USA - New York
New York is one of those cities that seems to have been designed specifically to overwhelm you. It is enormous, noisy, crowded, expensive and permanently in a hurry. Yet somehow, despite all the chaos, it is also one of the most exciting cities you can visit. New York doesn't really do relaxing holidays, but if you want somewhere where there is always something happening, you won't be disappointed.
The obvious starting point is Manhattan, the heart of the city and the place where most visitors spend their time. The skyline is extraordinary, with skyscrapers seemingly competing to see which can reach furthest into the sky. Empire State Building remains the classic viewpoint, although the newer One World Trade Center and Top of the Rock offer equally impressive views, with the added advantage that you can actually see the Empire State Building from them.
Empire STate Building admission costs:- 86th Floor General Admission: Starts at $48.00 (£35.25) for adults, $46.00 (£33.75) for seniors (62+), and $42.00 (£30.75) for children (ages 6–12). Children under 6 are free.
86th & 102nd Floor Combo: Starts at roughly $87.00 (£63.75) for adults, $84.00 (£61.50) for seniors, and $80.00 (£58.75) for children.
Express Pass / Skip-the-Line: Starts around $93.00 (£68.00) for the 86th floor or $131.00 (£97.50)for both floors (all age tiers).
Sunset Surcharge: An extra fee of about $11.00 (£8.00) applies for peak golden hour visits.
Then there is Times Square, which is probably the most obvious example of New York's determination to assault your senses. Giant advertising screens, bright lights, traffic, crowds and people dressed as cartoon characters all compete for your attention. It is fascinating for about fifteen minutes, after which you may find yourself wondering whether there is somewhere slightly quieter to go. There is, thankfully.Central Park is one of the city's great achievements and an essential escape from the concrete jungle. It is enormous and much more interesting than simply being a large patch of grass between skyscrapers. There are lakes, bridges, woodland, gardens and walking paths, and it is particularly enjoyable to explore on foot or by bicycle. The contrast between the park and the surrounding buildings is one of the things that makes New York so distinctive.
Down at the southern end of Manhattan is the Statue of Liberty, perhaps the most recognisable symbol of New York and America itself. You can take a boat across to Liberty Island, although one of the best ways to see the statue is actually from the water without necessarily getting off the boat. The free Staten Island Ferry provides excellent views as it crosses the harbour and saves you the cost of a dedicated sightseeing cruise.
If you want the full deal General Admission Costs (Ferry + Grounds + Museums) Adults (Aged 13+): $26.00 (£19.00), Seniors (Aged 62+): $23.00 (£16.80) Children (Aged 4–12): $17.00 (£12.50) Children Under 4: Free
Nearby is Ellis Island, where millions of immigrants arrived in America during the great waves of immigration. The museum provides a fascinating insight into the people who came to the United States hoping to build a new life. It is a particularly interesting reminder that modern New York was built by immigrants from almost everywhere on Earth.
The 9/11 Memorial and Museum is another important stop, although this is obviously a much more sombre experience. The memorial pools occupy the footprints of the two towers and provide a remarkably peaceful space in the middle of Lower Manhattan. The museum itself is extensive and moving, and it is worth allowing plenty of time rather than treating it as just another attraction.Around $30–$38 (£22.00 - £27.75).Youth and Child Tickets: Range from $21 to $27 (£15.50 - £19.75) depending on age.
Guided Tours (Includes Admission): Range from $48 to $71+ (£35.25 - £51.25) depending on the specific tour style and age.
Outdoor Memorial: Completely free to visit without a ticket.
New York is also famous for its neighbourhoods, and this is where the city becomes much more interesting than the standard tourist circuit. Greenwich Village, SoHo, Chinatown, Little Italy, Chelsea and the Upper West Side all have their own characters. Simply walking around is one of the best ways to experience the city.
Brooklyn is increasingly popular with visitors, and rightly so. Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge provides superb views of the Manhattan skyline, particularly early in the morning or around sunset. Brooklyn itself has plenty of restaurants, bars and neighbourhoods worth exploring, and getting away from Manhattan for a while gives you another perspective on New York.
One of the city's great attractions is its museums. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is enormous, and you could spend an entire day there without seeing everything. The American Museum of Natural History is another favourite, particularly if you have an interest in dinosaurs, while the Museum of Modern Art contains some of the world's best-known modern artworks.
General admission to the Metropolitan Museum of Art costs $30.00 (£22.00) for adults, $22.00 (£16.20) for seniors and visitors with disabilities, and $17.00 (£12.50) for students
Then there is Broadway. Even if you aren't a great theatre enthusiast, seeing a show in New York is something worth considering. The quality of the productions is generally exceptional, although tickets can be eye-wateringly expensive. There are ways of getting cheaper tickets if you are prepared to be flexible, but this is another area where modern New York is not exactly a bargain destination.Food, however, is one area where New York still delivers spectacularly. The city has virtually every cuisine imaginable, thanks largely to its immigrant population. You can eat Italian, Chinese, Jewish, Mexican, Indian, Korean, Greek, Japanese and almost anything else you can think of, often within a few blocks of each other.
And yes, you should have a New York pizza and a New York bagel while you're there. Whether they really are better than what you can get elsewhere is a matter for argument, but New Yorkers certainly believe they are. Street food can also be excellent and, compared with some of the city's restaurants, relatively affordable.
Getting around is surprisingly easy. The New York Subway is not the prettiest or cleanest underground system in the world, but it is extensive and gets you almost everywhere. Taxis are another New York institution, although traffic can make journeys frustrating. Personally, I think walking is often the best way to explore Manhattan — just remember that what looks like a short distance on the map may involve considerably more walking than expected.There are downsides, of course. New York is expensive, particularly when you add accommodation, restaurant prices, attraction tickets and the various taxes and charges to your bill. It can also be dirty in places, noisy virtually everywhere and rather intimidating if you aren't used to enormous cities. The crowds around the major attractions can become exhausting.
But New York has something that many large cities lack — energy. It feels alive at almost every hour of the day. You can walk down a street at midnight and find restaurants still packed, shops still open and people still rushing around as though it were the middle of the afternoon.
And perhaps that is why New York works so well. It isn't particularly beautiful in the traditional European sense, and it certainly isn't relaxing, but it is endlessly interesting. Every neighbourhood has a different character, every street seems to have a story and there is always something happening.
Old Moaner verdict: New York is big, loud, expensive and exhausting — and I absolutely love it. It is not a city for sitting around doing nothing, but if you embrace the madness there is an incredible amount to see and do. Don't just tick off the Empire State Building, Times Square and the Statue of Liberty. Get on the subway, explore the neighbourhoods, walk across Brooklyn Bridge and find somewhere to eat that isn't aimed at tourists. New York may take a considerable amount of your money, but unlike Las Vegas, it gives you an awful lot in return.
Prices quoted correct as at June 2026
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