New York is big and fast and overwhelming until you realize it's on a grid, very logical and that most people are nice and willing to help as long as you're quick about it.
Rule No.1 -- walk to the right. If you need to meander or stop, step to the side. Don't walk three or four abreast unless the sidewalk's huge and no one's around. You must share.
Rule No. 2 -- speed it up. This goes for everything, including having your MetroCard out before you reach the turnstile, knowing what show you want to see when you get to the TKTS window, and just moving out of the way when you get off the elevator or to the top of the stairs. Got a question? Be concise. People are a) busy, b) don't want to get sucked into a scam, and c) irritated with slow tourists.
If you go to the Statue of Liberty, reserve a monument pass in advance. If you go up the EmpireStateBuilding, spend the extra $15 to get to the 102nd floor (in addition to the 86th like everyone else.)
A cab is for hire only if his numbered/lettered lights are lit on his roof. Let people exit the subway car before you push your way on. Be careful with your umbrellas, don't stand in the doorway letting cold air in while you decide whether you're coming or going, and fight the urge to eat and shop at the same dull chain restaurants and stores you've got at home. Spend your money at the interesting places so Manhattan doesn't turn into a generic Disneyfied strip mall. Thank you. http://www.newyorkology.com/archives/basic_nyc_guide/index.php Content provided by www.NewYorkology.com visit their website for the details you need to know while in NYC
More from my favorite NYC website NEWYORKOLOGY The price of New York:
While there’s a lot of flexibility in the question of how much it costs to see New York, as a point-in-time reference, it seemed appropriate to run down the list of the basics - from subway fare and a pastrami sandwich to museum admission and a trip on the Staten Island ferry.
