New York, USA
Five boroughs and one famous grid: Manhattan's museums and skyline, Brooklyn's waterfront neighbourhoods, and a subway that runs all night between them.
Updated
Key Takeaways
- The best months are May–June and September–October, with daytime highs of roughly 18–26°C; July and August are hot and humid, and January and February bring snow.
- The subway runs 24 hours and costs $3 a ride: tap a contactless card or phone at the turnstile, and after 12 paid rides within seven days the rest of those seven days are free.
- Three airports serve the city: JFK and LaGuardia in Queens, Newark in New Jersey. None has a one-seat train to Midtown, so build in an hour or more door to door.
- Midtown or Lower Manhattan puts the sights on foot; Williamsburg or Brooklyn Heights gives you more space and a quieter night, one subway stop from Manhattan.
- The best of the city is free or close to it: Central Park, the Brooklyn Bridge walk, the High Line, the 9/11 Memorial pools and the Staten Island Ferry.
Why Is New York Worth Visiting?
New York puts world-class museums, a harbour with the Statue of Liberty, an 843-acre park and dozens of distinct neighbourhoods inside one compact grid served by a subway that runs all night, so five to seven days covers the icons and still leaves an afternoon for Brooklyn.
Manhattan is the postcard: Broadway theatres, Central Park from 59th to 110th Street, the High Line's old freight tracks through Chelsea, and the Battery, where the ferries leave for Liberty Island. Brooklyn and Queens are where many New Yorkers actually live and eat. Navoy builds a day-by-day itinerary by neighbourhood and books the stays and transfers in the same flow, which matters here, because the city rewards doing one area well.
Where Should You Stay in New York?
Midtown or Lower Manhattan to walk to the sights, the Upper West Side with children, and Williamsburg or Brooklyn Heights for more room, a quieter night and Manhattan one subway stop away.
Midtown Manhattan
Times Square, the Broadway theatres, Grand Central Terminal and the city's densest cluster of hotels.
Lower Manhattan
The Financial District, the 9/11 Memorial, the Battery ferry terminal and the cobbled streets of SoHo and Tribeca.
Upper West Side
Residential blocks between Central Park and the Hudson, with the American Museum of Natural History on Central Park West and the Met across the park. The easiest base for families.
Williamsburg and Brooklyn Heights
Williamsburg is warehouses turned into music venues, vintage shops and restaurants, one L-train stop from Manhattan. Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO sit at the Brooklyn end of the bridge, with a promenade facing the skyline.
| Area | Best For | Atmosphere | Getting to Manhattan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midtown | First visits, Broadway | Busy, loud | You're already there |
| Lower Manhattan | Harbour, 9/11 Memorial | Quiet evenings | Walkable, hub at Fulton St |
| Upper West Side | Families, museums | Residential, leafy | C train on Central Park West |
| Williamsburg (Brooklyn) | Couples, food, nightlife | Industrial, late | L from Bedford Av, one stop to 1 Av |
| Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO | Skyline views, families | Brownstones, waterfront | A or C from High St, one stop to Fulton St |
What Are the Best Things to Do in New York?
Walk the Brooklyn Bridge early, cross Central Park on foot, take the official ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, walk the High Line, and give one full morning to a museum.
- Central Park: 843 acres (341 hectares) between 59th and 110th Street, built from 1858. Free. Walk the Mall north to Bethesda Terrace, Bow Bridge and the Ramble.
- The Brooklyn Bridge walk: completed in 1883; the promenade runs from Park Row by City Hall Park to Cadman Plaza in Brooklyn. Go early, from Brooklyn towards the skyline.
- The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island: Statue City Cruises is the only ferry allowed to land, sailing from the Battery. An adult ticket is around $26 and covers both islands; pedestal and crown access are separate reservations that sell out months ahead.
- The High Line: a 1.45-mile (2.3 km) park on a former elevated freight line from Gansevoort Street to 34th Street at Hudson Yards. Free, open from 7am.
- Museums: adults pay $30 at the Met and MoMA, with children 12 and under free at the Met and 16 and under at MoMA; the American Museum of Natural History charges $37. New York State residents pay what they wish at the Met and the Natural History museum, and enter MoMA free on Friday evenings.
- Broadway for less: the TKTS booth in Times Square sells same-day tickets at up to 50% off.
- Free harbour views: the Staten Island Ferry takes 25 minutes past the Statue of Liberty for nothing; the 9/11 Memorial pools are free, open daily 8am to 8pm.
What Should You Know Before Visiting New York?
Tap a contactless card for the subway, pick your airport route by where you sleep, and add about 9% tax and a 20% tip to restaurant bills.
The subway costs $3 a ride. Tap the same card or phone each time, and after 12 paid rides within seven days the rest of those seven days are free. Up to three children under 44 inches (112 cm) ride free with a paying adult. Check the MTA app for weekend route changes.
From JFK, the AirTrain ($8.75) reaches Jamaica for the LIRR to Penn Station or Grand Central ($14–16 all in) or the subway ($11.75); a yellow taxi to Manhattan is a flat $70 plus tolls and surcharges. LaGuardia has no train: the free Q70 bus reaches the Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Av subway in about 15 minutes. From Newark, the AirTrain links to an NJ Transit train that reaches Penn Station in about 30 minutes, $17.25 for both.
July and August average highs around 29°C with heavy humidity. January and February highs sit around 4–6°C, nights drop below freezing, and snow is normal. May (highs around 22°C) and October (around 18°C) are the comfortable windows.
Sales tax of 8.875% is added at the register, and hotels add city and state taxes plus flat nightly fees to the quoted rate. Tip 20% of the pre-tax bill at restaurants, $1–2 a drink at bars, and 15–20% in taxis.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days do you need in New York?
Five days covers a first visit: one for Midtown and Central Park, one for a museum and the Upper West Side, one for Lower Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty ferry, one for the High Line and Chelsea, and one for Brooklyn via the bridge. Seven days adds Queens, Harlem or a second museum without rushing.
Is Manhattan or Brooklyn better as a base in New York?
Manhattan is better for a short first visit, because most sights are walkable or a few stops apart and Midtown has the most hotels. Brooklyn, especially Williamsburg or Brooklyn Heights, suits couples and longer stays: more space for the money, quieter nights, strong restaurants, and Manhattan one subway stop away on the L, A or C.
When is the best time to visit New York?
May to June and September to October bring mild days with highs of roughly 18–26°C and the least weather risk. July and August are hot and humid. January and February are cold, with snow, but they are the quietest months, and the city's official hotel discount weeks run from January into February. Spring and autumn book up early, so reserve ahead.
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