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12 Common Tourist Mistakes in New York City and How to Avoid Them
Welcome to the Big Apple! The city that never sleeps! NYC is one of our favorite places in the whole wide world and after dozens of trips, we've learned how to explore New York City more like locals than like tourists. We're here to share what we've learned with these 12 common tourist mistakes in New York City. We'll teach you how to avoid making these common tourist mistakes so you too can enjoy all that New York City has to offer!
1. Do Not Rent A Car
When we travel to literally any other place in the US, we always rent a car. We love to explore on our own and have the freedom to drive to off the beaten path locations when we travel. The only exception is New York City. Under no circumstance do you want to rent a car when you arrive in New York City. Driving in New York City is not for the faint of heart. We know this because a number of times we've driven our own car from the Midwest into NYC and it's a nightmare. Traffic is horrific and you'll spend hours stuck in it- guaranteed. When you finally arrive at your destination, there will nowhere to park. Also guaranteed. When you do find somewhere to park, you will end up paying upwards of $50 a day to park in a garage that will be nowhere near where you wanted to go- so really it's just a big expensive hassle. You can get anywhere in the city and the surrounding areas by public transportation and the public transportation in NYC is the best you'll find in the whole United States. So save your money, your time and your sanity and skip the rental car!
2. Do Not Get Ripped Off in a Taxi
So you skipped the rental car. Good for you! Now what? The yellow taxi cab seems like the most logical choice. The yellow taxi cab is a New York City icon. But hold on just a second there before you go flagging one down. Cab drivers in NYC are known for ripping off tourists. If you give off even a faint hint of a tourist vibe (as in- ditch the fanny pack!), they're going to drive you all over the city to drive up your tab and then smile when you end up paying three times what you should have when you arrive at your destination. If you must take a taxi in NYC, pull up your location ahead of time and know the main route. When you tell your driver where you are going, also tell them the route you want to take to get there. Just toss out two main roads, such as "Park Avenue up to 81nd Street to the MET." This makes it sound like you know where you are going and they're less likely to wind you up and down side streets in hopes that you'll have no idea they're letting the meter run as long a little extra. But be prepared for expensive rides. Traffic in NYC is horrific and you're likely to spend lots of time just sitting at lights while the tab runs. We very rarely take a taxi anywhere in New York City because of this- which leads us to our next common tourist mistake.
3. Do Not Skip the Subway
The New York City Subway can seem intimidating, especially if you're like us and you're from a place that doesn't have a subway system (or any public transportation system for that matter!). But the NYC subway system is really easy to navigate and it's by far the fastest and cheapest way to explore the city. Grab a Metro Card and load it up so you can simply scan your card for each ride. There are lots of apps that you can download to help you navigate NYC transit, but our favorite is GOOGLE MAPS Navigation & Transit. It's a free app available for Apple and Android and it's super simple. You can also just use Google if you'd like. Type in where you are starting and where you are going and Google will pull up the best routes- including subway and train routes.
The subway can be a bit more daunting for families with young children in strollers as many stations are not accessible and require a flight or two of steps. You can locate accessible stations here, or just be prepared to carry your stroller up and down the steps. For this reason, we strongly recommend leaving your big fancy strollers at home and bringing a cheap umbrella stroller to the city. A small, light umbrella stroller makes it MUCH easier to navigate the city- including the subway. But the bonus is that kids who can duck under the turnstile ride the subway for free! The exact height is anyone under 44″ but no one stands there to measure, so if your kid can duck under easily, let them!
4. Do Not Be Afraid to Ask for Directions
New Yorkers often get a bad rap for being rude. Honestly, nothing could be farther from the truth. When we first started exploring NYC with our boys as toddlers, every single time we pulled out a subway map people tripped over each other to offer us help. Literally every single time. Once a man not only offered us directions, but he stayed on the train with us- passing his stop for work- and took us to the right stop, got off the train, walked us to the right exit and pointed us in the right direction. Then he waved good bye and headed back down to catch the next train and headed to work. Seriously. New Yorkers are quite friendly. Sure there are many who put their head phones in and don't make eye contact. But most are more than willing to offer help with directions. So don't be afraid to ask!
5. Do Not Splurge on an Expensive Hotel Room
If you're looking for an all-inclusive resort where you never have to step foot off the hotel property, you're in the wrong place. Hotels in New York are generally for sleeping only! Hotels in New York City are also EXPENSIVE. There's just no way around it. But don't splurge on a super fancy hotel that is extra expensive? Why not? Because no one comes to NYC to spend time in a hotel. Hotels in NYC are simply places to store your stuff and get a good night's sleep. Do your research and make sure you're selecting a reputable hotel that will be clean and in a safe area- but don't feel like you need to splurge on the fanciest of hotels in NYC. You won't be spending much time there.
6. Do Not Make Eye Contact with the Characters in Times Square
There are a lot of fantastic street performers throughout New York City. We often stop to watch and toss a few coins in their buckets. Many are true artists and we love to support them. But NOT in Times Square. Under no circumstance do you even make eye contact with the characters dressed up in Times Square. For one, their costumes are so awful that even our boys aren't fooled by them. Never mind the fact that they are super creepy and will harass you for money if your kids even shake hands with them. Eww- so gross! Instruct your kids to put their heads down and walk as fast as they can through the herd of characters. Not not look up. Do not stop. Just. Keep. Walking. Which leads us to our next common tourist mistake.
7. Do Not Stop in Times Square At All!
Yes- Times Square is iconic. When anyone anywhere in the world thinks of New York City, they think of Times Square. The bright lights, the giant billboards, the massive crowds. But that's literally all Times Square is. A couple of blocks of larger than life billboards that are literally an assault on the senses. The crowds are horrific, the area is usually filthy, and remember- do NOT make eye contact with Elmo! We will do anything to avoid Times Square when we are in NYC. It's our least favorite place in the whole city.
8. Do Not Eat at a Chain Restaurant
If Times Square is known for anything other than it's dizzying billboards- it's known for the massive array of chain restaurants. But if you came to New York City to have unlimited bread sticks at Olive Garden, we need to stage an intervention. Skip TGI Fridays and slowly step away from Times Square. New York City is full of independent restaurants with amazingly delicious food from all over the world. Go try something new from a restaurant that you can only find in NYC!
9. Do Not Pay Full Price for a Broadway Show
Seeing a Broadway show while in NYC is also iconic- and unlike the yellow taxi cabs and Times Square- this is one thing that is quintessentially NYC and entirely worth the splurge. You should absolutely, positively see a Broadway show in New York City. Just don't pay full price. TKTS Ticket Booths sell discounted tickets to most Broadway shows and they have some stellar deals. The main booth is located in Times Square and is the one and only reason you should ever stop in Times Square. However, there are other locations that not only allow you to avoid the assault of Times Square and usually have shorter lines. We prefer the Lincoln Center location. There is also new a location at South Street Seaport. You'll want to download the TKTS App and make plans to be in line right when they open because the lines can get really long, especially on weekends. The app will also let you know what is for sale and for what price at which locations. Even if you have to wait in line awhile- the discounts are worth it!
10. Do Not Ride a Horse Carriage in Central Park
The horse drawn carriage rides through Central Park are another iconic NYC activity- and another one that you can skip. There is a big movement in NYC to ban the horse drawn carriages altogether over concerns for how the animals are treated. Many are concerned that their living and working conditions aren't humane. We fully support ethical animal tourism and unfortunately the Central Park horse carriages do not fall under the category of ethical. In addition to the animal rights concerns, the drivers will harass you relentlessly as you enter the park and the prices are high enough to give you a heart attack. So just like you practiced in Times Square, instruct everyone to put their heads down and walk by the drivers as quickly as possible. If you're looking for an awesome alternative for exploring Central Park- grab a City Bike and pedal your way around. It's better for the animals- and better for you. Plus, you'll save a ton of money while getting to see much more of the park.
11. Don't Forget to Look Up
We love to walk New York City. We rarely ever take a taxi in the city and we try to only use the subway for really long trips because we simply love walking the city. Walking the streets of NYC requires paying careful attention to avoid being run over by throngs of people. It's easy to keep your eyes on the ground or directly in front of you, and many times this of critical importance for survival reasons- but don't forget to stop and look up once in awhile. Just don't stop in the middle of a busy sidewalk- you will be run over! When you're standing at ground level, it's easy to forget that you are standing among some of the tallest buildings in the world. When you're on a less crowded side street or waiting for a light to change, don't forget to look up- the view of the city is amazing when you look up and see yourself surrounded by insanely tall buildings!
12. Do Not Stay in Manhattan
It's easy to forget that you're on an island when you're in Manhattan. But Manhattan is an island and it is only one of the five boroughs that make up New York City. While many of the iconic locations you'll want to see and explore are in Manhattan, you won't get a real feel for the true New York City without venturing out into the other boroughs. Each has it's own unique vibe and we love them all! Head up to the Bronx Zoo for an afternoon or head over to Brooklyn where you'll find stunning views of Manhattan, a more "local" vibe and more affordable hotels and dining. The Staten Island Ferry runs between the Staten Island and Manhattan. The ferry is free and the ride has fantastic views of the Statue of Liberty. Queens also has stunning views of the city as well as a diverse array of amazing food!
The Best of NYC
If you're looking for fun things to do in New York City, be sure to check out these great posts!
- NYC Playground Tour: The 12 Best Playgrounds in NYC
- 10 Free or Cheap Activities for Kids and Families in New York City
- Ice Cream Tour of Manhattan: Six Days of Ice Cream in NYC
- Where to Find the Best Hot Cocoa in NYC
- A Magical Tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Art with Fable & Lark
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