Don't get eaten alive by the Big Apple. Learn how to ride the subway like a local, eat world-class food for $5, and avoid the Times Square scams.
Save hundreds of dollars by knowing where NOT to go.
Ticket sellers in Battery Park will try to sell you "Official Tours" for $30-$50. You end up on a crowded boat often far from the statue.
Take the huge orange ferry from Whitehall Terminal. It passes directly in front of the Statue of Liberty. It runs 24/7 and is 100% FREE.
It is iconic, but if you are standing ON it, you can't SEE it. Plus, the lines are notoriously long and security is tight.
Go to the Rockefeller Center observation deck. From here, you get the perfect view OF the Empire State Building and Central Park.
Cheap, greasy, and perfect. Fold it in half to eat.
📍 Best Spot: Joe's Pizza (West Village) or 99 Cent Fresh
Boiled then baked. Get it with cream cheese and smoked salmon.
📍 Best Spot: Ess-a-Bagel or Russ & Daughters
A tower of smoked meat. Expensive but splits between two.
📍 Best Spot: Katz's Delicatessen
Dense, creamy, and rich.
📍 Best Spot: Junior's
Manhattan is vertical. Don't try to see it all at once. Our AI groups Midtown and Downtown into logical days.
Generate Your Own Plan Free →No! NYC now uses "OMNY". You can just tap your credit card or phone (Apple Pay) at the subway turnstile. It costs $2.90 per ride.
Tipping is mandatory in the US. Standard is 18-22% of the bill in restaurants. Bartenders get $1-2 per drink.
Generally yes, especially in Manhattan up to midnight. Always stay in cars with other people and avoid empty carriages.