7 ideas to live on New York time all year round

I’m not a doctor, but since I created this site in 1999, I’ve received countless messages from travelers struck by New York fever—that strange condition that hits people when they leave New York wishing they could have stayed longer. Read more about New York fever. Rather than sink into homesickness and melancholy, here are seven positive ways to live on New York time without actually being in New York.

1/ Decorate your room or apartment

• Since you can’t visit New York every week or even every month, bring New York to you. Redecorate your space with posters and prints of New York. Why not print your best photos or enlarge them? Add a small Statue of Liberty figurine to your desk or grab some “I Love New York” pens.
• Check out the decorations and souvenirs from two forum members, Loïcnice and Claribulle, below. New York is within reach. Send me your photos and I’ll add them here!

2/ Eat like New York

• To feel at home like you’re in New York, skip the ordinary sandwiches. Treat yourself to at least one New York meal each week: make a real burger, try a bagel, a hot dog, or pastrami, and wash it down with lemonade. European supermarkets now stock more and more American products, and you can even find Philadelphia cream cheese. Close your eyes: you’re in New York!
• If you love cooking, why not head to the kitchen? Our moderator Patricia shares her best New York recipes.

3/ Celebrate American holidays

• This tip came from Selena, one of our team members! Selena has her own way of feeling like she’s in New York year-round: she celebrates American holidays, especially Halloween on October 31. Gather friends, dress up, and ignore anyone who says Halloween is just an American thing. Exactly! It’s a great way to bring a bit of America into your life.

4/ Browse New York webcams

• New York has a network of cameras streaming live images of the city online. It’s a great way to take a virtual tour of the Big Apple. You can watch the Statue of Liberty and New York harbor in real time, or see the energy of Times Square as if you were there. I’ve selected the best webcams in our New York Webcams section. Let me know if you find others!

5/ Listen to the sounds of New York

• New York isn’t just images and encounters with New Yorkers—it’s also distinctive sounds, like the characteristic “ding dong” of subway doors or the wailing sirens of New York fire trucks. When you’re feeling down, nothing beats blasting the siren of a New York fire truck. You can watch a video of New York firefighters or this New York subway video. For more sounds, visit Sounds of New York!

6/ Join the forum and social media!

• To talk about New York every day, year-round, visit the forum on this site. Founded in December 1999, the New York Forum brings together Big Apple enthusiasts in a friendly space where you’ll learn plenty about New York. You can follow other members’ trips and hear about their experiences.
• You can also take part in various New York-themed games throughout the year, including a photo contest run by Yann59. It’s a chance to dig through your memories!
• Join us on the Destination New York Facebook group, which I founded to bring together New York lovers!

7/ Plan your next trip

• The best way to feel like you’re in New York every day is to start planning your next visit. Even if you don’t have your flight and hotel booked yet, or even a budget in mind, you can begin preparing. Open a “New York” savings jar and start putting money aside for your trip.
• Another idea: start building your ideal itinerary by choosing the places you want to see or revisit. Check out our guides to shopping in New York and New York restaurants to create your list. You’ll see how quickly your next New York trip will feel within reach!

If you have other ideas or ways to stay connected with New York throughout the year, share them here or contact me using the contact form.