Overview
When’s the best time to go to New York City?
In summer, New York seems to have more tourists than residents—perhaps because New Yorkers flock to the Hamptons, Montauk, and other seaside havens. Winter holidays in the city are celebrated on a scale not found elsewhere. Spring and fall, however, are the seasons in which the city truly shines. Outdoor cafés are not yet crowded, hotels are more affordable, and the temperate weather brings extra pleasure to activities like walking in Central Park or biking around Governors Island.
How to get around New York City
- Main Airports: JFK, Newark, and La Guardia
- Getting Around: The best way to get around the city is by subway, taxis, Ubers, Lyfts, and rideshares, walking, or CitiBike bike share.
Things to do + itineraries
Local travel tips for New York City
- Ride the NYC Ferry: not for the commute, but for a fabulous—and inexpensive—way to take in neighborhoods across boroughs and the downtown Manhattan skyline.
- Don’t be afraid to solicit help. City residents have gained a reputation for being rude because they are caught up in the hustle and bustle—but if you’re lost, they will happily oblige with directions. Just ask!
- Plan to be here for what will surely be a buoyant NYC Pride March on June 26—it’s one of the most joyous parties of the year.
- New York public libraries are the best places to pause and rest, check your email, even read (!) during a big day of sightseeing.
- The city is at its most beautiful in twilight. Or in the light of dawn. Or maybe in the middle of the night, when the bridges and buildings become glittering beacons. There is, too, a strange beauty to watching—preferably from above or from a distance—the city dwellers navigate the crowded sidewalks and Grand Central Station’s main hall. Never is it more clear that the city is a living, breathing organism.
Food and drink to try in New York City
Guide Editor
John Newton is a freelance editor, writer, and AFAR Ambassador. In addition to AFAR, he has written for Condé Nast Traveler, GQ, Men’s Journal, Newsday, the New York Post, Travel+Leisure and many other magazines and newspapers. Raised in California, he has lived in New York City for almost 25 years (currently in Williamsburg, Brooklyn) and is always ready to explore the city he calls home. With additional reporting by Laura Dannen Redman, Ann Shields, and Lyndsey Matthews. This guide was last updated in May 2022.
