There have been 9 times that I have the pleasant opportunity to visit NY during different seasons of the year and without doubt, every one of them has something of its own to offer and it is very difficult to decide which would be better to visit. Therefore, I will make a brief description of my personal experience, as well as the pros and cons of each of them. I’ll start with my most recent trip that was at the end of March of this year (2018) to see the matches of my national soccer team (Peru) where the winter was already ending, but the temperatures were around minus 3 degrees Centigrade and days before my arrival had just snowed. The special thing about winter in NYC is ice skating in Central Park or Rockefeller Center. On the other hand, it is a “low” season so there will be fewer people in the streets to go shopping or visit the tourist attractions. Of course, you should be well wrapped because the cold is really intense! And if you plan to go for winter, take advantage of Black Friday in November, where the largest number of stores offer exuberant discounts (and where I particularly do my clothes purchases of the year) up to 70% and also let you be dazzled by the Macy’s Parade (it’s likely to post on this because it’s all an experience) and the traditional Thanksgiving celebration.
Unlike winter, if you are a sun lover and can not stand the cold, do not worry that NY is an excellent option during the summer (NY is an excellent option always) but you must have certain considerations. Prepare to deal with hundreds of thousands of tourists who visit the Big Apple during summer, which is great if you are looking to socialize and meet new people, but terrible if you are looking to tour the attractions like the Empire State where you can take up to 3 hours going all the way up to the observatory !!! Also, the heat can be intense (if you come from a country that does not have such extreme and hot climates) but that makes up for it with the magnificent sunsets that you can see from the Brooklyn Bridge or the observatory of some skyscraper like the Rockefeller, Empire State or the One World Trade Center Observatory. However, if you are looking for a balance between climate, comfort and pleasure (and my favorite season to visit this city) I would recommend autumn or spring. Because the weather is perfect, you have a great view of central park and there are not so many people to enjoy the tourist attractions.
Finally, a key fact is to learn to use the subways, because it is the most efficient and fastest means of transportation I have seen. However, keep in mind to avoid peak hours of entry and exit from work (9am and 5pm) because you will find crowds of New Yorkers. If you want another post where you enter more detail in the tourist attractions and the different experiences offered by this city send me a DM by Instagram! Until the next post!
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