How to Get Your First Trip to New York Just Right
- Elisabeth Caraballo
- Oct 24, 2018
- 2 min read
New York is rightly regarded as one of the world’s premier travel destinations, and, in truth, it’s always possible to have an excellent time. But it’s also true that even though your trip to New York will be fantastic no matter what you do, there are ways you can get it just right. If you’re just beginning to plan your first trip to the Big Apple, then read on below, and incorporate our tips into your plans.
Go At the Right Time
There’s not one version of New York; there are many, at least four, and maybe more. The city changes with the seasons, so the experience you’d get in the summer and the one you’d get in the winter would be very different. It’s hard to say which is the best, but people generally agree that, like most cities in the Northern Hemisphere, the least appealing time to go is just after Christmas (though prices are normally lower at that time, albeit for a reason). In general, the best times are late spring and in the run-up to Christmas. Choose the one you naturally feel more drawn to!
Make a List of Things To Do
You could turn up to the Big Apple without a plan and have an incredible time. But you’d need to have a stroke of luck. To get the most out of your trip, you need to make a plan! There are so many things to do in New York that you won’t see them all; you could live in the city for a year and never see them all. So you’ll need to make some decisions; do you spend half a day exploring the Natural History Museum, or would you rather explore the Museum of Modern Art?
Outside of Manhattan
During your first trip to the city, you’ll be spending most of your trip exploring the sites around Manhattan, but it’s worth remembering that New York is much bigger than just its most famous borough. At the very least, you’ll want to cross the Brooklyn Bridge and explore the borough that’s on the other side, if only to sample its delicious range of food and drink. Also, while you won’t want to spend too much of your time in Staten Island, it is worthwhile taking the ferry out there - it offers passengers views of Manhattan that they otherwise couldn’t have.
Cultural Events
New York is more than its sights and sounds; it’s also a mecca for people who love to attend cultural events! Make sure you’re taking a look at the one-off events that are taking place during your visit to the city. They will be plentiful. It might be a performance, concert, festival, or anything else.
Soaking Up the Atmosphere
Finally, remember that part of the beauty of the city lies in just roaming the streets and soaking up the atmosphere. Schedule in time to do nothing whatsoever, besides watching the world pass by from the corner cafe. It’s the New York life!
