Food scene
This pizza joint maybe not as famous as Lombardi's, but their pizza is just as good.
The best bagels place in this neighborhood, and probably in the entire city. Many New Yorker's favorite is everything bagel (standard flour with mixed topping: poppy seed, sesame seeds, onion flakes, garlic flakes, and pretzel salt) A New York classic is smoked lox with cream cheese on a bagel of your choice.
Cash only.
145 locals recommend
Absolute Bagels
2788 BroadwayThe best bagels place in this neighborhood, and probably in the entire city. Many New Yorker's favorite is everything bagel (standard flour with mixed topping: poppy seed, sesame seeds, onion flakes, garlic flakes, and pretzel salt) A New York classic is smoked lox with cream cheese on a bagel of your choice.
Cash only.
Thanks to the Italian population, New York has some amazing pizza places. This one is arguably one of the best pizza place in town. Expect a long wait.
7 locals recommend
Lombardi's
32 Spring StreetThanks to the Italian population, New York has some amazing pizza places. This one is arguably one of the best pizza place in town. Expect a long wait.
Mama's TOO!
2750 BroadwayLiterally the most famous food cart in town. 53rd and 6th Ave. is the original location. Right next to Hilton Hotel, close to MoMA.
Cash only.
The Halal Guys
West 53rd StreetLiterally the most famous food cart in town. 53rd and 6th Ave. is the original location. Right next to Hilton Hotel, close to MoMA.
Cash only.
Neighborhoods
A neighbor hood on the lower west side of Manhattan, traditionally associated with writers, artists, and musicians. Many small stores with characters, vibrant night life scene.
180 locals recommend
Greenwich Village
A neighbor hood on the lower west side of Manhattan, traditionally associated with writers, artists, and musicians. Many small stores with characters, vibrant night life scene.
Theater District
Must visit place for Broadway fans and theater nerds.
Sightseeing
This is probably the most touristy spot in town. Many souvenir stores around, but still worth visit for first time visitors. Super easy to get there by subway.
If you want to see the "ball" dropping on New Year's Eve, get there early. Some people get there by 3pm for a spot of good view, so you get the idea. Once you are there, you probably won't be able to move much if not at all, and there aren't many restrooms around, so don't drink much water. Seriously.
2037 locals recommend
Times Square
This is probably the most touristy spot in town. Many souvenir stores around, but still worth visit for first time visitors. Super easy to get there by subway.
If you want to see the "ball" dropping on New Year's Eve, get there early. Some people get there by 3pm for a spot of good view, so you get the idea. Once you are there, you probably won't be able to move much if not at all, and there aren't many restrooms around, so don't drink much water. Seriously.
Nice outdoor space for a relax stroll. When weather is nice. It used to be railway, they keep the rail and make it a above the ground park.
119 locals recommend
The High Line
Nice outdoor space for a relax stroll. When weather is nice. It used to be railway, they keep the rail and make it a above the ground park.
Chelsea Market is a spot for sightseeing and food scene. It's an old food factory, now it's a market with best taco (Los Tacos No. 1) and some interesting stores.
1123 locals recommend
Chelsea Market
75 9th AveChelsea Market is a spot for sightseeing and food scene. It's an old food factory, now it's a market with best taco (Los Tacos No. 1) and some interesting stores.
City advice
Getting around
Subways and Uber get you covered
Uber: if you decide to take Uber to my place, use this address: 570 Riverside Drive. Take subway to get around, like a real New Yorker. You can get subway cards from any subway station. There are several types: single ride, pay-per-ride, and unlimited. I would recommend pay-per-ride, unless you know you’d be moving around a lot and/or staying for around 7 days. In that case, 7-day unlimited card would make sense. Note: for unlimited card, you need to wait for at least 15 minutes between each use. So this is for one person use. Per-per-ride can be used up to 4 times in a row at each stop.
Book before you go
My apartment address
My apartment address is 3333 Broadway it’s a huge apartment complex on the NW corner of 135th St. and Broadway But if you want to take Uber/Lyft/Taxi from the airport, use this address: 570 Riverside Drive this is the address of a mini stargaze facility at the back entrance of my apartment building. It’s much closer to the elevator.
What to pack
Layers
Winter in New York can be cold and brutal, but indoor heating is almost always very good. Sometimes too good. Pack a really warm coat (ideally water proof) for outdoor activities and some layers of t-shirts and/or sweaters. Unless there’s a bad snowstorm, snow boots are not necessary, the city is generally very good with cleaning the roads.
Customs and culture
Stand on right side
When you take the escalator, stand on the right side, leave the left side for walkers. Unless the escalator is only wide enough for one person. Restaurant tipping guideline: 15-18% for lunch (not so busy time) and 18-20% for dinner (busy time). Tip on pre-tax total.
Ways to save
Check online for free museum days
Some museums in New York City offer free entrance or “pay-as-you-wish” on certain days. The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) is suggested donation, so if you don’t feel like paying their suggested full amount, you don’t have to. Instead, you could just pay $5 each person for a quick visit. Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) has free Friday nights. Whitney Museum of American Art offers pay-as-you-wish Friday nights. I highly recommend you look it up online before visiting.
Don't miss
Avoid parks after dark
Parks in New York City don't have good reputations. Homeless people, drug dealers, robberies, even murders. You see these scenes in movies and TV shows, because they do happen in real life, unfortunately.
Do not walk alone in any park after dark.