City Fun Facts:
- Continent: North America (United States), New York
- Primary Language: Primarily American English, many secondary languages throughout the 5 borough
- Currency: U.S. Dollar (USD)
- Passport Validity: (consult country’s embassy page)
- Tourist Visa Required: (consult country’s embassy page)
- Driving: On the right-hand side of the road. (consult country’s embassy page)
- Famous For: theater, movies, museums, finance (e.g. Wall Street), food, history, etc.
Brooklyn Bridge
Basic Phrase:
- Yes: (yEs)
- No: (NOH)
- Please: (plEEz)
- Thank you: (thăngk yo͞o)
- Hello / Hi / Hey: (hel low / high / hay)
Temperature: Approximate temperatures of Autumn (60 F (15 C)), Winter (37 F (22 C)), Spring (55 F (12 C)), Summer (87 F (30 C).
Snapshot:
Manhattan, NY competes with Boston, MA for my top spot in U.S. destinations. Love everything about Manhattan, except humid, crowded summers. Summers are hot and humid in the city, which starts to heat up around Memorial Day (U.S. holiday on the last Monday of May).
I lived in Queens, NY for about two years in my early twenties and fell in love with Manhattan. Being from a small town (60,000 people), NYC was a lot to take in and homey in the same breath. I arrived in April during Earth Day weekend and made a beeline to Central Park. Wow! At the time I had no idea the craziness that was awaiting me, mass of humanity hit me like a ton of bricks. I was like a kid in a candy store. Each borough (an administrative division) of New York (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island) is different than the other and has their own fun, unique things to see, do, and eat.
I get asked frequently on recommendations on the best places to eat and or go in NYC. The answer is really what do you like and when are you going? There is so much to see and do in the city it is hard to narrow it down. Also, there are new places to eat and see that pop up or shut down. So, I will highlight some of the things I like, but please please explore this amazing city (bring a really good pair of walking shoes).
Lodging:
When I go NYC, I like to stay in either the Lower Manhattan or Midtown areas. There are pros and cons to staying in either area. Lower Manhattan is generally quieter but further to travel when exploring the rest of the city. Midtown has a bit more congestion but mid-point for exploring. There are plenty of hotels and Airbnbs (see Note below) to pick from with an array of pricing to match. Keep in mind that space is a premium in the city, so some lodgings can be super small. I would suggest to NOT stay around Time Square for many reasons (e.g. pricey, high tourist traffic, noisy).
Note: Check the rules of renting an Airbnb in the city; at one time (and may still be) it is illegal to rent a full apartment for less than 30 days where the host is not present.
What to Do:
So, what to do? The answer is really what do you like, how long are you staying, and when are you going? There is no limit to the things you can see in NYC. Because I lived there, I have only taken one official tour (Circle Line) around the island, everything else has been self-guided. I would suggest doing some research of what Manhattan has to offer and pick a few things to see per day and fill in the rest of the day just lazily exploring. Do not pack your day with a long laundry list of things to do, you will miss the greatness of the city. Some of the highlights I have experienced whilst just exploring are: several major movies being filmed, cherry blossoms in a small tucked away park in Lower Manhattan, walking down Park Avenue one snowy evening without a sole around (peaceful and maybe slightly unnerving), watching the stock market ticker over the McDonald’s menu (Wall Street), and sitting at a café counter next to Judd Nelson (American actor from the “Brat Pack” time).
Rockefeller Center getting ready for Christmas
Filming Arthur (2011) with Russell Brand
Cherry blossoms in a small tucked away park in Lower Manhattan
Some of the touristy things I have done over the years are:
One World Observatory and the 9/11 Memorial Museum, Trinity Church, Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, water tour around the island, water taxi from LaGuardia airport, Cross the Brooklyn Bridge and a visit Brooklyn Bridge Park, wonder through Chelsea and the Village, Empire State Building, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Central Park, shopping in SoHo, walk Fifth Avenue, take in a Broadway Show, experience the mass of humanity in Times Square, and Rockefeller Center in the winter.
Note: A way to find discounted tickets is to wait in line, on the day of the show, at TDF’s TKTS Booth under the red steps in Duffy Square (47th Street and Broadway).
Note: If self-guided touring is overwhelming try Take Walks, The Village Alliance, Viator https://www.viator.com for something more structured.
Food:
I cannot even begin to list the eateries in NYC worth visiting, so I will highlight a few of note.
1) Brunch: Brunch is a Major Deal in New York City. On the weekends, restaurants in the five boroughs contain an endless sea of midday eating options. Places you would not typically think of offering brunch do. I had brunch in Midtown at a normally serving Mexican restaurant. There were so many variations of French Toast that I went back the next day. Google NYC brunch and you get pages of “Best Places”. One site that I like is https://serenaslenses.net/where-to-brunch-in-new-york-city/.
2) Pizza: On this side of the Pond, NYC is the pizza mecca (apologies Chicago). So many amazing places to “grab a slice” and everyone has their favorite. Having lived in Queens (specifically Kew Gardens), I have spent many many nights grabbing a slice ($1 at the time) on my walk home from the subway at Dani’s (81-28 Lefferts Blvd, Kew Gardens, NY 11415). Dani’s was founded in 1959 by Ramiz Dani. It is a place that has fantastic food, reasonable prices, and a welcoming atmosphere.
3) Deli’s: Yep, another food category that is just too wide to pick one. A few noteworthy off the top of my head are Pastrami Queen, Second Avenue Deli, David’s Brisket House, Katz’s Deli. Enjoy!
4) Bakery: At this point in writing this post, I am starving! Bakeries are just places I cannot say no to. A few that are d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s: Bourke Street Bakery, Pilar Cuban Bakery, Gino’s Pastry Shop, Milk Bar (thank you Anderson Cooper for the tip), and Homestead Gourmet Shop (Kew Gardens, 81-45 Lefferts Blvd, Queens, NY 11415). Homestead is a bakery AND deli and has phenomenal strudel.
Travel Tips:
Fly in and out: Flying in and out of New York can be confusing. New York City has three major airports: LaGuardia (LGA), John F. Kennedy (JFK), and Newark (EWR). Where you stay will detriment the closest airport. I fly into JFK most often but flew out of both JFK and LGA during my flight attendant days. Like everything in NYC, there are many many options getting to/from an airport. From any of the three airports you can take the subway, bus, and or taxi/Lyft/car service. Bus or subway are the least expensive.
MTA MetroCard
For example, New Jersey Transit offers a fairly easy option to get between Midtown Manhattan and Newark Airport. From Penn Station, take either the Northeast Corridor or North Jersey Coast lines. It will take approximately 30 minutes and cost ~$16. LGA is undergoing renovations (close to being completed), so you will need to factor that into your transit time. Getting into Manhattan from LGA will require a bus (or buses) and the subway. A taxi/Lyft from LGA will run you about $50 (plus tolls) with little to no traffic. For JFK transportation, the cheapest option is the AirTrain (~$8) to the subway (~$3). Preload a MetroCard to ensure easy access. The trip takes about one hour and 15 minutes to reach downtown Manhattan. Taxi/Lyft from JFK to Manhattan is slightly more (+~$5-10) than LGA.
Car Rental: Pretty much all big brand name car rental companies (Hertz, National, Budget, etc.) can be found at any of the airports. I would suggest NOT renting a car unless there is some specific reason or a specific place outside of the city you need to be. Too pricey and parking is expensive and troublesome.
Public Transportation: Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) (or MTA, https://new.mta.info /fares) is relatively inexpensive and a great way to see sights throughout the five boroughs. MTA operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Dress Etiquette: NYC and its restaurants run fairly casual, east coast casual (slicker, edgier, darker colors, functional) vs. west coast (beachy, laid back, flowy). You will want to dress up for some of the fancier restaurants, even when there is no formal dress code. Business casual or casual chic should get you through most all outings. If you are visiting during the winter, you will want something with wool in it (wool coat, smartwool sweater).
Note: In any big, crowded city, I would forego an umbrella (if the weather calls for rain) and pack a hat instead. Too many people in a confined area to maneuver an umbrella without injuring someone, not to mention losing it to a strong gust.
Public Loos: Public loos can be limited to airports, gas/petrol stations, bus/train stations, some highway/expressway exits, and tourist-heavy town centers. Cafes/restaurant are the best option in an emergency, but it is polite to buy something for the privilege of use.