Bicycle. Bicycle-riding in Midtown is a hazardous art that should be left to the pot-hole-hardened bicycle messengers known for their derring-do.
Bus. Criss-crossing the city, New York City's network of busses may be slower than subways, but you have the satisfaction of watching where you're going and enjoying a more pleasant mode to travel. A sign on the front of each bus gives its route number and final destination, and stops are clearly marked on the street, sometimes with maps showing the route served (although not every bus serves every stop). In addition to longer-distance routes that run on the north-south avenues, there are many crosstown bus routes. (Request a transfer from the driver when you get on, so that if you're going to, say, north and then west across town, you don't have to pay a second time on the crosstown route, or vice-versa.) During rush hours, buses marked "Limited" function like express subway lines and stop only at major intersections. Exact change, a $1.50 bus/subway token, or Metrocard is required.
Car. Think twice about driving a car to get around Manhattan. Traffic is nightmarish, parking on the street is impossible, and parking garages are outrageously expensive. If you must arrive by car, it's best to stash it away in a parking garage and then use alternative means of transportation. Hotels sometimes offer discounted parking rates to their guests (even the most expensive hotels charge extra). Parking tickets are given without mercy, so dont bother parking next to a meter that isn't working, and be sure you understand the convoluted restrictions posted on parking signs so your car isn't towed - something that happens all too frequently.
Ferry. Ferries can be a good bet for crossing water. The Staten Island Ferry is still one of the cheapest thrills ($.50) in New York City, running every 20 minutes 24 hours a day between Whitehall Street (Battery Park) and Staten Island; you can stay on round-trip at the same fare. Other popular ferry services are:
Subway. Subways may be loud, dirty and crowded, but they are the most efficient way to conquer longer distances within Manhattan. Actually, most of the graffiti-riddled cars have been replaced with sleeker, modern ones that are air-conditioned in the summer and heated in the winter.
The New York City system is complicated and not alwasy immediately decipherable. Entrance requires the purchase of a $1.50 token, which allows you to travel its length and breadth (and to make unlimited connections). Tokens are available at token booths at most stations as well as some McDonald's restaurants and at newsstands. It's wise to purchase tokens in 10-packs if you're planning to ride often. The city recently introduced Metrocard, for prepaid subway access; it is available in $5 dollar increments up to $80, and currently was planned to be accepted at 169 of 469 stations. The subway system is open 24 hours, although principal service is between 6am and midnight. After hours, wait for your train in designated areas on the station platform.
Taxi. They seem to rule the streets of New York City. In fact, there are nearly 12,000 licensed cabs - a meaningless number if you can't find one when you need one. Licensed cabs are bright yellow and signal their availability with a light on the roof. Cabs may be halted anywhere on the street, except for crosswalks and intersections, and by law they are supposed to take you wherever you wish to go. But be forewarned--New York cab drivers are an independent bunch. The taxi rates are posted on the side of the cab ($1.50 for the first 1/5 mile, 25-cents for each additional 1/5 mile and 20-cents for each minute in standstill or in traffic). A 50-cent nighttime surcharge is applied 8pm to 6am. A cab ride in New York can be colorful, amusing, and efficient, or hellish and frustrating, depending on the traffic and the driver. Most cabbies are recently arrived immigrants and, though they must pass a language proficiency test , communication can occasionally be a problem; make sure the driver understands where you want to go.
Walking. To get a true sense of New York City, you're best off hitting the pavement, where one minute you'll find yourself dwarfed by Midtown skyscrapers and the next winding your way through narrow Greenwich Village streets. Most museums are conveniently close to one another, and parks and gardens offer good resting places for tired legs and aching feet. You can easily stroll from the Upper West Side to Midtown in about an hour; the most scenic route is along Central Park West to Central Park South, then on to Fifth Avenue. Warning: Beware bicycle messengers who have a habit of not-yielding the right-of-way to pedestrians.
Editor's Note from E!NY's lead-editor. On my last trip to NYC (September 97) I found that driving in the city can be treacherous if you are not aware of your surrondings. New Yorkers are naturally offensive drivers, and dont car about coming within an arms length from your vehicle; so be prepared. Slow drivers will be honked at, repeatedly by far. Also, i drove my car into the city only on the weekend (Friday through Sunday) and the traffic is substantially lighter; so you may opt to park your car weekly at the garage, and if you plan to stay over the weekend and want to drive the city alone - go ahead! However, the subway is the absolute best way to travel. We could travel from our hotel at Times Square to the South Ferry Station (Statue of Liberty) in like 15 minutes. A trip by taxi would take almost 20, and by foot is imaginable.
Also, be prepared of the surrondings you park your car in. Most decent hotels use respectable parking garages, and they can be somewhat trusted. However, if you are self-conscious about your vehicle - maybe some extra thinking is needed before driving to NYC. The valet attendant at your hotel will take your car to the garage, and have the garage attendant park your car. They keep the keys! And when I returned to gather some belongings i had left in the car, i came to find my car - windows down and keys in the ignition!!!! Wedged titely between a Ford Contour and a Mercedes Convertible. In three seperate garages i parked at, one close to the Empire State Building, they all practice this Art of parking; so be prepared. Despite the stories, my car was un-damaged, and nothing was stolen from it.GETTING AROUND NEW YORK CITY
The Port Authority Bus Terminal, located between West 40th and West 42nd Streets, and Eighth and Ninth Avenues (with principal entrance on Eighth Ave), is the departure and arrival point for all long-distance buses, commuter buses, and bus links to the airports.
Delta Water Shuttle.............800/543.3779
Express Navigation .............800/262.8743
Hoboken-Battery City Ferry......201/420.6307
Port Imperial (Weehawken, NJ)...800/533.3776
Staten Island Ferry.............212/806.6940
Parking. Almost all hotels have either private parking or a special service agreement with a nearby lot, so check before arriving. Parking lots are not hard to come by, though they are expensive. Ask about daily rates or try to strike a deal if you'll be leaving your car there, unused, for more than 24 hours. If you opt to park on the street, make sure you understand the restrictions posted and the risk you run with frequent burglaries. "Alternate side of the street parking" means you'll have to get there by 8am the next day to move it.
The best months to visit New York are May, June, September and October. July and particularly August can be oppressively hot and humid. December through February are the coldest months, with blustery winds and cold temperatures.
January................Average Temperature: 38° F/4° C
February..................................: 40° F/5° C
March.....................................: 50° F/10° C
April.....................................: 61° F/16° C
May.......................................: 72° F/22° C
June......................................: 80° F/27° C
July......................................: 85° F/29° C
August....................................: 84° F/28° C
September.................................: 76° F/24° C
October...................................: 65° F/18° C
November..................................: 54° F/12° C
December..................................: 43° F/6° C
To locate avenue addresses, take the address, cancel the last figure, divide by two, then add or subtract the key number below. The answer is the nearest numbered cross street, approximately. For example, to find the cross street of 1650 Broadway, take half of 165(roughly 83) and subtract 30 as indicated below. The answer is 53 (or 53rd Street!).
If you traveled across the United States, you would come across almost 20 diffrenet dialects or accects of English - from Southwestern, to Texan, to Southern, to Mid-Atlantic, and of course - the New Yorker! New Yorker's are no different. Visitors will notice immeadiately the deep, pronounced accent that cannot be really defined. New Yorkers may not only have a certain accent, but even hold patent to hundreds of words only spoken on the streets of Manhattan.
Cuisine.
Geography.
Consumerism.
On fair streets.. Tips and tidbits about NYC, for the traveler!
Accomidations. New York City's hotels come in all sizes and locations. When booking ask if there are any special deals - Broadway tickets and breakfast, or special summer or week-end rates - not always publicized. With year-round conventions, trade fairs, and ever growing numbers of tourists, never underestimate the importance of booking in advance. Even during slow months, hotels can be booked solid. For specific hotel information, jump to the Hotels section of Everything! New York.
Drinking. The legal drinking age is 21, and many bars, restaurants and clubs require ID. Bar hours vary (all are closed before noon on Sunday), but the legal limit for closing is 4AM. On Sunday, restaurants may not serve alcohol until noon, and liquor stores are closed, but beer, which is sold in grocery stores, may be purchased after noon.
Money. Most Citibank, Chemical and American Express branches will exchange foreign currency at current market rates. Most banks won't charge a fee if the amount charged is more than $200. Traveler's checks may be purchased at most banks, whose standard hours are Monday to Friday, 9AM-3PM. Call Chequepoint(800/544.9898; open daily) for their different locations around town.
Hours. It's a good idea to find out if a particular restaurant or shop will be open the day and time you plan to visit.
Personal Safety. Cities attract every type of person, and that includes the worst. It is perhaps less a commentary about New York than about the times to say that you have to be alert on the street (and in buildings, the subways, etc.) and to try not to advertise helplessness, naivete or confusion, lest you risk attracting unsolicited assistance. Common sense dos and don'ts: Don't display your good jewelry on the subway. Don't make eye contact with people who impart a sense of danger or derangement, even though they may seem exotic to you. (View the scene from a safe distance, if you must.) Carry your purse in front of you with the the clasp side against your body. Don't carry your wallet in your back pocket or in a way that causes it to bulge. Don't let strangers carry packages for you and never leave your bags unattended if even for a moment. If you see trouble coming, avoid it.
Publications. There are three daily papers: The New York Times, New York Post & Daily News,; as well as a number of weekly publications.
Restaurants. Those restaurants garnering three-or four-star ratings usually warrant a reservation; when booking, check on their dress code. In the area of the Theater District and the blocks that surrond it, restaurants often offer a pre-theater price (and recommend reservations to assure a seat); others offer price-fixe meals during certain hours. For precise, restaurant listing and reviews by neighborhood. See E!Ny's Restaurant listing.
Shopping. The trendiest shopping area in New York City is Fifth Avenue with its exclusive department stores and boutiques. Not far behind is Madison Avenue, well known for its high fashion and art galleries. Each neighborhood may determine the hours certain stores follow, as will the season. The period between Thanksgiving and Christmas commonly see extended hours; neighborhoods with a lot of foot-traffic such as Columbus Avenue and the West Village have longer hours. Stores may shut tight on Sunday and Monday in some places. Unlike most of the country, Manhattans stores all vary and operate differently; so please check beforehand if there is a store you must visit. Everything! New York provides you with a listing of many stores city wide, Shopping topics are seperated by neighborhood.
Smoking. It is illegal to smoke on ALL public transportation, in the lobbies of office buildings, in enclosed public places (like museums), in taxis, in designated areas of theaters, and in most shops. In early 1995, a much-contested city law was passed that limits smoking in restaurants seating less than 35, or in the bar area of certain larger restaurants if they are sufficiently seperated from the main dining area.
Street plan. Manhattan is laid out in an easy-to-follow grid of north/south avenues and east/west numbered streets. Bear in mind that Fifth Avenue is the dividing line between east and west. Below Houston Street, the numbered streets end, and in parts of downtown (Greenwich Village in particular) can get a little tricky.
Tickets. Theater tickets can be obtained at the box ofice, through ticket agencies (see Yellow Pages), or at TKTS (west 47th Street between Seventh Avenue and Broadway, Times Square). Tickets are not available for all shows, you may have a better chance close to curtain time, when producers release unused house seats. The same applies for music and dance tickets. However, for same-day performances for music, dance, sports and entertainment, stop at the Muisc & Dance Tickets Booth in Bryant Park (W 42nd Street at Sixth Avenue).
Time Zone. New York City is on Eastern Standard Time.
Tipping. A 15- to 20-percent gratuity is standard. In restaurants, most people simply double the sales tax (8.25 percent) as an easy way to compute a good tip. Taxi drivers are tipped a minimum 15 percent of the meter reading. Hotel bellhops and station porters expect a dollar for each bag they carry. A tip is a reward for service; if you don't get it, don't pay for it.
Visitor's Information Centers. For information, brochures, maps, lists of special events, theater discount coupons, and knowledgeable help, stop by the New York Convention and Visitors Bureau at 2 Columbus Circle, on Central Park South at Central Park West, or call 212/397.8200. Hours are Monday through Friday from 9am-5pm. and Saturday and Sunday 10am-3pm.
Also at 226 West 42nd Street, between Seventh and Eighth Avenues, in the old Harris Theater. Open daily 10am-7pm.
Also, for more tourist Information, invest in the Big Apple Greeter program. This program is available to tourists and provides them with a volunteer "friend" to show them around town. This is available in many formats, for disabled and different languages. All appointments must be made 48-72 hours in advance by contacting the Office of Manhattan Borough of the Big Apple Greeter,
To find addresses on numbered cross-town streets, remember that the numbers above Eighth Street increase east or west from Fifth Avenue, which runs north-south. Below Eighth Street, Broadway is the dividing line.
Avenues A,B,C,D...........Add 3 First Avenue.........Add 3
Second Avenue.............Add 3 Third Avenue.........Add 10
Fourth Avenue.............Add 8 Av. of Americas (6th)Sub 12
Fifth Avenue Seventh Avenue
Up to 200.............Add 13 Below 110th St....Add 12
Up to 400.............Add 16 Above 110th St....Add 20
Up to 600.............Add 18 Eighth Avenue........Add 10
Up to 775.............Add 20 Ninth Avenue.........Add 13
775-1286..........Subtract 8 Tenth Avenue.........Add 14
286-1500..............Add 45 Amsterdam Avenue.....Add 60
Above 2000............Add 24 Audubon Avenue......Add 165
Broadway (23rd-192nd)....Sub 30 Columbus Avenue......Add 60
Columbus Avenue..........Add 60 Convent Avenue......Add 127
Central Park West........Add 60 Edgecombe Avenue....Add 134
Ft. Washington Avenue...Add 158 Lenox Avenue........Add 110
Lexington Avenue.........Add 22 Madison Avenue...... Add 26
Manhattan Avenue.........Add 26 Park Avenue..........Add 35
Pleasant Avenue.........Add 101 Riverside Avenue
St. Nicholas Avenue.....Add 110 Up to 165th......Add 72
Wadsworth Avenue........Add 173 West End Avenue......Add 60
York Avenue..............Add 4
A peek into how to speak like a New Yorker; or decipher how one speaks to you!
This guide will introduce you to some of the common words heard and spoken in New York!
Greetings .
YO. Could mean "Pardon me", "Watch Out" or "Pleased to see you, my good man." Depending on the circumstance.
GRAB A SLICE. To purchase and consume pizza.
THE ORIGINAL RAY'S. Refers to a famed establishment on Sixth Avenue at 11th Street, whose name has since been used by dozens of imitators. See "grab a slice".
A SCHMEAR. Refers to a small portion of cream cheese to be smeared upon a bagel.
A REGULAR. A cup of coffee with milk, no sugar.
A BLACK. A cup of coffee with sugar, no milk!
WAIT ON THEM. Contrary to popular practice, something that waiters tell customers to do as in "You're gonna have to wait on them fries."
THE ISLAND. (Long Island). Not used to refer to Staten Island. Never, BUT NEVER, used to refer to Manhattan.
UPTOWN. When used in Greenwich Village or points south, refers to the entire area that stretches north of 14th Street.
UPSTATE. Refers to anything north of New York City, within New York State.
OVER THERE. New Jersey!
BLOOMIE'S. Bloomingdale's department store, as in "I saw here in Bloomie's." Not to be confused with underwear.
STANDING IN LINE. Known everywhere else in the world as "standing in line."
FASHION VICTIM. Someone whose clothes and makeup are too trendy to wear anywhere but at a photo shoot.
EAST VILLAGE TYPE. The flip side of "fashion victim", someone whose clothes and makeup are too urban funky to wear anywhere but on Avenue D. (Traditionally alternative, adolescent clothing).
SAMPLE SALES. Sales of leftover of sample merchandise held by manufacturers in the Garment District. Although some garmentos like to keep the best sales a secret (more of them), they are often advertised to the public in the back of New York Magazine and on flyers handed out on the street of pasted on lampposts and mailboxes.
LOTTO FEVER. An affliction that compels people to wait "on-line" for hours for a one-in-26-million chance to wealth, although it's more likely they'll be crushed by a meteor while watching Jeopardy that night. Its seriousness increases as the jackpot grows - in 1994 it reached an unprecedented $70 million!
TWO-FeR. A theater coupon tha entitles the bearer to two tickets for the price of one (plus a surcharge) to the show for which the two-fer is issued. Available at the Convention and Visitors Bureau at Columbus Circle.
DON'T BLOCK THE BOX. Anti-gridlock warning to drivers meaning "Do not drive into the intersection until there is room to cross it."
GRIDLOCK. The traffic jam that results when someone "blocks the box."
DON'T EVEN THINK OF PARKING THERE. Courteous street sign provided byt the city. Usually ignored!
ALTERNATE PARKING. Rules in which the side of the street one may park on is determined by the hour and day of the week.
BRIDGE-AND-TUNNEL. People or commuters from New Jersey and Long Island. See "Over there". Technically means they come in by bridge and tunnel!
BBQs. Those who commute into Manhattan from the boroughs of Brooklyn, Bronx and Queens.FYI
Note: These precautions are not as prominently needed when around CROWDS of people. And definately won't happen regularly in your hotel lobby, or room. But the subway, bus, a lonely park or alley, and the such is where these safety measures should come into play.
1 Centre Street,
NY NY 10007
(212)669.28960.