Tripologist: How should we plan for an 11-day stay in New York City?

In early October I am going to NYC for 11 days with my husband and two sisters, all in our 60s and 70s. Should we book a minivan from JFK Airport? Do we need to get Wi-Fi access before departing Sydney? Can you recommend a hop-on, hop-off bus tour and what specific things are “must dos” in NYC? A. Fallon, Kellyville

Precision NY Chauffeur & Airport Transportation Service, JetBlack and NYC Executive Limo are three transport operators that offer transfers between JFK Airport and the city that get outstanding reviews.

If you need Wi-Fi access when you’re out and about in New York City, decide on the best way to do this before you leave. One option is to buy a SIM card that will give you data coverage, and Simcorner and SimsDirect are a couple of possibilities. E-Sims are a convenient option and if your phones are e-Sim compatible, you can download the Airalo and Airhub apps for a low-cost data connection. It might be more convenient to stick with your usual phone service provider and Telstra, Vodafone and Optus offer global roaming packages for a daily fee for customers on compliant plans. Your Wise card will let you tap on and off on the subway system.

Bigbus New York has a hop-on, hop-off bus tour which starts from $US58 while Topview charges just slightly less. For me, highlights include Fifth Avenue, the Frick, MOMA, the Guggenheim, the High Line walk, the Staten Island Ferry, a Broadway show and another at Madison Square Garden, a lox bagel at Zabar’s on Broadway, long strolls through Central Park, the Top of the Rock in the Rockefeller Center and trolling through Tiffany & Co.

Next year we plan to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary with our children, who live in the UK and here, together with their children. We need to find a place to stay for all 14 for a week in mid-July, either in southern France or Italy. One suggestion is somewhere near Avignon. We would like a country farmhouse with things to see and do that would interest the kids. H. Barrett, Sanctuary Point NSW

Close to Avignon would be perfect, and a large villa might work for your extended family. There are several websites where you can find villa accommodation including The Plum Guide, Oliver’s Travels, Interhome and Airbnb. Villas usually rent by the week, typically Saturday to Saturday. Look for somewhere with a pool and you’re probably going to need air conditioning. You’ll be in the countryside but preferably not too far from a town. You’ll need to do your catering, but shopping in local markets is one of the joys of rural France. Some of these villas have chefs who can be called in to prepare a meal which might work well if you’re planning a celebration dinner for your anniversary. You will probably want to explore local villages and possibly the coast as well, and therefore will need a couple of hired vehicles at the very least. If this appeals, don’t leave it too long, villas book up quickly.

You could also look for farmhouse accommodation, and the region has quite a few mas, large, traditional farmhouses that have been converted into hotels. The drawback is the price, you’re in a very popular part of the world at peak season and while you would have catering on the premises, you could expect to pay anything from $250 per night for a double room.

We are off to South America early next year visiting multiple countries and will need Wi-Fi to access maps and other traveller information. In Japan, we used a JR pocket Wi-Fi and found it ultra handy and would like something similar. What options would you recommend? A. Morrissey, Broadmeadow NSW