New York City: travel tips you need to know

New York is the city for a city trip; the travel tips in this article are the essentials you need to know about. New York City belongs on that iconic list of must-visit cities, right alongside Paris, London, and Rome. In short, it’s one of those places you have to experience at least once in your life.

Before my first visit, I was a bit worried the hustle and bustle of New York City would be too much for me, despite all the great travel tips friends had shared. But in early 2016, I was invited to run the legendary New York City Marathon, an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.

And it wasn’t just the marathon I fell in love with, but the city itself. It was love at first sight. New York is incredibly diverse and truly has something for everyone. Since that first trip in 2016, I’ve been back twice, and even now, there are still spots I wanted to see but haven’t made it to yet.

So yes, a fourth trip to New York is definitely on the horizon!

In this article, you’ll find all the travel tips on New York City you need to know! Want to know more about the special places in the city? Check them out here.

Table of Contents

Tips on how to get to New York City

Flights to New York are often available at reasonable prices. Fares between €300 and €350 are not uncommon. Flights usually land at either JFK or Newark, two airports located just outside the city. Newark is said to have slightly shorter lines at customs, but personally, I’ve never had any negative experiences at JFK.

I search for an affordable ticket on Skyscanner. Flying from Belgium to takes about 8 hours, that’s crossing 6 time zones! Hello jet lag! You’ll find some tips to prevent or overcome a jet lag here.

All documents needed

As a European, you need a valid passport and an ESTA to travel to New York. An ESTA is valid for two years. It is connected to your passport. That means that you’ll need a new ESTA when you have a new passport even when your ESTA is less than two years old.

source: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/

What about money?

In the U.S., you pay with dollars. In practice, you can pay for almost everything in New York with your credit card. I usually bring no more than $100 in cash, mainly for tips or a quick bite from a street food vendor. Most credit cards are not automatically activated for use in the U.S., so make sure to check this with your bank before you leave!

New York isn’t a cheap city. Always check the prices before sitting down at a restaurant, this can save you from an unpleasant surprise when the bill arrives! A great alternative to pricey restaurants are the many food markets across the city. They offer a wide variety of delicious meals at more affordable prices.

How to get around

New York is an immense city, made up of five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Staten Island, The Bronx, and Queens.
Manhattan is the tourist heart of the city. It’s home to several famous neighborhoods such as SoHo, Chelsea, Harlem, and Chinatown, and is surrounded by the Hudson River and the East River.

If it’s your first time visiting New York, don’t skip Brooklyn! A bike ride across the bridge and into this vibrant borough is definitely a great idea. You’ll find more about it in this article filled with tips for things to do in New York.

Finding your way around New York can be a bit confusing at first. But once you understand the grid system of Manhattan, things quickly fall into place.
The streets are divided into avenues and streets. Avenues run from south to north, while streets run from east to west.

Some of the larger avenues or streets have names, but most are simply numbered. The higher the avenue number, the farther west it is. The higher the street number, the farther north you are.

To make things a little more interesting: everything east of 5th Avenue is called the East Side, and street numbers here are marked with an E (like E 42nd Street). Everything west of 5th Avenue is part of the West Side, marked with a W (like W 34th Street).

It might sound complicated, but once you’re there, the grid layout makes navigating the city surprisingly easy!

We explored much of New York City on foot, which is one of the best ways to take in the atmosphere.
For longer distances, we used the subway, which is fast, efficient, and easy to navigate.

You can purchase a metro card for the duration of your stay. Multi-day passes are definitely the most cost-effective option if you plan on using public transportation frequently.

Tip: Download the NYC Subway app, it’s the best guide to help you navigate the city!

Where to stay

There is a wide range of accommodation options in New York City. I’ve always stayed in the center of the city. It’s just so convenient to be close to the main highlights. I’ve stayed in both hotels and Airbnbs, but in recent years, Airbnb has become significantly more expensive. These days, it’s often more affordable to find a good hotel deal through Booking.com.

I once spent a night at a Hilton hotel right on Times Square, but honestly, I found it way too busy—even with a room on a higher floor. These places, however, I did really enjoy:

Hilton Garden Inn New York/Manhattan-Chelsea – good location, near the subway, good hotel, good breakfast
Pod Times Square – a good budget option (budget in New York means affordable, it doesn’t mean cheap!)
Hotel 50 Bowery – in China town, near Brooklyn Bridge, I love everything about this one, you have to book early to find a spot here!
Hotel Beacon – perfect hotel for families! Close to Central Park
Aloft New York Brooklyn – a good option if you want to stay in Brooklyn

Stay connected

Since so many things can be booked online in New York, from tour tickets to Uber rides – it’s very useful to stay connected. Your mobile provider will likely offer an international roaming package, but these are usually expensive and provide very little data.

There are two better options:

Buying a local SIM card upon arrival at the airport. The SIM card is installed on your phone, and you don’t have to worry about anything else.
Using an eSIM, which you purchase before departure and activate via the airport WiFi upon arrival.

Personally, I always opt for an eSIM. It’s incredibly easy and saves a lot of hassle. In New York, I used a Holafly eSIM. This eSIM gave me unlimited data during my trip and kept me connected – definitely a great option!

Want to learn more about eSIMs? Read this article.