I visited New York City for the first time in December last year for 7 nights with my family and it was one of the greatest weeks of my life.
We were the quintessential New York tourists, excited by the yellow cabs, constantly taking pictures, trying Magnolia Bakery cupcakes and visiting just about every major tourist attraction in Manhattan you can think of. But these are exactly the sorts of things you need to do on your first visit, no matter how 'touristy' they may seem, just be a tourist!
So here are a few things I learnt from being a first timer in the Big Apple
that may be helpful to others going to visit this magical city.
We were the quintessential New York tourists, excited by the yellow cabs, constantly taking pictures, trying Magnolia Bakery cupcakes and visiting just about every major tourist attraction in Manhattan you can think of. But these are exactly the sorts of things you need to do on your first visit, no matter how 'touristy' they may seem, just be a tourist!
So here are a few things I learnt from being a first timer in the Big Apple
that may be helpful to others going to visit this magical city.
When you can walk, walk.
I discovered that in New York, distances which may have otherwise seemed to far to walk turn into sight filled journeys. There is just so much to see in this magical city that if walking from point A to point B isn't going to seriously cut into your time restrictions, then walk. For example we walked from our hotel in Times Square (W.47th street) up to The Metropolitan Museum of Art and back (with several stops along the way) which is over 30 blocks. Oh yeah, and did I mention bring good walking shoes?
I discovered that in New York, distances which may have otherwise seemed to far to walk turn into sight filled journeys. There is just so much to see in this magical city that if walking from point A to point B isn't going to seriously cut into your time restrictions, then walk. For example we walked from our hotel in Times Square (W.47th street) up to The Metropolitan Museum of Art and back (with several stops along the way) which is over 30 blocks. Oh yeah, and did I mention bring good walking shoes?
The subway is not a death trap
Well obviously it's not a death trap, but this seems to be the mentality of many tourists before they get to New York, me included. But let me tell you now, it's not that bad. It's a cheap, efficient, fast way to get around and as mentioned above, although Manhattan is most certainly a walkable island, catching the subway helps when you're destination is just that little bit too far. So definitely give it a shot even if it's just once for the experience.
Well obviously it's not a death trap, but this seems to be the mentality of many tourists before they get to New York, me included. But let me tell you now, it's not that bad. It's a cheap, efficient, fast way to get around and as mentioned above, although Manhattan is most certainly a walkable island, catching the subway helps when you're destination is just that little bit too far. So definitely give it a shot even if it's just once for the experience.
The New York CityPass is great value, but it will certainly keep you busy
The New York Pass gives you admission to MoMA, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The American Museum of Natural History, The Empire State Building, your choice of either The Guggenheim (our choice) or Top of the Rock and Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island or a Circle Line Cruise (our choice) for the mere price of $109 for adults and $82 for youth. Even though we had 7 days to do all of these things, it really wasn't enough time coupled with the 101 other things we wanted to do. We ended up having to do The Museum of Natural History, The Met and The Guggenheim all in one day as we were running out of time, which, aside from being exhausting, didn't allow us to spend as long in each of these places as we perhaps would have liked. So if you are planning to visit all of the places the New York Pass gives you access too, then by all means purchase one, but just make sure you plan and budget your time well.
The New York Pass gives you admission to MoMA, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The American Museum of Natural History, The Empire State Building, your choice of either The Guggenheim (our choice) or Top of the Rock and Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island or a Circle Line Cruise (our choice) for the mere price of $109 for adults and $82 for youth. Even though we had 7 days to do all of these things, it really wasn't enough time coupled with the 101 other things we wanted to do. We ended up having to do The Museum of Natural History, The Met and The Guggenheim all in one day as we were running out of time, which, aside from being exhausting, didn't allow us to spend as long in each of these places as we perhaps would have liked. So if you are planning to visit all of the places the New York Pass gives you access too, then by all means purchase one, but just make sure you plan and budget your time well.
The Madison Square Park Shake Shack is the one to go to
Every time we walked past the Theater District Shake Shack (at 8th Avenue and 44th Street) street there was a massive queue out the door, but when we visited the Madison Square Park Shake Shack (near Madison Avenue and E.23rd Street, which also happens to be the original) we barely had to wait to get our delicious burgers, fries and chocolate shakes. Of course I'm not a regular there so I don't know if this is the norm, but even if you do have to wait a bit I still think the Madison Square Park Shake Shack is the place to go, the location is beautiful with a lovely view of the Flatiron Building, the food is obviously scrumptious and I adored the outdoor setting with the fairy lights (despite the fact that I couldn't feel my fingers in the cold).
Every time we walked past the Theater District Shake Shack (at 8th Avenue and 44th Street) street there was a massive queue out the door, but when we visited the Madison Square Park Shake Shack (near Madison Avenue and E.23rd Street, which also happens to be the original) we barely had to wait to get our delicious burgers, fries and chocolate shakes. Of course I'm not a regular there so I don't know if this is the norm, but even if you do have to wait a bit I still think the Madison Square Park Shake Shack is the place to go, the location is beautiful with a lovely view of the Flatiron Building, the food is obviously scrumptious and I adored the outdoor setting with the fairy lights (despite the fact that I couldn't feel my fingers in the cold).
You get to look at this while you eat ^
The 'Shroom Burger (the only vegetarian option on the menu, but man it was good)
Do The Empire State Building early in the morning
Are the views atop The Empire State Building spectacular? Yes. Would I line up for 3+ hours to see them? No. We had been warned by multiple people that there would be gargantuan queues to get to the top of this magnificent structure and so we were prepared for the worst. But as we approached the corner of West 34th Street at 8:30am on a Monday the employee out the front of the building shouted "Empire State Building, 5 minute wait", and he was most certainly correct. Moral of the story, get there early on a weekday.
Are the views atop The Empire State Building spectacular? Yes. Would I line up for 3+ hours to see them? No. We had been warned by multiple people that there would be gargantuan queues to get to the top of this magnificent structure and so we were prepared for the worst. But as we approached the corner of West 34th Street at 8:30am on a Monday the employee out the front of the building shouted "Empire State Building, 5 minute wait", and he was most certainly correct. Moral of the story, get there early on a weekday.
Macy's is ridiculously large, so enter with a purpose
This is by no means an exaggeration, it is a behemoth store. You could certainly spend a whole day there but if have limited time and want to avoid falling into this trap my advice would be to either go in knowing exactly what you want to buy (e.g. we needed more appropriate snow shoes) and then eventually navigate your way to that location/s, or alternatively just go in to have a look around. If you go in to "do some shopping" i.e. browse around and see what you find, you will most certainly spend way too long in there.
HOT TIP: If you are an international traveller, show your passport at the visitors centre and they will give you a 10% discount card!
This is by no means an exaggeration, it is a behemoth store. You could certainly spend a whole day there but if have limited time and want to avoid falling into this trap my advice would be to either go in knowing exactly what you want to buy (e.g. we needed more appropriate snow shoes) and then eventually navigate your way to that location/s, or alternatively just go in to have a look around. If you go in to "do some shopping" i.e. browse around and see what you find, you will most certainly spend way too long in there.
HOT TIP: If you are an international traveller, show your passport at the visitors centre and they will give you a 10% discount card!
Times Square can be a late night destination
Because there is so much to see and do in New York during the day but so few daylight hours, I would recommend saving Times Square for night time to give yourself more time during the day. Most of the shops are open to anywhere between 10:30pm and midnight so go grab dinner or see a Broadway show earlier in the evening then get a hot drink from one of the many Starbucks and do some late night shopping at M&M World, Hershey's Chocolate World, The Disney Store, Toys R Us, Levi's, Forever 21, Sephora or any of the other super-sized shops.
It is busy, buzzing, bright, exciting and obviously there are a lot of tourists so it feels perfectly safe late at night (but exercise regular precautions and common sense of course).
Because there is so much to see and do in New York during the day but so few daylight hours, I would recommend saving Times Square for night time to give yourself more time during the day. Most of the shops are open to anywhere between 10:30pm and midnight so go grab dinner or see a Broadway show earlier in the evening then get a hot drink from one of the many Starbucks and do some late night shopping at M&M World, Hershey's Chocolate World, The Disney Store, Toys R Us, Levi's, Forever 21, Sephora or any of the other super-sized shops.
It is busy, buzzing, bright, exciting and obviously there are a lot of tourists so it feels perfectly safe late at night (but exercise regular precautions and common sense of course).
The obligatory 'standing in Times Square' photo
The TV and Movie Sites Tour is also a great way to see the city
If you've ever seen any movie or watched any TV Show that features New York then you will enjoy this tour. And even if you aren't a movie buff, this tour is a great way to see some areas of the city you may not have ventured to otherwise. The route covers areas of Midtown, SOHO, Chelsea, Tribeca, Greenwich Village, The Meatpacking District and The Financial District among others and the tour bus has screens that plays scenes from movies and TV shows that feature the locations as you pass them.
If you've ever seen any movie or watched any TV Show that features New York then you will enjoy this tour. And even if you aren't a movie buff, this tour is a great way to see some areas of the city you may not have ventured to otherwise. The route covers areas of Midtown, SOHO, Chelsea, Tribeca, Greenwich Village, The Meatpacking District and The Financial District among others and the tour bus has screens that plays scenes from movies and TV shows that feature the locations as you pass them.
The Friends Building
The Washington Square Arch featured in many films and TV shows (notably When Harry Met Sally, one of my favourites)
Paley Park in midtown is a hidden gem of serenity
In case you weren't already aware, midtown Manhattan is crazy. But amongst all of the hustle and bustle, one evening we stumbled across this stunning little park at 3 East 53rd Street. I didn't get to see it during the day but at night time it truly was a very peaceful and beautiful place; I highly recommend taking the time to check it out. It is the perfect place to rest, regroup and take some time to breathe amongst all of your fast paced sightseeing.
"Paley Park provides a welcome respite from the concrete jungle ... A waterfall, trees, and ivy covered walls transport visitors to an oasis and away from the sights and sounds of the city." Benjamin Waldman- Untapped Cities
In case you weren't already aware, midtown Manhattan is crazy. But amongst all of the hustle and bustle, one evening we stumbled across this stunning little park at 3 East 53rd Street. I didn't get to see it during the day but at night time it truly was a very peaceful and beautiful place; I highly recommend taking the time to check it out. It is the perfect place to rest, regroup and take some time to breathe amongst all of your fast paced sightseeing.
"Paley Park provides a welcome respite from the concrete jungle ... A waterfall, trees, and ivy covered walls transport visitors to an oasis and away from the sights and sounds of the city." Benjamin Waldman- Untapped Cities
Random recommendations (click on the icons next to the names to see their websites for more information)
Food
Nuchas Empandas in Times Square 🍴
Ruby Foos 🍴
Levain Bakery Upper West Side 🍴
Le Pain Quotidien at Bryant Park 🍴
Shake Shack (duh) 🍴
The Loeb Boathouse Central Park (we ate at the Express Cafe for lunch, but it was still lovely) 🍴
La Bonne Soupe 🍴
Shopping
Century 21 Downtown $
Macy's $
Bloomingdales at 59th Street and Lexington $
Strand Book Store $
Who A.U Herald Square $
HBO Shop $
H&M on Fifth Avenue $
NBC Experience Store $
Tiffany's on Fifth Avenue (even if you're not looking to purchase anything, go inside and have a look) $
Nuchas Empandas in Times Square 🍴
Ruby Foos 🍴
Levain Bakery Upper West Side 🍴
Le Pain Quotidien at Bryant Park 🍴
Shake Shack (duh) 🍴
The Loeb Boathouse Central Park (we ate at the Express Cafe for lunch, but it was still lovely) 🍴
La Bonne Soupe 🍴
Shopping
Century 21 Downtown $
Macy's $
Bloomingdales at 59th Street and Lexington $
Strand Book Store $
Who A.U Herald Square $
HBO Shop $
H&M on Fifth Avenue $
NBC Experience Store $
Tiffany's on Fifth Avenue (even if you're not looking to purchase anything, go inside and have a look) $
