NYC is my favorite city in the United States and probably in the world. I love its diversity, I love its energy, and I love how all cuisines in the world are a few subway stations away. New York City truly has it all: great food, great entertainment, and a plethora of attractions waiting to be explored. I lived in the city for about 10 years, so this list includes my recommendations of where to stay in NYC first time you visit. This post contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase I may get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Find out more here.
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Midtown
Midtown is the neighborhood where a lot of tourist attractions are. Times Square, the Empire State Building, Bryant Park, Grand Central Station, New York Public Library, Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, the Chrysler Building, Flatiron Building, Top of the Rock are all in Midtown.
This is the perfect neighborhood if you want to be within walking distance of a lot of attractions.
I will warn you that Midtown is probably the busiest and most crowded neighborhood in Manhattan. Locals avoid it like the plague. However, if you are able to tolerate huge crowds, it can be a great place to stay for first-time visitors due to the proximity to a lot of places in Manhattan.
Here are some good hotels in Midtown.
Hyatt Grand Central
If you want to stay in Midtown, but a bit further away from the hustle and bustle of the Times Square area, then you might consider staying around Grand Central.
Hyatt Grand Central is connected to the Grand Central Terminal. If you plan on making a day trip and need to take the train from Grand Central, this is the perfect location.
While you’re here, go inside Grand Central Terminal to check out the whispering gallery. It’s located near the Oyster Bar.
If you and another person stand diagonally opposite and whisper something by the arch, the other person will be able to hear it. It’s a really cool thing that not a lot of people know about in NYC.
Lotte New York Palace
Lotte New York Palace is an iconic hotel on Madison Avenue. It is the first 5-star hotel in NYC.
This is where a lot of famous tennis players like Serena Williams and Simona Halep used to stay during the US Open tournament. Who knows who you might run into here?
Hilton Club The Central at 5th New York
Hilton Club the Central at 5th is a modern hotel less than one block away from 5th Avenue. Perfect location if you want to go shopping on 5th!
It has pretty spacious rooms by New York standard, heated bathroom floors, and electronic curtains.
Refinery Hotel
The Refinery is a modern hotel with loft-style rooms. It used to be a hat factory and Prohibition-era tearoom.
It has a very trendy rooftop bar with one of the best views of Empire State Building in the city. There is always a line to get into this bar, especially during the weekends.
The hotel is close to Bryant Park and Times Square.
W New York – Times Square
If you dream of sleeping in Times Square, the W Hotel is the perfect choice for you. It’s located on Broadway and it has incredible views of Time Square.
It’s near the theater district, so you would have a very short walk back to the hotel after watching a Broadway show.
Central Park
Central Park is the iconic park in Manhattan that’s been featured on so many movies and TV shows. Staying at a hotel with Central Park views is a great option if you like tree-lined streets and an amazing mix of nature and concrete in a central location.
The good thing about Central Park is that it’s huge. It spans across 51 blocks. And you can stay anywhere around its perimeter.
Central Park South is the closest to a lot of attractions in midtown.
Upper West Side is the best area if you want to pretend you’re a local since it’s a very residential area.
Upper East Side is the perfect place to stay if you want to pretend you’re in Gossip Girl and if you want to be close to a lot of museums.
I don’t recommend you stay North of Central Park as first time visitors since it’s a more dangerous area.
Park Hyatt New York
Park Hyatt New York is a luxury hotel located close to Carnegie Hall and Central Park. It offers incredible views of the park and it also has a large swimming pool.
Due to the prime location near Central Park South, most hotels in this area tend to be luxury hotels and come at a premium price.
The Ritz-Carlton New York
Another fancy hotel in this area is the Ritz-Carlton. This one is actually located on Central Park South.
Sarabeth’s, the famous brunch restaurant featured in Gossip Girl, is down the street. It takes less than a minute to get there from the Ritz.
Chelsea
Chelsea is a lively neighborhood in NYC. It’s residential, but it has a lot of restaurants and bars. Plus, the High Line, Chelsea Market, and a lot of art galleries are also here.
Chelsea is close to Greenwich Village and SoHo. All these neighborhoods are great, so you can pick any of them for your stay.
Chelsea is a bit more upscale, Greenwich Village has a lot of New York University students, and SoHo is a fashion hub.
Made Hotel
Made Hotel is a modern 4-star hotel in a great location on 29th Street. The rooms are cozy and they have everything you need for a great stay.
It also has a rooftop bar with great views. They often have live DJs and music here. And they also organize events such as meditation sessions.
And they are pet friendly!
The High Line Hotel
The High Line Hotel is a historic hotel in a brick building near the High Line. It’s one of the few hotels in NYC that actually has spacious rooms.
The High Line is an elevated park built on a former New York Central Railroad. It’s a linear park and it has a lot of plants, street art, and benches where you can sit down and enjoy the view. It runs between the Meatpacking District and Hudson Yards.
Even if you don’t end up staying in this area, it’s worth taking a walk on the High Line.
The Moore
The Moore is a boutique hotel in the heart of Chelsea. If you feel fancy you can book their suite which has a private terrace and a seasonal soaking tub.
They have a fitness center that’s open 24/7 and they are pet friendly.
Lower Manhattan
The financial district is another great neighborhood option for your first trip to NYC. You will be very close to Wall Street, One World Trade Center, and the Statue of Liberty.
Artezen Hotel
Artezen is a boutique hotel in the Financial District. It’s close to all attractions in this area. The rooms are small, but they have everything you need. The hotel also has a cool rooftop lounge.
Hyatt Centric Wall Street
Hyatt Centric Wall Street is a high-rise hotel that’s very close to Wall Street and Battery Park. It has great views of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
Conrad New York Downtown
Conrad Downtown is an all-suite luxury hotel in Lower Manhattan. It has a rooftop bar called Loopy Doopy with great views of the Statue of Liberty and the Hudson River.
They have 2,000 pieces of contemporary artwork in the hotel, including a 10-story installation in the lobby. It’s really cool!
Brooklyn
As you might know, the best views of Manhattan are from outside of Manhattan. The DUMBO area offers some incredible views of both Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridge.
If you don’t care too much about views and you’re on a budget, you can choose to stay in a different neighborhood in Brooklyn such as Downtown Brooklyn or Brooklyn Heights.
This way you can access more affordable hotels. And you can be in Manhattan in about an hour if you take the subway.
1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge
1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge is a sustainable hotel with one of the best views of the Manhattan skyline. They are pet-friendly, so feel free to bring your furry friend.
They have an amazing rooftop pool where you can go for a swim with some incredible views or just relax with a drink.
EVEN Hotel Brooklyn
The EVEN Hotel offers spacious accommodation options at more affordable prices compared to similar Manhattan hotels.
The hotel is very close to Barclays Center so you can take advantage of this and get some tickets to a concert while you’re in the city.
Ace Hotel Brooklyn
Ace Hotel Brooklyn is a boutique hotel in Downtown Brooklyn. It has a hip vibe. The location is great and you can be in the Financial District in about 10 minutes by subway.
Jersey City
Jersey City is another great place to stay if you’re on a budget. Since you’re technically in New Jersey, prices tend to be lower compared to Manhattan. And you’ll get some amazing city views.
Sonesta Simply Suites Jersey City
Sonesta offers spacious rooms with a full kitchen, allowing you to cook if you don’t want to eat out for all meals.
It has a great location as it’s very close to the PATH station. The PATH is the subway that connects Jersey City to NYC. The tickets cost the same as a NYC subway ticket.
From Sonesta you can be at World Trade Center in 10 minutes by PATH. Even though you are staying in Jersey City, you still feel like you’re in the city since you can be in Manhattan in a few minutes. Plus, you get the Manhattan skyline views as well.
Hyatt Regency Jersey City on the Hudson
Hyatt Regency Jersey City on the Hudson offers breathtaking views of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty. It also has an indoor pool. What’s cool about it is that every hotel room has a view. A pretty sweet deal!
Useful information about NYC
How public transportation works in NYC
Subway
For the longest time you had to buy those yellow Metro Cards to ride the NYC subway system. You would then have to swipe them to enter.
They were my biggest pet peeve because I would swipe, it would tell me to try again, but it would eat my money. A really annoying system.
But they finally started to modernize the payment methods and now you can use Omny, where you can use a credit card or digital wallet to pay per ride. You have to register your credit card online on the Omny website before you can pay with it though.
In a lot of places in Europe you don’t need to register your card to pay for public transportation, but I’ll take the Omny win for now. Maybe in a few more years you won’t have to register your card before you can use it to pay for the subway.
There are a lot of subway lines in the city, so it’s very easy to get from one neighborhood or borough to another. You can use Google Maps to figure out which subway line you should take.
Buses
The same rules for riding the subway apply to riding the bus. You can pay with a credit card registered on Omny or you can pay with a Metro Card. The good thing about using Omny is that after paying for 12 rides in a week all other rides are free. You can use Google Maps to figure out which bus you should take.
Cabs / Ride shares
NYC is notorious for traffic jams. Especially around rush hour. If you can avoid being in a car, you should.
If you do need a ride, it’s super easy to get a car. You can hail one of the iconic yellow cabs, or you can order a car on ride share apps like Uber, Lyft, or Revel.
How to get from the airport to Manhattan
JFK
If you land at JFK you can take the AirTrain and you’ll exit close to the E train stop, which can take you to Manhattan. You need to pay to ride the AirTrain and then you’ll have to pay the regular subway entry fee to take the E train. AirTrain now accepts both Omny payments and regular MetroCards.
If you don’t want to deal with public transportation you can take a taxi or an Uber. An uber costs between $60 – 150, depending on time of day and traffic. Taxis have a flat fee between JFK and Manhattan (currently $70, plus an extra $5 surcharge during peak hours).
Alternatively you can also schedule a private transfer.
LaGuardia
If you land at LaGuardia you can take the M60 bus if you need to get to uptown Manhattan. To get to midtown you can take the free LaGuardia Link Q70 bus to Queens, then take either the subway or a LIRR train to Manhattan.
If you don’t want to deal with public transportation you can take a taxi or an Uber. An uber costs between $40 – 80, depending on time of day and traffic. Taxis do not have a flat fee between LaGuardia and Manhattan, unlike JFK.
Alternatively you can also schedule a private transfer.
How to get cell phone data when visiting from abroad
The cheapest and most convenient way to get data while visiting from abroad is to buy an eSIM. An eSIM is a digital SIM that lets you activate a data plan from a provider without having to use a physical SIM card. They are super easy to use.
I use Nomad eSIM (use code IOAN43TM for 25% off your first purchase). You can go to their website, select the country you’re traveling to, select how many GB of data you want, and how many days you want the eSIM to be active for. After you pay you will receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to activate the eSIM.
You can activate it on your phone and the process takes under 1 minute. Once the eSIM is activated you don’t have to do anything else. When you’re at your destination you will automatically get data.
Hidden gems in NYC
If you’re like me and you like to combine iconic tourist attractions with a few hidden gems during a trip, I got you. These are my top 5 hidden gems in New York.
Pier 57 Rooftop Park
Pier 57 Rooftop Park opened only in 2022. It’s still not that busy, maybe because it’s not located at street level, so unless you know about it, you won’t see it.
The park is one of the largest in NYC and it has 360 views. As the name suggests it is located at Pier 57, which is very close to Chelsea Market and the Highline.
Little Island is right across the street, so you’ll have a fabulous view of it from Pier 57 Rooftop Park. You can also see the Downtown Manhattan area, including the new World Trade Center building.
There are lots of benches where you can sit down with a snack from Pier 57 Market (my personal favorite is ice cream from Malai) and watch the view while catching up with a friend.
There are also multiple lawns where you can have a picnic or just lie in the sun. And it even has bleachers that can be used for movie screenings during the summer.
The park is open from 7am to 10pm every day and it’s definitely worth checking out.
Rain forest inside the Ford Foundation building
When you think of New York, one of the first things that probably comes to mind are skyscrapers. That’s because there’s over 7,000 of them in NYC. One of the last things that comes to mind is a rain forest.
So, what did the designers of the Ford Foundation building think? We can’t have a rainforest in the city, so we’ll put it in a skyscraper instead.
A jungle in the middle of the concrete jungle, the Ford Foundation Garden is home to about 40 different species of plants. It also has a small, square, reflecting pool.
The Ford Foundation building has an art gallery next to the garden. Visiting both the garden and the art gallery is free.
The exact address is 320 East 43rd Street. The garden is open to the public from 11am to 6pm Monday-Friday and Saturday from 11 am to 6 pm only when the gallery has an exhibition on view.
A piece of the Berlin Wall
What if I told you that you don’t have to travel all the way to Berlin to see a piece of the Berlin Wall? It’s true! There’s a small piece of it on display in Manhattan.
You don’t even have to go to a museum to see it. It’s located in Kowsky Plaza in Battery Park City and it’s free to the public. It’s a very short walk from the 9/11 Memorial. The exact location is 393 South End Ave, New York, NY 10280.
The piece was gifted to the Battery Park City Authority by the German Consulate in 2004 as a thank you for their commitment to use street art as a means of education.
It features one of Thierry Noir’s famous heads against a green background. It’s amazing to have such an important piece of history in New York City.
Roosevelt Island
Roosevelt Island is a small island between Manhattan and Queens named after the 32nd president of the United States, Franklin Roosevelt.
Throughout its history the island was mainly used for hospitals, and it currently houses the ruins of a smallpox hospital from 1856. I recommend you visit it in the spring because it has a lot of cherry blossom trees and it’s gorgeous.
While you’re there, get a drink at the Panorama Room, a rooftop bar with 360-degree views of New York City.
This little Island is a great spot to visit, but how you get there is equally as cool: the Roosevelt Island Tramway.
It is the oldest urban tramway in the United States that’s still operating today. You can take it from the Upper East Side and in a few minutes, you’ll be on the island.
The view is amazing, especially on the way back when you can see the Manhattan skyline in front of you. A ticket costs $2.90 one way, the same as taking the subway or bus in the city.
Greenacre Park
Greenacre Park is a small, urban park located in midtown Manhattan, close to Rockefeller Center and the Museum of Modern Art. The exact address is 217 E 51st St, New York, NY 10022.
The park was opened in 1971. It has a waterfall made of granite blocks, colorful flowers, and trees. There are chairs throughout the entire park where you can sit down and take in the serene atmosphere.
This little park is such a tranquil spot in the middle of the busiest part of town. I highly recommend it if you need to recharge your batteries for a bit.
The park is open from 8am to 6pm every day. Is NYC safe?
Free things to do in NYC
As fun as NYC is, it’s one of the most expensive cities in the world. But it also offers so many free things to do. You should definitely check out NYC For Free to get all the updates on free things to do in the city during your visit.
Because NYC is so big and there are so many people living there, brands always organize pop-ups where they give away freebies. Plus, there will be parades, open streets events, block parties.
You just need to find out the dates and locations and you won’t have to spend too much on entertainment. Tapping into the free events is a great way to save some money and experience what locals do.
Birthday freebies
There are so many brands that offer a free treat on your birthday as long as you sign up for their rewards program. Some names that come to mind are Starbucks, Krispy Kreme, and Ole & Steen.
You could literally spend an entire day just walking through the city and collecting free things on your birthday. NYC For Free has a comprehensive list of birthday freebies.
Pop-ups
There are so many days when I just take a walk and I bump into pop-ups. They usually set them up in locations with high foot traffic and give you a freebie if you visit the pop-up.
When Crumbs, an iconic NYC cupcake shop, re-opened after a few years of being closed they were parking their cupcake truck in different locations in the city and were giving away free cupcakes to people. It was an awesome way to advertise they are back in business, and everyone appreciated the sweet treat.
There are also flower shops, skincare, chocolate, fashion, movie pop-ups. NYC has everything and you’ll definitely find a pop-up you enjoy no matter when you visit.
Parades
NYC has some iconic parades: Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, St. Patrick’s Parade, the Easter Parade, the Halloween Parade. They are all free and joining them can be a lot of fun.
NYC Open Streets
Every summer NYC closes Park Avenue on a few Sundays from 7am to 1pm so people can walk, bike, and roller skate without car traffic.
This is one of my favorite events in the city. I always enjoy walking in the middle of Park Avenue along fellow New Yorkers. The energy is amazing.
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Ioana was born and raised in Romania, lived in NYC for 14 years, and is now back in Romania. She fell in love with traveling when she was little and used to visit her aunt in Vienna. Then in high school she was able to visit Siberia, Turkmenistan, Istanbul, and Tokyo through chemistry competitions. As an adult she started to travel solo once she turned 30 and visited 20+ countries so far. Ioana is a full time travel blogger and content creator with an audience of 75K+ people on Instagram. She loves to share travel recommendations and tips.