New York City, The Big Apple, Manhattan, NYC
Welcome…
To the NYC Insider Guide, a New York City Travel Guide created by a fourth-generation lifelong New Yorker.
Planning a vacation is always fun, but in a place like New York City, with SO MUCH to see, do, tour, shop and eat – you want to make sure to do everything you can during your New York City Vacation. That is no easy feat, even for those of us who have lived in New York City our entire lives.
Consider me your very own NYC Insider to help you make the most of your NYC vacation, find our hidden treasures and advise you on the best New York City events, tours and attractions. I’ll also show you tons of discounts and coupons, how to see Museums for free and so much more!
Explore this New York City Travel Guide to book your trip and get New York City Insider tips, free maps, where to spend and save your money, secret ways of getting discounts and most importantly, what to book NOW so you don’t miss out!
NYC Insider Picks
100 Safe Things to do in NYC Today (Summer 2021)
Explore and Indulge Like a Real NYC Foodie
There is no shortage of pizza, bagels, street vendors, cupcakes, craft beer and cocktails, rooftops and mini food parks to explore and so many more food choices in the five boroughs, along with wonderful guides who can't wait to show you them all!!!!
Set Sail Safely in 2021 with Classic Harbor Cruises
Best New York City Hotel Rooftops
NYC Hotel Rooftops offer some of the best skyline views in the whole City, along with cocktails and food, views, pools, cabanas, sundecks and retractable roofs. Our top picks for the most surreal views and cocktails include:
- Ink48 Hotel - right next to the Intrepid Museum and my ALL time favorite rooftop!
- Sky Room @ Fairfield Inn Times Square - 'the city's highest rooftop lounge' on 34th floor (photo)
- The Empire Hotel - year-round indoor/outdoor rooftop with seasonal pool and cabana rentals
See More: Best New York City Hotel Rooftops
Museums
Most every museum is open with reduced capacity, safety protocols and most have reservations required. Check out the new Museum of Ice Cream (SoHo), Guggenheim, MoMA, Whitney and so many more museums from which to choose.
Attractions & Sightseeing
Most every NYC attraction is open with reduced capacity, safety protocols and reservations required. Whether you want to sightsee from the sky or selfie with celebs @ Madame Tussauds, you can be safe and explore.
Go HIGH or Go Home
Top of the Rock, Empire State Building, One World Observatory or Edge? Which is best and, if we have to choose, which should we visit? There is no easy answer, but here are some facts to help guide your choice.
- Empire State Building - (86 and 102 floors) Best for patient movie and history buffs who need to check it off their bucket list. Recently redone indoor 102nd Floor Observatory
- Top of the Rock - (67-70 floors) Best for sweeping 360° vista views, including of the Empire State Building and Central Park. Shorter lines and cheaper than the ESB.
- One World Observatory - (100-102 floors) Best for homage to the Twin Towers. Modern and high tech, with phenomenal views
- Edge - (100-101 floors) opened March 2020, highest outdoor observation deck, glass bottom floor, deck extends 80 feet away from building (photo)
Go Even HIGHER on NYC's Most Popular Helicopters
Secret NYC Insider Tours
Explore our subways secrets with a local guide, go behind-the-scenes at the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral, uncover surprising gems and historical tales of Grand Central Station, cocktail your way through Manhattan’s best and most secretive speakeasies and much more!
Fun Things to Do in NYC
NYC Neighborhood Guides
New York City Activities
New York City Tourist Attractions include the typical Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Museums of Modern Art and Natural History, Central Park and so much more. Some of our newer attractions include the 9-11 Memorial Museum, Madame Tussauds Wax Museum and Times Square. But, do you also know you can have a martini and listen to classical music at a Museum? Or eat Chinese food while looking at the Statue of Liberty? Come enjoy NYC like a local….
New York City Tourist Attractions
...the best things to see and do in NYC
New York City Tourist Attractions include the typical Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Museums of...
List of NYC Broadway Shows
...find the BEST NYC Theater tickets!
Welcome to the List of NYC Broadway Shows, which I hope will help you find the best seats to...
New York City Concerts Shows | Live Music is BACK!
Shows, Events and Sports Calendar
New York City Concerts 2021 are back and they always include some of the world's BEST talent you...
NYC Vacation Itineraries
Sample Vacation Itineraries...NYC Insiders Share Their Trips
New York City Vacations offer so many incredible things to do, sometimes its hard to...
Visiting New York With Kids
Favorite Family Things to Do, Hotels, Attractions
Visiting New York with kids is truly a delight. After all, it is how I first experienced my...
New York City Nightlife
Night Tours, Cruises, Rooftops, Clubs, Attractions
New York City Nightlife offers something for everyone, every day and every night. After all, this IS the city...
New York City Museums
Many Museums are actually FREE? Yes, they are!
New York City Museums range from the world-renowned Metropolitan Museum of Art NYC and American Museum of...
New York Restaurant Guides
Pizza, Bagels, Steak, Food Trucks and More
New York Restaurant Guides cover the almost 19,000 restaurants in NYC... you can eat at different one every...
New York City Shopping
Insider Guide to Shopping in NYC
New York City is a shopping and fashion paradise, but some of the best New York City shopping is...
New York City Sports Teams
Giants, Jets, Yankees and Mets!
Cheering on one of our New York City Sports Teams is a top pick for any NYC trip. Make sure...
NYC Events Today
Over 50 Things to do in NYC and NYC Events Today!
NYC events today, like every day, include shows, concerts, Broadway, sports, kids...
New York City Tours
...Walk, Bike, Bus, Blade and Fly Over NYC
There are so many special New York City Tours. You can tour New York by walking, bus,...
Hotels Near Penn Station NYC
Madison Square Garden, Empire State Building
Whether you want to stay near Madison Square Garden, the Empire State Building, Koreatown, Herald Square or Penn...
NYC Holidays
Christmas in New York City
Insider Tips on Christmas in NYC
Christmas in New York City is magical. The Rockefeller Tree, glamorous store window displays and holiday lights everywhere you...
Broadway Shows for Kids
Lion King, Wicked, Harry Potter and More!
Choosing the best NYC Broadway Show for Kids can be quite a challenge! NYC always has an amazing...
Save with a New York City Pass
Get savings coupons and find the best New York City Pass Discounts for your NYC vacation. Unbiased reviews of the New York City Sightseeing Passes. Which is the BEST – NY Sightseeing Pass, New York City Explorer Pass, New York Pass or New York CityPASS?
NY Sightseeing Pass
- Choose from 100 sights
- Choose 1-10 days or # of Attractions
- Unlimited Hop On Hop Off Bus
- New York Sightseeing Pass
The New York Pass
- Includes 100 tours and attractions
- Choose 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 or 10 Days
- Digital or Physical Pass
- New York Pass
NY Explorer Pass
- Choose from 55+ sights
- Good for 30 Days
- Smartphone, print or physical card
- Explorer or Build Your Own
NYC Insider Printable Guides
"The guides are exactly what we were looking for to help us navigate NYC and the highlights of each area.
THANK YOU for taking the time to put this together."
"Amazing, Melissa. This is my second copy! Congratulations for this always excellent guide. I have been living in this area for 18 years, but I still leave the guide as a treat when people come to visit me by their bed. So comprehensive!"
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Manhattan Neighborhood Map
See our complete Manhattan Neighborhood Map and Guides
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Broadway Shows NYC
Buy Great Broadway Tickets Today!
Broadway Shows will resume starting Sept 2021! We have opening dates for Hamilton, Aladdin, Phantom, Six, Diana & Music Man + 20 more shows! Please note the vaccination, mask and healthcare guidelines for your theater.
Top Picks for Broadway Tickets
- StubHub - best selection and seats in the house! NY's most popular and trusted ticket company
- Direct Tickets - all Ticketmaster shows original source tickets. See telecharge.com for theaters not covered by Ticketmaster
- Broadway.com - NYC's Broadway experts
- Use Code NYCIG10 for 15% off ALL Tickets
- Ticketmaster Deals - lots of shows with 2 For 1, Me+3 and 4-Pack deals
Note: All of our ticket partners are legitimate, recommended ticket sellers and guaranteed to sell you official NYC Broadway tickets.
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New York City Shopping Guides
- New York City Shopping Guide
- Shopping in NYC Department Stores
- Discount Budget Shopping in NYC
- Resale and Consignment Shops
- Shopping Guides by Neighborhood
- NYC Designer Sample Sales
- New York Outlet Malls
- New York City Gift Shopping
- Holiday Markets in NYC
- New York City Shopping Tours
- Add YOUR NYC Shop,Tour, Sample Sale
Best Hotels for NYC Events & Holidays
NYC events and holidays bring in massive amounts of visitors, all of which want prime views and access to the July 4th fireworks, Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, New Year's Eve fireworks, Marathon finish line and more. Here are our top hotel picks for NYC's most popular annual events.
NYC Hotels by Type
NYC offers hotels of every type you can imagine. Boutique hotels with cool features like pools, rooftops and gyms, to suite hotels which are more comfortable for families or those who want more apartment-type lodging, to cheap budget hotels with bunk beds, check out our top choices appealing to all budgets and tastes.
NYC Hotels by Amenity
Turn your NYC stay into your home away from home with our amazing hotel amenities. Get an in-room jacuzzi tub to soothe after a long day of sightseeing, check into a hotel with an amazing rooftop to watch our skyline twinkle at you while sipping a cocktail and dive into the nooks and crannies of Central Park with a free bike. We've hand picked all the best of the best - the places where New Yorkers check into for a stay-cation.
New York City Hotel Map
Booking.comTop of New York City Hotel Deals
NYC Hotels By Attraction - I Want To Be Near...
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How to Save on Hotels in New York City
Check out all our tips and dozens of promo codes to help save on NYC Hotels. Whether you are visiting NYC on a budget, or just looking to save a little on luxury, we share all our insight on How to Save on Hotels in New York City.
Top of New York City Hotel Deals
Why You Will Love New York City
My favorite world travel experiences are always when I have a local guiding me before or during my trip. We all love to have recommendations from someone we know and trust before we hop on that plane or train (and if you don't know me, yet, feel free to read more About NYC Insider Guide and why I started this website).
Please explore the New York City Insider Guide at your own pace. I hope it helps you plan your New York City Vacation, so you not only go home as a NYC Insider, but plan to visit us again soon.
If you come to NYC, stay in a Times Square hotel, jump on a HOHO Bus Tour, go only to the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty and Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, well, you may actually never run into another New Yorker; and you certainly won't get to experience some of the most amazing things this city has to offer. I hope to be able to show you how do it all - see our world-famous and historical attractions, while also experiencing some of our local culture.
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About the Insider New York City Travel Guide
Don't believe a word of the hype - we are some of the most diverse, friendy, smart and fun people you will ever meet. I mean that wholeheartedly - it takes me almost 30 minutes to walk the two blocks to the subway, because I'm always saying hello to my neighbors, doormen, shoe guy, manicurist, bartender, dry cleaner, deli, gym...and that's all on my block!
I love this city so much and nothing makes me happier than when you love it, too. Please enjoy my insider tips, the kinds of things you discover only when you have hundreds of friends and family members and our collective prior generations passing down "insider" information.
Mom and Cousin on my Uncle's Checker Cab (scanned photo - circa 1950)
I have no connections with the New York City tourism and travel industry, so all the information on this site is genuine. I will never recommend anything unless I'm absolutely confident it's the best (and by my and NYC standards, that's pretty high!). Please enjoy all the real information from a real person who lives here.
I can't wait to show you some of my favorites.
Thank you for visiting the NYC Insider Guide ...welcome to our city and I hope you love it as much as I do!
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