13 Mistakes Tourists Make When Visiting New York City

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New York City is one of THE most visited cities in the world. In 2019 alone, The City That Never Sleeps had 66.6 million total visitors (53.1M domestic, 13.5M international), who spent roughly 47.4 billion.

As a tourist anywhere, there are a bajillion right things and wrong things to do on your visits. NYC is no exception. These are the top 13 mistakes tourists make when they visit New York:

Eating at chain restaurants

OK, I get it. You don’t HAVE an Olive Garden or an Applebee’s where you live. Or a Bubba Gump. Or a Hard Rock Cafe. And your kid REALLY likes Happy Meals. That doesn’t mean you have to eat every single meal at a chain restaurant.

Spread out, and try some iconic NY restaurants you’ll never find anywhere else, because they just don’t exist anywhere else! And after those, use crowdsourced sites to find little out-of-the-way places that aren’t famous yet.

Not using bathroom opportunities

When you visit NYC, you’re going to spend a lot of time outside. And nature will eventually call. Whenever you see a restroom you can use, use it – it could be a while before you can use another one (many eateries won’t let you use the facilities unless you buy something).

You can also use this map of every public rest room in NYC.

Getting a hotel in Times Square

Sure, Times Square is roughly in the center of Manhattan. But it’s as touristy as it gets…so it’s crowded (hello, pickpocket central!), chaotic and dirty, to boot. And your options for restaurants are generally limited to those aforementioned chains.

Besides, Times Square only shows you one part of New York. Consider staying uptown. Downtown. Maybe even (gasp!) in another borough and take this cool means of transportation to get back into the city.

Not exploring the other boroughs

Sure, Manhattan has a lot going for it. But so do Brooklyn (you can get there for FREE! Just walk over the Brooklyn Bridge), Queens, Staten Island (also a freebie! Take the Staten Island Ferry – best view of Manhattan and 100% free) and The Bronx.

Not tipping

New York City, like the rest of the U.S., uses a tip-based economy. Taxi drivers, restaurant waitstaff, bartenders, and hotel staff, are paid very little because it’s expected part of their salary will be made via tips.

And yes, I get it:

• You don’t like this whole “tipping” system. Well, that’s nice but until they change the system, that waitress is counting on being able to pay her rent because of how much you tip.
• They don’t tip in your country. I get it; I really do. And I’m glad they’ve figured out a better system in your country. But you’re not IN your country; you’re in another country where the social norm is to tip. Don’t be a jerk and perpetuate the stereotype that people from “your country” are lousy tippers.

Here’s a guide to help with when and how much to tip.

Overscheduling

This isn’t a NY-specific problem, although it definitely happens when people visit NY. Tourists make plans and put entirely too much on their agenda. And then what happens? They could do everything on their list, be exhausted and need a vacation after their vacation. Or they could wind up missing things and be disappointed because they ran out of time and had to skip the one thing they REALLY wanted to see.

So better to schedule just a few things per day, preferably the ones you have the most interest in, and truly enjoy them. If you have extra time at the end of the day, you can be spontaneous and add something in. Or there’s also something to be said for just wandering, exploring and seeing what you can find that you otherwise might never have discovered.

Not using the subway

Many tourists are afraid to take the NY subway. That fear is admittedly based on some reality nowadays. But to be honest, many, many thousands more people use the subway every day without any problems.

That being said, taking a taxi (or ride sharing) is, by far, a much slower way to travel to, from, or within Manhattan. NYC traffic is so bad that government officials are strongly considering huge fees just to enter a good portion of the borough. Horrible traffic means long delays in getting anywhere. I promise the subway is faster (and MUCH cheaper!).

Blocking the subway door

Speaking of taking the subway…if you DO (yay!), be aware of some etiquette:

• If you’re getting ready to get onto the train, don’t stand in the middle of the door, waiting for it to open. Stand to the side until everyone gets off the train first. THEN go on it.
• If you’re on the train, don’t block the doors. Some people are using the train to commute to their job and may have the timing of their connecting train down to a science. If they can’t get off the train because you’re in the way, they’re going to be late for work.

Boarding an empty subway car

If you think you’re lucky because you got a subway car all to yourself, you may soon change your mind. If all the other cars have a decent amount of people in them and that one car is empty, I can guarantee is for a reason. The air conditioning doesn’t work and it’s boiling hot. Someone used it as a toilet. Maybe both. Stay away.

Wearing uncomfortable shoes

New York City is not the place to break in a pair of shoes. It’s also not the place to wear a pair of shoes that look awesome but hurt like hell. You are going to get your steps in, so dress for it. Wear a pair of shoes that are comfortable enough to walk miles in. Because you will.

Standing in the middle of the sidewalk

OMG y’all – don’t stop in the middle of the sidewalk in NYC. Or any walkway, for that matter. That’s where people are WALKING. Whatever it is that you need to do, go off to the side.

Visiting in the winter (when you’re not used to winter)

I lived in NYC for 35 years and all I wanted to do was move to Florida. Why? New York winters. They’re brutal. Climate change notwithstanding, it CAN get into the single digits, if not the occasional negative digits. And thanks to all the tall buildings and narrow streets, it can be super windy, too.

If you’re used to cold winters, as they have in Canada or Wisconsin, then c’mon down. But if you’re a weenie about the cold, don’t come to NY from November to March or so.

Not asking for help

New Yorkers only seem rude. We’re not. We talk fast and we tell it like it is. But we’re not rude. In actuality, we can be very helpful if you’re lost, aren’t sure of what direction to go, what train to take, etc.

Don’t like talking to strangers? Does everyone seem like they’re in a rush? (well yeah…that’s NYC)? Ask a doorman or security guard in a building.

There are many other “rules” about being a tourist in NYC, but this is a good start. If you want to learn a couple more, click here to hear it straight from a real New Yorker (or rather, “New Yawka”). Keep in mind that since this guy is a New Yorker, he’s going to tell it like it is. He may or may have some (mildly) NSFW language. But if you can get past that, I think you may get some really good advice about visiting New York City.

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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary