New York City is an incredibly vibrant and exciting city, filled with unique experiences that you can’t find anywhere else in the world. From the bright lights of Broadway to the incredible skyline views, there’s something for everyone to enjoy in the city that never sleeps. But if you want to really make the most of your time in New York, there are some experiences that you just can’t miss. From checking out the city’s many landmarks to enjoying a performance at the legendary Apollo Theater, here are 10 unique experiences in New York City you shouldn’t miss out on!
Food: Order from a bodega or a local deli
A deli is one of the quintessential New York City experiences, and if you visit one of the many delis around the city, you’ll understand why. From the authentic New York deli cheeses to the sandwiches that are stacked high with enough meat to feed an army, delis are a slice of New York culture that you can’t miss out on. You can find delis all across New York, but if you want to really experience the deli culture, you’ll want to check out some of the most authentic delis in the city, such as Katz’s Deli and the 2nd Avenue Deli. Ordering a pastrami sandwich or a reuben from a deli is the best way to experience New York culture while enjoying a delicious meal at the same time.
Another New York City food experience you don’t want to miss out on is ordering from a bodega. Bodegas are small convenience stores found throughout New York City, with the highest concentrations located in East Harlem, the Lower East Side, and the Financial District. You can find just about anything in a bodega, from food to toiletries to everyday household items. Best of all, they are a lot cheaper than getting food from a regular restaurant. An egg & cheese breakfast sandwich is only $3.99 at a bodega but would cost as much as $10-15 in a restaurant.
Food: Grab a slice of authentic New York City Pizza
Pizza is one of the most iconic foods in the world, found in almost every country around the globe. But the pizza you’ll find in New York City is unique to the city and one of the best experiences New York has to offer. New York City has many different styles of pizza, with each pizza place having their own unique take on what makes a great New York slice. You can find pizza places all across New York City, but if you want to get a taste of what New York City pizza is all about, you’ll want to check out some of the most authentic pizza places in the city, such as Di Fara Pizza, Lombardi’s Pizza, and John’s Pizzeria at Times Square. Like with the delis, a few of the pizza places in New York City have been around since the 1950s, and even though they have been around for decades and have had many different owners, their pizza recipes have remained the same, making them some of the most authentic and New York-like pizza places in the city.
Food: Get the full New York experience by ordering a hotdog from a street vendor
New York City is known for its street vendors, especially when it comes to hotdogs. You’ll find hotdog stands all throughout New York, and while you can enjoy a hotdog anywhere, there’s something unique about eating a New York City hotdog. There are plenty of different types of hotdogs in New York, everything from your usual hotdog to a more fancy footlong hotdog, but one of the most authentic New York City experiences is ordering a plain hotdog, known as a New York Dog.
When ordering a New York Dog, you’ll want to remember the cardinal rule: always get it with everything. Everything means ketchup, mustard, chopped onions, and a few other secret ingredients, making a New York Dog one of the most authentic New York City experiences you can have.
Visit: Spend some time in Central Park
Central Park is one of the most iconic landmarks of New York City, and it’s also one of the best places to experience the city’s beauty and culture. There are plenty of things to do in Central Park, whether you want to go for a hike, enjoy some time admiring the city views, or visit one of the many landmarks found in the park. But visiting Central Park is truly the best way to experience New York City. There are so many iconic landmarks in Central Park, such as the famous Bethesda Fountain, the Central Park Fountain, the Shakespeare Garden, and of course, the Central Park Zoo that you can’t visit New York City without visiting Central Park.
Visiting Central Park is the perfect way to experience New York City without feeling too overwhelmed or underwhelmed by the city’s culture and beauty.
Visit: Take advantage of Free Museum Days
Most museums in New York City offer free admission one day each week, making it easy to experience the city’s culture without breaking the bank. If you want to go to New York’s popular museums that sometimes have high admission charges, you may want to take advantage of museums that offer free admission on certain days. The Museum of Modern Art (MoMa) offers free admission every first Friday of the month from 4PM to 8PM (website reservation required). The Guggenheim Museums offers free admission Saturdays 4PM to 6PM, and New Museum of Contemporary Art ‘pay what you wish for’ at Thursdays 7PM-9PM.
There are also a few museums in New York City that are free every day, such as the New York Public Library, the New York City Hall of Records, and the New York City Fire Museum. Visiting a New York City museum on a free day is the best way to experience New York City culture without having to pay an entry fee.
Visit: Catch a show on Broadway
New York City is known around the globe for its Broadway theater, with some of the best shows and productions in the world being performed on the famous Broadway stage.
Watching a Broadway show is an experience you can’t have anywhere else in the world and is one of the best ways to experience the city’s culture. There are dozens of different Broadway shows being performed in New York at any given time, making it easy to find a show that interests you. Whether you’re a Broadway newbie or a theater aficionado, there are Broadway shows for everyone. If you only have time to visit one Broadway show while visiting New York, you should make it one of the city’s most iconic shows, such as Wicked, The Lion King, or Hamilton.
Trip: Take a trip to Governor’s Island
If you’re looking for an exciting and unique New York City experience, then you can’t miss out on a trip to Governor’s Island. Governor’s Island is an island located between Manhattan and Brooklyn that is part of the city’s parks department. The island is open to the public for a few months each year, making it a must-visit New York City experience for tourists. During Governor’s Island’s open season, you can visit the island and enjoy incredible views of Manhattan and Brooklyn while enjoying a variety of free activities, including visiting the island’s art installations and museums, hiking the island’s trails, or enjoying a picnic on one of the island’s many lawns.
Trip: Go for a hike without leaving NY in Fort Tryon Park
Fort Tryon Park is one of the most beautiful and scenic parks in New York City, making it the perfect place to go for a scenic hike without actually having to leave New York. Located in Upper Manhattan, just north of the George Washington Bridge, Fort Tryon Park is home to a stunning waterfall, incredible views of the city
Trip: Take advantage of free tours with Big Apple Greeters
If you’re looking for an easy way to explore some of New York City’s most famous spots, then you can’t go wrong with Big Apple Greeter. This organization pairs tourists up with locals who are more than happy to show off their city. As a Greeter, you’ll get to enjoy a personalized tour of the city, visiting some of your favorite spots and learning more about New York City. Greeter tours are completely free, making them perfect for tourists on a budget. You can also book tours for specific interests, so you can find a tour that’s perfect for you, no matter what you’re interested in.
Tip: Don’t forget LinkNYC for tourist assistance
If you get lost or need help while exploring New York City, you can always rely on the city’s free WiFi hotspots. These hotspots, often referred to as LinkNYC, are installed across the city and are perfect for getting online while you’re on the go. You can also use the WiFi to connect to the city’s iAdvize app, which gives tourist information, including directions and nearby attractions. You can even use the app to call for help, or to report unsafe or suspicious activity in the area. So, if you’re ever in need of assistance while exploring New York City, you can rely on these useful WiFi hotspots.
Elevate Properties is all about building long-term relationships with guests and owners, which is why we only work with people who are serious about going into the short-term vacation rental industry. We are committed to helping you maximize the real property investment you worked hard to have!
We are proud to offer an easy-to-use website where you can manage your rental homes from anywhere, anytime. We keep our clients informed about their properties through regular email updates and phone calls, notifying them of anything from maintenance issues to tenant concerns. Here are some of the things our clients love about us:
We make them more money! (versus other property managers)
Our team has been in the industry for more than a decade and we’ve earned a reputation for being one of the property management companies that provide the best returns to owners. We’re not going to tell you that our services are affordable (because they aren’t), but we can guarantee that our rates are among the most reasonable on the market.
We know what it takes to manage your property more efficiently—and more effectively—than other companies do because we offer data driven insights that helps us identify areas where owners can improve their revenue streams.
We have 24/7 guest and owner support
Our 24/7 guest and owner support ensures that guests always have someone to call if something goes wrong. We also provide local and international access numbers for our owners, so they can easily get in touch with us at any time. This means that no matter where you are in the world or what time it is, we’ll be available to answer your questions and help with any problems you may have.
We employ a lot of smart home technologies
As a technology-driven company, we are always looking for ways to be more efficient and provide better service. We feel that smart home technologies are the best way to do this by allowing us to connect with tenants quickly and easily in order to make sure they have everything they need.
Smart home technologies help us keep properties in good condition because we can monitor energy usage from anywhere at any time. If a light bulb is burned out or if the air conditioning isn’t working properly, we can notify the homeowner immediately so that maintenance staff can fix it right away (or vice versa). This saves money on electricity bills and provides great customer service for our clients.
Finally, smart home technologies allow us to maximize revenue from each property by making sure all appliances are working properly before renting it out again after turnover periods like lease renewals or new tenants moving in. This helps ensure that all systems work effectively so there’s nothing standing between potential renters having access when they want it most (and paying extra money!).
We’re present in several vacation marketplace places such as airbnb
Most vacation rental owners are familiar with sites like Airbnb and Booking.com. These popular platforms help travelers find accommodations online, making the process more convenient for both parties.
However, there are many other booking sites out there that you may not be aware of, such as HomeAway or VRBO. By listing your property on these additional marketplaces, we’re able to boost your bookings significantly!
We make sure the property is well maintained
As a full service property management company, Elevate Properties offers our clients everything from cleaning to landscaping. The best part? We have a dedicated maintenance team to take care of any problems that may arise. Our staff knows their way around every part of your home and can help with anything from changing the air filters to replacing light bulbs.
We understand that you’re busy running your business—that’s why we aim to make sure the property is well maintained so you don’t have time for it!
We pay on time.. sometimes earlier!
Whatever your needs are, we are committed to making them happen. We pay on time—sometimes even earlier than expected! If you need an income advance, and will only advance funds on a case to case basis.
We have a dedicated revenue manager for dynamic pricing
One of the most important aspects of our business is dynamic pricing. We use actuarial science, forecasting, and competitive research to price properties accurately according to market conditions.
For example, if you list your property with us on September 1st and we have a 4-month window for rent collection, we will wait until January 1st before setting your online rent price. This allows us time to analyze seasonal trends and ensure that your property has been properly priced so that there are no surprises when it comes time for our clients (your tenants) to pay their rent each month.
We provide customized solutions
We provide customized solutions for each client. No one-size-fits-all approach here! We take into consideration your property’s unique needs, budget and timeline to create a custom solution that will maximize the value of your property and help you get the most out of it.
Our technical expertise helps us provide the best solution for every property. We have built an extensive network of suppliers who have been carefully selected based on their expertise and reliability, so you can be confident that we’ll only recommend products and services that meet your standards.
Conclusion
We are a technology company that just happens to be in the hospitality real estate business. We have built our platform from the ground up and utilized every bit of data available to maximize our clients’ ROI through better pricing and optimization. If you’re looking for more information on how we can help your property perform at its best, give us a call today!
There is a lot of money to be made in the short-term vacation rental market. In fact, according to a research done by Airbnb, an average host can earn $30,000 a year by listing their property in vacation marketplace platforms such as Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, or a property manager’s direct booking site like Elevate Properties.
While it has huge potential, it’s important for homeowners to understand what they’re getting themselves into before jumping into the industry. As anyone who has ever rented out their home knows, there are many factors that need to be considered before investing in this type of venture (and many more after).
Not every home is a fit for the vacation rental market, and you need to make sure that yours meets the criteria before you take the leap and try it out. Here are five things you should know before deciding if this route is right for you:
Identify if your home is suitable as a vacation rental property.
Before turning your home into a vacation rental property, consider the following:
Ask yourself. If it was listed as a vacation rental property, would you stay in it? If the answer is no, then chances are that someone else won’t either. Ask yourself why you wouldn’t stay there. Is the room too small? Do you have all the necessary amenities that make guests feel at home? Answers to these questions will help determine if your home has potential as a successful short-term rental property.
Check if there is demand in your area for vacation rentals. If you live in New York City, Florida, or Martha’s Vineyard and have been thinking about taking advantage of this growing trend by converting your home into a vacation rental listing, then chances are good that there will be demand for such properties within driving distance from these destinations. Even more so if you live near restaurants and places of interest that attract tourists from around the world!
Be prepared for the investment needed
A vacation rental property is an investment. And there are typical investments expected in maintaining your home but it’s another when you list it as a vacation rental.
Invest in high quality furniture that can stand wear and tear, home automation technology that lets guests automatically check in or control lights, and home security systems that protect guests and hosts from theft.
Additionally, maintaining a vacation rental property can also require additional investments throughout the year. Fixing any property damages that may arise during guests’ stay (such as spills or broken windows), fixing appliances if it breaks down, cleaning carpets, changing bulbs and other unforeseen costs along the way.
Comply with the legal requirements
Before you start renting out your home, it’s crucial to check the legal requirements that may apply to your city and state where your property is located.
If you live in a community association or condominium complex for example, a homeowners association could have rules about vacation rentals or other short-term rentals. Your city may also have some regulations about such issues as noise levels, parking spaces and garbage disposal that affect guests staying at your property during their stay.
Also, keep in mind that many cities have enacted ordinances requiring potential rental properties to obtain business licenses, which means paying taxes on income generated from short-term rentals. In addition, most cities require businesses offering short term accommodations through web platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO (Vacation Rental By Owner) provide proof of insurance coverage when they register with local municipalities before listing their properties online
Understand the business you’re going into
As a homeowner, you need to make sure you have an understanding of the vacation rental business before jumping in. It’s a market that’s constantly changing. Keep in mind that there are ups and downs in the market, off peak and peak seasons, and guests that may cause issues along the way.
While there are property management companies like Elevate Properties that can help manage and market the listing for you, this doesn’t mean they will be able to cover all aspects of the process. Homeowners have to secure the proper legalities, insurance and documents before they can list it.
Lastly, homeowners should acknowledge that listing their home will affect their ability to use it when they want to. And this may mean booking their property as a guest themselves!
Have a property management partner
Having a reliable property management partner is crucial for making sure your guests have a pleasant and memorable stay, managing daily upkeep – and not to mention helping you address potential property damages.
A good property management partner will guide you through everything from marketing your property to ensuring it will be priced competitively. They can help you set up the necessary licenses, requirements and additional documents before you can list your home.
Technical expertise and local market knowledge of your property management partner can also help you make the most of your vacation rental property. So this is why choosing an experienced property management company like Elevate Properties can help you manage your property on your behalf, unlocking the full value and potential of your home as a vacation rental property!
If you want to know more about how to list your home as a vacation rental property and the potential income it can make, book a call with one of our Elevate advisors!