50 New York travel tips you never knew you needed

If you’re planning a vacation to the Big Apple, sometimes there’s things you just don’t think of before you go. That’s why I’m here. Here’s some random New York travel tips that will make your trip so much easier. Check it out!

I recently spent three days in New York with my mom and my two sisters-in-law. Even though I thought I was prepared for the trip, there were a lot of things I learned along the way that would have been very helpful to know beforehand. So, I’m sharing all of my newfound knowledge with you! Check it out!

Pack the right stuff

• Portable charger – Most cell phone batteries don’t last all day long. If you don’t want to be caught in front of the Statue of Liberty with a dead phone, bring a portable charger.
• Handheld fan – New York is hot during the summertime. And even if you’re there in the winter, the New York subways get hot. You’ll be so glad you brought your little fan to stay cool.
• Spray hand sanitizer – Sanitize your hands every time you get off the subway and in public places to avoid getting sick on your trip
• Dress appropriately – If you’re visiting in the winter, it can get pretty cold. Just a coat isn’t enough. You’ll need gloves, scarf and warm shoes or boots.
• Umbrella – If there’s rain in the forecast, bring an umbrella with you. It’s miserable when you are wet and cold.
• Extra pair of shoes – If you are caught in the rain one day, you’ll want a second pair of shoes. Our shoes didn’t dry out completely, so we were stuck with wearing wet shoes the next day.
• Crossbody bag or fanny pack – Keep your valuables such as credit cards, ID and cash safe. Any crossbody bag will make it harder for thieves and pickpockets.
• Cell phone with GPS – This sounds like a no-brainer, but you will literally be completely lost if you can’t GPS where you are going. Plus, navigating the subway is so much easier with GPS.

Hotels

• Pick a central hotel – We stayed in a hotel (Citadines Connect 5th Avenue) that was really close to Times Square. It was nice to be in walking distance of so many sites.
• Consider sharing a room – Paying $500 per night in New York is pretty typical, so if you can split the cost of a room with friends, you’ll save a lot of money.
• Free breakfast – If you don’t like having to worry about finding breakfast in the morning, a free breakfast at your hotel is a good option. Our hotel left a grab-and-go style breakfast for us each morning, and it was great.

Food

• Sit-down restaurant for lunch – Choose a nice restaurant for lunch instead of dinner. It’s nice to have a break during the middle of the day from all the walking and sight-seeing.
• Don’t get hangry – Sometimes you can’t find a place to eat right away. That’s when a quick snack (like a granola bar or beef stick) in your bag comes in handy.
• Group favorites by location – List all of your favorite restaurants according to the different areas you’ll be visiting. Then, you can just look it up when you get hungry.
• Ding Thai Fung and Star Dust Diner – This dumpling restaurant and singing waiter restaurant are right across the street from each other near Times Square and they are awesome.
• Water bottle– You’d be hard pressed to find a bottle of water in New York for less than $5. Bring your own water bottle and save yourself some money.

Freebies

• New York Library
• Washington Square Park
• 9/11 memorial
• Time Square
• Grand Central Station
• Stock Exchange Charging Bull
• Hook and Ladder 8 Firehouse (Ghostbusters)
• High Line Elevated Park
• Chelsea Market
• Little Island Park
• Oculus
• The Edge Mall
• Central Park
• Rockefeller Center
• Staten Island Ferry to Statue of Liberty

Broadway Shows

• Popular shows: If you are dying to see one of the really popular shows such as Wicked or Mamma Mia, they will most definitely sell out. You have to buy them in advance and they aren’t cheap
• Same-day tickets: If you’re not particular about which Broadway show you go to, show up at the TKTS booth on Times Square a half hour before it opens. Your tickets will be a fraction of the cost. We bought four Aladdin tickets four hours before the show started for $90 each.
• Save your ticket stub – If you bring an old Broadway ticket stub from the last 7 days to the TKTS line, they will let you be in the fast pass lane and be first in line to get same-day tickets. We did it and got fifth row seats for &Juliet.
• Consider a play – Everyone is always talking about the musicals, but there are a lot of really awesome plays on Times Square as well. Plus, they are a little less expensive.

Miscellaneous

• When to visit: September or May are the best months to visit in terms of weather. Sometimes the weather will make or break your vacation
• Bike rental: Rent a bike from a business like Fancy Apple Bikes instead of renting one of the Citi Bikes. The Citi Bikes are clunky and sometimes in disrepair. The bike companies always have working bikes and they will help you if something breaks down. Plus, they cost about the same.
• Paying for the subway: Tap your credit card to enter the subway instead of buying a ticket. After 12 rides in a 7-day period, the rest of your rides are free!
• Souvenirs: Some of the best souvenirs are in the museum gift shops
• Uber: Get an Uber to your hotel and then back to the airport. Dragging your luggage through the subway is possible, but very tiring and frustrating.
• Characters on the street: Don’t pose with the characters in Time Square unless you are planning to pay them.
• Police Officers: Don’t ask to take your picture with them. They don’t like it.
• Bathrooms: Many of the large department stores have free bathrooms. Just ask an employee at any nearby shop and they will tell you where the nearest bathroom is.
• Central Park: Ride bikes around this amazing park. It will definitely be one of the highlights. Plus, there is a dedicated bike lane with no cars or pedestrians
• Wake up early: Strolling around the streets of New York City before 7 a.m. is a completely different experience. Try it out.
• Facebook Group: Join a New York City tourist Facebook group before your trip to get insider tips and tricks. Plus, you can ask any question you want to the group. It’s incredibly helpful.
• Find a festival: There is almost always a festival or event happening somewhere in New York City that you can enjoy. We attended a street festival in Little Italy in September and it was awesome. Check out nyc.com for more information.

I hope these New York travel tips will help you as you’re planning your vacation to New York City. If you think of any other tips, let me know in the comments below.

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