New York City Luxury Travel Guide

Originally Published: September, 2018
Updated: July 2024

We first visited New York City during New York Fashion Week. After moving to New England, we returned at least once a month. There’s so much to eat, see, and do in New York City that we couldn’t stay away. From Michelin Star restaurants to incredible, world-famous museums, beautiful cultural activities, festivals, and stunning hotels. Here’s my New York City Luxury Travel Guide.

Between fashion shows and after-parties, we went sightseeing, checked out a few museums, tried delicious food, and did some shopping. We could spend an entire month in NYC and not do everything we wanted to. The vast variety of styles in New York’s cultures makes it one of the most unique places on Earth, and we tried to do a little bit of everything the city had to offer. While we were initially overwhelmed at all our choices, I’ve created this guide to help you make the most of your time in NYC so you can skip the feeling overwhelmed part and get straight to having a great time in the city that never sleeps!

About New York City

Everyone who lives abroad that I’ve ever spoken to has been to New York City if they’ve visited the United States. It’s one of the nation’s most quintessential cities, which means there’s more to see and do here than practically anywhere else in the country. The nation’s biggest city has something for everyone!

How to Reach New York City

Fly into one of New York City’s three major airports: JFK, LaGuardia, or Newark. I’ve only ever flown in and out of JFK, and it was a massive, confusing airport – my least favorite I’ve ever been to. It took an hour and a half to get from where we parked to security and our airplane. So, factor in tons of extra transit time here.

If you’re driving, prepare for major traffic. It once took us 45 minutes to drive four miles, which is horrifying. I love visiting New York City, but it has the worst traffic I’ve ever seen. If you can safely take public transit, please do to lessen congestion!

Getting around the city was easy, but it took a long time. Everything is technically within walking distance if you can walk 30 minutes to 2 hours. NYC is fantastic for getting your steps in daily because you can easily walk anywhere. Keep in mind when walking around NYC that just because something is only 4 or 5 blocks away doesn’t mean it won’t take 30+ minutes to get there.

We walked where we could, but to stay on schedule during fashion shows, we took Ubers and met some of the nicest people. We were stuck in traffic on our way to the Alexander Wang show and learned that our Uber driver was the mother of 11 children! She told us stories about them; it was such a cool way to get to another person while traveling. Lyft, Via, and Juno are all apps, just like Uber, where you summon a stranger via your phone to pick you up and drop you off at your destination, but cheaper.

Bikesharing and subways are another great way to get around NYC, but be sure to avoid the subways during rush hour in the morning and evening, and if you can avoid riding them along late at night, you should do so.

Best Times to Visit New York City

I’ve been here every season, in all kinds of weather. If it’s nice outside, head to a garden, an outdoor concert, or walk the city. If it’s cold, snowing, rainy, or too hot, visit a museum, shop, watch a show on Broadway, or spend extra time enjoying a once-in-a-lifetime fine dining experience.

Where to Stay

Lotte New York Palace
I’ve been a Lotte convert since attending Lotte Hotel Seattle‘s grand opening in Seattle, WA where we stayed in their Presidential Suite. Their New York Palace is no less stunning and meticulously crafted to cater to guest’s every need.

The Ritz-Carlton New York
Every Ritz-Carlton stay has been better than the last. We stayed here during our most recent NYFW visit, and it was everything we’d hoped it’d be.

The St. Regis New York
We have heard nothing but great things about the St. Regis New York. It’ll be just as flawless if it’s anything like our perfect stay at the St. Regis Atlanta. We have a stay here planned for our next visit.

When selecting a hotel in New York City, plan out the things you want to see during your trip and plan to stay near that area. This will save time getting from place to place.

Where to Eat

The food in New York City is amazing. I recommend Poke Bowl, BEC, Laudurée, Ramen-Ya, The Green Table, Dirt Candy, Beyond Sushi, Blossom, and Hangawi.
Black Tap milkshakes are massive and so fun to share with friends. We tried the Birthday Cake milkshake, and it was wild; I could only eat a couple of bites because it was sugary. The rim of the glass was covered in frosting and sprinkles, filled with milkshake, and topped with a slice of birthday cake. My friend got the Candy shake, and it was a lot like mine, but with cotton candy and suckers on top of it.

New York also has 6 out of the world’s 145 3-star Michelin Star restaurants, so if you’re a fine dining fan or want a once-in-a-lifetime meal. At the same time, try a restaurant like Masa, Per Se, Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare, Eleven Madison Park, or Le Bernardin in the Big Apple.

If you’re in New York City over a weekend, head to Smorgasburg in Brooklyn, the world’s largest open-air food market.  Open only Saturdays and Sundays, food, drinks, desserts, and much more from around the globe are available for your inner foodie or as a way to do your grocery shopping there for the week!

Izakaya Fuku
Izakaya’s are Japanese-style bars (more or less). Imagine Japanese tapas – order a bunch of small dishes, share them with your friends or loved ones, and knock back a delicious Japanese beer or soft drink. This was so casual and so much fun!

Izakaya NoMad
NoMad was awesome! We loved the atmosphere, the selection, and of course the scrumptious food.

Púsù 璞素 Vegan Chinese Food
Vegan Chinese food is so difficult to find. This was absolutely delightful, so unique, very flavorful, and unlike anything we’d ever had. I highly recommend checking it out for yourself!

Rule of Thirds
This incredible, Japanese-inspired restaurant serves up incredible breakfast along with uncommon Japanese delights like sufflé pancakes (hotokakke), Japanese-style potato salad, and fluffy egg sandwiches.

Sushi by M
We had the best Omakase in the city here. It was fresh, flavorful, and traditional.

What to Do In and Around New York City

New York City has dozens of museums, pop-ups, and exhibits, and they’re all worth checking out. Some of our favorites were the Museum of Modern Art aka MoMa, The Whitney, Cooper Hewitt, The Metropolitan Museum of Art aka The Met, Frick Collection, Getty, The Jewish Museum (the building itself is stunning!), the American Museum of Natural History, and the Morgan Library & Museum. Catching a show or performance on Broadway is also a can’t-miss activity in NYC.

Some very touristy yet iconic buildings and places to visit include Times Square, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty (which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site), Central Park, the Empire State Building, The Bronx Zoo, The Oculus Building, Grand Central Station, and the Flatiron Building in the Flatiron District.

If the concrete jungle of NYC is a bit too urban for you, or you’d like to take a stroll somewhere greener, New York City has many beautiful gardens. The New York City Conservatory Gardens, Elizabeth Street Gardens, New York Botanical Gardens, 6BC Botanical Gardens, and the New York Chinese Scholar’s Garden are all beautiful oases in the middle of the city.

If you’re looking for lovely or unique places to take photos, try SoHo, Chinatown, and Chelsea Market. The observation deck on top of Rockefeller Center provides incredible views of the city from above as well as the skyline; 11th Street in Greenwich, Washington Mews, and 5th Ave have a large variety of buildings to take photos in front of, South Street Sea Port is fantastic for a nautical vibe, The Highline, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and Chelsea Market are all excellent spots to take photos of the architecture, city life, or even your outfit.

Shopping in New York City is unmatched, and you can find everything from one-of-a-kind or handmade items to vintage goods, imported and exotic clothing and shoes, as well as high-end and luxury finds. We spent an entire day just exploring flagship and luxury stores and home decor stores and dreaming about how we want to decorate our next home!

Broadway Shows or Ballet
New York City is famous for being one of the ultimate cities in the world for live performances. Whether you want to watch a musical, ballet, or concert, there’s never a shortage of live shows to see in the city.

Color Factory
Dedicated to the experience and interpretations of color, this museum is a great place to have fun, take cute photos, and enjoy a day indoors.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The MET)
This museum is my favorite in New York City. They have an entire Egyptian tomb, art, and artifacts from around the world, and visiting it is like exploring the world without leaving New York City.

The MET Cloisters
The best example of Medieval European art and architecture in the United States, the MET Cloisters is one of the most unique museums and gardens in the world with a religious focus.

Museum of Ice Cream
So self-explanatory! It’s a museum, all about ice cream, with tons of cute photo ops!

New York Botanical Garden
This is one of my favorite botanical gardens in the United States. It’s truly stunning, and it’s constantly changing.

Sightseeing
Central Park, the Empire State Building, and the Statue of Liberty are just a few of New York City’s most iconic landmarks.

Safety

Like any city in the world, New York City is as safe as you make it. Don’t flash valuables, stick to well-lit areas, and keep your wits about you. We’ve never felt unsafe or been unsafe, so we think it’s completely fine to visit solo or as part of a couple or group.

Read more about my travel safety tips, like Ride Share Safety, How to Avoid Travel Scams, and Hotel Room Safety.

Bon Voyage!

Annie Fairfax
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