How to Survive Your First Trip to NYC
Getting scammed can ruin a trip, so here are a few tips from a local
We all know planning a vacation can be stressful, so let’s see what I can do to make it a little easier.
NYC is a trip that some people may spend months or even years saving for and it can be an amazing experience or, you can leave knowing you never want to step foot in the tri-state area ever again. This could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for some people and if that’s the case, let’s make it a trip to remember.
The second you begin planning a trip to the “Big Apple” all the different options can be overwhelming, so in this article, I will give you my top 5 tips from the moment you step off the plane.
1. WHAT AIRPORT SHOULD I FLY INTO?
Where better to start than the airport you are booking a ticket to? NYC has three major airports and it depends on your personal travel needs. Each airport has its pros and cons so here’s a quick breakdown that can get you started.
JFK is located in the borough of Queens, NY. There is a flat fare of $70 to take a Cab to Midtown Manhattan which is roughly a 45-minute trip in normal traffic conditions. The option of taking the Subway is the one I advocate for as it is much cheaper ($11.40) and if you’re lucky and catch the train without the twenty-minute wait it has a similar travel time or even faster if traffic is heavy up above ground.
EWR — Newark Airport is found one state over in New Jersey but is still considered a “NYC airport” most likely due to its easy commute into the heart of Manhattan. The NJ Transit train and Newark Shuttle Bus by Coach USA both have a price tag of under $20 and take about 45 minutes to reach Midtown, and of course, you can take a Cab, Uber, Lyft, etc. however that can often run upwards of $100.
Finally, LGA — LaGuardia is also located in Queens, NY but on the northern tip compared to JFK down on the southern tip of the borough. Public transit will usually consist of both a bus and a train, a bus and another bus, or a bus and a subway. There is no direct path unless you would like to take a Cab/rideshare (roughly $70). What sets LGA apart though, public transit will be less than $15/person and if you’re taking a car, that commute can be less than 35 minutes if you get lucky with traffic.
2. GOOGLE MAPS? APPLE MAPS? PAPER MAP?
Let me preface this with a big NO to the paper map. If you want to publicize it to every scam artist in NYC that you are an easy target then go for it, otherwise, I would keep the baby folded up and in your suitcase as a souvenir to take home. Also, fun fact instead of paying for one at a souvenir shop, pick one up for free at the information booth when visiting Grand Central Station.
With that out of the way, which one should you actually use? Honestly, neither. Google Maps can be great but it seems every time you need to use it an update is required and that can get frustrating when trying to figure out if you just got on an Express train uptown when you meant to go a single stop downtown and if you’re walking at night maybe you don’t want to walk down that dark alley it always seems to suggest to users.
Apple Maps is a nice backup if you have an iPhone. I would recommend downloading the offline map of Manhattan so you have it when you have no service but once again, having tried it many times as someone who lives here, nearly every time I know a faster way to reach my destination and it seems to be slow on receiving delays and other updates about the Subway lines.
City Mapper, my saving grace when I first moved here. Download it from the app store and see how much easier your life becomes. It will give you the option to Walk, Ride, Drive, or Bike.
It’s easy to view the train arrival times and what stops you will pass on the way to your destination. It provides you with the duration of how long of a walk it is to the station, the time it may take to transfer platforms/trains, how long you should be on the train, which exits to take back up to street level, and how long it will take to walk to your destination. What else could you ask for? Maybe the ability to plan your trip ahead of time? City Mapper can do that too! Let’s say you are looking for directions to an event you have planned for tomorrow that would normally require the 1 train but it won’t be running, it will already have that updated in their system and give you an alternate route. I also find that the walking and bike directions are the least confusing and most reliable.
Downloading the Transit app and using that in addition to City Mapper is a great trick. Transit will show you the nearby stations and the next arrival times for both uptown and downtown along with the full list of stops it makes along the line without ever having to enter a destination. And if you care about this…it does have a rat meter… do with that information what you please.
The MTA also has finally given their app a much-needed update making it fairly more user-friendly than it was previously but unfortunately, I do not believe it beats out the others quite yet. Maybe next time but that is still an option.
3. EXPRESS VS LOCAL
The worst feeling is already waiting forever for a train just to find out that the train you’re on is express when you were meant to be on a local train and watching your stop speed by knowing there is nothing you can do about it.
A lot of the NYC Subway lines have Local and Express trains and to make it even more confusing, sometimes the line that should be express is going local and vice versa. So how do you know? First when arriving at the station if you see a piece of paper taped up everywhere with a notice about the line you are supposed to take on said paper, read it. Every time. Even if you don’t think it applies to you.
There are typically two kinds of stations, the first has two separate platforms one for Uptown trains and a separate one for Downtown trains. We will discuss those first.
When there are only Uptown or only Downtown trains on the platform you are standing on one side will typically be for Express trains and the other will be for Local. Above the track, there will be a sign telling you if it is a local train or express train. This never changes even when the train does and that’s a good first hint. I will be using the Blue Line as an example as it consists of three trains and if you are staying on the west side you more than likely will be riding at least one of them during your trip.
The A is Express however, if it is the weekend or between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. it will more than likely be running Locally i.e. making the same stops that the C train would normally make as this is the Blue Line’s Local train during the day (it stops running after 10 p.m. hence why the A turns Local). It will arrive on the Local side instead of the Express track during these times and when the doors open and you step on listen for the conductor’s announcement, they will say if it is a local train or if it is running Express. If the Express train is running Locally during the day on a weekday then the C very possibly is running Express between 59th Columbus Circle and 125th St.).
Next, the platforms that have both Uptown and Downtown trains. These can get a little more confusing and where you want to pay extra attention because as someone who lives here, even I stop paying attention and mess them up sometimes when my autopilot fails me. So, here’s a quick breakdown.
Uptown will run on one side and Downtown on the other. Check the sign hanging above the track! The sign will tell you which direction the train is going. At most stations the Express and Local trains going in the same direction will share a track when arriving at the station but every once in a while at stations like Penn Station the blue line A Express trains share a platform but the Local trains are actually on separate platforms that are accessible using the stairs and underpass.
4. SCAMMERS
Remember that paper map? Do not open it in the heart of Times Square. Times Square alone has enough scams that I could probably write an entire article on it (who knows, I probably will) but in the meantime here are the standouts.
Those are not friendship bracelets. If someone tries to offer you jewelry as “a gift for you” it is not. Do not take it. That is not free. Once it is in your possession they will harass you for money.
Watch your step. When you are looking up at those beautiful billboards and stunning buildings make sure someone is watching the ground. Scammers will have their art on the ground to try to get tourists to step on it and since you don’t know any better, when they start yelling at you for stepping on it you will feel bad and shovel out the cash in your wallet for a picture you didn’t even want in the first place.
Say cheese. Just kidding please do not. You will see everything from a transformer to Elmo to King Kong and Spiderman walking around Times Square asking if you would like to take a picture. The answer is always no. Unless you really do want a picture and in that case get ready to pay for it. You may ask if it costs money, they might tell you no. They are lying to you. That picture costs money so if you’re going to take it make sure you really want it because there goes another twenty dollars.
Finally, just as a rule of thumb if someone tries to hand you something, do not feel bad for ignoring it. People say New Yorkers are rude. No, we just don’t want to go on a bus tour of the city. Those men and women in red handing you a pamphlet will follow you or try and stop you if you take it, so do not take it. It is their job to be pushy and intimidating in order to get you to sign up for that tour. If you really want to do it, sign up online. They are working off commission and have no issue following you while trying to get you to sign up and get them that check. Trust me, my 6′ 7″ father made the mistake of taking a pamphlet because he thought it would be easier than ignoring them and they followed us for two and a half blocks until I made it very clear we would not be taking the tour. Do not repeat his mistake.
5. TIMES SQUARE IS NOT THE PLACE FOR YOUR HOTEL
Times Square is beautiful and while you should experience it during your trip, you do not need to experience it every time you want to walk in and out of your hotel. There is a reason people who live here go out of their way to avoid it. Did you realize that those hotels looked a little cheaper than the rest? Yeah, there’s a reason. After day two all of those scammers can get really annoying. Do some research on the neighborhoods. NYC is ripe with so many different cultures, vibes, and architecture and if you want the skyscrapers you see in Times Square, go a couple blocks in any direction and I guarantee you, you won’t regret not having to dodge all the scam artists every time you want to grab a coffee in the morning.
If you don’t want to look too hard, stay central just look near Bryant Park, Herald Square, or Columbus Circle. You will still be surrounded by food, things to do, and various subway lines that can take you anywhere in the City.
New York City is a beautiful one-of-a-kind City that I hope everyone who wants to experience it gets the chance to. I love this City with my whole heart, it is my home and any time I feel myself forgetting that, one quick look out my window is enough to remind me how fortunate I am to live here. I found a family in the people around me and as scary and mean as people make New Yorkers out to be, more often than not they aren’t that bad. We will help you carry a stroller up the stairs or point you in the right direction when you’re lost just find one that looks a little less pissed off and maybe without earbuds in both ears and ask for help and honestly if you look lost enough someone may even come and ask you if you need help. Your trip is going to be amazing and I hope you make amazing memories, good luck!
If you want to read my article on Which NYC Airport is right for you I have the link along with my profile linked below. Thank you for reading!
Until next time ❤
~ A.
