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Cheap flights and New York? This is the connection we love the most (+ accommodation and activity tips)

New York City is a city where something is always happening. The yellow cabs try to change lanes, the ever-changing skyline, the spectacular parks in the middle of the concrete jungle, the daily celebrations in the streets, the protests, the opening of new bars and restaurants, the pizza 24/7,… The endless energy of this city, just won’t let you sleep. New York is a long-time favourite here at Pelican, which is why we’ve prepared an article where you’ll always find cheap flights, tips on cheap accommodation and we’ll also show you the places and activities to experience in this iconic city.

From where? With whom? When? Tips from Pelipeckers on flights to New York

From where? You can get to New York from Vienna, London (LHR,LHG), Paris (CDG), Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Madrid, Zurich, Dublin, Copenhagen, Rome, Munich, Barcelona, Budapest

With whom? British Airways, Air France, Lufthansa, KLM, SWISS, Iberia, Alitalia, Aer Lingus, Scandinavian Airlines, Norwegian Airshuttle

When? The best time to visit New York is either the summer season (June-September) or the winter season, when a trip is combined with pre-Christmas shopping and also the city’s unique winter atmosphere. If there are cheap dates in these months, don’t hesitate to book your tickets in advance.

What’s included? Return flight, all taxes, hand luggage and checked-in luggage.

Cheap flights to New York

Accommodation in New York: live in Brooklyn at a good price

Prices for accommodation are much higher than in the whole country. The price per night in most hotels is over 100 USD. Of course, the closer you are to Manhattan, the higher the price will be. It pays to book your room in advance.

However, as in any big city, you can stay in New York for great prices. Check prices and book your hotel through Pelican. Find accommodation tips on this handy map (you’ll also find top places and sights):

What you need to enter New York

  • You no longer need to apply for a visa at the US Embassy to travel to the US, you just need a biometric passport and an ESTA. Only those travelling to the US for more than 90 days or going to the US for work, study or exchange need to apply for a visa. Also, all those who have not been approved for ESTA.
  • Valid passport for at least 6 months after your return
  • United States of America has ended the requirement to show proof of vaccination and COVID-19 test on arrival, since May 11th 2023.

What to do, see and experience in New York?

We’ve travelled the United States of America cross-country, but New York still remains our absolute number one. We’re not big city lovers, on the contrary, we usually prefer to escape to the countryside. New York, however, has something going for it. And it’s something you’ll only understand when you first set foot in crowded Times Square or take a short walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. It’s a place of many faces. There are upscale restaurants and po-faced hot dog stands, glitzy hotels and cozy little apartments, flashy entertainment and picnics in Central Park.

New York is absolutely everything you can think of. We love it, and we hope you will too. For those just heading there, we’ve put together a few tips what to see in city that never sleeps.

Tickets to museums and attractions at favourable prices

Here are the TOP 5 attractions that our readers are most interested in:

  1. Tickets to MoMA + One World Observatory
  2. Tickets to SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
  3. Tickets to Statue of Liberty
  4. Tickets to American museum of national history
  5. Tickets to Empire State Building

Welcome to New York and fully enjoy your stay!

Let’s start with the symbol not only of New York, but of all North America – the Statue of Liberty. In the past, this tall lady has welcomed thousands of people who have come here in search of a better life. Today, it is a hugely popular tourist attraction. But when you want to get to it, be sure to buy your tickets months in advance. Another important piece of information is that tickets up to the crown of the statue are sold out even 3 months in advance. But you can also enjoy the view of “Lady Liberty”, as the locals nickname her, for free. Simply hop on the Staten Island Ferry, which runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on the river around her.

Shop ’til you drop – buy big luggage instead

The whole city is dotted with shops that won’t give you or your wallet a break. Head straight for the 5. Avenue when you’re looking for the best of the best. Enjoy the feeling when a sales assistant helpfully advises you on what fits, wraps the clothes you’re buying in soft (sometimes scented) paper, and puts them in a beautiful paper bag while you shop. Another Manhattan shopping paradise is Bloomingdale’s department store at 59th and Lexington Avenue, where you’ll find the most luxurious pieces by world-famous designers. For a less expensive shopping spree, head to Macy’s in Herald Square, one of the largest department stores in the world. You’ll find just about everything here, from bed linen to garden furniture to great coffee. Going to New York for Christmas? Get ready for spectacular and imaginative storefronts that compete to see which one has the prettiest decorations.

For good food, head to the “Greenmarket”. You’ll find plenty of fresh food here – cheese, vegetables, fruit, meat… you name it. This market takes place on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and the advantage is that you will find only locally produced products.

The city you’ll enjoy most from a bird’s eye view

You walk the streets of Manhattan all the time and you have to keep looking up at the tall skyscrapers. You’re only about 60 seconds away from being almost in the clouds. For the best views in the city, head to the Top of the Rock observation deck. You’ll get an incredible view of Central Park, Midtown with the iconic Empire State Building that’s a New Yorker’s heart, and you’ll see all the way to the financial district in Lower Manhattan, where millions of dollars in deals are made every day.

Do you want to see the Empire State Building? Visit it and enjoy a different view of the city, because only from here you can enjoy the view of other architectural gems of the city – the Chrysler Building or the Flatiron Buidling. The trio of skyscrapers with the best views also includes OneWorld. The building was built in close proximity to the former “twin towers” and it takes 47 seconds to reach the 102nd floor. If you’re lucky, you’ll even see clouds flying around you.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Remember the legendary movie “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” with the great actress Audrey Hepburn? The world-famous jewelry store apparently heard the pleas of all movie fans when it opened its flagship store at 5. Avenue, The Blue Box Café, named after its signature blue boxes. The cafe is very stylish, tuned in turquoise colors with a gorgeous view of Central Park and the Plaza Hotel. But you can enjoy not only breakfast here, but also lunch, tea at five or delicious desserts. For film and food lovers, this place is heaven on earth. Fully recommended!

Shops on every corner

You may not believe it, but this city is really dotted with green parks where squirrels or ducks chase each other. The most famous and largest is, of course, Central Park, which covers 843 acres and sees some 40 million people a year seeking recreation. The best way to explore it is by renting a bicycle. If you’d like to walk all of it, you’ll drop out halfway through. The park is also home to the romantic Belvedere Chateau or even THE MET Gallery, which exhibits works by world-famous artists such as Vincent van Gogh’s famous Sunflowers. The $25 entrance fee is only recommended, feel free to pay just $5 and go cross-country.

Another favourite is Battery Park in the financial district, where the Staten Island Ferry departs every 30 minutes, or Gantry Plaza State Park on Long Island, where you can see Manhattan in the palm of your hand, and you can hop on a boat that serves as a city shuttle and take a ride around all of Manhattan for less than $3.

New York City s jeho mosty

Are you at home, Carrie?

Perhaps everyone is familiar with the legendary series or film Sex and the City and its four main heroines, whose stories are set in this undying metropolis. If you love the unmistakable author of books and columns about relationships, Carrie Bradshaw, head straight to her apartment at 66 Perry Street in Manhattan’s West Village. You’ll be greeted by a quiet street with tall green trees, as if you weren’t even in the middle of New York City. About 2 minutes away, you’ll also find the famous Magnolia Bakery, where Carrie loved to go with her soap opera girlfriends – be sure to try the legendary banana pudding!

High Line v New Yorku.

Times Square – the centre of the universe?

I guess so. There are huge illuminated advertisements flashing at you every step of the way, dozens of clothing and souvenir shops, a cowboy playing his guitar dressed only in briefs and a hat, maybe you’ll witness a proposal of marriage right on the red steps… Simply put, it’s a place where there’s always something going on. However, it is a very touristy affair that the locals try to avoid at all costs.

But the locals love Broadway. If you’re traveling to NYC in the winter and want to save money on (expensive) tickets to a show, your best bet is the famous Broadway Week, where you get 2 tickets for the price of one. What a deal!

New York weather: summer and winter offer a completely different experience

Although it is located on the coast, New York is characterised by a humid climate. Winters here are cold, but thanks to its location on the coast, temperatures here are slightly warmer than inland. Summers are hot and dry. Each summer, the average temperature reaches 32°C on 18 to 25 days! The ideal time to visit, weather-wise, is summer, when the sea temperature also reaches an average of 23°C.

Transportation in New York: walk or take the subway as much as possible

New York is so spectacular that it’s probably hard to get around on foot. But definitely try! At least Manhattan is worth it. The fastest mode of transportation is the subway, it runs nonstop. A MetroCard costs between $2 and $80. Another alternative is the bus – the lines in the city are clean, reliable, and run frequently enough. Their only drawback is that they can be extremely slow. Taxis can be very expensive, but they are convenient (you can get one anywhere, anytime). New York car rentals are notoriously expensive, gas in the city is much more expensive than in other places in the US. The largest car rental companies are located at all three airports.

Photo source: Shutterstock, Dreamstime, Unsplash.com
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