Few places make for as memorable of a vacation destination as New York City. The largest city in the United States, New York City is packed to the brim with cultural sites, museums, historic landmarks, unforgettable shows, and, of course, New Yorkers.
New York City is a wonderful and impressive place. It can also be an intimidating place if you’re not used to the bustle. Don’t let “the city that never sleeps” intimidate you. If you plan your trip to New York City carefully, you’ll be sure to get the most out of the capital of the world.
Plan To Walk
New York City is densely populated, and most of its major attractions aren’t all that far away from each other. New York City also boasts lots of transit options, including a robust public transit system of subways, buses, trams, and ferries. Still, you should expect to do much of your traveling on your own two feet. Taxis are expensive and, in the case of short trips, superfluous. Subway travel will mean walking to and from nearby subway stations. Plus, New York City is a highly walkable place with clusters of attractions in small areas.
If this is going to be a problem for you, be sure to plan out your transit as you plan your trip. Handicap accessible taxis are reasonably easy to find in most touristy areas, and transportation services can be arranged ahead of time. Some, but not all, subways stations are handicap accessible. Tour buses make a good replacement for walking tours.
It’s also worth noting that some transit options may be a tight squeeze for the very overweight, point out experts in weight loss and sleeve surgery. On the other hand, walking around New York City is a great way to make your trip a little healthier.
Plan Your Dinners
There are lots of great places to eat in New York City, and many of them are the sorts of places that you can just drop in on. But such places are few and far between in the most touristy areas of the city, where crowds of out-of-towners compete to grab a quick dinner before their next stop.
After a long day of trekking to and fro across the city, you’re likely to be hungrier than you might be at home. When that’s the case, you won’t be pleased to realize that the pizza place your tour book recommends has a two-hour wait. So plan ahead. Make reservations or get in line early. You could also try eating early in order to beat the crowds—New Yorkers eat a bit on the later side, so crowds filter in around dinnertime and won’t ebb until around nine in many areas.
See Shows For Less
New York City is justifiably famous for a lot of things, but few things about it are as impressive as its theater scene. New York City is home to Broadway, the world headquarters of musical theater. No wonder, then, that even tourists who prefer to stay off the beaten path generally end up venturing into touristy midtown for at least one night. You can’t leave New York City without seeing a Broadway show.
But Broadway tickets can be expensive, so be careful. Consider opting for a matinee or a weekday show to save some dough. Look for bargains and shop with reputable ticket retailers. Some Broadway ticket websites can save you a bundle on your next show.
Get Out Of Midtown
Midtown is well known as New York City’s center of tourism. With Times Square, Broadway, and countless cheesy shops and attractions, it’s easy to see why. But locals tend to avoid Midtown when they can help it, and tourists who want to experience a more authentic (not to mention quieter and less crowded) New York City should venture out of Midtown and into New York City’s many other wonderful neighborhoods.
Other must-sees for tourists include Greenwich Village, SoHo, and the Financial District. You should also consider checking out the hip East Village; the equally hip Williamsburg, Brooklyn; the quiet Upper East Side; the diverse and neighborhoody Astoria, Queens; and many other wonderful spots.
