Find and book unique vacation rentals & homes on Airbnb
Let 1,000,000+ real reviews from past guests help you find the perfect fit for your trip
Locals share their top neighborhood recommendations to help you find the one to call home for your vacation
“A walk, peddle, or carriage ride through the crisscrossing pathways of Central Park is a must-do on anyone's New York City itinerary. In winter, you can even lace up your skates and glide across Wollman Rink. This huge park in the city center, a half-mile wide and 2.5 miles long, is one of the things that makes New York such a beautiful and livable city. Besides being a great place to experience a little nature, Central Park has many attractions within its borders, and most of them are free, making it one of the few cheap things to do in NYC. Some of the most popular places to visit include the Belvedere Castle, Strawberry Fields, the Central Park Zoo, and the Lake. If you are exploring the park on your own, start by picking up a map at one of the visitor centers and plot your routing.”
“The best place to take a picture with the biggest christmas tree in the city. It's one of the most iconic places in NYC during the christmas holiday. The ice skating rink is very popular. Go up top of the rock to get amazing views of NYC. If you get hungry, no worries, the ground floor has many places to eat at. Across the street from Saks Fifth Avenue, which offers the most amazing christmas light show. ”
Get advice about the city from the people who know it best. Local hosts share their tips and recommendations for travelers like you.
“Bring comfortable shoes! Most of the tourists' attractions are walking distance from each other. so expect to walk a lot!”
“If you are going to visit nyc wear comfortable shoes. Take you camera or cellular phone for pictures to remember. if you are going to nyc to see shows on broadway check ticket master for time and dates. also check broadway.com to save money on shows, restaurant, massages and more check groupon.com”
“Subway is fastest to get around There are many subway maps you can download for your phone. i like "roadify" and "mymta" - once installed, you don't need wifi to see the maps if you are down in the station without service”
“Citi bike Citi bike is an app where you can pick up bikes and drop them off all over the city. there is a limit of 30 minutes for each ride. in my opinion, it's the best way to see the city. get a day pass unlimited for only $12 and you'll easily be able to see all the best attractions in one day. the hudson path is an amazing bike route on the edge of the city that is super easy to ride on with great views. download the app citi bike to use. there are also kiosks at most docking stations. you can ride on the street where the cars on too when you're in the city if there aren't bike lanes. this might sound scary but the cars are super attentive to bikers.”
“Subway riding Getting around on the subway seems intimidating but it's rather easy. once you get into every station, you'll see uptown signs (north) and downtown signs (south). google maps has a public transit tab that looks like a train. this will guide you to the right subway station. when getting around, it's important to know there are often local and express trains (skips some stations and is faster).”
“Car service If you're looking for a car service to pick you up, there are different services in nyc than elsewhere. there is still lyft and uber, but there is also juno and via. juno & via are cheaper than uber and lyft. via has both private car options and shared car rides that are extremely cheap compared to other services. via is also cheapest service to and from the airports.”
“Subways are quickest & cheapest We recommend you use an app like google maps on your smartphone to navigate the subway system. it is very intuitive and simple to learn.”
“Try revel electric mopeds! If you have a valid driver's license, you can download the revel app and rent any of the blue mopeds on the sidewalk in the area. they're cheap, fun, and you can leave them wherever you go! use code "fkrpc" for $5 off!”
“Get weekly subway pass for unlimited rides Weekly subway passes are a great way to get around affordably. late nights or after a long day, uber, lyft, via, and juno are a great on-demand alternative and tend to be cheaper than yellow cabs.”
“Local art galleries From 16th st. to 29th st., between 10th and 11th avenues, there are more than 350 art galleries that are home to modern art from upcoming artists and respected artists. chelsea art district is one of the most important and influential in the world. while you're there, be sure to stroll along the highline, a recently redesigned aerial greenway that runs along the lower west side of manhattan.”
“Smoking Smoking is banned in all city parks, restaurants and bars.”
“Phone etiquette It's not polite to order or speak to someone when you are looking at your phone. also, if you are walking down the stairs or trying to catch the subway, be sure not to text at the same time.”
“Hudson river greenway Perfect for biking or walking and taking in the beautiful views. to enter follow the ramp on 158th that goes under the henry hudson parkway. the bike path and pedestrian path runs all way downtown from here. excellent attraction in order to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, have a picnic, have a bike ride, and enjoy the nature and beautiful water views.”
“Edgemere farm hosts a market every friday, and there is a great farmer's market on beach 74th street Farmer's market saturday and sunday is great, hosted in a small warehouse- can get most everything organic, from green tomatoes to fresh lavender.”
“Sightseeing like a local Smorgasburg in brooklyn, central park great lawn, walk across the brooklyn bridge, sunset ferry ride between manhattan and brooklyn. grab a drink at the public hotel (reserve for dinner to be secured a table on the rooftop) and hop on the ferry back to midtown manhattan, you'll pass all 3 major bridges while the sun sets behind the skyline.”
“New york citypass New york citypass includes one-time admission to 6 of new york's most famous attractions: empire state building, american museum of natural history, the museum of modern art, guggenheim museum or top of the rock, & statue of liberty.”
“Metrocards are cheaper if you buy a bundle! Each fare is $2.75. depending on how many days, and how much walking you may intend to do, consider buying an unlimited 7 days metrocard for only $31 dollars. unlimited cards can be used as many times as you need daily on buses and trains. but the best! is not having to stop to replenish your card!”
“Museums are free on tuesdays! Also, new york museums are funding by private organizations, therefore, they have enough money so they do not need to charge. you don't need to pay their entrance fees, give them a contribution, and you are good to go!”
“Bring your water bottle! New york tap water is perfectly fine to drink, you don't need to buy bottled water at any time.”
“Madison square park Grab a bite to eat near madison square park and enjoy the people watching. we recommend dig in for salads, or the famous shake shack in the park. or try indian food from desi galli on lexington and 27th.”
“Escalators When on escalators, stand on the right side. this allows people that want to walk the escalator to pass on the left.”
“Homeless people There is a decent homeless population in the city. don't engage with them and anyone that asks you to buy anything just keep walking. it's normal and they will leave you alone. walk with a purpose and you won't look like a tourist. you may see them on the subway as well, don't give them money. it's illegal to beg for money on subways and it only encourages them. this may sound heartless but the homeless in new york are well taken care of and there are lot's of places for them to eat. if you give them money, 99% of the time you're fueling their drug habit.”
If you’re only going to visit one city in the United States, New York should be it. Visitors have a treasure trove of options for food, entertainment, shopping, and culture. Whatever you do, don’t miss world-famous landmarks like the Statue of Liberty and Central Park. Look for an apartment in a distinctly Manhattan neighborhood like the West Village, or consider branching out to boroughs like Brooklyn and Queens if a larger brownstone is more your style.
If you’re flying into John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), board the AirTrain to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Howard Beach station, where there’s a subway into Manhattan. That route will take you about an hour.
But a taxi isn’t really faster. With traffic, it’ll take at least an hour to get into the city, and they’re particularly hard to come by around 4 PM. Consider flying into the smaller LaGuardia International Airport (LGA), where taxis and rideshares are available to whisk passengers into Manhattan in about 30 minutes to an hour, depending on traffic.
New York City has distinct seasons: a cold, snowy winter; a damp but blooming spring; a hot summer amplified by humidity; and a crisp, picturesque fall. There’s no ideal time to visit, since every season features unique attractions, but spring and fall are the most forgiving for outdoor activities.
Founded in 2002 by actor Robert DeNiro, the Tribeca Film Festival is known for championing independent films.
An eclectic lineup of mostly free international live music shows and big-name benefit concerts thrills the city all summer long.
National tennis champions are decided in Queens at the U.S. Open, a tournament of five championships.
The televised tradition of floats and giant character balloons is even more special to experience in person with local and visiting families.
NYC’s grand holiday tradition of lighting the city’s most show-stopping Christmas tree takes place steps away from 30 Rock.