One of your first concerns when organising a vacation to New York City is probably what to reserve in advance.

Since the Statue of Liberty is the most well-known site in New York City, it is generally a necessity. Other attractions, such as museums, observatories, and dining establishments, will vary depending on the circumstances.

Some advice on how long in advance to book your NYC activities can be found in this travel guide. My personal experience is the basis for everything!

Synopsis: What to Book and When

Here’s a brief rundown of when you might wish to make reservations in advance for events in New York City:

Make reservations for Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty one to two weeks in advance.
Make reservations for the Statue of Liberty Pedestal and Crown one to three months in advance.
Observatories: Make reservations one week ahead of time
Broadway Shows: Make reservations one to three months in advance
Fine dining restaurants require reservations.
The FRIENDS Experience: Make a reservation
Tenement Museum: Reservations are required
Special Tours: Make a reservation
9/11 Museum: Not Required
The American Museum of Natural History is optional.
Arte Museum: Not required
Guggenheim Museum: Not required
Metropolitan Museum of Art: Not required
Museum of Modern Art: Not required
Brooklyn Bridge: Free, no reservations required
Intrepid Museum: No reservations are required
Madame Tussauds: No reservations are required
St. Patrick’s Cathedral: Free, no reservations required
Vessel: No reservations are required

If you plan to travel during the summer (June to August) and winter holidays (November to December), especially on weekends or during peak hours, you might want to make reservations in advance.

Things You Must Reserve Ahead of Time

• The Statue of Liberty
  One of New York City’s most popular tourist destinations is the Statue of Liberty, one of the country’s most well-known icons.

Liberty Island can only be reached by ferry, and reservations are needed. While general tickets are typically simple to obtain, crown tickets are extremely rare, and pedestal tickets are fairly limited.

You must make reservations several months in advance if you intend to visit the crown. In my opinion, the crown and pedestal are not very significant. You can view the best highlights with general entry.

You can enter the Statue of Liberty generally with a CityPass, but not the pedestal or crown.

To appreciate the island before the largest crowds arrive, I would advise scheduling the first ferry of the day (8 or 9 AM) if at all feasible.

Any phoney ticket vendors you come across close to the harbour should be ignored because they are con artists!
NYC Observatories

Due to the high demand for rooftop observatories in New York City, reservations should be made at least one week in advance if you intend to visit one and have a certain admission time in mind.

If visibility is poor, you can rebook because some observatories have weather policies. It’s acceptable to make reservations a few days in advance if you’d rather to wait and pick a day with favourable weather; you simply won’t be able to be as precise about the entry time.

For instance, we reserved a spot at Summit One Vanderbilt the day before our trip, but we had to arrive at 3 PM because the latter periods were already full with people who wanted to watch the sunset.

If you want one of those expensive entry times, I would make a reservation well in advance because sunset is particularly popular at the NYC observatories and the hours coming up to it typically sell out.

You can enter the Empire State Building and the Top of the Rock if you have a CityPass.

Broadway Productions
Purchasing tickets in advance is strongly advised if you have a certain seat in mind or if a Broadway hit play is significant to you.

Because the major performances may sell out closer to the date, it is sometimes necessary to make reservations one to three months in advance.

Otherwise, you can attend whatever is available when you get to New York City if you’re open to seeing a variety of events and want to try your luck. If you’re not choosy, there are always tickets available for something.

• Fine dining establishments
  You will need to make reservations if you want to eat at a nice or well-known restaurant in New York City. However, only upscale eateries require this.

If you choose to eat at less expensive establishments, you typically don’t need to bother about making reservations because NYC has a wide variety of eateries to suit every budget.

• The Experience of Friends
  Tickets for the friends are available. Experience at the door, but as tickets occasionally sell out, purchasing them online is safer and less expensive.

I would definitely make an online reservation if you have a precise entry time in mind, but you can check the booking calendar to see what’s available.

Tenement Museum
For the Tenement Museum, making reservations in advance is undoubtedly a good idea. If you’re lucky, you might be able to walk up and get tickets, but generally speaking, I wouldn’t take the chance.

It differs from other museums in that a tour is the only way to enter. Up to a week in advance, they can sell out.

• Exclusive Tours
  You should make reservations far in advance if you intend to participate in any special activities or tours in New York, though how far in advance depends on the excursions you’ll be taking.

I would advise making reservations at least two to four weeks in advance for activities like a tour of the Christmas lights or a beautiful helicopter flight; perhaps longer if your dates are highly sought after.

Things You Might Need to Reserve Ahead of Time

• The Museum of 9/11
  If you have a specific entry time in mind, it could be wise to purchase your 9/11 Museum tickets in advance.

Otherwise, you can simply show up and purchase tickets on the spot if your schedule is flexible. That’s what we did. It’s usually not too awful, though you might have to wait in queue.

You only need museum tickets to see the 9/11 Memorial pools, which are free to enter and situated outside the museum.

You can enter the museum with normal admission if you have a CityPass.

• The American Museum of Natural History
  You might have to wait in line longer if you go to AMNH and purchase your tickets there. I would advise making reservations in advance.

Changing the date on your tickets is simple and cost-free, even if your plans change. I experienced that, and it wasn’t at all problematic.

I had to request that the date on my ticket be changed to one day later due to scheduling problems. Even though I only sent them an email a few days beforehand, everything was simple and quick.

One unique exhibit and museum entrance are included if you have a CityPass.

• The Arte Museum
  Tickets are sold at the door of the Arte Museum in Chelsea, and the on-site and online prices are the same.

I don’t think it’s necessary to make reservations in advance unless you’re travelling during busy times on a weekend or holiday, though it might be more practical.

Purchase Tickets for the Arte Museum Now

The Guggenheim Museum
Although a reservation is not necessary to enter the Guggenheim Museum, it can save time.

For ease, I would definitely make the reservation the day before, but it’s not really crucial either way.

• The Met, or Metropolitan Museum of Art
  Even though the Met is fairly accommodating, making a reservation online is still a smart way to avoid standing in queue.

For a weekday, I purchased my tickets one day ahead of time, and that was acceptable. Weekends are busier, but if you don’t mind standing in queue longer, you may still get tickets right away.

You will need to make reservations in advance if you would want a guided tour of the museum.

• MoMA, the Museum of Modern Art
  Another location that offers a lot of flexibility is the MoMA.

Although it’s usually not required, purchasing tickets in advance is nevertheless advised to save time at the gate.

Making a reservation would be wise if you’re on a vacation or if there’s a special display. Additionally, reservations for guided tours should be made at least one to two weeks in advance.

Things You Don’t Have to Reserve Ahead of Time
Brooklyn Bridge
Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge is free of cost and does not require the purchase of a ticket.

You don’t need to make any reservations in advance even if you take the fast ferry ride from Manhattan to the DUMBO neighbourhood and then walk across the Brooklyn Bridge from there because ferry tickets don’t sell out.

• The Intrepid Museum
  Generally speaking, reservations are not required for admission to the Intrepid Museum. Simply show up and purchase your tickets at the door. The majority of people act in this way.

You can also use your CityPass for general museum admission.

Otherwise, purchasing tickets in advance could only be worthwhile if you plan to visit during a busy week or on a weekend.

• The Wax Museum of Madame Tussauds
  Madame Tussauds doesn’t require reservations, yet I still believe it’s a good idea because the online pricing is roughly $10 less than purchasing tickets in person.

We purchased our tickets in person, but I would have saved a little money if I had known that the pricing were lower online.

• The Cathedral of St. Patrick
  You are not need to make a reservation in order to visit or enter this Roman Catholic church.

With a few exceptions—Midnight Mass on December 25, Easter Sunday at 10:15 AM, St. Patrick’s Day at 8:30 AM, and Columbus Day Mass—tickets are also not needed to attend masses.

• The vessel
  Tickets for this Hudson Yards tourist destination are not sold out, and it is typically not particularly packed. Vessel doesn’t require reservations.

I bought my tickets right away, and I would advise doing the same. It simply took a couple seconds to get in queue! You can still purchase tickets online if that’s your preference.

Additional Travel Guides for NYC
I appreciate you looking! I hope these suggestions for making reservations in advance for New York City were helpful.

Don’t forget to return to my blog for more upcoming travel recommendations to New York City!