the viewing platform! The centre consists of 19 commercial buildings, covering a whopping 22 acres of land! Not only that, at Christmas, the Rockefeller becomes the home of the world’s famous Christmas tree and the famous ice skating ring!
To go to the Top of the Rock, I recommend booking tickets in advance. If you have the City Pass, you can use it as one of your free entries. My favourite time to go up is at sunset! The views over Central Park are stunning!
For more information about your visit and booking your time slot, head over to their website: https://www.rockefellercenter.com/attractions/top-of-the-rock-observation-deck/
Grand Central
A trip to New York cannot be without a trip to Grand Central! A historical, world-famous landmark! It first opened its doors to the public back on the 2nd of February 1913. It has had many names over the year from Grand Central to the Terminal, to the GCT. Today, most people call it Grand Central or Grand Central Terminal.
With a whopping 750,000 visitors every day, it is New York’s most visited attraction!
Grand Central is not just a train station, it’s also a place to shop and dine. Downstairs, they have one big food court, called the Dinning Concourse, with something for everyone! We decided to check it out one night for tea. With plenty of different options to choose from, we decided to go for an Italian meal. The pizza I had was delicious!
For more information on Grand Central, is what there is on offer, please visit their website: https://www.grandcentralterminal.com/
Central Park
Central Park is one of the most recognised places in New York! The length of the park is 2.5 miles, covering 840 acres of land, and has been used for many filming locations, including Home Alone and Gossip Girl.
Every winter the ionic ice rink, the Woolman Rink arrives and attracts people from all other the world. If you want to ice skate here, I do recommend booking in advance, which I talk more about on my Christmas in New York blog: Christmas In New York.
In the summer months, the locals enjoy sailing their miniature boats on the lake, going for walks around the park, and enjoying picnics. It’s a great place for people to go and relax, getting away from the hustle-bustle of the streets!
Little Island
Little Island, located in the Meatpacking District, is a cool, artificial island park. Located on the Hudson River, completely free to visit, it’s a place to go and relax, play some music, or have a picnic. Even on a cold winter’s day, a trip to Little Island is worthwhile! With views over the Hudson River, New Jersey, Empire State Building, One World Trade, and so much more. Just remember to wrap up warm!
Chelsea Market
Chelsea Market, located in the Meatpacking District, is the world’s largest indoor food market! Open every day, with so much choice, you won’t get bored! The hardest part is deciding where to eat! We ate at a place called PIA, which does gorgeous Vegan Mexican food!
For more information about all the different eating places, please check out their website: https://www.chelseamarket.com/
The High Line
The High Line is a fun little walkway that goes from the Meatpacking District up to Hudson Yards. It is 1.45 miles long, providing great city views along the way! It was once a freight rail line, that has now been transformed into a walkway/urban park area.
The High Line starts down Gansevoort Street to 34th Street in the Meatpacking District and finishes in Hudson Yards. You don’t have to walk the full length. There are areas where you can enter and exit the Highline. If you can, give yourself 30 to 40 minutes to walk the full length!
Hudson Yards
Hudson Yards is New York’s newest neighbourhood! Or it was at the time of writing this blog! A place famous for shopping and dining, just don’t expect to get anything on a budget! Hudson Yards is classed as one of the most expensive neighbourhoods in the city! However, don’t let this put you off from visiting. The area is a lovely area to have a potter around. You can enjoy a performance at the Shed, walk around the Vessel, or head indoors into the shopping centre. If you want to get up high, you can up The Edge, which I walk more about below. If you visit at Christmas, you will be blown away by the millions of lights, lighting up the full Yard. It really is a great place!
The Edge
If you want to get up high and see the New York skyline from a different angle, then I recommend going up The Edge! It’s a beautiful spot to watch the sunset over the city! That being said, it wasn’t my favourite observation tower to go up. I preferred the Top of the Rock and the Empire State Building. But if you are somebody who loves viewing the city skyline from different angles, you will love The Edge too!
If you are feeling more adventurous, you can take part in the City Climb. Basically, climbing a 45 degrees angle staircase, leaning over the edge! The highest open-air building ascent in the world! We gave this part a miss!
You can book tickets in advance which I highly recommend doing! If you have the City Pass, you can use it as one of your free activities. With your City Pass, it doesn’t let you book a time slot, to expect to queue for a bit longer.
With it being one of New York’s newest attractions, it was very busy when we visited in December 2022! We ended up having to queue for a long 2 hours! If you are not bothered about visiting for sunset and prefer not to queue for so long, I recommend visiting in the morning!
For more information on booking tickets up the Edge and about the City Climb, please visit their website: https://www.edgenyc.com/en
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Further Reading
My book, How I Tamed the Wolf, Living with Lupus is available on Amazon via this link:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09M73X2JQ/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_MWAF58981F0VVMNRV1WN
Other travel guides you may like:
Chicago – 48 Hours in Chicago
Miami – Miami
LA – A Full Guide To LA
