New York City attracts swarms of photographers, and some of the best in the world call the city home. Here’s my honest take on best New York City Instagram accounts. the tips, the tricks, and what to skip entirely. As such, there’s an abundance of inspiring New York City Instagram accounts that highlight the city’s charm, food, and attractions. In this post I’ll give you the rundown of the best NYC based Instagram accounts that do the city justice and explain where to eat, what to do, and what to expect.
Visiting New York City? If you haven’t decided where to stay (yet) check out our helpful guide on Where to Stay in New York City (10 Best Neighborhoods +3 to Avoid). Don’t have time? Here’s my favorite hotel in NYC, hands down.
Best New York City Instagram Accounts to Follow
Table of Contents. Inspiring NYC Instagram Accounts
Most Inspiring New York City Instagram Pages
Not all NYC based Instagram pages highlight attractions. Some just post pretty pictures that entice the viewer to visit or dream about being there. These are some of the best NYC photography accounts on Instagram.
Brittany Eliza Kunkel (@brittanyeliza.photo)
An ambassador for both Nikon and DJI Global, Brittany Eliza Kunkel’s Instagram page is full of spellbinding photos and reels of New York City. She edits in a warm, cozy style that feels like a fairy-tale, and her work usually follows a theme or season for a few weeks before chasing a different muse. Followers also get to travel to unique destinations when she travels, including New England, Rome and Iceland (but the vast majority of her Instagram is New York City based).
Joe Thomas (@joethommas)
Joe Thomas, professional architect photographer by trade, is one of the most talented New Yorkers. His ability to capture the various city landscapes and street scenes is unparalleled, which is why he lands on our list of best New York City Instagram accounts to follow. Besides the top-notch photos, Joe often shares photography tips with his followers, and his work has been featured in world renowned publications (oftentimes as cover photos)!
She still talks about it.
Jacob Santiago (@jacobsantiago)
Native New Yorker Jacob Santiago has a background in design, but started his photography journey snapping photos on his cellphone. Jacob’s ability to capture the essence of the Big Apple across everyday moments makes his one of the best New York City Instagram accounts to follow. He’ll sometimes wipe his entire feed, and post only a specific theme (like snow photos) for a few weeks to put together his page before starting over with something new.
Davina Tan (@heydavina)
Davina Tan has one of the dreamiest Instagram accounts about New York City, posting a ton of daily life content including street scenes, cafes and food-photography. It’s a glimpse into a New Yorkers day to day life, and her muted, casual editing style makes the city feel dreamy. She also posts similar content from her travels abroad to places like Portugal and Spain.
Matthew Ritchie (@matt.ritchie)
A born New Zealander who’s set roots in New York City, this architect turned to photography during the pandemic. Matt Ritchie has a masterful use of light, his sunset/sunrise photos are stunning. For followers that like videos, Ritchie also makes amazing reels that are easy to binge.
Local tip. Here’s something most visitors don’t know. the best time to visit is right when they open.
New York City (@newyorkcity)
Liz Eswein has worked with numerous high-influence companies and even runs a few herself, including one of the best New York City Instagram accounts aptly named, @newyorkcity. Boasting a staggering 1.5 million followers the account feels much like that of a friend who moved to the Big Apple.
There’s pictures of her pup, Charlie, simple cityscapes and festive occasions. The page is also appropriately peppered with plugs for Eswein’s other venture, a clothing brand called New York or Nowehere (that has a brick and mortar store in SoHo) that also sells a lot of their photos as prints.
Kelly Kopp (@newyorkcitykopp)
A licensed NYC tour guide, Kelly Kopp has an Instagram page where he posts nearly every day about both new attractions in the city and daily, everyday scenes. He posts a lot of dreamy reels, and has a knack for being at the right place at the right time to capture magic. As a published photographer, Kelly also offers photography tours where he’ll take photos of his guests as he shows them the most popular tourist attractions.
Famous Instagram Accounts for New York City Entertainment
Not all New York City Instagram accounts provide charming cityscapes and romanticized lifestyles, some provide the down and dirty deets that resonate with the locals. From the craziest subway experiences to the best places for a bite, some of the best NYC Instagram accounts remind us that New York’s allure is made by it’s people, not just its infrastructure.
Nicolas Heller (@newyorknico)
Dubbed the unofficial talent scout of New York, Nicolas “Nico” Heller is responsible for bringing to light some of New York City’s brightest and most unique characters. He’s all over the city, often sharing clips on his Instagram Stories of some event or person that helps make NYC so unique.
Heller has a cast of characters he often collaborates with, but fair warning I wouldn’t say they’re PG rated. Be sure to check Heller’s NYC Instagram account for his weekly Nico’s Sunday Dump, where he puts together the most interesting clip of the week.
Subway Creatures (@subwaycreatures)
One of the best Instagram pages from New York City is Subway Creatures, which helps you see the underground mayhem from your phone screen. Folks send in a variety of clips that show the most unreal subway experiences. Whether it’s a burst pipe pouring gallons of water onto the track or a mini-pony taking the subway to work, this one of the most amusing (and slightly terrifying) New York City Instagram pages.
Overheard New York (@overheardnewyork)
If there’s one thing about New Yorkers, they’ll talk about anything in public. Overheard New York helps put these eavesdropped gems on the stage they need to shine. Locals send in things they overheard on the city streets. Some are inside jokes that will resonate best with New Yorkers, but some are just plain-funny no matter where you’re from.
New York City Explore (@newyorkcity.explore)
Ran by a hotel booking company, New York City Explore gives folks a little but of everything a NYC Instagram account can offer. There’s updates on upcoming events, a few news-worthy headlines, and charming cityscape photos. There’s even food recommendations and interviews with famous New Yorkers and influencers. It’s a great follow for folks traveling to the city, as well as locals hoping to stay up to date with all the fun things happening around the city.
New Fork City (@new_fork_city)
Featuring daily photos of tantalizing dishes served at various restaurants in the Big Apple, this New York City Instagram account will keep followers informed (and hungry) while exploring the city. It’s a great New York City Instagram account to follow whether you live in NYC or planning a trip soon. Followers get to learn about new restaurants as well as mouthwatering classics.
Bodega Cats (@bodegacatsofinstagram)
This NYC Instagram account captures the charming and diverse cats that inhabit New York City’s bodegas (small convenience stores), and the feline residents roles as shopkeepers’ companions. With a mix of heartwarming and humorous snapshots, the account has gained popularity to the tune of +500k followers. And the page doesn’t only show off the felines, they help them too. Currently the page is helping fund-raise for the non-profit spay/neuter clinic in Brooklyn called Flatbush Cats.
Marco Lombardi (@marcosworldnyc)
If you’ve personally been victimized by the prices in New York City, Michael Lombardi has an Instagram account that showcases a variety of mouthwatering meals at bargain basement prices. It’s one of the best New York City Instagram accounts for foodies. Through his account, Marco covers all five boroughs and spotlights cheap eats with fast-talking enthusiasm and charisma.
Best Instagram Accounts to Follow for New York City (Post Roundup)
- Brittany Eliza Kunkel (@brittanyeliza.photo)
- Joe Thomas (@joethommas)
- New York Simply (@newyorksimply)
- Jacob Santiago (@jacobsantiago)
- Davina (@heydavina)
- Matthew Ritchie (@matt.ritchie)
- New York City (@newyorkcity)
- Kelly Kopp (newyorkcitykopp)
- Nicolas Heller (@newyorknico)
- Subway Creatures (@subwaycreatures)
- Overheard New York (@overheardnewyork)
- New York City Explore (@newyorkcity.explore)
- New Fork City (@new_fork_city)
- Bodega Cats (@bodegacatsofinstagram)
- What New York Eats (@whatnyeats)
Frequently Asked Questions
The official Instagram account for New York City is @nycgov.
The official Instagram account for New York City’s Department of Tourism is @nyctourism.
New York City is home to a significant number of influencers, reflecting its status as a hub for diverse industries, culture, and media.
More Helpful Related Links
20 Cute Cafes in New York City (Instagram Worthy Spots)
The 30 Most Instagrammable Places in NYC (Local’s Guide)
10 EPIC NYC Christmas Photo Spots (Perfect For Instagram!)
18 Jaw-Dropping Skyline Views of New York City (For All Budgets)
20 Famous New York City Buildings (You Should Know About)
The 10 Best Neighborhoods to Explore in Manhattan (First Time Visitors Guide)
And there you have it, folks. I hope you enjoyed my roundup of the best New York City Instagram accounts in New York City. Until next time, cheers1
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