Photo: Rhododendrites , CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons Every week, someone books a hotel "in New York" that turns out to be a shuttle ride from an airport runway, and their whole trip inherits the mistake. Where you sleep in this city shapes everything: what you see out the window, where you eat breakfast, how much of your vacation you spend underground on the subway. The good news is that there's no single right answer — there's a right answer for you. Let's find it. First trip? Stay central, but not that central Midtown makes sense for first-timers: you can walk to Times Square, Broadway theaters, Rockefeller Center, and Central Park, and every train line in creation passes underneath. The trade-off is soul. Much of Midtown empties after office hours and the blocks immediately around Times Square never stop being Times Square. My compromise pick: stay south of the chaos, in the 20s and 30s — NoMad, Flatiron, Chelsea. You're fifteen minutes from ev...
After a long, gray winter, few cities transform as dramatically as New York City does in spring. As the temperatures climb and the days stretch longer, the parks fill with blossoms, the sidewalks come alive with café tables, and a palpable sense of optimism settles over the five boroughs. Spring is arguably the most beautiful season to visit New York, and it rewards anyone willing to wander. This guide covers where to find the famous cherry blossoms, which outdoor markets to explore, and how to make the most of the city as it shakes off the cold. Where to Find the Cherry Blossoms The undisputed champion of spring blooms is the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, whose Cherry Esplanade and Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden draw crowds every year for the Sakura Matsuri festival. The double-flowering Kanzan cherries usually peak in late April, creating a canopy of pink that feels almost unreal. Arriving early in the morning is the best way to enjoy the display before the crowds arrive. If you ...