3 x 3: Nine Reasons NYC is the Best City —Straight from our Team

Author

Lauren Petrosky

Field Marketing Manager

When The Times and The Sunday Times recently named New York City the Best City in the World, in its 2025 Travel Awards, we turned to our PRA New York team to ask: Why? What makes NYC the best—for business events and beyond—from the people who work, breathe and live in the city every day?  

Native New Yorker Danielle Cirami-Gillis, and transplant dynamos Dana Schwartz (“from Vegas, baby”), and Kiersten Olson (born but not raised in New York) each shared their three favorite aspects of New York that have charmed them for life, but also professionally as an iconic backdrop for experiences and events. 

From the people and food to the energy and vibe, there’s just no destination like New York City. Danielle, Dana and Kiersten explain its power.  

By the Numbers 

• People: 8.4 million NYC’s 2025 population 

• Tourists: 64.1 million visitors projected to visits in 2025 

• Spending: $48 billion+ by visitors in 2023, 

• Pizza: 1,813 pizza restaurants across the five boroughs, fueling NYC’s legendary slice culture 

Nine Reasons why NYC is the Best City in the World According to Three from the PRA NY Team 

1. The Energy

There’s truly nothing like New York” Danielle explained, “My role supports all 30 of our PRA offices. Plus, I have wanderlust in my blood. I’m always on the go and I always come home. New York feels like home. It’s fast-paced, it’s creative, it’s energetic.”

Dana agrees, “Only in New York can you go see Wicked: For Good in a movie theater in Times Square —just eight blocks away from the Gershwin Theatre where Wicked debuted on Broadway 22 years ago. And that’s just the opportunity to being in New York—you feel the sense of energy and magic. You can do whatever you want here, whenever you want.”

2. Access to Experiences, Hospitality

Beyond the energy, or perhaps because of it, there’s more access to more experiences, to well, anything. Dana said, “It can be a last-minute invite to a show. It could be the access to go to a club or try a new restaurant. And it’s the access to be the first in the world because it's happening in New York City.”

The hospitality makes it next level. “Being in this industry, we recognize how elite New York is with hospitality,” Dana said. “So, as a hospitality professional going to a nice dinner and trying a new cuisine, you get the customer experience that you’re also putting out for work and your clients.”

3. Profound Diversity

New York is known as a melting pot, “but it’s the only melting pot, in my opinion, where you have so much diversity,” said Kiersten, “One day there’s a festival for one culture and then the next day there’s a parade for another community—and it’s widely accepted and appreciated which is awesome. Other cities are melting pots but as Kiersten says, “not quite like New York, and that’s number one for me.”

4. Culture, Community and the Love Language of Food

All three of our New Yorkers are aligned here. “For me personally,” Danielle said, “it’s how the culture and community come together through food—it’s a love language. You can have Bubby’s pancakes for breakfast, Italian for lunch, and Korean bbq for dinner.”

The food is unmatched, Kiersten continued, “There’s no place else where the food is top notch all the time.” Dana adds, “Every day I have the option to walk outside my door and choose the food, the culture, I want to eat and soak up.”

5. Entertainment Experiences

Broadway. Times Square. Fifth Avenue. Top of the Rock. The list for entertainment in New York City goes on and on. “I’m a Broadway girl,” Dana said. “And there is something so special about being in New York right now.”

Dana is referring to Masquerade, an immersive Phantom of the Opera experience. “You’re following actors of Phantom through built out spaces over multiple levels making you part of the story.” Dana explained, “It’s so special. And it’s only in New York—it’s one of the coolest things I’ve done, anywhere.”

6. Spontaneous Serendipity

“I love how small this big city can feel.” Kiersten shared. “One day I missed my subway stop and three women get on trying to find their way around the city. I help them and it turns out one of them is a meeting planner for a large petroleum company— how does that happen?!?

“The serendipity of the city consistently amazes me.” Kiersten said. “The spontaneity is the other half of it.” She continued, “You might leave work with plans for dinner and end up doing something completely different.” And she adds, if it’s springtime, look out: New Yorkers are at their peak of happiness.

8. Professional and Turnkey

This city understands hospitality. “They know how to do events and do them very well.” Dana said. “Whether it’s a private dining room or an iconic backdrop like Ellis Island or The Met, clients get to experience what they’re seeing on TV, social media and pop culture—and it only happens here,” she said.

As Danielle explained, “In any one of those spaces you’re blending an energy, an ambition, a drive, and some kind of creative element, and you could do all those things together in the same day, in walking distance—even if it’s a far walk,” she laughed.

“There aren’t many destinations that offer all these components - the ease, convenience professionalism, and accessibility that New York offers from a meeting planning perspective,” she said.

9. Memorable

New York will always be memorable.” Kiersten said. “When we’re planning an event here, we get to deliver and share it with the passion for where we live. Plus, everything else is available at their (clients and attendees) fingertips.”

“If clients want a historical moment, they’ve got it. If they want an entertainment moment, they’ve got it. If they want to make it food centric, no problem.” Kiersten continued. “The one thing I will say about New York is I feel like we never have enough time with our clients and attendees to show them as much as we’d like to, but we do our best to bring it to them however we can.”

Bonus

10. The Pizza

You can’t visit New York without getting a New York slice. Our New York team shared their favorites; in fact, they like to share a slice of their favs with clients.

Dana says John's is her number one for pick-up but Joes for delivery. Kiersten recommends L’industrie and Danielle loves them all.