Top Five Totally Touristy Tips For Non-Tourists

Seriously, the view from the Top of the Rock is epic (mudpig's flickr).

Last week we talked about terrible advice given to tourists and then went and got some more useful tourism tips from Verified Twitter users in town. Helpful and all, except most of you reading this here site aren't tourists. And since in this economy it isn't like many New Yorkers can afford more than a staycation we thought we'd try to help the New Yorkers out, too. So, without further ado, we bring you five touristy things even real New Yorkers can do with pride (once):

A View To Remember
When your friends from out of state come in to visit they invariably want to go to the top of the Empire State Building, and eventually you're going to go up there (or maybe you'll run up to the top in under 15 minutes). So don't bother doing that on your staycation. Still, who can blame you for wanting to enjoy a spectacular view of the city while mingling with midwesterners? To that end, the views at the Top of the Rock really are spectacular and are much less of a hassle. And when it gets warmer, try and squeeze up to Le Bain before nightfall.

There's No Business Like Show Business
The Great White Way is filled with hammy shows we'd be embarrassed to send our mothers to (*cough* Mamma Mia *cough*), but not all of them are bad! In fact, even a few of the tourist traps have some serious artistic merits. And since tickets to The Book of Mormon won't be available until 2015, why not go to TKTS and see one of them on the cheap? That way when your buddy from Florida rolls up and asks to go see Spider-Man you can with real authority say "Nah, The Lion King was enough Julie Taymor for me for, thanks! Not only is the music NOT by Bono and the Edge, the costumes are way cooler, too."

Don't Tour Bus, City Bus
Out-of-towners love them some tour buses, and with good reason. It is an easy way to sit back and take in the city (and stay out of the rest of our hair). But tour buses are also absurdly expensive, the guides often seem to be making it up as they go along and they are filled with the kinds of people who like to take pictures of the air above Ground Zero (seriously, what is up with that?). So instead of giving money to Grey Line, why not hop on an MTA bus, grab a window seat and enjoy the views and hustle and bustle without the hassle. The M15 has a nice view of the the UN and for a great (if slow) trip down Fifth Avenue the M5 can't be beat.

I'm On A Boat!
Speaking of public transport...At some point everybody ends up going to the Statue of Liberty. It is a lovely attraction! But right now, with the actual statue interior closed, there really isn't a point in taking the trip. Not when the popular-date night that is the State Island Ferry is totally free and offers spectacular views of the harbor that you can enjoy while sipping a tall boy (and then explore the borough!). As for the other part of your basic touristy boat ride, Ellis Island, keep reading.

See An Apartment Smaller Than Yours
There are a lot of myths about New Yorkers (we don't look up when walking, being one particular pet peeve) but a few of them are based on truth. For example: We really do live in apartments the size of shoeboxes (and there are videos to prove it). But it could be worse! In fact, it was worse not that long ago. Don't believe us? Just head over to the always-excellent Tenement Museum and see how many New Yorkers used to live (just keep in mind how many people lived in each room). Suddenly your shoebox is going to seem spacious—and you'll feel totally fine skipping out on that trip to Ellis Island again.

So those are our basic touristy tips for non-tourists. What are yours?

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

By Garth Johnston in Arts & Entertainment on February 14, 2012 2:47 PM

Comments [rss]

kaosethema

you might be on vacation but i have to get to work. yeah, i know it's 5:30pm on a sunday night... new york doesn't go to sleep!!

kaosethema

you might be on vacation but i have to get to work. yeah, i know it's 5:30pm on a sunday night... new york doesn't go to sleep!!

Unkle_Bob

Sorry, but I have to say the tour buses are far better than taking a MTA bus. Sitting on top of a doubledecker, with no ceiling, gives you a substantially different view. And if you get a good tour guide, you will learn all kinds of interesting facts.

Dan Stewart

I posted this on the earlier "Tips for Tourists" story but it got buried in the avalanche of replies. Here it is again in case you missed it, my own tips for out-of-towners:

- 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. If you can't find the track, just tell anyone you need to take a P. They'll soon help you out.

- 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 part of Mayor Bloomberg's agreement with the taxi unions 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.

Genie100

Hi,
They should use ThefundayGenie! it can help them.
www.thefundaygenie.com

DrSysz

Wave Hill
Rockaways/Jamaica Bay (watch out for racist cops)
Wander the entire planet walking block by block in Queens.

TRIboroRes

as an advocate of the outer boroughs (and currently a manhattan resident), i always enjoy showing my guests some of my favorite spots outside of manhattan. essentially, i suggest to them the places that i go on a weekly basis. surely they will not be able to resist times square (i'll give them directions and a quick escape route), but i push them beyond where they would ever imagine going on their own. Arthur Avenue is one of my favorites, but an afternoon on Smith/Court Street or a walk over the Manhattan Bridge (hello, view of the Brooklyn Bridge!!) or getting pizza to go from Grimaldi's (who waits on line??) and having a pizza picnic in Brooklyn Bridge Park... just some of my thoughts...

Bridget Hartzler

Front Street Pizza on Front and Main St.s is much more authentic New York pizza than Grimaldi's. No line, nicer staff and better pizza.

TRIboroRes

they both put out a pretty great pie, but nothing beats picking up your pie to go in 5 minutes, and walking past everyone who has been waiting on line for over an hour. plus, it's hard to top a stealth BYOB pizza picnic in the park.

FundayGenie

NYC has some amazing parks and gardens. Instead of going to Central Park, we go to the less crowded, but even more beautiful Prospect Park. The Botanical Gardens near by are eye candy.

Isamu Noguchi Garden and Socrates Sculpture Park are two small paradises in Queens that we love!
If you want to play a tourist for a day in NYC, visit www.thefundaygenie.com!

Jim Lesses

Agree with the MTA bus ride idea. I've jumped on a bus at random and rode it to the end of the line just to see what's there. Not always sensible maybe, but the sense of adventure makes up for any feelings of insecurity. And if you don't feel safe, you can just jump back on the bus and ride it back to your original start point.

mari.loves.coffee

I've done that in foreign cities where I don't speak the language... always with satisfactory results (nothing bad happening, and seeing some new things). I highly recommend it!

Violette Retancourt

I went to the Tenement Museum and was looking around a one-bedroom apartment thinking "you know, this isn't that bad." Then I found out it was normal for 8-10 people to live there. It was that bad.

cloudschange2

Enough of the Staten Island Ferry already! What about a trip on the Hudson River line? Great views,
understand what Billy Joel was talking about, and give us poor Staten Islanders a break! Tripping over tourists (and I bet we have experienced more of them than any other venue) is really a drag. Sometimes, you just want to enjoy the ride to decompress without people spilling over you. Staten Islanders know this; tourists don't!

Miras

take the tram to roosevelt island at night!

da_phonz

+1 Recommended.

Al_1978

Chelsea Piers...

newyorkstreetfood

Can't be the American Museum of Natural History. Lunch under the big, blue whale!

Brian Mastro

Who doesnt love a walk through Central Park or across the Brooklyn Bridge?

IvoryJive

Actually if you walk over the Manhattan Bridge, which has no crowds, you get to see the Brooklyn Bridge with the skyline: http://g.co/maps/5q33s
Downside is the train noise.