Hi, our family of 4 will be arriving on Newark Airport on October 31 12:35PM. We are carrying 4 in-cabin trolleys and 4 small backpacks and we need to pass the customs.
I was intending on taking an official taxi to take us to Hotel Edison in Midtown.
Is this a good idea on Halloween day? Will there be a lot of traffic and streets shut down?
Thanks!!

Hi, Im currently visiting New York in a vacation with my mom, I ask my bf (soon to be husband) if he wanted anything from here and he just said to me that he allways have wanted to try some USA gum.

I know he grew up with economic needs and it melted my heart and also made me a little sad to know that he only wants that so my plan is to get him differenr brands and also various tasty treats.

Sorry for the long post but here is the question, wich brands and flavours of gum do you recomend me? What are your favourite ones? What is a treat that is on your top list?

I arrived today and I got him a tin of mints from FAO Shwarz (because is cute and a referece to "Home Alone"), and a Statue of Liberty M&M case (with some M&M's) Thank you in advance for your help

Hi everyone! I am visiting the city and hoping to visit some cool used bookstores that specifically have a nice selection of art/fashion/design/photography books. I am also interested in thrift stores that are small and well curated with designer items. Bonus points if these places won't completely break the bank(I know this part may be a shot in the dark lol).

I have noted all the fashion related exhibits going on right now and plan on, at the very least, hitting the Costume Art exhibit at the MET and one more museum exhibit. I am curious if there are any galleries that have some fashion or just really cool exhibits in general that would be good to be aware of.

Any tips are greatly appreciated - thank you in advance! :)

hi all! I need somewhere to hang out from 10pm to midnight on a weekday. not looking for food or drinks— is there anywhere I can go to just chill?? hotel lobbies or anything like that? I do a lot of day trips but waiting in port authority for four hours is so exhausting lol

I was wondering if I could post up two camping chairs super early and just chill there for the entire thing with both chairs and 2 other friends, 3 of us total.

I’ve been before but I don’t remember the set up.

Did anyone else have a hard time getting a reservation for Frank Sinatra? I was on OpenTable right at 2 PM EST when reservations opened, but premium seating was already fully booked.

We're a group of 3 hoping to get premium seating for Saturday, December 26. I'm curious if anyone actually managed to snag a reservation or if they sold out that quickly.

And if anyone is planning to cancel or give up their reservation for that date, please let me know!

Last week, I went to NYC for the first time in my life. It had always been a discussion between me and my friend since we've had a long-standing fascination with the place from all the games and movies and other media we had watched depicting it. It's also home to so much of my favorite art and music, particularly bebop jazz. And despite all this, I still was not prepared for the actual energy of the place. I mean this in the best way. 

We didn't have a lot of money but had a bit saved, so we went on a budget. We got a cheap hotel in Jersey for a few nights, used public transit into and around the city, and tried our best to avoid stores that are clearly for the wealthier tourists. Instead of a strict bucket list, we chose to hit some key points but still dedicate plenty of time to just walking around and seeing what we can find. 

Despite our budget limitations, I'd almost argue that this made our first experience in New York a rather authentic one. We got slices of some of the best pizza I've ever had from a multitude of pizzerias, all of which only cost a few bucks. It really struck me the sheer number of pizza (shout out to “Ray”) options there. I knew NYC was famous for its pizza but I had no idea it was so ubiquitous. I welcome this fact wholeheartedly. 

Getting off our Grayhound in Hell's Kitchen, we were straight into the action in the heart of Manhattan. Naturally, the first thing I do is walk into the first shop that says "cannabis" on it. The transaction went very quick with no frills and for a lot less money than I'd expect in NYC. Only issue was, I needed some papers or something. No problem, there was a smoke shop within the line of sight of the dispensary. Then the guy tells me that I can even smoke it outside no problem, which is something my city back home would not allow. This told me something immediately - it is not very hard to find and access things you enjoy in NYC. 

Another thing that our shoestring budget caused, was that Times Square ended up being our defacto "base of operations" for the trip since Port Authority was where our bus from the hotel came and went. I'll admit that I wasn't terribly familiar with the layout of Manhattan, so imagine my surprise when we go outside and there it is with its bright lights and huge crowd of people everywhere.

I know NYC needs no introduction but this was a hell of a way to start out. There was so much variety of activity and people and things around me that I couldn't even get myself to pull out my phone and take a picture at first, and I'm a pretty prolific photographer. People were shouting something about a comedy central show and other stuff, trying to sell me things. There were vendors all up and down the street too, and one of them sold me a hat that would have cost me 20$ back home for only 5. This told me another thing- despite its infamous cost of living, you also can get things that would cost a lot more in other places for rather cheap in NY. One of these things was a giant slice of delicious pizza; even the mid tier pizza places in NY blew me away.

Before I go on, I must comment on the state of foot traffic in NY. Back home we have sidewalks, but in NY it's more like interstates for shoes. This worked fine for me since people already tell me I walk too fast back home, but I could certainly see how this might come as a real challenge to anybody accustomed to a slower pace (and traffic laws that are followed/enforced).  I also must note that the bikes are worse than the cars… I'm sure locals will know what I mean by this. 

Since our bus dropped us off at 4 PM it wasn't long before night fell. In an ordinary city this might mean we head back to the hotel for the night, but NY lives up to its “city that never sleeps” moniker so we just sort of wandered aimlessly for a little bit, soaking up the night scenes of midtown, not really buying anything, just absorbing the presence of a city so alive. From that first night I felt a kind of “buzz” in the air, a certain energy that's hard to describe in words, but perhaps might be easier to describe with a bebop tune. 

On our first proper day there we went to Central Park. I think “park” might be something of a misnomer because it felt more like it should be called “Central Preserve”. I expected a huge green space, but I did not expect ravines, reservoirs, castles, horse drawn carriages, ancient Egyptian monuments, multiple gigantic museums, lakes, bridges, hills, and all the other awesome things that this wonderful park contains. The fact that it's nestled into a city with so much to do in its own right just made it even better. Another thing I didn't expect was the sound of a saxophone playing “Giant Steps” in the distance. I hustled to check it out and tip the guy, then requested him to play “Round Midnight” which he totally crushed. Then later on we found a jazz trio in the park who played “Cherokee” also on my request. Jazz is one of my top musical interests so it was very cool to see that NY isn't just the place it is from, but an active hotbed of great music that's still happening. After weaving from south to north from end to end in the park we headed into Harlem where we saw the famous Apollo theater and grabbed some amazing fried fish & collards at Melba’s Restaurant. 

Another thing that struck me about NY is just how much the Subway system simplifies getting around. It's fast, it's frequent, and it just works. Maybe some of the stations are a bit gritty, but traveling that efficiently for 3 bucks is something that most other cities in America simply do not have. On my very first Subway ride ever we actually got treated to a few men in suits and top hats putting on a little tapdance performance, which was just lovely. It also allowed us to travel from Harlem to Chinatown in like 10 minutes. As a big fan of cyberpunk aesthetics, Chinatown at night really scratched a specific itch. All the neon-drenched hanzi and dense urban corridors spelled out an atmosphere that was moody in a very satisfying way, made all the more satisfying by a giant bowl of spicy noodle soup for a price you can't beat anywhere else. This wrapped up the night, so we headed back to Port Authority to go to our hotel. 

The second day was all about seeing the statue of Liberty. Before we could go do that though, I had to charge my phone. This resulted in a side quest of asking around which landed us at Paris Baguette to drink some coffee and eat amazing pastries as I charged up. Once my phone was charged we got on the subway and and got off a station too early. That's ok though, because that station was the World Trade Center. Both me and my friend are history and classic architecture enthusiasts, so this stop felt basically made for us. But before we could get to the really old stuff we got a glimpse of the Oculus, which felt straight out of a utopian scifi movie. 

When we came out of the station into the wall street area we checked out the Trinity churchyard which was really neat to see in person, especially the Hamilton grave. Then we went down wall street and feasted our eyes upon architectural marvels nestled in a deceptively small alleyway. Now, I say deceptively small because it's wall street. It felt kinda funny in a way that a place that generates so many headlines is actually a rather narrow corridor in a city full of narrow corridors. Really puts things into perspective. 

From Wall Street we headed down to Battery Park, where a bunch of dudes tried to get us to take their expensive ferry tour of the Statue of Liberty. We ignored them and opted instead to just take the Staten Island ferry back and forth to see it. The timing was perfect because it was right when golden hour hit, so we got this beautiful lighting across the whole city right as the boat was heading back to Manhattan. 

The night was still young, so we decided we could squeeze a quick trip to Brooklyn where I got another nice hat for practically nothing. Then we headed into the Dumbo district and marvelled at the view of the bridge over that one street… this was the type of views I came to NYC to experience and it delivered. And the great views were far from over, because next we got on top of the Brooklyn bridge with help from a very friendly local (shoot out to Bruce if you're out there) and walked across. This might have been one of my favorite moments of the entire trip. Walking across it, seeing all those multicolored lights, the night only beginning, and an entire city to explore on the other side. Felt like a dream really. 

This dreamy state of mind was cut off by the time we made it to the other side, because I ended up having to pee really really bad (I drank a beer before we walked across). Naturally, we headed into the first restaurant we saw to use it, which was someplace super fancy. We head downstairs into this basement that felt like something in Hogwarts where I used the fanciest bathroom I have ever used. My friend decided we should probably at least get a drink since they let us go, so we go into this room with a bar that's filled with well dressed people. When we asked for the price of wine, they tell us it's free and pour us some. We sit there stunned, just sipping the wine in street clothes, sticking out like a sore thumb. A worker comes up and says “you're from out of town aren't you?” and we say yes, to find out that we had accidentally crashed some fancy gathering of university alumni from Europe. Just goes to show, even a routine restroom break can become a misadventure in NYC. 

Back out into the street we went, heading up wall street again where I got to see the stained glass of the Trinity church now lit up blood red, which I found super cool. Before long we stumbled into THE Joe’s pizza and treated ourselves to a wonderful slice before heading out to wander the streets some more until we had enough and headed back in for the night. 

The last day we spent in NY was all about architecture on 5th avenue. We went into and on top of the Rockafeller Center, which was pretty unforgettable. I felt this to be the highest expression of the Art Deco style I've ever seen. Then we went into the “public library” which felt more like a public display of some of the grandest marble stonework I have ever had the pleasure of seeing in person. The mural on the ceiling upstairs was the icing on the cake. Walking up 5th avenue felt like one hit after another as far as amazing architecture goes, especially the multiple ornate churches scattered across it. There was even a building that looked like a giant Louis Vuitton suitcase which felt kind of surreal just chilling on a New York street corner. 

The final stretch of our trip found us walking through the west side of central park before heading down the upper west side, where we enjoyed a beer at Alfies and a great show at Jazzcultural. I especially enjoyed the walk through this area at night. Something about all the corner delis with flowers and all the little bars and apartments and restaurants felt straight out of the movies set in NY I've watched all my life, in a very moody way. And through it all, that buzz I mentioned was still in the air. Before long it was time to head to Port Authority to head out, and thus ended an awesome trip. 

I have got to give a shout-out to the NYC locals for being so helpful and cool to a couple dazed Ohioans wandering their streets aimlessly. Every time we ever asked for help people were very cool about it and gave good answers. I barely even used Google or the internet due to this reason actually, and it was nice to talk to people who are actually from there. It totally blew the “rude New Yorker” stereotype out of the water. 

All in all, I had a great time. New York is a wonderful city. It seems like a place that is still alive, and despite its expensive reputation I actually found it a great place to travel to on a budget. There's plenty of cheap local options that would put a chain restaurant to shame, nearly an endless selection actually. A lot of the most grand and awesome things the city has to offer is just out there for you to just walk into and stumble upon. There seemed to be so much vibrancy and variety. I had a taste of diversity already when I lived in Hawaii, but in New York it's just so much more concentrated and in your face. I got the sense that there was a community for every niche. And as an aspiring photographer I really liked seeing all the artists selling their works right there in central park. I also loved how all the cultural staples of New York are not only still alive, but still pretty raw in the sense that an everyday person can still enjoy and partake in them without giving an arm and a leg for it. There was just a certain vibrancy and aliveness to the city that I don't think can be found anywhere else, and I picked up on it fast. I would say that it's worth its living cost because of the constant and extensive access to so many wonderful things at prices that you won't find elsewhere in such a huge density. It also seemed like a place where being an artist as a job is still possible thanks to the sheer amount of people to actually view it. This experience seriously changed my perspective of “what's out there” and I question why I even choose to live in a state like mine when a place like NYC exists. It's hard to explain but I almost felt at home there. I didn't mind the pace and felt kind of in sync with it actually. I'm seriously considering looking into what it would take to live there eventually after this experience. 

So in summary, 10/10. NYC absolutely lives up to the hype and I recommend everybody who has not been there to go check it out when you can. 

My two-day New York trip was filled with iconic sights, lots of walking, and delicious food! I visited the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, explored Wall Street, saw the Charging Bull, the 9/11 Memorial and Oculus, and experienced the bright lights of Times Square.

On the second day, I explored Central Park, including Belvedere Castle, Turtle Pond, Bow Bridge, Bethesda Terrace and Fountain, before walking along Fifth Avenue to see the luxury storefronts, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and Rockefeller Center.

I also enjoyed Liberty Bagel, pizza slices, Magnolia Bakery, Shawarmas at Adel’s Halal & The Halal Guys, Shake Shack burgers, biryani from street food carts, and Indian food at Rasoi and Pariwaar Delights in New Jersey.

It was an exhausting but memorable trip, full of sightseeing, food adventures, and the experience of exploring New York City on foot and by public transit.

This has come up several times recently, so I thought it was worth addressing.

Someone posts a list of random things they'd like to do, places they're vaguely interested in visiting, or activities they're considering, and then they're surprised when the post gets removed.

The thing is, that's not an itinerary.

There's a big difference between "Here's my itinerary. Is this route realistic?" and "Here are 15 random things I'd like to do. Plan my trip for me."

We're happy to help refine your plans, offer feedback, suggest improvements, and answer questions. What we're not here to do is plan your entire trip from scratch.

There's already a ton of advice and information on this sub, so take some time to search, read previous posts, and do a little research before posting. 

We know trip planning can be overwhelming, and that's what this community is here to help with. But a little effort upfront makes it much easier for people to give you useful advice.

If you want to make sure you're post doesn't get removed (and gets some responses):

• Search the sub for existing advice and recommendations.
• Research beyond a few TikTok or Instagram recommendations.
• Put together a rough itinerary, including travel times and how much you can realistically fit into each day.
• Included some basic information about yourself and your trip, such as your age, budget, time of year, trip length, and interests. Context helps people tailor their advice to your needs.

Do your research, put together a rough itinerary, include some basic context, and bring it here for feedback.

It doesn't have to be perfect or set in stone. That's what we're here to help with! A little preparation goes a long way towards getting the most out of this community.

Thanks to the advice given on this subreddit our trip to New York City has been amazing and I would like to share with you our itinerary so it may help other visitors planning their journey

With the input from you all here and a number of other websites I created an online map with different layers; a layer for recommended restaurants, a layer for pizza/hotdog/sandwiches, a layer called: 'here is something interesting' that lists all kinds of interesting, quirky or unknown places that are not in every tourists guide: Marilyn Monroe's subway grate, a window that still remains of an old prison, the Cunard White Star Pier and so on. Another layer for not your dime-a-dozen souvenirs, a layer for independent bookstores, a layer with Inciardi vending machines etc. So whenever we stuck our heads out of a subway exit like a gopher, we could see on the map where in our vicinity we could go for a quick lunch, a unique bookstore, see an interesting piece of New York history, or buy a souvenir. A lot of recommendations from this sub found its way onto this map

Background: I have been to New York multiple times and my teenage children; a girl 17 and a boy 14 have been in New York once before 8 years ago.

The package holiday included a direct flight from Amsterdam to Newark and 5 nights at the Beacon Hotel in the Upper West Side as well as a complimentary voucher for the Top of the Rocks.

Day 1:

arrived on time at 11.40 AM at Newark. A Redditor on this sub had recommended downloading the CPB app to get through security faster and upon arrival we were able to use the CPB lane and breezed through security. With only carry-on luggage it took us no more than 45 mins in total from touch down to leaving the airport. The AirTrain and NJ transit train from Newark Liberty station to Penn station NYC took another 45 mins. The train is probably the fastest option to get to Manhattan but the train was very crowded and even with carry on luggage it was a very tight squeeze. It was not even 2 pm when we were checked in and in the elevator up to our room

after disposing our luggage and a quick freshen-up we took the subway to 66th street (1 stop) to Old John's for a late lunch/early dinner. 10/10.

In the evening we went to Rockefeller plaza, browsed at McNally Jackson and used our voucher for the timed entry to the Top of the Rock. Waiting times for the 7 pm timeslot were very reasonable and lines moved quickly. 10/10

Day 2:

morning: ferry from South Street ferry terminal to Governors Island. We rented 3 bikes to explore the Island. Great views of Manhattan, the statue of Liberty and Brooklyn. An idyllic green spot at stone's throw from the city. I would recommend bringing your own food and drinks when visiting off season because the options are somewhat limited. 8/10

Afternoon: pizza slice from Prince Street Pizza. The line was short but we did get the wrong order which we only found out when we sat down in nearby Sara Roosevelt Park and opened the box. 6/10

My daughter wanted to go to Sweet Pickle Books on Orchard Street which is a lovely second hand bookstore and where she and my son both bought a book

After a bubble tea in Chinatown we took the subway back to 72nd street and got a hotdog and papaya juice at Gray's Papaya located just a few steps from our hotel. Hotdog and papaya juice combo 8/10

Dinner was mac n cheese from Zabar's deli section. After dinner we went for a short walk to the Dakota building and to check out the Halloween decorations on the Brownstone lined streets of the Upper West Side

Day 3

My daughter and son really wanted to explore New York on their own so in the morning they both set out on adventure: my daughter went to the West Village to go to the Strand bookstore and Barnes and Noble and my son took the Subway to Brooklyn. In the meantime I went on a hunt for Inciardi prints (see https://www.reddit.com/r/InciardiFans/), I went to the Juilliard store on 66th and Casa magazine on 8th Avenue. In the afternoon we all met up at the Strand Bookstore

Lunch at S&P lunch. I cannot praise enough but let's not tell everybody about this little gem, ok?. 11/10

Walked to the Flatiron building. At the LEGO store we bought a New York City Lego set for my children's dad. Subway to 110th street for a quick visit to the museum of the City of New York where we also pulled several Inciardi prints from the red vending machine.

Too tired to be hungry and with still plenty of leftovers in the fridge we did not go out to dinner that evening

Day 4

Early rise and a quick subway ride to Manhattan Diner pancakes. After breakfast we took the subway to the Met Cloisters. Unfortunately we did not have the time to actually go into the museum because we had a tight schedule but we did take a stroll through Park Tryon. I bought a Christmas ornament and my son a 3d model of the Empire State Building and one of the World Trade Center for his dad at the museum gift shop. We walked from the Met Cloisters to Marble Hill trainstation passing by Dyckman farmhouse. The train from Marble Hill took us to Tarrytown and we enjoyed the scenic fall foliage and views across the Hudson river. We walked from Tarrytown station to Philipse Manor House and the Old Dutch Church in Sleepy Hollow. I found some beautiful maple and oak leaves to take home. Our last stop was Croton Harmon for the annual Jack o' Lantern Pumpkin Blaze. This was our second visit to the Blaze and it did not dissapoint. Before the event we had dinner at the Croton Colonial Diner in Croton on Hudson. The entire day was 10/10

Day 4

Breakfast from Levain Bakery

My son took the subway to Grand Central and set out to see the Chrysler building and the Empire State Building while My daughter further explored the West Village. In the meantime I strolled through midtown until we all met again at McNally Jackson at Rockefeller plaza where we all bought a big haul of books ('All about U.S' by Theo Deutinger was my son's excellent pick, Breakfast at Tiffany's one of my daughters New York appropriate choices and I left with 'Catcher in the Rye)

We took the subway to Bryant Park where we enjoyed a coffee before walking to Macy's. Just before Macy's on 6th Av we bought 3 x $1.50 slices at New York Pizza. We went in with the lowest of expectations but we all agreed it was de best $1.50 ever spent on a slice of pizza and much better than the greasy Prince Street pizzas so a surprising 10/10. Next stop was the Whitney Museum where we saw the Roy Lichtenstein exhibition and works of Edward Hopper, Georgia o'Keeffe amongst many others. Views from the Whitney are also worth the visit. We pulled several Inciardi prints and headed back to the hotel. I bought tomato soup and New England clam chowder, pierogi's and dumplings at Zabar's and enjoyed our dinner looking at the sunset from our hotel room. In the evening we went back to Macy's but ended up not buying anything.

Day 5 departure day.

We had a leftover breafkast with pierogi, muffins and cream cheese. We spend the morning in Central Park watching the squirrels, joggers, dog walkers and cyclists (being Dutch affords the privilege of secretly snickering at the clumsies)

A last coffee in Verdi Square until we were picked up by Carmel for transfer to Newark (from 72nd street and Broadway to Newark we paid $70 excluding toll of about $3.50 and tip

From Newark to Manhattan: I would not recommend the train when you are exhausted after a long haul flight and if you have a lot of luggage.

Thanks everyone on this sub for all the information and recommendations; our stay could not have been more perfect

So it's my time to aks for advice. First time in NY we go for all the touristy things. We are a couple in our 30s.

So here's my plan. From viewpoints we planning max 2. Oh and importan question how much cash? We think about 400$ but we're going to use credit card where we can.

2026.11.04.

settle in the hotel arrive around 21:00

2026.11.05.

Middtown

Chrysler buiding – lobby
Grand central
Summit one
Bryant Park, New York Library
5th avenue
St. Patrick
Rokefeller center
The Plaza lobby
Apple store
Central Park edge
Radio city music hall
Top of the rock
Broadway
Times square

2026.11.06.

Lower Manhattan

Wall Street
Charging bull
New York Stock excange
City hall
Trinity church
WTC
9/11 museum
One world trade observatory

2026.11.07.

Brooklyn

Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge Park
Dumbo
Pebble Beach
Time out market
Manhattan Bridge
Chinatown

2026.11.08

Statue of Liberty & Chelsea

Staten island ferry Wall street > Midtown west
Edge
The Vessel
High Line
Flatiron
Madison Square Park
Empire State Building    

2026.11.09.

Wandering around
Soho
Noho
Bleckeer Street
Friends/SATC house
Little Italy
Williamsburg

2026.11.10. KEDD

Roosevelt Island tramway
Central Park
MET?
Guggenheim (free admission hours)

2026.11.11. SZERDA

Take off JFK @ 19:00

 last walks and what we feel like to do/eat

Hey everyone! I’m visiting New York from October 26 to
October 29, and wanted to know How realistic would it be to actually meet Mayor Zohran Mamdani while I’m here?
I know he is pretty active around the city, especially with biking, and community events. I’ve seen videos of people randomly running into him, so I figured I’d ask.

I’m not looking to track down his private whereabouts or bother him while he’s busy. I’d just love to attend a public event, say hello, and hopefully grab a picture if he’s willing.
If anyone knows of any publicly announced appearances, meet and greets, or events happening while I’m here, I’d appreciate it!

Would be an awesome memory to take home from my trip. Thanks!

My friend, and I travelled to NYC for the second time in under a year to see, and do some things we missed, take in some shows, and generally enjoy the city. I lived in the city during the early 90s so I have had a love affair with NYC for years, and wanted to share that with my friend. The weather was absolutely glorious except for one day.

Day 1–we flew into JFK, had a car service reserved (Carmel which I recommend if don’t want to schelp your bags or hop on the subway first thing), and went to our Airbnb in Washington Heights. We like the Airbnb very much, and the owner has many stories to tell about the city. Where we were located at was deep in a local neighbourhood, off the beaten path. We headed out to our favourite bar ( Stonewall), and favourite pizza joint ( Bleecker Street Pizza). We had made a friend at the Stonewall, and our friend was happy to see us.

Day 2- We decided to wander around Central Park for the afternoon before we went to see our first show of the trip. We started in the Harlem area, and wandered down to Museum Mile. Stopping here, and there to rest the feet, have a snack etc. I am very fond of Juniors ( it’s a nostalgic thing) to get a coffee, and snack. We saw Stranger Things. Excellent play! We had a late supper at Joe Allen in Restaurant Row after the performance. Food was good, theatre memories on the walls were fun too. We met up with one the principal actors on the subway platform from Stranger Things after supper. Lovely person, and had a nice conversation!

Day 3- We went to Chinatown to have lunch, and wander around. We stopped in NOLITA for another snack, and browse through the shops. My friend never had a cannolis. Found an interesting bakery, and sampled the pastry. He was sold. We headed back to Broadway to take in another show, The Lost Boys, which was a ton of fun. Then went to Brandy’s Piano Bar in the 80s. If you like a real New York old school vibe with an actual piano player, and singing this is your spot. Everyone that works there has either been on Broadway, a touring company, or involved in the arts in some fashion.

Day 4-We planned to have days where we did our own things, and meet for dinner later. I chose to visit the 9/11 Memorial, and Museum which highly recommended. It’s very moving. The museum can easily be done in 3-4 hours at a slow pace. I grabbed bite, and headed to my next show, Schimgadoon, which was very funny. My friend went to see Paranormal Activity, and recommends to anyone that likes spooky stuff.

Day 5- I wandered around 5th Avenue to see all the fancy pants shops. I had lunch at Louis Vuitton. Lunch was yummy if a tad expensive. ( I had budgeted for this) I went to Tiffany’s to see the display of Breakfast at Tiffany’s which was small, but, lovely. My friend was over in Brooklyn, and walked the bridge.

Days 6-8 we wandered through the High Line, Chelsea Market, Chelsea Hotel, local shopping, and tons of other things. I went to the Met during this period too. Highly recommend visiting a museum! We went to Dirt Candy on Day 8 which is a delicious vegetarian/ vegan restaurant. While not expensive, it wasn’t exactly cheap either. I would highly recommend going. After dinner, we went to see The Rocky Horror Show. It was quirky, camp, fun, and over the top. Highly recommend seeing the show! We wandered back to the Stonewall to visit our friend, have more pizza, and hang out.

Our last full day, we went out to Coney Island. The weather was in the 80s! The rides, and stuff wasn’t open due to being during the week, and end of season. The rides are open, weather permitting, for the month of October on the weekends. Had a Nathan hotdog for lunch. Just enjoyed the beach, and the beautiful fall day. We took the NYC ferry from Brooklyn after watching the sunset near the bridge. It was simply beautiful in the warm night.

We picked up our rental car in the morning for our drive up the eastern coast. But that’s another story ;)

This certainly isn’t everything we did, and we did a lot!

Tips: Don’t overlook the buses, and subways. Download the MTA app, and you’ll get where you need to go. Super cheap. There can be a lot steps from the subway platforms.

Hop on the Staten Island ferry, and you can see the Statue of Liberty. If you want visit Ellis Island, and the Statue of Liberty, book early, and with the official tours. Don’t overlook the NYC Ferry system either. It’s a wonderful way to see the skyline, and get from point a to point b. Very inexpensive.

Be flexible! I cannot stress this enough. Unless you have planned activities, just go with the flow. You’ll see more of the city that way, and find stuff locals hang out at.

Try all the food! Not just the pizza ( which is yummy too). So many things to try you’re spoilt for choice.

New Yorkers are friendly people, and will help you. Of course, there is always a grouch, but, that’s true of any city, big or small.

Be mindful of scams especially in Times Square.

Most of all, New York can be done on a budget. Just takes some planning, there is plenty of free, and inexpensive things to do. I had planned our shows months in advance, and was able to get good ticket prices. If you want to see a show, you can rush, or do the lottery. Playbill has a ton of tips!

A good time was had by all, and thank you to everyone who helped me plan some things. :)

Dearest reader,

I’m visiting NYC with my friend for 2.5 days this week. Flying in/out of LGA and staying in Astoria.

Wednesday - arrive 3:30p
4:30/5? - check in
-Brooklyn Bridge
-Dinner

Thursday
-The MET
-Central Park - Bethesda Terrace, Bow Bridge, Literary Walk
-Museum of the City of New York (maybe only gift shop)

Friday
Brooklyn:
-Loaf on Paper stationery cafe
-Old Friend Photobooth

East Village/Manhattan:
-Niconeco Zakkaya stationery store
-The Strand Bookstore

Chelsea:
-High Line + Chelsea Market

Saturday - depart 11:45a
Early breakfast
Check out
To LGA

Feedback requested:
-Should I plan for exact lunch/dinner stops?
I’ve planned for places I want to visit but not restaurants. Is this a good idea or should I allow my digestive system to guide the way? I’ve only done a search of good places to eat within the areas I’ll be in to have an idea of what’s nearby.

-Could I fit anything else in the itinerary?
I visited the city for one day a few years ago and was able to go to Ellis Island to see Lady Liberty, Museum of Ice Cream, and Yoseka stationery store.

Places I’d like to visit for another time:
Washington Square Park, New York Public Library, Bryant Park, Broadway show, Empire State Building, MoMA

I would appreciate any feedback!

I’ve never been and have wanted to come since I was a little girl. I’m now 30 and I want to take the leap. I’ve been asking friends/family to go with me for years and no one is willing to, so I figure I need to just go myself.

I’m not very familiar with big cities but I’m trying to take the time to research everything. Even with that said, I have several people telling me it’s unsafe to go myself.

Has anyone dealt with people trying to discourage you from going to NYC solo as a woman? How did you handle it? And yes, I plan to just do it anyway as it’s my life and something I’ve wanted to do for so long.

I'm visiting NYC with my family this Halloween (my husband is running the NYC Marathon the next day!) and we'd like to take our kids trick-or-treating in Brooklyn (they are 4 and 7). The areas that have been recommended are Prospect Heights (St. James Place specifically) and Park Slope (between 3rd-11th street between 5th Ave and Prospect Park W). Hoping to go somewhere with a really fun, family-friendly vibe and visit iconic brownstones with great decorations! My little ones don't have a ton of stamina, so we'd likely be doing 1-2 streets.

1) Which area would you recommend and why? 

2) Are there any spots close by that you'd recommend for dinner? I've heard of Belli Osteria in Prospect Heights or Piccoli Trattoria/Pasta Louise in Park Slope.

3) What time do most people start/end trick or treating?

Thank you in advance! 

Hi everyone!

I’m visiting NYC from Hungary with my family this November, and I’m hoping some locals might be able to help me with a little surprise!
My older sister is getting married, and when we were kids, we used to watch Say Yes to the Dress together. Our dad promised her that one day he’d take her to Kleinfeld in New York to try on wedding dresses. Well, he’s actually making it happen!
We have an appointment at Kleinfeld on Wednesday, November 11, at 10 AM, and as the youngest sister, I’d love to surprise my mom and sister with a little hair appointment beforehand (and maybe get mine done too!).
I’m looking for three simple, bouncy blowouts, nothing bridal or elaborate.
We’re staying in Long Island City, Queens, but we’re happy to travel to a salon in Manhattan or elsewhere in Queens.
The tricky part is the timing! We’d need somewhere that opens around 6:30–7:00 AM, or an independent hairstylist who might be willing to take an early appointment. We’d also be open to someone coming to our hotel.
I’m a student, so I’m trying to keep this reasonably affordable, ideally around $30–50 per person if that’s realistic. I completely understand that an early appointment or mobile service might cost more!
Does anyone know a small salon, independent hairstylist, or freelancer who might be able to help? I’d especially love recommendations for people who offer online booking or can be contacted by email.
I’m not from the US, so any advice on pricing, tipping, or how to arrange something like this would also be really appreciated!
Thank you so much in advance!

Hey everyone! I’ll be visiting NYC in November and I’m hoping to get a small souvenir tattoo at Live By The Sword’s Union Square location.

I already have several tattoos and would love recommendations for a specific artist at that location who’s great at clean, precise linework. I’m planning to book an appointment for a Wednesday in advance rather than go for a random walk-in.

Any recommendations would be much appreciated. Thanks!

My sister and I would love to make one together as a souvenir. Can anyone recommend places with unique and quirky charms/art that doesn't look like they all came from Temu?

Visiting NYC in December and looking for recommendations for a really good head spa or scalp treatment! Would love to find somewhere that offers a relaxing scalp massage, deep cleaning treatment, and a blowout afterward.
I’m especially interested in an authentic Korean or Japanese head spa experience, but open to anything worth trying!
We’ll be staying near Times Square and visiting Chinatown, so somewhere in those areas or nearby would be ideal.

Watched at Stout last night which was a great place but they didn’t have sound. Bryant Park area would be ideal but open to all suggestions.

New York Trip: Dec 7–16

This is my second New York trip, I did a basic 2 days a couple years ago but looking to do the city more my way this time. Hope this gives an idea of my interests and would love more recommendations! Thanks

Mon 7 – Bed Stuy

Fly in 5:30pm

Dinner: The Fly (chicken) or Trad Room (Japanese)

Cocktail: Barbès

Jazz: Lunatico (9pm) or Ornithology

Tue 8 – Bed Stuy → Bushwick

Brekky: Miss Bagel / Greenberg Bagels / Welcome Home

Check out Bed Stuy

Walk to Bushwick

Pre-gig drinks: Kato Sake Works, Carousel (cocktail)

Pizza: Ops

Porcelain @ TV Eye (7:30pm)

Dive bars: Abe’s Pagoda, Carmelo’s, Honore

Wed 9 – Lower Manhattan / Williamsburg

Shopping in Lower Manhattan

Lunch: Ivan Ramen / Mr Taka / Ramen Ishida

Spa: Bathhouse, Williamsburg

Dinner: The Four Horsemen

Gig: Union Pool or Baby’s All Right

Dive bars back in Bed Stuy?

Thu 10 – Brooklyn

Brekky: Radio Bakery

Prospect Park

Lunch: Double Windsor

Cobble Hill (Smith St and Court St)

Pre-gig drink: Barbès or Blueprint

Josh Johnson @ Public Records, Park Slope (booked)

Fri 11 – Manhattan → Astoria

Check out of Bed Stuy

High Line, Whitney, Chelsea Market

Lunch: Jeju Noodle Bar

Ride down the Hudson to The Battery

Beer: The Dead Rabbit

Check in, Astoria

Dinner: Dillingers (wings) or Taverna Kyclades (Greek)

Bars: Dominie’s, Diamond Dogs, Madame Marie’s

Sat 12 – Astoria

Food: Il Bambino / Rose & Joe’s / Sal, Kris & Charlie’s / Rosario’s / Susuru Ramen

Museum of the Moving Image

Army v Navy somewhere?

Live music TBC

Sun 13

NFL Sunday at a sports bar

Rangers @ MSG

Mon 14 – Harlem

Soul of Harlem walking tour

Lunch: Amy Ruth’s or Melba’s

North Central Park

Ferry to Wall St, then back to Astoria

Tue 15

Central Park and the Met

Wed 16

Fly home (night)