Tourist Gets Terrible Advice After Seeking Suggestions On What To Do In NYC

Photo by Michelle Rick

Recently a Yelper asked, "I am going to NYC for the first time and don't know what to do up there. There seems to be a lot. What is your favorite things in New York City?" So far, the suggestions he's getting are a bit lacking, and coming mostly from other tourists. For example, the first commenter suggests mostly spots found in the movie Serendipity: "Serendipity (the original! We sat next to the table Kate Beckinsale & John Cusack sat in, in the movie!!), Waldorf hotel (where movie Serendipity was shot—elevator scene!!)," etc.

Other suggestions include Times Square for the great nightlife, the "main train station" (Grand Central is beautiful, but don't people know the name of it by now?), and finally Madison Square Park, which they note is "several miles walking distance... may take a whole day if not two." Clearly, they mean Central Park. Others suggest Nintendo World, Tim Hortons (yes, the Canadian coffee chain), and one says to make sure to "take da subway 'cuz da system is awesome."

Clearly, these tourists need some inside intel, so where would you send them on their visit to the city for the first time? Leave your suggestions in the comments, and tourists, try to follow these simple etiquette guidelines while you're here (or at least keep to the slow lane).

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Carlson in Arts & Entertainment on February 7, 2012 12:24 PM

Comments [rss]

Alejandro Benchimol

Once you complete the tour guide list of the obvious places like Times Square, Central Park, Empire State building and Ground Zero... Treat yourself to a bit of real NYC by going to places like the East Village, Soho, Washington Square Park, and Union Square. For a fun day trip (make sure it's a nice day) walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and enjoy the still not so famous but very artsy neighborhood DUMBO (Down under the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridge) .

Genie100

They should use The Funday Genie!!www.thefundaygenie.com

Samantha Nicholson

Last

Rachel Harrison

Best. Last. Comment. Ever.

Dan Stewart

Tips for tourists:

- The P Train is a really useful subway line. It stops at all the major tourist spots - Times Square, Central Park, the Statue of Liberty – and goes along the same tracks as the B, D, F, M train but is not as regular. Just keep waiting, it'll be along eventually.

- If you're a bit scared of the subway, just jump in a cab. Don't forget, if your driver fails to tell you to have a nice day then you ride for free! Look it up, it was Mayor Bloomberg's re-election gift to all New Yorkers back in 2005.

- Here's a useful bit of advice. New Yorkers receive an automatic $1 discount on every corner hot dog, because each stall receives a stipend from our state taxes. If the dogboy (that is their preferred term, btw) asks for an extra dollar, just tell them, "Hey! I'm a New Yorker!"

- The first Thursday of every month is Hug A Cop day. If you embrace a police officer, they will give you a voucher redeemable at any Duane Reade for a free bag of peanuts or a bottle of water.

- Bicycle lanes do not operate between the hours of 6am and 9am, or between 5pm and 7.30pm. You are free to drive in them between these hours.

- Hey, do you remember the show "Friends"? You can visit the actual coffee shop used in that show, on West 4th and 7th Avenue. Just go into the adult bookstore, and through the curtains at at the back. You'll be sipping coffee with Gunther in no time!

- If you wish to go running in Central Park, you'll need to pay the $3 surcharge. This can be paid to any of the park staff, in cash only please. Avoiding the charge is pretty easy though; just slow to a walk any time you pass a park employee, street artist, equestrian, or stall owner.

Dan Stewart

One more thing, if the P Train is delayed just ask anyone where you can take a P. They'll be sure to point you in the right direction.

sjwalker

Worst fucking tourists in the world? New Yorkers when they realize they're no longer in New York.

TheRealCannibal

go back to jersey!

whysenhymer

Catch a Giants game at the Meadowlands!

robingee

New York's hottest club is GUSH! It has everything... seagulls, mariachi bands, a room full of broken glass... and then BOOM! Korean Liberace!

Peanut_Butter

Make sure to stand squarely in the bike lane of the Brooklyn Bridge and photograph all of our photogenic bicyclists!

Eazy E

Send them to the Bronx River Houses. To quote from the Wikipedia entry, "In just a few years crime and decay began to plague the development as more and more generationally poor families moved in. " Yes, Americans of A-F-R-I-C-A-N descent, causing trouble...again.

nayerr

Always give tourists bad directions.

Peanut_Butter

One asked me how to get to Carnegie Hall. I said practice, practice, practice.

felixthecat

don't ride horse drawn carriage, take pedicabs or walk. don't support horse abuse.

Alan Hartman

Then go on to get the freshest mozzarella and burratta in the city on Arthur Ave. in the Bronx's very own "Little Italy".

Eazy E

I believe it's burrito.

Jereremy

burrata, as in the cheese.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B...

Alan Hartman

Visit "Little Ireland" in the Woodlawn section of the Bronx! The best Guinness and Shepherd's pie in the whole city!! There are no fewer than 28 Irish pubs within Woodlawn's ten block radius!

Kareem Granston

Yup... and then they can visit the cemetery and see a real NYC wilderness in Van Cortlandt park (or Pelham Bay on the other side of the borough)... then they can hop over to the Bronx Zoo and Botanical Gardens. And just as the real "Little Ireland" is in the Bronx - Arthur Ave. and Morris Park in the Bronx are MUCH more authentic than what's left of Little Italy in Manhattan. These tourists sites are too Manhattan-centric