Start spreading the news . . .
Following Frank Sinatra’s lead, Siobhan Downes’ ‘vagabond shoes, they are starting to stray, right though the very heart’ of NYC. But when you have never been to the city that never sleeps, there is so much to do and see it is hard to know what to prioritise.
The first thing to know about New York is that it really does live up to the hype. You have heard about it in the songs. You have seen it on television and in the movies. When you finally get there, you find it is all accurate – it is a concrete jungle where dreams are made. And you can’t help but want to be a part of it.
But what Alicia Keys and Frank Sinatra neglected to mention was that it is impossible to see it all in one visit, so it is a good idea to accept that the main purpose of your first trip is to tick off the big tourist hits.
Grab a CityPASS
If you plan to hit all the tourist hot spots, it is worth getting a pass that gives you access to multiple attractions. Doing it this way usually offers a discount compared to booking them individually.
I used the New York CityPASS, which includes admission to five attractions for US$129 (NZ$204), and is valid for nine consecutive days.
The attractions are the Empire State Building, the American Museum of Natural History, your choice of the Top of the Rock Observation Deck or the Guggenheim Museum, a ferry trip to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island or a Circle Line sightseeing cruise, and the 9/11 Museum or the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.
I ended up doing the Empire State Building, the Top of the Rock, the Circle Line Cruise and the 9/11 Museum, but ran out of time to visit the American Museum of Natural History.
Even without the museum, the CityPASS still worked out cheaper than if I had booked those attractions individually.
You do have to do a bit of planning in advance, as most attractions require advance reservations. But it is easy to book everything via the CityPASS website, and you can change times and dates if necessary.
Once you have booked in your attractions, you are emailed your tickets. You then just need to show up at the time you have reserved, and present your ticket on your phone (or you can print it).
Catch a hop-on hop-off bus
Don’t turn up your nose at these brightly coloured behemoths that can be seen transporting tourists around cities all over the world – they are a great way to get your bearings.
Big Bus New York offers a one-day ticket from US$54, with two Manhattan routes, Downtown and Uptown, that encompass most the major attractions. Download the Big Bus app to locate the bus stops and keep track of when the next bus will arrive.
I enjoyed just sitting on the top deck and riding the bus for a full loop, taking in the sights – I recommend this as the best way to soak up the colours and chaos of Times Square, without having to battle the crowds below.
Take a tour
While you should allow yourself plenty of time for independent wandering, it can be helpful to do a tour on your first visit, to get insider tips and discover interesting details about the city.
Like A Local Tours routes across Manhattan and Brooklyn cater to all interests, including food, fashion, art and architecture.
I took the Chelsea Market, High Line and Hudson Yards food and history tour, which included several foodie stops in the iconic market, and a guided walk along the 2.33km elevated rail line-turned-public park, ending up in Manhattan’s newest neighbourhood.
My guide, Justin, had all sorts of knowledge to share, from revealing the dark history of the High Line – the need for an elevated line arose after people kept being hit by freight trains on the street-level line – to pointing out apartment buildings where celebrities live (and even the hotel where Solange Knowles infamously punched Jay-Z in an elevator).
See a show
‘‘See a Broadway show’’ is an activity many firsttime visitors are keen to tick off their bucket list.
These glittering productions take place across 41 theatres in and around the area in Midtown Manhattan known as the Theatre District.
Whether you have the hottest tickets in town or opt for a tried-and-true classic, the show itself is almost secondary – it is the thrill of being in this part of town, among some of the world’s best performers, that makes it a special experience.
I saw Chicago – the second-longest running show on Broadway after Phantom of the Opera – and the
razzle-dazzle hasn’t dimmed with age.
In fact, the actress who played Roxie Hart, Angelica Ross, had just made history as the first openly trans woman to star in the role.
While you can attempt to nab last-minute tickets for a discounted price from kiosks or theatres, you can save yourself time and stress by booking in advance and as early as possible, if you have your heart set on one of the more popular productions.
Check out the Broadway Collection website for a curated selection of some of the most popular shows for tourists. You can also secure your tickets direct through the site.
Admire the views
Seeing the New York skyline from above is a must on your first trip, with a few observation decks to choose from, each offering a different experience and perspective.
I tried two classics – the Empire State Building and Top of the Rock.
While the Empire State Building is the big one, and worth a visit if you want to learn more about the history of the iconic building’s construction, if you only have time for one, I would pick Top of the Rock.
There is no glass blocking the views, so your photos turn out amazing and, best of all, they will have the Empire State Building in them, which your pictures from the top of the Empire State Building itself won’t.
Check the forecast for the day you are booking, because you don’t want the view obscured by bad weather. First thing tends to be the quietest time to visit, but if you don’t mind crowds, it is hard to beat a sunset experience.
Check out a museum
New York has some of the best museums in the world. But you need time to do them justice, so rather than attempting to rush through them all, a better strategy is to choose a couple to focus on.
The Museum of Modern Art was my pick, and I spent a leisurely afternoon wandering through the six floors of galleries, absorbing the famous artworks in the flesh – Van Gogh’s The Starry Night, Monet’s Water Lilies and Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon are just a few of the highlights.
MoMA is a great place to get your gift shopping done – the flagship store in the museum lobby contains all manner of art-related goodies, from Mondrian coasters to The Starry Night Lego sets.
The 9/11 Museum is another must-visit. It is a strange thing to visit a museum dedicated to an event that is still so raw in our memory, but it is an important New York story, powerfully told.
The adjacent memorial is also a beautiful place for some quiet reflection, consisting of two huge infinity pools, in the footprints of the Twin Towers.
Stroll around Central Park
There is no right way to do Central Park – just set aside a couple of hours, preferably on a fine day, and let yourself get lost in this spectacular inner-city swath of greenery.
There is a trick you can use to avoid getting really lost. All you have to do is look at the lampposts, which have numbers on the base. The first two or three numbers tell you the closest street, while the last number reveals whether you are on the west side (if it is odd) or east side (even).
Highlights include the John Lennon Strawberry Fields memorial, Bethesda Terrace and Fountain, and the Alice in Wonderland statue. My favourite spot was The Mall – a long walkway bordered by elms, with statues of famous writers at one end.
More first-timer tips:
■ Pack your most comfortable shoes, as you will do a lot of walking. I hit 20,000 steps every day.
■ Taxis at JFK Airport charge a flat fare of US$52 for trips to Manhattan, plus any tolls and peak hour surcharges. You’re also expected to tip – 15%-20% of the total fare is customary.
■ That tip is also the standard at sit-down restaurants and bars.
■ The subway is the cheapest and quickest way to get around the city. You can get an unlimited, seven-day Metro card for US$33, or pay-as-you-go for US$2.75 per ride. You can pay using a contactless credit card and, as long as you use the same card every time, you will pay no more than US$33 within a week.
■ I found the easiest way to navigate the subway was to plug my destination into Google Maps, which told me exactly what train I should take, and how many stops to ride.