New York had long been on my list of places to see, and when I finally decided to embark on solo travel, it was the first place I went. My first trip to the Big Apple was in November 2023, and while I went alone, I booked a guided tour through Bookmundi with Collette Travel. Given it was my first solo trip, and to such a big city, the tour was a great way to get to grips with New York and build my confidence. The tour leader, Mark, was so knowledgeable, and while the group was a lot older than me and nearly all American, it was nice to share the experience with others and chat to them about where they came from.

Without further ado, here’s my review of my first trip to New York. If you’re planning a trip to NYC, this will hopefully help you plan your trip too!

Manchester Airport – 7/10

Since this is my first solo travel post, I might as well cover everything, including their airports. Having not been to Manchester Airport for years and given all the horror stories, I was pleasantly surprised. I suppose a Tuesday morning at the end of October isn’t exactly peak time, but I made it through without issue or delay. Going through an airport alone really makes you wish you’d paid attention when travelling with family, but it went smoothly enough for a first attempt. I wandered around terminal two for a while, horrified at the prices. I don’t get the duty free hype to be honest. Everything seemed far more expensive than normal, but as I don’t drink or smoke, I might be missing the bargains. The chocolate was a complete rip-off in any event.

I stumbled upon Archie’s and had the nicest chicken tenders of my life. Delicious. 10/10 for them alone.

Tip: Eat nice food before you board the plane. Don’t get drawn into duty free when the same tin of M&Ms is half the price in B&M

Aer Lingus – 5/10

The staff were pleasant and the plane took off pretty much on time, both flying out and coming back. Can’t comment on the food because I didn’t eat any of it. I’m not a nervous flyer, but the smell of plane food is so unappealing, especially when it’s a full meal. Aer Lingus lost points here because it was old-fashioned. The seats were pretty uncomfortable, with not much leg space. I hadn’t been on a plane for years, but it still felt like a throwback. My biggest issue was the flight back. Yes, it was an overnight flight, but why would you put reclining seats on a plane with so little space to start with? The guy in front of me wasn’t even sleeping, he was watching a film. I might do another post discussing this particular issue because I know people are very divided on it. To me, the seats shouldn’t recline, given the limited space. Suffice it to say, I was relieved to get off that plane.

Tip: Fly with someone else, or spring for a seat with extra legroom.

JFk – 3/10

Not the nicest airport I’ve been to. Be warned, the queue for passport control is massive and took a good hour to get through. As I booked a tour through Bookmundi, I also arranged the transfer through them. Unfortunately, I had no idea where the transfer was. I wandered around and waited outside. I called the company several times and was eventually rescued by the driver. The drive into New York was nice, and as it was quite late, I got to see New York lit up in all its glory.

Travelling back to the UK through JFK was equally grim, with long queues for security and hardly any seats in the terminal.

Tip: Eat before you get to the airport when flying back – terminal seven was packed. Ask your transfer to be very specific about where they’re picking you up.

The Sheraton, Times Square – 7/10

A fancy hotel that was part of the group tour, and not one I’d usually pay for. The location was great though, only a few blocks up from the top of Times Square and a few blocks down from Central Park. It was late when I arrived, but after checking in, I ventured out in search of food. Maybe it was the long day of travelling, but standing alone in New York was a bit of a mind bend. It felt very strange for some reason, kind of like I’d stepped through the TV and into a different world.

I found a pizza place nearby, Ray’s Pizza, and got a couple of slices after a lot of anxious shuffling in the queue. New York isn’t a place that rewards the anxious or indecisive. The pizza was ok, but nothing special. I got two slices because I was hungry, not realising quite how big they are. Not bad overall, but very greasy, and I was too tired to get into them properly.

The hotel itself was nice, and the staff were pleasant. It was just before the New York marathon when I arrived, so it was really busy. Rooms were spacious if a little dated, and getting up and down in the lifts could be a bit slow. A nice hotel, overall and a fantastic location.

Tip: The lifts take time to go up and down so many floors, so don’t leave it last minute to try and get down to the lobby.

Times Square – 5/10

It’s iconic. Everyone had heard of Times Square in New York, but on my first full day in New York, I nearly walked through it without noticing. Mark, the tour guide, was in the hotel meeting and greeting the members of the tour group as they arrived, with the tour starting the next day. I met him downstairs in the hotel, where he gave me a map and talked about things I might want to check out today that weren’t on the tour. I hadn’t given it much thought, but the Empire State Building was the first thing that came to mind. A nice walk from the hotel was what I was told, and I was given suggestions for breakfast across the road. I’m not usually a breakfast person, and although I was hungry, I couldn’t bring myself to get breakfast anywhere alone. They all seemed to be too busy, so I figured I’d find somewhere on the way.

With map in hand, I embarked on a quest to find the Empire State Building. As alluded to above, I didn’t really recognise Times Square in the day, but eventually saw signs and realised where I was. It’s more of a triangle than a square. There were some big fast food places like McDonalds and a lot of shops, including Disney and the M&M store. If you want to take photos in Times Square, early on is best. There was hardly anyone around compared to nighttime. I went back to Times Square most evenings, and it was heaving. Be wary of the characters trying to take photos with you – they aren’t doing it for free!

On another note, there are a lot of pedicabs around (kind of like a tuk tuk), usually outside hotels or Broadway shows, offering rides around the city and Central Park. You’ll hear them blasting out Alicia Keys before you see them. A couple of people on the tour got stung by these as they charge by the minute. New York is full of traffic. Travelling a few blocks can cost hundreds. Avoid – they show a low price on the back to draw you in!

Tip: Be wary of all the characters and photo opportunities. Avoid the pedicabs at all costs.

Empire State Building – 7/10

I think I circled the building maybe three times looking for it. The walk took far longer than expected, and I didn’t find any food on route (constantly busy). I ended up in roughly the right area and, after consulting Google Maps, found the entrance to the Empire State Building. Buying a ticket was easy, and being on my own had the advantage that I didn’t hang around long to go up (they stagger entries when busy). The history was interesting, and you can feel your ears pop the higher up you go in the lift. There were some interesting attractions to look at on the way up, notably the King Kong hand smashing through a window. The view at the top was great, though it was a little cloudy when I went around mid-morning. Compared to other observation decks I visited later, this was a little bit dated, but it’s such a New York icon, how could you not go?

Tip: If you want to go at a peak time, book in advance – this place gets busy!

Bus Tour – 9/10

So, this was exclusive to the tour I was on, though if you go through Times Square, there are dozens of people promoting various tours and hop on hop off buses. Some of these looked really good too, with the seats facing out the side of the bus, kind of like a cinema. If I hadn’t already had the tour as part of my trip, I would have tried one of these.

As it happens, the bus tour I went on was an absolute highlight of the trip. A lady joined us to do the tour, and along with Mark, she was so informative that I really felt like I got to know New York. The information given about places of interest and the local history was fantastic. The tour started near the hotel and went everywhere, from around the east side of Central Park to the financial district. We saw the Brooklyn Bridge in passing too! The traffic is horrific in New York, but if it’s your first time, I would really recommend finding a good tour.

Tip: If it’s your first time in New York, I’d definitely research a good bus tour!

Central Park – 8/10

We actually stopped off here as part of the bus tour, specifically around the area known as Strawberry Fields, named in memory of John Lennon. Central Park is massive, and the walk around this particular area was lovely and very scenic, as you’ll see from the photos. To explore Central Park properly, you would need a full day (and a map), but even if you only see a tiny piece of it, it’s totally worth a visit.

I was going to have a little look around on my last day, but the New York marathon was on, and a lot of roads were closed around that area.

Tip: Check out a map before you go, particularly if there’s a certain area you want to see.

Statue of Liberty – 8/10

This was a must-see and was included as part of the tour. The bus took us down to get the ferry, which was absolutely packed, even though it was early. There are a few different boats that go out to the islands, and I believe you can also get the free Staten Island ferry, but this isn’t what we got. It didn’t take long to reach Liberty Island, but for some reason, it never occurred to me that the Statue of Liberty was on its own island, but maybe that was just me. Weather-wise, it was a great day, and it made the Statue of Liberty all the more picturesque. There was a small museum with some history, a café and a gift shop. If you want to go into the crown, you need to book in advance, but you can get some great photos just by looking around the island. It’s such an iconic statue, I would say it’s a must-see, but there’s not a great deal else to do on the island. Fortunately, most of the boats do a circuit between the islands, and the next stop was Ellis Island.

Tip: I would get there early for the best photos without too many people around.

Ellis Island – 8/10

While I’d heard of Ellis Island before travelling to New York, I hadn’t put much thought into what it was, and so had no expectations going in. The historic starting point for immigrants arriving in the United States, Ellis Island turned out to be a fascinating look at America’s history. The exhibitions were interesting and plentiful enough that it was an easy way to pass a few hours. We arrived quite early, following our trip to the Statue of Liberty, and by the time we left in the early afternoon, it was getting very busy. The grounds around the main building are nice to see, and there is a café on site, albeit a very busy one. Overall, if you are taking the boat out to Liberty Island, a stop off at Ellis Island is well worth your time.

Tip: Again, go early to miss the peak busy times. There are audio tours too, but I lost track of where I was on mine.

Ellen’s Stardust Diner – 6/10

This breakfast was included as part of the tour, and having heard of Ellen’s Stardust Diner and the famous singing waiters, I was very excited to go. We got there quite early as a booked group, before a queue built up. All the meals included as part of the tour had a set menu, and this was the same.

I like a good bacon and sausage barm or full English as a treat, but generally, I don’t eat breakfast unless I’m out and about or treating myself after the gym. So, you can imagine my shock at seeing steak for breakfast. Yes, a lump of steak for breakfast. My breakfast alone was big enough to feed all of us. Anyway, the food was nice enough, though nothing special. A few of the waiting staff performed while we were there, standing on the tables and moving around the diner. It was a nice experience, but probably not worth the massive queue that was waiting outside when we left. There were some really good singers, and they passed around a bucket for tips, but the suggested tip was $30 to $40. Mark wasn’t happy, since for the last few years it was usually a much smaller suggested amount.

Tipping culture is a whole other beast in America. I happily leave tips on holiday, but the amount they expect is like buying another meal, and nowhere I went did I find service that was any better than you’d get in the UK or Europe. Be wary if you go here – they will give you the hard sell for tips repeatedly.

Tip: If you go, book in advance and beware of the expected tips.

Broadway – 10/10

As part of the tour, we got to attend a Broadway show that was preselected for us. A few of the group saw different shows, but most of us got tickets to Wicked. This was, obviously, my first time seeing a Broadway show, and it was a great one. Mark gave us directions earlier in the day from the hotel, so we set off as a group to the Gershwin Theatre. I was surprised how much I loved Wicked, and while most of my group had seen it before (or a version of it in their hometowns) it was an experience I will never forget. The atmosphere was everything you could want. We had seats on the balcony near the front, which I thought were perfect (less chance of tall people in front of me).

Following this, I also bought tickers for The Lion King and The Cursed Child to fill up my evenings. Be warned, Broadway is addictive. The Lion King is my all-time favourite film so this was a show I had always wanted to see, and it was fantastic. I had a decent seat, but as I found with other shows I’ve been to since, the seating isn’t great. You’re one tall person away from not seeing anything, and given the price of tickets, this can be really irritating. Obviously, I understand people can’t shrink, but the seating could be modernised to limit this issue. Despite the head in my way, The Lion King was a fantastic show, and I enjoyed The Cursed Child too. Having read The Cursed Child when it came out, I wasn’t a massive fan of the story, but the special effects were great, and it was a nice change from the musicals I’d seen. I might do a separate post ranking the Broadway shows I’ve seen across both visits to New York, but if you’re going to New York, you’ve got to see at least one show!

Tip: There is a ticket office in Times Square that you can buy reduced tickets at for the same day. Some shows almost never appear there (The Lion King, Hamiliton) but for others you can get decent prices. Be prepared to queue!

9/11 Memorial & Museum

I’m not going to rate this one because I don’t think it can be rated. It was part of the tour package, and Mark got us there early before it was too busy. The memorial outside is a sobering reminder of the scale of the attack, and seeing the gap where the building once stood is an example of how it could have been even worse, had the building collapsed sideways rather than falling vertically. The knowledge and experience of Mark was really on display here, and I found The Survivor Tree particularly moving, especially as Mark mentioned cuts of it have been sent to other countries following terror attacks, including the arena bombing in Manchester.

To be honest, I wasn’t as keen on going to the museum as the Americans on the tour were. Mark mentioned no one from New York, particularly those in the city at the time, would go to the museum, but apparently other Americans are fascinated. I was surprised by how interested a lot of them were in the museum. After a couple of hours looking around, I was well done with it, but some of them could have been in there all day.

It was a nicely done museum that honoured the victims and told their stories. Seeing some of the remains of the original tower was a weird experience too. As the only Brit there, I was asked by the group what the coverage of 9/11 was like in the UK, but I don’t remember a great lot to be honest. I was in primary school at the time and remember the teachers at the end of the day and then the parents at the gate talking in hushed tones about ‘something happening in America’. Given my age at the time, it was interesting to learn the whole story as an adult, but this really wasn’t my type of museum. I suspect there are two types of people when it comes to this: those uncomfortable with a museum of a terror attack, and others fascinated by what happened and who want to understand every aspect. Neither is wrong, just different ways of dealing with it.

Tip: Get there early and start at the museum from the end. Mark recommended this, and it was so much quieter to have a look around.

Top of the Rock – 10/10

On my last day in New York City, I was very depressed. It took me a few days to get into the swing of being alone in such a big city, but when I did, I loved it. I needed more time. There was so much more to see. My flight wasn’t until the evening, and check out was at midday, so I had some time to kill. I saw Mark for the last time and thanked him for such a fantastic experience. He suggested Top of the Rock as somewhere nice to see, and I wandered first to a café for a massive chocolate muffin and then towards the Rockefeller Centre. Not going to lie, this is one of my favourite places in New York. I was a bit early for the shopping centre itself. Hardly anything was open, and I’ve come to realise a lot of places in New York don’t open until 10am. It’s just a different vibe, even wandering around the plaza and seeing where the Rockefeller Tree would soon go. I got into Top of the Rock pretty quickly, considering I hadn’t booked and enjoyed the journey up through the building to the observation deck. To me, this has the best view of New York. I was so happy up there and took my time soaking it all in. I would absolutely recommend going here for the views. My favourite place from my first trip to New York, and leaving it to go back to the hotel, and then JFK was a horrible feeling.  

Tip: Soak in the views and get a photo taken on the famous beam on your way back down. Try not to weep when you leave.

So there you have it, my first trip to New York City and my first solo trip. The tour group element really helped ease me into travelling alone and gave me a lot of confidence for my second trip to New York a year later. It is, without a doubt, my favourite place. There is just so much to do and see. I could spend hours just wandering around exploring. It is called the city that never sleeps for a reason, and the constant motion can be off-putting for some, but even as an introvert, I loved it. Maybe the constant motion helps. Even if you’re alone, there are constantly people, events and life happening around you, but no one notices or cares if you’re alone – there’s too much else to see and to do.

It’s certainly something to think about. Maybe I’ll ramble about it in another post, but for now, look out for my next solo holiday post, on my first solo beach holiday to Gran Canaria.

Until then,