image creditAll the tips and info you need before your trip
Overview
NYC is dense, fast, and walkable in a way few cities match.
Manhattan is the iconic core, but Brooklyn, Queens, and other boroughs are essential. The subway runs 24/7 and goes almost everywhere.
Walking is often faster than driving. Expect to spend more than you planned and walk more than you thought possible.
Best Areas to Stay
FIRST TIME: Midtown—central, near sights, easy subway. SoHo/NoHo—stylish, walkable, shopping.
CLASSIC + CONVENIENT: West Village/Greenwich Village—charming, great food, neighborhood feel. Lower East Side—trendy, nightlife, restaurants.
BROOKLYN: Williamsburg (hip, young), DUMBO (views, upscale), Park Slope (quieter, brownstones).
BUDGET: Long Island City (Queens)—cheap hotels, easy subway to Manhattan.
Money & Tipping
TIPPING IS MANDATORY: 18-25% at restaurants (not optional—servers depend on it). $1-2/drink at bars. 15-20% for cabs/Uber. Hotel housekeeping: $3-5/night. Cards accepted everywhere. Cash useful for food carts and some bodegas.
NYC is dense, fast, and walkable in a way few cities match.
Manhattan is the iconic core, but Brooklyn, Queens, and other boroughs are essential. The subway runs 24/7 and goes almost everywhere.
Walking is often faster than driving. Expect to spend more than you planned and walk more than you thought possible.
FIRST TIME: Midtown—central, near sights, easy subway. SoHo/NoHo—stylish, walkable, shopping.
CLASSIC + CONVENIENT: West Village/Greenwich Village—charming, great food, neighborhood feel. Lower East Side—trendy, nightlife, restaurants.
BROOKLYN: Williamsburg (hip, young), DUMBO (views, upscale), Park Slope (quieter, brownstones).
BUDGET: Long Island City (Queens)—cheap hotels, easy subway to Manhattan.
TIPPING IS MANDATORY: 18-25% at restaurants (not optional—servers depend on it). $1-2/drink at bars. 15-20% for cabs/Uber. Hotel housekeeping: $3-5/night. Cards accepted everywhere. Cash useful for food carts and some bodegas.