Guide To Visiting New York City For The First Time
Important Things To Know For Visiting New York City for the First Time
The Big Apple, the glittering jewel of America’s East Coast, is without a doubt, the most popular tourist destination in all of the United States. However, the huge city is not always the easiest to visit and navigate, and it can get pretty demanding if you’re not fully prepared. For that reason, we’re going to look at some of the ways you can make your trip to visit New York City a lot more convenient.
Know that you can’t see everything in one trip
It’s a good idea to get a notion of what tourist spots you want to see before you head off to the city. There are lots of things to do in NYC, but the city is so big that there is practically no chance you’re going to get to see all of the Boroughs and major attractions unless you are on an extended stay. Organize your sightseeing according to top sites you want to see and what neighborhoods they are in. Group as many activities together in one area as possible.
Get to Know The Neighborhoods
Understanding the neighborhoods of Manhattan will help you find your way through the city and identify sites to visit. At the top of Manhattan, you will find the Upper East and West Sides that border Central Park. This will where you’ll find many of the world-class museums. In Mid-Town Manhattan you’ll find famous Times Square, Rockefeller Center, the Empire State Building and lots more. To explore the many ethnic neighborhoods head to Greenwich Village and the Lower East Side for Little Italy and Chinatown. Lower Manhattan is home to Wall Street, the World Trade Center Memorial, South Street Seaport, and gateway to Staten Island and the Statue of Liberty.
Getting around
New York City is a huge place and not always the easiest to get around. While the city is designed in a way that there are always plenty of sites to see within walking distance of wherever you might stay, you’ll also want to know how our tips on navigating the city. In general, it’s worth getting to know the subway system, as hiring a driver can get very expensive. Another option for serious sightseeing is to purchase a ticket on one of the hop-on-hop-off sightseeing bus systems. Of course, using apps like Uber and Lift is always an option as well.
Sightsee without your bags
If you’re waiting for your hotel to have your room ready for you or you’re only visiting for a short time, then you don’t want to be lugging your bags (or shopping bags) around for too long. The city is full of slopes and hills that can make it pretty exhausting. However, there are luggage storage NYC spots all over the city. Use one of the storage providers in the city and you will find they have areas you can store your bags in all manner of places so you can explore freely.
Learn some sidewalk etiquette
The sidewalks of New York are famous for being a constantly moving jumble of human traffic and as a visitor, you need to respect them. The way that people rush on by and expect you to do the same might seem rude, but it’s a city with people who all have somewhere to be. Sidewalk etiquette means you shouldn’t hog more space than you need (such as walking hand-in-hand), you should keep it moving without stopping for photos or the like, and you should keep the right to allow people to pass easily.
Carry some cash with you
You’re likely to want to check out some of the bars and restaurants of the city. As such, it’s worth bearing in mind that many of them are cash-only businesses, which might seem at odds with many of the other big cities of the US. As such, be sure to always carry your money in the safest way possible.
Hopefully, the tips above help you better enjoy your time in New York. It can be a challenging place to get used to, but it’s so constantly adventurous and invigorating, it’s wholly worth it.
