Bright lights, big city, and my first solo trip outside of Europe. 2022 has brought with it an exciting new year of travel and my first stop was the city that never sleeps (a hilarious irony for an insomniac like myself). Of course, visiting in January meant the weather made for an icy weekend with a blizzard thrown in but I battled on through and still managed to see most of the key sights for a first timer in New York City.
Accomodation
Sleeping in a city that simply doesn’t could have been tricky, but I had a comfortable stay at Pod 39 in Midtown East. The hotel is right in the heart of the action, close to several of the major tourist hotspots like Grand Central Station, Empire State Building and Chrysler and within walking distance to Times Square. The neighbourhood felt safe and I had no problems walking alone as a female traveller, even after dark. The rooftop bar gets great reviews, however it was closed for refurbishment during my visit so I wasn’t able to take in the views.
If you’re looking for a clean, comfortable base to rest between busy sightseeing days, Pod 39 offers a super affordable option compared to usual NYC prices. Rooms are small though – I had a double bed room to myself and it was cosy even for one. If you’re travelling with someone else and you prefer your own space, I’d recommend a room each. Especially as the bathroom is separated from the rest of the room by a panel of glass, frosted only to shoulder height.
The Pod Hotel chain has three other sites in the city, across Manhattan and Brooklyn and they offer a range of free group tours for guests. I’ve also heard great things about the CitizenM hotels as an alternative option for great budget accomodation and would definitely consider staying there on my next trip to the big apple.
Food & Drink
New York City is famed for its top-class, expensive restaurants but travelling solo and on a budget doesn’t have to limit your options at all. First off, eating alone in New York is completely normal and you’ll see people grabbing a bite solo in almost every establishment. There are hundreds of great casual dining spots across the city offering every cuisine you could imagine and many of them combine a relaxed, no-pressure environment with delicious budget eats. I’ve included some of my favourites here:
Little Italy Pizza, Upper East Side – You cannot visit New York without trying the pizza at least once, or thrice in my case, and this place on the Upper East side was my favourite. They had so much selection and the slices were HUGE! I stopped by here for two slices before heading back to the airport on my final day, and didn’t need to eat again until I was almost home! I love a veggie pizza and the broccoli slice was dreamy – highly recommend. The guys working behind the counter were really friendly too.
Tam Sang Thai Kitchen, Midtown East – This amazing little Thai restaurant is on the same block as Pod 39, so super handy if you’re staying there. I actually went back again on my third night in the city as the Prawn Pad Thai had won me over. It’s a tiny place with a few seats to eat in, or you can take out like I did. The staff here were the friendliest people I met in the city and made you feel really welcome. The food is fresh, good quality and reasonably priced.
Magnolia’s Bakery – I confess I had never heard of Magnolia’s before my visit, but after having dinner with a friend who lives in the city, she was adamant I tried their famous Banana Pudding. And I am so glad I did! This was hands down the number one food I tried during the whole weekend and I’m praying that they open a branch in the UK so I get my hands on it again soon. They have a few sites in the city but my nearest was close to Times Square so be prepared to queue if you head here too – it gets very busy. 100% worth it.
Transport
The two most well-known transport options in New York are of course the iconic yellow taxi and the sprawling Subway. I am an avid metro system user and aside from walking, it’s my go to form of transport in every city I visit. During the time of my visit to New York though, there had been a marked increase in crime on the Subway, so I decided to stick to some alternative options for day to day transit, as well as my transfers from JFK and to Newark Airport.
Yellow Taxi – I used a yellow taxi to transfer from JFK airport to Manhattan as, whilst it is the most expensive option, it is also the easiest and most convenient. The taxi queue is directly outside of the arrivals terminal and you can ask the taxi controller near the door to help you secure a ride. There is a fixed rate for trips from JFK to the city (approximately $60 + tolls + tip). Be wary of people approaching you offering a ride when you leave the terminal and only travel in an official yellow taxi with a license.
I didn’t use a taxi whilst in the city so didn’t have the experience of trying to hail a cab, but did hear about the Curb app, which works in a similar way to Uber and can be used to track down a yellow cab near you without risking getting hit by the manic city traffic.
Carmel Limo – This is the traditional private hire taxi service that I used to transfer to Newark Airport at the end of my trip. Prices vary depending on the type of car you choose and time of day, however there are coupons available on the website, especially for first time customers. As there is no fixed rate yellow taxi fare for Newark Airport, a private hire taxi would likely be your next best bet, as Uber and Lyft prices are known to increase significantly for this journey.
NYC Ferry – If you’re staying anywhere near the waterside and are keen to take in the city views from the rivers, then I highly recommend using the NYC ferry system. For the same price as a ride on the Subway, and with better views, you can sail on one of several different routes to destinations in Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens. Of course, there is also the famous orange Staten Island ferry that departs from the Financial District, however this is a simple back and forth route between Staten Island and Manhattan. Please also remember – the Staten Island ferry is free to every passenger – ignore anyone posing as ferry staff outside of the terminal who tell you to buy a ticket.
Things To Do
There is no end of things to do in New York City. There is truly something for everyone, regardless of interests, age or budget. As a first-timer to New York with only a weekend to spare, my plans mostly involved visiting the classic sights and I have a huge wishlist of things to do already prepared for my next trip. I’ve included three if my highlights from this trip here:
Midtown Walk – Many of the iconic New York sights are based within the Midtown area and are within easy walking distance of each other. I spent my first evening taking a post-dinner stroll (ha, who am I kidding? No-one strolls in New York!) around the area taking in the big names – Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, Grand Central Station, Times Square, The Rockefeller Centre. If you’ve got a jam packed itinerary and aren’t too bothered about actually touring any of these buildings I’d recommend doing the same – you can fit all of these sights in within about 1 hour of walking. Also, leaving this activity until evening is best, to see all those glittering lights!
Central Park – We’ve all seen it so many times in numerous films and tv shows, so visiting Central Park for the first time felt weirdly familiar! The park is huge and you could easily spend a whole day there. The south of the park is typically more popular with tourists visiting the bridges, fountains and The Mall, but if you head further north you’ll find this is where the locals hang out. Just watch out for the joggers, they don’t hang about!
9/11 Memorial & Museum – To call this a highlight wouldn’t really be right, but it was an essential part of my trip. I spent a few minutes by the memorial fountains to pay my respects and then visited the museum, which was worth every single cent of the $26 admission fee. As I visited in January, the museum was relatively quiet, however expect long queues during most of the year. This one was heavy going, but I would recommend anyone to visit at least once.
