New York City United States
New York City is the most intensely urban conference destination in the world, a city where the density of options in food, culture, nightlife, and professional networking is unmatched anywhere in North America. Midtown Manhattan is the traditional hub for large convention events, with the Javits Center on the Hudson River handling the largest trade shows and the numerous hotels around Times Square, Grand Central, and the Penn Station corridor accommodating tens of thousands of conference attendees. For academic and technology conferences, venues range from university campuses at Columbia, NYU, and Rockefeller University to hotel ballrooms and dedicated event spaces in Midtown and Lower Manhattan. The subway system runs 24 hours and connects all five boroughs; for conference attendees staying in Midtown, virtually every venue of interest is reachable by train or on foot. The food scene is extraordinary in its range, from Michelin-starred tasting menus in the West Village to cheap and outstanding dim sum in Flushing, ramen in the East Village, and pizza by the slice everywhere. New York is served by three major airports: JFK (international and domestic, AirTrain to subway), LaGuardia (domestic, no rail link), and Newark (EWR, NJ Transit to Penn Station).
-
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) - One of the greatest modern art collections in the world, free on Friday evenings.
-
The High Line - 2.3 km elevated park on a former freight rail line through the Meatpacking District and Chelsea, with public art and Hudson River views.
-
Brooklyn Bridge walk - 30-minute walk across the bridge from City Hall Park to Dumbo, with the best skyline views in the city.
-
Flushing, Queens - The best Chinese food in North America outside of China; take the 7 train to Main Street for dim sum, hot pot, and Sichuan.
-
The Met - The Metropolitan Museum of Art on the Upper East Side has one of the largest collections in the world; pay what you wish for NY State residents, but international visitors pay the suggested admission.
John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) is the main international gateway, about 45-60 minutes from Midtown by AirTrain + E or A subway (10 USD total). LaGuardia Airport (LGA) is 30-50 minutes from Midtown by taxi or rideshare; there is no rail link. Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) is 30-45 minutes from Penn Station by NJ Transit (13-15 USD), and is often the cheapest option for transatlantic arrivals.
The MTA subway is the backbone of NYC transit, running 24/7. A MetroCard or OMNY contactless card covers all subway and local bus routes. For Midtown conference areas, walking is often fastest for distances under 20 blocks. Citi Bike is excellent for east-west crosstown trips. Yellow taxis and rideshare (Uber, Lyft) are plentiful but can be very slow in Midtown traffic during peak hours.
April-June and September-November are the best conference seasons: mild weather, no extreme heat or cold, and peak cultural programming. July and August are hot and humid (30C+) but hotels are often cheaper. January-February can be very cold and occasionally snowy.
Map
4 upcoming conferences in New York City
Where to stay in New York depends entirely on which venue you are heading to, and the usual advice is misleading. Most conference guidance for the city points at Midtown, because the Javits Center and the big hotel blocks are there. Academic conferences are frequently downtown instead: NYU sits on Washington Square in Greenwich Village and Columbia is far uptown, and from a Times Square hotel either is a twenty to thirty minute subway ride with a change. For a Village venue, look at Greenwich Village, the West Village and Union Square, where you can walk to sessions in ten minutes and eat somewhere better afterwards. Union Square is the best compromise if you want subway connections in every direction. Midtown is still worth it if your rate is capped and you do not mind commuting, since the sheer number of rooms there keeps prices competitive. Book well ahead for anything in October or November, which is peak season for the city.
Our picks in New York City
A curated selection of hotels chosen for location, value, and fit for conference travellers.
Arlo Midtown
351 W 38th St, New York, NY 10018
Modern micro-hotel two blocks from the New Yorker Hotel with compact design rooms and a lively rooftop bar. Popular with younger tech...
citizenM New York Times Square
218 W 50th St, New York, NY 10019
Design-forward hotel with compact tech-enabled rooms and a popular lobby bar near Times Square - best for younger attendees who want a...
HI New York City Hostel
891 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10025
Large well-run hostel on the Upper West Side with dorm and private rooms and direct 1/2/3 subway access - the cheapest reliable...
The New Yorker Hotel
481 8th Ave, New York, NY 10001
Historic 1930 Art Deco hotel on 8th Avenue directly across from Penn Station, and the official venue for HOPE. Staying here puts...
New York Marriott Marquis
1535 Broadway, New York, NY 10036
Large full-service hotel in the heart of Times Square with extensive meeting space and a revolving rooftop restaurant, on top of the...
Pod Times Square
400 W 42nd St, New York, NY 10036
Modern budget hotel with small efficient rooms and a lively rooftop bar by the Port Authority transit hub - best for cost-conscious...
The Jane Hotel
113 Jane Street, New York, NY 10014, United States
Budget West Village hotel in a 1908 sailors’ lodging house, whose tiny cabin rooms are modelled on ship berths and mostly use...
The Marlton Hotel
5 West 8th Street, New York, NY 10011, United States
Restored 1900 Greenwich Village hotel with a well-known lobby cafe, a few minutes’ walk north of Washington Square. A good pick for...
The Watson Hotel
440 W 57th St, New York, NY 10019
Practical three-star hotel near Columbus Circle with a seasonal rooftop pool, a short walk to the A/C/D and 1 subway lines -...
W New York - Union Square
201 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10003, United States
Upscale hotel in a landmark 1911 building on Union Square, two blocks from the 14th Street subway hub and about fifteen minutes...
Walker Hotel Greenwich Village
52 West 13th Street, New York, NY 10011, United States
Four-star hotel on a quiet block between the Village and Union Square, roughly a ten minute walk from Kimmel. Well suited to...
Washington Square Hotel
103 Waverly Place, New York, NY 10011, United States
Long-running independent hotel on the north west corner of Washington Square Park, about 280 metres from the NYU Kimmel Center and the...
NYU Kimmel Center
60 Washington Square South, New York, NY 10012, USA
The Kimmel Center for University Life is NYU’s main event and conference building on Washington Square South in Green...
New Yorker Hotel
481 8th Ave, New York, NY 10001
A historic Art Deco hotel on 8th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, across the street from Penn Station. Home to HOPE (Hack...
New York University
Washington Square, New York, NY 10003, United States
Major private research university centred on Washington Square in lower Manhattan, with conference facilities across ...
Community Notes