New York visitor guide

Getting online at JFK, LaGuardia and Newark

Each airport's official page describes free Wi-Fi. At JFK, select the network called _Free JFK WiFi. At LaGuardia, select _Free LGA WiFi, and at Newark, _Free EWR WiFi. Each page gives the same support line, +1 (800) 880-4117, which it says is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

All three pages also say that staff called Airport Customer Experience Specialists help with questions throughout the airport, and each terminal has an Information Center. The pages we read do not describe registration steps, usage limits, SIM counters or eSIM sales, so we could not confirm any of them. We also found no official statement on mobile coverage in the subway, so we are not making any claim about it.

Subway fares and tap-to-pay with OMNY

The MTA says the fare is $3 for most riders on subways and local, limited, rush and Select Bus Service buses, express buses cost $7.25, and reduced fares for seniors and people with qualifying disabilities are half the regular fare. You can tap and ride with a contactless credit or debit card, a smartphone or an OMNY Card. The Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North fares vary with stations and time of day.

OMNY says you tap your own card, smart device or OMNY Card at the turnstile, AutoGate or bus reader, and the screen says GO and turns green if the tap worked. Using the same card or device for both legs of your trip earns a free transfer. The weekly fare cap works as follows: if you spend $35 on subways and local buses, or $67 on subways, local buses and express buses, within seven days, you ride free for the rest of that seven-day cap period. Your first tap starts a new cap period. The cap needs the same card or device every time, and group trips and transfers do not count toward it. One payment method can cover you and up to three other people on the same trip.

JFK's public transport page says the subway fare is charged on entry and you can ride as far as you like. It adds that the AirTrain needs a separate fare and that its sample airport trip fares include an AirTrain fee of $8.75. For rides within the city, the LIRR and Metro-North CityTicket is $5.25 off-peak and $7.25 at peak times.

Tickets from official sellers

For the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, the National Park Service says it charges no entrance fee for the museums, but a ferry ticket from Statue City Cruises is required. It says Statue City Cruises is the only authorized ferry provider and the only ferry allowed to dock at the islands. The page warns about unauthorized ticket sellers near The Battery and says the only authorized on-site ticket office is inside Castle Clinton. It recommends buying in advance. The page's price table also lists pedestal access, crown access and Ellis Island hard hat tours, with some options restricted by ticket type.

The Empire State Building's own site says reservations are required for admission. Tickets can be bought online or at the ticket office at 12 W 34 Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenue, though the site highly recommends buying in advance. At the time of checking, it listed Main Deck (86th floor) tickets from $46. It says tickets are non-refundable and valid only for the selected date and time, and that reservations can be changed through its Manage My Booking portal.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art says tickets can be bought online but advance tickets are not required. At the time of checking, adult admission was $30, with $22 for seniors aged 65 and over and $17 for students, and children aged 12 and under free. New York State residents and students from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut pay what they wish, with a minimum of one cent, under conditions on the page. The museum is closed on Wednesdays, on Thanksgiving Day, on December 25, on January 1 and on the first Monday in May.

Seasons and weather

NYC Tourism describes spring as budding flowers, light winds and rain, summer as bright, hot days, fall as chilly and crisp, and winter as cold and sometimes snowy with less daylight. It adds that Atlantic storms mainly occur from August to early November and that direct hits from major hurricanes are rare.

The National Park Service gives more detail for Liberty Island in New York Harbor: an annual average of 55°F (13°C), spring and fall temperatures of 50 to 70°F, summer daytime highs of 70 to 90°F or more and humid, winter lows that can reach -5°F, and seasonal snow accumulation of 25 to 35 inches. It notes the harbor is usually colder and windier than elsewhere in the New York City area.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration publishes 1991 to 2020 monthly normals for the Central Park station as a data table. Average daily highs in degrees Fahrenheit run from January to December: 39.5, 42.2, 49.9, 61.8, 71.4, 79.7, 84.9, 83.3, 76.2, 64.5, 54.0 and 44.3. Average daily lows run: 27.9, 29.5, 35.8, 45.5, 55.0, 64.4, 70.1, 68.9, 62.3, 51.4, 42.0 and 33.8. Monthly precipitation in inches runs: 3.64, 3.19, 4.29, 4.09, 3.96, 4.54, 4.60, 4.56, 4.31, 4.38, 3.58 and 4.38, so February is the driest month and July the wettest. Snowfall normals are 8.8 inches in January and 10.1 inches in February. None of the pages we read flagged event dates that change crowd levels.

Emergency numbers and where to ask for help

NYC Tourism lists 911 for emergencies involving police, fire or ambulance, and 311 or 212-NEW-YORK (639-9675) for non-emergency questions about city services. The MTA also says to call 911 in an emergency in the transit system, and its safety page points to staff, police officers and station help intercoms for assistance.

NYC Tourism advises visitors to use common sense to protect themselves and their belongings and to stay aware of their surroundings. It suggests using licensed businesses, not hailing livery cabs at the airport, and checking with your hotel concierge if unsure. The UK Foreign Office says violent crime rarely affects tourists, advises avoiding quiet areas alone at night, and warns that protests can become violent. For a life-threatening emergency it also says to call 911.

Official sites you will use in New York

Each link goes to the operator, authority or tourist board itself, not to a reseller. Check the page for the current price, timetable or rule before you rely on it.