NYC's Best Neighborhoods
NYC is a huge city, and choosing where to stay can be daunting. Here I've mapped out my favorite neighborhoods for you, and why.
Tap into each destination to learn more about it & why you might want to stay or visit it.
📍Midtown
For the NYC First Timer.
If you're looking for some nightlife, check out this map of my favorite nightclubs. Not all of them are in Midtown, but a few are!
📍Meat Packing District
For the hip, younger visitor.
📍Tribeca/SoHo
If food & shopping are your priorities.
I grouped these two neighborhoods together because I like them for the same reasons. If you're coming to New York for food, you'll want to stay in either one of these neighborhoods.
If food is your priority, check out these maps of all of my favorite places to eat in the city - they're not all in Tribeca & Soho, but some are!
📍Theater District
Another great option for first time visitors.
📍Upper East & West Sides
If you're looking for a quieter, more local vibe, or if you're traveling with kids.
I've grouped these two neighborhoods together because they're next to each other & I like them for the same reasons.
And if you do happen to be traveling with kids, check out my map of all the best kid-friendly activities in NYC!
📍Chelsea
Great for art galleries, shopping & food.
If you're looking for a different type of nightlife, check out this map of gameroom bars, some of them are in Chelsea!
📍The Bowery
A more budget-friendly version of Chelsea.
📍Brooklyn - Dumbo/Williamsburg
Something different than Manhattan.
If you stay in Brooklyn you're going to want to stay in the DUMBO or Williamsburg area. They're both very up-and-coming.
How to Get Around NYC
It's easy to get around New York. this is the city that never sleeps. There's always a cab on call or Uber/Lyft available.
🚕 Taxi
From JFK:
$52-$90 USD Flat rate.
From LGA:
$29-$50 USD metered fare, plus bridge & tunnel tolls, & gratuity.
🚝 Airtrain & Shuttles
From JFK (Airtrain):
$5 USD + a single Subway ride $2.75 = $7.75 total
Duration: 60-75 minutes to Penn Station.
Laguardia Airport Shuttle:
$1 USD one-way. $28 USD round-trip. Runs from 6 am to 11:30 pm every 30 minutes. There's Wifi on board. Duration: 60 minutes to Penn Station.
🚌 Bus & Train
From Laguardia:
$2.75 USD - free transfer from bus to train with MetroCard.
Option 1: The Q70 bus goes non-stop to 61st/Roosevelt Avenue in Queens. There you can connect with 5 different Subway lines, or you can connect to the LIRR (Long Island Railroad) for $5 to Penn Station. Both options take about 60 minutes.
Option 2: The M60 bus goes to Harlem and connects to all the major Subway lines in Manhattan.
From Newark Airport:
Train: $18.50 USD total. This includes $5.50 USD for Airtrain Newark + $13 USD for NJ Transit Rail (Northeast Corridor or North Jersey Coast Line) to Penn Station. Duration: 30-40 minutes to Penn Station.
Bus: $16 USD one way, $28 USD Round Trip. Take the Newark Airport Express, which leaves every 15 minutes. Duration: 40-50 minutes to Penn Station.
🚙 Uber or Lyft
Ride-share apps are normally cheaper than metered taxis, depending on the time you are leaving & returning to the airport.
📍City Mapper
Download City Mapper. It's one of my favorite apps that shows you how to get around the city. It breaks down everything such as different routes, what time the bus/train comes, walking directions, and even what train you should board. As a native New Yorker, I use this app daily to figure out if trains have delays or to visit a new neighborhood I'm not familiar with. It also can be used in more than 80 cities.
To complete your trip...
Check out some more of my maps of NYC recommendations based on the ways you want to spend your trip 👇
NYC's Best Neighborhoods
NYC is a huge city, and choosing where to stay can be daunting. Here I've mapped out my favorite neighborhoods for you, and why.
Tap into each destination to learn more about it & why you might want to stay or visit it.
📍Midtown
For the NYC First Timer.
If you're looking for some nightlife, check out this map of my favorite nightclubs. Not all of them are in Midtown, but a few are!
📍Meat Packing District
For the hip, younger visitor.
📍Tribeca/SoHo
If food & shopping are your priorities.
I grouped these two neighborhoods together because I like them for the same reasons. If you're coming to New York for food, you'll want to stay in either one of these neighborhoods.
If food is your priority, check out these maps of all of my favorite places to eat in the city - they're not all in Tribeca & Soho, but some are!
📍Theater District
Another great option for first time visitors.
📍Upper East & West Sides
If you're looking for a quieter, more local vibe, or if you're traveling with kids.
I've grouped these two neighborhoods together because they're next to each other & I like them for the same reasons.
And if you do happen to be traveling with kids, check out my map of all the best kid-friendly activities in NYC!
📍Chelsea
Great for art galleries, shopping & food.
If you're looking for a different type of nightlife, check out this map of gameroom bars, some of them are in Chelsea!
📍The Bowery
A more budget-friendly version of Chelsea.
📍Brooklyn - Dumbo/Williamsburg
Something different than Manhattan.
If you stay in Brooklyn you're going to want to stay in the DUMBO or Williamsburg area. They're both very up-and-coming.
How to Get Around NYC
It's easy to get around New York. this is the city that never sleeps. There's always a cab on call or Uber/Lyft available.
🚕 Taxi
From JFK:
$52-$90 USD Flat rate.
From LGA:
$29-$50 USD metered fare, plus bridge & tunnel tolls, & gratuity.
🚝 Airtrain & Shuttles
From JFK (Airtrain):
$5 USD + a single Subway ride $2.75 = $7.75 total
Duration: 60-75 minutes to Penn Station.
Laguardia Airport Shuttle:
$1 USD one-way. $28 USD round-trip. Runs from 6 am to 11:30 pm every 30 minutes. There's Wifi on board. Duration: 60 minutes to Penn Station.
🚌 Bus & Train
From Laguardia:
$2.75 USD - free transfer from bus to train with MetroCard.
Option 1: The Q70 bus goes non-stop to 61st/Roosevelt Avenue in Queens. There you can connect with 5 different Subway lines, or you can connect to the LIRR (Long Island Railroad) for $5 to Penn Station. Both options take about 60 minutes.
Option 2: The M60 bus goes to Harlem and connects to all the major Subway lines in Manhattan.
From Newark Airport:
Train: $18.50 USD total. This includes $5.50 USD for Airtrain Newark + $13 USD for NJ Transit Rail (Northeast Corridor or North Jersey Coast Line) to Penn Station. Duration: 30-40 minutes to Penn Station.
Bus: $16 USD one way, $28 USD Round Trip. Take the Newark Airport Express, which leaves every 15 minutes. Duration: 40-50 minutes to Penn Station.
🚙 Uber or Lyft
Ride-share apps are normally cheaper than metered taxis, depending on the time you are leaving & returning to the airport.
📍City Mapper
Download City Mapper. It's one of my favorite apps that shows you how to get around the city. It breaks down everything such as different routes, what time the bus/train comes, walking directions, and even what train you should board. As a native New Yorker, I use this app daily to figure out if trains have delays or to visit a new neighborhood I'm not familiar with. It also can be used in more than 80 cities.
To complete your trip...
Check out some more of my maps of NYC recommendations based on the ways you want to spend your trip 👇