Friday, September 11, 2015

Quick Guide to New York City

Transportation

Transfer to and from Airport: AirTrain, MTA/Transit Buses and New York City Airporter bus/Newark Airport Express Bus (a better choice if you have big luggage and want a direct transfer.)
Public transport within city: MTA bus, PATH, Metro
Private Hire: Yellow Cab, Black Cars, Car Pool Service
For daytrips out of New York: Express buses like PeterPan, Greyhound, Boltbus and many more
For Water transport: Ferry and water taxis
Read more: How to save on transport in New York City?



Must see, must do

The Free attractions: Central Park, Time Square, 5th Avenue, Bryant Park, MET, Staten Island Ferry, 911 Memorial Park, Wall Street, Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, Grand Central Terminal.
The Paid attractions: the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, MoMA, Rockefeller Center, Cruises
Must do: People-watching, Broadway Show, hire a bike!
Read more: 4 days in New York
Read more: Yea or Nay? : the PASS -- Ultimate money saver? 
Read more: New York on a Budget

Must Eat

For the experience: Camaje, Diamond Horsehoe, Ninja New York, Hollywood planet, La Caverna
Best Rooftop: Brooklyn Grange

For the best cheap eats, step out from Midtown and head south:
Restaurant food in Hell's Kitchen, Little Italy, SOHO, Lower East Side, China Town.
Street food: New York bangels, bialys, pizzas, cheese cakes, burgers, hotdogs, halals
Other alternatives: Farmer's Market, packed- lunch, groceries shopping.
Read more: New York Foodie on a budget


Shopping

Window shopping: 5th Avenue, Madison SquareWhere I can afford it (sigh!): SOHO, Time Square, Macy's
For girls, look for Forever 21, H&M for cute and affordable apparel. Brooklyn Charm is a hidden gem itself, shop here for exquisite jewelry.   

For boys, you will have to ask my brother.
Read more: Best budget fashion stores in New York 



Accommodation

The best boutique hotels (the ones I drool over ): Library Hotel, Langham Place, Bryant Park Hotel, Andaz.
The best value hostels: HI New York, Local NYC, Broadway Hostel , NY Loft Hostel, NY Moore Hostel
Options for budget travelers: Considering other borough, stay with locals, tent-camping.
Read more: 5 ways to save on accommodation in New York

The people

People in New York, although they always look like they are in a rush, are actually friendly and accommodating. If you need help, don’t be shy to ask! They will probably stop and give you a hand (At least according to my experience. I have very good experiences with Americans since my trip to USA last summer.)

Wifi

Even city parks provide free Wi-Fi. (I found this out in Bryant Park half way through the movie.) I can’t say that It was great, but it was sufficient. Many stores, attractions and museums have free Wi-Fi too. So unless you really need to contact someone in the states or need to access pages other than facebook, twitter and instagram, you probably do not need to buy a simcard.

Simcard

Having an simcard is crucial if you are travelling for a longer period. During my 50 days travel across the States, I bought my simcard from T-Mobile. It worked great in New York and other big cities, but not as good when I was having my road trip in Utah, Arizona and some part of California Coastal Highway. Correct me if I am wrong, but Verizon and AT&T seems to have better coverage in those areas. You might want to compare those carriers according to your route planned and estimated data usage.

Is it safe to travel solo?

Yes. Contrary to common believe, New York is relatively safe compared to other cities, at least, statistically! However, you need to stay alert and not get yourself into trouble! Be sure to hold on to your bags, avoid walking alone in poorly lit areas, avoid central park at night (unless you are attending an event). I would recommend leaving your passports and documents safe in the hostel, bring a copy instead, just in case anything do happen. There are a lot of police men patrolling in tourist attractions like Time Square, so do not hesitate to ask for help. If you found yourself lost in a deserted place, act like a local! (show confidence, do not present yourself as an easy prey), then when you see a police, ask for help immediately! Always bring a pepper-spray with you, just in case.

The Laws and culture

Smoking  and drinking alcoholic beverages in public are highly prohibited. So beware if you are a smoker, drinker or both.
You have to be 21 to drink! And if you dine in a restaurant/ cafe, give your waiter a (Recommended: 20%) tip.




Thank You for Reading! 
This post is based solely on my opinion or personal experience. 
 If you have a more suggestion, feel free to share your thoughts with me by commenting below!

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