Did you know that New York City is the most visited place in the country? The city received about 65 million tourists in 2018. 13.6 million of those tourists came from other countries.
Tourism is a major component of New York City’s economy. In 2017, tourists spent about $44 billion while visiting the city.
Whether it’s your first time visiting the city or you’ve come back several times throughout the years, spending a weekend in New York City takes some planning. Check out this list of tips for planning the perfect weekend.
Make a Budget First
Before visiting New York City, you should start planning by creating a budget. Even though you’ll only be in the city for a weekend, your spending can stack up before you know it.
Creating a budget can help curb your spending, so you can enjoy your time without having to worry about how much money you’ll need. Make sure to budget for accommodations, transportation, meals, and attractions.
Figure Out How You’ll Get There
Once you’ve got your budget all worked out you’ll know how much you can spend on travel to get there. Now you can decide whether taking a flight, train, or a car is the best option.
What form of transportation you choose will depend on where you currently live. If you’ll need to fly into the city make sure to start looking for flights some time in advance. Prices will vary depending on the season but you’ll be able to get better deals the earlier you book.
Choose Convenient Accommodation
When looking for where to stay in New York City there are a few factors to consider. Where you stay will depend on your budget most importantly.
You should consider getting a hotel/Airbnb or renting a place that’s in a central location though. While this might increase the price of your stay, it’ll make it easier to get around the city to the places you want to visit.
Since you’ll only be in New York for a few days, getting from place to place with ease is most important.
Plan Out What You’ll Be Doing
If you’re not a big planner it’s ok not to make a minute-to-minute itinerary for the weekend. You should, however, make a general plan of where you’ll be going to make the most of your weekend.
This will also help you plan out your budget because you’ll know the costs of the attractions you’ll be visiting ahead of time. One thing you can do is ride the East River Ferry for a beautiful view of the city. You can also head out for a walk on the Brooklyn Bridge.
Figure Out How You’ll Get Around
If you’ll be traveling to New York by plane, you’ll still have to plan for how you’ll get around the city while there. New York offers many different options for getting around the city, the most common are buses and subways.
You can buy a subway card for the weekend since that’ll be the most affordable travel method. If you’re interested in driving yourself around, however, you should first educate yourself on New York City parking.
You can find free parking by searching for a place to stay with this amenity. Many hotels offer this service. You can also consider reserving your parking spot before heading to a location or using a parking garage.
Make Reservations at Your Favorite Restaurants
New York City is famous for its great restaurants and eateries. Since you’ll only be spending a weekend in the city you should consider making a list of restaurants you want to visit ahead of time.
Once you know the places you want to eat you can make reservations for the nights you’ll be there. This can help you avoid waiting in long lines for tables to open up.
Check Out Some of the Best Museums
Other places to visit in New York City, during a weekend trip, should include the many beautiful museums the city has. Many of these museums have free days where you don’t have to pay an admission fee, try to plan your trip around these days.
The American Museum of Natural History is a staple of the city and one you won’t regret checking out, especially if you have kids. The Museum of Modern Art is one of the best art museums in the world and a must-see for art lovers.
Things You Can Do On Your Last Day
The last day of a trip might be tiring with all the packing and traveling you have to do. If you don’t need to head to the airport or train station until later in the evening, you can check out a few sights before heading out.
Central Park is a beautiful green space in the middle of this bustling city. You can head there to have a picnic or watch the street performers. You can also visit The Highline for a walk through a beautiful garden with a unique view of the city.
You should also consider checking out a matinee of a Broadway show when you’re in the city.
How to Spend the Perfect Weekend in New York City
If you’ll be spending the weekend in New York City it’s important to take the time to plan your trip, to make the most of your time.
Make sure you have a plan for transportation and finding free parking if you’ll be driving. You should also make a list of places you want to see when planning a trip to New York City.
Did you find this article useful? Make sure to check out some of the other travel-related blogs on our site if you did.