SherryStay Destination Guide
New York
The city that never sleeps — skyline, museums, Broadway and a neighbourhood for every mood.
About New York
New York does not ease you in — it simply expects you to keep up, and somehow you do. The energy is the attraction: the yellow-cab rivers, the steam off the streets, the vertical drama of Manhattan from a bridge at dusk. The icons deliver — Central Park, the view from the Empire State, the halls of the Met, the lights of a Broadway curtain going up on a record-breaking season — and the newly reopened Frick Collection has opened the mansion’s upper floor to the public for the first time. But the city belongs to its neighbourhoods, each a small nation: the delis of the Lower East Side, the brownstones of Brooklyn, and above all Queens, where Flushing and Jackson Heights serve some of the most authentic food in the city. Skip the cab into Midtown — since 2025 a congestion toll rings everything below 60th Street, and the subway is faster anyway. Loud, fast and wide awake at any hour, New York gives back exactly what you bring to it, and then a little more.
Stay in Midtown for first-timers (walk to everything) or the Lower East Side / Williamsburg for locals' New York. Hotel rates dip in January–February and midweek.
Best For
Where to Stay
Midtown
Times Square, Central Park, walk-to-everything
Lower East Side
Bars, galleries, downtown energy
Williamsburg (Brooklyn)
Hip, skyline views, foodie
Money-Saving Tips
- 1A 7-day unlimited MetroCard/OMNY cap pays off fast versus per-ride fares.
- 2Many museums (the Met included) are pay-what-you-wish for NY State residents and have free evenings — check before you pay full price.
Getting Around
- 1The subway beats taxis in traffic — download a map and use OMNY tap-to-pay.
- 2From JFK take the AirTrain to the E or LIRR rather than a $70+ taxi at rush hour.
Most Common Mistake
Booking a cheap hotel in a far outer-borough and burning hours commuting — stay near a major subway line instead.
4–6 nights
- • Washington DC (3.5h by train)
- • Boston (4h)
- • Philadelphia (1.5h)
New York at a glance
- New York is in United States.
- The nearest airport to New York is JFK and LaGuardia (LGA); Newark (EWR).
- Getting in from the airport takes JFK ~45–60 min; LGA ~30–45 min.
- The best way in is JFK: AirTrain + subway/LIRR; LGA: bus/taxi; or rideshare.
- A day in New York costs roughly $120–200 per person on a budget, $280–550 mid-range and $900+ at the luxury end.
- Sherry suggests 4–6 nights in New York.
- January is usually the cheapest month to visit New York, December is the busiest, and September offers the best value.
Common questions
- Where should I stay in New York?
- Midtown for first-timers (near sights/transit), the Village/SoHo for charm, Williamsburg (Brooklyn) for a hip, cheaper base.
- Do I need a car?
- No — the subway runs 24/7 and walking covers Manhattan. A car is a liability.
- How many days?
- 4–5 days for the major museums, Central Park, a show and a couple of neighbourhoods.
- How do I save money?
- Free museum hours, the Staten Island Ferry (free Statue views), and food-cart/slice eats.
- When is the best time to visit?
- April–June and September–November; December for the festive season.
Where to stay in New York
Looking for hotels in New York? It helps to decide on an area first — our guide to where to stay in New York sets out which neighbourhoods suit which kind of trip.
Around Verona the options include Days Inn by Wyndham Canastota/Verona, Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Verona, Hampton Inn Verona at Turning Stone and Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Verona Turning Stone.
Around Casino the options include Quality Inn Oneida near Casino, The Tower at Turning Stone Resort Casino, The Brook at Turning Stone Resort Casino and The Lodge at Turning Stone Resort Casino.
Around Quinta the options include La Quinta Inn & Suites Verona and La Quinta Inn & Suites Verona.
Elsewhere in the city you will also find Graziano’s World Famous Restaurant & Inn, Tuscany Suites, Tentrr Secluded Country Retreat, Comfort Inn & Suites Verona at Turning Stone Resort Casino, Vernon Downs Casino and Hotel, Village Motel, The Beachside Co, The Beachside, Hampton Inn & Suites Cazenovia, Oneida Lake Inn, The Lincklaen House, The Brewster Inn, Scottish Inns Westmoreland and Travel Inn.