Best time to visit New York City

New York runs at full speed every month, so the trade-off is between weather and price rather than open or closed. The best weather comes in May, June, September and October, with warm days, low humidity and the city's parks at their best, and those months are priced accordingly. July and August are hot, humid and crowded. December is magical and the most expensive, from the Thanksgiving parade through New Year's Eve. January and February are cold, sometimes snowy, and the cheapest weeks of the year, with Broadway Week and Restaurant Week discounts to make up for the wind chill.

Timed tickets matter for the Statue of Liberty crown, the Empire State and Top of the Rock, the 9/11 Museum and the MoMA; the Met is pay-what-you-wish for New York State residents only. The subway runs all night. Hotel taxes and fees add about 15 percent to the room rate. For the best balance of weather and price, take the first half of May or the second half of October.