24.05.2026

New York – the city who never sleeps – Part 1

„This city isn’t just a place – it’s a feeling.“- Taylor Swift; New York

There are trips you look forward to. And then there are those trips that somehow feel bigger. Almost as if you’ve been living there in your mind for weeks beforehand. That’s exactly how it was for me with New York. And before we begin: This travel guide will be a little different this time. Not like usual. Simply because so much happened in those six days that a single blog post would be completely over the top – and nobody wants to read a novel (okay, maybe I do).

That’s why we’re splitting it into two parts. In this first blog post, I’ll take you along on our journey there, to the hotel, and through our first three days in New York. There will also be a separate food guide – because believe me, food deserves its own post there – and of course, a separate outfit post. Because I was asked a lot what I wore.

But let’s start at the very beginning.

Between anticipation, Austrian Airlines

& a minor JFK shock

Our flight to New York was with Austrian Airlines – and I have to say, it was surprisingly relaxed. The flight took about eight and a half hours, and I had mentally prepared myself for much more chaos. But actually, everything went quite smoothly. Until you land.

I don’t know if I’m the only one who imagined it completely differently, but when we arrived at JFK, I experienced a bit of culture shock. You automatically associate New York with futuristic, modern, huge, and gleaming – and then you’re suddenly standing in an airport that, to be honest, looks significantly older than you would expect.

And immigration? Seriously. Why does it still take so long? You do everything online beforehand, register what feels like half your life, fill out forms – and yet you still end up standing in line forever. Forever. After a long flight, you just want to see your hotel bed, take a shower, and finally arrive.

At least our suitcase actually arrived at the same time as us. A small miracle.

After that, we deliberately decided against Uber—simply because the prices were absurd, to be honest—and instead took the AirTrain to Jamaica Station. There, you pay about $8.75 directly by card and then transfer to the next train. And a little spoiler for anyone flying to New York: definitely bring a Visa card.

The city is practically cashless. Seriously. Almost everything only works with a card. I think we only went somewhere once that accepted cash. Otherwise? No chance. And finding regular bottled water there is almost harder than finding designer boutiques.

But more on that later.

Our hotel:

charming, chaotic & typically American

Our home for the next few days was the Kixby Hotel – and the location? Honestly, pretty perfect. Between Fifth Avenue and Broadway, practically around the corner from the Empire State Building. Step outside and you’re right in the thick of things. Exactly how you imagine New York. The only thing: finding this hotel for the first time at night? A bit of a challenge. You always think, „Oh, easy.“ Wrong. After a long flight, with luggage, tiredness, and sensory overload, suddenly every street looks the same.

What also surprised us: those typical hidden extra costs. There were city taxes on top, which weren’t really clearly communicated beforehand, plus a $250 deposit. So, a little reminder: always budget some extra for expenses in New York. As for the room itself: very American. You can tell it’s been renovated, but it still has that typical US hotel vibe. We were surprisingly given a king-size bed instead of a queen-size – not necessary, but of course, we gladly accepted it.

But what really got to me? The windows. You can’t open them. Not at all. And since I’m Austrian, you know: We need fresh air. All the time. I’m just saying, airing out the room, hahaha. But in America, it feels like everything runs on air conditioning. Constantly. This AC was on, off, on, off – as loud as a small fighter jet. And as soon as you turned it off? Sauna. On top of that, there was the little heatwave in May. 35 degrees Celsius in the shade. Yeah, that’s not exactly romantic.

And can we talk about water for a second? Why does water in America feel so chlorinated? I don’t think I’ve ever showered so often in my life and yet never felt completely clean. My skin was totally confused.

Fun fact: Toilets in America are somehow deeper. And the flush? So powerful that you briefly think you’re sitting in an airplane every time.

Day 1 in New York

– Fifth Avenue and Gossip Girl moments

Our first real morning in New York started off quite leisurely—or rather, as leisurely as you can start when you’re completely exhausted but also full of adrenaline because you’ve finally arrived. We had breakfast at Rosetta Bakery. Small, cute, and just what you need when you’re still half-jet-lagged. After that, we basically did what I think you absolutely have to do in New York: get out there.

Just get out there.

No stress, no rigid plan, no ticking off ten sights on a list. Because that’s precisely when you realize how special this city truly is. We strolled down the entire length of Fifth Avenue – past enormous stores, narrow side streets, impressive buildings, and those moments when you suddenly stop and think, „Wait a minute… I’m actually here.“

Of course, we went to Rockefeller Center, took photos, and simply soaked it all in. I had that typical „Okay, I know this from movies“ feeling about every ten minutes. Afterward, we passed a church – and that’s something I generally found fascinating about New York:

Amidst all the towering skyscrapers, these old buildings suddenly appear, giving the city a contrast I hadn’t expected at all. For lunch, we grabbed something from Liberty Bagel and sat down in Central Park.

And honestly?

These are exactly the moments I love most when traveling. Not the perfectly planned ones, but those little situations where you just sit for a moment, people-watch, enjoy the sun, and realize how surreal everything actually is.

Afterwards, we walked past the Plaza Hotel—and sorry, but I immediately thought of Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. I guess everyone feels that way, right? From there, we continued towards the Met. And yes. Of course, I had to take that viral Gossip Girl photo. It wasn’t a question, it was a must. The Metropolitan Museum itself really impressed me. We were there for hours and still probably only saw a third of it. I found the old temples and historical areas particularly beautiful—exactly what we wanted to see.

The gift shop, on the other hand? To be honest, a little disappointing. But overall, I’d say it’s definitely something you should do at least once in New York. What I completely underestimated, though, was the distance. Everything always looks so close on Google Maps. „Oh, just straight ahead.“ Yeah. Straight ahead for about 50 minutes. And then you suddenly realize: you really do walk your way through this city.

On the way back, we stopped at the Skims store—and guys… I get the hype now. That was actually my first time there, and spoiler alert: it wasn’t my only visit. I went twice in total, and of course, I didn’t leave empty-handed either time.

After that, I popped into Alo (yes, I had to take a look there too), and later I finally bought something from a hyped brand I’d been wanting to try for ages.

It was kind of a given: if we were going to New York, we’d have to do a little shopping. And here’s a little European problem that really surprised me: Supermarkets. Or rather: no supermarkets. At least not as we know them. Instead, there are small markets everywhere with very special drinks, ultra-processed snacks, and finding water suddenly became a daily quest. No wonder everyone there seems to be drinking coffee.

Although—and here comes my perhaps unpopular opinion—we tried SO many cafes, and I just don’t quite understand the coffee craze there. Sorry. After our first full walking marathon, we chilled out at the hotel for a bit—which, by the way, became our little routine. Come back briefly, catch our breath, freshen up, and then head out again.

In the evening, we got ready and strolled towards Broadway. We went to The Smith, had cocktails, a few snacks, and simply enjoyed our first real evening. And I think that’s when it finally hit me: We’re really in New York.

Day 2

– Rooftop Views and Space Shuttle Vibes

Day two began with breakfast at a small bakery on Lexington Avenue. Strawberry matcha, something sweet, and just a leisurely start to the day.

Although „leisurely“ is actually a funny word in New York. Because even when you’re relaxed, there’s always something happening around you. Always. Our big highlight of the day was SUMMIT One Vanderbilt—and let me tell you, it was worth every single penny.

You have to get there early, including security, and yes—the line is long. But once you get to the top? Wow.

It really feels a bit like landing in a futuristic movie. Even the ride up had a Space Shuttle vibe. The lights, the music, the whole atmosphere. And then suddenly this completely mirrored world opens up. Chrome everywhere. Mirrors. Large expanses of windows. The skyline. You almost feel like you’re standing somewhere between the sky and the future.

I especially loved those rooms where everything is reflected – perfect for photos. Then we went even higher, and then even higher, and at some point, we were standing above New York with cocktails in our hands, just taking it all in.

360 degrees. Everything. And I think it was only up there that I truly understood how enormous this city really is. From below, so much seems chaotic. From above, almost somehow orderly.

After that, we just kept walking – and it was precisely this mix of plan and no plan that I loved about this trip. Later, we got Seven Street Burgers and sat down in Bryant Park. Sun. People-watching. Just doing nothing for a little while. You really underestimate how beautiful moments like these can be in New York. In the afternoon, we strolled through more modern areas – tall glass buildings, elegant streets, fewer people, a kind of finance vibe. I think it was towards Park Avenue.

Then – surprise – we went back to Skims.

I don’t regret a thing. After a short break at the hotel, Times Square was on the agenda for the evening. And even though I thought I was prepared: No.

Times Square is a completely different world. Loud. Bright. Chaotic. Overwhelming. But somehow also fascinating. My husband had planned a surprise for me there: a rooftop terrace right above Times Square. I think it was called One Times Square. Still relatively unknown – but honestly? It shouldn’t be. The only problem? My fear of heights.

And I mean really bad. Because you can see absolutely EVERYTHING down below. I felt like I was constantly holding onto something and probably briefly cut off my husband’s circulation. But the view? Truly indescribable.

What’s more, there was some huge Gucci event happening that very evening – only nobody initially realized it was actually the Gucci fashion show. As a result, some areas were cordoned off, there was security everywhere, crowds of people, and general chaos. We ended up sitting in a pub up there, having a drink, and just watching those enormous screens.

It was almost surreal. But to be honest, at some point, I was glad to head back towards the hotel. Because while Times Square is impressive, in the long run? So many people. So many.

Day 3

– High Line and fear of heights at the edge

Day three actually started with a bit of a mishap. We wanted to go to Chelsea Market—I’d heard how cool it was supposed to be—but when we arrived, it was unfortunately still closed. Classic timing fail. But that’s exactly what I kind of love about traveling. You plan something, and then something else happens. After that, we went to Little Island—and wow. A little garden right on the water. Kind of surreal. Peaceful. Almost like a little counterpoint to the otherwise so noisy New York.

By this point, the heat wave had us completely in its grip. 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit). Between the skyscrapers. With concrete. All I can say is: brutal. That’s why the High Line was honestly one of my favorite things afterward.

Finally, wind. Air. Green. You walk along up there and suddenly everything feels a little lighter. I really noticed how much people love this place. And I completely understand. After that, we went on to the Edge. 104th floor. Yes. 104th. Even on the way up, I briefly thought: Why am I doing this? Because unlike Summit, almost everything here is outdoors.

And what if you’re afraid of heights? Challenge accepted. Or rather, not accepted. I almost crushed my husband’s hand there, no joke, because I just didn’t trust that glass floor. No. Just no. But at the same time, the view was so absurdly beautiful that I’m still glad I went up there. There were stairs to sit on, views from every direction, and again that moment when everything suddenly looks so small. Afterwards, we got some tacos – more about that in the food blog post, I promise – and walked towards the pier.

Later, we went to the Intrepid Museum, which was something my husband was really keen to see.

Aircraft carrier. Submarine. Airplanes. A Space Shuttle. And although I initially thought, „Okay, more his thing,“ I ended up finding it surprisingly fascinating. The submarine, in particular, was completely surreal. So cramped. So small. And then you imagine how many people actually lived down there.

On the way back, we strolled through Greenwich Village—a part of town that suddenly felt completely different from the rest of New York. A bit quieter. More charming. Almost like its own little world. In the evening, we went back to The Smiths for dinner, relaxed, and I think that’s when we realized: We’d only been there for three days. And yet, we felt like we’d already experienced a hundred things.