The average length of stay in New York City (NYC) is 2-3 nights for domestic tourists and 7 nights for international tourists. Given that there is so much to do in NYC and most people have very limited time, it is important to prioritise what you want to see and do.

I lived in New York for 5 months back in 2013 and I visit there frequently since so I have experienced a fair bit of what the city has to offer. Here are my recommendations of what to do if you are in New York for less than a week.

1. Central Park is both the heart and lungs of the city and is definitely a highlight. It is very large and so I would try and visit it on two separate occasions if you can. A great way to get an overview of the park is to rent bikes and cycle around it. You are not allowed to cycle on the pedestrian pathways so you will need to get off frequently to walk your bikes to many of the park’s lakes and attractions. One option would be to bike on one visit and do a walking exploration on another. If you like bush walking I recommend taking time out to explore the wooded area (called the Rambles) just north of The Lake on the west side of the park, and the Northern Woods at the north end. My favourite areas of Central Park are: The view across The Lake towards the San Remo towers, the Bethesda Terrace; The Pond; The Conservatory Water, and the Conservatory Gardens (near the north-east end of the park. I have grown to love the views across the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Resevoir too. Climbing Belvedere Castle gives great views of Turtle Pond (with real live turtles) and the Great Lawn too.

The Pond, south-eastern end of Central Park

2. You are in New York so it is almost compulsory to see a Broadway show. We saw Pippen, The Book of Mormon and Matilda. Matilda and Pippen are great family entertainment. The Book of Mormon is definitely adult-only but hilarious and my favourite.

3. If you are in NYC for only a few days I do think going on a tour of Manhattan to get your bearings is a good idea. You can then decide what areas you want to go back and take a closer look at. The generic bus tours don’t look very appealing to me (everyday I saw people being herded on and off them) but there are plenty of different tours to choose from if you look online. Friends of ours (see link above) did their own walking tour of (almost) the length of Broadway, but that might be taking things a bit far! Going for a boat cruise around Manhattan is another great way to see the city and I can recommend that, especially the ones that feature the city’s amazing architecture.

4. Walk over the Brooklyn Bridge and get fantastic views of the Manhattan skyline and the East River. I recommend going to the Brooklyn Bridge Park one evening as the views of the Manhattan skyline are even more spectacular at night when the skyscrapers are lit up.

5. I love the architecture of New York’s historic high rises and other old buildings. Other than the obvious Empire State and Chrysler Buildings, my favourites are: the Woolworth Building, the Flatiron Building, Grand Central Station, Carnegie Hall, and the Carlyle and Plaza Hotels. A modern skyscraper with an unique and abstract architecture is 8 Spruce St, which is best viewed from directly below.

6. Go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the Met) and of the American Museum of Natural History. If you have extra and/or rainy days, or you’re an arts’ buff, go to the Frick, Guggenheim and/or the MoMA (Museum of Modern Art). The Met and the Frick are my favorites. Check out my post on the times and days of the week you can visit these art galleries for free or a donation.

7. Visit the Statue of Liberty. You can go on a boat tour to the statue or, if you want to save money and don’t mind seeing it from a reasonable distance, you can take a free return trip on the Staten Island Ferry. It takes about an hour all up to do this. If you are interested in immigrant history like myself, I would recommend the Tenement Museum in the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

8. If Jazz music is your thing you will want to visit the iconic Village Vanguard in the West Village. For an authentic world music experience there is the Shrine Bar/Restaurant/Club in Harlem which has live music every night. We love stand up comedy and have had a few great night’s entertainment at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade. Best to check their website and make a reservation as it is very popular.

Best Things to Do on a Short Visit to New York City is a post from: 30Traveler.com Travel Blog If you are viewing this content on another website, please alert 30Traveler.

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One of the things I love most about travelling is the sense of freedom it gives me. Breaking free of the shackles of my daily grind and experiencing new surroundings and cultures is such a tonic for my soul. Every time I return from an overseas vacation, even short ones, I think to myself “I should do this more often!”

I like to be ready to go at short notice if a special travel deal pops up that I can take advantage of, even if it’s just a spontaneous weekend away.

Here are a few of my packing tips for last minute trips.

1. Always keep your passport, immunisation booklet and foreign cash in one special place so you can find it easily. There’s nothing worse than hunting around for your passport when the taxi is waiting outside to take you to the airport! I keep all my travel documents in my bedside drawer and I can rely on them being there when I need them. It’s a good idea to return these items to their designated home as soon as you get back from a trip so they don’t get scattered.

I also recommend that at the beginning of each year you check the expiry date of your passport. Remember that many countries will not allow you to enter unless you have a minimum of 6 months left on your passport!

2. Along the same lines I always keep my regularly used holiday items in the same place so I can find them easily. Things like my blow-up neck pillow for the plane, snorkel equipment, suntan lotion, sun hat, insect repellent, plug adaptors etc. It makes it so much quicker when you want to pack and dash! One idea for where store your favourite travel gear between trips is to simply keep it in your carry on bag.

3. Have a packing list “template” that you can refer to each time you pack for a vacation. This will ensure that you don’t forget anything important. Have different headings e.g toiletries, beach gear, entertainment and electronics and of course clothes and footwear.

4. If you are only travelling for a few days or a long weekend, seriously consider taking carry on luggage only. It is so liberating to be able to walk off the plane at your destination without having to wait for the luggage carousel or schlep heavy suitcases across town. Speaking of walking, if you are just taking carry on, that means you need to limit yourself to 2 pairs of shoes! I might let you take flip-flops
too :-)
Check out your airline’s carry-on regulations and stick to them. Most airlines allow you to take a personal item as well as a handbag (but check first) so take advantage of that. We’ve written a post on the best suitcase sizes for different trips that includes a lot of useful airline information on luggage restrictions.

5. I have always been guilty of packing too many clothes. Once I get to my holiday destination I inevitably wear the same old favourite, comfortable travel clothes and the rest never get worn. I think the old adage “pack your clothes and then remove half of them” is so true. For a trip of less than a week take one smart outfit (unless you’re “going bush” only) but other than that, try and keep it simple. Be honest. If you’re like me, you’ll wear the same comfy pants and top several days in a row, so take 2 tops and 2 pairs of pants, not 4 of each! I’m getting better at it but I still make slip-ups.

Historically most of my overseas trips have been planned well in advance because I come from New Zealand where any destinations other than Australia and the Pacific Islands are half a world away. Because of the expense involved in travelling to Asia or the northern hemisphere we Kiwis tend to save up our leave and go for extended vacations that require considerable planning.

When Kate was living in the UK I visited her there for a month. During this time we realised how spoilt Britains are, being so close to Europe, north Africa and Asia. There are so many destinations to choose from and most of them are only a few hours away by plane. Last minute online flight deals pop up all the time if you’re in a position to be spontaneous and take advantage of them. Kate took a last minute trip to NYC one Christmas from the UK for a ridiculously low price. On a spontaneous whim you can literally pack your carry on bag and take off somewhere for a long weekend. We did it a couple of times, visiting Rome and Berlin. It was liberating and so much fun.

Ready, Steady, Travel ! Tips For Last Minute Packing is a post from: 30Traveler.com Travel Blog If you are viewing this content on another website, please alert 30Traveler.

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Here are the things you need to include in your checklist:

Clothing Tips

It almost goes without saying that when travelling, you will want your children to wear clothes more than once before washing them. If possible avoid bringing white or light-colored clothing for young children. Dark-colored clothes are less likely to show dirt marks or food stains. If/when you need to wash clothes you might like to splurge on a laundry service instead of spending your precious holiday time doing the laundry yourself. Most hotel rooms and even ship cabins have air-conditioning so you might want to bring long-sleeved pajamas.

Toy Tips

A child is a child, and whether you like it or not, they will want to play and will be looking for their toys even while you are travelling. You’ll have limited packing space so I suggest asking each child to choose 2-3 of their favorite toys rather than trying to take too much. Aside from the usual stash of books, paper and crayons, you may consider bringing some inflatable toys with you. They are soft, easily stowed, and don’t make any migraine-inducing noises! It might be a good idea to bring an Android tablet or iPad if you have one because it is small and condenses many games that your child might want to play without having to bring a bunch of different toys just to keep your child from throwing a tantrum.

Other Things to Bring

There are things you should definitely consider packing when travelling with kids.

Medicine – A visit to the infirmary is only for some serious stuff, but for common cough and colds, bring your own meds. For a quick fix, bring some nurofen for children. It contains ibuprofen that helps with pain and reduces a child’s fever.

Baby Food – while some cruise ships and airlines offer a few selections of baby food, the vast majority do not. The last thing you want to worry about is your child running out of food to eat.

Diapers – Depending on your destination it might take a day or several to find the size and brand of diapers that you need so I suggest taking a supply to get you through the first few days. Once your child is potty trained then purchasing a travel folding toilet seat cover is a good idea and your child will feel more comfortable using a public toilet.

Identity Bracelet – If your child has special needs, get him or her to wear a medical alert identity bracelet that bears the name of the child, medical condition and contact number in case of emergency.

Something I always pack, whether I’m traveling with children or not, is a “pocket pack” or a large travel purse with anti-theft security features, to keep all our bits and bobs that we need in during a day out sight-seeing. Pocket packs squash down and don’t take up much room in the suitcase, and they give you an extra day bag without having to unload your full carry-on bag to use that.

Things to Leave Behind

Some of the things you should leave behind are bibs (napkins will do), beach towels (hotels and cruise ships and adult shampoo (aside from the fact that hotels and cruise ships provide them, you can just bring kids’ shampoo with you and use it for yourself as well).

Traveling is fun especially when you’re with your children. These items will help you make your vacation comfortable and memorable.

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Arriving in any big city can be daunting especially if you are sleep deprived, have arrived at some ungodly hour of the morning or night and are burdened down with luggage. It may be tempting to think, “stuff it, I’ll get a an Uber or a taxi ” and that’s a fair enough decision, but be aware that it will set you back a minimum US$55 to get to mid-town Manhattan. A shuttle may seem like a simple hassle-free forward and simple option but it has two major down sides. At approx. $23/person it is significantly more expensive than public transport and not much less than a taxi for 2 people. Secondly then ride can be frustrating long if you are the first on the shuttle and the last to be dropped off.

By taking a combination of the JFK AirTrain ($5) and a single MTA Subway pass ($2.75) you can travel into the heart of Manhattan for only $7.25/person. It will probably take you 1-1.5 hours but if you are on a budget that is a significant saving. Depending on how many days you are staying in New York you may choose to buy a 7 day MTA pass which costs US$33. If you are going from JFK to Brooklyn or lower Manhattan you need to take the Air Train to the Howard Beach subway station and catch the A train. If you are heading to mid-town Manhattan then take the Air Train to Jamaica Station and catch the subway to 34 th St Penn Station.

It’s a good idea to have studied at the subway map online before arriving. You can check it again at the subway station and every train carriage has one too. On every train route there are both “Express” and “Local” trains. “Express” trains do not stop at every station and are therefore faster while “Local” trains stop at every station and therefore gives a slower commute. On the map express stops are represented by a white dot and local stops by a black dot. Passengers on an express train need to swap to a local train if their end destination is only a local stop. It makes sense to do this at the last express stop before your local one. This is easy to do as the local and express trains are just across the platform from each other.

If you plan to take the subway from JFK into Manhattan, Brooklyn or Queens it is best to consider where the subway stations are in relation to the accommodation you are looking at booking. Preferably book something within a short walking distance of a station. If it is too far away then you might need to catch a MTA bus across to your hotel or take a short taxi ride or uber which should be less than $10.

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Because we often tend to stay at destinations for a few months rather than just a few weeks, we tend to use money saving ideas that are used by people who live there rather than just tourists. Here are some of our best tips for finding local deals when you’re new to a destination.

1. Find out where people buy and sell second hand stufff.

For the US, this will usually be Craigslist. For the UK, Gumtree. Trade Me is popular in New Zealand. For the UK, charity shops can be awesome places to find used furniture. I got a perfectly acceptable sofa for 25 GBP, and some chairs for around 5-10 GBP. True confessions: I even took the chairs home on the bus! They were dining room type chairs that I could just stack together, to go with a table I’d bought at Ikea.

2. Restaurant vouchers.

Since I’m vegan and only eat at vegetarian restaurants, I’m not really into the restaurant voucher scene but my Mum and all her friends are devotees of something called “The Entertainment Book” which has tons of “buy one meal, get one free” vouchers for restaurants in Christchurch, New Zealand. Find out if there is an equivalent for the new town or city you’re making a home in.

3. Dollar stores.

Depending on where you are, “dollar stores,” may or may not be a big way to save money. In New York, they certainly are. One of the first things my New Yorker friend who lives in Hawaii mentioned to me when I was visiting her recently was that her Dad has been sending gifts to her kids from a great new dollar store his long time girlfriend recently found in NY. The gifts were really cool cardboard models of iconic New York structures like the Brooklyn Bridge that had to be put together out of 50 or so pieces, like a 3D jigsaw.

Dollar stores are awesome for if you’re planning a party and want to do it on a budget. They’re also good if you’re traveling with kids who are sick of the 3 toys you managed to fit into your suitcases. They’ll often have fun stuff like glow sticks, slinkys, and yoyos. I like the dollar stores in LA too.

4. Find local discount code sites.

It is very frustrating to search for coupon codes and find they’re all US only. Try to find sites that have reliable codes that are country specific. If you’re from the US, remember that you are from the land of coupon codes, so you might not find great coupons in your new country as frequently as you do at home. One of the reasons I love the US is because it’s so easy to find coupon codes, and I hate paying full price for anything. (Yeah, maybe I should be on an extreme cheapskates show!)

5. Get to know when the best sales are.

For example, in New Zealand, the Boxing Day Sales are usually the best sales of the year. “Boxing Day” is the day after Christmas. Lots of people hold off on buying things like small appliances until this one day of the year (well, usually the sales will run for 2-3 days from the 26th of December). I’ve been surprised that after-Christmas sales aren’t as big in the US, probably because Boxing Day is not a public holiday in the US. In the US some examples of the biggest and best sales are Black Friday and Cyber Monday which follow Thanksgiving, and Memorial Day in late May.

What are the deal finding tips you use when you’re a new resident somewhere, or temporary resident of a new place?

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