Popular holiday destination is so crowded people feel like sardines

New York is one of the world’s top holiday destinations with over 60 million tourists travelling to the Big Apple in 2023.

From Times Square to Central Park, the city has plenty of attractions to keep tourists coming back for more.

However, the US city is in danger of becoming overcrowded according to one travel blogger who lives there.

Kelly Duhigg, who founded the Girl with the Passport, told Express.co.uk: “I spent the past 20 years exploring New York City, I’ve seen my fair share of crowds at Times Square and Central Park over the years.

“Those two places are attractions for good reason – the energy and green space they offer are unbeatable. But man, the crowds can really take away from the experience sometimes.

“Locals say on New Year’s Eve trying to venture down to Times Square is the biggest mistake you can make while in the city. They weren’t wrong!

“The subway stations were so packed it was hard to even manoeuvre through. And once above ground it was impossible to move at all. I felt like a sardine just trying to peek around people to see the giant ball drop.”

New York’s iconic Ball Drop ceremony on New Year’s Eve attracts around one million spectators so it’s definitely not the best idea for tourists who don’t like crowds.

Kelly added: “Another busy time I tried Central Park was over a summer weekend. All the open green spaces I normally love to relax in were totally overrun. I even saw people having crowded picnics right on the walking paths!

“It kind of defeated the whole calming oasis vibe the park usually has. I ended up leaving pretty quickly since it was more stressful than soothing that day.”

Central Park is usually busiest at the weekend so Kelly recommends visiting in the early morning or on a weekday afternoon.