First Time in New York City Tips: 11 Lessons From My Trip

First time in New York City tips from my three-and-a-half-day trip: more than 80 kilometers of walking, plenty of lessons learned, and a city I fell in love with.

New York had been on my travel wish list for years: the skyscrapers, yellow taxis, Times Square and the Statue of Liberty. Before flying, I wondered whether everything would be expensive, whether the subway would be confusing and how much we could realistically see in a few days.

We arrived on Wednesday evening, explored Thursday through Saturday, and took a Statue of Liberty cruise on Sunday before heading to the airport. That gave us about three and a half days. We walked more than 80 kilometers (50 miles) in that time, even though we used public transport constantly. And I fell completely in love with New York.

1. Getting from JFK Airport to Manhattan

We landed at JFK and used a taxi transfer arranged before our trip. Our particular Eurostars Wall Street booking through Booking.com included a complimentary airport transfer, which was wonderfully convenient after a long flight.

My tip: Check the terms of your own booking. Complimentary airport transfers are not included with every reservation, and promotions and eligibility can change. Always double-check your confirmation.

2. Where to Stay: Why I Loved Eurostars Wall Street

I wanted to experience the noise and energy of New York all day — but not necessarily while trying to sleep. Eurostars Wall Street in Lower Manhattan turned out to be a wonderful base. I found the neighborhood relatively peaceful and the room well soundproofed.

Our room had a comfortable sleeping area, a separate place to relax and watch TV, a nice bathroom and a little kitchenette with a microwave. Breakfast suited me too: fruit, scrambled eggs, bread and enough to start another busy day.

The subway was convenient, and the 9/11 Memorial, Brooklyn Bridge and waterfront were within easy reach. Times Square took roughly 15–20 minutes by subway from our area, depending on the connection. Staying away from the busiest part of Midtown was an advantage for me, not a disadvantage.

Considering the same hotel? I stayed here myself and would happily recommend checking its current prices, room options and cancellation conditions.

Affiliate link: I may earn a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you. Prices and availability change.

3. Do You Need to Rent a Car in NYC?

Not for the kind of trip we took. With just a few days focused mainly on Manhattan, we used the subway, occasional buses and our own feet. A rental car would have added traffic, parking and expense. Walking between sights was part of what made the city so special.

4. Subway, Buses and the Roosevelt Island Tramway

We used OMNY, New York’s contactless transit payment system, for subway journeys and local buses. Most of the time we chose the subway, but two or three times the bus was faster. OMNY accepts eligible contactless cards, phones and OMNY cards; check the MTA’s current fare and transfer rules before you travel.

Use a transit app

A navigation app showed us the lines, stations, transfers and whether a bus would be quicker. I don’t remember the name of the exact app we used, but Citymapper and the official MTA app are options to investigate. Being able to follow a route step by step made traveling around New York much easier.

Ride the Roosevelt Island Tramway

One delightful surprise was the Roosevelt Island Tramway — a cable car over the East River. We used OMNY and enjoyed seeing Manhattan from a different angle. It’s a lovely change of perspective.

5. Plan Sightseeing by Neighborhood

I made a list of places I wanted to see, and my son helped organize them by area. It saved us from spending precious time going back and forth across the city.

• Lower Manhattan: Wall Street, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, nearby waterfront and Brooklyn Bridge.
• Midtown: Times Square, Grand Central Terminal, Empire State Building, Fifth Avenue and Madison Square Garden (a little farther west).
• Central Park area: Central Park and the American Museum of Natural History.

These are suggested geographical groupings, not our exact day-by-day itinerary. Map your must-sees first, then book timed activities around the locations.

If you want to enjoy the city without buying another ticket, read my favorite free things to do in NYC.

6. Visiting New York in Summer: Be Ready for the Heat

We visited in late June. Friends warned me about intense summer heat, so I packed breathable clothes and comfortable shoes. Ironically, for about two and a half days it was cloudy and sometimes cool enough for a sweatshirt — not ideal for sunny photographs, but perfect for sightseeing.

Then the sun came out, and New York suddenly felt incredibly hot. Subway trains are generally air-conditioned, but many underground platforms are not. Waiting on a stuffy platform can be unpleasant. Carry water, dress comfortably and prepare for changing weather.

7. Over 80 Kilometers in 3.5 Days — Even With the Subway!

We walked over 80 kilometers in three and a half days. On our busiest day, my watch recorded more than 29,000 steps. That’s what happens when you want to feel New York, not just tick attractions off a list.

My number one packing tip: Bring comfortable, already broken-in walking shoes. But please don’t treat our distance as a target. Take breaks, enjoy a bench in Central Park and explore at your own pace.

If you are curious about the shoes I wore, I wrote a separate New Balance 327 walking review based on that trip.

8. Is Food in New York Really That Expensive?

Before arriving, I’d heard that New York was expensive and that I’d be living on burgers, pizza and fries. Accommodation certainly wasn’t cheap. But food surprised me in a good way.

As a Pilates instructor, I pay attention to what I eat. I was delighted to find convenient places serving fresh salads and ready-to-eat meals. In summer, cups of cut watermelon, melon and other fruit were easy to find, and in my experience these casual options weren’t outrageously expensive.

One of my favorite lunches was simple: we bought salads and sat in Central Park. My son had a coffee, I had water, and we enjoyed the moment. We also ate McDonald’s fries, because sometimes you want a salad and sometimes you want fries.

We didn’t spend our time in full-service restaurants; we preferred quick meals so we could explore more. I can’t speak for every NYC restaurant’s prices, but healthy, convenient food was easier to find than I’d feared.

9. The NYC Attractions That Stayed With Me

9/11 Memorial & Museum: A place to remember

The 9/11 Museum made one of the deepest impressions on me. My son especially wanted to visit. I remember watching September 11, 2001, unfold on television, and being there years later was deeply moving. This isn’t a place to rush through simply to tick another attraction off your list. Give yourself time to reflect and remember those who died.

Empire State Building: A dream come true

I’d always dreamed of seeing New York from the Empire State Building. Fortunately, the clouds weren’t low enough to hide the panorama. Seeing Manhattan stretching out around us was absolutely beautiful.

A sightseeing pass: Is it worth comparing?

For our trip, I booked a sightseeing pass for five paid attractions through GetYourGuide because it suited our plans. However, I booked our Statue of Liberty sightseeing cruise separately for logistical reasons rather than using the cruise option associated with the pass. That distinction matters when planning your itinerary: compare what’s included in a pass, any reservation requirements and the timing of each attraction before deciding what to book separately.

Affiliate link: I may earn a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you. Pass inclusions and conditions may change.

Statue of Liberty: My one planning mistake

For me, the Statue of Liberty is one of New York’s greatest symbols. But we left it until the day of our flight. We didn’t have enough time to disembark on Liberty Island and still get to the airport comfortably, so we took a shorter sightseeing cruise instead.

The boat came very close to the statue, and I loved the experience. For that trip, seeing her from the water was enough. Next time, I’d love to visit Liberty Island itself.

I took a sightseeing cruise booked through GetYourGuide. You can compare the current details of that cruise below.

Affiliate link: I may earn a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you. Check current route, departure point and duration.

Important: A sightseeing cruise is not the same as a ferry ticket allowing you to step onto Liberty Island. Statue City Cruises is the authorized ferry operator for Liberty Island access. If you want to disembark, book the appropriate official ferry and allow plenty of time.

Intrepid Museum: A wonderful surprise

I genuinely enjoyed the Intrepid Museum (formerly the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum), with its historic aircraft carrier, aircraft and submarine. My son is a pilot, so aviation has a special place in our family. The most memorable part for me was listening to people aboard who had actually served on the ship share their stories.

American Museum of Natural History: Not my favorite

We explored roughly a third of the American Museum of Natural History near Central Park. It simply didn’t captivate us the way other attractions did. Would I go again? Probably not. Would I tell everyone to skip it? Absolutely not. If you love natural history or science, you may adore it. An attraction can be wonderful without being wonderful for everyone.

For my detailed, personal comparison of the paid sights, read 5 NYC Attractions I Actually Booked.

10. What I’d Do Differently Next Time

I’d plan more time for Liberty Island, go to a Broadway show and explore more neighborhoods. On another, longer trip I’d also love to see Niagara Falls and Washington, D.C. — not squeeze them into a few rushed days in Manhattan.

But I don’t regret what I missed. I have a little travel philosophy: if I leave a place wishing I had more time, that’s a good thing. It means I have a reason to come back.

11. My Best First Time in New York City Tips

• Choose a hotel with good subway access, not just a famous address.
• Skip the rental car for a short Manhattan-focused trip.
• Use OMNY and a good transit navigation app.
• Group attractions by neighborhood.
• Compare sightseeing passes with individual ticket prices.
• Prepare for summer heat and stuffy subway platforms.
• Bring comfortable walking shoes.
• Look for salads and fresh fruit if you want lighter food on the go.
• Don’t confuse a sightseeing cruise with a ferry that stops on Liberty Island.
• Leave time to simply enjoy the city.

New York, I’ll Be Back

I arrived with a long list of things I wanted to see. I left with sore feet, unforgettable memories and an even longer list of reasons to return. Broadway. Liberty Island. More neighborhoods. More of that extraordinary New York energy.

Sometimes the best part of a trip isn’t seeing everything. It’s falling in love with a place enough to want to go back.

Next time, New York. Next time.

More Life, Please.

What about you?

Are you planning your first trip to NYC, or have you been before? What’s the number one New York experience on your bucket list? Let me know in the comments!

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you book through them, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Opinions and personal experiences are my own.