Travel Info
New York City
If you've been to NYC before, you'll know it has literally endless entertainment, food, subway wildlife...
For those who are visiting for the first time, we've created a guide to help you navigate which airports to fly into, where to stay, where to eat, and how to ride the subway like a local.
We can't wait to share our home with you.
airport info
where to stay
Things to do
getting around
Flying into NYC
If you are travelling from the UK, then the most cost effective way to book flights could be through a package deal. Virgin Holidays or BA Holidays tend to have multiple options. There are typically sales on in July and in January, so it's worth keeping an eye on the websites for a good deal.
FOR UK TRAVELLERS:
There are three airports that serve the New York area: JFK, La Guardia, and Newark. La Guardia is mainly for short-haul travel, so if you're flying from Europe or the West Coast, you'll be choosing between JFK and Newark.
If you're staying in Manhattan, then there are good public transit options from both JFK and Newark, though JFK is a bit easier.
If you're staying in Brooklyn, we recommend flying into JFK. While public transit from JFK is very doable within Brooklyn, it's much more difficult and expensive from Newark, and the cost of an Uber may exceed whatever you'd be saving on a cheaper flight.
If you are staying in New Jersey, then Newark is the best airport for you, as it's closest and cheapest.
Where to Stay
New York City recently passed a law that limits Airbnbs to single rooms in people's homes, so if you want the place to yourself, you'll most likely be staying in a hotel. We recommend using price comparison sites like Google Hotels, Agoda, Booking.com, and Expedia to get the best price possible. The cheapest rates will likely become available about 2–3 months prior to your stay.
Brooklyn Hotels
Manhattan Hotels
Brooklyn is a great option if you're looking for a quieter, more local experience nearer to the venue (though Downtown Brooklyn in particular can still be quite busy). Brooklyn can also sometimes be a bit cheaper than Manhattan, depending on the hotel.
We recommend looking in Gowanus, Downtown Brooklyn, and Williamsburg, which are all relatively well connected to the rest of the city.
One option that provides a happy medium between an Airbnb and a traditional hotel is Sonder, a hotel chain with fewer amenities but at more affordable rates. There are a few locations in both Manhattan and Brooklyn, and the Sonder Industrialist location is close to the wedding venue.
FYI: NYC boroughs are BIG, especially Brooklyn and Queens. If you're staying in the boroughs, make sure to double check how long it will take you by public transit to get where you want to go while you're here.
There are plenty of trains from Manhattan into Sunset Park (where the venue is). Brooklyn Grange is on the N, R, and D subway lines, so provided you stay close to Times Square, the Financial District, Union Square, the Lower East Side, or SoHo, you'll only be one train line away from the venue.
There are lots of hotels in the Midtown area, which is walking distance to some of the top tourist attractions, making this a convenient area for sightseeing. There are also multiple branded hotel chains in the vicinity of Times Square, though we don't recommend staying on Times Square itself as it is very busy and stays lit up 24/7.
New Jersey
Airbnbs ARE allowed in New Jersey, so you may be able to find cheaper accommodations by staying in Jersey City or Hoboken, which are just across the river from Manhattan and accessible via the PATH train.
To get to the wedding venue via the PATH, you can take the train to 34th Street and transfer to the D train, which will take you to the venue. Or you can take the PATH into the Financial District and transfer to the N or R train.
What to Do
- Central Park
- The Highline (garden and art installations on a former above-ground train line)
- Washington Square Park
- Chelsea Market
- Ellis Island Hard Hat Tour (Our #1 rec for visitors! It's a special Hard Hat Tour of the unrestored Ellis Island Hospital Complex. A super cool way to learn about the island, American immigration, and NYC history.)
- Governor's Island (art installations, gardens, food trucks, outdoor movies, etc.)
- Dear Irving (old-timey NYC cocktails) $$
- McSorely's Old Ale House (classic NYC ale house) $
- Socarrat Paella Bar $$
- Bite (lunch) $
- Saigon Shack $
- Grey Dog (brunch, lunch, dinner) $
- MUD (brunch) $
- Mott Street Eatery (to-go dim sum) $
- JG Melon (burgers, diner food) $
- Tompkins Square Bagels $
- Lost Tacos No. 1 $
Sites
- Brooklyn Bridge
- DUMBO
- Prospect Park
- Brooklyn Botanic Gardens
- Kings County Distillery
- Widow Jane Distillery
Food & Drink
- Ops pizza (Michael's favorite pizza) $$
- Paulie Gee's pizza (Sophie's favorite pizza — get the Hellboy pie!) $$
- MáLà Project (Chinese, Dry Pot) $$
- Win Son (Taiwanese) $$
- Geido (sushi) $$
- Leland Eating and Drinking House (American) $$
- Faun (Italian) $$$
- Black Mountain Wine House (wine bar) $$
- Hometown Bar-B-Que $$
- Frankies 457 Sputino (Italian) $$$
- Petit Paulette (wine bar) $$
- Maite (Columbian/European fusion) $$
- Los Hermanos (tacos) $
- Tom's Restaurant (classic diner) $
Entertainment
- Sunny's Bar, Red Hook (bar with lovely live music)
- BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music)
- Pete's Candy Store (dive bar with live music)
- Nighthawk Cinema (dine-in movie theater)
- Greenlight Bookstore
- McNally Jackson Bookstore
- Museum of Moving Image (Astoria, Queens)
- The Rockaways! (the beach)
- Socrates Sculpture Park (Astoria, Queens)
- Cypress Cafe (Mom & Pop coffee & pastries) $
- Bravo's Cafe (Mom & Pop cafe & sandwiches) $
- La Cantine (French lunch cafe) $$
- Decades pizza $$
- Mama Yoshi Mini Mart (Japanese-American) $$
- Julia's (brunch) $$
- Plein Air (French) $$$
- Norma's Corner Shoppe (to-go sandwiches) $
- Rolo's $$$
- Gottscheer Hall (German beer hall) $
- Tong (thai food) $$
Entertainment
- MetroRock (climbing gym)
- Other People's Clothes (thrift store)
- Topos Bookstore
- Citi Field (baseball park, home of the Mets)
- Beacon, NY (cute town, sculpture park, breweries, etc.)
- Cold Spring, NY (cute town, hiking trailheads)
- New Paltz, NY (cute town)
- Robibero Winery (near New Paltz, need a car)
- Harriman State Park (hiking, nature)
- Breakneck Ridge (popular rock-scramble hike)
Obviously we can't include EVERYTHING this city has to offer, so below is a nonexhaustive list of our favs. For dinner spots, we always recommend making a reservation if you can, as places often have a waitlist.
Manhattan
Brooklyn
Queens
Outside the City
Getting Around NYC
- Other than walking, the subway is the cheapest, and often fastest way to get around the city. All NYC subway stations have contactless payment, including Apple Pay. Just tap your card at the turn-styles and you're in. It's the same price no matter how far you travel, so you do not need to tap out at the end of your journey.
- Google Maps and City Mapper are great tools for mapping your route.
- To get the subway from JFK, you'll need to take the Airtrain first, which is a separate payment from the subway. Airtrain also has contactless payment now.
Buses
- NYC buses are actually pretty good, and can be a great way to get around Brooklyn and Queens when the subways just aren't going where you need them to. They also have contactless payment when you board!
- Tip: Check the schedules on Google Maps or City Mapper before you go — sometimes it can be a long wait on weekends.
Yellow Cab, Uber, Lyft
- Yellow Cabs are pretty easy to find on the main avenues in Manhattan, but in Brooklyn and Queens, you'll probably need to call an Uber or Lyft if you want to take a car.
