Comparison · United States
New York vs Los Angeles: Which Should You Choose for a First US Trip?
Walkable New York City or car-centric Los Angeles? Who each suits, airport transfers, days and budget, monthly weather and top sights, from our two city guides.
Published
The short answer
New York City packs world-class museums, Broadway, iconic skylines and food from every corner of the globe into one city. Manhattan's grid makes navigation easy, and the 24/7 subway plus walking covers most of it. It suits travelers who love urban energy, but hotels and dining are expensive, so plan your budget.
Los Angeles brings Hollywood, beaches and theme parks together in one sprawling West Coast city. It is spread out and car-centric, so a rental car is the easiest way to cover several areas, and grouping your days by area makes all the difference.
Best for: New York City suits travelers who want museums, shows and skylines by subway and on foot. Los Angeles suits beach, theme park and movie fans who are fine moving between areas by rental car or ride-hailing.
From the airport to the city
From JFK, the cheapest way is the AirTrain to Jamaica or Howard Beach, then the subway into Manhattan. Yellow cabs charge a flat fare to Manhattan, plus tolls, congestion surcharges and tip. The New York City guide also covers Newark (EWR) and LaGuardia (LGA).
At LAX you don't board at the curb. Ride-hailing cars and taxis pick up at the dedicated LAX-it lot, reached by free shuttle or on foot. Pickup locations may change with airport construction, so check official LAX information.
- JFK AirTrain + subway: about 60-75 min, about $11-12
- JFK yellow cab: about 45-75 min depending on traffic, about $70 flat + tolls and tip
- EWR AirTrain + NJ Transit: about 30-40 min to Penn Station, about $16-18
- LAX ride-hailing: about 30-60 min to Hollywood or Downtown depending on traffic, about $40-80
- LAX FlyAway bus: about 40-60 min, about $12-13 (check routes and schedules on the official site)
- LAX Metro C and K Lines: free shuttle to LAX/Metro Transit Center station, then ride (check routes and fares with Metro)
How many days, and how much?
The guides suggest 4 to 6 nights for New York City and 5 to 7 days for Los Angeles, more if you add theme parks.
Daily budgets in the two guides are similar. Mid-range is about $300-400 per day in both, but in Los Angeles a rental car and parking are extra. Hotels and attractions often charge for parking, so budget for it if you drive.
Listed prices usually exclude sales tax in both cities (about 8.875% in NYC). Tipping of usually 15-20% of the pre-tax bill is standard at restaurants; check whether a service charge is already included. On New York's subway, after 12 paid rides within 7 days on the same card via OMNY, the rest of that week is free.
- Budget: New York City about $120-150 (hostels, pizza and delis, subway); Los Angeles about $130-170 (hostel, tacos, public transit)
- Mid-range: about $300-400 in both (rental car and parking extra in Los Angeles)
- High-end: about $700+ in both (premium Broadway seats in New York, theme park fast passes in Los Angeles)
Weather month by month
The guides name April-June and September-November as the most pleasant months in New York City, and March-May and September-November in Los Angeles. The overlap, April-May and September-November, works well for both.
The figures below are NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020): New York Central Park station for New York City and Los Angeles International Airport station for Los Angeles. Each line shows the same month's average high/low and precipitation.
Los Angeles gets little rain from April to November (about 0-21 mm a month); its rain falls mainly from December to March, and the guide notes occasional rain in winter. Coastal areas are often overcast in May and June, and July-September is hot and dry, with wildfires possible from late summer into autumn, so check local conditions before you go.
In New York City, April, May, July and October all get about 101-117 mm. July and August are hot and humid, and January to February can be bitterly cold. The holiday season (Thanksgiving to New Year) is magical, but hotel prices spike.
- February: New York City 6/-1°C, 81 mm; Los Angeles 19/10°C, 76 mm
- April: New York City 17/8°C, 104 mm; Los Angeles 20/12°C, 15 mm
- May: New York City 22/13°C, 101 mm; Los Angeles 21/14°C, 7 mm
- July: New York City 29/21°C, 117 mm; Los Angeles 24/18°C, 1 mm
- October: New York City 18/11°C, 111 mm; Los Angeles 24/15°C, 12 mm
What you do there
New York City is a city to explore on foot. Central Park, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, the High Line, the 9/11 Memorial, and Times Square and Broadway are the classics. If you pick one observation deck, go at sunset; The Met is closed on Wednesdays.
Los Angeles works best area by area. Griffith Observatory, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Santa Monica Pier and Venice Beach, the Getty Center, Universal Studios Hollywood, Disneyland in Anaheim (about 1 hour by car depending on traffic) and The Broad downtown are the highlights. Griffith Observatory (the building), the Getty Center and The Broad are closed on Mondays.
For food, New York City means pizza slices (about $4-6), bagels, pastrami sandwiches and food halls; Los Angeles means tacos (about $3-6 each), burgers and California-style brunch. Both cities have a Koreatown for Korean food.
- First-time base: Midtown (around Times Square) in New York City, Hollywood in Los Angeles
- Quieter stays: Upper West Side in New York City (also good for families); Beverly Hills / West Hollywood in Los Angeles (highest hotel prices)
- Somewhat cheaper bases: Brooklyn in New York City, Koreatown in Los Angeles
- Beaches: Santa Monica and Venice Beach in Los Angeles / free views of the Statue of Liberty and skyline: the Staten Island Ferry in New York City
How to choose, and what to check before you go
Pick New York City if shows, museums and walking come first; pick Los Angeles if beaches, theme parks and movies come first. Both guides include a 4-day sample itinerary, so if you visit both, use them to split your days.
US entry requirements such as ESTA can change. Check official US government sources before you travel. Flights and recent fares are on the route pages below.
- New York City: costumed characters and people handing out CDs in Times Square will ask for money; politely decline
- New York City: late at night, ride in subway cars with other people and keep your phone and bag close
- Los Angeles: never leave bags visible in a parked car, and read parking signs (day and time limits) carefully
- Los Angeles: late at night, take a rideshare rather than walking through quiet streets or empty stations
Plan your New York City trip
We never take payment — compare, then book on the official partner site.
Plan your Los Angeles trip
We never take payment — compare, then book on the official partner site.
Full New York City travel guide →
FAQ
New York City or Los Angeles for a first US trip?
New York City if you want museums, shows and skylines by subway and on foot; Los Angeles if you want beaches and theme parks and don't mind getting around by rental car or ride-hailing.
Which one costs more?
The guides put the mid-range daily budget at about $300-400 in both. Budget travel is about $120-150 in New York City and $130-170 in Los Angeles, where a rental car and parking are extra.
When is a good time to visit both?
April-May and September-November, when the pleasant seasons in the two guides overlap. In New York City, July and August are hot and humid, and January to February can be bitterly cold.
Do I need a rental car in Los Angeles?
It is the easiest way to cover several areas. You can also get around by ride-hailing and Metro Rail, which serves key routes such as Hollywood-Downtown and Downtown-Santa Monica.
Related reading
Itinerary · United StatesFirst Trip to New York: Prep, Airport Transfer, Where to Stay and a 4-Day RouteHeading to New York for the first time — what should you prepare, where should you stay…
Comparison · United StatesFirst Trip to the US West Coast: Los Angeles vs San FranciscoHeading to the US West Coast for the first time — is Los Angeles or San Francisco right…
Comparison · United StatesNew York's Three Airports, JFK vs Newark (EWR) vs LaGuardia (LGA): Where to Land and How to Get Into the CityJFK, Newark (EWR) and LaGuardia (LGA) each get you into Manhattan a different way. We…