Tips and Tricks for NYC

Here are a few things we learned along the way:

Transportation

1. If you are picking up a rideshare from the airport to get to your hotel, make sure you do it through the app on your phone. The guy standing near baggage claim holding up an Ipad with the Uber logo does NOT work for Uber. He will happily steer you to a car outside where his buddy who may or may not speak English will hopefully drive you where you need to go. Yeah, this was a rookie mistake on our part. But hey – we didn’t get kidnapped so there’s that…
2. I do NOT suggest renting a car. The traffic is as crazy as you see in the movies. Lanes are merely a suggestion, five cars will squeeze into the space of three, and everyone’s honking. Pedestrians mostly cross with the lights but not always. Pretty stressful! So add some money into your budget for rideshares and the subway, and bring your walking shoes.
3. Don’t be afraid to take the subway – it was not as bad as we thought it would be. One of the trains was a little smelly, but only one! Rides are $2.90 each and you just tap your debit/credit card. Or you can buy a metro card which will give you unlimited rides for 7 days for $34. I did notice several people having difficulty getting the metro cards to work going through the turnstiles. We ended up just paying by the trip. The MTA app gave info on scheduling, which trains to take, and how to get to the stations.

Restaurants

1. If there is somewhere specific you want to eat, check their website for making reservations EARLY. Some of the ones I looked at open their reservations 30 days in advance, and by the time I tried to get a table it was too late.
2. They say everything in the city is expensive, and they’re not joking. Everything from your Starbucks run to dinner out will cost more than you are used to, so plan ahead. 💸

Hotels

1. If you arrive earlier in the day, your hotel may offer early check-in, or they will probably be able to store your luggage for you until check-in time. That will allow you to start exploring without dragging your suitcase around, which we did see a few people doing.
2. The rooms do tend to be small, even the national chains. They are trying to cram a lot of people into a little bit of space.

When you’re out and about…

1. In Times Square, if anyone is dressed up as a movie character or a famous person, and they offer to take a picture with you, they expect to be paid. Also, if you are traveling with the “chillens”, be aware that some of those individuals offering photos may ONLY be wearing body paint. 🫣
2. If you are going to the Statue of Liberty, make sure to budget enough time for the ferry rides. They run about every 30 minutes, but there are huge crowds, so you may have to wait a time or two.
3. The Empire State Building does have busy times, specifically sunset, so if you are able to splurge on the express pass it will allow you to skip the line for the elevators. We were glad we did.
4. Wondering where to sit for your Broadway show? In my very limited experience (of exactly one show, lol), I recommend the front of the Dress Circle section. We were close enough and high enough to see everything well, and no one was blocking our view. And we were relatively close to the restrooms, which was nice during intermission!

I hope some of these things help as you are planning your own adventures! If you’ve been to New York and you have any suggestions, or if you have any questions, please share them in the comments.

Until next time… shine bright, friends!