In this New York travel guide step by step we want to facilitate the preparation of a trip to New York. We will show, step by step, the best places to visit, when to travel, the best things to see and do in the city, where to buy, recommended restaurants, activities, tours and excursions, the best accommodation option, what to book before to travel, how to save ...
For this we have based on our experience, both in the trip to New York in 11 days we did and in the 40 days we spent in the Big Apple in the month of June.
When to travel
Any time is good for a trip to New York although the most advisable would be during the autumn and spring seasons. In these times the weather is pleasant, the colors of the parks like Central Park are fantastic, the prices of accommodation are usually more adjusted and in addition, there will be fewer people in the more tourist attractions.
Against, in winter it is quite cold and there is a lot of tourism, especially at Christmas time, New Year's Eve and Thanksgiving, as it is the favorite time period for shopping enthusiasts with Black Friday and the big discounts in shopping centers and outlets.
In summer, especially the months of July and August, temperatures can reach 40 degrees, something to keep in mind and more in a city like New York, where there are many things to see outdoors, although we must also value This is the time of festivals and many activities.
In our case, we chose the first trip through New York during Holy Week and the last one in June, two times that show the city in different ways.
New York guide
Important things to do before traveling
Prior to take a trip to New YorkThere are certain things that we must take into account and above all, have lists:
- Take out the ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization): This is an electronic form that must be processed if you want to enter the United States.
The best way to manage it is through the official website. The procedure is very simple, you just have to choose the language, click on "New request"and follow the steps indicated. This procedure costs $ 14 per person and is valid for two years.
Take special care not to fall on pages that manage the request at much higher prices, since this procedure, as we say, can be done online and personally.
- Hire Health Insurance: If there is something important that we should have tied before traveling to the Big Apple, it is to have a good travel insurance for New York. In addition, we must take into account its coverage, since traveling to any Asian country is not the same as doing it to New York, for example. Health in the US has very high costs, so it is highly advisable to take out travel insurance that covers a minimum of 60,000 to 100,000 euros. Preferably 100,000, especially if we consider that an appendicitis operation has an approximate cost of 60000 euros.
In our case we have hired travel insurance for New York with Mondo, with a coverage of 100,000 euros for each of us.
- In this article you will find the 10 things to book before traveling to New York.
Accommodation in New York
- Book a hotel: The duration of the trip for most people who do tourism in New York is 5 to 10 days. In this case it is preferable, especially if it is your first time in the city and it fits you in the budget, to stay in the Midtown area, located in the center of the island of Manhattan. This location will allow you to have most tourist attractions nearby and waste little time in displacement. We stayed at the Holiday Inn New York City - Times Square and it was a wise choice.
For more information you can consult this post about the best neighborhoods and hotels to stay in New York.
- Rent an apartment: We cannot ignore that New York is an expensive city, especially in terms of accommodation. Therefore, an option to value, much cheaper, especially if you are going to be many days or want to save is to rent an apartment with AirBnb.
As with hotels, it is best to book well in advance, since the best ones sell out quickly and as the dates get closer, the prices become more expensive.
In our case, for this trip to New York that we will do in June, in which we will be 40 days, we have opted for this option, opting for an apartment in the East Harlem area, just one street from Central Park.
Keep in mind that AirBnb in New York has undergone changes in recent times and now it is only legal to use the platform in this city, for stays of more than 30 days. If there are fewer days, you must rent a room in a house where the owner is.
In addition, if it is your first reservation with AirBnb and you register through this link we give you 35 euros that will be deducted directly from your reservation.
Transport
- From the airport to the accommodation:
There are three airports in New York: JFK, LaGuardia and Newark, although most flights arrive at JFK airport. Each airport has several means of transport to reach the city center or your hotel:
- Air Train + subway: The most economical. Only available in the JFK.
- Taxi: A good option from 3 people. Available in the 3 airports.
- Uber: You can download the application and after selecting the destination, choose the car you want at very tight prices. For example, a shared Uber, from the JFK to downtown Manhattan for about $ 35.
- Private transport service: The most comfortable option. Available in the 3 airports. You can book it here.
- Bus: Available only from LaGuardia airport.
- Air Train + Train: Available only from Newark airport.
In this article we tell you how to go from JFK airport to Manhattan with all the practical details.
- Get around town
The subway is almost essential in a city of great distances such as New York. It is highly recommended to buy the Metrocard card, you will not only save money but also time. Something to keep in mind is that in the subway you cannot pay in cash.
- Simple Metrocard: This would be the simple option. The card itself costs 1 dollar, which you must recharge with the amount you want and that will remain on the card as a balance. This balance will be deducted from your card as you spend it, either in the subway or on the bus. Keep in mind that 1 single metro ticket costs $ 2.95.
With this option you do not have any discount, but you do have the comfort of not having to pay each ticket separately, for which you would have to recharge individually for each trip.
- Metrocard 7 days: This card for 7 days with unlimited tickets is used for both metro and bus. The price is 30 dollars + 1 dollar for the card.
- Monthly Metrocard: This card that serves for a consecutive month, with unlimited tickets, both for metro and bus. The price is 116 dollars + 1 dollar per card. This is the option that we will use for our 40 day stay in the city.
The Metrocard can be purchased at any metro station.
- Excursions outside the city
If you want to make an excursion from New York, the best option to travel, in general, is the bus. The journey time is similar to that of the trains, but these are much more comfortable and even have Wi-Fi. There are several companies, among the best are: Megabus, Greyhound and Boltbus.
Another option, more comfortable, especially if you do not have many days, is to book tours and excursions in New York with a guide in Spanish.
- The best outlets in New York
- Excursion to Washington from New York
- How to go from New York to Washington
Internet in New York
If you want to have internet in New York, something very necessary today, especially considering the amount of applications we use in our trips and the need to be in contact with our family and friends, you can choose several options:
- Buy a SIM card at the airport or at a phone shop in the city.
- Buy one Holafly SIM card, with which you will have internet from the moment you land, saving you all the time of the negotiations and making the whole process to have internet in the United States much more comfortable, fast and easy.
In this case, with the Holafly SIM you will have several Gb to surf the Internet (depending on the option you choose), they will send it to you for free at home, you will keep your WhatsApp number and you will have assistance service in Spanish. You can buy your Holafly prepaid SIM card here with a 5% discount for being our reader.
More information on the Holafly post, the best prepaid SIM card for travel
New York guide
If there is something important and necessary to enjoy and above all, make the most of your trip to the Big Apple, it is to know the tourist places of the city and have a minimum planning that allows you to plan the days taking full advantage of the time.
After our two trips to the city we leave you we leave several New York guides with which you can easily organize your day to day in the city, according to the number of days you have.
- New York in one day
- New York in 2 days
- New York in 3 days
- New York in 4 days
- New York in 5 days
- New York in 6 days
- New york in 7 days
- New york in 11 days
What to see and do in New York
Given that most travelers are not many days in New York, something very important is to have a clear idea of the places you want to visit. As we mentioned earlier this will be synonymous with making the most of the time and therefore, enjoying the city and all it has to offer.
In these articles of the New York guide, you can discover many of the things to see and do in addition to many places that you can not miss on your visit to the Big Apple.
- 100 things to see and do in New York
- What to see in New York by neighborhood
- 10 essential places to see in Central Park
- 20 essential places to visit in New York
- The 10 best photos of New York
- The 5 best viewpoints in New York
- 10 things to see and do in Harlem
- Route through New York at night
- The best burgers in New York.
Tours and excursions
There are many tours and excursions with guide in Spanish That is worth doing in the city. In addition, if you have an extra day, you can consider making an exit, such as Washington or Niagara Falls, two of the most visited places from New York.
We leave you a list of those that are for us the most interesting and that can be the perfect complement for your trip.
- The best tours in New York
- Book Tour contrasts or Tour contrasts + Mass gospel.
- Book the New York VIP Contrast tour that takes place in a minibus for up to 15 people.
Our experience with the tour contrasts.
- Book New York Night Tour
- Book Mass Gospel and tour of Harlem
Our experience at Mass Gospel and Harlem.
- Book a helicopter tour or the New York tour by land, sea and air, which includes a helicopter ride, a cruise and a guided city bus tour.
Our experience with the helicopter tour.
- Book Tour of Upper and Lower Manhattan
For more information you can consult this post about the best free tours in New York for free.
- The best excursions from New York
- Book Washington DC Tour
We leave you the list of the 50 things to see and do in Washington
- Book Excursion to Niagara Falls by plane in one day or by bus in two days.
- Book Excursion to Boston.
- Book Excursion to Philadelphia and the Amish region.
In this article in the New York guide we leave you the 10 best tours and excursions in New York.
New York by helicopter
Tickets and shows
Another one of the things that you cannot miss, especially if it is your first visit to the city, is to enjoy a show. Whether it's a sporting event or a Broadway show, we advise you to go to a minimum. We are sure that you will not regret it, since it is an experience in itself.
As we did in the previous section, we leave you a list of those that are for us the most interesting and that we believe, can be perfect in combination with any of the routes through the city.
- Sports events
- NBA match. You can buy tickets here.
Our experience in an NBA game at Madison Square Garden.
- NFL (American Football) match. You can buy tickets here.
- MLB (Baseball) match. You can buy tickets here
- NHL (Ice Hockey) match. You can buy tickets here
- Broadway shows
As we mentioned before, one of the essentials if it is your first trip to New York, is to see some of his famous musicals or plays that take place on Broadway. We went to see the musical Aladdin and we loved it.
It is highly recommended to reserve the ticket online in time, especially if you want to get good seats in the best shows such as: The Lion King, The Phantom of the Opera, Blue Man Group, Cats, Wicked, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Chicago, Anastasia or School of Rock.
- Jazz and Blues concerts
In New York there are jazz and blues concerts every night, in different areas of the city. In the neighborhood of Greenwich Village many of the clubs are concentrated and also in Harlem, in the case of jazz.
Some recommended clubs are the 55 Bar, Birdland, Terra Blues, Blue Note Jazz Club, Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, among many others. You have to keep in mind that in some you can book tickets online on their official pages or directly, if you do not want to buy in advance, go to the store and try your luck.
NBA match
* One of the alternatives to buy cheap tickets for the shows, even if the seats are worse, is TKTS, a place in Times Square, very easy to recognize for its large red staircase. In this place you can get tickets for the same day with a good discount, especially for less famous shows.
Shopping in New York
New York is the city of shopping with its thousands of stores of all kinds. You can start with the big-brand and most luxurious stores on Fifth Avenue, until you end up in second-hand markets or more original stores in neighborhoods like Soho.
In addition to the more traditional stores, the city has a lot of shopping centers like the famous Macy's and outlets to find real bargains like the 21st Century.
- The best outlets in New York
- Shopping tour in the best outlet in New York: Woodbury Common Premium Outlets
How to save in New York
In addition to following this list of the best free things in New York, the New York Explorer Pass, CityPASS or New York Pass cards will allow you to save a good amount of money.
- New York Explorer Pass
Booking the New York Explorer Pass allows you to enter 3, 4, 5, 7 or 10 of the main attractions of the city, skipping the lines. It is a card that offers great flexibility to be able to choose the tickets we want from the 58 available attractions, until the last moment.
You can find more information in this post about the New York Explorer Pass: how it works, what it includes and prices.
- New York CityPASS
Buying the CityPASS allows you to save up to 42% on what it would cost you to enter 6 of the New York's best attractions and also skip the long lines.
The attractions are: Empire State Building, Natural History Museum, MET, Top of the Rock or Guggenheim Museum, Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island or Circle Line Cruise and the 11S Memorial and Museum or Intrepid Museum of the Sea, Air and Space .
More information in this post about the New York CityPASS: how it works, what it includes and prices.
- C3 City PASS New York
Another good and cheaper option is the C3 City PASS New York with which you can know the 3 of the main attractions of New York, saving up to 27% if you compare it with the purchase of tickets separately. Buy your C3 City PASS New York here
- New York Pass
Buying the New York Pass allows you to save and skip the line to more than 100 tourist attractions in the city. You can purchase the New York Pass for 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 or 10 days.
In this case, the more attractions you visit, the more money you save, since you will not have to pay any extra in any of them, being able to visit as many as you want.
You can find more information in this post about the New York Pass: how it works, what it includes and prices.
Various tips for a trip to New York
There are certain things that are worth considering before making a trip to New York, with which you can save time as well as money.
- It is very convenient to bring a copy of all documentation such as passports, airline tickets, reservations, travel insurance, driving license ... etc in the cloud and that is offline, to be able to consult it at any time. Another option is to send yourself all the documentation by email.
- Do not forget to bring flat pin adapters for the plugs. And if you have to charge many devices, a USB wall charger can be your best ally.
- Take padlocks with TSA lock for your luggage, so you will avoid surprises in case the authorities want to check your luggage.
- Do not forget to tip at the restaurants and places served at the table. The tip is usually between 10% and 20% and not leaving it could be considered quite "bad Education".
- Remember that in order not to pay commissions and always have the current change we recommend you use the N26 card to pay and the Bnext and Revolut cards to get money at the ATMs. They are the ones we use, They are free and will save you a lot.
You can find more information in this article about the best cards to travel without commissions.
- Before a trip to New York or during, if you want to know more about the city, we recommend these books:
- New York by Edward Rutherfurd
- New York, New York ... by Javier Reverte
- Manhattan windows by Antonio Muñoz Molina
- New York. Portrait of a city of Reuel Golden
- In this post you can find more tips for traveling to New York and in this tips for traveling to the United States.
If you want to add any advice or recommendation in this New York guide step by stepYou can leave us a comment with which you will surely help all travelers who read the guide.
