Hitting the streets of New York

January - a perfect month for travelling, indulging us with increasingly warm weather and low prices

January is increasingly becoming both an affordable and convenient month to travel. As the really cold winter temperatures move more and more into February, January treats with warm and sunny days that make it easy and pleasant to wander around. January is also considered a low season, which means that there are a wide variety of really low-price flight connections, activities at destinations that are not primarily aimed at tourists. This consequently allows a more authentic experience of the pulse of the city, and above all, a more leisurely way to get around all the "must-see" spots, as they are not so crowded with tourists.

Before you travel to the USA

As an EU citizen, you can travel to the US with a validated ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation), which you can fill in online directly at esta.cbp.dhs.gov. The process is very fast and you will receive a reply the same day (check the status of your application to see if it has been approved also on the same website). A special feature that should not be overlooked. If you have travelled to Cuba since January 2020, you will not be eligible for the ESTA, you will have to apply for a visa.

Pre-departure itinerary planning

One way I always find a way to travel is to make a preliminary itinerary of the locations I want to visit before I leave (by "pinning" them in Google Maps and planning each day in my phone's notes). Why? Because otherwise I simply waste too much time with googling at the destination. To optimise my trip even more, I always check the weather forecast at the destination itself and adjust my planned activities accordingly.

Of course, I always leave the spontaneity window open. It's perfect to have a mix of both: a plan and spontaneity.

7 days are more than enough for a thorough city visit

I spent a full 8 days in the city, wanting to explore the city more thoroughly and see all the attractions and sites I wanted to see.

Walk between Grand Central Terminal, Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, Murray Hill, Flatiron Building. Take a break at Bryan Park (my favourite park in NY!), and/or a quiet book break at the New York Public Library (free admission, the experience is incredible).

Explore Chinatown (stop by Vanessa's Dumpling House for the "best" dumplings in NYC - bring cash as they don't accept cards), head to Little Italy for a good Italian espresso, and take a stroll along the Brooklyn Bridge in the late afternoon as the sun sets. It's a cinematic feeling, with the added charm of rush hour, when many people make their way home from NY City to Brooklyn. Once you're on the other side of the bridge, don't miss the Dumbo Manhattan Bridge photo spot, the view is truly spectacular, especially at sunset.

For a view over the whole of New York, book the Edge in advance (a little more expensive, but worth it). After spending some time on the 335m-high observation deck, the nearby Hudson River Park is a great place to take a short break before taking a longer (approx. 2.4 km) walk along the former railway line, which has been converted into a High Line park.

Of course, you can't go without seeing the Statue of Liberty. I avoided paying for a boat tour by getting on the free South Island ferry, which departs every 30 minutes for St. George, and passes close to the statue. When you arrive in St. George, after about 25 min ride, you get off and wait again to get back on the ferry to the South Island Terminal.

The famous Financial District – Wall Street is close to the South Island Terminal and leaves no major impression. I was expecting a street full of men in black suits. Of course, my conceptions were based on the films, and they were dispelled quite quickly.

Walk to Tribeca and take the metro in the evening to Times Square, where digital advertising displays, street artists, their artwork, street dancers, vendors selling churros (a must-try!), hot dogs and savoury pretzels, and packed streets of people make a spectacular show.

The next day, take it easy with a stroll in Central Park. Just above Wollman Rink is a great spot for a rest and a good photo with a backdrop of the skyscrapers. Listen for the sound of birds, there are plenty of them.

You can spend one full day visiting museums, I chose the following: Museum of the City of New York, Solomon R. Guggenheim and The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

How to travel within Manhattan?

Very easily, and quite cheaply - by subway. I bought a weekly subway pass, which cost me $33 + $1 for the card (the price for a single ticket is $2.75).

NYC – Must See Week

During my stay in New York, NYC Must See Week took place from 17 January to 12 February 2023, offering a pretty wide range of different attractions, museums, shows and admissions at special 2-for-1 prices.

New York Must See Week also include Broadway Week. With the group of new friends that I met at the HI Hostel New York (the most affordable accommodation with great connections to all parts of New York!), we naturally took advantage of it, and went to see the Broadway classic - the musical Chicago - for half price.

New York Must-See Week thus offers yet another reason to travel to New York during this period. It's definitely more than worth it, especially if you're travelling in a group of two.

A city of high expectations that also disappoints

New York is a city that both delights and disappoints. Its enchanting cinematic streets make you feel dreamy and excited, fill you with energy, new ideas and the desire to make the most of every part of your day. The disappointing part is the strong presence of individualism at every turn.

But still, the feeling that New York has left me with is the reason why I will be probably back in the near future.