First timers heading to New York or anyone. This is a must see and do guide. With inclusions on where to stay and places to eat! What to pack and I've included things you can skip.

New York City, NY, USA

New York City- First Timers Guide

There are three airports you can fly into for New York City. We flew into Newark.

1) JFK- John F Kennedy International Airport - 55mins to Times Square

John F. Kennedy International Airport · Queens, NY 11430

2) La Guardia Airport - 42mins to Times Square

3) Newark Liberty Airport- 38mins to Times Square

Newark Liberty International Airport · 3 Brewster Rd, Newark, NJ 07114

LaGuardia Airport · Queens, NY 11371

there's no wrong place to stay in New York. If you want less expensive options there's transit that will take you everywhere. If you want to be central to hustle and bustle then Times Square. Be prepared for noise. 

In my research Margaritaville is where I was going to pick to stay based on location and the room size was larger than other hotels. It was well reviewed and my top choice.

We ended up staying at the Hilton Midtown because we had points with them. The rooms were good, the hotel service was slow. The location was good. We were able to walk to most places. Though a few blocks away we could see Central Park from our room.

My favourite thing to do is eat and New York did not disappoint. It was hard to narrow it down, there are endless options. I do recommend making reservations, especially if its a hot spot. 

*chefs kiss* this was my favourite place we dined at. It had an authentic italian feel and european charm. 

This place was more fine dining. A little bit pricier. The food was delicious. 

They have two locations. If you love sushi you have to come here! If you've never done omakase experience this is the place to do it. Very professional staff, great service and nice atmosphere. 

MUST TRY. so so good! we popped in for an afternoon pick me up. There's a few locations. The tacos aren't huge so you can eat a few. We tried 3 different ones on the menu. Prepare for a line. We didn't have to wait long when we went but we tried another location and there was a line at that one. Depends on time of day and location. 

We were here for 4 days. We did a lot of walking and saw as much as we could. We did Friday-Monday Canada thanksgiving weekend. Oct 7-10. We arrived early afternoon on Friday. 

Central park is expansive and quite beautiful. There's so much to see within the park  and tons of trails to take to walk through to different parts of the city. We made a few stops within Central Park and took paths through the park as well. There's so much to see and do I'll link below the general map and a few of my top choices. 

Places to See

If you click the first link in this section you'll be brought to locations. The mall in central park is one of them. Tons of street vendors, musicians, just a fun time.

Quite the beautiful architectural area within the park, large fountain central to it. 

Definitely worth a stop. The spiral layout of the building itself is very cool. Lots of stunning art. If you're not into art, skip this. Part of it was closed when we went as they were setting up for a new artist. 

It's a flagship store and I believe like 7 floors? it's a fun little stop in and if you like Macy's and shopping then this stop is for you. 

any first trip to New York needs this stop. It's stunning during Nov/Dec when it's decorated for Christmas. For my October visit we just did a walk by of the area but I recommend heading to the observation deck.

I loved this stop. Such a stunning cathedral. You have to see it for yourself. 

this stop, st patrick's and rockefeller are all near each other. 

Expect lots of people. Definitely worth the experience. We took it to Chelsea Market and other parts of the city. 

Yes it's cute with little shops and restaurants. BUT it is so busy. I hated every minute of trying to walk through. There's better ways to spend your time and see New York. 

Definitely great views. However, the tour lets quite a few people in and honestly it's just not worth the money. Staff are rude. It's impossible to get a table at the restaurant. 

Must do in New York. Take in a show, whether on or off broadway you won't be disappointed. 

the subway is pretty easy to navigate, taxis are everywhere, uber, and of course walking. We walked a lot. 

1) A light jacket or packable jacket depending on time of year. In October it was pretty warm by day but morning and evening were cooler

2) Comfortable shoes. You're going to do a lot of walking! 

3) Hat and SPF- since you'll be outside a lot and walking all over the city I recommend a hat, sunglasses and SPF. 

4) A backpack with comfortable straps and small  in size. Something lightweight and comfy you can carry a few things in like snacks, water and money. Unless you plan to buy these things everywhere you go.

New York City is a city that is alive from day to night. There's so much to see and do. We managed to do all of the things on this list in 4 days. It was a lot of walking and go go go . Yo can space things out if you have more time. New York is gorgeous anytime. I've been there in October and November (during american thanksgiving and Black Friday). I would love to go back in April -May when Cherry Blossums 

Stunning castle with great views. You can go inside and up a small staircase.

You can spend as much time in here as you'd like. We gave ourselves a couple of hours and chose different areas we want to see. 

Margaritaville Resort Times Square

New York Hilton Midtown

Intimate and warm Theater District trattoria featuring rustic Tuscan fare before and after Broadway Shows.

New York City- First Timers Guide

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