NEW York may be an outstanding place to visit, but it can also be pretty unforgiving. While some destinations are engineered for visitors to have a great time, New York’s size and expense, plus the fact that it’s a real city where millions of people live and work, mean that visitors should go into their trip having done a little bit of preparation.
And this article can form part of that preparation! We’ve put together a bunch of tips that will reduce/eliminate many of the pain points that visitors experience, which should help to make your visit to New York all the more enjoyable.
Pexels – CC0 Licence
Go at the Right Time of Year
It’s rare that a visitor to New York is underwhelmed by the city, but when it does happen, it’s usually because they visited during the wrong time of year. You can have a great time in the Big Apple during January and February, but usually only if you’ve already visited before. In general, most people will find that it’s best to visit when New York is at its best, which is during the spring and fall months. Those periods bring fewer crowds, great weather, and plenty of events — oh, and things are generally cheaper than in the summer months, too.
Pick Good Travel Times
Most people select their travel selections based on cost. But when it comes to New York, we’d recommend basing your decision on the arrival and departure times. Most people only visit New York for 3 – 5 days, which means that there’s not a lot of time to work with! Arriving late in the evening and departing early in the morning effectively removes two days that you could be spending enjoying the city. Ideally, you’d land mid-morning and depart around 9 pm. You can always leave your bags at a centrally located Penn Station luggage storage facility if you don’t want to carry your heavy bags as you explore the city, and simply pick them up before you check in/head to the airport for your flight. And talking of Penn Station: if possible, looking at taking the train to New York, especially if it’s your first time. It’s pretty epic to arrive at Penn Station and find yourself in the middle of one of the world’s great cities.
Create an Itinerary
As we just said, it’s unlikely that you’ll have tons of time to play with in New York. Since you’ll only be there for a few days, you’ll need to get a little selective about which attractions you visit and which ones you save for your next trip. There are some attractions that every visitor to New York must visit, including the Statue of Liberty, the Top of the Rock observation deck, Central Park, and Times Square. Beyond that, you’ll likely need to decide which art galleries and museums you visit, which neighborhoods you truly explore, and whether you’ll go to any events (such as a Broadway show or Yankees game).
As for the length of your trip, it’s generally best for first-time visitors to spend four days in New York. That gives enough time to enjoy the city without having to spend a small fortune on accommodation.
Stay Central
Accommodation can be pretty steep in New York. As such, many budget-conscious travelers decide to stay in areas that are a little outside of the city’s action zones. While this can be a good move (or a necessary one if you’re really on a budget), it’s worth thinking twice before taking this route. Many people book a cheap hotel out of the city to save money, only to arrive and wish that they’d spent a little extra to stay downtown. With time of the essence, you might get a little annoyed if you’re continually taking long trips to and from your hotel — plus, you’ll only end up spending more money on taxis to get you back if you stay out late at night.
Comfortable Walking
One of the best ways to experience New York is to simply direct yourself to one of the city’s interesting neighborhoods and begin walking. Once you start, you’ll likely find that you walk up and down the whole of Manhattan! For this reason, comfortable shoes are a must. While New York is a stylish city, this is one area of your outfit where comfort, not style, should take precedence. Also, be aware that walking-related pain usually presents itself the day after walking, not during. If you want to have pain-free legs that are fit for walking, then be mindful of how far you’re walking.
Create a Budget
New York has a reputation for being an expensive destination, but actually, it can be pretty affordable if it needs to be. The problem is that if you don’t have a budget, then you can quickly rack up a big bill. You’ll find that your trip works better if you create a budget ahead of time and stick to it once you’re there. Understanding how much you can spend will also put you in the right mindset and help guide your trip; if you know you’re working with $150 a day, then you probably won’t take yourself into those luxury stores on Fifth Avenue!
Set Aside Time to Relax
New York City is pretty full-on, and in truth, you’ll likely have to accept that you’ll probably return home more tired than when you arrived. Still, that doesn’t mean that you can’t put measures in place to prevent yourself from becoming overly tired. We’d recommend creating some space in the itinerary for relaxation, even if it’s for an hour or so in the afternoon.
That’ll ensure that you have enough energy to really enjoy the evenings rather than having to go to bed because you’re so exhausted! Pro tip: Rather than going to your hotel room for a nap, take a blanket and sit in Central Park for an hour or two. You’ll still be resting your body, but crucially, you’ll also be enjoying one of New York’s main attractions.
To submit a release, contact us here.
