NYC’s 10 Best Tips for Tourists (and Those New to the City)
To best get around and feel at home in the City it is a good idea to have a little background information to make your stay the most pleasurable. For those moving here, every bit of knowledge will make the transition easier and
Houston Street in downtown is pronounced house-ton. This is a sure sign of a city newbie if they pronounce Houston Street incorrectly. I once heard an immigrant came to Ellis Island and did not speak English. He wanted to join his family on Houston Street in Manhattan but when he told the official where he wanted to go he said hue-ston like the city in Texas. Sure enough he was sent to Texas. Trust me, this will prevent confusion when talking to locals.
When is a NYC Taxi available? I always see people trying to flag down cabs off-duty or ones with passengers. True, off-duty drivers will still pick you up every once in a while but save time and energy looking for cabs that are available.
When all lights are OFF – cab already has passengers.
When all lights are OFF (Off Duty and cab # lights) – OFF DUTY
When center cab number is ON and Off Duty OFF – Available
Spend less time in the TKTS line for show tickets. There is a lesser known, less crowded TKTS booth in South Street Seaport in downtown so do not spend all day in line at Times Square. As a plus, explore downtown NYC or, if it is a nice day, walk the Brooklyn Bridge.
Where to find a public restroom in New York City. Barnes and Noble, Starbucks, the public library, Bloomingdales, Macys, K-Mart, Lord and Taylor.
Avoid waiting for tables in restaurants for dinner. Most NYC residents eat later than the average American, at 8 pm. This is the most crowded time in local restaurants. If you want to eat at that great new restaurant you heard about, place a reservation as soon as possible. The second option is to choose a dining time closer to 6 pm or after 10 pm. Your chances of scoring a table are much greater. Use Open Table, a NYC app for your iphone, to make your reservation on the fly.
Know your city walking etiquette.
Rule #1. Sidewalks are often major pedestrian traffic areas. You might be strolling down the street casually taking in the sites but NYers around you are in a rush. They are late for a meeting, need to get to work on time, etc. If you walk slowly while walking around the city stay to the far right of all walkways and sidewalks. While walking on sidewalks and pathways, use is the same rule as freeway driving. The left is considered the fast lane. This goes for escalators and stairs as well. The left is for people who want to walk them quickly while the right side is for people who want to take their time or just stand while on an escalator.
Rule #2. If you need to stop on the sidewalk move out of the way of pedestrians walking so you do not cause a traffic jam. This means move closer to the street or the building to avoid slowing people down walking behind you. Nothing is more annoying when someone stops right in front of me while I walk the streets.
Your iPhone signal is less reliable in higher traffic areas. These areas include any ones with a large pedestrian crowd or office high rises during the work day. The traffic from all the phones clog the network. Ensure you do your NYC research or pull up a map from a less crowded area. Also use a free wifi spot like Starbucks or NYC’s 10 Best Free Wi-Fi Hotspots beforehand.
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