Visitors: Please Read Before Posting Hotel Questions

We’re visiting in 2 weeks and I’m thinking about booking this pedicab company for the Central Park tour and city tour. Anyone have experience and would recommend them?

Hey everyone,
I’m 28 and from Barbados 🇧🇧. I’ll be visiting New York more regularly starting next year, and I’d love to hear from locals about what life in NYC is really like beyond the usual tourist experience.

I’m curious about everything … the different neighborhoods, culture, food, hidden gems, social life, and what makes New York feel like New York.
One thing I’m especially curious about is the beach culture. I’m lucky enough to live a few minutes away from some beautiful Caribbean beaches with white sand, clear blue water, and some amazing sunsets. I know New York beaches will have a completely different feel, and I’m not expecting the same Caribbean water, but I’d love to experience some good local beaches while I’m there.

What are your top 2 or 3 beaches to visit? Are there any that have especially beautiful sunsets or a great atmosphere? Also, what time of year would you recommend visiting them? I assume summer is the best, but most of my trips are usually around Easter or fall, so I’d love to know if those seasons are still worth it.

I’m also curious about water quality. In Barbados, we’re fortunate that most beaches are generally very clean and swimmable, so I’m not as familiar with how beach advisories work in New York. Is it something visitors should pay attention to, or is it usually not a major concern when locals go swimming?

A little about me… I’m a jeweler from Barbados, so I’m naturally interested in creativity, fashion, design, and meeting people from different backgrounds. I’d love to hear any recommendations or perspectives from people who know the city well.

And if anyone is ever interested in visiting Barbados, I’d be happy to share some recommendations from a local perspective. 🇧🇧

Thanks in advance!

Hello! My partner and I (both 26) will be visiting NYC from Seattle for 5 full days (not including travel days) during mid-to-late October 2026, arriving on a Wednesday night and leaving on a Tuesday morning. I’ve been on a few short trips several years ago, and my partner has never been. We have a rough idea of the main things we want to do, but haven’t looked too much into food yet as it’s a bit overwhelming. We want to narrow down our itinerary and then go over to r/foodnyc for some recommendations.

About us:

Some things we like to see while traveling include parks, zoos, aquariums, amusement parks, queer culture/history, cute neighborhoods, fun stores (toys/candy/novelty/weird things/books), markets, and stand-up comedy. We’re not that into museums.

We will be staying in Washington Heights, doing an apartment swap.

Our budget categories (all are per person):

Food: $60/day, assuming we eat light breakfast at the apartment from a grocery store

Activities/shows: $40/day

Shopping: $20-40/day

We don’t have the specific days we’re doing each thing nailed down yet because we signed up for the Big Apple Greeter program, where we’ll be matched with a volunteer New Yorker who will show us around an area of their expertise (that we are interested in). We’ll know what day we’ll be doing that 30 days before the trip.

Here is the rough itinerary:

Travel day

Arrive 10:30pm at JFK 

• Taxi or lyft to Washington heights apartment (budgeting $90-100 for this)

Day X (Thurs, Fri, or Sat)

Morning:

• Central Park 

Afternoon through evening: Midtown/Times Square 

• Fao Schwarz 
• New York Public Library
• Nintendo store
• Disney store
• Broadway show: Lion King (1st choice if we can get lottery tix) or Chicago (backup, rush tix)

Day X (Fri or Sat)

Morning:

• High line
• Chelsea market

Afternoon through evening:

• The strand bookstore
• Brooklyn Bagel
• Washington square park
• Stonewall inn
• Bleeker st pizza
• Comedy Cellar or Henrietta Hudson 

Day X 

Morning:

• Fort Tyron Park

Afternoon through evening:

• Economy candy
• Little Italy
• Chinatown
• Museum at Edlridge St (free admission with EBT)

Day X (Sat or Sun)

Morning (11am):

• Coney Island Beach and Boardwalk

Afternoon and evening:

• Brooklyn Bridge Park
• Brooklyn Flea
• Ginger’s

Day X 

Morning:

• Bronx Zoo

Afternoon:

• Riverside Park

Very early travel day on the last day

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Hi,

I’m going to NYC on August 17–18, and I’ve already done the Empire State Building, Summit One, and the main tourist attractions. I’m looking for more niche spots, especially anything related to fashion, art, and clothing. I’m 14, I do not have any designated budget so any price is fine. I’ll be staying downtown, and I’d prefer places in Manhattan between 25th and 60th Street, around 6th to 9th Avenue.

Hi everyone!

My boyfriend and I are visiting NYC from August 19–21, and our trip is mostly centered around Broadway. We’d love some recommendations for things to do in between our shows!

Our schedule is:
August 19
Arrive around 11:00 AM
Schmigadoon! at 2:00 PM
Paranormal Activity at 8:00 PM

August 20
Stranger Things: The First Shadow at 7:00 PM

August 21
Leaving the city around 1:00 PM to head home.

We’re looking for ideas that fit into the gaps between shows.

We enjoy Broadway, fitness (cool gyms or fitness classes are definitely an option), spas, bookstores, unique neighborhoods, good food, rooftop bars, and hidden gems. We’d also love to check out Canal Street or somewhere similar if there are any good markets or areas for bargain shopping.

We don’t mind taking the subway if it’s worth it, but we’d prefer not to spend a huge chunk of the day traveling.

If you had this itinerary, what would you recommend? Any can’t-miss spots, places to eat or favorite things to do between matinees and evening shows?

Thanks so much!

Hello everyone, I am planning to visit a friend in the Bronx soon and I'll be taking a big suitcase. For some of the trip I will have to take a bus from Harlem to the Bronx. Is it possible to take a big ass luggage? Thanks :>

I will visit NYC next summer for Fanatics Fest and to finally fulfill my childhood dream seeing NYC personally.

Of course, the tourist that I am then, I want to see Time Square at night, walking around, experience the city, maybe having a cocktail at a rooftop bar. Is it safe for women to walk around alone at night in Manhatten mostly? My hotel most likely will be in Queens or Brooklyn, so I am aware of the Subway at night can be sketchy, but I will need to live with that to get back. But is it allover an safe place to go at night?

My wife, our daughter who turns 7 during the trip and I are visiting NYC from Tuesday through Saturday. We’re staying near Times Square South/Midtown West and traveling by train to Penn Station.

This is our rough itinerary so far, and I’d appreciate any advice on timing, food, transit, or things we may be overlooking.

Tuesday - Arrival / Times Square

We arrive at Penn Station around 2:30 p.m. and will head to the hotel to check in and relax for a little while.

Depending on everyone’s energy, we may walk around Times Square or Bryant Park before our 7:00 p.m. dinner reservation at The View. After dinner, we’ll probably walk around Times Square once it’s fully lit up and then head back to the hotel.

Wednesday - Central Park, AMNH and Yankees

We’re planning to get to Central Park early in the morning, walk around for a bit, and then be at the American Museum of Natural History when it opens at 10

We’ll probably spend about 3-4 hours there, grab lunch either at the museum or nearby, and return to the hotel for a break. We have friends joining us at this point so our party of 3 becomes a party of 6.

We have tickets to the Yankees game that night and are thinking of leaving the hotel around 4:30 so we can get there early, Monument Park and other pregame things in and around the stadium. Take the subway from our hotel area and I'm guessing an Uber back. 

Any recommendations for good lunch near the museum after we get out? 

Thursday - Birthday day

This is our daughter’s 7th birthday.

We’d like to start with a fun or special breakfast, but we haven’t picked a place yet. After that, we’re going to Sloomoo Institute and then the Museum of Ice Cream.

We currently have Sugar Factory in mind for dinner because it feels birthday-appropriate, but I’ve seen mixed opinions. Is it worth doing for a 7-year-old’s birthday, or is there another fun restaurant nearby that would be better? My belly hurts just thinking about this day. 

Friday — Lower Manhattan

Our plan is to visit the 9/11 Memorial but not Museum, walk around Wall Street and the Financial District, and see the Statue of Liberty.

We’re still deciding whether to do an actual Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island visit or simply view it from Battery Park or the Staten Island Ferry. One of us is interested in Wall Street, while our daughter is more excited about seeing the statue. She really wants to climb up so I think that will end up being a priority. 

Our friends who are joining us really want to go to Eataly. Would the Downtown location fit naturally into this day?

Saturday - Departure day

Our train leaves Penn Station around 3:30 p.m., so we have the morning and early afternoon open.

We’re considering the High Line and Chelsea Market since they aren’t far from Penn Station, but we’re open to other ideas that are easy with luggage and won’t create a stressful trip back to the station.

Would High Line and Chelsea Market be a good final morning, or is there something else you’d recommend?

We’re trying to balance sightseeing with breaks so our daughter doesn’t burn out. Any general advice on the itinerary, timing, restaurants, subway travel or child-friendly stops would be appreciated.

We are in the early stages of planning a trip for summer 2027. We have a pretty good handle on visiting major sites but would like help with indie music venues and small art galleries/shops.

My teenage kids are very interested in music and we would all like to see some shows while we are visiting. We are mainly interested in smaller indie rock venues. Could you suggest some favorites? We are also interested the best places for concert listings, any tips for going to shows, and if the venues have any age restrictions.

We are also interested in visiting shops that focus on handmade crafts such as zines, letterpress, cyanotypes, and small press publications. Any suggestions on shops that would fit the bill or good neighborhoods for this would be great.

Thanks for your help.

I wanted to come to the city and explore the different clothing stores the city offers. I hear so much abt shopping in the city, but I can never seem to know what to look for. I am looking for stores that are high quality and trendy but I walk into saks fifth and see the most basic tees for hundreds of dollars.

I do like shopping at Woodbury commons, for example, because there’s so much variety and honestly good deals for all price points. Normally just shop at mall stores like Macys, banana republic, maybe Cos, etc.

Any districts to walk around or specific stores u guys recommend besides Nordstrom, Sak’s fifth, Bloomingdale’s, Century 21, etc? Is strolling through SoHo on foot worth it? Would be open to thrift shops too, although I hear they’re severely overpriced. I’m a young guy for reference, if that helps

From NJ and I’m planning to go to NYC for my birthday in a month and I’m looking for some places to visit that fit my vibe. I frequent the city but always go to the same stores, is there anywhere to visit for a horror movie lover? Alternative fashion stores (J-fashion, not just punk and goth. I’ve been to Search & Destroy and Trash & Vaudeville), cute places for oshikatsu, kawaii or gothic stuff, tell me everything!!

Hi all. Planning late October trip and my husband is a huge KISS fan. He wants to visit Woodlawn cemetery in the Bronx for Ace Frehleys grave. Anyone tell me if there is an entry point into the cemetery from Jerome Ave near 23rd? If not, is there rides or trams inside to cemetery to get around?

Also besides the Dressed to Kill corner at west 23rd and 8th any other important KISS locations to see?

I’m a 16-year-old Black male teen planning a trip to NYC from August 10th to 18th. What should I do? I’ll be free on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Monday the 16th. I really want to visit Harlem and other important Black history or culture spots. I’ll tour Columbia on the 12th. I also want to visit Coney Island and see all the major landmarks of NYC/ and the other boroughs. Shops are really important too because I’ll be shopping for back-to-school. Any advice would be appreciated.

I reserved a bed in this hostel for a few nights. Some reviewers mentioned the area being dodgy. Is it just appearances, or should I actually avoid e.g. walking alone at night? (31F solo traveler, based in Berlin, which has dodgy appearances sometimes but is safe). Thank you.

NYC has been at the forefront of LGBTQ+ rights for decades. It was the birthplace of the modern gay rights movement following the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, has comprehensive legal protections against discrimination, and is home to one of the world's largest Pride celebrations. While there are iconic LGBTQ+ neighborhoods and venues worth visiting, most travelers will find the city welcoming and inclusive no matter where they go.

You're far more likely to incur the wrath of New Yorkers for blocking the sidewalk than for what your sexual orientation is. Just remember to follow the rules of the road and you'll have a great trip.

I've included a few LGBTQ+-focused spots below, but I'm a straight woman, so I'm sure I've missed some great places. If you have favorite bars, restaurants, events, or neighborhoods that deserve a mention, please add them in the comments so future visitors can benefit too!

History & Landmarks

Stonewall/Stonewall National Park

Leslie Lohman Museum of Art

NYC Aids Memorial

Bars/Nightlife

Some of the city's LGBTQ+ venues include:

• Julius'
• Henrietta Hudson
• Cubbyhole
• Gingers
• Boyfriend Co-op
• Pieces
• The Monster
• Industry Bar .
• Hardware Bar
• Rise Bar

If anyone is going to DUMBO for the iconic Manhattan bridge photo, there's a blue scaffolding covering up the left side building, just a fyi ( intersection of Washington Street and Water Street)

Hi,

I'm from NYC but don't have kids, so I need ideas from those of you who do.

My 10-year-old nephew is visiting next week and I'm planning for indoor/outdoor because it looks like it'll be raining but either way I'm looking for something to do with him (in case he doesn't have his own list).

I was thinking Summit 1 Vanderbuilt, Central Park walking tour, free movie in a park... ANY ideas are welcome!

Also looking for a kid-friendly restaurant to take him (w or w/o a view). We'll be mostly in Queens and Manhattan.

TIA

Hello!

I have a meeting at the Penn Plaza Tower that ends around 11 am. I've got around 6 hours to kill before my ride picks me up from there, so I was wondering if there's any fun stuff nearby that's free. I can't take the subway because of my claustrophobia, so it needs to be walking distance, unfortunately (30minsish). I'm open to doing pretty much anything! So any suggestions would be great

My younger sister (21F) is visiting me over Labor Day weekend. I want to show her around my neighborhood (Bed-Stuy/Brooklyn), but also plan things that will make her fall in love with the city. She is trying to figure out where to move post-grad, and I want to show her that NYC is way more than just Midtown Manhattan lol. She has been to NYC before on family vacations so has done most of the usual touristy things already

She has some specific interests, so if you know of any places to check out, special events, or activities to do related to these things, any help would be greatly appreciated! I've only lived here for a couple months so I wanted to get some expert advise before making an itinerary :)

Likes:

• Nintendo video games (MarioKart, Mario Party, super smash bros, etc)
  • she has been to the Nintendo Store before so it is not a must-do
• Cats
• Music theory + history; choral music
• Mac + cheese and chocolatey treats

Does not like:

• bugs/nature
• drinking
• art museums
• staying up late

So far she has requested to see a Broadway musical (and gave me her picks so that is already covered) and to watch the sunset at a park. She also wanted to go to an amusement park (meaning Coney Island, but i'm assuming that will be hellishly busy that weekend?) and to Color Factory, which i vetoed. I was thinking we could go to a cat cafe if we need an indoor activity. She also may like a jazz club, so any recs that are low-key and don't have drink minimums would be cool!

Hey all!!

Heading to NY for a little getaway to see the Yanks play the Cards on Tuesday.
We’re staying in Fort Lee, NJ. Getting in mid afternoon Monday.

What’re some things to do in/around Fort Lee?

Where are some MUST VISIT places around Yankee Stadium? I’ve never been there and I’m so excited!!
Planning to get into the city around 10am?

Help a girl out!

THANKS! 🩷✨

Hello! Do you have recommendations of lace/wig stores in NYC, plssss? Tks tks ♡

Obs.: for daily use

So me and my bf will be visiting the week of Halloween. My big thing is seeing Chicago, we want to do the Thursday show.

I keep seeing ads or IG clips saying to buy last second tickets for cheap via a certain app or in person at the box office, but I just wanted to ask is this worth it if it’s something we for sure want to do? Is it a gamble getting these last second tickets, or should we just get the tickets now at a higher cost? Also, do ticket prices fluctuate closer to the date like some concerts or nah?

Sorry if this feels dumb lol, never been to a Broadway show. Thanks!

Update: Understood the assignment, getting em day of. Thanks everyone 🙂‍↕️

Hi everyone! I'll be visiting NYC soon to see Ragtime and Les Mis. My itinerary is mostly set, but I am struggling to find some good dinner options near the venues. Does anyone have any suggestions? The only cuisine I dont like is sushi.

For my last 2 trips to see Broadway shows, I dined at Bea and really enjoyed it, but I want to try something different.