New York City Tips
 |
| Our rooftop view in Astoria, NY |
- You'll want to get a MetroCard for getting around the city. Each swipe is $2.75, but if you are with a group and it is only a day or two, you can save a buck or two by just sharing the same card. If you are going to be here for 3 days or more, I suggest considering a 7 day unlimited pass for $34 ($1 for the new card + $33 after that dollar price hike recently) if you are going to hop on and off over a long weekend or for the week. Any unused time on the card could be given to someone on your way out of town. This would be a huge pay-it-forward for any local. "The Weekender" is a must if you are going to use the MTA on a weekend/holiday.
- Prioritize what you want to see and think about where each location is. You may not be familiar with the geography, but you don't want to be going Uptown (north) and Downtown (south) several stops. It is going to take more time to get places, especially on a weekend or holiday.
- Downtown: World Trade Center memorial, One World Trade Observatory, Statue of Liberty views, Wall Street, etc.
- Chinatown: Canal Street is where you can get some stuff (usually stolen/fake).
- Midtown: Herald Square Macy's/surrounding shops are cool, Times Square is a must - not if you've been before, Theatre district if you have time for a show - more on that below, Empire State, Rockefeller Center, FAO Schwarz, Grand Central Station, New York Public Library, Carnegie Hall, Columbus Circle, 5th Ave flagship stores (my personal favorite is the Apple Store) - Tiffany's is really close for any lady friend
- Upper East Side: "Museum Mile" along the east side of Central Park
- Upper West Side: Lincoln Center, Museum of Natural History, Julliard, Empire Hotel for the Gossip Girl fans
- Queens: We're just across the East River in Astoria/Long Island City, Bagels and Pizza are our favorite closer to home
- Brooklyn: We've been to Williamsburg and IKEA really
- Being a huge fan of live theatre, I have to recommend waiting to get Broadway/Off-Broadway tickets until the day/week of unless you score Hamilton tickets - this article on Playbill is updated to give you the latest news on shows. Broadway Roulette is a great way to get tickets if you have a time in mind, but you can't decide on what show to see! (I can refer your email address and we each get $10 off).
- Google Maps is your friend. You don't want to pay for a cab everywhere you go, so knowing what subway train to get on and what stop to get off at is crucial and it is much faster to figure out with a smartphone. Knowing which direction you are wanting to go when you exit the train to go back above ground can save some time. Ex: I need to be above ground at the SW corner of 57 st/7th Ave.
- Uber/Lyft/taxi can be helpful if you are really turned around. When hailing a cab, don't try if the light isn't on - a light on means it is unoccupied.
- Keep your receipt if you need a bathroom. That restroom code comes in handy.
Food - If you are in Manhattan, just Google what you want and look at reviews on Google Maps or on Yelp. Joe's, Dig Inn, or Dos Toros are great for a quick bite.
Astoria Favorites:
Brooklyn Bagel
Astoria Favorites:
Brooklyn Bagel
Comments
Post a Comment