New York
Travel Guide

New York view from Dumbo Brooklyn

Planning a trip to New York City?

We didn’t just visit New York, we were taken there by someone who knows it better than most people who actually live there. My aunt has been visiting the city at least twice a year for the past 20 years, which started when a collaboration between the New York Fire Department and Merseyside Fire Department brought a group of Manhattan firefighters to a dinner in Liverpool Town Hall. She met one of them that night and the rest, as they say, is history.

Her partner is a retired FDNY firefighter from the Upper West Side, and for 10 days in December he was our guide. We stayed in his apartment in the Bronx, ate in the local places that don’t look like much from the outside but consistently outperform anything you’d find on Instagram, visited his old fire station, and met his family for meals. Halfway through the trip my partner flew to Nashville with him and his two brothers. A Scouser and three New Yorkers, which went as well as you’d expect – leaving me, my aunt and my three year old daughter to do the more civilised sightseeing for a couple of days.

We felt genuinely lucky. Ten days in New York with a local who has spent 20 years showing the city to someone he loves is a very different trip to ten days with a guidebook. This is everything we did, everything we’d recommend, and the honest advice we’d give anyone planning their own New York trip.

You can also watch our trip unfold day by day over on my Instagram highlights @tinytoesbigtrails, where I’ve saved the best moments and tips for travelling to New York with a toddler.

New York Postcard using Summit One Vanderbilt view image

New York travel essentials at a glance

🗣️ Language: English is the official language in the USA
💵 Currency: US Dollar ($)
🕐 Time zone: Eastern Standard Time (EST)
🔌 Plug type: Type A and Type B plugs
💳 Cash or card: Card is accepted but cash is useful for tips
📅 Best time to visit: All year is great, but April-June and September-November, temperatures are comfortable, and December is special for Christmas, but busier and expensive
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family friendly: Very, there are plenty of playgrounds and activities for children. Particulary well suited to toddlers and youg children with the right planning
✈️ How to get there: Direct flights from UK into JFK, Newark or LaGuardia
🚅 Public transport: Subway is the easiest and cheapest way to get around
🍕 Cuisine: Bagels, pizza and international cuisines

Plan your trip

If you’re in the early planning stages, these guides will help you get your bearings, how long to go for, what to prioritise, and how to experience New York without trying to do everything. If you’re visiting at Christmas specifically, start with the itinerary guide – it’s built around a December visit and covers the festive highlights alongside the must see sights.

Brooklyn bridge New York

NYC itinerary

A realistic, first timer itinerary covering Downtown, Midtown, Central Park, observation decks and Christmas highlights, with tips for UK travellers and families.

NYC 4 day itinerary
Rockefeller Christmas Tree, New York

NYC on a budget

How to visit New York affordably, including cheap flights, budget accommodation, free things to do and getting around without taxis.

NYC on a budget
Sumit Vanderbilt view of Manhattan
Best observation deck New York

This quick guide compares all the main NYC viewing platforms to help you choose the right one for your trip.

Best observation deck New York
Lego store New York
New York with kids

Everything you need to know about visiting New York with young children, from toddler friendly attractions and the best playgrounds to navigating the subway with a pram.

New York with kids

In-depth observation deck comparisons

If you’re deciding which observation deck is best, these detailed comparisons break down views, experiences and which one we found to be the most family friendly.

New York observation deck guide

Summit One Vanderbilt vs The Edge

Balloon room in Summit Vanderbilt
Summit One Vanderbilt vs The Edge – which is worth it?

Top of the Rock vs Summit One Vanderbilt

Top of the Rock - The Beam and Skylift
Top of the Rock vs Summit One Vanderbilt – which came out on top?

The Edge vs Top of the Rock

View from The Edge, New York
The Edge vs Top of the Rock – our honest verdict

Christmas in New York

New York at Christmas is something else entirely. The Rockefeller tree, the Fifth Avenue window displays, Bryant Park Winter Village, and the neighbourhood of Dyker Heights in Brooklyn, which takes Christmas decorations to a level you have to see to believe. If you’re visiting in December, our Christmas itinerary covers everything you need to know.

The ultimate guide to Dyker Heights Christmas lights ➡️
Dyker Heights New York nutcrackers

How to use this New York travel guide

If you’re planning your first trip, start with the itinerary and budget guides. If you’re choosing attractions, head straight to the observation deck comparisons. We visited three and have broken down exactly which is worth it for different types of visitors. And if you’re visiting at Christmas, the itinerary is built around a December trip so start there.

This guide will keep growing as we add more New York content which is all based on real visits, honest opinions, and practical advice for families and first time visitors.

New York FAQs

Yes. More so than you might expect. There are playgrounds dotted throughout the city, most attractions are well set up for pushchairs, and the subway gets you everywhere without needing taxis. The sheer variety of things to do means there’s always something at every age and budget. We visited with a three year old and managed everything from observation decks to Central Park to Dyker Heights without it being difficult.

Any time of year works, but spring (April to June) and autumn (September to November) give you the most comfortable temperatures for walking around. December is a different experience entirely, the Rockefeller tree, the window displays, the general festive atmosphere, but it’s busier and more expensive. If Christmas in New York is the goal, it’s worth it. If you want better weather and lower prices, go in spring or autumn.

Four days covers the main highlights comfortably for a first timer. It’s enough time to do Midtown, Downtown, Central Park, an observation deck and a day trip to somewhere like Brooklyn or the Bronx without feeling rushed. We had ten days with a local guide and could have stayed longer, but four days is a realistic and satisfying trip.

It can be, but it doesn’t have to be. The subway is cheap and gets you everywhere. There are genuinely free things to do. Central Park, the High Line, walking the Brooklyn Bridge, most of the exterior Christmas attractions in December. Where the costs add up is food, accommodation and paid attractions. Our budget guide covers how to keep costs down without missing out – NYC on a budget.

Generally yes, particularly in the areas most tourists visit – Midtown, Downtown, Central Park, Brooklyn. Like any major city, it pays to be aware of your surroundings, keep valuables out of sight on the subway, and stick to well lit areas at night. We never felt unsafe at any point during ten days there, including travelling with a three year old.

Midtown is the most practical base for first timers. It’s central, well connected, and within walking distance of most of the main attractions. If you’re choosing between east and west side, the east side has slightly better subway connections on the 4/5/6 red line. Downtown and the Lower East Side work well if you want a more local feel. We stayed in the Bronx with family which was a different experience entirely, but we did spend one night in Chelsea which has a great atmosphere if you want trendy bars and a more neighbourhood feel.

My New York travel guides

Have a question about travelling to New York with a little one? I’m always happy to chat! Drop me a comment or message me on Instagram @tinytoesbigtrails