Ultimate NYC travel guide: Top things to do in New York City

New York City remains one of the best travel destinations in the world, particularly for people from the UK. Flying over the Atlantic to the Big Apple is a dream on many people’s bucket lists, as this city is truly iconic. It’s the backdrop to many films & TV shows with a cacophony of things to do and see. 

Planning a trip to NYC will always be challenging; you want to tick all the right things off your list and ensure you get the best travel experience you can muster. This New York City travel guide is the ultimate starting point as it contains information on all of these tough questions: 

• When is the best time to travel to New York?
• How long should you stay in New York?
• What are the best things to do in New York?

The best time to visit New York City

New York is generally a fantastic place to visit throughout the year. There’s always something going on, though most travel experts warn you against going in the summer. Why? Because flights are more expensive, the weather is pretty humid and there are massive crowds everywhere. 

Instead, the three other seasons all present unique benefits that may push you towards going during their time: 

• NYC in Spring – This is the quietest tourism time of the year, so your flights will be cheaper, hotels less expensive and there’ll be fewer crowds. It’s also when Central Park starts blooming again. 
• NYC in Autumn – Many people love the idea of New York City in autumn. Central Park turns golden, and the weather is cold but not too cold. It’s just outside of the peak tourism times as well, especially if you don’t go over the Halloween period. 
• NYC in Winter – New York will get cold in winter, and it might even snow. If anything, that tempts lots of tourists to pack their bags and visit! It’s a busy period, but the crowds are worth it as you’ll experience a true NYC Christmas, which is one of the most magical experiences you can wish for. 

So, when is the best time to travel to New York? Any time other than the summer! 

Ideal staying time in New York City

First things first, if you don’t live in a nearby American city, then New York will never be a weekend trip! It’s the type of city that deserves all of your attention and shouldn’t be rushed. With that in mind, the minimum amount of time you should stay here is 4 full days. That will give you enough time to see most of the main attractions without feeling like you’re rushed off your feet. 

However, if you want to explore more of the neighbourhoods in New York and truly immerse yourself in the local hotspots and activities, then it’s probably best to stay there for at least a full week, possibly more. This length of time is ideal to see things in-depth and go on a few day trips so you don’t feel like you’re missing out on anything. 

Also, the amount of time you spend in NYC will dictate where you should stay. Those of you looking at a 4-day trip will likely be fine in traditional hotels. There are, as you can imagine, thousands of options in all different price brackets. As you’re only staying for a few nights, the cost of a hotel in a great location should be pretty decent. 

On the other hand, longer stays will be better when you book an Airbnb. This isn’t an advert for the company; it’s merely that staying in rented accommodation is more affordable when the trip starts getting longer. It makes more sense to buy and cook your own food on most nights to save money, and an Airbnb is the perfect way to do this. 

Top things to do in New York City

Let’s face it: this is what you’re really interested in. While the logistical aspects of planning a trip, such as knowing when to go and how long to stay, are important, you’re mainly excited about planning a travel itinerary. 

New York City is stuffed full of amazing sights and scenes. It’s a traveller’s paradise; there are things to do and sights to experience for everyone. Here’s an eclectic mixture of ideas that should satisfy anyone’s travel palette: 

Take in the iconic attractions

You simply cannot take a trip to New York without visiting all of its most famed attractions. There will be some we haven’t listed below, but that’s merely because there are so many! Big ones to be sure you tick off your list include:

• The Statue of Liberty
• Empire State Building
• Times Square
• 9/11 Memorial
• Brooklyn Bridge
• Grand Central Station

Most of these places are just “show up and take a photo” attractions, though a few will involve buying tickets to take a deeper look around. For instance, it is beyond worth buying tickets to get to the top of the Empire State Building. The dizzying views are well worth it, especially if you manage to go on a clear day. 

See at least one Broadway show

Visiting NYC and not seeing at least one Broadway show should be a cardinal sin. Even if you’re not the biggest theatre fan, Broadway shows are on another level. The set designs are out of this world and you may even see a few big superstar names acting and singing in them. 

Some of the best shows in New York you can see during your trip are: 

• The Lion King
• Aladdin
• Chicago
• Moulin Rouge
• Wicked

They also have seasonal shows during the festive period that are definitely worth booking. It’s genuinely a good idea to add an extra day to your initial travel schedule just to book a Broadway show. Think West End theatre, but elevated to bigger and bolder heights. 

Experience the beauty of Central Park

Central Park is something that almost shouldn’t exist. In a concrete jungle filled with skyscrapers, roads, cars and buildings, there lies a massive expanse of natural beauty. It contains over 840 acres of sheer gorgeous scenes and is one of the must-see places on your New York City journey. 

You need to walk through the green areas and take in some of the lovely scenery. Here are a few hotspots to look out for when traversing through Central Park: 

• Strawberry Fields
• Belvedere Castle
• Balto Statue
• Alice in Wonderland Sculpture
• Central Park Zoo

The list goes on beyond these attractions, proving once again that Central Park is worthy of a place on your bucket list. You can legitimately take a couple of days to explore Central Park in its entirety – and you won’t be bored by the end.

Head to some excellent galleries

Many people forget that New York is a city of culture, not just a massive tourist destination. It’s home to some world-famous galleries featuring art from decorated artists. If you want to spend a few hours admiring grand exhibits and seeing rare pieces of art that may not be found anywhere else in the world, then this is the city to be. 

New York is full of great galleries, but here are the best ones to add to your travel list: 

• The Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Museum of Modern Art
• Sotheby’s 
• Gagosian Gallery

Visit different NYC neighbourhoods

While you’re in NYC, you should journey to some of its legendary neighbourhoods. This is a brilliant way to get a true taste of what it’s like to live in New York and to see the stark contrasts between places within the same city. 

There are lots of different places to explore, but we recommend checking out Greenwich Village, SoHo and Williamsburg. Greenwich features incredible Bohemian architecture and grand houses with some of the best food in the city. SoHo is all about luxury boutique shops and galleries, making it a true cultural hotspot. Williamsburg is located in Brooklyn and is known as a very trendy area with loads of iconic street art and great flea markets. It’s also the best place for proper New York beer brewed in Brooklyn! 

Try classic NYC food

Finally, you need to add some foodie activities to your trip. While there are hundreds of world-class restaurants in New York, the main joy is finding some classic NYC comfort food. You can’t leave this city without trying a traditional New York-style pizza. It’s somewhat similar to a famous Italian pizza in that the base is thin, and the crust is large. The big difference is that New York pizzas are extremely big and usually sold by the slice. 

Two other foods to try from local vendors are bagels and pretzels. Both are iconic lunches or breakfasts for busy NYC locals, and they tend to come with loads of toppings or varieties. 

Taking everything into account, this is your ultimate travel guide to New York City. Plan your trip by figuring out when to go, how long to go for and what things to do. There’s more than enough to occupy your every minute and leave you wanting to come back for more.

The editorial unit