Live Your Best Lives
Some people say: If you haven't been to New York, you haven't been to the United States; if you haven't been to Manhattan, you haven't been to New York. For example, in New York's postal code, only Manhattan addresses will have New York, NY written on them, which means: New York, New York (abbreviation).
When you first arrive in New York, you will feel that New York is not American at all. There are all kinds of people on the streets, and it is impossible to tell whether a person is American just by their face and language. You can have a strong Indian accent, or a big Middle Eastern beard, or you can even only speak Chinese, or all the products sold are labeled: MADE IN CHINA.
New York, located in the northeastern part of North America's east coast, is the largest city and largest port in the United States. It is the most populous city in the country, a diverse and multiethnic city, and one of the world's most important commercial and financial centers. Every major move New York makes impacts every aspect of the world.
When you first arrive, you might be mesmerized by the glitz and glamour of this metropolis, shocked by the vast disparity between the rich and the poor, and captivated by its inclusive, open, and welcoming atmosphere. Don't panic! Discover this world-class metropolis with my guide!
I am a tomboy who has traveled all over the United States. I have visited the Pentagon military base, watched banknote printing at the Washington Mint, spent the Spring Festival in the White House, visited the Federal Reserve to see the gold vault, chased the aurora in Alaska, visited Hemingway's former residence at the southern end of the United States, wandered the streets of New York, and visited North American bison in Yellowstone. I am quite familiar with traveling in the United States. I wrote down a travel guide for New York, hoping that it can help everyone. In the future, I will try to write a city guide for the United States when I have time.
In this article, I will comprehensively analyze New York travel from the aspects of food, accommodation, transportation, detailed information of attractions, and travel guides. Friends, save it now!
As one of the four largest cities in the world, New York City boasts highly developed public transportation, especially the subway, which is incredibly convenient and covers nearly every destination you could want to visit. However, the New York subway has been in operation for a long time, so malfunctions are common. If you see a car empty, avoid entering.
Because the subway operates 24 hours a day, there will be homeless people on the train at night. Please travel in groups or choose a car with more people.
Where to buy Metro Cards:
Any card vending machine in a subway station
New York City Temporary MetroCard:
MetroCard subway card is divided into single card/7 days unlimited ride/30 days unlimited ride
Metro Card Prices:
7-day unlimited rides: $32
30 days of unlimited rides: $112
You can choose the corresponding transportation card according to your own time. The subway ticket machine only accepts credit cards/debit cards, not cash!
Some ticket machines support Chinese, but some do not. Ticket machines are generally located in subway stations. Some stations have manual ticket offices, while others do not.
Subway Directions:
The most bizarre thing about the New York subway is the direction and train schedule. The New York subway schedule is very strange and varies a lot. In Manhattan, there is an uptown and a downtown area.
Uptown refers to travel uptown (northern Manhattan), while downtown refers to travel downtown (southern Manhattan). Express means very fast, meaning it stops at fewer stations than a local bus on the same route. For example, a local bus might stop at nine stations on a certain route, while an express bus would only stop at three.
It's worth noting that many express trains stop at local trains, and many local trains stop at express trains too. Be sure to check these points before you choose your train. If you're taking the subway, plan to leave extra time and make sure you're heading in the right direction and on the right train.
What should I do if I enter the wrong station?
Since the New York City subway only requires a single swipe (entry) and no swipe required for exiting, the price is the same regardless of the number of stops you make. The New York City subway system is incredibly complex, so if you accidentally enter the wrong direction or line, don't panic, just stay calm!
The dumbest way is to exit the station you entered incorrectly, wait 15 minutes, and then go to the correct station. The money will be deducted, and you will have to pay the same price of $2.50 the next time.
If you take a bus from the wrong station to another station, then get out and find the correct route/direction, you will be charged twice.
Subway exterior signs:
New York City has numerous subway stations, usually within a one- or two-block walk. All station exits are green, typically with a circular streetlight next to them. The light is green on the top and white on the bottom. Some stations also have an M (for metro) sign, usually found on street corners. Some subway entrances resemble garage entrances, but with a black sign that says "Subway" and indicates the line number (usually a circle with the line, letter, or number).
Other ways to travel include taking Uber or Lyft, renting a car, taking the bus, taking the ferry, etc. Since the subway is generally the most convenient for tourists, these methods will not be discussed here.
In New York, you can eat to your heart's content. No matter what country's cuisine, you can find it here, and it's especially authentic. From Michelin restaurants to snacks, there's nothing you can't find.
If you're craving Chinese food, Flushing and Chinatown are the top picks. Flushing feels like home, with its dazzling array of Chinese-language shops and Asian faces. I won't recommend any food, as the area has everything. Instead, I'll highlight a few of my favorite and popular restaurants. Recommended food apps include Yelp, Dianping, and Google Maps.
Shake Shack (American burgers)
Recommendation index: ★★★★
Average price: $25
One of the most famous burger chains in the US, this one boasts a modern and creative decor. Known for its American-style burgers, they offer five varieties. Their signature Shack Burger features a beef patty and Shack Sauce, which perfectly brings out the rich, meaty flavor. Paired with a soft, sweet cheeseburger, it's worth the 10-minute wait.
Xi'an Famous Food
Address: 41-10 Main St, Flushing, NY 11355
Recommendation index: ★★★★★ (Sorry, I’m from Xi’an)
Average cost per person: $20
The shop is conveniently located below the Empire State Building. As a native of Xi'an, I can honestly say that the cold noodles and roujiamo (Chinese hamburger buns) here are far superior to anything you'd find in any other Chinese city, even better than the Weijia Liangpi chain in Xi'an. I highly recommend their cold noodles, roujiamo, and paomo.
Kang Ho Dong Baekjeong
Address: 1 E 32nd St, New York, NY 10016
Recommendation index: ★★★★
Average cost per person: $40
The owner, Korean host Kang Ho-dong, opened the BBQ restaurant because he loves meat. When it comes to Korean BBQ, meat quality is paramount, and Kang Ho-dong's meat is exceptional. They serve a variety of signature sauces, topped with marinated, high-quality steak and pork belly. For those who prefer a meat-free meal, add lettuce.
Order the large beef combo and a plate of their signature pork belly. Their carpaccio, bento, and miso soup are all incredibly delicious! They also have a variety of special cocktails to go with it, and even the tofu side dish is delicious! Make a reservation in advance; you'll need to wait for a table if it's crowded.
New York City consists of five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island.
The common areas of accommodation for visiting New York City are: Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens.
Manhattan
New York's main tourist and entertainment districts are concentrated in Manhattan, so Manhattan offers the most concentrated and comprehensive accommodation options. However, prices are also very high. Manhattan is the heart of New York City, and every inch of land is valuable. Rooms are small, and even slightly more comfortable ones cost over $200, often $300-500. This is a place where the wealthy can stay.
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is a vast area, and as the part closest to Lower Manhattan, it has many options, as well as numerous hotels, B&Bs, and art districts, with prices ranging from Queens to Manhattan.
Queens
The area close to Midtown Manhattan and the Flushing Chinese community in Queens are safe, reasonably priced, very convenient to the Manhattan subway, and have a high cost-effectiveness ratio. The prices of B&Bs and hotels are around $100-200, which is within an acceptable range.
Hotel/B&B booking APP platform
Booking Agoda Mafengwo Ctrip Airbnb
I'd like to recommend a great ticketing tool: CITYPASS/Explorer Pass. This is a city-wide attraction ticket package, often referred to as a "city pass." Designed to help visitors experience local attractions in the shortest possible time and most efficiently, it offers special packages that include museums, transportation, and other experiences at a discounted price. I personally love using CITYPASS. Major US cities have CITYPASS options, and they're available on major domestic travel platforms. Check it out for yourself.
If you are traveling in New York for more than three days and want to check in at major popular attractions, you can choose to buy it, which is indeed more cost-effective than buying tickets separately.
New York CITYPASS includes the following attractions:
1. Empire State Building Observatory Ticket;
2. Tickets to the American Museum of Natural History;
3. Tickets to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Cloisters;
4. Choose one of two tickets: Guggenheim Museum admission or general admission to Top of the Rock Observation Deck at Rockefeller Center;
5. Choose one ticket from two options: Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island or Circle Line Cruises;
6. Choose one ticket from the following two options: 9/11 Memorial & Museum or USS Intrepid Air and Space Museum.
You can choose whether to buy a pass according to your travel time and attractions.
I've painstakingly compiled a guide to 10 must-see attractions, including information on tickets, addresses, transportation, reservations, things to do, and more. If time permits, don't miss these spots. I spent about five days exploring these areas, clocking in over 30,000 steps daily on City Walk, exploring this magical metropolis.
Tickets: Adults $25, Seniors 65 and older $17, Students $12, Children under 12 free
Opening hours: Sunday-Thursday 10:00-17:30, Friday-Saturday 10:00-21:00, closed on the first Monday in May, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and January 1st
Location: 1000 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028
City Transportation: Take Metro Line 4 (Circle), Line 5 (Circle), or Line 6 (Circle/Square) to 86 St Station
Chinese electronic guides are available for rental at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for $7 per day, tax included. The Chinese guides don't cover every exhibit, but rather a selection. The English guides cover almost everything. After renting, staff will provide you with a map with the exhibits marked on it.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the three largest museums in the world and a huge treasure house of art. It is a blessing to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art in your lifetime. If you can spend a day to take a closer look, it will be a pleasure. It would take a week to see everything carefully.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is truly enormous, with 17 galleries housing over two million works of art, including European paintings and sculptures, American modern art, and a collection of Asian art. Children will especially enjoy the Hall of Arms and Armor. In addition to the main museum, there's a secondary branch at Fort Tryon Abbey in Uptown Manhattan, which focuses on medieval art.
A metropolis encompassing the world, here you'll find French painted ceilings, English fireplaces, Spanish furniture, Japanese bamboo carvings, well-preserved Tang Dynasty sancai (three-colored glazed pottery) statues of ladies, Egyptian mummies, temples, and authentic works by Van Gogh, Monet, Picasso, Da Vinci, Rodin, and more. If time permits, you can spend a day exploring the city. If you're pressed for time, we recommend spending at least four hours to get a quick overview.
The capital has one of the most spectacular exhibits: the Temple of Dendur, the first ancient Egyptian temple to be completely relocated outside Egypt. The temple was about to be submerged in the reservoir when Egypt built the Aswan Dam in the 1960s, so it was relocated here at the expense of the United States.
If you ask me what's the most amazing place in New York, it's not the Met, not the Statue of Liberty, but this. Because of the extremely difficult reservations (only 40 spots are available per day for the entire world), and the fact that the tour is only in English, 99.99% of people are turned away.
Why is it so awesome? Because here you can see the underground gold bar vault, you can see the secrets of banknote storage, you can learn about the US economy and monetary history, and you can also get a free souvenir.
Because we were not allowed to take photos during the whole process and our phones had to be turned off, I didn’t take any photos myself, so I found a few online for reference.
Admission: Free
Reservations: https://museum.newyorkfed.org/public
Address: Federal Reserve Bank of New York, 33 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10045
Reservation method: Start at 9:00 am (New York local time) 30 days in advance, with a maximum of 40 places available each day.
After a successful reservation, you will receive an electronic ticket and print it out in advance. Since there is no obvious sign outside the building, try to arrive half an hour early on the day of travel and undergo strict security checks. Taking photos is not allowed during the visit. You can visit the entire banknote printing process and the underground vault.
Visiting time: 1 hour from 1-2 pm, space is very limited, 10 to 25 people at a time.
The visiting process on the day: bring your reservation belt and personal ID (passport), then go through three security checks, enter the lobby and wait, and then a dedicated tour guide will lead you to start the tour.
Tickets: Free
Opening hours: all day
City Transportation: Take the A, B, or C subway line to 72 St, 86 St, or 81 St station.
Public transportation: Take bus M86-SBS to W 86 St/Traverse Rd station, or take bus M10 to Central PK w/w 84 St station.
Central Park, nestled in the heart of Manhattan, New York City, is the city's largest urban park and one of the city's most extravagant projects. It's also a precious green space for New Yorkers. Covering over 5,000 acres, it's known as New York's "back garden." A completely man-made natural landscape, Central Park boasts acres of light green lawns, a lush forest, gardens, an ice rink, a carousel, an open-air theater, two small zoos, a lake for boating, tennis courts, a sports field, an art gallery, and more.
Everyone who has spent time in New York City will, and should, leave their mark in Central Park. Amidst the city's fast-paced lifestyle and pressures, people find a new side to life here: exercise, rest, play, and enjoyment. Lying quietly on the green grass, swinging on the swings and reminiscing about childhood, engaging in a unique conversation with a stranger, or even enjoying a refreshing workout—it's truly beautiful.
There are three types of tickets:
86th floor main observation deck: Adults $38, Children $32, Seniors $36
102nd floor top observation deck: Adults $56, Children $50, Seniors $54
VIP priority ticket: $86, includes access to both observation decks.
Address: 20 W 34th St, New York, NY 10118-0110
Opening hours: 08:00 am to 02:00 am the next day, the last elevator runs at 01:15 am. CityPass allows you to visit the Empire State Building twice a day, morning and evening, and enjoy the daytime and night views.
The Empire State Building is located in the very heart of New York City—in the heart of Manhattan. Visitors can enjoy spectacular 360-degree views of New York City from the 86th and 102nd floor observation decks, gazing at both the tranquility of Uptown and the bustling city of Downtown. The Empire State Building is also a great spot for watching the sunset and the New York nightscape. In the stillness of the night, as you gaze down upon the vast expanse of New York City, the dim lights shimmer endlessly, pedestrians and vehicles like ants, scattered among the small spaces between the buildings, each with its own unique story. Where is home? A myriad of emotions surges within, and only the whistling evening breeze can understand your feelings.
Admission: Free
Address: 89 E 42nd St New York, NY 10017, USA
Transportation: Take subway line S/4/5/6 to Grand Central-42 St station.
Grand Central Terminal is a public art museum located in the heart of Manhattan. When you first walk into Grand Central Terminal, you won't believe it's actually a station. It's the world's largest and busiest train station, serving as a hub for both New York's rail and subway connections.
Unlike many bustling train stations, New York's Grand Central Station condenses New York life into a painting. Crowds of people are surging around, and stories of passing by are happening all the time. If you are here, you will involuntarily speed up your pace.
The lake-blue sky mural on the top of the station, with the Mediterranean summer night sky as the background, is decorated with 12 astrological patterns and 2,500 stars, making you forget that you are in a station. Therefore, many American movies and TV series have been filmed here.
Admission: Free
Address: 476 5th Ave New York, NY 10018, New York City, NY 10018
Opening Hours:
Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday 10:00–18:00
Tuesday and Wednesday 10:00–19:45
Sunday 13:00–17:00
The New York Public Library is the largest municipal public library in the United States. Located on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan between 40th and 42nd Streets, it resembles a library from Harry Potter. It's breathtaking, classical, and imposing. Anyone can freely wander into the library and simply sit quietly for a while—it's a true pleasure.
Two stone lions stand at the entrance of the library. During the Great Depression, the then-mayor of New York City named them "Patience" and "Strength" to encourage citizens to overcome the economic crisis. Besides inspiring citizens, the stone lions are now used to indicate direction: the left side of the lion is the upper city, and the right side is the lower city.
Admission: Free
Address: Brooklyn Bridge, New York, NY 10038, USA
Transportation: Take subway lines 4, 5, or 6 and get off at Brooklyn Station, or take lines A or C and get off at High St. Brooklyn Bridge Station
The Brooklyn Bridge, the oldest bridge in the United States, spans 1,825 meters. Separated by a river, Manhattan and Brooklyn in New York City are the most iconic bridges across the Hudson River. As the world's largest suspension bridge, it offers sweeping views of both Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Enjoy the New York sunset along the promenade, the vintage sailboats on the Hudson River, the golden skyscrapers on both sides illuminated by the sun, and the love locks dotted across the bridge, creating a romantic and beautiful atmosphere everywhere. The design concept of bicycles and pedestrians on one level, with cars on the next, is also amazing. Every July 4th, you can watch the spectacular fireworks here.
Tickets: Adults 20, Seniors and students 13
Address: New York, NY 10017 USA
Transportation: Take bus line M15 and get off at 1 Av - E 45 St
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9:00-16:30, Saturday and Sunday 10:00-16:30
Reservation website: http://visit.un.org/
Ticket Reservations: Visitors are not permitted to enter the UN Headquarters building on their own. You must first register online for a guided tour organized by the United Nations. This guided tour is not currently available on-site and must be booked online in advance. You can choose the language and time of the tour, and reservations are available for a dedicated Chinese-language tour. Due to limited daily availability, reservations must be made at least 10 days in advance.
Visiting Procedure: After successfully booking and paying, print your reservation form. Then, across the street from the United Nations, take your ID and reservation form to check in. The staff will print out an entrance permit for each person, which you will affix to your chest. Then, proceed to the Visitor Center. You will need to undergo a strict security check before entering the UN Headquarters building. Please arrive 45-60 minutes early; the entire tour will take approximately one hour.
The United Nations Headquarters is home to the United Nations, the world's only international territory. UN Headquarters is located in New York, USA, with offices in Geneva, Nairobi, and Vienna. To visit the UN, you must make a reservation and print out your reservation form. Then, across the street from the UN, you'll check in with your ID and reservation form. The staff will print out an entrance permit for each person, which they will affix to their chest. Then, proceed to the visitor center and undergo a rigorous security check before entering the UN Headquarters. Please arrive 45-60 minutes early.
A guide will guide you throughout the tour. While photography is prohibited in some areas, and international conferences are being held in many meeting rooms, it's quite exciting. After the tour, many people buy postcards to send to friends. A word of caution: if you're sending within the US, congratulations, you're absolutely fine. But if you're sending back to China, sorry, you might never get it back. I sent one to my American roommate and it arrived within two days, but I haven't heard back from my parents in China. If you're interested, buy a couple and keep them for your collection, or try your luck and see if your friends and family in China receive them.
Admission: Free
Opening hours: All day, all year round
Address: Manhattan, NY 10036, USA
In New York, Times Square is the only place that can be described as bustling. Of all the bustling streets in the world, perhaps none can rival Times Square's brilliance. New York's Times Square is a bustling intersection of global art and commerce, a place where diverse themes and styles shift constantly. Men and women of all colors, nationalities, and ethnicities, amidst the vibrant lights and bustle of the city, laugh and chat, rubbing shoulders with one another in a constant stream. Guitarists, souvenir vendors, kissing couples, and performance artists weave their way through the sea of throngs, converging into a spectacular display of American culture.
The widescreens of Times Square buildings loop videos of world-famous brands and newsmakers, while the surrounding skyscrapers are covered in electric panels, neon lights, and rolling commercial news, all vying to attract tourists. Here, you'll see all sorts of Chinese advertisements, and sometimes even come across ads supporting young celebrities.
In this bizarre world, our brief stay may not allow us to understand the world behind it. It is like a window to New York, allowing us to see all kinds of information from the world. Such a large amount of information requires us to digest, understand, and accept it slowly, rather than overnight.
If you have time, take in a classic Broadway show at the Broadway Theatre next to Times Square. I saw a performance of "CHICAGO" that I didn't get to see in Chicago; it was a truly exhilarating performance. (I won a front-row ticket in the lottery for "The Lion King," but didn't have time to go, which was a real shame.) I'll post a guide to buying Broadway tickets and winning the lottery someday. Buying directly from international platforms is usually cheaper than buying through various domestic travel platforms.
Ticket booking website: http://www.statuecruises.com However, all major domestic travel platforms have booking services, and the prices are not much different.
Statue Cruises is the only officially licensed ferry operating between New York and the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The island's departure points include Battery Park in New York and Liberty State Park in New Jersey.
Address: Liberty Island, New York City, NY 10004
There are four types of admission tickets:
Reserve Ticket: Adults $18.50, children $9, and seniors $14. CityPASS and Explorer Passes are the first type, excluding the base and crown. They include round-trip ferry access, the Statue of Liberty Island, the Immigration Museum on Ellis Island, and an audio guide.
Reserve with Pedestal Access: This ticket includes access to the Statue of Liberty's pedestal. The ticket costs the same as the first option. You can purchase tickets on the spot, but availability is not guaranteed, so we recommend reserving in advance. You can take the elevator or the stairs to the pedestal, which has 215 steps.
Reserve with Crown Access: This option includes access to the pedestal and crown. Adult tickets cost $21.50, children $12, and seniors $17. There's no elevator to the crown, requiring a narrow staircase with 162 steps. Children must be at least 120 cm tall. Backpacks are not allowed at the pedestal or crown; they cost $1-2 to check in and are locked with a fingerprint lock.
Hard Hat Tour of Ellies Island: This includes a 90-minute guided tour of the other side of Ellies Island. You must be over 13 years old for this tour.
Opening hours: 08:30-16:00 (Monday-Sunday, January 1st-December 31st), closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas
transportation:
① Public transportation: From downtown, take subway lines 1 or 9 to South Ferry Station, or lines 4 or 5 to Bowling Green Station. You can also take the M1 or M2 to Battery Park City and then take the ferry to Liberty Island.
②Ferry Route: From Battery Park: Battery Park - Liberty Island - Ellis Island - Battery Park From Liberty State Park: Liberty State Park - Ellis Island - Liberty Island - Liberty State Park
For ferry schedule inquiries and reservations, please visit the website in advance: http://www.statuecruises.com/schedule.aspx
The Statue of Liberty, a national monument, stands on Liberty Island at the mouth of the Hudson River. Wearing a radiant crown, holding the torch of liberty, and holding the Declaration of Independence, the statue is a majestic sight. The goddess, whose full name is Liberty Enlightening the World, is a symbol of the United States. It was presented by France in 1876 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the nation's independence. The interior of the Statue of Liberty is hollow, and an elevator can be taken directly to the statue's head. The base houses the American Immigration Museum, which records the history of millions of immigrants who crossed the ocean to reach the United States.
The Statue of Liberty was the first sight of the throngs of immigrants arriving in New York upon crossing the sea. Today, from Liberty Island, you can see the stunning New York skyline, though the boat ride can be quite windy, so bring a jacket. The Immigration Museum on Ellis Island is also well worth a visit, detailing the difficult journey of immigrants to New York, their pursuit of freedom, and their yearning for a better life.
I love the American attitude and their open-minded, optimistic approach to life. No one cares what kind of life you lead, how miserable or wonderful it is, and no one ever judges your life. Everyone is an independent individual, part of a parallel world. We may intersect, but we don't pry or judge. Just like I love New York's inclusiveness and harmonious coexistence.
