Top 5 NYC Hidden Gems NOT To Skip... (2024)

FAQs

What to avoid when going to New York? ›

How long to spend in NYC? 5 days in NYC is actually the perfect amount if it's your first visit. You can spend 3 days in New York City, but it's cutting it close–and you'll need to come back again. If you have only one day in New York City, you can still see Manhattan!

Safest Places To Walk At Night In New York City. Places like Greenwich Village, Williamsburg, Upper East Side, Midtown Manhattan, and Brooklyn Heights are all considered fairly safe at night. Tourists want to stay in well-lit, busy areas at night to avoid pickpocketing and other crime.

New York City is at its best from April to June and September to early November when the weather is comfortable and there are fewer crowds of other visitors. If you're traveling with kids or on a budget, then you might want to visit during the summer or winter instead for the best overall experience.

A: Of the five boroughs in New York, Staten Island is considered the safest, with a crime index of 47 (meaning it's safer than 47 percent of other cities in the U.S.).

Stick to main streets and pathways and always cross at the intersection. Follow the traffic signals and pay attention to cars and cyclists. Be hyper-vigilant at night and stick to well-lit, populated streets. Plot out your path before heading out — and stick to it.

Manhattan is one of the safest urban areas in America. However if it will create a worry or concern for you it may make sense to leave anything of sentimental attachment at home. I've seen more people wearing Rolex (and other high end) watches in NYC than anywhere, except maybe Vegas.

Yes it's enough. Many people spend far less than that. Some people spend more. You will just have to be mindful of your expenses, especially at bars and restaurants.

Is $1000 enough for 5 days in New York? ›

If you plan to stay at a 5-star hotel and dine at upscale restaurants in Manhattan, then a budget of $1000 is definitely not going to cut it. However, if you book a mid-tier hotel and take advantage of the many free things to do in New York, then a budget of $1000 is just fine.

You should plan to spend around $316 per day on your vacation in New York City, which is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors. Past travelers have spent, on average, $50 on meals for one day and $49 on local transportation. Also, the average hotel price in New York City for a couple is $331.

THE CHEAPEST TIME TO VISIT NYC

As you might well have guessed, the cheapest months of the year to holiday in NYC are from January through March. It's in these 3 months that the costs of both a flight and hotel are on average the lowest for the whole year.

I have always found it safe, and I've been there during the night about four times. It is probably a good rule of thumb not to go into the sideways or alleyways off of the main streets. Times Square is lit up like a Christmas tree all hours of the night, so just remain in plain view. They always have cops around.

subways are as safe as any form of transport at night. just be aware, as much as you would be on the street. the most prevalent crime is petty theft from sleeping or distracted passengers. 2) there is LESS crime on the subway late at night than there is earlier.

Hell's Kitchen is a vibrant, walkable neighborhood with easy access to the entire west side of Manhattan. Hell's Kitchen has a below average violent crime rate and a high property crime rate for New York City.

While there isn't a major difference in rainfall from month to month, April has on average the most rainfall of any month in NYC, followed by May, June, and July. April, however, has the most days of rain, with the chance of rain being roughly 33% on any given day.

Crowds have thinned out.

New York's busiest seasons are from June through August and Thanksgiving through New Year's. Kids are back in school and many families are averse to traveling so early in the school year, and families comprise a decent percentage of New York tourists.

What part of NYC do celebrities live? ›

Share: NYC is a wonderful place to live, so it's no wonder that the city is home to numerous celebrities. From the modern, glamorous, and expensive neighborhoods downtown to the magnificent Upper East Side and Upper West Side homes overlooking Central Park, the rich and famous love the city.

A: Of the five boroughs in New York, Staten Island is considered the safest, with a crime index of 47 (meaning it's safer than 47 percent of other cities in the U.S.).

New York State's safest community is East Hampton Town, an affluent Long Island community which logged a very high 1.29 score on the Safety Index. East Hampton enjoys a low violent crime rate of 0.85 per 1,000 and a property crime rate of 11.34 per 1,000.

If you want to avoid NYC entirely: Travel over the Tappan Zee Bridge when driving southbound from upstate New York or New England. Located approximately 40 miles North of the GW, the Tappan Zee Bridge is part of Interstate 287. This route allows you to skip New York City altogether.

Where is safe in Manhattan? Some of the safest places in Manhattan include Roosevelt Island, Battery Park City, Sutton Place, Lenox Hill, Upper East Side, and Murray Hill.

Is it safe to use a backpack in New York City? Yes, it's safe to use a backpack in NYC.

Base metal jewellery, such as brass or nickel, is unlikely to wear well over time and may turn your skin black or green. It may even cause allergic reactions or worse - and that's especially the case with nickel, which we strongly recommend you avoid wearing.

All in all, I can sum up the Diamond District in 2 words – Buyer Beware! In reality, the 47th Street is a huge beginner's trap for buying diamonds. If you don't want to take the risk of buying jewelry and end up receiving something else for what you actually paid for, avoid the area.

Luckily, that isn't necessarily the case. If visitors are cautious about planning their travel, accommodations, transportation and itinerary, it is absolutely possible to visit New York City on a budget and still have a great time. Here are some tips on how to successfully do New York City on $100 a day.

The customary tip of 15-20% is recommended. A 15% tip is consider common practice for average service. You should lean towards a 20% tip if you're happy with the service or dining in a high end restaurant.

Is 10k dollars a month good in New York? ›

Sadly 10 thou a month is barely 2.500 a week. A decent doorman building 2 bedrooms apartment in a good area no less than 6 to 7 K a month… Food,entertainment,transportation,clothing and shoes,incidentals and insurances….

100K doesn't go very far in New York City

According to a recent survey, 51% of people who earned more than $100,000 reported living paycheck to paycheck in 2022 – 7% higher than a year earlier.

Minimize the amount of money, credit cards and valuables you carry by only taking items that are necessary for the day. Divide money between your purse/wallet and pockets. Carry your keys on your person separate from your identification. Use well-populated and well-lit streets.

Aside from walking, the bus or the subway is the cheapest way to get around NYC since a single ride costs only $2.75.

In NYC, most landlords use a 40x rent rule, meaning your annual income needs to be at least 40x the monthly rent to qualify. So with a $50,000 yearly income, you'd qualify for a $1,250 per month home.

New York City has a reputation for being one of the most expensive dining destinations in the world. It's easy to wander into high-end restaurants without realizing it and walk away with the idea that dining out in NYC is wallet-busting.

Food, rent, and living expenses should be covered sufficiently with anywhere between $55K to $100K per year after taxes.

If you're looking for a cheap hotel in New York, you should consider visiting during the low season. You'll find cheaper hotels in New York in January and March. Hotel room prices vary depending on many factors but you'll most likely find the best hotel deals in New York if you stay on a Saturday.

The cheapest airport near New York is New York LaGuardia – which is 8 miles away from the center of New York. We've found flights to this airport from $49.

The average cost for overnight accommodation in New York was 235 U.S. dollars in January 2022.

Is it better to stay near Central Park or Times Square? ›

Is it better to stay near Central Park or Times Square? For a first-time visitor, it is better to stay near Times Square due to its location and access to entertainment options.

According to Numbeo.com data from March 2022, groceries in New York City usually cost about $486.71 a month, per person. For the U.S. as a whole, the average is $348.34.

New York City water meets all federal and state standards and is safe to drink. Chlorine odors may be more noticeable when the weather is warmer. The most effective way to eliminate or reduce the taste is by leaving a glass or pitcher of your tap water in the refrigerator overnight before drinking.

Credit cards are accepted everywhere. In New York (and in the rest of the US) people that use credit cards are more common than those that use cash. In many ways, it is comparable to using a debit card. Debit cards will work at ATMs and you can pay more and more with them in restaurants and stores in New York as well.

New York is a safe city to visit. It may have a reputation for crime – of all kinds – but New York is about as safe as any other megalopolis city in the Western world. NYC has gentrified the main visiting areas, especially Manhattan.

The crime rate is relatively low

You may have read that the crime rate in NYC went up in 2022 compared to 2021, but (and this is what counts) the city is still very safe. In fact, NYC is one of the top five safest large cities in the United States.

How much cash should I take to NYC? ›

How much money will you need for your trip to New York City? You should plan to spend around $316 per day on your vacation in New York City, which is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors. Past travelers have spent, on average, $50 on meals for one day and $49 on local transportation.

Credit cards are accepted everywhere. In New York (and in the rest of the US) people that use credit cards are more common than those that use cash. In many ways, it is comparable to using a debit card. Debit cards will work at ATMs and you can pay more and more with them in restaurants and stores in New York as well.

On February 6, 2023, Mayor Adams announced the City's decision to rescind its vaccine mandate. As of February 10, 2023, the COVID-19 vaccine is optional for current and prospective City employees. The November 1, 2021 order is repealed under the BOH order of February 9, 2023. EO 25 rescinded EO 75 and 76.

Here are some tips on how to plan your visit.

A couple of key points to note is that wearing a face mask is optional at the airport and allow at least 2-3 hours to travel to your gate.

*** All non-immigrant, non-U.S. citizen air travelers to the United States will be required to be fully vaccinated and to provide proof of vaccination status prior to boarding an airplane to the United States.

The neighborhoods topping the list as the most dangerous include Hunts Point, Brownsville, Mott Haven, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Midtown, East Harlem, Fordham, Highbridge, Bushwick, and Tremont. It is essential to exercise caution and take safety measures when visiting or residing in these areas of NYC.

It's mostly very safe, but I typically avoid the edges (near Port Authority). It's close to Times Square, but it's very easy to avoid. Hell's Kitchen is pretty central so it's easy to get all over the city, and there are a lot of transit options (especially on 8th avenue).

Central Park at Night is often considered a dangerous and not safe New York place. In fact, Central Park in NYC is closed to the public from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. Visiting Central Park in New York after dark or outside the opening hours is highly discouraged, even if you love to go running in the evening.

Is the NYC subway safe? The short answer is yes. The subway system (just like city parks) reflects the overall safety of the city. And when New York City violent crime is near record lows and subway ridership is at record highs, it is safe to assume nothing will happen to you on the subway.

Uber is a completely legal and authorized car service in NYC. They are also safe to take. Uber drivers must undergo an extensive background check, including a criminal background screening.