TRAVEL PREPARATIONS FOR NEW YORK IN HOLY WEEK
Last year, after fitting into the calendar what would be one of the long trips of 2015, in which we met Guatemala and Honduras, we decided that it was time to start thinking about the destination that we would occupy this year's Holy Week And it is that from experience, we know that not planning trips on these dates with time, is usually a problem, both in prices and availability.
Although it is true that in principle we had planned to make some short getaway, this year, especially after seeing the offers of flights that we were publishing in Best Flight, we decided that it was time to make a somewhat longer trip to what was initially planned and know a of the most visited and famous cities in the world. One of those cities with which we had been dreaming for years and we had not yet met.
Let's go to New York at Easter!!
After having booked the flight, the first thing we did was start looking for information on what to see and do in New York, finding ourselves with such a lot of information, that we are not going to lie to you, it was even overwhelming at times. Seeing that it was impossible to cover it all, both for time and for mental health, we decided to start by reading the New York guide of Lonely Planet, which we have to say, is very complete and detailed, and with it start planning what would be our New York route during Easter for 11 days
We started by making it very clear that we wanted to make a trip without too many ties, without focusing on the many recommendations that are on the forums, since if we do, being the first contact with the city, we would spend the 11 days visiting the recommended restaurants , watching shows ... Although that does not mean that we do not visit some of them, but without these becoming more important than the city itself. On this first occasion we want to know New York, not to lose ourselves only among its stores more recommended.
The first thing was to locate its five boroughs or neighborhoods: Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island, something essential to get an idea of the location of the places we want to visit and especially the distances between them, something that we assure you , will make you rethink the idea of a quiet visit to New York.
Once with the neighborhoods located and considering the number of places we want to see, we focus mainly on Manhattan, knowing that this is going to be the area that will occupy us the most time, considering that it is our first trip to New York, and that there are practically 90% of places we plan to meet.
So that this article is not too tedious in its reading, we leave you the post what to see in New York by neighborhoods, in which you can see all the visits that we have planned for this trip to New York during Easter, in which we will tell you the places we want to visit, divided by days, also including the gastronomic recommendations of each of the areas of the city, something that we also believe should become a essential on any visit to the Big Apple.
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Once clear all the places we want visit in New York, it was time to look for accommodation in New York, something that we can assure you, represents a good headache, especially because of the high prices that are considered if we intend to stay in Midtown, the most central area of the city, where they are located locations as famous asTimes Square.
While it is true that there are much cheaper areas, being our first trip to New York, we have preferred to opt for this area to stay, despite being somewhat more expensive than the other locations we consulted. We recommend that you book in advance, especially on holidays, such as Easter or Christmas, in which prices skyrocket more than 30% of usual.
With the accommodation already booked we begin to consider options on what type of City PASS to book and it is that in a city like New York, if you want to visit the most important places, getting one of these passes is a safe saving. In the end, after shuffling a couple of options, we ended up opting for the New York CityPASS that we have already prepared in the Times Square offices, thanks to NYC & Company, ready to be picked up the day we arrive.
Once with this part of the trip also ready, we begin to enter the, also wide, world of shows in New York. And we don't know anyone who has traveled to the city that never sleeps and he has not attended at least one of the shows that take place every day in the city.
Book the best rated Spanish tours and excursions in New York by travelers
- New York contrasts
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- New York Helicopter Tour
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In our case, after having attended an NBA game in San Francisco a few years ago, we didn't want to miss the opportunity to repeat in New York, so we got down to work, to look for a match that fit so much in Budget as in dates. In the end, after many laps and making several comparisons between the different websites that exist to make reservations, we decided on the game between the New York Knicks - Chicago Bulls that will take place at Madison Square Garden the same day we arrived at NY. There is no better way to start getting to know the city, right?
With the NBA match already reserved and embedded in the planning of trip to New York during Easter, we focus on Broadway shows, another of the essentials in the city, and more being our first time. Despite the temptation to book in more than one, in the end we stopped our feet and decided to book only in one, not only for the price of the tickets, but for wanting to have a bit more free afternoon-nights to know the city and not always be tied up To the clock for the activities. And it is that in New York there are so many things to do, that it would be impossible to cover them all, so it is better to go quietly, not wanting to cover too much and always keep in mind a second visit.
In the end we decided to book the ticket for Aladdin, one of the most recommended. Other of the best Broadway shows They are: The Lion King, The Phantom of the Opera, Blue Man Group, Cats, Wicked, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Chicago, Anastasia or School of Rock. Reading in many places that always fill, we choose to reserve the ticket online, with enough time, to get good seats.
After having adjusted the shows in New York, we went on to consider the excursions we wanted to do, being one of them the New York Helicopter Tour.
Most companies offer tours that last between 15 to 20 minutes, with prices starting at $ 130. We will do the 15 minute tour at noon, thanks to Heliny, one of the companies with the best reputation in New York. Apart from the good opinions that we have read, with them we make sure that if the weather is bad, they will change the day of the flight at no extra cost, something that we believe is very important in this type of tours, to make sure that you will enjoy it at maximum.
With everything we had in mind already reserved, we had a great doubt, the New York Contrast Tour, which brings you closer to the most important places in the neighborhoods of Harlem, Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn, located on the outskirts of Manhattan and that many occasions are forgotten about the more conventional routes, especially when it is the first time you travel to the city .
We have to recognize, that it is a tour that did not attract much attention from the beginning, since we are not much of organized tours, but that did not stop recommending us, both through social networks, as with the people we talked about him trip to New York.
In the end, after several laps, we have embarked in the experience to be able to check first hand all the good opinions that this tour receives.
There are several outstanding options on the internet about companies that carry out this tour, we will finally do the New York Contrast Tour, one of the most recommended options in the different forums.
With all this already placed in the calendar of trip to New York during Easter, alone
we have to start Fill every day with all the experiences that we want to live in New York, including the 10 best free things in New York, and that as we mentioned, we will tell you in an upcoming article that will include the visits to New York by neighborhoods.
More practical information to prepare your trip to New York
- 10 things to book before traveling to New York
- The 10 best tours and excursions in New York
- 100 things to see and do in New York
- New York guide step by step
- The best travel insurance for New York
- The best viewpoints in New York
- What to see in New York by neighborhood
- The 10 best free things in New York
- 20 essential places to visit in New York
- Where to stay in New York: best neighborhoods and hotels
Although we always receive a lot of advice from our readers on this occasion, for the trip to New York during Easter, the amount of emails and comments, have far exceeded what we expected. We can not but thank each and every one of you for helping us fill that trip to New York of unique experiences.
Many thanks to Cristina Lobon for all the advice on that flight from Alsace;), Elena Gomez Moya for all the information we received in the mail, to Majo de The trip of your life for all those details that are infinitely grateful, to Elisabeth Perez for that weekend of reading we had with all the information you sent us, to Luis and Sabine de Siuler Travel and Photos for that secret that we promise not to reveal (as much as it costs us), to Castilloscar Castillo de Chase your dreams for that "treasure" full of information, to Agustina Iparraguirre for that email that helped us so much, to Mili Pérez for that "adventure document ..." that gave us so many ideas, from New York Guide, one of the most complete, detailed and direct guides that we have found on the net and last but not least, to each and every one of the followers who left us comments and recommendations on social networks: Susi Arnau, Guillem Bob, Ignacio Castillo Blanco, Liz Palominos, Margi Soria Nieto, Elena Cabrera, Ai Noa, Nieves Cintas Moro, Alba Gordillo Lucas, María DA, Photographic Miles, Nerea Jacinto Izaga, Paloma Pérez , Nuria Solis, Andrés Navarro Palacios, Oskar San Nikolás, Elizabeth Blanco, Gema Gonza, Claudia, Bertha Juárez Fabila, Laura Lumbreras, Lau Ri ...
** All images have been provided by Shutterstock
Day 1: Lloret de Mar - Barcelona Airport - New York
