You cannot do New York. Nobody does, including the people who live there, so the only sane approach is to pick a few neighbourhoods and go deep rather than sprint between landmarks. This page is built that way, grouped so you are not crossing the city three times in a day, with honest notes on which famous things earn the queue and which ones you can skip without regret.
How to use this guide: the tabs at the top move you between itineraries, places to see, restaurants, hotels, experiences and day trips. On any tab, open the map for a much clearer picture of where things sit and how New York fits together by neighbourhood and subway line. On your phone, tap Get the App (or add this page to your home screen) so the whole guide is one tap away. Short on time? Jump to the ⚡ Quick Facts below.
This complete New York travel guide covers getting around on the subway, which pass is worth it, airport transfers from JFK, LaGuardia and Newark, the observation decks worth paying for, where to eat outside Times Square, free things to do, and the money-saving tips most first-timers learn too late. Whether you are here for the museums, the food, or four days of walking neighbourhoods, bookmark this page before you book your flight.
New York City is home to around 8.3 million people spread across five boroughs, of which Manhattan is only one and not even the largest. The subway runs 24 hours a day, something almost no other major city manages, and it remains the fastest and cheapest way to move. Central Park covers 843 acres in the middle of Manhattan, and more than 200 languages are spoken across the city, which is why the food is as good as it is.
Whether you have a long weekend or a full week, the sections below cover how to get around, which neighbourhood to base yourself in, where to eat at every budget, and how to plan days that do not leave you exhausted by lunchtime.
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