Visiting New York For The First Time: 7 Helpful Tips

 

It’s very difficult to visit the wonderful city of New York without finding endless opportunities to make it special. If you’re visiting New York for the first time, there are a few key points to keep in mind when planning your trip so you have the best experience possible. 

Mind Your Pace On Sidewalks 

You’re likely going to be walking around the city a lot. You should be cognizant of how quickly people in New York walk and should try to keep up as much as you can. One of the ways to avoid getting caught up in the chaos is to keep to the right of the sidewalks you’re walking on. 

Utilize The Subway 

Cabs are just too expensive to rely on them when making your way through the city. The subway is your best choice to get around. Just be aware that rush hour is chaos no matter which stop you’re heading to, and empty subway cars are usually a bad sign; it’s likely something is broken or something amiss is in that subway car. 

Public Bathrooms Are Hard To Come By 

You can’t exactly plan when nature is going to call, but be aware that you can’t find many public bathrooms throughout the city. As such, you want to aim to use the bathroom when you’re out to eat or grabbing a coffee on days you’re planning to be out for a long time. 

Go To NYC Hungry 

New York City isn’t the place to go on a diet. The food scene is incredible and shouldn’t be ignored. While you’ll likely find some of your favorite fast food and franchised restaurants, don’t skip out on the local fares. 

Don’t Go During The Holidays 

Christmas in New York is truly magical, but that means it brings out droves of tourists. You’ll find it hard to really enjoy yourself and make your way through the city without having to beat crowds just about everywhere. Plus, it’s extremely expensive to visit New York during major holidays. 

Save Money On Museums 

New York is full of interesting museums, and a lot of them are free to visit. Some of them that have admission fees will waive them occasionally or accept a donation, so take advantage of that when you can. 

Be Mindful Of Your Surroundings

New York isn’t as scary as it seems, but tourists often stand out to those who are looking to make an easy buck. Always be aware of your surroundings when you’re out, and keep your phone and wallet close to you.

Try to avoid street vendors that aren’t food; they often sell fake items or will try to rip you off for items that aren’t worth the money. 

Final Thoughts 

There’s so much about New York City that makes it special. A trip to a city this big can become overwhelming so the more you know before you go the better. Now that you have some helpful tips from those who have experienced the big city, it’s time to start planning your itinerary.