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New York City is a super crowded and incredibly expensive cultural hotspot. It has history, it has Broadway, and it’s got some of the best shopping districts in all the world. It’s easy to see why it’s the most visited city in all of the US and has the top spot on many a traveler’s bucket lists – it’s the kind of place where you could get up to anything.
But with all of these factors combined, the first time you get the chance to visit New York City, you absolutely need to have a plan. It’s the only way to make sure you don’t waste any time on your trip, as even a full week in New York City often isn’t enough to see and do everything you want.
But again, this is going to be your first time visiting the city, so you probably don’t know the expert travel tips that’ll keep you on pace. And that’s what we’re here to help with; here’s the advice to keep in mind when planning your New York City itinerary.
Narrow Down Your ‘Must-Sees’
New York City offers a little slice of luxury to anyone who visits it, but that slice tends to come with the associated price tag. It’s an expensive city, with a cost of living well above the average, and tourists don’t come away unscathed either.
Not only that, but you’re not going to fit every tourist hot-spot or iconic sight into your itinerary either. NYC is a pretty dense place to try and get around, and it’s thronging with a crowd even in the off season.
Because of these two problems, if you’ve got only one chance to visit and a limit on the time you can spend in the city, you’ll need to narrow down your must-see list. What do you really want to visit New York City for? And what could you survive without seeing, even if you’d rather not miss out?
Find a Hotel with Good Public Transport Links
When you’re in New York City, you want to be able to step outside of your hotel and be at the nearest subway station in 5 minutes or less. You don’t want to be too far away from a station that you have to hike up the street, or rely on Uber trips every single time you want to head out.
It’s a waste of time and energy, even if New York City has a reputation for being more walkable than most other US cities. Staying somewhere central is usually the best move, but it can be extremely costly if you want to go for more than one night.
But with the strength of the public transport, you can go a little further afield, like out into the South Bronx. You get easy access to Yankee Stadium from Opera House hotel, for any sports fans in the group, and there’s a subway station only 2 minutes away.
Don’t Stay on Your Feet
The more you try to walk around New York City, the slower you’re going to go. Public transport is as quick as it is for a reason; there’s a lot to get through, a lot of people to ferry back and forth, and not enough time in the day to walk it.
Central Park alone is about 90 minutes all the way around, and that’s if you’re a fast walker. If not, you could be there for upwards of 2 to 3 hours. Even though it’s a great place to explore, giving NYC that natural green hit it really needs, that’s a lot of time used up when you’re only around for 4 to 5 days!
Use the subway, as much as you can. Get to know the route maps before you head down to a station, as you won’t want to waste time trying to understand them in the middle of a busy intersection.
Book in Advance…
Booking in advance secures your ticket, and makes it a lot easier to just bring it up on your phone. No need to hold up a queue or get delayed paying on the door; you’ve pre-booked and you’re ready to go.
It’s also probably the best way to get a good deal on tickets for things like concerts, theater shows, and any games you want to attend.
And remember, these minutes add up over the course of your visit. You won’t be sitting around searching for the right website to book your entrance, and your ticket prices have already been locked in and accounted for.
That frees up some room in the souvenir budget, and there are plenty of places in NYC to spend this pot.
…And Buy Tickets That Let You Skip Queues
It’s possible to do, even in New York City. The New York Pass gives you instant access to a lot of attractions that are probably on your must-see list.
You may still need to queue in the ‘fast’ lane, but it’ll be better than having to wait for the 100+ person queue to reach all the way back to you. Skip the queue, save some time, and save yourself some of the waiting frustration that plagues us all when on vacation.
Make the Most of Your New York City Trip
Once you’re in New York City, you’re going to want to make the most of the time you have. And we hate to say it, but that usually means cutting back on what you’ve got planned.
NYC has more of a rushed travel pace to it, but if you want to truly soak in the atmosphere, history, and culture, you’re going to need to slow down a bit.
Cut out the things you could do without, get your tickets ready to go in advance, and use the subway as frequently as possible. 2 minutes waiting for the next train, and 5 minutes to get to your destination, is much faster than trying the 20 minute walk above ground.
