One Of My Favourite Places - New York

As far as city breaks go, they don’t come any more iconic than The Big Apple. In fact, when walking around New York, it’s difficult not to feel as though you are taking part in your own movie blockbuster with all the neon signs, flashing lights and breath-taking skyscrapers. New York has to be one of my favourite holiday destinations - which is why I’ve returned time and again. For some people, the hustle and bustle can be quite intimidating as can the sheer volume of things to do. Many of my customers worry about how they can possibly fit everything in without feeling rushed. The secret for me is to do your research and plan meticulously. Generally, people will travel to New York for between 3 and 5 nights. Therefore, planning is crucial if you are to ensure that you do not waste time travelling unnecessarily between those iconic attractions. For example, The Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and the 9/11 Memorial building are all situated in the financial district and so can be worked in to a day’s itinerary. However, the Empire State Building and Top of the Rock are situated by Central Park and so would be best worked in to a separate day. Combining the attractions in the most efficient way will not only allow you to see more but will also ensure you are able to build in the right amount of free time too. Here’s some of my other handy tips: Hop-On/ Hop-Off Bus Tours The first big recommendation would be to pre-book a place on one of the hop on hop off guided bus tours. This can be done at the time of booking and is a great way to save money moving between attractions. Prices tend to start at around £80 or £90 per person for 72 hours use but this does include the entrance fee to two top attractions such as the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building. This also includes a two-hour night tour across Brooklyn Bridge which is spectacular. Utilising them two or three times over your stay should see that you easily make your money back. Bus Stops are on every corner and you’ll rarely wait longer than 10 minutes. Top of the Rock In all honesty, the Rockefeller Centre was not high on my list of priorities as I wrongly assumed that it was just another tower with an observatory. It wasn’t until my fourth trip to New York in fact that I decided to visit. How pleasantly surprised I was! Upon entry - for those who love to shop - you will be able to browse the large shopping mall spread out over the lower levels where you’ll find many of the big brands. Perhaps what gives the Rockefeller a real edge for me, is the 360 degree view at the top. Unlike the Empire State, the observatory has glass panels which allow for spectacular views of Central Park from one angle and the Empire State from the other. For me, I would make Top of the Rock as much of a priority as the Empire State and would recommend visiting the Rock during the day and Empire State at night. This will ensure that you have enough variety between the two and make each trip that little bit more unique. Empire State Building Few people will not wish to fit the Empire State Building into their itineraries somewhere. Being relatively central, it’s an easy one to squeeze in amongst a day’s shopping. Although it doesn’t have the same glass panelled 360 views as the Rockefella, one thing that does give the Empire State an edge is the iconic city skyline view which includes the Statue of Liberty. You can also take in views at two different levels and - as it is open until 2 am - my recommendation would be to go and take in the big lights at night. Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Much like the Empire State Building, visiting the Statue of Liberty is likely to be high on your list of priorities and pre-booking is highly recommended. If you wish to include a visit into the pedestal or flame of the statue you simply have to book 3-4 months before. You will not be able to do this if you wait until you arrive. As you might expect, security is taken very seriously and so don’t be surprised if you are asked to wait in long queues at various checkpoints. In all honesty, this is also the case at many of the other attractions too. Don’t underestimate your visit to Ellis Island too which will give you a fascinating insight into American immigration history. The 9/11 Memorial Building and One World Trade Centre

The events of 11th September 2001 will never be forgotten. The memorial building is an incredibly moving tribute to all who lost their lives on that terrible day and is befit with a thousand stories of the tragic events. Take your tissues with you and be mindful of how upsetting it can be if you have children with you. In addition, you now have the opportunity to twin this with One World Trade Centre which has another incredible observatory.

Places to stay

I would recommend staying anywhere within a 15 - 20-minute walk of Times Square. Generally, you will find good quality room-only and B&B basis hotels in and around this area. Working from this premise, if you go north of Times Square you will be nearer to Central Park- this might be a good option for anyone planning a summer trip. If you go further south, you’re going towards the financial district and perhaps better access to some of the most iconic sights such as The Statue of Liberty. Like most city breaks, you are really only looking for a room which acts as a base. There are some great value hotels in New York. Shopping

For many, much of New York’s appeal will revolve around shopping! If you want designer purchases then plan a day trip to Woodbury Common which is in New Jersey, about an hour away. You can get a bus from the main bus terminal. Of course, you will need to think about working this into your itinerary. General shopping in the city itself is open late so if you are filling your days with the sights, you could shop till around midnight either side of eating out if you wanted to make the most of your days and nights! Broadway Shows

There’s no business like show business! If there is a specific show or venue that you want to go and see, I would recommend that you pre-book this as weekend shows are sell-outs and even in mid-week you may have to compromise on seating. You can book shows when you get there but you will both use up precious time and risk missing out - so pre-book! If you are planning on a trip to New York, give me a call and I can help plan your perfect itinerary!