10 Things You Should Book Before Traveling to New York City

As a New York fan, I often have the task of informing readers of this blog that attractions, musicals, or a specific restaurant that they have come to New York for are fully booked on their chosen date. It sometimes breaks my heart, but I've made these mistakes too. I hope this doesn't happen to you by sharing my list of 10 things you should book BEFORE you travel to NYC.

Book your accommodation as early as possible if you know you will be in New York. Hotels, hostels, or vacation rentals are not cheap. The longer you wait, the less available options and higher prices you will encounter. Consider whether you might want to stay in New Jersey instead of Manhattan or Brooklyn? My best tip for saving money. Thanks to the PATH Train, you can quickly reach Manhattan.

Check out my hotel tips for New York here

You can find affordable hotels in New York here

One World Observatory, Summit ONE Vanderbilt, Top of the Rock, Empire State Building, 9/11 Memorial & Museum

If you want to visit these popular attractions in New York, have little time, and want to avoid long wait times in line, then you're wasting time. The newest attractions are also the most popular. Currently, those are Summit ONE Vanderbilt and The Edge. You can buy tickets for all attractions to skip the line.

You need to know in advance when you want to visit a particular attraction. Make a rough sightseeing plan for New York (Iuse my city trip diary for planning - check it out in the shop) and then book in advance.

Tip: You can save a lot of money on sightseeing with one of the New York pass options for attractions and museums. I usually buy the New York Pass as it offers the best value for money for me.

Not everyone is eager to climb the 162 steps to the crown of the Statue of Liberty. However, most visitors are disappointed when they find out that the tickets for the crown have been sold out for weeks! You must book these tickets at least 2 months in advance. Want to go to the crown? Then book your ferry tickets and crown access HERE.

Here you can find all tips for visiting the Statue of Liberty: tickets, visit, security check

The most visited attraction in New York City is Broadway. A visit to a musical is basically mandatory (at least for me). Waiting to buy tickets for popular musicals is bold (and foolish). You won't find affordable seats for the latest musicals on a whim. There are great day deals for last-minute tickets at the TKTS booth on Broadway, but not every show is available every day.

Additionally, there's a long line for last-minute tickets (there's a second TKTS booth at South Street Seaport with shorter wait times. But you'll need about an hour round trip from the booth). Alternatives for discounted pre-sale tickets include the app TodayTix and the website BroadwayBox.com.

With TodayTix, you can score great deals up to a week in advance. But just like at TKTS, there's no discount available every day for every show. You can set up an alert for the shows you want to see when discounts are available.

BroadwayBox.com is a site that collects discount codes from all over the internet for Broadway shows. There are hardly ever codes for the most popular sold-out shows in the city. Still, you can find good deals if you're hoping to purchase further in advance.

For popular musicals like Moulin Rouge, Hamilton, and Book of Mormon, there are rarely discounts or connected last-minute tickets. They are also not cheaper. If you know you want to see a specific musical, book your ticket through their website as early as possible.

On our last trip, we got affordable tickets for Hadestown (really good, my find) and Book of Mormon (not cheaper). We always bought tickets for Hamilton early. It remains one of the most attended musicals on Broadway.

In New York City, you must make reservations in advance at popular restaurants and bars. Some of the most sought-after restaurants only accept reservations 28-30 calendar days prior to the reservation date, and believe it or not, if you don't call within the first hour they open, you're out of luck. This applies to hot spots and Michelin-starred restaurants in NYC.

Other popular restaurants can easily be reserved through the following apps: directly via Google Maps, RESY, or sometimes Open Table. You can find my food guide for New York here.

Most TV shows recorded in New York are booked up to a year in advance. So you may hope to get one of the coveted standby tickets at the last minute. Canceled or leftover tickets occasionally become available, but rarely consecutive seats.

For tickets to popular NFL, NHL, NBA, or MLB teams, you must buy tickets in advance if you want to get an affordable ticket.

When waiting for standby tickets, you are usually not alone. Be prepared that a few other people had the same idea. I once waited in line for an NBA ticket and was waiting for returns. We were number 2 in line and had no chance. We wasted three hours that we could have spent differently.

You can buy tickets for popular TV shows here:

Jimmy Fallon

Saturday Night Live

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Late Night with Seth Meyers

Tickets for sports events are available here at Ticketmaster.

Especially after a long flight, you don't want to stand in line with your luggage forever or struggle with the subway. I like to book a private transfer or shuttle service in advance for late arrivals, for example, through GetYourGuide or Welcome Pickups. This is more expensive than the AirTrain or bus, but after a long flight, it's much more relaxing - especially if it's your first time in New York or you're arriving late.

If you're traveling in a group (at least 3 people), it often makes sense to use an airport transfer.

Alternatively, of course, you can also take the AirTrain and subway into the city. The ride takes about 60-90 minutes, depending on your destination. A good option if you want to save time and nerves is to pre-book an AirTrain + MetroCard pass, which you can also have delivered to you.

Read here for my tips on airport transfers in New York.

If you know you will be traveling to New York, you should take care of your flight as early as possible - especially if flying during holidays or around special occasions. I usually check prices regularly 4-6 months before the trip and book when the price works for me.

For bargain hunters: Multi-city flights (e.g., flying into JFK and returning from Newark) can sometimes be cheaper - and if you're flexible, you can get more that way. I have often been able to make my flight cheaper using miles or points from an American Express Platinum Card. Maybe this will work for you too?

BOOK FLIGHTS ✈️ We always search for cheap flights on Kayak. Here you can find my tips for booking cheap flights. Be sure to specify checked baggage, because basic flights only include carry-on luggage. This will initially skew the price, making it appear cheaper.

Are you in New York for New Year's Eve and want to experience the spectacle at Times Square? Since 9/11 and Covid, everything has changed. Security forces block side streets starting around 3 PM. So if you are not already in the middle of Times Square by then, you will need to walk to one of the entrances on Broadway and then navigate your way through to Times Square. To be in the midst of the action, you must wait outside in the cold without food or drinks for up to 8 hours.

If you don't want to deal with that as much as I do, you should either buy a ticket for one of the many New Year's Eve parties (most cost around $500 per person, but that usually includes food and often drinks) or seek another location. The crowds would be too extreme for me.

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