New York City
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The Big Apple, The City that Never Sleeps, The Empire State… New York City (NYC) is America’s largest metropolis with over 8.6 million people. NYC consists of five boroughs—Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, the Bronx, and Manhattan—each with different vibes, places to explore, and things to do. There’s something magical about this city, and it’s a place you have to go at least once in your lifetime.
Travel tip #1: There are plenty of places for stunning views of NYC, but one of the best in Manhattan is at the Rockefellar Center’s Top of the Rock. Be sure to make time for this spot and check the weather beforehand!
Places of Interest
Times Square: Times Square seems to be on everyone’s list, but I would probably skip it if you’re not there for Broadway. If you do go, night is better than day. It’ll look a lot nicer and the lights will be super photo-worthy.
Broadway: The Broadway Theater District in Times Square is known for musicals and dramas. Seeing a show while in NYC can be a bit pricey, but is completely worthwhile if you have the money and time. The Lion King was amazing and I bet all others shows are just as great or better!
Statue of Liberty: A gift from the people of France, the Statue of Liberty sits on Liberty Island in New York Harbor. You must purchase a ferry ticket to access the statue. There are also tours around the harbor that offer great views of Lady Liberty.
Empire State Building: Including its antenna, this skyscraper is the second tallest in New York. The famous 86th floor of the Empire State Building is the highest open-air observatory in New York. Watching the sunrise from the observation deck is a popular activity, but any time of day is nice.
Central Park: Central Park is a green oasis in a concrete jungle. It’s a wonderful place to take a break from the hustle and bustle of NYC. Get lost for an hour or so, take a walk to see some of the famous places within the park, or just sit and chat. I recommend starting at the southwest corner of Central Park and walking from there.
Grand Central Terminal: Not just a place to catch a train or bus, also the place to go for some awesome architectural spots, places to eat, and shops. Take a tour if you’re interested, as well!
Brooklyn Bridge: This iconic 1.3-mile (2 kilometer) suspension bridge connects Manhattan and Brooklyn across the East River. Walk across the bridge for stunning views of the city and snap cool photos—it takes about 30-40 minutes to walk across.
Brooklyn Bridge Park: On the Brooklyn side of the bridge sits this beautiful water-front park filled with things to do. On a nice day, sit outside on the grass and watch the boats go by in the river. Or, head inside to The Rooftop for some dining and sweet views.
DUMBO: It’s short for “Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass,” but was originally called Fulton Landing. The area’s cobblestone streets add charm and character to this famous Brooklyn neighborhood. A great place to visit for an iconic photo down on Washington Street, but equally great for shopping and eating.
Beacon’s Closet: With four locations in NYC, this secondhand store is a hot spot to buy, sell, and trade clothing. The variety, quality, and prices are awesome—a fantastic place to find unique pieces.
Book Club: This independent bookshop also serves as a neighborhood cafe and wine bar. Their cozy seats and book-lined walls make it the perfect haven for a bookworm or for those who crave some time in an inviting setting. In the evening, it shifts into more of a bar than cafe.
Chelsea Market: An unassuming brick building that used to be a Nabisco factory, Chelsea Market features lots of places to eat and shop, as well as offices and production facilities. If you’re at a loss of what to eat or have multiple people in your group to please, head here and you won’t be disappointed (maybe a little with the lack of seating, but that can’t be helped too much…).
East Village: One of my favorite area’s in Manhattan for thrifting and vintage clothing shopping as well as finding trendy bars, restaurants, and cafes. L Train Vintage, Thrift NYC, East Village Thrift Shop, Buffalo Exchange, and AuH2O are several thrift stores but there are way more than five to choose from! They tend to open later in the day.
East Village Postal: Stationary lovers rejoice! Other than Casey Rubber Stamps for quirky designed stamps, East Village Postal is a must-visit if you love pens, stickers, washi tapes, and paper goods. They carry cute and fun designs, plus you can send mail here, too.
The High Line: This public park on Manhattan’s West Side is built on a historic railway line that sits above the streets. It’s a really cool space to walk on, with its green spots, city views, and small art pieces sprinkled about. The entire park is a little less than 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) and takes about an hour to casually walk across.
Flatiron Building: Completed in 1902, the unique triangle-shaped, steel-framed building quickly became a city landmark. Although you cannot go inside, the corner of Madison Square Park is a great location for photo ops.
Madison Square Park: Similar to Central Park, this urban space is a great place to take a walk, walk your dog, or hang out. In the heart of Flatiron and NoMad in Manhattan, the park has beautiful gardens and sculptures, as well as hosts events. It’s also the home to the original Shake Shack!
SoHo: A little bit touristy, SoHo is a great district to shop at boutiques and high-end stores. Street vendors sell jewelry, shirts, hats, and more during the day, but the bars and restaurants are great to hit up at night. Click [here] for some places to go while in SoHo.
Bowery Street Mural: On the corner of Houston and Bowery Streets is a large mural space that’s ever-changing. If you’re heading into SoHo, be sure to stop by this spot before heading over to the shops.
Broadway Market Co.: On the corner of Howard Street in SoHo, you can find this little place that houses over 40 different independent designers, artists, and their work. Unique jewelry, artwork, clothes, and more can be purchased directly from the artists themselves. Find out more on their Instagram.
Artist & Fleas: With three locations in NYC (Chelsea, SoHo, and Williamsburg) and one in Venice, Los Angeles, this “marketplace of makers” is the place to discover trendy and unique pieces. The various artists display their work—clothing, jewelry, artwork, bags, and more—and sell to whomever comes in.
Chinatown: In Lower Manhattan near Little Italy sits NYC’s Manhattan Chinatown, lined with souvenir shops, traditional style markets, Chinese bakeries, and authentic restaurants. A great place to visit if you’re craving Asian cuisine or some bubble tea.
Travel tip #2: In New York you’ll find some amazing museums. The Met is one of the world’s most famous art museums, while the Guggenheim Museum and MoMa are also quite popular. The city is also home to lots of other cultural and historical museums. Checking their hours and prices is a good idea so you can appropriately plan and budget for your trip!
Food
Best Bagel and Coffee: These hand-rolled and fresh baked bagels are a delicious way to start your day. They have a variety of bagel flavors, as well as different flavored spreads to top your bagel with. If you’re craving something more filling, order one of their bagel sandwiches. The iced coffee here is also yummy.
Setsugekka: Setsugekka (“雪月華”) is a small Japanese-style teahouse in Manhattan where some of the best matcha is served. They specialize in different types of matcha from various areas of Japan, curating lattes, cappucinos, and more right in front of you using traditional tea bowls and whisks. Their matcha affogato is a matcha-lovers dream, and is available even in the colder months. They do not take reservations and it’s a slower moving process, especially by NYC standards.
Frankel’s Delicatessen & Appetizing: Frankel’s is a New York-style deli that is family owned and operated. They specialize in Jewish cuisine, bringing favorites like bagels, latkes, and matzo ball soup to the Greenpoint community in Brooklyn. Try their Classic Smoked Fish Bagel complete with “the works” to sample something amazing. They also serve pumpernickel everything bagels!
Russ & Daughters: Russ & Daughters is a New York cultural icon that is known for having some of the highest quality foods when it comes to Jewish food. This is one of my favorite places to get lox (smoked salmon) on a bagel with cream cheese. Other notable items to try are their caviar, bialys, babka, and other traditional baked goods.
La Cabra Bakery: The wooden design and concrete interior give this space a hip, minimalist vibe. Paired with their coffee and divine baked goods (croissants, sourdough breads, danishes, and more), La Cabra is a staple if you’re wandering around East Village. Seating is limited, but many people get their items to go. They request no laptops, so don’t plan on working here.
Doughnut Plant: Donut places can be a bit overrated, but this place is pretty great. Although a bit pricey for donuts, the quality and flavor options make it worthwhile. I loved their Blueberry, Tres Leches, and Creme Brûlée donuts, but have heard the square donuts are supposed to be tasty, too.
Made in NY Pizza: There’s a little controversy regarding the square pepperoni pizza at this place and Prince Street Pizza in SoHo. Read more about that pizza war here if you’re interested. Although I’m no New York City pizza expert, I can tell you that I enjoyed my pizza and garlic knots here and would totally go back. Really friendly service is a plus.
Screamer’s Pizzeria: With two different locations that have slightly different menus, Screamer’s offers a vegan twist to NYC-style pizza. Everything on their menu is vegan and is generally good for what it is. I highly enjoyed the “Screamer” slice with different types of mushrooms. If you’re not vegan, save your stomach space and get some real pizza!
Piz-zetta Pizzeria: In the Brooklyn Heights and Downtown Brooklyn area, this casual pizza spot has awesome service. I loved the vibe here and how I was served! The pizza is pretty good—especially the margherita slice—and is very affordable.
Vanessa’s Dumpling House: There are five different locations throughout NYC (Chinatown is where the original location lies), so you can enjoy their delicious dumplings, buns, sesame pancakes, and noodles nearly anywhere within the city. I recommend trying anyone of their sesame pancake sandwiches, basil and chicken boiled dumplings, and the chicken and shrimp wontons with spicy sauce.
Shu Jiao Fu Zhou: Located a couple doors down from Vanessa’s on the corner, Shu Jiao Fu Zhou serves cheap and tasty Chinese food. Their dumplings are quite good—try 10 pork and chive dumplings for only $3.50! Or, the popular peanut butter noodles. It’s cash only, so be prepared.
Canal Street Market: I really liked this space in Chinatown because it combined shops and food spots in a single, stylish place. There were various small eateries on one side and numerous retailers selling their goods on the other.
Joe’s Steam Rice Roll: The time I waited for my food was a little longer than anticipated, but the rice roll itself was amazing! This Cantonese rice noodle dish is simple yet yummy for a fairly cheap price—a must when you’re in NYC. The original shop is in an inconspicuous shop in Flushing and there’s a newer location in the Canal Street Market.
Jongro BBQ: Located in Manhattan’s Koreatown, Jongro is a must if you’re in the mood for Korean barbecue. Rather than all-you-can-eat, it’s a set price for a set amount of food. They give you a few different sides (banchan in Korean) alongside your meal. I love that they cook the meat for you a your table. They do not take reservations, but there is plenty of seating.
Okiboru Tsukemen: Tsukemen is a Japanese noodle dish where the broth is separate from the noodles and toppings. To eat tsukemen properly, you dip your noodles in broth then slurp them into your mouth. By dipping cold ramen noodles into hot broth, tsukemen ramen intensifies the flavor. Okiboru Tsukemen does not take reservations and does get busy at peak times yet is definitely worth the wait!
Blue Ribbon Sushi Izakaya: This place has pretty good sushi and sashimi at a decent price point for NYC. I recommend going here if you enjoy sushi and want to have a nice meal out. Making a reservation is recommended, especially on weekends.
Yin Ji Chang Fen: This Chinese restaurant is located in Manhattan’s Chinatown and is a popular Guangzhou chain offering Cantonese cuisine. They’re known for their rice rolls—they even have the special rice rolls with deep fried dough inside. Going here for brunch is nice because you can also get congee and Hong Kong style milk tea.
Mei Lai Wah: This Chinese bakery is quite famous for their delicious pineapple pork buns. The line usually stretches out the door and onto the sidewalk, even on weekdays. Go here for a quick bite to eat or pick-up a box full of tasty baked goods to bring home.
Great NY Noodletown: Open all day and into the night, Great NY Noodletown is a tasty spot in Manhattan’s Chinatown to stop-in or pick-up a meal. Their prices are very reasonable and the portions are standard for a Chinese restaurant. Their noodle dishes and wonton noodle soup is fantastic, but definitely try their tender roast pork (charsiu). Cash only; they have an ATM in the doorway.
Klom Klorm: Even though I had this delivered to the AirBnB I was staying at, the food tasted amazing. The green curry was generously filled with veggies, and the curry fried rice was very flavorful. The restaurant itself is in Brooklyn and is worth going to if you want great Thai food.
Original Shake Shack: The original Shack Shake wasn’t a shack, but a hot dog cart inside Madison Square Park. Instead of a cart stands a full restaurant now with ample seating in the park. If you’re a vegetarian, be sure to try the ‘Shroom Burger.
Boba Guys: The first location is in San Francisco, but you can find an NYC location in the Canal Street Market and two more in other parts of the city. If you’ve never had bubble tea before, this place is a solid starter. I love that you can have your drink made with different types of milk—like oat and almond.
Van Leeuwen: An ice cream shop that originally started as a truck in NYC. They have both traditional ice creams and vegan flavors. The Vegan Oat Milk Chocolate Crunch—a special—was phenomenal!
Travel tip #3: NYC has so many delicious places to eat that it can be difficult to choose just a few to indulge in during a single trip. Some New York must-eats include pizza, cheesecake, hotdogs from a cart, bagels (with or without lox), pastrami, as well as Shake Shack and The Halal Guys—two NYC originals that have been expanding nationwide!
Transportation and Accommodation
New York is fairly easy to navigate even if you’ve never been before. Manhattan, for example, is divided into numbered streets from north to south and avenues from east to west, which makes it pretty easy to get around. Buses and walking are great options, but the easiest mode of transport within and between boroughs is the subway.
Whether you take bus or subway, purchasing a Metrocard is the way to go or simply use your phone to tap! You can purchase and reload the card at most subway stations while the tap feature charges you directly. As of 2023, each ride is a flat rate of $2.75. Read more about Metrocards [here].
Ride shares and taxis are also viable transportation options for door-to-door travel, but can be fairly expensive depending on the time of day and place you’re going to. When hailing a taxi, try to get one on that’s going in the same direction you are—it’ll save you and the driver time, as well as some money on your end. Remember to tip the taxi driver, too.
Where to stay in NYC can be a bit overwhelming; some places are cheaper than others yet safety can be an issue depending on where you stay even though crime rates are at historic lows. Generally tourists stay in Manhattan, but Brooklyn is also a popular borough. The Wyndham Garden in Chinatown is an excellent hotel if you’re on a budget and want to be surrounded by amazing food options while different areas of Brooklyn are also great for restaurants, bars, and nightlife. Although my experience with Airbnb in the Bushwick area of Brooklyn was awesome, not all areas of the city have the best vibes and aren’t as tourist-friendly as others. When booking anywhere in NYC, be aware of the neighborhoods and do some research beforehand. As always, booking.com is a good place to start your search. Follow [this link] for some tips on where to stay in NYC based on your budget and interests! AirBnB is also a great option if you’re staying in the city for several days or more.
Travel tip #4: Driving in the city can take more time than using public transportation and walking, so be wary before you hail that cab or confirm your Uber/ Lyft.
Climate
New York City experiences all four seasons: mild spring and autumn seasons, cold winters, and hot, humid summers. The best time to travel to New York is in autumn, when temperatures are mild and the days are sunny, crisp, and generally clear. Spring is also another great time to visit, aside from the rain and some humid days in June. During winter daytime temperatures tend to stay above freezing, but average lows drop to 27°F (-3°C). Snow, ice, and wind are common in winter—so dress accordingly! Summer runs from June to August and is typically quite uncomfortable due to high temperatures and humidity; I would not recommend visiting during summer months.
