If you’re planning a visit to New York City, most likely one of many first questions in your thoughts is what to e-book upfront.
Generally talking, the Statue of Liberty is a should (because it’s the most well-liked attraction in NYC), whereas different issues like museums, observatories, and eating places will rely a bit on the state of affairs.
This journey information will give some suggestions for a way far upfront you must reserve your NYC actions. It’s primarily based by myself expertise!
Summary: What & When To Book
Here’s a fast abstract of when it’s possible you’ll wish to e-book forward for issues in NYC:
- Statue Of Liberty & Ellis Island — Reservation wanted (1-2 weeks upfront)
- Statue Of Liberty Pedestal / Crown — Reservation wanted (1-3 months upfront)
- Observatories — Reservation wanted (1 week upfront)
- Broadway Shows — Reservation wanted (1-3 months upfront)
- Restaurants (Fine Dining) — Reservation wanted
- The FRIENDS Experience — Reservation wanted
- Tenement Museum — Reservation wanted
- 9/11 Museum — Optional
- American Museum of Natural History — Optional
- Guggenheim Museum — Optional
- Metropolitan Museum of Art — Optional
- Museum of Modern Art — Optional
- Brooklyn Bridge — No reservation wanted (free)
- Intrepid Museum — No reservation wanted
- Madame Tussauds — No reservation wanted
- St. Patrick’s Cathedral — No reservation wanted (free)
- Vessel — No reservation wanted
Note: This is simply basic steering, and issues can change a bit relying on the hour, day, week, and month you go.
New York City is busiest in the summertime (June to August) and the winter holidays (November to December), so it’s possible you’ll wish to e-book earlier in the event you’re touring at these instances, particularly for weekends or peak hours.
The resort the place we stayed — M Social Hotel in Times Square
Things You DO Need To Book In Advance
• Statue Of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty is certainly one of America’s most well-known landmarks, so it’s additionally one of the crucial visited spots in New York City.
The solely option to go to Liberty Island is by ferry, and a reservation is required. Normal tickets are virtually limitless, however the tickets for the pedestal are considerably restricted, and the crown tickets are very restricted.
If you intend to go contained in the crown, it’s good to e-book that a number of months upfront. Personally, I don’t assume the crown and pedestal are such a giant deal. The basic admission helps you to see the perfect highlights.
You can e-book the overall tickets right here, or the crown and pedestal tickets right here.
If you have got a CityCross, you need to use that for basic admission to the Statue of Liberty, however not the pedestal or crown.
If attainable, I’d suggest reserving the primary ferry of the day (8 or 9 AM), that method you possibly can benefit from the island earlier than the most important crowds get there.
Ignore any faux ticket sellers it’s possible you’ll encounter close to the harbor; they’re scammers!
Book Now: Statue Tickets / Crown Tickets
Ferry at Liberty Island
• NYC Observatories
The rooftop observatories in New York City are very talked-about, so in the event you plan to go to one and you’ve got a particular entry time in thoughts, you must make a reserving round one week upfront.
Some observatories have climate insurance policies so you possibly can rebook if the visibility is dangerous. However, in the event you’d quite wait and select a day with good climate, it’s okay to e-book a couple of days upfront; you simply gained’t be capable of be as choosy in regards to the entry time.
For instance, we booked Summit One Vanderbilt the day earlier than we went, however we needed to enter at 3 PM as a result of the later instances have been already bought out for folks eager to see the sundown.
Sunset is particularly fashionable on the NYC observatories, and the hours main as much as it often promote out simply, so in the event you’re wanting a type of premium entry instances, I’d make a reserving properly upfront.
If you have got a CityCross, that features admission to the Empire State Building, and you can even use it for the Top of the Rock.
Otherwise, you possibly can e-book any of the NYC observatories within the hyperlinks beneath.
Book Now:
Summit One Vanderbilt
• Broadway Shows
If there’s a success present at Broadway that’s vital to you, or you have got particular seating in thoughts, then it’s extremely beneficial to purchase tickets upfront.
Sometimes which means reserving 1 to three months early, as a result of the massive exhibits can promote out nearer to the time.
Otherwise, in the event you’re open to various exhibits and wish to strive your luck, you possibly can go to no matter is being provided while you arrive in NYC. There are at all times tickets to one thing accessible.
• Restaurants (Fine Dining)
If you intend to eat at a elaborate or fashionable restaurant in New York City, you’ll must make a reserving.
This is barely wanted for greater finish eating places although. NYC has a great deal of eating places for each finances, so that you often don’t want to fret about reservations in the event you’re planning to eat at cheaper locations.
• The FRIENDS Experience
You should buy tickets for the FRIENDS Experience on the door, however it’s cheaper and safer to purchase your tickets on-line, as a result of generally they promote out.
You can control the reserving calendar to see what’s accessible, however if in case you have a particular entry time in thoughts, I’d positively reserve it on-line.
Book Now: FRIENDS Experience Tickets
• Tenement Museum
It’s positively a good suggestion to e-book forward for the Tenement Museum. You would possibly be capable of stroll up and purchase tickets in the event you’re fortunate, however on the whole I wouldn’t threat it.
It’s totally different from different museums, as a result of the one method you possibly can go to it’s with a tour. These can promote out as much as every week upfront.
Book Now: Tenement Museum Tickets
Things You MAY Need To Book In Advance
• 9/11 Museum
It could also be a good suggestion to purchase tickets upfront for the 9/11 Museum if in case you have a particular entry time in thoughts.
Otherwise, in case your schedule is versatile, you possibly can simply present up and purchase tickets on the spot. That’s what we did. You might have to attend in line, however it’s often not too dangerous.
The 9/11 Memorial swimming pools are positioned outdoors of the museum they usually’re free to go to, so that you don’t must e-book something for that; you solely want tickets for the museum.
If you have got a CityCross, you need to use that for basic admission to the museum.
Book Now: 9/11 Museum Tickets / Guided Tour
9/11 Memorial swimming pools
9/11 Museum
• American Museum Of Natural History
You can go to AMNH and purchase your tickets on the spot, however you will have to attend in line longer. I’d suggest reserving upfront.
Even in case your plans change, it’s free and straightforward to alter the date in your tickets. That’s what occurred to me, and it was no drawback in any respect.
Because of conflicts in my schedule, I needed to ask them to alter the date on my ticket to at some point later. It was fast and straightforward, although I solely emailed them a couple of days upfront.
If you have got a CityCross, that features admission to the museum and one particular exhibit.
Book Now: AMNH Museum Tickets
American Museum of Natural History
• Guggenheim Museum
A reservation isn’t required for the Guggenheim Museum, however it might save time on the entrance.
Personally, I’d most likely e-book it the day earlier than only for comfort sake, however it’s not essential both method.
Book Now: Guggenheim Tickets
• Metropolitan Museum Of Art (The Met)
The Met is fairly versatile, however a web-based reserving remains to be a good suggestion to avoid wasting time ready in line.
I booked my tickets at some point upfront (for a weekday), and that was effective. Weekends are busier, however you possibly can nonetheless purchase tickets on the spot in the event you don’t thoughts the opportunity of ready longer in line.
If you favor a guided tour of the museum, you then’ll must e-book that upfront.
Book Now: The Met Tickets / Guided Tour
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Museum Of Modern Art (MoMA)
The MoMA is one other place that’s fairly versatile.
Generally you don’t need to e-book tickets upfront, however it’s nonetheless beneficial so it can save you time on the entrance.
If you’re occurring a vacation or when there’s a particular exhibit, then a reserving could be a good suggestion. Guided excursions also needs to be booked at the least 1-2 weeks upfront.
Book Now: MoMA Tickets / Guided Tour
Museum of Modern Art
Things You DON’T Need To Book In Advance
• Brooklyn Bridge
There’s no cost to stroll throughout the Brooklyn Bridge, and also you don’t want to purchase any form of tickets to do this.
Even in the event you use the fast ferry experience to cross from Manhattan to the DUMBO neighborhood, after which stroll throughout the Brooklyn Bridge from there, you continue to don’t must e-book something upfront as a result of the tickets for that ferry don’t promote out.
Walking throughout the Brooklyn Bridge
• Intrepid Museum
Generally there’s no must pre-book tickets for the Intrepid Museum. You can simply flip up there and purchase your tickets on the door. That’s what most individuals do.
If you have got a CityCross, you need to use that for basic admission to the museum as properly.
Otherwise, the one time it could be price shopping for tickets upfront is in the event you’re going there on a busy week or weekend.
Book Now: Intrepid Museum Tickets
• Madame Tussauds Wax Museum
An advance reserving isn’t wanted for Madame Tussauds, though I nonetheless assume it’s a good suggestion as a result of the net value is about $10 cheaper than shopping for tickets in individual.
We purchased our tickets on the spot, but when I had identified in regards to the on-line costs being cheaper, I might’ve performed that to avoid wasting a bit of cash.
Book Now: Madame Tussauds Tickets
• St. Patrick’s Cathedral
This Roman Catholic cathedral is free to enter, and also you don’t must make a reservation to go to or go inside.
Tickets aren’t required to attend plenty both, with some exceptions: Midnight Mass on December 25, Easter Sunday 10:15 AM, St. Patrick’s Day 8:30 AM and Columbus Day Mass.
You can discover out extra on their official web site.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral
• Vessel
This vacationer attraction in Hudson Yards is often not very busy, and the tickets don’t promote out. You don’t must e-book Vessel upfront.
I purchased my tickets on the spot, and that’s what I’d suggest doing. The line to get in solely took a couple of seconds! If you continue to favor to purchase tickets on-line, you are able to do that as properly.
Book Now: Vessel Tickets
More NYC Travel Guides
Thanks for trying! I hope you loved these tips on what to e-book upfront for New York City.
Remember to test again on my weblog for extra NYC journey guides coming quickly!
