New York City in May: a seasonal travel plan

Weather at a glance

Daytime high

17.1 °C

Nighttime low

11.7 °C

Monthly precipitation

113.8 mm

Days with at least 1 mm

12.0

Daylight

14.4 h

2015–2024 averages. Daytime temperature is the average daily maximum; nighttime temperature is the average daily minimum.

Early, middle and late month

What this month is like

New York City, United States. In may, the average daytime high is 17.1 °C and the night-time low is 11.7 °C. Plan the main route in daylight and add an extra layer for early and late hours.

There are 12.0 wet days on average, with about 113.8 mm of precipitation. Keep an indoor backup route and a compact rain jacket in your day bag.

How to plan the day

Plan the main route in daylight and add an extra layer for early and late hours.

Average daylight is 14.4 hours, so put longer routes in the brighter part of the day.

What to pack

Pack a jacket or jumper, long trousers and closed shoes. Keep an indoor backup route and a compact rain jacket in your day bag.

Precipitation and an alternative plan

Precipitation is frequent. Keep several indoor activities in your plans and fit longer walks between them.

What to pack

Pack a light jacket, a jumper, long trousers and comfortable closed shoes. Add a waterproof outer layer and shoes that dry quickly.

Compared with neighbouring months

Average daytime high: previous month — 12.1 °C, May — 17.1 °C, next month — 22.4 °C. Days with at least 1 mm of precipitation: 12.1, 12.0 and 12.4.

Things to do

New York is five boroughs with separate characters: Manhattan sets the pace, Brooklyn and Queens move at a gentler rhythm, and ferries link them across the harbour. Plan each day around subway lines, since Midtown to Downtown takes about half an hour, so two neighbouring districts a day is a sensible limit.

Central Park and the Met

Start at the southern edge of Central Park, walk to Bethesda Terrace and the lake, then cross to the Metropolitan Museum in the afternoon. The collections fill a whole day, so pick two or three galleries in advance instead of trying to see everything.

The High Line and Chelsea

Walk the High Line from Gansevoort Street to Hudson Yards, where a former freight railway runs above the streets between planting beds. Below it, Chelsea Market fills brick vaults with food stalls and small kitchens.

Ferry to the Statue of Liberty

Ferries leave Battery Park for Liberty Island and continue to Ellis Island. Take a morning crossing so you are back by lunch, then walk along Wall Street and through Battery Park.

Where to stay

Midtown

Midtown works well for a first visit: Times Square, Bryant Park, Grand Central and the Museum of Modern Art sit within walking distance. Hotels are expensive and the streets stay loud late, so ask for a room on a higher floor away from the avenue.

Greenwich Village

Greenwich Village suits travellers who want quiet streets of townhouses, cafés and jazz clubs. Midtown is ten minutes away by subway, but parking is scarce and a rental car becomes a burden here.

DUMBO and Brooklyn Heights

DUMBO and Brooklyn Heights give you the bridge and Manhattan skyline, and the waterfront promenade is good for an evening walk. The area is calmer than Midtown, though most museums mean a subway ride across the river.

Getting there and around

From Kennedy Airport the AirTrain connects to the subway at Jamaica and Howard Beach, where the E, J and A lines run into Manhattan; from Newark, NJ Transit trains reach Penn Station. Inside the city the subway runs all night and remains the fastest way across the island. Walk short distances in the centre, and check which direction a line runs before crossing between districts, because north-south and east-west routes use different trunks.

Three days in New York

Midtown and Central Park

Begin at Grand Central, go up the Rockefeller Center observation deck, then walk down Fifth Avenue past St Patrick's Cathedral into the park. In the evening head through Times Square towards Bryant Park.

Downtown and Brooklyn Bridge

Take a morning ferry to the Statue of Liberty, then walk to the 9/11 Memorial and Wall Street. Cross the Brooklyn Bridge on foot to DUMBO and return by subway.

Brooklyn and Queens

Spend the day in Brooklyn with Prospect Park, the Brooklyn Museum and the Brooklyn Heights promenade. On the way back stop in Astoria, Queens, where Greek tavernas and bakeries line the streets.

Weather throughout the year

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Frequently asked questions