New York City is the ultimate metropolis: millions of people, thousands layers of history and hundreds of ways to experience the city. I lived & worked in New York City for nearly two years, which was one of the highlights of my life! Here you’ll find all of my New York City travel guides, itineraries, neighbourhood guides and dozens of ideas on how to explore the greatest city in the USA, and in my opinion, the world. If you scroll down, you’ll also find all of my notes from when I lived in New York.

If you have questions about your trip to New York City, comment on any of these posts or get in touch! I am super passionate about New York and would be happy to help.

I acknowledge the Wappinger and Lenape people as the First Nations owners of the lands now recognised as New York City. I pay respect to their Elders, lores, customs and creation spirits. I recognise that these lands have always been places of great natural beauty, culture and community. 

There is so much to see & do in New York City, that planning a trip there can be overwhelming – even on a return visit! After living in New York City, I wrote an itinerary for 5 Days in New York City that includes many of the iconic sights and activities alongside some unique suggestions. Some of the best things to do in New York City include visiting Central Park, exploring the city’s coolest neighborhoods, visiting The Met or Moma, eating the best bagels in New York City and visiting the Empire State Building.

New York City is a collection of dozens of diverse neighbourhoods, each offering a unique experience of the city. The best neighbourhoods to visit in New York City include West Village, Soho, Nolita and Midtown Manhattan, which is home the city’s highest concentration of sights and attractions.

New York City has a rich food culture, thanks to its long history of welcoming immigrants from around the world. New York City is known for it’s bagels, hot dogs, burgers & pizzas, as well as for being home to some of the world’s best restaurants, like Eleven Madison Park. Some of the best bars in the world call New York City home, like Death & Co, Employees Only and Angel’s Share.

To get a deeper understanding of New York City’s food culture, I highly recommend the Tenements & Tales food walking tour – it’s as informative as it is delicious!

There are dozens of fun day trips and side trips you can take from New York City. The most famous side trip from New York City is to visit The Hamptons, which is a collection of affluent beach towns on the east end of Long Island. The most popular places to visit in The Hamptons are Southampton, East Hampton, Bridgehampton & Montauk.

A low-key alternative to The Hamptons is the North Fork, which is also on the east end of Long Island. Long Island splits into two forks, the Hamptons is the south fork. The North Fork is a beautiful region, filled with farmland and vineyards, as well as the iconic North Fork Table & Inn.

The Hudson Valley is another gorgeous place to visit near New York City, and can be easily reached via train from Grand Central Station. Beautiful Hudson Valley towns like Beacon and Cold Spring are a short train trip from New York City. Apple picking is popular in Hudson Valley in the fall, especially in Peekskill. If you go a little further you’ll reach Hudson, the largest town in the region. Hudson is a gorgeous town full of character, known for charming B&Bs, antique shops and farm-to-table restaurants.

How to plan your trip to New York City

New York City is huge, so it’s better to plan your trip to New York City by neighbourhood. Keep in mind that nothing in New York opens very early (before 10 or 11am) and most places are open til very late. You might also want to factor in a break at your hotel, I know I always like to do sightseeing in the morning, have an afternoon nap and take a shower (New York makes you feel dirty all the time), and then go out again in the evening. If you’re going between neighbourhoods in one outing, keep in mind it’s easier to travel by public transport north-south rather than east-west.

First, book any tickets or make any dinner reservations that you need to make, and then plan around those bookings accordingly.

Where to stay in New York City

AirBnBs are illegal in New York, so you’ll need to find a hotel. On trips to New York I’ve stayed in Hell’s Kitchen and Midtown, which are both in the middle of Manhattan. For neighbourhoods with character, stay downtown (SoHo, West Village) or in Brooklyn. Flatiron and Chelsea don’t have as many sights, but they’re in the middle of Manhattan which makes the perfect base if you’re planning on travelling all over the city.

Before we moved out of New York City, we stayed for five nights at The Standard High Line in the Meatpacking, which I loved! Our room had city & river views, and it was perfectly located for zipping around town on the subway.

In the USA, taxes aren’t included in the quoted price of anything. Keep in mind that the price advertised on the hotel website is not the final price you’ll pay at the end – there will be city and state taxes added which can significantly change the price.

When to visit New York City

My favourite time of year in New York City are April-May and October-November. New York’s weather can be unpredictable, but I’d recommend visiting in late April to catch cherry blossom season, May or June for mild and warm weather or September-November for a cool change. July and August are VERY hot and sticky. Winter of 2019 actually wasn’t that bad, but there can be blizzards and getting around in the snow can be annoying. If it’s not a particularly snowy year, it’s a great time to visit with fewer crowds.

Getting around New York City

The ideal form of transportation in New York City is to walk. Traffic can be unpredictable and the subway is very useful but often hot and a bit dirty. Express trains are faster, with fewer stops, and local trains stop at every stop. The direction is usually just Uptown or Downtown, which makes it easy to navigate. To catch a cab, head to the nearest avenue to find one. Or book an Uber.

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