US

FAQs

What do we need to know about US?

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    When is the best time to go to NYC?

    Summer in NYC is hot!!! Be prepared for 32+ degree days so, if you’re walking (even with the subway, we averaged 5kms each day), fill up those water bottles with ice-cold water. The High Line in Summer is awesome with food stalls and sculptures, viewing platforms and botanical features. Head over there for a whole different view of the city (it’s a shadow of itself in Winter so skip it if you don’t want to be disappointed). Winter in NYC can be beautiful or gloomy… we were lucky enough to have magical, sunny (albeit freezing) weather in December which was perfect for walking around and even going to Central Park. We were gifted a Central Park Horse-and-Buggy ride which was slow but delightful (don’t plan to do this in Summer; it’s too hot for the horses).

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    What’s the best way to get to the US?

    Firstly, decide where you plan to travel to. Many people simply fly into NYC or LAX but, on the east coast, for example, other major cities (such as Boston or Newark) can be cheaper to fly into than NYC (for a family of 4, this could save you $400 each way!). Domestic travel in the US is pricey and often doesn’t have checked baggage or food/beverage included, even on the major airlines. Ensure you factor in food and baggage if you’re flying domestically. Hiring a transfer through booking.com seems to be the most cost effective way to get from the airport to your hotel (a return journey from Newark International was about $90 each way for a large vehicle, whereas Uber was about $130).

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    Is it safe? Will we need any vaccinations?

    In general, the US is safe (other than regular shootings). Take precautions with your personal possessions in NYC and LA as you would in any tourist city. You can drink the tap water in the US, although it may taste a little strange.

    A note on rip-off street vendors in NYC - it is not helping anyone when you purchase from these vendors. It makes it more likely that people will be trafficked to conduct this type of work plus it’s illegal for them to sell these items and you’ll be heavily fined if you are caught purchasing from these vendors. For more information, check out smartraveller.gov.au.

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    Will we need Visas?

    Australian citizens require an ESTA which you can apply for online and should be approved quite quickly (we managed to turn one around in 12 hours). It will cost about $40 USD. Be aware that you made need access to random documents such as expired passports from other countries (if you have them).

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    How much should we budget?

    As I write this, I nearly die but expect to set a budget of $500 per day for a family in NYC. This includes $320 a night for accommodation, $120 for food, $70ish for attractions, and $25 for the subway.

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    Will I need local currency?

    In the US, you can use your card everywhere. But, you’ll need cash for tipping to keep smallish notes from $5 to $20 handy at all times.

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    What’s the best way to travel around?

    If you’re travelling further afield, car hire is affordable but you’ll need car seats or boosters for kids. For 2 weeks of car hire, it’ll cost about $1500 plus tolls (budget for $50). You can pre-book online but not pre-pay in advance online (I think that’s just for non US residents). You’ll need an International Drivers Licence if you don’t have a US licence. We booked with Enterprise Car Rental because, apparently, their points system gives great discounts in the long term but we’re yet to see any evidence of this.

    We’ve used Amtrak Trains quite a few times to get around the east coast and found them to be fine. Get on as early as you can if you have large luggage as storage space is premium. You can also earn points through their app.

    When in NYC get the subway. We spent about $25 each day on the subway for 4 of us. You can just tap on/off with Apple Pay or whatever. If you do decide to grab a taxi, make sure that the driver turns on their meter. If they refuse, get out - this is illegal.

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    What about laundry?

    Laundry - Ergh! It’s one of the most annoying things when travelling as a family. Most NYC hotels won’t have a balcony so hand-washing in the sink isn’t really an option. Hotel laundry is exorbitant in NYC as well. Luckily, laundrettes AKA ‘Cleaners’ are not far away anywhere in NYC. We found Belleclaire Cleaners on the Upper Westside to be affordable and good quality ($21 for 10lbs of laundry ready the next day).

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    What should I expect to eat and drink?

    If you don’t have breakfast included (our hotel gave us $10 vouchers each for the bakery), many areas have fruit & veg vendors that you can store in your hotel fridge. On that note, it’s worth checking that your hotel has fridges in the rooms - ours had an ice-vending machine but no fridges. For an inexpensive lunch, head to a hot-dog stand, a taco truck, a pizza slice hole-in-the-wall (a quick search on Google Maps will show which ones have good reviews or not) or Wholefoods for a picnic. We found a brilliant hole-in-the-wall pizza place in the upper westside called Mamas Too! We recommend their Angry Nonna pizza which has the brilliant combo of salami and honey.

    We also found a great pub meal in Hells Kitchen - American Retro - perfect for adults and kids! Say ‘Hi!’ To Jamie behind the front bar from us :)

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    What are the family must-sees?

    We purchased a CityPass NYC which gave us 5 attractions for all 4 of us for about $500. A saving of about $100. We were in NYC for 7 days so we went to an attraction on most days and got to see The Empire State Building, Circle Line cruise that included the Statue of Liberty, Natural History Museum, The Guggenheim Museum and the Intrepid Museum. We also used the app to purchased a couple of reduced-price tickets for the Harry Potter Musical on Broadway. There’s also a 3-attraction city pass you can buy which would probably be the better option for us as we felt compelled to use up the 5-attraction pass.

    In regard to seeing Broadway shows, TKTS online (or in person in Times Square) is the best place to go for the best prices.

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    What can our family do there if we’re on a budget?

    Our kids loved Central Park. On route to the Guggenheim, we wandered through The Rambles and enjoyed some nature. The kids also like the concrete jungle gyms and water fountains. Plus, it’s free! There were free walking tours from Hotel Belleclaire as well. Readers can use the promo code TRIUMPH for the best booking price.

    Check out www.valpak.com for a range of coupons in your area. You can use coupons as many times as you like until they expire. Also, many fast-food chains have apps that can get you freebies and/or discounts. It’s worth the hassle of downloading and signing up.

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    What should we expect with accommodation in NYC?

    If you want to be right in the action, stay in Times Square. That’s not really our style. In winter, we stayed in Chelsea at The Cambria (3 nights cost us $800 in Winter 2021). It was warm, cozy and close to delicious bakeries. It’s a close to Times Square (but far enough away if you get my drift). In Summer, we stayed in the Upper West Side at Hotel Belleclaire. It cost $2000 for the 4 of us for the week but it’s high season and AirBNB is no longer available in the city so expect to pay premium rates if you’re staying in Manhattan. The Upper West Side neighbourhood is delightfully shady, a short walk to the #1 subway and in walking distance of Central Park and the Natural History Museum.