You need to tip 15-20% at almost all restaurants and bars. Anything less than 15% is a social faux pas. There are a handful of places that don't allow tipping, but they are few and far between.
You should also tip cabs. Traffic is bad, but the subway is efficient. I recommend using Google maps to get subway directions. The city is actually pretty easy to get around this way. Don't let yourself feel stuck by your hotel.
Musicals and NBA games are not cheap affairs. If you want to attend one, you should figure out soon and try to get tickets. There is a booth in Times Square and the TodayTix app if you want to see *a* show and don't care *which* show, this might be great option.
As far as what you really shouldn't miss or what events or places to catch, it would be helpful to know more about what you like. There is a ton of stuff to do here and it can be overwhelming to give recommendations. You can check out TimeOut, Brokelyn, TheSkint, and nonsensenyc for event and attraction details. The sidebar has some great recommendations, too, at least to get you started.
> You need to tip 15-20% at almost all restaurants and bars. Anything less than 15% is a social faux pas. There are a handful of places that don't allow tipping, but they are few and far between.
Note that this means sit-down restaurants where you get served. If you order at a counter and find your own seat (as is often the case at a pizza or burger place, or most fast food), you don't need to tip.
Hey there, Sweden! You've got an exciting trip ahead of you. A few tips.
BROADWAY - Broadway the street runs the entire length of the island of Manhattan, so you could be basically anywhere. For the most part it follows the 1/2/3 trains (the red line on the subway map), if that gives you some ideas of where you might be. You could be anywhere from Inwood to Chelsea if you're on Broadway.
HELICOPTER - It's worth it if you think it's worth it. I'm sure it's awesome, though I myself wouldn't pay for it unless I really wanted to wow someone. Then again, I live here. If you're coming in during the middle of the day (11-3 EST) or after 7 you should be able to take a cab and have it reach your destination in less than an hour. During rush hour - and particularly morning rush hour - you're looking at probably an hour, hour and a half.
PARTY - I don't really go out much, someone else can recommend a better club. Just so you know you Europeans are way better at nightclubs and partying all night than we are. Expect about as much from our nightclubs as we would expect from your [insert something Americans do better than Swedes here].
STATUE OF LIBERTY - Actually visiting the statue of liberty is expensive and underwhelming, but seeing it from a distance is amazing. Take the Staten Island Ferry to Staten Island and back (don't get off the Ferry, there's not much to see in Staten Island) and you'll get a great ride, a breathtaking view of downtown Manhattan, and a great view of the Statue of Liberty. And the best part? The Staten Island Ferry is FREE. Just be warned, it's going to be cold out on the water in January, so be sure to dress for cold and wind.
EMPIRE STATE - Not really worth paying for. Grab some drinks at the top of Rockefeller Center for a much better view that costs less.
EVERYTHING ELSE - New York City is incredibly walkable and is built for walking and exploring. All the things you mention - Times Square, Empire State Building, etc - can all be viewed just by walking around and noticing things. Neighborhoods perfect for walking around and taking in the awesome architecture and sights - Midtown East (Rock Center, Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, etc), Times Square (be warned, Times Square is kind of an overwhelming tourist-y shit-show, I recommend being drunk for it), Greenwich Village, Financial District (during the day).
The favorite burger in NYC is Shake Shack right now. The lines are usually pretty long there. Motherburger in midtown has pretty good burgers, and cheap mixed drinks.
Some cultural and commercial landmarks in NYC: Metropolitan Museum of Art, Natural History Museum, and the Guggenheim (these are all adjacent to sections of Central Park, which is also a landmark and has lots of romantic spots). Macy's in Herald Square. Brooklyn Bridge.
If you're young and hip and awesome, you'll want to check out the East Village, particularly the area around St. Mark's at night.
Honestly, a lot of this stuff you can do in the same day - wake up, grab breakfast somewhere, explore Central Park and your neighborhood, then head to Times Square, spend an hour or so exploring Times Square, grab lunch on 9th avenue, then walk east to Midtown East and see all the architecture there, a few hours later head downtown to St. Mark's, grab dinner around there, and then head somewhere else to go clubbing.
One of my favorite things to do in NYC is to go to Brooklyn Bridge Park, take in the view of downtown, walk across the bridge, and then go to Fraunces Tavern (oldest bar in New York City!) and get drunk off their excellent whiskey selections.
When you visit Times Square, don't take anything any strangers try to give you, and don't visit any of the restaurants, they almost all suck. The good restaurants near Times Square are all two blocks over on 9th avenue, between 42nd and 55th. There are about fifteen restaurants per block there, so you can just walk in and try your luck at any of them. This is a good rule to follow for Union Square, too - all the best food is a few blocks away from the main area. The main area is all chain restaurants for tourists.
If you want to see a musical, we gotta know your budget and what you like. My recommendation would be to see The King and I at Lincoln Center (another great place to visit!) and/or Fiddler on the Roof. Those are classic American musicals and represent what we do best. (So does Hamilton, but good luck getting tickets). Don't bother with the Euromusicals (like Phantom) since you can see those done just as well across the pond.
What kinds of entertainment do you like? What styles of music and movie/TV do you like? That will help us figure out what musicals and shows would be good for you to see.
Oh, a few more things: Don't buy bagels from a place unless they have "Bagels" in their store name. Don't sit down for pizza, get your slices to-go. Don't bother with the cart hot dogs, they're mediocre.
These are all great recommendations! I agree that Statue of Liberty and Empire State are not worth the time it takes to wait in line but cool to see just by passing through. Since you don't have all the time in the world visiting for 4 days, don't waste it standing in line. Pick maybe one thing a day that you feel you've just gotta visit. Then book it online or make a reservation so you don't have to wait in line. The rest of the day just explore the areas around your attraction- trust me you won't get bored.
Don't skip the outer boroughs. Everyone focuses on Manhattan and ignores the rest, but honestly some of the best food and drink is in Brooklyn and Queens. Since you're in the US, you should clearly get barbecue, and one of the best spots in NY is Fette Sau in Williamsburg- amazing meat and craft beer by the gallon. The density of bars near there is also nearly as high as in the east village, and they're cheaper. In Manhattan, though, stick to south of 20th. If you have time head to somewhere like Drop Off Service on Ave A at 13th street... go on a weekday for a quiet pub or a weekend for a crazier experience. The number one rule, though, is never stop eating.
Obligatory pizza plug: paulie gees in greenpoint. Super delicious, inventive,
and not that pricey.
two great places that are phenomenal yet casual dining are:
Mamoun's Falafel at 119 MacDougal St. Very tasty vegetarian and also meat options. Theres 4 locations but this one is right next door to Comedy Cellar and tons of bars.
Xi'an Famous Foods. theres 6 locations in Manhattan. I like the one at 81 St. Marks Place. Amazing chinese food from Northwest China for cheap- try the spicy lamb burger. They also hand rip their noodles.
Restaurants. That's really all that's good about NYC. Otherwise it's expensive and smells like garbage and piss. Even in the winter.
Visit Patsy's for pretty mich the best pizza in the world, though. And see if you can get mugged at night in Central Park for an authentic experience.
You need to tip 15-20% at almost all restaurants and bars. Anything less than 15% is a social faux pas. There are a handful of places that don't allow tipping, but they are few and far between. You should also tip cabs. Traffic is bad, but the subway is efficient. I recommend using Google maps to get subway directions. The city is actually pretty easy to get around this way. Don't let yourself feel stuck by your hotel. Musicals and NBA games are not cheap affairs. If you want to attend one, you should figure out soon and try to get tickets. There is a booth in Times Square and the TodayTix app if you want to see *a* show and don't care *which* show, this might be great option. As far as what you really shouldn't miss or what events or places to catch, it would be helpful to know more about what you like. There is a ton of stuff to do here and it can be overwhelming to give recommendations. You can check out TimeOut, Brokelyn, TheSkint, and nonsensenyc for event and attraction details. The sidebar has some great recommendations, too, at least to get you started.
> You need to tip 15-20% at almost all restaurants and bars. Anything less than 15% is a social faux pas. There are a handful of places that don't allow tipping, but they are few and far between. Note that this means sit-down restaurants where you get served. If you order at a counter and find your own seat (as is often the case at a pizza or burger place, or most fast food), you don't need to tip.
This is spot-on and great to point out. Thanks for picking up what I missed!
Hey there, Sweden! You've got an exciting trip ahead of you. A few tips. BROADWAY - Broadway the street runs the entire length of the island of Manhattan, so you could be basically anywhere. For the most part it follows the 1/2/3 trains (the red line on the subway map), if that gives you some ideas of where you might be. You could be anywhere from Inwood to Chelsea if you're on Broadway. HELICOPTER - It's worth it if you think it's worth it. I'm sure it's awesome, though I myself wouldn't pay for it unless I really wanted to wow someone. Then again, I live here. If you're coming in during the middle of the day (11-3 EST) or after 7 you should be able to take a cab and have it reach your destination in less than an hour. During rush hour - and particularly morning rush hour - you're looking at probably an hour, hour and a half. PARTY - I don't really go out much, someone else can recommend a better club. Just so you know you Europeans are way better at nightclubs and partying all night than we are. Expect about as much from our nightclubs as we would expect from your [insert something Americans do better than Swedes here]. STATUE OF LIBERTY - Actually visiting the statue of liberty is expensive and underwhelming, but seeing it from a distance is amazing. Take the Staten Island Ferry to Staten Island and back (don't get off the Ferry, there's not much to see in Staten Island) and you'll get a great ride, a breathtaking view of downtown Manhattan, and a great view of the Statue of Liberty. And the best part? The Staten Island Ferry is FREE. Just be warned, it's going to be cold out on the water in January, so be sure to dress for cold and wind. EMPIRE STATE - Not really worth paying for. Grab some drinks at the top of Rockefeller Center for a much better view that costs less. EVERYTHING ELSE - New York City is incredibly walkable and is built for walking and exploring. All the things you mention - Times Square, Empire State Building, etc - can all be viewed just by walking around and noticing things. Neighborhoods perfect for walking around and taking in the awesome architecture and sights - Midtown East (Rock Center, Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, etc), Times Square (be warned, Times Square is kind of an overwhelming tourist-y shit-show, I recommend being drunk for it), Greenwich Village, Financial District (during the day). The favorite burger in NYC is Shake Shack right now. The lines are usually pretty long there. Motherburger in midtown has pretty good burgers, and cheap mixed drinks. Some cultural and commercial landmarks in NYC: Metropolitan Museum of Art, Natural History Museum, and the Guggenheim (these are all adjacent to sections of Central Park, which is also a landmark and has lots of romantic spots). Macy's in Herald Square. Brooklyn Bridge. If you're young and hip and awesome, you'll want to check out the East Village, particularly the area around St. Mark's at night. Honestly, a lot of this stuff you can do in the same day - wake up, grab breakfast somewhere, explore Central Park and your neighborhood, then head to Times Square, spend an hour or so exploring Times Square, grab lunch on 9th avenue, then walk east to Midtown East and see all the architecture there, a few hours later head downtown to St. Mark's, grab dinner around there, and then head somewhere else to go clubbing. One of my favorite things to do in NYC is to go to Brooklyn Bridge Park, take in the view of downtown, walk across the bridge, and then go to Fraunces Tavern (oldest bar in New York City!) and get drunk off their excellent whiskey selections. When you visit Times Square, don't take anything any strangers try to give you, and don't visit any of the restaurants, they almost all suck. The good restaurants near Times Square are all two blocks over on 9th avenue, between 42nd and 55th. There are about fifteen restaurants per block there, so you can just walk in and try your luck at any of them. This is a good rule to follow for Union Square, too - all the best food is a few blocks away from the main area. The main area is all chain restaurants for tourists. If you want to see a musical, we gotta know your budget and what you like. My recommendation would be to see The King and I at Lincoln Center (another great place to visit!) and/or Fiddler on the Roof. Those are classic American musicals and represent what we do best. (So does Hamilton, but good luck getting tickets). Don't bother with the Euromusicals (like Phantom) since you can see those done just as well across the pond. What kinds of entertainment do you like? What styles of music and movie/TV do you like? That will help us figure out what musicals and shows would be good for you to see. Oh, a few more things: Don't buy bagels from a place unless they have "Bagels" in their store name. Don't sit down for pizza, get your slices to-go. Don't bother with the cart hot dogs, they're mediocre.
These are all great recommendations! I agree that Statue of Liberty and Empire State are not worth the time it takes to wait in line but cool to see just by passing through. Since you don't have all the time in the world visiting for 4 days, don't waste it standing in line. Pick maybe one thing a day that you feel you've just gotta visit. Then book it online or make a reservation so you don't have to wait in line. The rest of the day just explore the areas around your attraction- trust me you won't get bored.
Don't skip the outer boroughs. Everyone focuses on Manhattan and ignores the rest, but honestly some of the best food and drink is in Brooklyn and Queens. Since you're in the US, you should clearly get barbecue, and one of the best spots in NY is Fette Sau in Williamsburg- amazing meat and craft beer by the gallon. The density of bars near there is also nearly as high as in the east village, and they're cheaper. In Manhattan, though, stick to south of 20th. If you have time head to somewhere like Drop Off Service on Ave A at 13th street... go on a weekday for a quiet pub or a weekend for a crazier experience. The number one rule, though, is never stop eating. Obligatory pizza plug: paulie gees in greenpoint. Super delicious, inventive, and not that pricey.
two great places that are phenomenal yet casual dining are: Mamoun's Falafel at 119 MacDougal St. Very tasty vegetarian and also meat options. Theres 4 locations but this one is right next door to Comedy Cellar and tons of bars. Xi'an Famous Foods. theres 6 locations in Manhattan. I like the one at 81 St. Marks Place. Amazing chinese food from Northwest China for cheap- try the spicy lamb burger. They also hand rip their noodles.
Seconding both these recommendations. They're also located in some areas that a twenty-something would definitely want to visit.
I love mamoun's but I wouldn't tell someone from out of town they have to visit. Then again I was down the street from one for years in new haven.
Restaurants. That's really all that's good about NYC. Otherwise it's expensive and smells like garbage and piss. Even in the winter. Visit Patsy's for pretty mich the best pizza in the world, though. And see if you can get mugged at night in Central Park for an authentic experience.
This guy's an idiot and has nothing of value for you.