Ultimate Visitors Guide to NYC

So you and/or your brother/mum/twice removed uncle/sugar mama/friends/fiance/mail order bride is coming to visit NYC.

Awesome!

That's great! Just do us a favour and read this thread before clogging up our sub with generic questions.

And please for the love of God -- THERE ARE NO HIDDEN GEMS.

#Tourist tips from Johnny T

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#I've landed. Now what?

Subway

• Beginner's Guide to the New York Subway
• Taking the subway can get you where you need to be quickly (usually). Check here to see if your subway line is experiencing delays; If you are traveling by subway on the weekend, plan for service delays and interruptions! Check the MTA’s Weekender Planner or this website, which has great visual maps
• Here is a Metrocard Calculator. If you are here for a couple of days going between tourist sights, buying a weekpass is usually the most economical.
• Subway Map
• The PATH is a subway/light rail system that travels to and from points in New Jersey, including Hoboken, Jersey City, Newark and Harrison. Stops in Manhattan at 33rd St., 14th St., 9th St., Christopher St., and World Trade Center. They accept pay-per-ride Metrocards, but not Unlimited or Monthly cards.

Taxis/Hired Cars

• TLC Taxis offer special rates to and from area airports. See fare information here. For a cheaper option, consider taking a bus shuttle into midtown: Super Shuttle goes to/from Newark, NYC Airporter goes to/from LaGuardia and JFK. If you have a lot of large luggage or are traveling with multiple people, sharing a cab is probably more convenient than carrying it through the subway/airtrain system.
• To hail a taxi, face traffic and raise your arm, looking at cabs coming your way. Pay attention to the light on the top of the cab: if only the middle light is on, it is available to take a fare; if the middle light and end lights are both on, the cab is off duty; if no lights are on the cab already has a passenger. On-duty yellow cabs must take you anywhere within the 5 boroughs of NYC. Light green cabs are not allowed to pick up street hails in Manhattan below 110th St. on the West Side, below 96th St. on the East Side, or at either LaGuardia or JFK airports.
• Ridesharing apps are very popular here and often cheaper and more convenient than a cab. Many of them also go to/from the airport. See Uber, Lyft, Gett and Via

Bus

• For information in NYC bus routes, visit the MTA site here.
• Beware of Select Bus Service stops, which require you to pay before you board. Failing to do so can result in a fine.

Ferries

• The Staten Island Ferry is free of charge and travels between the Whitehall Terminal in Manhattan and the St. George Terminal in Staten Island.
• They're a bunch of new ferries now. They're 2.75 and absolutely brilliant. Check out this link here.
• New York Waterway runs ferry service across the Hudson River to and from points in New Jersey. Ferries depart Manhattan at Pier 11/Wall Street, West 39th St., and the World Financial Center at Vesey St.
• Ferries to the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island leave Manhattan at the Battery Park ferry terminal

Bicycling

• For the official NYC DOT Bike map, click here
• Here is a list of biking safety tips and NYC biking laws.
• If you use Citibike, you have to dock them every 30 minutes.

Walking

• Make sure to bring comfortable walking shoes! You will walking a lot, and the subway doesn't reach all neighborhoods.
• Best Neighborhoods For Walking Around

Trains To/From NYC

• NJTransit offers rail service to and from points south and west of the city in New Jersey, including Newark International Airport and Metlife Stadium. Trains arrive/depart Manhattan at Penn Station.
• Metro North offers rail service to and from points north of the city in New York. Trains arrive/depart Manhattan at Grand Central Terminal and Harlem 125th Street.
• Long Island Railroad provides train service to and from points east of the city in Long Island. Trains arrive/depart Manhattan at Penn Station.
• If you are visiting from upstate or Connecticut, consider taking the train down! Metro-North offers many different getaways with discounts on events, tours and services.

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Tips and Tricks

• Don't get scammed into buying the Explorer Pass, New York Pass, the CityPass or others. They are seldom worth it unless you are visiting several tourist sites in a day (which isn't really the best way to see New York)!
• The Empire State Building is great, but a much better view of the city is from the Top of the Rock. The One World Observatory also has a nifty elevator ride/presentation.
• Do not abruptly stop on the sidewalk. If you have to stop, step to the side and out of pedestrian traffic. New Yorkers are very vocal about this.
• You have a right to ignore people selling or trying to give away something on the street. It's quite possibly scam or rip-offs. For instance, don't buy ticket from people selling Statue of Liberty tickets at South Ferry, or Empire State Building tickets near the building or people offering cab rides inside the baggage claim area of the airport.
• Directions are relatively simple. Uptown (North), Downtown (South), Towards the East River (East) and Towards the Hudson (West). Neighborhoods are good identifiers, especially in the outer boroughs.
• On escalators, please stand on the right in a single line to allow other faster pedestrians to pass you on the left.
• Avoid eating at the restaurants at the vicinity of Times Square. Some of the best food in the city can be found just a few blocks away (map) at Restaurant Row
• Don't be afraid to ask New Yorkers for directions. Although we can sometimes be assholes, most of us are pretty nice and will help you out. Be direct and quick with your question of the best results
• Check out these excellent animated GIFs of NYC Tips & Ettiquette from Redditor u/nathanwpyle.

##What should I do? It varies based on your interest -- but check out this thread for some suggestions

Still have some questions? No problem. Be sure that it's specific and well detailed. Questions to answer in your post.

• Where you're staying
• What your budget is
• Dates that you will be in town for
• Ages of you and/or your party
• Your interest (The more the better)
• What is cheap/expensive to YOU.
• Examples of research you have ALREADY put in.

We love helping out -- but we need you to pull your weight.

#We ARE NOT travel agents.

Also keep in mind -- WE LIVE HERE. Questions any hotels are best asked on other traveling subs. (/r/travel - r/solotrips)

Check out some examples from prior visitors.

#Examples of great itineraries

One | Two | [Three] (https://www.reddit.com/r/AskNYC/comments/balrdg/please_review_and_critique_my_itinerary_for_59511/) | Four| Five

#Post-trip post One | Two | Three | Four

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We hope you enjoy your stay.

Respect us. Respect our city. And love your vacation.