Top things to do in New York
Attractions, tours and activities in New York
Recommended museums in New York
Where to discover culture and the arts in New York
New York: the city's best neighbourhoods
Find a great area to stay in New York
-
Lower Manhattan
3.4 miles from city centre
Lower Manhattan – also known as ‘Downtown’ – has a complex fabric of energetic neighbourhoods. Visit the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, located at the World Trade Center at Ground Zero. Nearby, you’ll find the legendary New York Stock Exchange. As night falls, the bars and restaurants of Soho, Tribeca and the Lower East Side are electric.
Places to stay from £33 per night
-
Tribeca
3.8 miles from city centre
From farming community to gritty artist enclave in the 1960’s, today’s Tribeca is one of the city’s most exclusive addresses – and home to many celebrities. Hudson River Park and Washington Market Park provide Tribeca’s lungs, while the areas gastronomic delights provide the heart. Tribeca hosts the annual Tribeca Film Festival in Spring.
Places to stay from £65 per night
-
SoHo
3.2 miles from city centre
The bohemian origins of this neighbourhood ‘South of Houston Street’ have given way to gentrification – the charming cobbled streets are now lined with boutiques, trendy cafes, restaurants and a range of eclectic art galleries. Celebrity and supermodel sightings can’t be avoided, so it’s a great place to mingle with the famous and fabulous.
Places to stay from £60 per night
-
Chelsea
1.9 miles from city centre
Chelsea retains many of its 19th century landmarks. You’ll find eclectic art galleries hidden amongst the rows of townhouses. The High Line Park – which runs along a defunct elevated railway line – is popular with locals. Chelsea Piers is a massive sports and entertainment complex, while Chelsea Market is loaded with gourmet food shops.
Places to stay from £46 per night
-
Midtown
1 miles from city centre
A midtown hotel is the perfect launch pad to New York City’s ‘Big 5’ – the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Centre, Times Square, St. Patrick’s Cathedral and the New York Public Library. Cultural connoisseurs should head to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), take in a show at Carnegie Hall or find inspiration at the American Folk Art Museum.
Places to stay from £20 per night
-
Upper West Side
1.3 miles from city centre
This is the city’s epicentre of arts, culture and academia. You’ll find the impressive Cathedral Church of Saint John in Morningside Heights and the American Museum of Natural History – plus 60 blocks of theatres and restaurants. On weekends, walk the 4-mile strip of Riverside Park, or dine at one of the trendy cafés with outdoor seating.
Places to stay from £32 per night
About New York
Including tips for the best time to visit New York
New York City is somewhere that feels familiar before you even visit. Countless films and TV shows are shot here, so when we see the trademark yellow taxi cabs, the hot dog vendors or the dazzling lights of Manhattan, there's a strange sense of déjà vu. It's also home to what is arguably the world's most famous skyline, dominated by the Art Deco marvel of the Empire State Building. Constantly reinventing and setting new trends in fashion, food and art, the city is also a major hub for finance and trade, with the famous Wall Street at its core.
The city is split into the boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx and Staten Island, and each has its own unique character. Manhattan Island is home to the trendy neighbourhoods of Greenwich Village and SoHo, while Brooklyn features a Botanic Garden, the New York Aquarium and the famous Coney Island. A ferry from Battery Park to Ellis Island offers a great opportunity for some incredible views of the city, before reaching the fascinating Immigration Museum. You'll also sail past the iconic Statue of Liberty, with plenty of time to snap photos from all angles.
The city's Broadway shows are second to none, with a variety of major musicals proving the pick of the bunch. The giant green oasis of Central Park offers a perfect spot for a peaceful stroll, as well as featuring lakes, theatres and ice-skating rinks.
New York is served by three major airports: JFK, Newark Liberty International and LaGuardia, with public transport options available at each one.
Tonight
From £196 per night
This weekend
From £423 per night
Next weekend
From £544 per night
| Most popular time to visit | October–December |
| Cheapest time to visit | January–March |
| Local currency | US$10 = £7.99 |
| Language | |
| Average weekend price | £191 per night |
| Average weekday price | £200 per night |
| Typical stay | 3 nights |
Points of interest in New York
Stay near the top sightseeing spots in New York
-
Times Square
0.7 miles from city centre
-
Empire State Building
1.4 miles from city centre
-
Madison Square Garden
1.4 miles from city centre
-
Metropolitan Museum of Art
1.2 miles from city centre
-
Brooklyn Bridge
4.4 miles from city centre
-
Rockefeller Center
0.7 miles from city centre
-
Statue of Liberty
6.3 miles from city centre
-
Solomon R Guggenheim Museum
1.6 miles from city centre
-
Yankee Stadium
5.2 miles from city centre
-
Herald Square
1.2 miles from city centre
New York reviews
What other travellers say about New York
If you're a big museum lover, NY has plenty to go, from...
7 May 2024
If you're a big museum lover, NY has plenty to go, from huge ones like the met to more charming ones like the dog museum. Walking and discovering museums and parks was my favorite part. The prices were my least favorite. Get ready to shell out some $ especially for bigger attractions like the empire state building.
A cosmopolitan city that has decreased in quality over the...
7 May 2024
A cosmopolitan city that has decreased in quality over the years. It has plenty of activities to do for all types of travelers. The enviroment is not the best one and the service is not very good. Highly recommended for a first time visit, not that so for a second or third time.
Nice places and nice people.
6 May 2024
Nice places and nice people. Been walking a lot since there is so much to do. Would have loved to stay a bit more but every good stuff has an end eventually. Was the first time for us visiting the east coast os the US and first time in New York. Not disappointed at all !! plenty of stuffs to visit which I feel are mandatory (statue of liberty, empire State building) It is pretty expensive for the record (so think about the city pass before going there) and there are also plenty of things to visit which are free.
We stayed for a week and crammed in as much as we possibly...
3 May 2024
We stayed for a week and crammed in as much as we possibly could, yet still felt there was more we wanted to see and do. The city that sleeps is every bit as vibrant and iconic as it appears in films. Staying here first-hand confirms that all of the songs written about it are telling nothing but the truth.
NYC is a great place to visit- so much to see and do.
2 May 2024
NYC is a great place to visit- so much to see and do. Would recommend a hop-on, hop-off service (use the nationally advertised ones for best bet) but even a walking/subway tour could keep you busy for days! Great museum, fantastic food, fun night life, lots of family activities and more! Our favorite place is always Times Square!
I loved the museums and the amount of things to do, but the...
1 May 2024
I loved the museums and the amount of things to do, but the smell of urine in the city was not nice. People take their dogs to pee on everything because green space is limited at best. I saw many homeless and that seemed to be the norm for a big town like this. I also have to note that marijuana is legal and people stand on the street and smoke it. Sometimes I felt overwhelmed with the smell everywhere of different things, but it is a big city. Transportation in the subway was great and easy to follow but you better be in shape because it is a ton of stairs and walking. I couldn't get to understand the bus situation but would have liked to. The city never sleeps and I found that hard to adjust to, they honk their horns every second and often. I am from a large city and the honking is really a New York thing. We ate at a place called Norma, it was Italian, and very good. If you cannot find food in New York then you are not looking. There is all different types of food on every block and its very convenient. I enjoyed how the places to eat mostly had outside seating and I enjoyed sitting and taking it all in. China Town had the best food in my opinion and it was inexpensive. I never got to Central Park so next time I would like to do that.
Popular places to stay in New York
Stay in some of the best accommodation New York has to offer
-
1600ft TriBeCa Townhouse - Luxury & Spacious Manhattan, New York
From £1,695 per night
-
Luxury Midtown West 4 Bedroom Apartment Near Radio City Manhattan, New York
From £1,594 per night
-
Crosby Street Hotel Manhattan, New York
From £888 per night
-
Pendry Manhattan West Manhattan, New York
From £583 per night
-
