A guide for Kiwis visiting New York

Over the last 18 years I have had played tour guide numerous times to Kiwis visiting New York. At first I loved being a tourist with them and then over the years it shifted to the joy of seeing New York through a brand new set of eyes. I will write many articles about visiting New York to help you make the most of your trip. This first one is an overview like I did in the blog Visit New Zealand for my American friends.

New York is a fabulous city that’s easy to navigate. It’s truly my favorite big city in the world. I always say that whatever you think New York will be, it’s here. Whether it is the yellow cabs, steam coming out of the ground, Subways, Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, Times Square, Central Park or a game of the in season American sport, you can experience it all.

How do I get to New York from NZ?

There are a number of airport options now. No direct flights as yet but I have hope for Air New Zealand to have a flight straight to NYC in the forthcoming years! I digress. Fly Auckland (AKL) to the West Coast (LAX or SFO) or Houston (IAH) or Chicago (ORD). Most people choose the West Coast for a stop over in LA (Hollywood, Disneyland, San Diego) or San Francisco. You can also fly to Australia and then direct to LA, San Francisco or Dallas.

What airport should I fly into – Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago or Houston?

My top two favorites (favourites) to fly into and out of are San Francisco (SFO) and Houston (IAH). I haven’t tried Chicago (ORD) yet as due to weather challenges (harsh winter and chance of large amounts of snow), when I normally travel to NZ, I avoid it. Houston might not be the wisest of airports during the NZ winter months due to severe thunderstorms. Of course both these airports know how to deal with the situation, just something to think about when you are booking.

LA (LAX) I would avoid unless price is the best and you are young and fit re navigating from one terminal to another. I have traveled in and out of LAX more times than I can remember and it’s totally doable, I just find less stress when using San Francisco and Houston. 95% of the time I don’t stop overnight in the location and instead choose to travel all the way back to NYC.

Getting to the East Coast – JFK, Newark or LaGuardia?

Most flights seem to take my Kiwi friends to JFK. I recommend looking at Newark (EWR). Newark is very close to Manhattan and is the hub of United Airlines which is a Star Alliance partner of Air New Zealand’s. I like EWR and JFK as there are airtrain, trains (Long Island Railroad or New Jersey Transit) or subway option (JFK only) to get into NYC. All airports offer taxis or Uber pickup areas.

How long is the flight?

Auckland to the West Coast, US is between 11.5 hours to 12.5 hours. From the West Coast to New York it is 5 to 6 hours. Generally the entire trip, with airport changes, is 24 hours door to door (a little less if going through Houston). I recommend staying awake on the US domestic flight portion of the trip. You want to be tired when you get to your destination as you will arrive late afternoon to late evening. You can check out my tips for mastering the long haul flight here.

How long to go for?

A week to 10 days in NYC is a good amount of time, but it’s amazing how much you can see over 4 days. It all depends if NYC is your main destination or you are spending time in other parts of the US. When my NZ family visited we have included trips to Boston, Philadelphia, Washington D.C, Niagara Falls and Toronto, Canada. I have also met them in Las Vegas, Nevada and driven them to the Grand Canyon, Sedona, Arizona, San Diego and LA. There are so many options. Figure out what you really want to see and do. The more time you have in NYC the more time you can check off the tourist sites and really get to enjoy the neighborhoods/parks like a true New Yorker

The best months are May to September due to the warmer weather. NYC has extreme temperatures. I hadn’t experience cold weather until I spent my first winter on the East Coast. Apartments, hotels, shops, restaurants etc are all heated but you really need to wrap up warm when exploring the city. That isn’t just a coat but includes hat, scarf and gloves.

If you want a winter experience I really love NYC in November and December with the Thanksgiving (the 4th Thursday in November) to Christmas. The decorations, Rockefeller ice skating rink and Christmas tree are extremely pretty and festive. In the spring/summer months the US schools are on their big summer vacation (like the NZ December to February break). This makes for a busier time in late June to Mid August in NYC. September is lovely as not as hot. NYC is very hot in July and August and at times the city can feel like a heat trap. Many days in a row over 30 degrees Celsius is not uncommon and there can be heat advisory warnings.

Do I have to tip?

Yes you do. I know us Kiwis find that strange as it isn’t the norm in NZ. I am a big believer when you travel you should respect the locals ways. Rule of thumb is 15% to 20% for a taxi, restaurant. $1 per drink at a bar and $1 per bag for taxi driver and hotel bellboy. In deli’s you won’t need to tip and Uber it’s up to you if you tip or not. Do not be stingy here. I always aim to tip 20%.

What must I see and do in New York?

Next weeks blog lists my top things to do in NYC. These include walking around and soaking it all in. What do you want to do? Is it hailing a yellow cab, visiting the Statue of Liberty, going up the Empire State building, taking a helicopter ride seeing a baseball/basketball/ice hockey game, seeing a concert at Madison Square Garden or watching a show on Broadway? Coming at the end of August/Early September? If you love tennis then I highly recommend the US tennis open. There is so much to see and do! And I haven’t even mentioned the shopping and food.

What aren’t you telling me?

It’s big. The 5 boroughs that make up in NYC adds up to a population well over 8 million. On Manhattan island there can be approximately 4 million people on a typical weekday and close to 3 million on a weekend day. With those numbers you are likely to encounter a few challenges.

Safety. Things can go wrong. It could be a subway breaking down or a bad cab driver. Now with roaming cellphone plans you are able to navigate yourself into the busy areas of NY. I do believe there is safety in numbers. I take the subway up til around midnight. If I am traveling from a popular area (like Times Square) with many other people around me to my East Village stop on 8th Street/Broadway I feel very safe. Keep your wits about you.

Homeless people. They are prevalent in the city. As well as many troubling looking individuals and sadly, it’s unclear what is troubling them.
I recently had one lunge at me and send my salad flying all over the street. Things happen. Be mindful and walk with purpose. If in doubt, get out of there. No need to be a staunch kiwi.

Lines. Get used to lining up. Queuing isn’t as common a word in the US. People line up and accept that is part of living amongst so many people. You will encounter lines often as you will be visiting the busy tourist attractions. Best to be ready for it and keep smiling!

Times Square is a zoo of people. An energetic place full of lights, billboards and tourists. Lots of tourists. You have to go see it. It has improved over the more recent year with areas to sit down and pedestrian only areas. Just don’t expect to find too many local New Yorkers there!

Smell. In the summer time the heat can trap not so great aromas around rubbish (garbage) bins. What you would expect with a big city. Just keep moving and a park or a landmark will be close by to take your attention!

Super friendly. New Yorkers will be happy to help. Truly. Don’t be afraid to ask someone for directions. When I had a recent incident with that troubled individual lunging at me the two guys behind me stopped and made sure all was okay. New Yorkers will however “mow” you over if you are walking too slow. They move quick and with focus! Keep to the right when walking in NYC or step to the side and gather your bearings.

Next weeks (3/31) blog is all about my 7 favorite (favourite) things to do in NYC! See you then.

Leave a comment below if you have a specific question. You can connect with me on Instagram @kiwlizb