Looking for great NYC deals and recommendations? You’re in the right place!
Our founder, Jessie Festa, has curated her favorite discounts, experiences, and hotels to help you plan a truly unforgettable trip to New York!
Note: This page contains affiliate links to trusted partners we love and think you will too!
Top NYC Deals
Radical Storage. Store your luggage while you explore the city, with prices starting at less than $5 per bag, per day.
CityPASS. Save up to 41% on top NYC attractions with CityPASS.
SafetyWing. This is our preferred travel insurance provider, offering competitive rates and comprehensive plans.
Speakeasy Pickpocket-Proof Scarves. Protect your valuables while wandering the city with these handmade scarves that contain hidden pockets. They come in a variety of styles, with options for every season. For a deal, you can check their sale rack here.
Recommended Partner Experiences
These tours and experiences have been carefully curated by our founder, Jessie Festa, and sourced from our partner, Viator (A TripAdvisor Company).
😍 SUMMIT One Vanderbilt. In our opinion, this is the most memorable of all the NYC observation decks. The attraction includes three floors of fun — including a floor where the view is reflected onto the ground (which makes for interesting photos), a playful room full of reflective balloons, and a cafe and bar with an epic view of the Empire State Building. Here is an Instagram reel by Jessie that gives you look into the experience.
📍Tenement Museum. Step into an 1863 tenement building in Manhattan’s Lower East Side and learn the stories of the newly arrived immigrant families that lived there. This is one of NYC’s most important and fascinating museums if you enjoy history.
🗽Early Access: First on the Island Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island. Visiting the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island not only offers incredible skyline views, but these important sites tell the story of New York City — and the USA. Avoid the crowds on this early access tour, which allows you to board the first ferry of the day to Liberty Island.
🍕NYC Food Tours. New York City is known for its delicious food; however, there are only a certain amount of meals in a day. Luckily, a food tour allows you to explore the city while trying bites from a variety of local vendors. A few of our favorite food tours include:
- Chinatown & Little Italy Food Fest (this is our TOP pick!)
- New York City Lower East Side Culture and Food Tastings Tour
- NYC Greenwich Village Italian Food Tour
- Flatiron Food, Architecture, and History Tour
- Best of Brooklyn Half-Day Food and Culture, Bus and Walking Tour
🚌 NYC Bus Tour of Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens: Contrasts, Color and Character. Short on time and want to visit New York City beyond Manhattan? This top-rated tour provides a comprehensive look at New York City’s boroughs. Bonus: Enjoy waterfront views of the Manhattan skyline and Brooklyn Bridge!
🚢 Manhattan Architecture Yacht Cruise. Board a 1920s-style yacht to enjoy incredible skyline views, a complimentary beverage in hand. As this cruise is narrated by the American Institute of Architects (AIA), you’ll also learn about New York City’s architectural landmarks.
➡️ Click here for a full list of NYC tours.
➡️ Click here for our full list of Recommended NYC Experiences (in Jessie’s own Viator Shop collection).
Unique Experiences & Events
For unique experiences and events, check out:
🥘 EatWith. If you love food experiences, EatWith offers you the chance to dine in local homes as well as take cooking classes and food tours with local New Yorkers. Even as locals ourselves, we’ve booked EatWith experiences and have loved them!
🐳 NYC Whale Watching Tour. Our guests are always surprised to learn that you can go whale watching from New York City! Don’t miss this unforgettable chance to experience the more natural side of NYC.
💃 Fever. This platform showcases fun events and pop-up experiences you can’t find on many other platforms.
🥳 GetYourGuide. Along with selling tours, GetYourGuide has a section showcasing fun immersive and interactive experiences.
Preferred Hotels
First-Time Visitors
Those visiting NYC for the first time usually stay in the Times Square area or nearby to be centrally located to the main attractions. A few Times Square area hotel recommendations include:
🏨 Marriott Marquis. This is the most popular place to stay for first-time visitors, and you’ll be in the heart of Times Square. With its iconic atrium and revolving rooftop restaurant, it provides guests with stunning city views.
🏨 Hotel Edison. This property is also in Times Square, but on a side street so it’s a bit more peaceful. It’s a historic hotel boasting art deco interiors and is steps away from Broadway theaters, making it an ideal choice for those seeking a classic NYC experience.
🏨 Stay AKA: Times Square. This property combines modern luxury with the comforts of home. With spacious, fully equipped suites, it caters to extended stays in the bustling Times Square area, providing a stylish retreat near most of NYC’s main attractions.
🏨 MOXY NYC Times Square. Geared toward budget-conscious millennials, this hotel offers a playful and contemporary stay in the heart of the action. It’s known for its trendy design, vibrant social spaces, and rooftop bar with panoramic views.
🏨 Aliz Hotel Times Square. Featuring a sleek and modern design, this hotel offers a sophisticated urban escape. Boasting a rooftop bar with stunning city views, this boutique hotel provides a stylish retreat just steps away from Times Square (but still slightly removed from the craziness).
Returning Visitors
If you’ve been to NYC before, you’ll likely want to stay outside of Times Square in one of the more charming and less-hectic neighborhoods. Here are some recommendations:
🏨 The William Vale Hotel (Williamsburg, Brooklyn). This luxury hotel features contemporary decor, delicious food, and beautiful views. Known for its unique triangular architecture, spacious rooms, and a 360-degree rooftop bar with panoramic vistas, it provides a trendy and upscale stay in one of Brooklyn’s hippest neighborhoods.
- In the same neighborhood, we also love the trendy Arlo Williamsburg.
🏨 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge (DUMBO, Brooklyn). Located in the hip neighborhood of DUMBO, which, in our opinion, is the most beautiful neighborhood in NYC, 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge emphasizes sustainability and nature-inspired design. With reclaimed materials and stunning views of the Manhattan skyline, it offers an eco-luxury experience.
🏨 The Ludlow Hotel (Lower East Side, Manhattan). This opulent hotel is known for its modern rooms and epic views. It’s also got an amazing location within walking distance to great bars, restaurants, and music venues, making it easy to find fun things to do in NYC nearby.
🏨 Crosby Street Hotel (SoHo, Manhattan). Along with rooms that feature enormous windows showcasing gorgeous views over SoHo and Lower Manhattan, guests can enjoy onsite experiences like a bar and terrace, sculpture garden, rooftop kitchen garden, movie theater, and more.
🏨 The Beekman, A Thompson Hotel (Lower Manhattan). You’ll still be near popular NYC attractions like the Brooklyn Bridge, One World Trade, and Wall Street, though Lower Manhattan is much less chaotic than Times Square. Housed in a stunning 19th-century building, it features a breathtaking nine-story atrium and upscale amenities.