New York City is a must-see destination for any solo female traveler looking for an exciting and diverse experience. From the iconic landmarks and world-renowned museums to the diverse neighborhoods and delicious food, there’s something for everyone in the city that never sleeps.
A lot of first time visitors like to stay near Times Square, but I have a different favourite for my visits now: Queens. It wasn’t that long ago that Queens wasn’t on anybody’s travel radar but these days it’s thriving. I think this borough is one of the best kept secrets and makes a great base for any visit to New York.
So you’ve decided to plan your first trip to New York… yay! It’s one of my favourite cities and I love the energy there. But it can definitely be overwhelming. So Many People. So. Many. Things. To. Do. After nine visits, I’ve figured out a few things though. Get ready to experience the magic of New York City with my essential guide for first-time visitors. Learn how to beat the crowds, find the best eats, and make the most of your time in the city that never sleeps.
A lot of first time visitors to New York like to stay near Times Square, but I have a different favourite for my visits now: Brooklyn. When you hear the name, what do you think? Hip? Gritty? Trendy? Creative? Brooklyn is all of that and more and makes a great base for any visit to New York.
If you’re looking for street art in Brooklyn, look no further than the Bushwick Collective – a growing and ever changing collection of world-class street art.
You’ve done Times Square. You’ve done the Empire State Building. You’ve spent countless hours at the Met. You’ve tromped across the Brooklyn Bridge and now you’re looking for something unique to do in New York. I’ve got you covered. After 8 visits I’ve had most of the experiences you expect from New York – Broadway shows, MoMA, the High Line – but I’ve also managed to uncover a few cool experiences that you won’t find on a typical best of New York list.
Spring is one of my favourite times to visit New York. You skip the summer smog and the winter cold, but knowing what to wear in New York in Spring can be tricky. Using my 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 packing list method, I’ve put together a guide to help you cover all your activities with style.
Ah, New York. They say if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere. I just love the energy and the possibility of New York. It’s a city that makes you think that anything is possible. But it can be overwhelming. Especially when you’re trying to plan your very first trip there.
“I’m an Islander. I am an Islander. I’m an Islander. I am an Islander.” Not 90 seconds into the show and I was already wiping my eyes and choking back tears. I wasn’t sad though. Instead it was pride leaking out of my eyes. I was home in the middle of Manhattan.
If you’ve ever stayed at any of the Library Hotel Collection’s properties you probably know what I’m going to rave about after my recent stay at the Casablanca Hotel in Manhattan. The service! After staying at the Library Hotel and the Hotel Elysees I should’ve been prepared for the top notch service but I was still taken aback.
New York is a city of neighbourhoods. Each pocket of the city has its own identity, culture, and inevitably, unique food. One of the best ways to get to know a culture is to get to know their food and one of the best ways to get to know the food when you’re travelling is to take a food tour. New York has so many identities and cultures that it’s pretty impossible to take a generic New York food tour so you need to focus on the neighbourhoods. On my recent quick visit to the Big Apple I focussed on Little Italy and Chinatown with Ahoy NY Tours & Tasting.
It’s that time year again. There’s just one more day left in 2016 and I thought I’d take a bit of time to look back on where I’ve been this year. In every year, there are ups and downs so I thought I’d share a few of my memorable ones with you.
Up until this past fall, every time I’d been to New York, I’d stayed in Manhattan. Leading up to my mini-cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas though I decided I wanted to check out the Brooklyn side of things.
Earlier this year brightly coloured bagels started blowing up on the internet. A video by Business Insider showing the labour intensive process of creating these multi-coloured treats went viral. I started seeing them all over Facebook and Instagram. What unicorn magic was this? I must have.
“Are you in Paris?” a family member asked me on Facebook after seeing me post a photo from the Hotel Elysée. I wasn’t. I was in New York. Outside my window, beyond my 14th floor patio, traffic crawled by on East 54th St., but inside my room I could’ve been in the City of Lights.
Before you even get to the reception desk you have an inkling of the great service you’re going to experience during a stay at the Library Hotel in midtown Manhattan. Before you even get to the hotel, in fact.
My first two trips to New York City this year each had their own mishaps. From needing medical attention to the disappointment of a rained out ballgame. I’m hoping that the third time’s the charm and that my visit this week and next will go smoothly. I’m going to be spending a lot more time in Brooklyn and I’m excited to check out this new-to-me neighbourhood.
Though I’d been to New York three times before I’d never yet made it to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I knew I was missing out but the place is so big and daunting, I just didn’t know where to start. Thankfully, Walks of New York stepped in to help me out.
Armed with Foursquare and a squad of hip friends, we navigated the late night drink options in SoHo. He didn’t trust the unwashed masses over at Yelp to make suggestions, instead relying on places where his friends had checked-in before. It was past midnight and we were on the hunt for cool places to have a drink in SoHo.
When my friend told me that we’d be staying in East Harlem I wasn’t too sure what to expect. It turns out, we were in for some really good eats. Find out what joints made our list.
If you find yourself wandering around Williamsburg on a Saturday afternoon wondering what to do be at, have I got a suggestion for you! Walk yourself down to the East River State Park and bring your appetite. Smorgasburg is a food fair featuring a few dozen vendors that you don’t want to miss.
So there I was, crouched on the sidewalk outside a Rite Aid on West 12th St in New York City with a handful of tourists huddled around me. I was trying to simultaneously dress a wound and keep my shit together. I was only moderately successful on both fronts. So what happened?
