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New York is a dream destination for so many travelers. And there are so many things to do in the city, it’s overwhelming. Perhaps that’s why so many tourists end up staying firmly on the beaten path, afraid to venture out of their comfort zone in the slightest. And they end up making the same mistakes over and over.
As a New York resident, I’ve made it my mission to show travelers what NOT to do in New York. With a bit of careful planning, you can avoid the pitfalls to which so many tourists fall victim.
Here are the biggest mistakes that tourists make in New York City — and how not to make them.
Planning an extremely touristy, midtown-centric itinerary.
This is probably the most common mistake I see people make. Many tourists plan trips to New York with an itinerary like this: “Go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art and the Museum of Natural History. Walk around Central Park. Go to Times Square. See a Broadway show or two. See the New York Public Library. See Rockefeller Center. Eat at Katz’s Delicatessen. Visit the 9/11 Memorial. Go to the Statue of Liberty. Go to the top of the Empire State Building. Shop on Fifth Avenue. Walk the Brooklyn Bridge.”
“What’s wrong with that?” you might wonder. “Aren’t those all good things?”
They are. They’re great things. But they’re also activities where you will be surrounded by tourists and the vendors who want their money. This is the kind of itinerary where you leave New York saying, “I had fun, but I don’t know how anyone can live there.”
Well, we don’t live there. Those are areas that we only pass through briefly, filling out time with other destinations.
Truth? I used to think I didn’t like New York. Then I realized I was spending all my time in midtown. Once I got out of midtown, I fell in love with the city.
What to do instead: Add less touristy activities into your itinerary. Plan an afternoon without any sightseeing: instead, choose a neighborhood and walk around with no plans. Duck into shops when you feel like it; sit down in a cafe when you’re craving a coffee. There’s no right or wrong way to do this.
Take a walk along Riverside Park, finishing with a stroll along Battery Park City and a sunset trip on the Staten Island Ferry. Ride the East River Ferry, enjoying the scenery of three boroughs. Take the subway to a random stop, get off, and open Foursquare and see where it tells you to go. Join Meetup.com and join a meetup group that shares an interest of yours. Buy tickets to a cheap music or comedy performance that night.
Visiting in the winter when you’re not used to our winters.
If you’re from Minnesota and you want to come to New York in the winter, that’s fabulous — you know what you’re getting into! But I’ve known visitors from California, Texas, even Britain, who are gobsmacked at just how cold it is and end up having a much worse time than they planned.
New York winters are brutal and intense. They’re far colder than anywhere I’ve been in Europe, including the upper reaches of Scotland, and it can be very windy too.
If you end up in New York and aren’t prepared for the weather, go to Old Navy or H&M and load up on hats, gloves, thick socks, and scarves. If you need a better coat, Uniqlo has some good ones for decent prices. If it snows, you’ll need snow boots, and every curb seems to be concealing a three-inch-deep sludge puddle. If you’re up for that, great. If not, winter is not your time to visit.
What to do instead: Either time your visit from April to October or bundle up and plan to spend lots of time indoors.
Read More: The Best Time to Visit New York
Assuming New Yorkers are rude, and being rude in return.
Some people think that New Yorkers are rude. That reputation is overblown. New Yorkers are kind, friendly, and welcoming people, but we also value efficiency — so to us, being polite means being brief and unobtrusive.
If you’re from the midwest or the south, it might seem natural to you to go up to a stranger and say, “Excuse me, sir, but my family and I are visiting from Georgia, it’s our first time in the city, and we were looking to visit Washington Square Park. We heard there are a lot of interesting street performers down there! Anyway, we seem to be a bit lost. Could you please point us in the right direction?”
To a New Yorker, that’s actually rude. The most polite thing you could do is to not waste our limited free time. Time is currency in New York; preserving it is a method of survival. If we have time to spare, however, we open up and are glad to chat. Once you understand that, you’ll have better interactions with New Yorkers.
What to do instead: If you’re lost or need help, don’t ask someone who is busy or distracted or wearing headphones. Be brief and to the point: “Excuse me, do you know where Washington Square Park is?” If you order a bagel and there is a line behind you, don’t have a conversation with the cashier — pay and get out of the way.
And for the love of God, don’t stop in the middle of the sidewalk. You’ll disrupt the whole flow of the street and annoy everyone around you. If you need to stop, move to the side of the sidewalk first.
Don’t wait until you’re in front of the subway turnstile to start searching for your Metrocard. Let people off the subway or bus before you get on. If it rains, be careful not to hit people with your umbrella. Basically, follow the locals’ lead, just as you would when visiting another country.
Using Airbnb illegally.
Did you know that using Airbnb is illegal in most circumstances in New York City? You probably don’t, because Airbnb refuses to enforce the law. They show all listings, including the illegal ones.
In New York City, it’s illegal to rent a whole living space for less than 30 days; however, you can rent a room in someone’s shared living space for as long as you’d like. If you decide to take a chance and book an illegal rental anyway, the police could shut it down before or during your visit.
Why is this a law? Airbnb contributes to the housing crisis in New York, as it does in cities around the globe. Homeowners can make more money renting out whole apartments to short-term guests, but doing so means there are fewer affordable apartments available for New Yorkers to live in. New York’s lawmakers created this law to protect New York residents, even if it’s difficult to enforce.
What to do instead: If you don’t want to get a shared place on Airbnb, or stay for more than 30 days, book a hotel instead.
Not getting out of your culinary comfort zone.
Pizza, bagels. Bagels, pizza. And ice cream. Yes, we do those very well here! But that shouldn’t be the extent of your culinary adventures in New York. So many tourists consider a quickie trip to Chinatown for dumplings to be their only foray into “ethnic” food.
What to do instead: Plan to try at least one or two new kinds of food on your visit. Foods that you would never ordinarily try.
I know it can be intimidating to go to an ethnic restaurant, feeling like you’re going to make a fool of yourself. My recommendation? Do a food tour! I had a great time on Jeffrey Tastes’s Queens Food Tours in the crazy-diverse neighborhoods of Jackson Heights and Corona, which can include anything from Ecuadorian to Bangladeshi to Filipino food. And because it’s just tastes, if you don’t like something, it’s no big deal!
If you want to expand your horizons in a restaurant setting, head to Koreatown for barbecue cooked at your table, or the East Village for Georgian food (so good), or Astoria in Queens for Cypriot food (similar to Greek, but with a Middle Eastern spin).
If you’re already an adventurous eater, try something you’ve never had before. Go to Washington Heights for Dominican food, 116th Street in Harlem for Senegalese food, or Brighton Beach in Brooklyn for Uzbek-Korean food (yes, it’s a thing)!
Assuming you can score a Hamilton ticket.
Hamilton is the hottest ticket in town, and face value tickets are very tough to find. It’s not something you can just pick up. Unless you’re willing to pay through the nose for a ticket on the secondary market (and it will cost you a pretty penny), or you beat the odds with the lottery, it’s unlikely to happen.
When I saw Hamilton in 2016, there was a tourist holding up a sign to the line saying that she’d pay $200 for a ticket. What she didn’t know was that tickets for that performance were going for minimum of four times that amount on StubHub.
There is a daily lottery for $10 tickets, which you enter online, but literally everybody and their mother enters each day, so I wouldn’t rely on it.
What to do instead: Enter the Hamilton digital lottery every morning, but don’t get your hopes up. Instead, plan to see another show. I personally recommend Waitress, Come From Away, and Beetlejuice. For the lowest prices, use the TodayTix app (get $10 off your first order with the code AELAA). Otherwise, Playbill has a great guide on how to get Hamilton tickets.
Not getting an unlimited Metrocard.
Using the subway is the best way to get around New York City — it’s cheaper and faster than many car routes. Taxis may be iconic, but there’s no need to ever hail one; if you’re traveling somewhere with lots of heavy bags, get an Uber or Lyft. Otherwise, stick with the subway all the time.
To ride the subway, you get a Metrocard and put money on it. A single ride costs $2.75, but you can also buy unlimited 7-day passes for $32 and unlimited 30-day passes for $121. You also pay an additional $1 for a new MetroCard.
So, essentially, if you’re taking 12 or more subway rides within a week, get an unlimited 7-day pass; if you’re taking 45 or more subway rides within a month, get an unlimited 30-day pass.
Why do I say this? Because it can save you money, but also because it can also affect you psychologically! When I don’t have an unlimited and I want to go somewhere, I think to myself, “Do I really want to spend the extra money?” Even though it’s only $2.75 and I’d spend more than that for a coffee in a heartbeat! But when I have an unlimited, I feel free. I never second-guess my decision to jump on the subway — I just go. And I do more cool things because of it.
What to do instead: Add up however many rides you think you’ll take on your trip, and if it’s close to 12 within a week, get an unlimited pass.
Getting museumed out.
New York is home to some of the best museums in the world. You should try to see at least one or two on your visit. However, many tourists overdo it. They see that the Metropolitan Museum of Art is on one side of Central Park and the Museum of Natural History is on the other, so why not do one in the morning and one in the afternoon?
The truth? Museum fatigue is a thing. Museums are rich and stimulating, and they can also be crowded and exhausting, especially if you visit during a busy time of year like the Christmas season. And the Met in particular is enormous — you could spend several days there without seeing everything. If you overdo it on museums, you might end up making yourself miserable when you should be enjoying it.
What to do instead: Plan no more than one major museum outing per day, and balance your museum time with outdoor activities. Also, add some smaller, quicker-to-visit niche museums into your itinerary, like the Transit Museum, the Museum of the City of New York, and the Museum of the Moving Image.
Never leaving Manhattan.
Manhattan is only one small part of a pulsating, thriving city. So it’s a shame that so many tourists don’t even leave the island.
The other boroughs are filled with fun things to do, but they are far less tourist-driven than Manhattan. Here’s a chance to see another side of the city while also getting to experience what it’s like to live here. And a bonus: most parts of the other boroughs tend to be cheaper than Manhattan.
What to do instead: Make an effort to visit at least two of the outer boroughs — or maybe even all five! Here are some of my recommendations:
For the Bronx: Head to Arthur Ave., center of the Bronx’s Little Italy, for Italian food (the bocconcini mozzarella balls at Casa della Mozzarella are insane); stroll through the New York Botanical Garden; catch a game at Yankee Stadium; if you’re there in the warmer months, check out the beach community at City Island.
For Queens: Explore the craft breweries in Long Island City and enjoy the Manhattan views from Gantry Plaza State Park; venture out to Flushing, home to the largest Chinatown in New York City; take an eclectic food tour of Jackson Heights with Jeff Tastes; visit the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria.
For Brooklyn: Enjoy the views of the city from Brooklyn Bridge Park and the nearby Brooklyn Heights Promenade; head to the Brooklyn Flea market or the Smorgasburg food fair on the weekends; take a walk or bike ride through Prospect Park; go on a street food and culture tour of wacky Bushwick.
For Staten Island: Enjoy the free ferry ride over and back (I happen to enjoy it most with a beer — it’s legal and they sell beer and wine in the terminals!); visit the cozy Flagship Brewery; try one of many Sri Lankan restaurants; enjoy a fun-filled minor league baseball at a Staten Island Yankees game.
Thinking that New York is dangerous.
New York is one of the safest big cities in the world. It’s practically a theme park. For the most part, if you use common sense, stay aware of what’s around you, and keep an eye on your belongings, you won’t have any issues. And you won’t accidentally wander into a gang fight — the most dangerous places in New York are places where no tourists would ever end up anyway.
The city used to be much worse off in the 70s, 80s, even the 90s, but that isn’t the case today. Times Square used to be known for drugs and ninja stars; today it’s where families go to take selfies with Elmo and Iron Man.
And one other thing — that goes for New York’s communities of color as well.
I live in Harlem. When people from outside New York learn that, they usually say, “Is that safe?”
YES. It is EXTREMELY SAFE. I hang out on my stoop and chat with my neighbors. We have a little community garden that puts on concerts and performances. Thousands of costumed kids run up and down Broadway on Halloween. My neighborhood is equal parts bachata and R&B, street tamales and braised oxtails. And my neighbors care so much about keeping our neighborhood a wonderful place to live.
Please don’t conflate communities of color with dangerous no-go zones. Every time you say, “But is it safe?” you are insulting the good people who live there.
If you think Harlem sounds scary, do the locals a favor and stay away.
BUT. If you are genuinely curious to visit Harlem, and are coming with an open mind, and won’t hold onto your purse the whole time, I bet you’ll have a great time.
Get your feet wet with a food and culture tour with Taste Harlem. See a show at the Apollo Theater. Dine in style at Red Rooster or dive into soul food at Melba’s. Gawk at the architecture on Astor Row or the Hamilton Heights Historic District. Listen to live West African jazz at Shrine, then dance all night long. Browse African wares at the Malcolm Shabazz Harlem Market or support neighborhood designers at the Sugar Hill Market. Sip strong ginger tea at the Serengeti Teas and Spices. Visit the Hamilton Grange, Alexander Hamilton’s uptown home. Get haute disco cocktails at the Honeywell or slam back $3 beers at At the Wallace.
More on What NOT To Do:
- What NOT to Do in Prague
- What NOT to Do in Italy
- What NOT to Do in Croatia
- What NOT to Do in Iceland
- What NOT to Do in Mexico
- What NOT to Do in New York City
- What NOT to Do in Boston
More on New York:
- Ultimate Guide to Solo Female Travel in New York City
- 100+ Fabulous Things To Do in Harlem
- Best Time to Visit New York
Essential Info: I recommend staying in a hotel in New York City, as Airbnb is illegal in some circumstances and it worsens the housing crisis for all New Yorkers. Check out New York hotels here. My favorite hotel where I’ve stayed in New York is the Ace Hotel — SUCH a cool place with wine on tap and an awesome lobby, in a great Flatiron location!
If you want to save money, check out hotels in Brooklyn and hotels in Queens. Just make sure they’re convenient to the subway!
If you’re a Redditor planning a visit to New York, I highly recommend the AskNYC subreddit. Be sure to read the sidebar before asking a question.
Travel insurance is vital for trips to New York — especially if you’re not an American and you need to see a doctor. Whether you get appendicitis and need to be hospitalized, or your phone gets stolen, or an injury means you need to cancel all or part of your trip, travel insurance will help you in your time of need. I use and recommend World Nomads as travel insurance for trips to New York.
Thank you so much for helping educate travelers about Airbnb. I used to live in NY and now I’m in LA and the places taken off the market to renters or buyers have created such a housing shortage. Very much appreciate you shining the light on this!
I might write even more about it! Stay tuned…
Whenever I catch myself daydreaming about living in New York for awhile one day, I remember the winters. I just don’t think I can stomach them (same reason I’ll never end up in Boston full time). Oh, well–I’ll just keep visiting over and over again instead.
Korean BBQ, though–OMG. Definitely a must when in NYC… as is classic diner food, IMO.
You know, I used to be that way about winter, too, but I’ve changed. Just knowing that I have the freedom to leave if I want to has changed everything psychologically.
These are great (and as I was reading them I kept thinking that they could adapt to many cities — get away from the center, find where the locals go, take chances with food/places/sights!)
One thing I’ll add (to piggyback off your great metro suggestion as well as your suggestion to get away from Midtown) is to see the as much of the city as you can on foot. I love riding subways, but I get so much out of New York by walking its streets. Just choose a neighborhood, give yourself an afternoon (or even better, an entire day) and see what you discover. It does slow down getting around, but I personally find that I get more out of a place if I focus on a microcosm of it rather than trying to see a whole list of “sights.”
As a former New Yorker, the thing I miss most is the people. The buildings, the culture, the shopping, the sights–all are fantastic and unmatched. But the anything-goes, do-your-own-thing attitude of New Yorkers is what delights me most. It made a big impression on my kid (who was born in Manhattan but we moved a few months later, so NYC is strange and exotic): we were in Park Slope and some guy jogged by, all sweaty. He got to his door, his key out, but then started dancing in the reflection of the neighboring laundromat window. I guess a favorite song came on in his earphones and he just had to do a cool down there on the sidewalk, completely ignoring the people going by (and everybody but us completely ignored him, though he was so cute I don’t understand how). It was so typical of NYC and so unlike most places in the world.
I love New York.
I want to know that man.
Hi, great guide! I was wondering how long ago you took the food tour with Jeff? His sight doesn’t let you book a tour. Thanks 🙂
A few years ago. Will check that out.
As someone who loves visiting New York, I found myself nodding along with your tips as well as reflecting where I’ve ‘gone wrong’ on trips. Dear god, museum fatigue is so, so real. I’ve only visited in the summer/fall but want to, as a Minnesotan, visit in the winter. My only worry is that winter in NY would make me love it even more and I’d want to move!
I went to see the Michelangelo exhibit at the Met on Saturday and museum fatigue DEFINITELY hit. In part because the drawings were so similar…
Kate:
I think you are being slightly unfair to folks who have not lived in a big city such as Boston or NYC.
So if you would visit my former neighborhood in WV and asked if it was safe to work in a coal mine, I would not accuse you of insulting me.
You would not be familiar with the location, and all you have ever read about coal mines is probably negative concerning disasters and death.
By the way, I visit NYC about once a month for pleasure or work and that includes Harlem.
There’s a very big difference between assuming the worst based on a type of work and assuming the worst based on ethnicity, RJ.
These are fantastic tips! Thank you 🙂
My tip is to take your time in Central Park, don’t just walk through and call it done, spend time lounging in the sun on the Sheep Meadow and watch.
Take it slow, have a nap/rest at about 3pm.
Also, Sleep No More. One the best experiences/things I’ve ever seen and I’ll remember it forever. Highly recommended.
I did Sleep No More in Boston and loved it. It was performed in a school. Really curious about the building they use in New York!
That’s so interesting about AirBnb. I struggled to find anywhere affordable to stay in New York, but at least I wasn’t breaking the law!
Natalia x
Damn, I didn’t know about the Hamilton lottery! Next visit!
Thank you for this great info… especially the Airbnb , I had no idea regarding the entire space vs partial rental
Well done! I think you’ve hit essentials for visiting NYC.
Planning my second trip to NYC this spring, thanks for this very helpful post. My first trip was a bit Manhattan-centric and museum heavy, so I’m looking forward to chilling out and experiencing more of non-touristy New York this time around.
I definitely agree that New Yorkers are far nicer than they get credit for. Nearly everyone we interacted with was polite, and a few people even offered us directions when we were looking particularly confused by some subway closures. Honestly, as an introvert I really appreciated the down-to-business attitude. I probably could not handle Southern hospitality, on the other hand…
Great tips. I’ll be sure to bare them in mind when visiting. New York must have its fair share of tourists and I imagine it’s difficult to beat the crowds but a little know how can certainly go along way.
This is a good round up! I think “Planning an extremely touristy, midtown-centric itinerary” is a mistake people make in any major tourist city.
Also, regarding the airbnb rule, the last time I traveled to NYC we had to find another airbnb right before our trip because the one we initially chose was shut down. It’s smoother to play by the rules in this regard 🙂
Love that article,very useful tips. Thanks! 😉
I love your tips Kate!
I’ve been to America, but I haven’t yet been to New York ‘cos at the time we visited the USA, our son was only 9 years old at the time, and I don’t really consider New York as interesting for young children!
When I do make it there, it’ll be just my husband and I, and a playground for us to go to all the arty stuff that I crave, great restaurants, fancy bars, nights out, and basically a place for me to dress up, and spend all our money!
Haw! Haw! I delight in the fact that you mentioned “never leaving Manhattan.” I’d be exactly one of those people, as I like to be in the centre of all the action, and for a first visit, I probably wouldn’t have time for anywhere else!
I was looking forward to read New York sightseeing tips from you so much. 🙂 I’ve visited about 2 years ago for the first time and I loved it so much! Actually, I was expecting people to be rude mostly because that’s what I heard but I was surprised how polite and kind they were.
And Staten Island Ferry is one of the best things! I had to double check because first I didn’t believe it’s free. 😀 I hope to be back one day.
I first travelled to NYC in 1986 I was 25, My friends warned me it was dangerous. I stayed in a hostel in Harlem for $3 a night, and had a great time, I walked all over the place, got lost constantly, tried food I would not normally try, and made friends. I visited Coney Island, Long Island The Bronx Zoo, and saw a few bands, which was my passion in those days. Last September I decided to revisit, and stayed at The Jayne Hotel on The Hudson River, I didn’t have a whole month then, and everything was so much more expensive, but I managed to find a more alternative NYC going out to Brooklyn a lot. I guess you have an adventurous spirit or you don’t. I live in London and have done for nearly 30 years, but at times I just wonder off and still find new things, as I don’t stick to the predicted path, and choose to walk. A lot of people are scared, and there usually isn’t anything to be scared of! Ok that’s me done. I write about walking and places I visit along the way, come and say hello. Enjoyed reading your blog.
Loved hearing about your adventures trip in a New York bygone!
New York is definitely on the top of the list of places to visit in the States when we’re back in North America. I didn’t realize the extent of the illegality of Airbnb in New York with non-shared accomodation. It’s a shame that the company doesn’t adhere to New York’s laws and ups the rent for locals. Great tips Kate I enjoyed the read! Sometimes I think, hm I wonder what Kate’s been up to! 🙂
I have to admit that we do spend a few hours in midtown on every visit, because our tradition is a meal at Ellen’s Stardust Diner and a Broadway show. Years and years ago my father and I went for a weekend, and we went to Greenwich Village where he pulled up some app on his phone that was a walking tour of the area. I remember stopping in front of random buildings where he’d read some historical tidbit. That was really neat, because at the time the only thing I knew about the area was Magnolia Bakery! That was really fun, because I probably would never have walked so slowly or purposefully through there. (I still got my cupcake though, I just HAD to!)
Nothing wrong with spending time in midtown — just make sure you don’t ONLY spend time in midtown!
Thanks for pointing out the Airbnb problem… It is such a pain in San Francisco or in Paris to be able to find a place to live with a regular income due to the airbnb jackpot for owner…
I am always amazed that people spent so much time in midtown. As you said maybe it is because the city is so huge and overwhelming that it seems a “safe” area that we all already know from TV, pictures…
Thanks for a great post! We tried to do some very similar things on our first trip to NYC (wander the streets and explore, get out of midtown, leave time to relax and enjoy…) however, a crazy heatwave during our visit made it tough to do much other than search for the next spot with AC. We definitely need to return! I will keep these tips in mind when we make it back.
Also interesting to know about AirBnB. They have the same rule in Panama City but I had no idea about New York.
I love visiting New York! Fantastic tips, Kate. Thanks a lot.I Will keep them in mind.
Great post on NYC! I love to search out gems off the beaten path where ever I am. This post has some great tips on how to do that. Also, thanks for the heads up on Airbnb being illegal in NYC. I did not know that. Personally, I love to use it as a way to ‘live like a local’ when visiting a city. I think that the issue could be solved by limiting Airbnb to individuals (no businesses/corporations allowed), limiting how many properties they can list (2 max) and limiting the number of weeks any property can be listed (must owner occupy the property at least 1 month for example). I think that could go a long way to staying in the ‘spirit’ of Airbnb, while minimizing any negative affects on the communities.
I also love to use public transportation while visiting cities – and subways/trains are great!
Food tours are the best! Also, brewery/pub/wine tours are fun – as are ‘treasure hunt’ type tours. I always look for tours when visiting a city – not just to purchase one, but to find out what they offer and possibly modify my itinerary based on that. Especially if the tours are targeted to locals as well as outsiders. Just another way to investigate!
Thanks for a great post! I really enjoy your site!
Thank you! Those are some interesting ideas for keeping Airbnb fair to locals.
Kate, I love this post! You’ve encapsulated everything I’ve learned from six years of living in New York City. I especially enjoyed learning about your recommendations for Harlem — one of the few areas in the city that I haven’t really explored yet. The Honeywell, here I come!
Make a res, sit at the bar, and order something they light on fire. 😉
What a lovely post about NYC, I’ve been there for 5 weeks in total but you still taught me some new stuff about it. For example, I had no clue that AirBnbs are illegal. Do you know is that rule only for AirBNB or also for other people and companies renting apartments for like week or two?
Also, next time I go I’ll take one of those food tours and unlimited subway card! And btw, you also helped me to figure out why I’m like the only person of my friends who actually things that New Yorkers are nice and that I’d love to live in there – that’s probably because I’ve been doing normal things like taking dance classes, working in cafes and just wandering around instead of spending all my time running from museum to museum. I hope, one day I’ll move there! 🙂
go to New York is one of my dream in 2018 until 2019. Reading this post makes me know things i should know before going there. Thank you so much for writing this.
Oh I agree so much with the Manhattan part. I find Manhattan to be way too crowded. There is a small part of Brooklyn called Bay Ridge way down in south Brooklyn that is my favorite part of NYC. People should explore the smaller parts of NYC. You might like it better than the tourist areas.
This is great advice for ANY big city! When I travel I’m often bringing along my 6 children. Because we are traveling with kids and have such a big age span we always have to be doing something or some place where they can run around and be crazy. My husband and I often leave a city saying we saw the city but didn’t experience the culture. We often say how nice it would be to sit in café for 2 hours just people watching and wondering streets aimlessly seeing where it takes us. Our best experiences have been when we’ve hit the smaller towns, wandered the wayward streets, tried that food that just looked too odd or different. The touristy places are always filled with tourists.
I’m a New Yorker, but this post has inspired me to check out some new places! I’m especially excited to go on some.of the food tasting tours.
Thanks, Kate!
Great post, I’m getting inspired! I’m a single woman visiting New York in a few weeks, and I appreciate the great advices. I booked an AirBnb in Cypress Hills, and the area looked nice to me, but I’m now reading that the area is not that safe and tourists are not advised to stay there. What’s your opinion on that?
DO NOT stay in Cypress Hills. I would never recommend any tourist stay there. It’s one of the less safe areas of New York and it’s so far from everything.
Also, if you booked the whole Airbnb, you booked an illegal rental.