Heyy everyone! I (F21) and my parents (M72, F61) will be spending a week in NYC in October, which I'm really excited about (it'll be my first time in the US, btw).

I'm sort of a control freak when it comes to travel planning, so, naturally, I've started planning my itinerary, and I would absolutely love if y'all could give me some tips and insights!

I'll be staying at the Four Points by Sheraton Midtown Times Square, 326 W 40th St.

Here's what I'm planning so far:

Tuesday

• Arrival at EWR at 05:35am, then take a transfer to my hotel (the check-in is at 3pm, but I've messaged them, and they said they could store my luggage there until it's check-in time)
• Streakferry to Highlands, NJ (A bit unusual, I know, but my dad's visiting his friend in Long Branch, and I figured a ferry ride would be a far more enjoyable experience than a train ride)
• Apple Store Fifth Avenue once we get back to NYC
• Times Square at night

Wednesday

• Daytrip to Washignton DC (It may be a little tiring, but I don't know when I'll visit the US again, and I'm obsessed with history and all that, so I already bought the train tickets through Amtrak)

Thursday

• Summit One Vanderbilt (I'm still waiting to see what the weather will be like at that day, but I'm planning on buying tickets for an early morning timeslot, like 8am or something)
• Grand Central Terminal
• MOMA
• Saint Patrick's Cathedral
• Hamilton on Broadway at 7pm (I've also got the tickets for this one in advance)

Friday

• Brooklyn Bridge
• Dumbo
• Pebble beach
• Pier 35
• 9/11 Memorial and Museum
• Wall Street
• Trinity Church

Saturday

• FlyNYon helicopter ride (scheduled for 11am)
• Museum of Natural History
• Upper East Side

Sunday

• Intrepid Museum
• Pier 57
• The Vessel
• SoHo
• NYC Ferry at night

Monday

• Central Park in the morning (Gapstow Bridge, Bethesa Terrace and Fountain, The Lake and Blow Bridge, Strawberry Fields)
• My flight back is scheduled for 08:25pm, so I guess I'd have to leave the hotel at 3pm-4pm

So far, I've only booked the Washignton train tickets, Hamilton tickets and the helicopter ride.

I'd love to hear all your thoughts/suggestion, I'm sure it'll be really helpful.

PS: If you made it to here (sorry for the long ass post, btw), thank you so much :)

EDIT: I really appreciate everyone's concern regarding the DC day trip. Although, I must admit it is quite hard to get the whole picture into someone's life from a simple Reddit post.

Me and my parents are avid travelers, and we've done a lot of insane day trips through the years, because we truly like exploring as much as we can. We even took a day trip to London from Paris a couple years ago, which, at the time, a lot of people thought it was insane as well.

Yes, my parents are old, but I'd say they're healthier than me, even haha. I don't book or plan anything without consulting them, and their well being is always my top priority, really.

I'm a law student, so getting to visit the main spots in Washington DC is really important to me. My parents are also really interested in American politics/history, so they're looking forward to this day trip as well (I did suggest we would cut that off, but my father himself refused).

Again, I understand everyone's concern, and I do know it will be tiring and insane, but still. We've done similar stuff before, so I guess we'll be fine.

Otherwise, I truly appreciate everyone who took their precious time to read this post and help me, and I'm still open to suggestions, tips and everything :)

I'm going to a concert in October and I plan to arrive super early as well as have an early entry ticket. I'm trying to figure out if I should drop my bag off at the hotel or if I can just bring it to the venue and grab it at the end of the night. The issue is I have been unable to find a way to contact the venue as they have not replied to my email and all I want to know is what it would cost to check a bag, if there is a size limit for checking a bag, and how it would work with early entry. All the website says is there's coat check and that bags the size of a backpack are allowed but are larger bags allowed in coat check?

Hi everyone i’m going to nyc for the first time in december, what is the best time to buy tickets to see the rockettes? do i buy now, wait for black friday or even the day of?!?
saturday and sunday. 12th & 13th

let me know what you think! thank you in advance !!

Hi everyone!

I’m going to NYC for the first time this Halloween with some friends. We’re staying in Sunset Park on 4th Ave and will have a few activities already planned through our travel agency, including Brooklyn, Summit One Vanderbilt, Greenwich Village and Liberty Island.

We’ll also have quite a bit of free time, especially in the evenings, and I’d love some recommendations for things we shouldn’t miss!

A few things I’m looking for:

- Cute areas to walk around and see Halloween decorations 🎃

- Nice neighborhoods for a coffee / casual dinner

- Things worth doing in Brooklyn during our free time

- Any fun Halloween atmosphere or events that are worth checking out

- Any places that are especially nice in late October/fall

Also, since we’ll be staying around 4th Ave in Sunset Park, I was wondering what the area is like in the evenings. Is it generally comfortable to walk around there after dark, particularly when coming back from Manhattan? We’re a group of friends and will obviously use common sense, but I’d appreciate some local insight on the area.

Would love any recommendations for first-time NYC visitors!

Update: found some solid options in Queens after all, listings where the owner’s explicitly present during the stay (legal home-share), with genuinely good reviews too. Comparing a few now. In the meanwhile, will ask around in Pakistani communities as well.

Hey everyone! Visiting NYC from Pakistan for the first time, staying about a week around late October. I've been searching Airbnb pretty extensively for Long Island City, Astoria, and Sunnyside specifically (wanted somewhere close to Manhattan and well-connected on transit), but the search kept coming back nearly empty for my dates, seems like short-term rental inventory in those areas is genuinely thin right now.

Hotels in the area are running around $1200 minimum for a basic room, even shared accommodations/hostel-style options are still landing around $700-800 for the week, which honestly makes me a little hesitant since I'd be sharing space with strangers for the first time in a new country.

Every listing that popped up for my search area ended up actually being in New Jersey towns instead, mainly North Bergen, West New York, and Guttenberg, even though the map was centered on Queens. Room prices there run $515-620 for the week, which fits my budget a lot better than what limited Manhattan/Queens options exist.

Note from earlier: so far I've curated 7 NJ properties across those 3 neighborhoods:

• North Bergen (3)
• West New York (2)
• Guttenberg (2)

All of these are bus-only though. A few of you have pointed me toward Jersey City and Hoboken instead, given the direct PATH access, so I'm going to search those next and will update if I find anything solid there.

From what I've researched, it sounds like a 20-30 min NJ Transit bus into Port Authority, roughly $4-7 one way, though a 10-trip ticket book brings the per-ride cost down closer to $3.45. Reviews on the specific listings I'm looking at seem reasonable, but I obviously can't tell how it actually feels being there day to day.

For those who've done it: is staying in NJ worth the tradeoff versus paying more to be in Queens/Manhattan directly? Any specific streets/blocks in North Bergen, West New York, Jersey City, or Hoboken worth prioritizing, or areas to avoid? Trying to balance affordability with not wasting half my trip commuting. Appreciate any honest input!

Hey yall i‘ll be in new york for a couple of days and wondering where and what‘s a good place to get some menthol cigs? I normally smoke the marlboro black edition ones(Marlboro black menthol and/or ice blast), i‘m open to recommendations as well!

Appreciate the help!

Hi all, we’ll be seeing Harry Styles at MSG this october. We are coming from Rhode Island, and I just wanted to get some feedback on what the most streamlined parking situation would be. I have read that a good bet is to park at the Secaucus station and take the train from there. My only question (which may sound a bit absurd) is if you all think there would still be spots to park in. I know Harry is a big draw and although the lot reportedly has a thousand spots, I could see a world where those might all be full. However, I’ve never traveled to NY or NJ so I really have no idea. I’d appreciate any advice from those who live in the area or have done something like this before. Thank you.

Did you visit NYC during this summer? Did you use this sub to help plan your trip?

We absolutely love to read your stories/feedback.

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• What worked especially well?
• What didn't go as planned?
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For those currently planning a trip, we encourage you to read through these reports. They contain a wealth of firsthand experiences, practical advice, and lessons learned that can help you make the most of your time in NYC.

Hi, planning trip to NYC in mid september, although most of it is planned, I would like to know out of all the observation decks, which is the best one? I have 4 days, not sure if I should do multiple or just one or it multiple are even worth it? Top of the Rock and Summit One seem to be the most famous?

Also, whichever you recommend, what timings do you recommend for the best scenic views and if possible manageable crowd/duration?

Thanks in Advance

My wife and I are planning a mini-anniversary trip the last weekend of September. I think we'll probably fly in on Friday late afternoon. Planning on staying in BK. I used to visit frequently when I was in college in the early 2000s and 2010s but haven't been back in many years. She's never been to they city. The thing I loved when visiting previously was just wandering and let the day happen around you so I don't want to have a tightly regulated schedule, but rather a few key points to 'anchor' the day and then let the city decide what we do.

Friday night: Ornithology/Kissa Kissa/Bar Bayeaux/some other bar restaurant in BK depending on what is close to the hotel we pick.

Saturday: grab coffee and a bagel somewhere near hotel, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Citibike the Brooklyn Bridge, 9/11 memorial. Chinatown for xi'an noodles or roast duck. Wander Chelsea and the West Village for some shops and art galleries. Thinking maybe an early-ish dinner at Gramercy Tavern, then some bars in East Village. Would love some recommendations here as some 38year olds that can't party like we used to, but still want to get the vibe of the city. Laid back and local, but I don't think we need to go to something like the Continental(RIP)

Sunday: Subway to UWS, walk through central park, MoMA, maybe back to Brooklyn in time to walk the Brooklyn Heights Promenade before dark. We really just want to explore the city and feel it. Not so much the touristy things like Times Square, more authentic NYC experiences and places.

I would love any suggestions on art galleries/museums/historic buildings to try and visit.

Thanks for taking the time to help! I also don't know how to add the 'itinerary' post tag.

Im going to be in NYC on a Sunday in September. Where can I go to hear some real upbeat gospel music? I’m looking for praise breaks, clapping, shouting and sweating type of music.

Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated! Thanks!

I’ve looked through previous megathreads about Thanksgiving/Christmas and have found quite a bit of helpful information, but I thought I’d post here for more feedback since there isn’t a specific Megathread for either holidays yet (for 2026 at least). Please let me know if I should post this to a specific thread though.

Thanks in advance for any help!!!

The dates I’d come up would be (for Thanksgiving) 23rd-27th, and for Christmas from the 22nd-26th. I haven’t made any solids plans yet as I’m still figuring out what would work best!

This would be my fourth solo trip in the past year, and I usually stay near Soho. I’m not worried about the cold, and my budget per day is usually $250-$500 (with $500 being the max).

In my past solo trips I’ve been to the ARTE museum, Balloon Museum, the MET, Museum of Natural History, the Museum of Illusions, Museum of Sex, Mercer Labs, 9/11 Memorial, I’ve seen Hadestown and Lost Boys on Broadway, and I’ve gone drinking at the Schmuck and Cubbyhole.

I love walking (even in the cold!), shopping, and every time I’m in the city I love to find random stuff to do (one of my last trips I kept my eye out for any rats to take pictures of which was a lot of fun… Not sure i’d recommend it though after one almost chased me).

I know that a lot of places tend to close during Thanksgiving day and Christmas or close early. I know there’s the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade which I would definitely love to go to. I know the Rockefeller center is like, the most popular place to go to during the Christmas season, which I’ve never actually been to, but I’m not sure I’d stay there long other than to maybe get a glimpse of the tree.

A few things I’m thinking of would be seeing Heathers on Broadway (I just love a good show), finding a drag show, visit Holographic Studios, go back to the MET, Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art, the Transit Museum, and if I come during Christmas I definitely plan to do a lot of walking to see all the lights that are up.

Also, does anyone have any ‘traditions’ they like doing in NYC when they come, either during the holidays or just in general? I’d love to hear any!

Planning a weekend trip (Friday-Sunday) to NYC in December and would love feedback/suggestions on current itinerary ideas!

My husband and I (young 30's) will be visiting NYC for two nights. Both of us have been to NYC many times but we haven't really done the "touristy" stuff or explored as a couple. We both love to walk around, eat and drink. Looking to get a nice mix of the classic Christmas attractions and local/cozy/romantic bars/restaurants/clubs etc. Here is what were thinking:

Friday:

11:30am/12pm arrival-Drop off bags at hotel (South Central Park Area)

12:30pm-Grab lunch around central park/5th avenue. Suggestions please! Definitely want to check out the Plaza Hotel for the decor and maybe a drink but would prefer a less boujee lunch spot. Somewhere with good apps and drinks

2:00pm- Explore 5th Ave stores/decorations

4:30pm-Head to Rockefeller to see the tree and Saks

5:30pm-Back to hotel to freshen up

6:30pm- Italian dinner in the Upper East Side (Campagnola?) Suggestions please!

8:00ish: Brandy's or Melody's piano bar or Ethyl's. Anywhere else worth checking out for a fun after dinner scene?

Saturday:

9:00am- Pop-up bagels and walk to Central Park

10:00am- Columbus Circle Holiday Market- is this worth it? or should we skip for Bryant Park Holiday Market?

11:00am- free time. Should we see a show? Another attraction? Shop? Other?

3:00pm- Head to West Village to wander around, check out decorations, go in and out of shops and grab a cocktail or 2 before dinner

6:00pm-Boucherie for dinner. Is this place worth it? We loveeee Rubirosa so if Boucherie isn't all that, we would go for pizza there instead

8:00pm-Christmas bars!!! We want kitchy, fun, obnoxiously decorated NYC Christmas bars. Ive heard Rolfs is a no go. Interested in Miracle on 8th St and Oscar Wildes. Should we do one over the other? both? reservations required?

Late night?- Is the slipper room worth going to? any fun late night bars, jazz rooms, piano bars, speakeasys etc worth going to in lower Manhattan?

*Trying to leave enough room for both error and change to itinerary based on how were feeling, how much we wander, what we get ourselves into, what the weather is like etc.

Thank you in advance!!!

I collect antique photos. I was wondering what’s the best spot in the city to purchase or find them? Not reproductions/reprints. I want old family photos, prints, negatives, tintypes, etc.

Has anyone lately done an 8am first time slot of the day at Summit One Vanderbilt? Since it’s the first slot of the day, will the wait to get in and for the elevators up be pretty low?

For this weekend (Labor Day weekend), we need to be done by like 11am.

Trying to decide between this and just doing Top of the Rock.

Hi here's the itinerary I currently have for three days in mid Oct 2026, two parents and two 2 16-17yo kids. We are from London, teens' first time in NYC. We were thinking of watching a basketball game but it seems like it'll be very pricey as it's literally the season opener that we're there. We are staying in a hotel for one night (we will arrive on a plane in the evening on day 1 and just stay awake to beat jet lag, get some food, then sleep in the hotel) and then an apartment a friend has for two nights. Both the accomodations are in Manhattan but we also want to see more than just that in NYC.

Main questions with the itinerary - are we fitting too much in 1 day? Does it make sense geographically.. we dont want to go on the subway somewhere then go back there in an hour's time? Also, any good dinner and lunch recommendations, especially for local grub and delis? And breakfast/bagel recommendations too pls!

Additionally, i have been seeing the nyc.com/summer website that Mamdani has for this summer with a bunch of fun activities like outdoor movie screenings... will something like that exist in October? Thanks!!!

The timings are all approx

Day 2:

• 10:00 --- NHL Shop in One Manhattan West
• 10:40 ---Times Square
• 11:40 --- Take the subway to Hudson Yards
• 12:10 --- Walk the High Line from north-south
• 1:40 --- Have lunch at Chelsea Market
• 2:20 --- Walk through Meatpacking District
• 3:00 --- Take Subway to Grand Central
• 4:15 --- Go to Summit One Vanderbilt or the Top of the Rock viewing tower
• 7:00 --- Dinner

Day 3:

• 9:30 --- Ellis Island (Dad wants to)
• 1:30 --- Joe's Pizza on Carmine St (I know it is a tourist trap but we want to go for Spider-Man)
• 2:30 --- Walk to Washington Square Park and Greenwich Village
• 3:45 --- Take subway to Central Park
• 4:15 --- Play football in Sheep Meadow or Great Lawn
• Evening --- Nothing planned as of yet

Day 4:

• 9:15 --- Visit the 78th Precinct (Brooklyn nine-nine photo op!!)
• 9:45 --- Subway to the Brooklyn-side entrance of Brooklyn Bridge
• 10:00 --- Walk the Brooklyn Bridge to Manhattan
• 11:15 ---Right now have nothing planned for the rest of the day, were going to a tour of Columbia but now 17 doesnt want to apply there. Maybe some shopping. Not sure.

I'm going to New York at the end of the year and would like to buy some classic children's books to bring back home. I haven't been to the U.S. in 14 years, and I lived in Atlanta then, so the city wasn't as overwhelming as NYC. Therefore, I'm a bit lost on where I can find books for low price. I'm talking about Dr Seuss, Brown Bear Brown Bear, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, If you Give a Mouse a Cookie, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.... If anyone can give me some good recks, I'd really appreciate it

I’m traveling from LAX to NY for a two day conference on the Upper East Side. Looking at flights to EWR or JFK and am planning on taking public transport once I land. Which is the better, smoothest option?

Posted this in another group but got denied. Shows what I know being from Texas.

I’m a Texan but a fan of google earth and I’ve been to NYC about 4 times for vacation over the past 20 years. I’ve always been curious about Roosevelt island. Is it just homes? Is it worth visiting or walking around? Restaurants? Or just skip it?

Side note- my entire family and I prior to having kids were on the roof of the WTC on September 11th 2000. I still have thoughts in my head about that and wonder why we decided to go in 2000 and not in 2001. I know it shouldn’t affect me but it still makes me think about it. I really have enjoyed all my visits to NYC regardless of what the right AND the left news say all the time. I couldn’t live there because I love all my acreage but I appreciate the big city lifestyle and I always have a good time.

Inspired by a hotel employee who commented on here [sorry don't remember who!] curious to hear from other NYC tourism and hospitality folks on here.

If you’re responding, please let us know what sector you work in (hotels, restaurants, attractions, tours, transportation, etc.). Obviously you can be as vague or detailed as you are comfortable with.

Feel free to answer as many of these as you’d like:

• What’s something tourists consistently get wrong about NYC?
• What’s one piece of advice you find yourself giving over and over?
• What’s something visitors are always surprised by?
• What’s one NYC experience you think people shouldn’t leave without trying?
• What’s changed the most about NYC tourism over the last few years?

Thanks so much to everyone who takes the time to share. Hopefully this can give visitors a better sense of the city and help them have a more enjoyable, NYC experience.

Hi everyone, I will be visiting NYC next April/May for the first time from Australia. I will be staying in NYC for 1 week which gives me six full days to explore. I have filled out 4 days with what I think is a workable itinerary of things I want to see and do which leaves me 2 days spare. I have attempted to set it out so that the places I go to each day are in the same general area. I would like some feedback on if my itinerary is feasible or whether I'm attempting to fit too much in on each day. For extra context, my hotel is in Chelsea so I will be using the subway to reach most of the places I want to visit. I also have no interest in seeing any Broadway shows or museums other than the ones listed below. I love pizza so I definitely want to try out some NYC pizza whilst here. I am also an amateur photographer but I am not sure on whether to just get some shots myself (am mostly interested in landscape/NYC skyline or weather shots) or join a local photo tour. I'm confident in my own skills but I'm wondering if it would be better to be in a group for safety especially for any nighttime photography (will have tripod for night shots). Any advice on this would be much appreciated!

Day 1: Stop by Times Square for a quick visit (I know its a tourist trap but just want to tick it off), then walk through mid-town and stop by Bryant Park, the New York Public Library and Grand Central Station. Then I'm intending to walk to and spend the afternoon exploring Central Park.

Day 2: Visit the High Line and Edge NYC observatory before walking to and catching the St George NYC Ferry from Pier 79 and riding it (getting the skyline and SOL views) until the Pier 6 stop in Brooklyn. I would then explore Brooklyn Bridge Park before getting dinner somewhere nearby (maybe Juliana's Pizza or the Time Out Market) and then watch the sunset over the Manhattan skyline. I would like to get some sunset/night photos of the skyline from this location whilst there.

Day 3: Visit the 9/11 museum and memorial before going up the to the new 1 World Trade Centre observatory. I think this would take up a good chunk of the day but I think that I would maybe have enough time to visit both Wall Street and Battery Park as well as they appear within walking distance of the WTC site.

Day 4: Do a tour at the Jim Henson Creature Shop in Queens before walking over to the Museum of the Moving Image and spending a few hours there. I'm thinking of having lunch somewhere nearby before returning to Manhattan via a stop on Roosevelt Island. I understand that at the right time of year that the Cherry Blossom trees on Roosevelt Island are very pretty. I will be in NYC at the very end of April and part of the first week of May 2027 (April 28-May 5). Would I have a chance of seeing the blossoms or would it be too late by then?

At the moment I'm thinking of leaving the last two days spare so that if either this itinerary is too tight, I can shift some things to those days or I can leave those days as mostly rest days.

Thanks in advance!

Hello
So - my daughter and I are visiting NYC for 2 nights (Sept 22/23) as part of a family trip that ticks a few boxes. Coming from New Zealand

Dates are not flexible - but I have now found out that the UN is on that week and the same hotel I stayed at earlier this month is 5 times as much - and there is not a hotel within half an hour of public transport for less than $600 per night.

Are rooms going to be released closer to the date - I assume many may have overbooked?

I cannot find anywhere - and wondering if it may be better to go to Chicago - but was hoping someone with more insight might be able to offer advice on where to look for rooms or if the prices will drop? THANK

Hi - I don't think holiday schedules are available yet and I cannot seem to locate prior ones. I am wondering if it makes more sense to fly into JFK or EWR on Christmas Day if I intend to use the train to get to Midtown Manhattan. I believe Airtrain runs 24/7 but LIRR and NJ Transit will be on holiday schedules? If so, which might be better, or is this just a bad idea regardless? Thanks!

Hey guys -- my first time attending an Arthur Ashe evening session tomorrow (Sunday). Doors open at 6, but I remember there being a huge line when I was leaving a grounds session last year already by then, so just wondering if anyone's had experience with a good arrival time to security.. 5pm and wait? Is that too long? Not long enough? TIA!

My family and I had the best week in New York recently, from waking early, grabbing a bagel from Broad Nosh on 58th St and devouring it at Central Park on top of the rock while the sun rises to enjoying an outdoor movie night at Bryant Park which was the perfect night to end our trip. We walked the Brooklyn Bridge one day from Brooklyn towards Manhattan and we saw a vendor selling wall posters which had spray painting of either the city or different characters on a underground subway map? I wanted to have something special from New York and to me that was it but we just walked away. I returned another day and did not see him.

My question is this, do anybody know who he is or if he sells online?? I will love to purchase one of the city outline.