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Major city · United States

ManhattanNew York County

Base yourself in Manhattan for 4–5 nights: stay Midtown for first-trip sights, Downtown or the Village for food and nightlife. Skip a car.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Apr–Jun, Sep–Dec
avoid Jan–Feb (cold), Jul–Aug (hot and humid)
Airports
JFK · LGA · EWR
Nights
4–5
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

Manhattan is one of New York City's five boroughs and the one most visitors mean by "New York": Central Park, Times Square, Broadway, the Empire State Building and the Met are all here. It is a long, thin island with a numbered grid north of Houston Street, so most trips work as a set of walking clusters linked by subway. Four to five nights covers the headline sights at a sane pace; a week lets you add neighbourhoods, museums and a day trip.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Manhattan, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeUS$4–7
  • Sit-down mealSit-down dinner, mid-range, before tax and tipUS$25–45
  • Street or quick mealDeli sandwichUS$12–18
  • Beerbar draught / bodega canUS$8–12US$3–5
  • Taxi, about 5 kmTaxi across MidtownPlus tip and any surcharges.US$15–25
  • Metro or bus rideSubway rideUS$3
  • Museum or sight ticketMuseum entry (the Met, American Museum of Natural History)checkUS$30–35
  • Budget bedHostel dorm bed, a night, per personUS$60
  • Mid-range bedMid-range hotel double room, a night, per roomUS$320
  • High-end bedMid-range hotel double room, a night, per roomUS$600

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$90 · Mid US$180 · High US$350

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Central ParkTimes Square and BroadwayEmpire State BuildingMetropolitan Museum of ArtWall Street and the Financial DistrictGreenwich Village and SoHo
Airports
JFK John F. Kennedy International (AirTrain to Jamaica or Howard Beach, then subway or LIRR into Manhattan; allow 60–90 min to Midtown.) · LGA LaGuardia (No rail link; bus or taxi. Taxi to Midtown about 30–45 min outside rush hour.) · EWR Newark Liberty International (AirTrain to Newark Airport station, then NJ Transit or Amtrak to Penn Station; about 45–60 min.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Manhattan: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

4°C

−3°C

8 rd

Feb

6°C

−2°C

8 rd

Mar

11°C

2°C

9 rd

Apr

17°C

7°C

9 rd

May

22°C

13°C

10 rd

Jun

27°C

18°C

9 rd

Jul

30°C

21°C

9 rd

Aug

29°C

21°C

9 rd

Sep

25°C

17°C

8 rd

Oct

19°C

11°C

8 rd

Nov

13°C

6°C

8 rd

Dec

7°C

0°C

9 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The subway runs 24 hours and is the default: pay per ride with a contactless card or phone at the turnstile, or load a MetroCard. Buses are slower but useful crosstown. Walking is often fastest between nearby avenues — about 20 street blocks to a mile, seven avenues to a mile. Taxis and rideshare fill the gaps late at night. A car in Manhattan is a cost, not a help: parking is expensive and traffic is slow.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Staten Island

go

Door to door: About 1 h each way

Subway to Whitehall St or Bowling Green, then the free Staten Island Ferry from the Whitehall terminal

The ferry is free and gives harbour and Statue of Liberty views; walk or take a bus from St George.

Brooklyn

go

Door to door: 20–40 min

Subway across the East River, or walk the Brooklyn Bridge from City Hall

Bridge walk is about 1.3 km one way; go early to avoid the crowds.

Queens

go

Door to door: 20–45 min

Subway lines 7, E, F, M, N, R, W to Queens

Museum of the Moving Image and the food streets of Flushing and Jackson Heights.

Bronx

go

Door to door: 30–50 min

Metro-North from Grand Central to Yankees–E 153rd St, or the subway

Yankee Stadium, the Bronx Zoo and the New York Botanical Garden.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Midtown (Theater District, Midtown East)

Walk to Times Square, Broadway, the Empire State Building and Grand Central; best for a first trip and short stays.

Financial District and TriBeCa

Statue of Liberty ferries, Wall Street and the 9/11 Memorial on foot; quieter at night, good subway links.

Greenwich Village, SoHo and Chelsea

Restaurants, bars and shopping; central but low-rise, so rooms are smaller and often pricier.

Upper West Side and Upper East Side

Central Park, the Met and the American Museum of Natural History; residential and calmer, 15–25 min by subway to Midtown.

Lower East Side and East Village

Nightlife and cheap eats; noisier at night, fewer big hotels.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
US$90–150 excl. bed
Mid
US$150–280 excl. bed
High
US$280+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Mid-range hotel double room1 × 4 nights × US$320US$1,280
Food, local transport, entries2 × 4 days × US$180US$1,440
AirTrain plus subway from JFK, one way2 × US$11 · checkUS$22
Subway ride2 × US$3US$6
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$20US$40
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$279
Trip total≈ US$383 per person per day, bed includedUS$3,067

2026 estimate in US dollars; flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

CoffeeUS$4–7
Slice of pizzaUS$4–6
Deli sandwichUS$12–18
Sit-down dinner, mid-range, before tax and tipUS$25–45
Beer: bar draught / bodega canUS$8–12 / US$3–5
Subway rideUS$3
Taxi across MidtownPlus tip and any surcharges.US$15–25
Museum entry (the Met, American Museum of Natural History)checkUS$30–35

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Manhattan is busy and generally safe in the areas visitors use, but petty theft happens on packed subway cars and around Times Square: keep your phone and wallet out of sight, and use well-lit streets at night.
  • Sales tax is added at the till; the shelf price is not the final price.
  • Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, US$1–2 a drink, 15–20% in taxis.
  • Ticket touts around Times Square sell overpriced or invalid Broadway seats; buy from the box office or an official seller.
  • Subway platforms are hot in summer and some stations have no lift; check step-free access if you have bags or a stroller.
  • Summer heat and humidity are real; carry water and plan indoor breaks in July and August.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911
NYC non-emergency city services
311

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

ManhattanNew York County

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • NYC non-emergency311

Embassy

Most countries have consulates in Manhattan; check your country's official site for the address and hours.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • JFK → Midtown, AirTrain plus subway: about US$11, 60–90 min (check)
  • Subway ride: US$3 flat, free transfers within the system
  • Taxi JFK → Midtown: flat fare plus tolls and tip (check)

Say or show

  • Excuse me — Excuse me
  • Thank you — Thank you
  • How much is it? — How much is it?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • Where is the subway? — Where is the subway?
  • Check, please — Check, please

English is the working language; Spanish and many others are widely spoken.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Manhattan. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Apr–Jun, Sep–Dec · avoid Jan–Feb (cold), Jul–Aug (hot and humid) · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 5 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contracts for JFK, LGA and EWR: last-train windows, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Walking clusters with rescue anchors: Midtown, Central Park and Museum Mile, Downtown and the Financial District, the Village and SoHo.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (the Met, Empire State Building, 9/11 Memorial, Statue of Liberty) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Broadway and holiday-season fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources