New York City Guide

This page will always be in flux as I discover new places, new things to do, new restaurants, and more! That's one of the greatest things about NYC is that it's constantly changing and there's always new things to try! So if you want any more specific advice about what to see, do, or eat in the city and surrounding areas, please feel free to email me or message me! I love helping people experience this incredible place that I get to call home! 

 

 

 

Apps to Download:

Directions and Navigation

  • Get lost easily? Yeah, me too... Honestly Apple Maps is the best app to help you navigate the hectic subway system, where when you choose the Transit option it will show you the best route by train or bus. Though if I'm being honest, the Metro has a tendency to randomly change routes and suddenly an express train will run local or vice versa. Best advice for the subway: stay alert.
  • I'm sure we've all heard of Uber but really, this is the major mode of transport most people take after the subway. Especially late at night when leaving a bar, when you're particularly in a hurry, when it's just too cold to take the subway, or if you just don't feel like walking in your heels, this is the choice. Taxis are so four years ago.
  • When going to/from the airports, however, a taxi is often the better option because you will get charged a flat rate or will not have surges. Uber drivers don't have much incentive to get you to the airport quickly and I've had several issue with this. Alternatively, you can hire Carmel, a car service which charges flat rates to/from the airports. The biggest thing to watch out for in NYC especially with transit is people trying to swindle you -- don't let them, stand up for yourself if you feel like it's happening, and you'll be fine.

Events and Classes

  • Check out Gilt City to look for awesome deals on anything from shows to dinner to hair care
  • Sign up for CourseHorse to find classes all over the city from cooking to drawing to dance and everything in between 
  • Use ClassPass to try tons of great fitness classes throughout the city
  • Become a member of Guest of a Guest to access their events calendar 

Food and Drink

  • You NEED to download Seamless and Postmates. Don't question me, just do it. You can get just about any food delivered right to your door, often at almost any hour. These will likely be your most used apps living in the city. Because if you can have gourmet food delivered at any hour, why not?
  • Since I'm already talking about food, you should also download OpenTable so that you can make reservations at all the trendy new places all over town. 
  • Yelp is a good resource to see reviews on stores and restaurants so you can make sure they're decent before you waste your time.
  • There are a bunch of grocery delivery services, including Fresh Direct and Instacart, that bring what you need right to your door. This is extra practical if you don't live near a good grocery store, like me, and you have back problems so can't carry heavy bags around the city, like me! 

In addition to all these apps, I follow a lot of NYC related Instagrams and Facebook pages, which are a good way to keep up with events and things happening around the city.

 

Places to See/Things to Do:

  • The Top of the Rock has some of the best views in the city -- you can see the Empire State Building from one side and Central Park from the other!
  • The One World Observatory has a beautiful observation deck and some really moving experiences with the memorials to the tragedy of 9/11
  • Central Park:
    • The Boat House
    • Bethesda Fountain
    • The Great Lawn
    • Sheep's Meadow
    • The Duck Pond
    • The Reservoir
    • Bow Bridge
    • The Conservatory Garden
  • Other pretty parks around the city:
    • Washington Square Park
    • Tompkins Square Park
    • The Highline
    • Madison Square Park
    • Battery Park
    • Hudson River Park
    • Gramercy Park (private, but if you're like me you can get in with some persistence)
  • Smorgasburg, a food festival every weekend in Brooklyn 
  • Walk the Brooklyn Bridge (more fun in the summer when it's nice out)
  • Brooklyn Botanical Garden
  • New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx
  • South Street Seaport
  • Museums:
    • Metropolitan Museum
    • MoMA
    • The Whitney
    • The Guggenheim
    • The Frick Collection
  • Take a sailboat ride with Manhattan by Sail

 

Where to Shop:

  • SoHo
  • 5th Avenue -- Flatiron between 14th and 28th

 

Places to Eat:

Where to Grab a Drink

A Sweet Treat