New York Vacations

From Broadway shows to Central Park, and Little Italy to the Empire State Building, the Big Apple is a city with so much energy it couldn't sleep if it tried. As the cosmopolitan capital of business and culture, New York City offers a dizzying array of restaurants, shopping, theater, museums, art galleries and more.

Shop your way from SoHo to Fifth Avenue, and dedicate afternoons to the Brooklyn Bridge and MoMA. Let Orbitz help you plan your New York City vacation with the best time to go, top attractions and insider gems, including where to shop and dine like a true Gothamist.

Headed to the Big Apple for the weekend? You’ve got to see a show. And eat. And do. Use our interactive 48h New York Theater Route guide for restaurant and activity recommendations, plus info on all the must-see shows.

New York City is abuzz year-round, meaning the best time to go on a New York City vacation is up to you. If weather is a factor, winters are cold – but it's the best time to see the famous Christmas tree lighting and ice skate in Rockefeller Center. New Years Eve in Times Square is infamous, so plan well in advance if you plan to brave the celebration.

Fall is spectacular, especially near Central Park when colors and cutting-edge fashions peak. Summers are hot and crowded, especially during Yankees and Mets games. But if cheap rates and fewer crowds are a priority, visit between January (after New Year) and early April.

Write this down: Pass the Mercer hotel, look for a little entryway marked 147 ½. Take the industrial elevator down to the basement. Pass several boxes, and step through the unmarked red door into a series of 3 brick rooms. Try to get a seat in the back – maybe even next to Gisele Bundchen, Marisa Tomei or Leonardo DiCaprio.

The Lower East Side Business Improvement District offers free tours through Manhattan's historic Lower East Side. Meet in front of Katz's Deli (corner of East Houston and Ludlow Street) at 11 a.m. on any Sunday from April to November.

Shop like a real New Yorker at this funky Chinese market. You'll find everything from silk robes and gongs to hand-painted China dolls and Kung-Fu shoes.

This Gotham hangout is so hip they don't have a phone, and only take reservations in person two days in advance. A favorite of Gwyneth Paltrow and Robert DeNiro, make sure to get a table in the main dining room … not in the glass conservatory dubbed "Siberia."

This uptown beauty is a real gem on the northern tip of Manhattan, plus it's included with admission to The Met. See medieval European works dating back to the 9th century, and stunning views of the Hudson River in the gardens.