Things to do in New York – Activities, Experiences & Tours

You're planning a trip to New York City and want to have an overview of the most common questions about the Big Apple? You are at the right place!

Key Takeaways

• Generally speaking, a 5-7 days trip is long enough to do the main attractions of NY.
• Expect to walk a lot during your stay in New York and don't forget to use public transport, which is a cheap and easy way to explore the city.
• NY city is also known for its local food scene, which we advise you to explore. 
• Don't forget to include tipping in your budget!
• To make a NYC trip on a budget, we advise you to exchange AUD to USD before your trip, visit the city during winter and search for online deals and discounts. 

How many days should I spend?

The city has so many activities to offer that deciding the length of your stay can be tricky. It depends on what you expect from your holidays. If you want to be able to relax, you probably won’t do too many activities each day. On the other hand, if you’re willing to make the most of your stay, you'll probably want to fill your days and cover as much ground as possible. 

We advise you to stay 5-7 days if you want to have enough time to discover the main attractions of NYC. You’d be surprised to see how many places you can discover in just one day! You can, of course, stay longer to get the full experience. 

  The common mistakes when travelling to New York

Given that you'll only be in NYC for a limited time, it's vital to avoid certain common mistakes if you want to make the most of your stay. We listed for you everything you need to know to avoid wasting time and money during your trip in New York City. 

1. Under-evaluating the walking: exploring New York necessarily involves a lot of walking, whether you want to visit certain districts, museums or go shopping. It’s therefore mandatory to bring quality walking shoes with you. 
2. Not using the public transports: if you’re considering using yellow cabs for travelling, you need to be aware that they are anything but cheap. You could also lose a valuable time stuck in the traffic. On the other hand, using public transports in NYC is  a great way to get around the city for a much cheaper price and without wasting any time. 
3. Missing out the local food scene: most tourists go to chain restaurants when travelling to New York. We highly advise you try the local bistros and restaurants for a taste of the real New York experience. The city is famous for its iconic dishes such as the pastrami sandwich at Katz's or the smoked salmon bagel at Russ & Daughter's Café. 
4. Not tipping: tipping is part of the American culture and it can be confusing for foreigners to understand who and how much to tip. The general rule is to tip people who provide you a service, such as waiters, taxi drivers or hairdressers. The norm is for a tip of 15-20% of the total price to be given. On the other hand, refusing to give a tip is very badly perceived.