A first-timer's guide to New York: What to do and see in a week

The first thing to know about New York is that it really does live up to the hype.

You’ve heard about it in the songs. You’ve seen it on TV, and in the movies.

And when you finally get there, you find it’s all accurate – it really is a concrete jungle where dreams are made. And you can’t help but want to be a part of it.

But what Alicia Keys and Frank Sinatra neglected to mention was that it’s impossible to see it all in one visit.

So it’s a good idea to accept that the main purpose of your first trip is to tick off the big tourist hits.

I spent a week in New York, which I found to be just the right amount of time for a first trip.

Here’s my guide to making the most of it.

If you plan on hitting all the tourist hotspots, it’s worth getting a pass that gives you access to multiple attractions.

Doing it this way usually offers a discount compared to booking them individually.

I used the New York CityPASS, which includes admission to five attractions for US$129 (NZ$204), and is valid for nine consecutive days.

The attractions are the Empire State Building, the American Museum of Natural History, your choice of either the Top of the Rock Observation Deck or the Guggenheim Museum, a ferry trip to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island or a Circle Line sightseeing cruise, and the 9/11 Museum or the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.

I ended up doing the Empire State Building, the Top of the Rock, the Circle Line cruise and the 9/11 Museum, but ran out of time to visit the American Museum of Natural History.

Even without the museum, the CityPASS still worked out cheaper than if I’d booked those attractions individually.

You do have to do a bit of planning in advance, as most attractions require advance reservations. But it’s easy to book everything via the CityPASS website, and you can change times and dates if necessary.

Once you’ve booked in your attractions, you’re emailed your tickets. You then just need to show up at the time you’ve reserved, and present your ticket on your phone (or you can print it).

Don’t turn up your nose at these brightly coloured behemoths that can be seen transporting tourists around cities all over the world – they’re a great way to get your bearings.

Big Bus New York offers a one-day ticket from US$54, with two Manhattan routes, Downtown and Uptown, that encompass most the major attractions. You can download the Big Bus app to locate the bus stops and keep track of when the next bus will arrive.

I enjoyed just sitting on the top deck and riding the bus for a full loop, taking in the sights – I recommend this as the best way to soak up the colours and chaos of Times Square, without having to battle the crowds below.

While you should allow yourself plenty of time for independent wandering, it can be helpful to do a tour on your first visit, to get insider tips and discover interesting details about the city.

Like A Local Tours offers several tours across Manhattan and Brooklyn, catering to all interests, including food, fashion, art and architecture.

I took their Chelsea Market, High Line and Hudson Yards food and history tour, which included several foodie stops in the iconic market, and a guided walk along the 2.33km elevated rail line-turned-public park, ending up in Manhattan’s newest neighbourhood.

My guide, Justin, had all sorts of knowledge to share, from revealing the dark history of the High Line – the need for an elevated line arose after people kept being hit by freight trains on the street-level line – to pointing out apartment buildings where celebrities live (and even the hotel where Solange Knowles infamously punched Jay-Z in an elevator).

“See a Broadway show” is an activity many first-time visitors are keen to tick off their bucket list. These glittering productions take place across 41 theatres located in and around the area in Midtown Manhattan known as the Theater District.

Whether you have the hottest tickets in town or opt for a tried-and-true classic, the show itself is almost secondary – it’s the thrill of being in this part of town, among some of the world’s best performers, that makes it a special experience.

I saw Chicago – the second-longest running show on Broadway, after Phantom of the Opera – and the razzle-dazzle certainly hasn’t dimmed with age. In fact, the actress who played Roxie Hart, Angelica Ross, had just made history as the first openly trans woman to star in the role.

While you can attempt to nab last-minute tickets for a discounted price from kiosks or theatres, you can save yourself time and stress by booking in advance – and as early as possible, if you have your heart set on one of the more popular productions.

Check out the Broadway Collection website for a curated selection of some of the most popular shows for tourists. You can also secure your tickets direct through the site.

Seeing the New York skyline from above is a must on your first trip, and there are several observation decks to choose from, each offering a different experience and perspective.

Two classics – the Empire State Building and Top of the Rock – are included in the CityPASS, and I went up both of them.

While the Empire State Building is the granddaddy of the decks, and worth a visit if you want to learn more about the history of the iconic building’s construction, if you only have time for one, I would pick Top of the Rock. There’s no glass blocking the views, so your photos turn out amazing – and best of all, they will have the Empire State Building in them. Which, obviously, your pictures from the top of the Empire State Building itself won’t.

Check the forecast for the day you’re booking, because you don’t want the view obscured by foggy or rainy weather. First thing in the morning tends to be the quietest time to visit, but if you don’t mind the crowds, it’s pretty hard to beat a sunset experience.

New York is home to some of the best museums in the world. But you need time to do justice to them – so rather than attempting to rush through them all, a better strategy for your first trip is to choose a couple to focus on.

The Museum of Modern Art was my pick, and I spent a leisurely afternoon wandering through the six floors of galleries, absorbing all the famous artworks in the flesh – Van Gogh’s The Starry Night, Monet’s Water Lilies and Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon are just a few of the highlights.

MoMA is also a great place to get your gift shopping done – the flagship store in the museum lobby contains all manner of art-related goodies, from Mondrian coasters to The Starry Night Lego sets.

The 9/11 Museum, which was included in my CityPASS, is another must-visit. It’s a strange thing to visit a museum dedicated to an event that is still so raw in our memory, but it’s an important New York story, told powerfully in this space.

The adjacent memorial is also a beautiful place for some quiet reflection, consisting of two huge infinity pools, sitting in the footprints of the Twin Towers.

There’s no right way to do Central Park – just set aside a couple of hours, preferably on a fine day, and let yourself get lost in this spectacular inner-city swath of greenery.

There is a trick you can use to avoid getting really lost. All you have to do is look at the lampposts, which have a set of numbers on the base. The first two or three numbers tell you the closest street, while the last number reveals whether you’re on the west side (if it’s odd) or east side (if it’s even).

Highlights include the John Lennon Strawberry Fields memorial, Bethesda Terrace and Fountain, and the Alice in Wonderland statue. My favourite spot was The Mall – a long walkway bordered by American elm trees, with statues of famous writers at one end.

- Pack your most comfortable shoes, as you’ll be doing a lot of walking – I hit 20,000 steps every day.

- Taxis at JFK Airport charge a flat fare of US$52 for trips to Manhattan, plus any tolls and peak hour surcharges. You’re also expected to tip – 15-20% of the total fare is customary.

- Tipping 15-20% is also the standard at sitdown restaurants and bars.

- The subway is the cheapest and quickest way to get around the city. You can get an unlimited seven-day Metro card for US$33, or pay-as-you-go for US$2.75 per ride. You can pay using a contactless credit card, and as long as you use the same card every time, you’ll pay no more than US$33 within a week.

- I found the easiest way to navigate the subway was to plug my destination into Google Maps, which told me exactly what train I should take, and how many stops to ride.

Air New Zealand operates three non-stop flights between Auckland and New York each week. Economy fares start from $1051 one-way. See

Hotel Beacon on the Upper West Side offers apartment-style rooms with fully-equipped kitchenettes, and is within walking distance of several major attractions. See

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