Four Things Before You Go

After consulting with a few city experts/trusted friends, we have compiled a few tips to help you get started as you plan your NYC adventure.

#1 | Landing & Lodging

We used Orbitz to book both our flight and stay. After researching and doing a lot of quick maths, we found that Orbitz had the best deals for what we were looking for. Plus, the Orbitz Rewards system is pretty fantastic. Once we decided that we wanted to stay in Soho, this helped us determine where we would land. We landed in Newark with our no-stop Alaska Airlines flight from San Diego, and we have no regrets.

On AirBnb — If you’re on a budget (like we always are) and don’t mind sharing a bathroom with a stranger (unlike Thales who does mind), AirBnb is the way to go. We found that the only AirBnbs within our budget and neighborhood preferences were all shared spaces. If you’re cool with having temporary housemates, go for it!

Another option for your lodging needs is HotelTonight. We use HotelTonight fairly often for most of our stays. Just make sure to research the hotels that you’re looking to book. A solid deal doesn’t always mean a solid stay. Nevertheless, we’ve saved tons of money on four-star hotels through HotelTonight! The only reason why we didn’t book through HotelTonight during our NYC stay was because of Orbitz hotel + flight deal. But if you already have a flight and just need to add a place for a good price, HotelTonight is the move. Plus, you can use my code FAWAKE to take $25 off your first booking! Win-win-win.

#2 | CityMapper

Download the CityMapper app RIGHT NOW. This app helps you map out your routes with accurate to-the-minute times and exact costs of your commute. Need to get to Central Park from your basecamp? Boom, here are your trains/buses, where you should walk, how much it is, as well as other options of transportation.

What we did: We exclusively used CityMapper to get around and only used Maps (Apple) to look up the exact streets of our destinations to make sure we were going to the correct location.

#3 | Metrocard

In my opinion, this is all you need. Don’t even bother renting a car, just travel like the locals do via train (subway)/bus and get a MetroCard when you land. There are kiosks everywhere where you can load your MetroCard, and if you lose your card you can easily use ApplePay at most turnstiles. Just have it out and ready to swipe so you’re not holding up the crowd.

What we did: When we landed in Newark, we used CityMapper to get us from NJ to Manhattan via train. We found the first kiosk in sight and got our Metrocard and loaded up $25 each. We subway’d the whole time, although we wish we took the bus at least once. Next time!

#4 | New York Explorer Pass

If you like visiting iconic landmarks and saving money, get the New York Explorer Pass. You can choose a fixed number of attractions to use at over 100+ different places. Download the app to link your ticket which you will scan at the ticket booth of the attraction you’re visiting in exchange for an actual ticket.

What we did: We went with the 4 Choice Pass ($124) to use at the (1) Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Ferry, (2) The Metropolitan Museum of Art, (3) Top of the Rock Observatory (at sunset!), and (4) 9/11 Memorial and Museum.

Miscellaneous Must-Haves

Portable phone charger
Your most comfortable walking shoes
My Hoka One One’s were my mains, Doc Martens my secondary, BANGS Shoes my tertiary.
Backpack or tote bag for impromptu shopping
You want to be as hands-free as possible as you’re walking around. It’s difficult to find any locals not carrying a backpack or tote.
A compact travel towel or blanket for impromptu picnics
This is key especially in Central Park. You’re going to want to take the load off at one of its many scenic spots and pretend you’re in a rom-com.
Extra camera batteries

Required Reading

If you think you’re going to be cheeky and just take the whole city by storm, chill. The best thing you can do is study and mentally prepare for the grandeur of New York City. The last thing you want is to look like an idiot tourist who gets ripped off, then your trip is ruined. Respect the city, love the city.

That being said, my good friend Ailene put together the most helpful guide called Ailene’s New York. Please read it, top to bottom.

On a somewhat related note, I made a Spotify playlist called “new york in full form” to both prepare for the trip and soundtrack our whole experience. Enjoy.

Five-day itinerary

This is a play-by-play of all the things we did during our New York City stay. Yes, it’s a lot. We made the most of every day, running on coffee, great food, and sheer determination.

Day 1:

Joe’s Pizza (7 Carmine)
Mamoun’s Falafel (119 MacDougal)
Washington Square Park

Day 2

Seven Grams Coffee
Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Ferry
Eataly (4 World Trade Center)
Laughing Man Coffee (184 Duane)
Meander through Soho-Lower Eastside
Ippudo (65 4th)
Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice ream (120 MacDougal)

Day 3

Russ and Daughters
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Papaya King (179 E 86th St)
Central Park: Enter E 7nd St., Bethesda Fountain, Bow Bridge, Strawberry Fields, Sheep Meadow, The Mall
Argosy Book Store
Blue Bottle under 30 Rock
Top of the Rock Observatory at sunset
Time Square
Katz’s Delicatessen