New York Travel Guide

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A couple of Summers ago, I headed to the Big Apple for an American adventure unlike any other. New York is one of those cities that is so huge that it is absolutely worth having a concrete plan and itinerary to avoid missing anything. So I thought I’d surmise my top tips about travelling to New York alongside my favourite things to do.

Plan by Location

Because of the sheer size of New York and the fact that many key locations and sights are spread out, it’s worth splitting your trip into location days. Not only will this save massively on travel costs but it means that you’re not wasting time travelling between different spots. Whenever I’m going abroad, I plot the locations on a Google Map so that it’s easy to navigate and illustrates key groupings – it’s worth the planning!

Check Opening Hours

This may sound ridiculous but lots of museums in New York are closed at certain times and days of the year so it’s worth checking this to ensure that you don’t head all the way to a museum only to find that it’s closed!

Consider a multi-attraction pass

Quite a few of the museums in New York have optional entry fees, but if they don’t, it’s worth considering purchasing a pass that will give you entry to more than one. This will save on money and often allows you to cut the queue!

Book in advance

If you’re travelling to any big city, I’d always suggest booking attractions in advance. Not only does this normally give you a minimum of 10% discount but guarantees entry. In touristy cities like New York, there is always the risk that an attraction is full so it’s worth considering to avoid disappointment.

Plan food

In most major cities it can be overwhelming to choose food options and sometimes this means that hidden gems are missed out. I always check Instagram and pin food places to my Google Maps which means that when I’m in the area there are potential food options. I also get hangry so having a map of the closest (and best) food options is never a bad thing.

Pack appropriately.

If the heavens open, you can almost guarantee that there will be street vendors hawking $20 umbrellas. Be smart and make sure you have all the essentials to avoid forking out over something that could have otherwise been avoided. I always carry blister plasters, a small umbrella, extra socks and some sort of pain relief. I’d also suggest carrying a water bottle to avoid paying out for something so basic.

My favourite attractions:

·        Top of the Rock – get a sky high view of the Empire State building and New York skyline.

·        Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir – A stunning reservoir with an incredible view of the city

·        Museum of Modern Art

·        Times Square

·        The High Line

Have you been to New York? If not, is this somewhere you’d like to go?

Ellie Dickinson