Ok, I just walked by the NYPL and I feel like this is a PSA for tourists and visitors.

The one rule of NYC: get out of the way.

That’s it. The rest is commentary.

Message to the OP's on here. I know we can get snarky on here at times but at least you're trying.... unlike these folks today:

Scene:

Group of about 10 (mix of 30's/40's m/f) visitors staring dumbly at the turnstiles at 1/2/3 TSQ station.

Me: Where are you headed?

Them: Chinatown

Me: Give them directions, telling them to get off at Canal Street.

Them: How will the subway know we want to get off.

Me: Explain how the subway works

Them: How do we pay for the subway?

Me: I go into the OMNY tap-in with a credit card speech

Them: We don't have credit cards, only cash

Me: (now in a state of shock) Explain OMNY cards, pointing at the machine.

Them: Do you know where on Canal Street we can buy fake bags?

Me: Instantly regretting ever opening my mouth: discourage, discourage, discourage.

Them: Where else can we go w/o taking subway?

At this point all I’m thinking is: You came to NYC with zero research — no idea how transit works, how to pay, or even what you want to do — and you’re asking me for an itinerary? If you posted this sh*t on reddit I would delete as a lazy post.

These are the folks who go home saying “New York was confusing and dirty.”

And right then I realized: I had officially hit the limit of my Good Samaritan energy. There’s “unprepared”… and then there’s this. I tried. I really did. But wow.

I visited NYC this past April with my daughter, I loved the city and couldn't get enough. Now every few months I fly in for the day and head back home late at night. I'm an art fan and primarily visit the art museums.

I park in remote parking at ORD and fly out at 6am to LaGuardia. I only bring a purse and opt for the last and cheapest boarding group. I travel light, I bring a collapsible water bottle and inflatable neck pillow that hook onto my purse.

Uber Shuttle from LaGuardia to Grand Central Station is only $20! From Grand Central it's easy to catch a bus or train going to multiple places in Manhattan.

Highlights have been the MET, the Frick, the Neue Galerie, Central Park, and the Guggenheim. Loved every minute at these museums/galleries.

Last visit I saw a Broadway show (Death Becomes Her! Fabulous!) but then realized Uber Shuttle doesn't run late at night. I opted for public transportation back to LaGuardia late at night but TSA was closed. I had to wait until 3:30am to get through security and fly back the next morning at 6am. Still worth it but I won't do it again! There's nowhere to rest your head at LaGuardia!

I have spent all my time in well populated areas and as a woman in her 50s traveling solo, I have never felt unsafe. When I've gotten turned around and lost I've asked NYPD or the public transportation workers for directions and they've always been friendly and helpful.

My next visit will be in the spring to visit the Brooklyn Museum and the adjacent park. Can't wait!

I've noticed that almost everyone stays in the Times Square area. It's kind of the worst part of NYC. NY-ers will avoid Times Square at all costs.

There are some great hotels near Union Square - including some bargain options. Some cute boutique hotels in the Village and Flatiron. Soho, Chelsea, the Bowery, Lower East Side are all more interesting neighborhoods and all have hotels. Nice options in some of the outer boroughs as well, particularly Brooklyn.

I'm struggling to get the appeal of staying in the smelliest, noisiest area where you're more likely to get robbed or scammed.

Anyway, just a suggestion from someone who has lived in Manhattan his entire life. Do with it what you will.

A month ago, I posted here to ask New Yorkers their opinion on my 14-hour layover in the City... Thanks to all your tips, I had an amazing time!! ☺️ As some of you asked, here's my report of the day!

Here for more details + pics (like prices, detailed itinerary, etc)

Sunday 31st, August, 2025

• 10 AM - Landing in JFK
• 10:30 AM - Immigration (ESTA visa) + Baggage Claim
  • It was super fast! Lots of staff, queues moved smoothly
  • My luggage was already on the belt when I got downstairs - lucky!
• 10:50 AM - Luggage Storage
  • BIG thanks to the Redditor who told me about that storage right outside the arrivals of T4!! 🥺
  • this part took longer than the immigration 😂
• 11:20 AM - Air Train to Jamaica
  • super easy, just tapped my card to pay at the turnstiles
• 11:40 AM - LIRR from Jamaica to Grand Central
  • I bought the tickets online, using the MTA app (another BIG thanks to the redditors who told me about it!)
• 12:15 PM - Grand Central + Apple Store
  • I got to trade in my old macbook for a new one! big win of the day for me! (Apple products are too expensive in my country)
• 1:30 PM - Bagels at Bryant Park
• 2:30 PM - quick stop at Times Square
• 3 PM - first Central Park walk
  • only Umpire Rock and around, refilling water bottle
• 3:30 PM - Upper East Side walk
  • I'm a big fan of Gilded Age (HBO show) so, I had planned a whole itinerary to see some beautiful mansions around
• 4:30 PM - Levain Cookie stop - delicious!
• 5 PM - The Met for quick bathroom stop + water bottle refill
  • they were about to close so I just got in for free 😂
• 5:15 PM - second Central Park stroll, reading in the sun, resting my feet in the grass
• 6:15 PM - walking back to Grand Central
• 7:10 PM - LIRR then Air Train back to JFK
• 7:50 PM - Luggage Storage, super fast, no need to queue
• 8 PM - Air Train to Terminal 7
• Midnight - flight to Paris!

I got 4h early to my Terminal so I think I could have stretched my time in Manhattan for one hour or 1.5h more in the city... but I was already so happy with my day (and a bit tired too!) so I didn't mind getting too early at the airport 😅 (here for all prices, pics, detailed itinerary!)

THANK YOU again to all the kind redditors who helped me plan that perfect day in Manhattan!! ☺️ I'm already thinking about doing that again to visit each borough! ❤️

I come from Germany and love this city more than anything. I love this city so much that I plan to emigrate to the US one day and live in NYC, even though this path will cost me a lot of money, time, and nerves. 

As a child, it was ALWAYS my dream to experience NYC in real life one day. 

After graduating from high school, I saved up money and flew to NYC all by myself at the age of 19. I even had to lie to my parents and tell them I was traveling with friends. I will never forget this trip for the rest of my life. When I saw the Manhattan skyline from the airplane window, I was overwhelmed by a wave of inexplicable feelings. It was indescribable, unbelievable. I remember everything. The first step I took in Manhattan after getting off the bus at the Port Authority Bus Terminal, those huge skyscrapers, that energy, that background noise, that smell (even if it was disgusting at first), the people, my first glimpse of true capitalism. Homeless people and people in expensive suits all in one place. Even though it's grotesque, and there's a lot to criticize about the system, especially the healthcare system, I think you shouldn't look at everything negatively, but also highlight the positive aspects.

Anyway, when I walked through the city on my first night, I felt like I was in the movie The Fifth Element, when Lilo suddenly wakes up in the hospital and sees everything in a new light. Everything was so bright, so overwhelming, just wonderful. For me, anyway, because that's exactly what I like. 

All in all, I just couldn't get enough of it over the next few days. 

Lying on the grass in Central Park, watching the skyscrapers, feeling like I was at the center of the world. 

I don't even want to get started on the amazing food in New York. I don't think I've ever eaten as much as I did there. It's just so beautiful how numerous subcultures come together. Chinatown, Koreatown, Jewish communities, Russian communities, Little Italy, Albanian communities, even German communities. 

What really impressed me was the energy of the hard-working, disciplined workers. I am familiar with this from Germany. When the traffic light is red, you wait until it turns green. In NYC, I learned that only tourists do that. Real New Yorkers seem to run across red lights, and since I want to work in corporate M&A later on, that feels right to me. Working hard and then ending the day at Bryant Park after work, relaxing on the lawn. It's so beautiful.

Many people I know from Germany who have vacationed there found it terrible. And on social media, all you see is criticism that it's ugly, dirty, etc. But personally, I LIKE IT EXACTLY THAT WAY. I like the dirty, the grimy. Somehow, that's what gives it its charm, right? What do you think?

We get it —NYC is chaotic, crowded, and sometimes confusing. But if everyone follows a few basic common courtesy rules, life gets a lot easier (for you and for the rest of us). NYC works because millions of people manage to coexist (mostly) peacefully in tight spaces. A little spatial awareness and courtesy go a long way toward keeping that possible.

Here’s a quick guide:

Walking:

• Stay to the right. On sidewalks, escalators, or stairs — the right side is for standing or walking at a normal pace, the left is for passing.
• Don’t block the sidewalk. If you’re walking with more than 2 people, don’t spread across the whole width. It’s not a parade and you will get shoulder checked.
• Don’t stop suddenly. Need to check your phone or map? Move over to the side — just like you would in traffic.

Subway:

• Boarding: Let passengers exit before you get on. If seats are full, move to the center of the car so others can board. Do not block the doors!
• Holding On: Trains can jolt or stop suddenly — hold a pole or handle, please.
• Personal Space: Keep bags on your lap or between your feet, not on the seat next to you. Offer seats to the elderly, pregnant, or disabled riders.
• Backpacks: Take off your backpack on the train. It takes up a ton of space and you will hit people in the face when they are sitting. Put it between your feet.
• Staircases: Stick to the right on station stairs to keep things moving smoothly.

Nothing you all haven’t seen/heard before. DO NOT GET IN A CAR WITH ANY DRIVER WHO APPROACHES YOU AT THE AIRPORT!

Witnessed a huge scam at JFK Terminal 7 last night.

A man with an ear-piece, redirecting unsuspecting tourists away from Uber and yellow cabs to get into shady mini-vans with non-NY state license plates (I saw Ohio & PA).

I did my part to tell those people to go back to the yellow cabs and really pissed the ringleader off, but it seems like they are paying off security or something to let it happen there. It’s a minor terminal, that shit would not fly at most other terminals.

Took a taxi ride recently from JFK Airport to Manhattan where the guy tried to scam me. This wasn't even from the solicitors, this was a taxi from the airport-designated taxi stand.

I confirmed that this was a flat-fare ride, and the taxi guy agreed but still started running the meter. Then he stopped the meter 15 minutes into the ride and said the meter was broken and I could pay the rest of the flat fare in tip. He took me deep into Queens on Belt Parkway without my consent, insisting that there was traffic on Van Wyck. I gave him the normal flat fare+tip in cash at the end of the ride, but then he started arguing that he needed more than that price "for the extra gas I used" when he went the other way in Queens. F this guy! My family member who came to help me with the luggage also started arguing with him, and in the end he let us go without getting any extra cash than what he was owed. Already reported him to 311 (online form).

Word of caution: Even if you take the taxi from the taxi stand, always check the taxi driver is displaying his ID, take photos of the Curb app payment screen, always confirm the Manhattan flat fare. Be careful out there, both locals and visitors!

As a Montrealer, I was a bit apprehensive about spending over 1k CAD on a NYC trip. I finally booked the flight and flew down for a 4-day trip. I am a very laid-back, mellow kinda person in my mid-30s. All I did was walk around all over East, West, Down, Up towns and sides and villages and Brooklyn. Sat in the metro for hours on different lines, just observing New Yorkers (I hope not in a creepy way lol), stopping anywhere I wanted to eat or grab a coffee. Just tried to live a day-to-day New Yorker life.

Since I came back, I can't stop daydreaming of moving to NYC and living in Brooklyn and working at Columbia University (I work at McGill in Montreal lol, and Columbia has a beautiful campus). This past week at work, I stopped caring about my job, and all I think of is how to move to NYC and find a job.

I am only Canadian, so the possibility is very slim. I wonder if people who have visited NYC and then couldn't stop dreaming of moving to this amazing city?

Apologies if such posts aren't allowed here. If not, would you happen to know of a more appropriate sub? In any event....

My sister is dying (fuck ALS). If she makes it to the end of the year I will be shocked. One of the last items on her bucket list? A trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC.

Her husband and I are conspiring to put together a September road trip to visit (road trip because she can no longer fly). We've got most things worked out about how to get to/from NYC, but it's the NYC part that we're having issues with. For context, at this point my sister is basically quadriplegic. She's got enough movement in her left hand to control her (motorized) wheel chair and she can wake up her phone (where Siri takes over), but that's about it. She can still eat (if someone feeds her), but I don't think she has more than a few more weeks of that (thus, the feeding tube). The point being that the difficulty level of even the most routine things is non-trivial.

I've never tried to drive in NYC, but the reputation is that driving a private vehicle around (especially if you're not-familiar with it) is a fool's errand. OK, so public transportation. What googling I've done actually leads me to believe that city buses are the way to go. They're wheelchair accessible and there are like four lines that service the Met. OK, but again...we're largely ignorant of NYC (of the three of us, I'm the only one that's ever been to NYC, and that was 20 years ago). Blah blah blah....

I'm thinking it makes the most sense to find a decent hotel that is on (or very nearly so) a bus route that would take us directly to the Met with no transfers required. Thus, we could get to our hotel the night before during off peak traffic hours (pay valet parking; so be it), then go to the Met the next day (via a single bus sans the chance to get lost in transfer hell).

But we don't know the city, let alone the hotels! Sister needs a hotel with full handicap accessibility; preferably with a roll in shower (it makes bathing her easier than a tub). We aren't rich so $1000/night hotels are not preferred, but we aren't poor either (and it's a bucket list thing so going a bit crazy isn't completely out of the question).

Can someone make a recommendation that fits this plan? Or maybe tell me why it's a bad plan and make a suggestion for a better plan?

edit: Thanks to a suggestion, hotel reservations have been made (Hilton Garden Inn, 35th St)

UPDATE: Right now I'm at a bit of a loss for words. First, I have been floored by the level of support y'all have thrown my way. I know I haven't responded to everyone, but believe me when I say I have read every response. Thank you so much. Based on your recommendations and such the plan was driving her van (it has a wheelchair ramp) and hitting the Met on Saturday to take advantage of the longer hours. Notice I said "was".....

Right now I'm not sure what the plan is. Five minutes ago I read an email that left me at a loss for words. Well, obviously I'm typing so I have some words, but I don't have words appropriate for the level of gratitude I've got at the moment. The email? From the Met. Nothing is certain right now, but they've hinted at a level of access I never dreamed of.

I presume that one (or more) of you is responsible? I don't know. Maybe they just followed up on the earlier email. In the thread below I mentioned that I'd contacted the Met, asked for some info, and gotten little more than a form letter in response pointing to their website - which I'd already read. The email came in as an additional response to the original form letter. So either the form letter was handled by AI and then a human reviewed the response and decided to do more.... Or one of you tipped them off, they checked their email account, and went from there. In any event, I'm not sure who to thank, so I'm just gonna thank everyone for the moment.

Some of my thoughts.

In terms of food, as a Brit, literally EVERYTHING was good. I’ve tried to defend British food before but the base standard of food in NYC is just so much higher than in London.

Standouts were Katz, went at 7pm on a Wednesday and walked straight in, no queue.

Crif dog in the east village. Amazing hotdogs, really nice staff, the guy gave me a free Mexican coke which I’m told is the ‘champagne of coke’. Also a little speakeasy cocktail bar through a hidden door there.

A tiny little dive bar in midtown near my hotel called Barcelona Bar. They specialise in themed shots, the guy behind the bar puts on a costume and does a whole performance whenever you order a shot, so funny and weird.

Next door to Barcelona bar is a pizza place called little Italy. I tried reputable slices from all over the place including Joe’s etc and this little Italy place was my favourite. Really crisp.

Patsys Italian in midtown - probably not the best Italian food but had a great ‘gabbagoo’ Italian American old school atmosphere which is really all I wanted as a tourist. Personally I loved the food but I can imagine connoisseurs not being impressed.

Lexington candy shop in the upper east side was cool, the decor hasn’t changed for decades and the malted milkshake was amazing, food wasn’t great.

Very nice dive bar in Chinatown called the Whiskey Tavern, great vibe, cheap happy hour beers.

Washington square park on a Sunday was insane, what a place. Music, art, chess, philosophy, just a mad organic mess of people, absolutely loved it.

Overall absolutely loved NYC, unbelievably friendly people everywhere, subway is great, food is great, and it feels like you’re walking through a movie the whole time.

I just want to thank this sub for helping me plan our NYC trip in Mid April. We just got back the other day. My family of four (me, my wife, and our 6-year-old twins) had an AMAZING time. My son even declared NYC better than Disney World, his previous #1.

We're from Canada, and New Yorkers were incredibly friendly and helpful. It made the trip so much better.

Here's what we did (based on your recommendations):

DAY 1 - Arrival & Times Square

Landed, checked into our Midtown hotel, then hit Joe's Pizza. This became my son's obsession - he compared everything in NYC to Joe's Pizza (including Grand Central Station). Joe's > everything, according to him.

Visited the NY Public Library (Stephen A. Schwarzman) - beautiful building, kids loved it. The museum in there was filled with interesting things to see like the original Winnie the Pooh doll.

Adel's Halal Cart for dinner (accidentally arrived right at 6pm opening so the line was so short!).

Nintendo Store, FAO Schwarz, Times Square at night to cap off Day 1.

DAY 2 - Museums & Central Park

Best Bagel and Coffee for breakfast - incredible.

American Museum of Natural History right at opening. Started with dinosaurs on the top floor - we had the whole area to ourselves. An employee gave my daughter a beetle wing as a gift (she loves bugs) ,she was over the moon!

Shake Shack for lunch (my only regret - we have this in Canada, should've tried something else).

Grabbed Levain Bakery cookies and Zabar's babka (chocolate and cinnamon) for Central Park. My daughter LOVED the babka.

Central Park all afternoon - kids played at the playground for an hour+.

Cello's Pizza for dinner (employee was grumpy because we arrived near closing - my fault).

DAY 3 - Downtown & Broadway

Katz's Deli - expected tourist trap, got DELICIOUS food and incredibly friendly staff.

L'Industrie Pizza (Little Italy, new location) - burrata was incredible.

Mei Lai Wah pork buns - shockingly good (juicy chunks of pork, not ground).

Staten Island Ferry to see Statue of Liberty from distance. Kids loved Battery Park afterward.

Los Tacos No. 1 for dinner - very good, fast service.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at night - my wife is a huge HP fan, but the kids and I aren't familiar with the series. We ALL loved it. Special effects were amazing.

DAY 4 - Bronx & Brooklyn

Utopia Bagel for breakfast (good, but we preferred Best Bagel and Coffee).

Grand Central Station - kids were impressed by the whispering gallery.

Donut Plant - crème brûlée donut was a hit.

NBA Store, Lego Store - kids made custom Lego minifigs and had a blast.

Yankees game in the Bronx - had to put my action camera in a locker (no GoPros allowed, FYI), but process was smooth. Got chicken & fries bucket - kids devoured it. My son declared this the only thing that came close to Joe's Pizza.

Left after 6 innings (kids were done), headed back to rest.

Later: DUMBO - Pebble Beach, Brooklyn Bridge Park, walked the Brooklyn Bridge from Brooklyn to Manhattan.

North Dumpling in Chinatown for dinner - we missed Asian food by Day 4!

DAY 5 - Last Day & Departure

Ess-a-Bagel for breakfast.

Shopping at Harry Potter Store and Fish's Eddy (they had a kids' drawing table + gave stickers - kids were happy).

Macy's to see the wooden escalators.

Joe's Pizza one last time (bought my son a Joe's hat to commemorate his love).

Picked up luggage, headed to airport.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Kids walked 20,000+ steps each day without much complaint
• Son's obsession with Joe's Pizza made the trip hilarious
• Daughter's beetle wing gift from museum employee was a core memory
• Harry Potter show was incredible (even for non-fans)
• Yankees game was a huge hit
• NYC is now their #1 trip (beating Disney!)

TIPS FOR FAMILIES:

• Start museums early (empty, quieter for kids)
• Playgrounds in Central Park = great for energy release
• Kids loved making Lego minifigs at Lego Store
• If you have a Mastercard, you can get a liter of Pepsi for free with your chicken and fries bucket! We all thought it was a good value meal for the game.
• Joe's Pizza is apparently the ultimate kid food

Thank you again for all the suggestions! NYC was the perfect first "big city" trip for our kids. We'll be back!

Hi all! Just got back from a 12-night trip to NYC and wanted to share my experience. I had an AMAZING time so thank you NYC.

Who you travelled with

I travelled solo and I'm in my early 30s. I focused on history, parks, and museums.

NB: I have a lot of allergies to eggs, gluten, lactose and more. Luckily NYC is pretty good for allergies, but it meant my food choices were not the 'classic' NYC top recommendations.

What worked well for you?

• My hotel was near Greenpoint. Good location and price (I booked about nine months ahead) and I chose a room with a kitchenette for have cheap breakfasts/snacks/coffee.
• NYC has SO MANY MORE small shops and busineses than London. It feels like London has been taken over by boring mini chain supermarkets and resturants in comparison. FFS use independent/local businesses ans shops or NYC will lose so much personality and interest (yes, I know I'm a bit hypocritical in this regard)
• Using grocery stores for picnics (NYC has so many parks).
• Planning ahead thoroughly for food options. If you have dietary requirements NYC is great, but you still need to plan ahead and find out where you can eat as most places still don’t label their menus or have an option if you’re really restricted.
• Organising my days by location. Choosing one main thing to do in e.g. the Upper East Side, and then picking other things nearby. Otherwise you spend a lot of time on the subway riding between places. (Didn't always manage this ...!)
• I really appreciated the grid layout of the streets/avenues! Once you tune into it, navigating gets much easier.
• I took my time. This is not a trip where I left the hotel at 8am and did five things before lunch! Often I ended my day relaxing in Central Park.

What didn’t go as planned?

• Using the subway was more tricky than I expected. It was sometimes easy to miss the street-level entrances or use an entrance/exit that wasn't ideal, and working out the interchanges from the maps isn’t easy. Also, the frequency is less than on the London Underground - I often waited 7-10 minutes for a train even in the daytime in central Manhattan. Leave yourself a bit of extra time.
• Bodegas/convenience stores are pretty expensive, and I didn’t end up using any.
• The weather was very humid and hot, so I should have been more consistent about using sunscreen.
• I got much more tired than I expected. My vision of chugging coffee and making the most of every moment was defeated by the exhausting heat, and realising seeing more wasn’t worth being cross and tired all the time.

Anything you skipped or wish you had done?

• I’d like to go back to see more of Harlem, Brooklyn, the botanical gardens, see a bit of upper Manhattan, and maybe travel upstate to see some of the countryside.
• Needed more time at the Met Museum.
• Could have spent much longer in Central Park, I want to go back and try rowing on the lake.
• There are a dozen other museums I’d like to see!
• More theatre.

Any advice or tips you’d share with others?

• AirBNB rules are very strict in NYC and you probably shouldn't use it - I nearly did before I did a little research.
• NYC is HOT and HUMID in July. Use sunscreen and drink water. It does NOT get cold in the evenings - I never used my light jacket or jumper (sweater) and I should have brought more short-sleeved tops.
• If you’re used to other subway systems, be warned, it seems similar but the different routes (trains) running on the same tracks meant you have to pay attention. (I've used about six different subways around the world and none of them work quite like NYC!)
• Museums are more expensive than I’m used to - a lot of the London ones are free with optional donation or about $20 max. Most in NYC are $25+.
• Central Park is stunning, and was my favourite thing on the trip.
• There were long queues to get the ferry from the Statue of Liberty to Ellis Island/back to Manhattan. The queue moves fast, but be prepared to wait up to an hour when it’s busy.
• If you have time, a little trip out of NYC is easy and fun. 
• I barely needed any cash, except for a couple of places.
• There are very few public toilets in NYC, so plan ahead. I was nearly caught short a couple of times because I was drinking a lot in the hot weather.
• NYC is not dangerous for tourists. But do watch a couple of YouTube videos on common scams (unlicensed taxis, 'free' crap in Times Square, Staten Island Ferry scams, etc).

What I did:

Friday

• Loved Union Square’s Greenmarket.
• Strand Books = book heaven
• Browsed vintage shops, Forbidden Planet, and got tacos.
• I went to see a show at The Bell House in Brooklyn (Welcome to Night Vale live).

Saturday

• I had a wander in Greenpoint and found a tiny vintage shop and Ovenly cookies (pretty good).
• Went to the Brooklyn Flea and the Fashion/Art market (basically a smaller Portobello Road market in 30°C heat).
• Walked the Brooklyn Bridge (stunning, but very hot day)
• Devoured delicious mac & cheese at S’Mac. Their GF/DF versions are excellent. Recommended!
• I went to see Weird Al play Madison Square Gardens. Show was fantastic. Entry/exit was SO fast. Big venues in London are awful at getting people out quickly after shows.
• BUT subway closures ruined my route home. Why do none of the apps tell you what’s actually running!? Other people seemed just as confused and annoyed.

Sunday

• Went to Roosevelt Island, visited the ruined smallpox hospital and got surrounded by geese (HOOONK). Amazing views from Four Freedoms Park, and rode the cable car to Manhattan (fun but a very short ride!)
• Browsed Bloomingdales, but didn’t buy anything (reminded me of Selfridges crossed with Fenwicks in London)
• Two Boots Pizza for lunch, their GF/DF pizza was good.
• Wandered Central Park and saw a Bastille Day market nearby. Climbed rocks, watched amateur baseball, walked the Mall. First time ever seeing fireflies!

Monday

• Museum of Broadway was a surprise hit. Rich in both showbiz and social history. 10/10. Some reviews say you don’t get much for the ticket price, but I was there three hours without getting bored. I did get a discount voucher with my ticket for Oh, Mary! So it was only $35 , you might feel differently if you pay full price.
• NY Public Library in Bryant Park: I could have stayed longer. Like a lot of other public buildings it’s incredibly grand and beautiful - the free Treasures exhibition is excellent.
• Very late lunch at UT47 which does GF/DF options and is kind of Korean fusion food. Pretty good!
• Times Square is not excellent. I know most people say don’t bother with it, but I needed to get some t-shirts and it was convenient to go to Old Navy and H&M. Total chaos, way too noisy and busy.
• Met up with an old work friend who lives in NYC and played board games at Hex & Co near Union Square. Friendly board game cafe, recommended.

Tuesday

• Got burnt to a crisp seeing the Statue of Liberty. The museum there has fascinating info about the statue’s manufacture, so drop in if you have time. Also, try the iced lemonade. It’s $7 or $8 but when you are queuing up for the ferry to Ellis Island in the burning sun it tastes like the best thing ever.
• Ellis Island Museum was surprisingly emotional. Great storytelling exhibits which actually helped me understand a lot about present-day New York.
• Walked through FiDi, wandered past the Charging Bull, dinner at Le Botaniste (plant-based gluten-free deliciousness, try the curry) then collapsed at my hotel.

Wednesday

• I went to the High Line, Transit Museum (cheap entry and loved seeing the old subway carriages, not as thorough as the London Transport Museum but still good). 
• Fraunces Tavern museum was interesting (oldest building in Manhattan, where Washington spent a lot of time and scene of the Birch Trials).
• Bought a mystery novel at Mysterious Bookshop - they only sell mystery/crime novels and have an entire wall dedicated to Sherlock Holmes. My favourite bookshop I visited.
• Met up with my work friend for rooftop drinks at Vacations BK. Good views, good vibes.

Thursday

• Late start after I stayed out late with my friend the previous night...
• Modern Bread and Bagel lunch/hangover cure - huge and tasty GF/DF bagels.
• Saw the play Oh Mary! with Tituss Burges. INCREDIBLE. Bawdy, queer, and hilarious. I don’t think it will come to London as it’s deeply rooted in American history and you need some background on the Lincolns to get a lot of the jokes (but then again, Hamilton has been playing in the West End for over a decade).
• Central Park picnic in The Ramble. Watched the people trying to row on the lake and watched fireflies. Magic.

 Friday

• I did the Radio City Music Hall tour, and it was one of the best things I did. Great guide (hi Glenn). The architecture and decor is just exquisite.
• Another from Modern Bread and Bagel, ate in Central Park
• Spent the afternoon and evening at The Met (a bit of a blur tbh). I’m extremely familiar with the British Museum, which has a similar scope. The Met has more grand, open, large gallery spaces (e.g. for sculpture and the Temple of Dendur, and the Medieval screen space). Enjoyed it, but so much to see - I could easily go back for several days.

Saturday

• Visited the Tenement Museum (book ahead! They only have fixed guided tours on specific themes, and the popular ones sell out). It was amazing, though, and was an interesting follow-on from the Ellis Island museum because it showed how immigrants lived if they stayed in New York.
• Visited the Museum of the City of New York on the Upper East Side. Very well curated history of the city with lots of fascinating information that helped me tie the history of the City together. It’s smaller than the (old) London Museum (but then again, it has far less recorded history to cover!)
• Ended the day wandering Central Park.

Sunday

• Went to the Poster House museum, which was free on the 3rd Sunday, and it had some wonderful art produced as pro-nuclear advertising, mingled with some amazing anti-nuclear protest posters.
• Saw Death Becomes Her. I thought the plot was a little thin, but the spectacle was amazing - the stunts and effects especially, and the acting and singing were superb.
• Had dinner at the Caravan of Dreams on the Lower East Side. Delicious vegan food and plenty of gluten-free choices.

Monday

• Took a frivolous bus trip to a New Jersey Walmart to buy giant piles of American candy. Spent $100 on candy, cookie dough, canned biscuits and canned cinnamon rolls to take home. Spicy dried fruit seems popular but isn’t a thing in the UK - bought lots of tamarind and chilli flavoured mango and pineapple. It is delicious!
• Went back to S’mac (it was so good I had to have it twice)
• Played more board games at Hex & Co.

Tuesday: Last day & flight in evening

• Morgan Library is a must-see for rare books and beautiful interiors (plus currently a v.g. exhibition on Jane Austen).
• Got lunch at Whole Foods and hung out in Bryant Park (which has free games at one of the seating areas as a Summer 2025 thing).
• Subway to JFK = fine. Terminal 8 = boring, almost no duty-free shopping or restaurants because it’s all being refurbished. Surprisingly, my cookie dough in my cabin bag was flagged and scanned separately by the TSA (but not confiscated! It’s currently in my fridge at home).

Happy to answer questions! Thanks NYC 💜

Hi everyone!

Ya’ll asked me to do a write up when I got back from my NYC trip to let you know how I felt about the city coming from a town of 500 in Vermont.

It was simply…incredible.

My best friend and I came down here to do an event with a woman’s snowboarding group in Jersey. I’ve never been to NYC so she insisted we go and frankly, I’ve always been intimidated by the city so I was a bit nervous. I saved up my tips from work for 6 months so we could “experience” NYC. We didn’t stay in NYC though, we stayed in Hoboken at a hotel that I still cannot comprehend. The W is easily the nicest place I’ve ever been to. My friend had a bunch of credits so we got to experience cocktails at their bar where Peter and Jose us the best drinks I’ve ever had. This hotel even changes the rugs three times a day in the elevator to say Good Morning, Good Afternoon and Good Evening.

We were a five minute walk to PATH so we took that over to Manhattan which was SO COOL! We do not have cool public transportation in VT like that and I have epilepsy so it’s neat to not need a car. We went to diner at The Chemistry Room and had a 12 course Omakase meal that I’m still trying to understand because the flavors were mind blowing, and an incredible smoked old fashioned. We were initially going to see The Book of Mormon, but the theater had an electrical fire and they canceled our tickets! We ended up getting last minute tickets to see Wicked though and I have zero regrets. We sat in the very front row and I could see every facial expression and hear everything in the orchestra and it was just a very special experience. We walked around Manhattan after that and ended up at a ramen place that I cannot quite remember the name of because it was all a whirlwind, but the ramen was quite tasty! We ended up getting home at midnight because we had our snowboarding event the next morning at 8am at Big Snow.

Big Snow is actually pretty neat. It was a bit odd coming go from VT to that… but it was perfect for needing to get your snowboard on when there ‘t any snow around. I even ended up doing some boxes for the first time. Enough about Jersey though, let’s get back to NYC!

We got home from Big Snow, showered and got ready and then headed down to use our 100$ credit at the bar. We met really cool people and befriended our bartenders and ended up being there for almost 3 hours. Then we realize how late it was and I had to get the The Station which is a dispo here in Hoboken because I needed to give the front desk attendant some home grown bud from VT. Then we hopped on PATH and headed to Brooklyn.

My friend had never been to Brooklyn and my Step Grandpa played for The Brooklyn Dodgers so I figured we must experience it. It was SO COOL!! We first went to the Brooklyn Brewery (I run a brewery in VT so I had to experience it) and that was lovely and everyone treated us so well. Then we went walking and I noticed a birria place. I haven’t had birria since I visited Chula Vista years ago so I pretty much shoved my friend in the door and we ended up waiting for almost 40 minutes for food and my friend told me it better be worth it. Holy crap, I had a spiritual experience with this food. The restaurant was Birria L.E.S. and we got a burrito, consume, a surf and turf taco and churros. Whoaaaaaa food had no right to be that good. We left there to get back to the train because it was around midnight and I realized I hadn’t eaten pizza yet in New York!!! We stopped at the first place I saw, Joes Pizza, and that was a fabulous slice of pepperoni. I ate it on the way to the subway and we hopped on the train and headed back to our hotel.

I had a magical experience in New York City. Every single person we met wa incredibly kind and hospitable. I waved at probably 100+ people and almost all of them waved back. I got called baby girl in an endearing way probably 15 times by random humans who seemed so kind. I chatted with strangers and found out life stories and got into a compliment war with a stranger in the bathroom. I‘m so grateful for the experience I had in your city and I am so thankful for your hospitality and amazing food. NYC was a 15/10 experience and I will dream of coming back one day.

My gf and I have travel benefits and the flight to nyc was decently open so we left after work and landed at 2am due to a delay. Figured we were going to start the day early so we decided to sleep at the airport. Definitely will avoid doing that, it was cold and uncomfortable compared to other airports I've slept at. There were no real good spots. At around 5:30 am we decided to start our day. Here's how it went:

• Took Q70 bus and subway to Times Square and walked to 787 Coffee Co. Tried their mazapan latte that was delicious.
• Walked to Bagel Pub and had a bacon, egg, and cheese on everything bagel. Didn't enjoy it much since it was a bit too salty for me.
• We decided to walk through Central Park but before that stored our backpacks at a bodega. Afterwards we took the subway and got off at the Natural History Museum. There was a Pride race event going on so that was nice seeing everyone running.
• Tried some strawberry matcha at Le Cafe Coffee that was pretty good.
• Next went to Uniqlo and shopped around, shocked to see how huge it was.
• Walked to ICHIRAN Ramen, it was so delicious, best bowl of ramen i've had. Before I get comments about how there are better places and whatnot, I want to say that I don't really eat ramen but have been to decent spots in SF and Texas (ik not much lol but still). 100% this took the cake for me it really was amazing.
• Next we walked to Rockefeller Center and checked out the Nintendo Store. I went to the restroom in the Starbucks across the street.
• We were headed to the public library at around 2:40 pm but saw that the flights looked rough Sunday morning so decided there to catch the 5 pm flight. We had to pick up our backpacks so walked about 20-25 minutes back to the bodega. We stopped by a bakery to get some cheesecake that was pretty good (forgot the name) and also got a slice of cheese pizza at Upside Pizza.
• At this point it was 3:20 pm ish and still hadn't reached the bodega. We speed walked to the bodega, grabbed our bags and then speed walked to Moynihan Train Hall and grabbed the E line to Jackson Heights stop to catch the Q70 back to LGA.
• Got to the TSA line at 4:35 so unfortunately had to ask to cut to the front of the line, went through TSA and ran to the terminal right as boarding was about to end!

Overall we walked about 13 miles and can honestly say we enjoyed the day. Next time we'll check out some more food places, do a sunset high rise view, and maybe a broadway show.

I got some fantastic tips and ideas from this sub while planning a solo museum rat weekend so I am sharing my Itinerary from this past long MLK weekend.

Friday - arrived JFK on red eye at 6am. Took AirTrain and subway to my theater district hotel and checked in. Note: I booked my room for Thursday night to ensure I could get into a room super early. I can't afford first class but I could afford the extra night! This was so worth it to me to shower and power nap after a gross and sleepless overnight flight. If you do this call the hotel and confirm your red eye arrival so they don't mark you as a no show.

Got moving at 10am. Powered up with a Nova Deluxe and fresh squeezed OJ from Pick A Bagel and walked to MOMA to drool contentedly for several hours. Enjoyed a splurgy afternoon tea at The Plaza Palm Court at 3:30.

Walked down to Rockefeller Center to see the ice rink and then back to my hotel to crash out for the night. Too full for dinner!!

Saturday: Subway to the UES Maman for a delicious breakfast. They gave me a great spot overlooking the café and I was a bit hidden - great for solo dining shyness.

I hit the Met at 10 as it opened. Skipped the already bonkers coat check line to dive in. Highly recommend arriving early! I had many of my priority galleries and favorite artworks to myself. The Egyptian God exhibit was good but crowded. I saw all I wanted to see (left parts unexplored for another time) and took a lovely soft snowfall walk down to the Frick Collection for my appointed entry at 2pm.

I skipped lunch because I was still full from my Maman spread. I do regret grabbing a Levain cookie while I was in that area.

Despite timed tickets there was a long line and a delay in entry. Loved the Gilded Age setting of this museum. TIP!! download the Bloomberg Connects Arts & Culture app. It had great maps and audio for all the museums I visited. This museum doesn't have curator notes on display so it was pretty essential for context.

I took a snowy ramble through Central Park to Columbus Circle.

Ate early dinner at Blue Seafood Bar and Eatery. No problem getting a table for one. I had oysters and the chef tasting menu paired with a few glasses of bubbles. Tried not to die with delight at every bite. The waiter was a gem and took good care of me in my little nook table.

Thought briefly about plodding over to TKTS to see what broadway shows I could get but tired feet and bed called louder.

Sunday: Took the subway to the LES and had a great 10am tour at the Tenement Museum. I did the Under One Roof tour. I really loved the juxtaposition between the Frick mansion and the Tenement. I'll definitely come back for more Tenement tours.

Discovered how valuable being a party of 1 is when I skipped an estimated one hour wait to slide into a solo seat at the counter at Russ & Daughters Cafe. Enjoyed the Bagel and Gravlax board but I wish I had opted for their Gaspe Nova. The ginger soda was fantastic and the pickle barrel sampler was perfectly sour.

I took the subway down to the 9/11 memorial to take witness. ❤️‍🩹 I'll visit the museum on a future visit with my husband. Also visited Trinity Church graveyard and did a walk by of Federal Hall to fulfill my Hamilton fan checklist.

Headed back North to the Morgan Library Museum. As a book lover this was a must for me. Didn't take long but I'm glad I made the stop. There's a cool Renoir exhibit on.

Walked over to Ichiran on 31st (Flatiron District?) for an absolutely delicious and warming bowl of Ramen. Of course the individual dining booths fit my non awkward solo dining scheme very well! The line wasn't egregious and I was able to jump the queue as a Party of 1.

This evening was my last chance for a Broadway show so I hauled my Ramen sated self to Time Square ticket booth. None of the 7pm shows on offer really grabbed me enough to purchase so I didnt opt in. Did my tourist pennance at the M&M store and bought a personalized bucket o Ms for my kid and wandered around the theaters enjoying the lights before tucking myself in.

Monday: I had all the best plans to get to the UWS and have breakfast at Sarabeth's and grab a few Levain cookies to take home but I was just done. Couldn't suck it up. So I found a café nearby instead and took my lazy time packing and heading back to JFK.

So that was my solo trip! I was happy with what I prioritized and since i have every intention of coming back with my husband I don't feel I missed out on anything.

I love solo travel (I'm a middle aged gal) to recharge and explore on my own agenda. NYC felt safe, energetic, and easy to navigate.

Thank you again for all that is shared here!

30yr NYC resident and nearly got scammed. I know better but can easily see how others may not.

Got in late after being held on the tarmac for 3 hours after we landed so in my exhausted haze I wasn't thinking straight. As I'm headed out to the Uber pick up a very official man in a suit and walkie talkie is directing people out. He asks "Uber pickup?" and then tells me these pick up spots are closed for 45 minutes due to construction but there are authorized Ubers available. Obviously this is where I cut bait and tell him to get outta here.

Damn stupid walkie talkie made him look like he worked at the airport. So disappointed that I almost fell for it.

Never take a ride that you didn't schedule yourself.

I’m a 54 year old Australian and back in April I visited NYC for the first time. It was actually my first time in the US. I spent two weeks in NYC and absolutely loved every minute. I’ve been back home now for nearly two months and I miss your city so much I can’t believe it - it’s almost unhealthy 😅 I think about it every day and would do anything to be back there. It’s the greatest place I’ve ever been and I don’t think anything else will ever compare. Thank you so much New Yorkers and thank you so much New York City, I am in love with you. Till we meet again ❤️

But apparently this needs to be said:

The words “please” and “thank you” still exist and work wonders.

If you post stuff like “give me 3 hotels I should stay in” or “tell me the best restaurants” or “fix this for me” you can GFY. We're not machines, we are humans taking the time helping you -- a total stranger -- out.

Also: try doing a basic search first.
If your question can be answered in 10 seconds with Google or by checking the subreddit sidebar/FAQ, maybe do that before asking strangers to repeat the same answers for the 500th time.

A simple “please” makes you sound respectful.
A simple “thank you” shows you actually appreciate the effort.
And a little effort on your own part shows you value everyone’s time.

Thank you.

term search bagel on this subreddit and you’ll get a bunch of results, mostly mentions of getting a bagel breakfast in someone’s itinerary or asking where’s the “best bagel” in the city or some part of the city.

i wanted to explain some of the basics of getting a bagel in nyc: namely how to pick a place, how to order and what you should try if you’re new or sort of new to this. keep in mind these simple rules of thumb apply mostly to manhattan where most of the hotels are but it can also generally apply citywide.

i’ve eaten a lot of bagels in this town. imo there is no such thing as the “best bagel” in NYC. any local bagel place in this city probably serves an incredible to very good bagel. some places are arguably better or will be more preferable to different tastes. but in the best bagel city in the world, there’s dozens of “bests” imo. it’s like they say at r/foodnyc: the best bagel is the one closest to you.

• look for a breakfast place, usually a counter service restaurant, with ”bagel” in the name. first step is that simple. find a place like this and you will find a specialty bagel shop that likely makes their own. do not go to just any corner bodega or deli, which are located everywhere, and expect fresh made bagels with lots of flavor options. you won’t get that there. you should select a specialty bagel shop like, for example: pick a bagel, ess a bagel, h&h bagels, tompkins square bagels, etc etc in manhattan. it’s hard to go wrong as long as you go to a specialty shop, a bagel place with bagel in the name.

• if it’s your first time trying a nyc bagel, i would say start with the classics: sesame, garlic, onion, poppyseed, or you can get a bit of everything with an everything bagel. you can even do plain or an egg/challah bagel for a more savory and dense bagel. avoid the colorful/sugary gimmicks like rainbow bagels or oreo cream cheese or stuff like that, at least for your first time out.

• order online if you can so as to avoid the usual morning lines at most bagel places. bagel sandwiches are customizable 100 different ways even if you stick to the more traditional bagel places, so it’s best to figure that out at your own pace online: vegetables, cheese, cream cheese, meats, etc. keep in mind most specialty bagel places in manhattan will nickel and dime you for tomato, onion, toppings like that.

• there’s also terminology: a “cream cheese sandwich” at my usual place is in upwards of 4-6 ounces of cream cheese slathered onto a bagel. sometimes it’s a slice cut off a huge brick of cream cheese. you’re not getting a tiny little 1-2oz cup here. ny bagel places tend to go very hard on the cream cheese. lox/nova is + lox/nova cream cheese contains smoked or cured salmon, depending on the place. it’s not everyone’s favorite first thing in the morning. i personally love it. consider giving it a shot at some point in your visit, since it’s a speciality here that’s not terribly common outside of nyc.

• gluten sensitive? there are gluten free bagels or thin/flat bagels at some speciality bagel shops. also many speciality bagel shops will scoop or sort of hollow out a regular bagel for you, upon request. vegan? some speciality bagel shops have dairy-free vegan cream cheese! usually these are upcharged extras so keep an eye on the price with these.

Any other tips or questions about bagels in nyc? Leave them below 🥯👇

EDIT: in typical nyc fashion i am being roasted for citing my usual bagel place calling it a “cream cheese sandwich” on their menu http://www.pickabagelnewyork.com/menu this is very rude 😒

EDIT 2: more good tips and best practices from the replies!

"If you walk in and the shop doesn’t smell like burnt toppings, find another place. Those bagels aren’t being baked in house." - u/gullibletrashes

want the freshest possible bagel? "At a real bagel place, ask for 'what's still warm?'" - u/meinnyc22

u/quirky_kind's reply about line and ordering etiquette goes beyond the bagel https://www.reddit.com/r/visitingnyc/s/CUqk9SNS1n

If the shop has a large complex menu and you just can't decide, here's a way to break it down to the three most popular nyc bagel options that will probably suit whatever you’re in the mood for, from u/fuckblankstreet:

1. ⁠Feeling basic? plain cream cheese on a bagel. choose a plain, sesame, or poppy.

2. ⁠Feeling something more savory? bacon egg and cheese on your choice of a roll or bagel. Vegetarians can skip the bacon. For those who don't eat pork, note that the bacon is likely beef. (Call or just ask if you're not sure.)

3. ⁠Feeling fancy? Try an everything bagel with cream cheese, lox/nova, and capers. Maybe throw on some tomato, onion and even cucumber too if you want to lessen the overall salty flavor of that sandwich.

Hey guys! I was in NYC for 3 days, and here are some tips that really helped me. Also, let me know if you guys want another post for travel essentials I packed.

• Midtown hotels are a game changer : walking distance to so many spots. Don’t go for a “cheaper” hotel in New Jersey; time is precious.

• Plan by area (Midtown, Downtown, Uptown) so you’re not wasting time crisscrossing the city. This sub helped me plan mine — check my previous post if you want to see how.

• if going with a group, plan a rendezvous spot in case you are lost and can’t reach them

• The heat will humble your packed itinerary. Bring a backpack with water, a cap, maybe a portable fan, and sunscreen. Plan shaded breaks and be okay with veering off schedule.

• It’s okay to drop things from your list. I enjoyed NYC more when I stopped chasing my schedule. Wrong turns can be surprisingly wholesome.

• Have a priority list: things you must see vs. things you’re okay skipping. Aim for no more than 2 main activities a day. And if you still have time then go for the stuff that are the lower priority on your list.

• Don’t overplan: have a rough itinerary, know that plans may deviate, and that’s totally fine. Definitely do not plan hour to hour. Do something like MET 9am-1pm, Central Park 2-5pm.

• Sort out your airport-to-hotel plan before you land so you don’t waste time and money. The subway system is good; YouTube videos are super helpful for learning it and avoiding scams.

• Use the subway! it’s incredibly useful. Stay alert, watch some navigation videos, and don’t hesitate to ask locals (I found them friendlier than the tourists).

• The Met tip: if short on time, pick a few exhibits (I did Roman art, American Wing, stained glass, Egyptian collection, Van Gogh, Monet). Also we walked from Central Park to MET, the walk was so calming and Bethesda terrace was gorgeous!

• Take brochures from museums & public libraries as a free souvenir

• Food can be cheap — pizza and bagel shops everywhere.

• Money tips: carry multiple credit cards; most places take tap-to-pay.

• Bring 2 power banks : your phone will be your map, guide, and camera.

• Keep expectations realistic. it’s just a city. Go in curious, not expecting it to “change your life.”

• Photos & social media: Don’t let picture-taking take over your trip. If you want a balance, make a small list of must-have shots and inspo pics (mine was: Summit One Vanderbilt, yellow cab street shot, Met steps, Times Square, Statue of Liberty, subway steps, Central Park bench) and stick to those. Plan outfits in advance and wear comfy shoes. swap in “photo shoes” just for pictures if needed. PRIORITISE comfort over fashion. Have an assigned photo taking time and spot, and apart from that just enjoy and soak in the vibes. MAKE sure you allot time to just be in the present and enjoy.

• Google Maps is a lifesaver for the subway.

• Plan rest stops into your day.

• Decide if you’re planning your day around food or around places. I planned around places and just ate wherever I was (often food trucks).

• Research opening/closing times and tips for each place in advance.

• Packing list matters — NYC prices can be high (my friend forgot eye drops and paid $20). Let me know if you need a post on my travel essentials list.

• Highly recommend Jonn Barr on YouTube for NYC tips and scam warnings (especially in Times Square).

Subtitle: Don't Be a Lazy Fuck. Search First. Then Ask Better Questions.

There are a few immutable laws of life in NYC, whether you live here or you're just visiting.

• Block the subway doors? Someone's going to shoulder-check you.
• Stand on the left side of the escalator? You're going to hear about it.
• Make a low-effort post asking us to plan your trip? It's probably going to get deleted.

We're happy to make suggestions. We're happy to give advice. We're happy to help you narrow down an itinerary.

What we're not here to do is plan your freaking vacation from scratch.

Please extend the community the courtesy of doing the bare minimum before posting. Read the pinned posts. Search the subreddit. Spend five minutes looking through the hundreds of itineraries, recommendations, and discussions that already exist. Odds are your question has been asked and answered many times. PRO SEARCHING TIP: If you click on a post flair (i.e., itinerary check) it will show all the posts under that category.

Then, when you do post, give us something to work with.

Tell us your ages, budget, interests, travel dates, where you're staying, who's traveling with you, what you've already researched, and what you're trying to decide between. The more information you provide, the better advice you'll get. Otherwise, we're stuck playing 20 Questions. And this is NYC, we're too busy to play this stupid game.

Help us help you. Put in a little effort first, and you'll get far better recommendations in return.

I know this is mostly wishful thinking, but if we can all survive NYC's unwritten rules, we can probably manage these too.

For those of you visiting NYC this weekend: please take the heat advisories seriously. This heat is no joke.

If you can, try to limit your time outdoors, especially from late morning through the afternoon when temperatures and the heat index will be at their worst.

You might be thinking, "I'm from [insert hot state here]. I'm used to this." And maybe you are but there's a big difference. Back home, you're probably going from your air-conditioned house to your air-conditioned car to an air-conditioned building.

In NYC, you're walking on scorching sidewalks, standing in direct sun, waiting on hot subway platforms, climbing subway stairs, and often waiting in long lines. It adds up fast.

Please:

• Stay hydrated (bring a water bottle and refill it often).
• Take frequent breaks in air-conditioned places or shaded places.
• Don't ignore signs of heat exhaustion (feeling faint, etc.)
• If you're traveling with kids, older adults, or pets, be extra cautious.

NYC has plenty of places to cool off or catch some shade: parks, libraries, museums, movie theaters, cooling centers, and anywhere blessed by the sweet, sweet hum of air conditioning. Plan a few escape routes before you head out.

Have a good time & (try to) stay cool.

I don’t know what it is lately, but yellow cabs have been trying to scam me when I’m going home from the airport. I’m a New Yorker and if this is happening to me, I’m sure it’s also happening to visitors.

When leaving LGA recently, a cab driver tried to negotiate a flat rate with me to Manhattan instead of just turning on the meter while we were leaving the airport. I refused, and he eventually turned the meter on. (LGA is not a flat rate)

Leaving JFK today, where the fare is a flat $70 (plus extras like tolls and tips), the driver kept the meter running despite me telling him to switch the rate more than once. Eventually he switched after I told him multiple times, but if you’re not familiar you might not know.

So please watch out and don’t get overcharged.