New York City Travel Guide

New York aka The Big Apple, home to over 20 million people and five boroughs – Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, and Staten Island. The city is absolutely electric and has an energy to it that I’ve only felt in one other city, London. I’ve been to the Big Apple five times and still have so much left to cross off my bucket list! I’ve been there between Christmas and NYE, beginning of fall, beginning of spring, and most recently, early December to see the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree and all of the Christmas displays along 5th Avenue. I’ve done long weekend trips and week-long trips. There’s no right way to do it. Each trip has felt differently and I’ve had a freaking blast every time! Just know that you won’t have time to do everything you planned, it’s impossible. And after your trip is over, you’ll find new things to do and add it to your ever-evolving bucket list. For a good start, follow the New York City travel guide I created below.

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Where to Stay in New York City:

I know it sounds touristy, but I prefer to stay close to Times Square because it’s central to my favorite areas – Central Park to the north, the financial district to the south, and Brooklyn to the east. A couple of hotels that I’ve stayed at that were very affordable were the Holiday Inn Express Times Square South (60 West 36^th Street) and the Hilton Times Square (234 West 42^nd Street).

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Transportation in New York City:

Take the Subway. Don’t even bother with cabs, it’ll just piss you off. The subway takes some getting used to, especially if you’re not familiar with public transportation. You’ll encounter some crazies, but it’s so convenient to use. You can use Google maps, Apple Maps, or Transit App to navigate the subway. There’s no shame in using maps, even after 5 trips here I still use them. If you’re in town longer than a weekend, buy the 7-day unlimited Metro Card pass for $32. To learn how to navigate the subway, check out this link.

If you’re trying to get from JFK to Manhattan I seriously recommend taking the subway. I’ve taken cabs in the past but they usually run around $75. This recent trip the line for a cab was over an hour long and we just didn’t have time to waste. Not only did taking the subway save money, but it saved almost an hour as well. Look for signs for the AirTram at ground transportation in the airport. Hop on the AirTram and transfer to the Jamaica Station. The AirTram is free to travel between terminals at the airport but you’ll have to pay $7.75 upon exiting the Jamaica station, by purchasing an AirTram ticket at the machine. You’ll also need to purchase a subway ticket or if you’re going into Manhattan you can purchase a LIRR (Long Island Railroad) ticket. LIRR, is the commuter train that connects all of Long Island (where JFK is located) to Manhattan. It’s only a 25 minute ride and it’ll drop you off at Penn Station. From there you can walk to your destination or hop on a subway.

A couple of tips for navigating….the streets run east and west and the avenues run north and south. Pay careful attention to what side of the track you end up on.

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What to Eat & Drink in New York City:

• Jacob’s Pickles located on the Upper Westside. Fried chicken biscuit sandwiches, house made pickles, and local draft beer. What more could you want??
• If you’re in the mood for Chinese food check out Café China in Midtown. I stumbled upon this gem during my last trip. Drew rave reviews from the New York Times. Try the pork dumplings in chili oil & fried rice.
• If you want some of the best Brooklyn style pizza, Juliana’s is worth the walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.
• If you wake up with a sweet tooth head over to one of Dough’s locations for their Nutella doughnuts.
• I would never recommend wasting a meal at a chain (Except for In and Out) but every NYC trip I make an exception for Shake Shack. Something about a cheeseburger, cheese fries, and a root beer float for a late-night snack in NYC.
• If you’re in the Lower East Side, stop by Pisillo Italian Panini. It’s a little hole in the wall sandwich shop but you know hole in the walls are usually legit. They make some bomb authentic Italian sandwiches. Try my favorite, the Napoli.
• For dessert you’re going to want to buy a box of chocolate dipped cannoli’s from Carlo’s Bakery.
• If you’re one of those people that can never make up their mind over what beer you want then you’re in luck because there’s a bar for you! McSorley’s Old Ale House has only 2 kinds, light and dark. It’s also New York City’s oldest continuously operated saloon, established in 1854.
• If you’re a How I Met Your Mother fan, you’re going to want to read this suggestion. Wait for it……McGee’s Pub.  Located in Hell’s Kitchen around the corner from Carnegie Hall, this is the pub that inspired “McLarens.” Stop by on How I Met Your Mother Mondays for their HIMYM themed menu.
• Drink whiskey at The Flatiron Room – Voted one of the world’s top bars and best whiskey bars and boasts one of the most extensive whiskey selections on the East Coast with over 1000 whiskeys and bourbons
• Tacos at Tacombi (Stumbled upon this restaurant looking for a place to eat after drinks at The Flatiron Room)
• Brats, schnitzel, & German brews at Loreley Beer Garden

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What to Do in New York City:

• Ride bikes or take a walk through Central Park (Beatle lovers should check out the John Lennon Memorial, Strawberry Fields)
• One World Trade Center Observatory– highest building in the Western Hemisphere that allows you to see out across all of the boroughs.
• 9/11 Memorial Museum – HIGHLY recommend. You’ll be in your feels after visiting.
• Federal Hall Museum – Federal Hall is where George Washington took the oath of office as our first President, and was home to the first Congress, Supreme Court, and Executive Branch offices.
• Chelsea Market / Walk the Highline – The market is a mall and an enclosed food court and the Highline is an elevated public park close to the market.
• Climb up the Vessel. The centerpiece of Hudson Yards is a spiral staircase and interactive artwork that was intended for people to enjoy new perspectives of the city from different heights, angles and vantage points. It’s comprised of 154 intricately interconnecting flights of stairs — almost 2,500 individual steps and 80 landings.
• Shopping in Soho, a trendy neighborhood in Lower Manhattan
• Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral
• See a Broadway Show (Watch Book of Mormon and laugh your ass off for 3 hours)
• Walk the Brooklyn Bridge. If you’re staying in Manhattan, take the subway to Dumbo and then walk across the bridge on your way back to Manhattan.
• Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Cruise (Order tickets weeks in advance or risk missing out on the chance to walk up to the top of the Statue like I did 😦)
• Top of the Rock (less expensive and better views than the Empire State Building imo)
• Empire State Building – Priciest out of all of the observatories. If you think you’ll only visit NYC once you can get the same views at Top of the Rock for a cheaper price. If you do decide to go, don’t go when it first opens. EVERYONE does this. Go early afternoon around 1 or 2pm.
• Brooklyn Flea – Brooklyn’s largest flea market held on weekends that features vintage clothing, collectibles, antiques, jewelry, art, crafts and delicious fresh food.
• Grand Central Terminal – people watch, shops, Happy Hour @ Grand Central Oyster Bar (Over 100 different types of oysters on the menu)
• If you’re visiting around Christmas time, see the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, the Saks 5th Avenue Light Show, Winter Village at Bryant Park, ice skating at Bryant Park (free tickets online) or Wollman Rink in Central Park, and the Lightscape at Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

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Tips for Visiting New York City:

• Keep your wallet in the front pocket (My friend was almost pick pocketed in Times Square).
• If you’re a history nerd like me, NYC has a ton of colonial history. Bowling Green, located in Lower Manhattan, is the oldest public park in New York City and is surrounded by its original 18th century fence. The British erected a statue of King George III in Bowling Green and it was later toppled by the Colonists.
• Make restaurant reservations a couple of weeks in advance.
• If you ever get lost in Central Park and don’t have your phone on you, the lamp posts are marked with 4-digit numbers. The first three numbers show you what street you’re even with. For example, if the lamp post’s first three numbers are 710, that means you’re on 71^st Street. The fourth number tells you if you’re on the west or east side of the park. Odd numbers are west and even numbers are east. A lamp post with 8307 on it means that you’re on 83^rd street and on the west side.

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Bucket List for Visiting New York City Again:

• Burger Joint at Le Parker Meridien – Cash only burger joint hidden in the upscale Le Parker Meridien Hotel
• The Met / Guggenheim / American Museum of Natural History
• Brandy Library – Known for being one of the best whiskey bars in the city
• Bathtub Gin Bar – Hidden behind a coffee shop that serves Prohibition era cocktails
• The Dead Rabbit – Voted the world’s best bar in 2015 & 2016.
• Press Lounge Rooftop Bar – Some of the best views in the city.
• Guantanamera – Live Cuban music every night at 9pm (Make reservations for 8:45pm), pitcher Mojitos, and hand rolled cigars on Fri and Sat nights.
• Listen to live jazz at the Django, nestled in Tribeca’s Roxy Hotel
• Bagel Crawl: Tompkins Square Bagels, Russ & Daughters, Black Seed Bagels, & Sadelle’s
• Levain Bakery for their famous cookies. West 74^th location and New Amsterdam Avenue location (smaller lines)
• Enjoy the skyline view at one of the many rooftop bars
• Arthur Avenue, Bronx (“The Real Little Italy”)
• Raines Law Room
• Gramercy Tavern – They don’t accept reservations so go before 7pm and word on the street is to get the chocolate pudding cake
• Modern Korean dishes at 8282
• Khiladi – A friend swears this is the best Indian food she’s ever had

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New York City Maps:

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