The Basics
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 Empire State Building, 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.
Q: Is the NYC Explorer Pass a bargain? A: No
(Update: An NYC Explorer Pass representative e-mailed a full reply, printed below.)
NewYorkology has never been a fan of the NYC Explorer Pass, and even less so now that its advertising pitch is makes it seem like the card-holders can cut lines (asterisks included.)
And while the pass can save you money under certain circumstances, it's not a sure thing. The new Explorer Pass lets you choose any five activities for $109 (or $69 for children under 12;) or any three for $69, (or $39 for kids.) Here are the options - with regular prices listed:
Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island - True, the Explorer Pass lets you skip the ticket line for the ferry (which you could do anyway by purchasing online and printing out your tickets,) but you still have to stand in all the other lines. But the serious flaw here, is that they do not give you a free monument pass, which is the only way to get into the Statue of Liberty museum and onto its pedestal. In addition, they don't warn you anywhere about this, unless you pick up the phone and grill them (like NewYorkology just did.) Normal price: $11.50 adults; $4.50 kids.
Top of the Rock Observation Deck VIP Entry -- If you book your timed-entry tickets in advance, it's just like getting VIP access because Top of the Rock is so well run that you never notice that you're in line for the few minutes you actually are, because you're wandering through their mini-museum. Regular price: $17.50 adults; $11.25 for kids.
Metropolitan Museum of Art VIP Entry - At most times, the line you have to stand in for so-called "VIP entry" is nearly equal to the regular entry line. The regular $20 admission to the Met is by suggested donation, meaning that you can pay just a penny. (More free NY museum hours here.)
Museum of Modern Art VIP Entry - MoMA is normally $20 for adults, except Fridays from 4 to 8 p.m. when it's free to everyone. However, the Explorer Pass thinks sending you to the information desk for entry counts as VIP. Hardly. (If you want real VIP MoMA, book a before-hours or after-hours private tour for $50 or $60.)
Gateway to America Water Taxi tour w/bonus 2-Day Hop-on/Hop-off pass -- Dollar-wise, this is a good deal since the one-hour tour normally costs $20 per adult and $12 for kids and the hop-on/hop-off pass is usually $25/$15. However, no one tells you the Water Taxi only runs one to two boats an hour and on weekends they're frequently too full to pick up all the passengers waiting, and the top outdoor deck fills up even faster. Also, their "schedules" are broken. But once you're on, they're great boats and a nice ride.
Hop-on/Hop-off Double Decker Tour - If you want to sit on a bus and listen to some possibly-factual narration, the Explorer Pass lets you choose one of these: CitySights NY Downtown (normally $37/27,) or Uptown ($37/$27,) or All Around Town ($49/$39,) or the Night Tour ($37/$27.)
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September 19, 2007 01:10 PM Comments (0)
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New York City tours and tour guides (official links)
(Updated April 2008)
Here are some of the outfits offering walking, bus and bike tours of New York. Free stuff's at the end. (The subject grouping isn't an exact science, as some who focus on architecture, may also do food walks and whatnot.) See the New York calendar page for some of the upcoming tours, or go directly to the following sights for complete offerings:
Art/architecture/history
Municipal Art Society
MoMA’s before- and after-hours tours
ARTalks
Open House New York
New York Transit Museum
Justin Ferate
Francis Morrone
Forgotten New York
Joyce Gold
Lower East Side Tenement Museum
South Street Seaport Museum
Brooklyn Historical Society
Plymouth Church
Cathedral of St. John the Divine
Tribute Center – Ground Zero
Food and drink
Institute of Culinary Education
Nosh Walks
City Food Tours
Chocolate Zoom
Literary pub crawl
Brooklyn Brewery
Slice of Brooklyn Pizza Tour
Scott’s Pizza Tours
Enthusiastic Gourmet
Music, movies and TV
On Location Tours
CNN Studio Tour
NBC Studio Tour
"Wicked" - behind the Emerald Curtain
Hip-Hop Hush Tours
Harlem Hip-Hop Tours
Big Apple Jazz Tours
Harlem Spirituals
Apollo Theater
Carnegie Hall
Met Opera
Lincoln Center
Radio City Music Hall
General/multiple topics
Big Onion Walking Tours
Brooklyn Center for the Urban Environment
92nd Street Y
NY Like a Native
Walkin’ NY
Gray Line
City Sights NY
NY Party Shuttle Tours
Walkin’ NY
A1 NYC Sightseeing
Specialized
Ghosts of NY
PhotoTrek Tours
Captain Bob's Coney Island
NYC Cop Tours
East Village Walking Tours
Jewish Tours of New York
Hassidic walking tours
Museum of the Chinese in Americas
Audubon Society
"Wildman" Steve Brill
Algonquin Round Table Walking Tours
Shop N Strip lingerie tour
Surveillance Camera Outdoor Walking Tours
A Tour Grows in Brooklyn
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July 22, 2007 09:31 AM Comments (0)
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Emergency resources travel links for NYC
Security has been beefed up in New York City in response to the car bombs found in London (and now possibly the Glasgow airport.) Here's an updated list of in-case-of-emergency links to bookmark for NYC.
NYC.gov - NYC's official website
NY1 - stripped-down local headlines
MTA service alerts - sudden halts to subway, bus and LIRR
MTA diversions - planned rerouting for construction
New York airports - links to all airports, general updates
All airlines at JFK - Official links, phones, terminal locations
All airlines at LaGuardia - Official links, phones, terminal info
All airlines at Newark - Official links, phones, terminal locations
TSA - main site of the U.S. Transportation Security Admin.
TSA prohibited items - things not allowed on planes
NY bus list - lines at Port Authority on 42nd St. and 8th Ave.
June 30, 2007 12:26 PM Comments (0)
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Met’s closed Mondays, MoMA’s out Tuesdays - and more
 Oh dear tourists, plan wisely.
Here is the current list of New York City's major museums and attractions closed on Mondays -- and other days. Holidays are the exception; some (like the Met and MoMA,) open extra days, others close.
Closed Monday
American Folk Art Museum
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Brooklyn Historical Society
Brooklyn Museum
Bronx Museum
Children’s Museum of Manhattan
Dahesh Museum
el Museo del Barrio
Fraunces Tavern Museum
Frick Collection
Hispanic Society of America
International Center of Photography
Louis Armstrong House
Lower East Side Tenement Museum
Met Museum of Art and Cloisters
Morgan Museum
Mount Vernon Hotel Museum (and all of August)
Museum of Biblical Art
Museum of Sex
Museum of the Chinese in the Americas
Museum of the City of New York
Museum of the Moving Image
National Academy
New York Botanical Garden
NYC Fire Museum
New-York Historical Society
New York Transit Museum
Noguchi Museum
Skyscraper Museum
Society of Illustrators
Studio Museum of Harlem
Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace
Ukranian Museum
Wave Hill
Whitney Museum of American Art
Closed Tuesday
Museum of Modern Art
Brooklyn Historical Society
Brooklyn Museum
Bronx Museum
el Museo del Barrio
Merchant’s House Museum
Museum of the Moving Image
National Academy
Neue Galerie
Noguchi Museum
P.S. MoMA
Rubin Museum
Skyscraper Museum
Studio Museum of Harlem
Ukranian Museum
Whitney Museum of American Art
Closed Wednesday
Merchant’s House Museum
Neue Galerie
P.S. MoMA
Closed Thursday
Guggenheim
Closed Friday
Jewish Museum
Closed Saturday
Museum of Jewish Heritage
Federal Hall
Closed Sunday
Fraunces Tavern Museum
NYC Police Museum
Federal Hall
Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace
Earlier: Spring's free museum hours in New York City
April 22, 2007 12:04 PM Comments (0)
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10 ways to screw up your trip to New York City
Last weekend the New York Times took a stab at a few of the obvious ways to mess up your vacation to NYC -- drive here and pay for parking, stay in Midtown, and pay full-price for theater tickets.
NewYorkology would like to add a few more:
1. Book your stay at a hotel that hasn't yet opened, such as the Hotel Mela. Sure media outlets such as The Scotsman, (No 1. on its list of "20 ...cool things to do in New York this Christmas,") and The Times of London ("Hotel Mela opened last month, ...") are raving about the new boutique hotel off Times Square, but it's not opening at least until January 2007. (A hotel rep is posting on a TripAdvisor forum explaining he's trying to reach people who booked for December.) Or you could have paid $700 a night to climb over ladders at the London NYC even after it was officially opened.
 2. An excellent way to ruin your trip to the Statue of Liberty or Ellis Island is to show up in the afternoon to discover a) the only way to get inside the statue or its museum is to book in advance or show up right at 8:30 a.m. and get the special (free) passes before they're gone; and, b) realize that that by showing up late in the day, it’s nearly impossible to do both Ellis and the Statue of Liberty.
3. Plan to save a lot of cash by taking all your family's heavy luggage with you on AirTrain from JFK to the subway and not worrying that you may have to transfer a couple times -- often up and down stairs.
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December 6, 2006 09:07 AM Comments (0)
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NewYorkology Basics: Riding the subway
(Updated March 2007)
New York City’s 102-year-old subway system carries 4.9 million on an average weekday on its 26 lines. It operates 24 hours a day, though service is less frequent at night, on weekends and some holidays.
The subways are safe and remain the most efficient way to get around. The most important thing to know about taking the subway in Manhattan is whether your destination is uptown, (north,) or downtown, (south,) from your starting point. Some lines run local and others run express (skipping some stations, and thus covering more ground quickly.) If you don't know how to get where you're going, ask someone who's waiting for the train you think you're supposed to take. (Don't depend on the MTA workers in the token booth as they're often gone and they’re often wrong.)
 The subway fare is $2 no matter how far you want to go. You can transfer as many times as you like, as long as you don't exit through a turnstile. You'll need a MetroCard (also good for city buses,) which you can purchase in the subways. You can pay per ride or buy daily, weekly or monthly transit passes. If you're only taking the subway a few times, you may only want to put just a few dollars on a MetroCard. But if you make three or more trips in a day, you’ll want some type of unlimited card. (You can't share an unlimited card because once it's swiped, it's inactive for the next 18 minutes.)
Here is a link to the MTA's system maps. Make sure you have a current map when you’re here, and be wary of the frequent construction disruptions especially on weekends. (You can also sign up for free weekend service advisories via e-mail from the MTA or the subway-watchdog group, the Straphangers.) Free subway maps are available for the taking at some stations, but all have current maps posted near the token booths and sometimes on the platforms.
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October 17, 2005 04:40 PM Comments (1)
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NewYorkology Basics: Taxi cabs
(Updated March 2007)
There are more than 12,000 licensed yellow cab drivers in New York City. Additionally, there are thousands of limo and car service company drivers, who are only allowed to pick up passengers who call for a pick-up, rather than wrangling them at the airport or stopping when hailed on the street.
Cab drivers are basically honest and can be trusted to know the best routes in Manhattan and to the airports. But if your destination is in an outer borough, you'll most likely need directions for your driver.
 There is no additional charge for luggage, though there are automatic surcharges for night service, rush hours, bridge and tunnel tolls and any trips to Newark Airport.
To determine if a cab is available, look on top of the roof and you will see the cab's registration number and text that says "not in service." If only the cab's numbers are lit, that means he's available. If the lights are completely off it means he already has a passenger and cannot take you. If only the "not in service" lights are lit, it means he doesn't have to take you. However, some cabbies may still take you if they happen to be at the end of their shift and your destination is on the way to where they're headed.
How to hail a cab: Stand at a corner, the edge of the curb, just out in the street or between parked cars – any spot that is safe but still a good spot for the cabbies to see you. Raise your hand immediately for a cab even if no cabs are coming. This marks your territory like a junkyard dog. If someone is already waiting for a cab there, at minimum you should cross to another corner or go at least half a block or a block away. Be courteous but competitive. Most of the time all you need to do is raise your hand and you'll get a cab.
Tipping is pretty much required. Tip at least a dollar or two per ride and closer to $10 for an airport trip. Pay in cash, though credit card machines are coming. When you get out of the cab, be sure to look around on the seat and floor. Ask for your receipt at the end of the ride and you'll have the cab number, making it possible to retrieve items you forgot in the cab.
More taxi tips can be found at the official New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission passenger guide.
Elsewhere on NewYorkology:
Stuck-in-traffic taxi rates rise Nov. 30; and $45 to JFK
Pricing a cab ride from LaGuardia to Manhattan
NewYorkology Basics: From the airport to Manhattan
October 17, 2005 03:41 PM Comments (1)
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NewYorkology Basics: Walking
You might think you know how to walk, but you don't.
You've maybe heard New York has a "rhythm." Part of it has to do with the walk. In general, it's fast, in a straight line and almost never more than two abreast. This actually has a lot to do with courtesy.
Walking in New York is like driving a freeway. When walking, you don't have turn signals, but New Yorkers watch your eyes and body language to figure out if you're going right or left. You'll be surprised how quickly you pick it up if you pay attention.
Some other key tips: Stay to the right on stairs, escalators and sidewalks. When you exit the stairs or elevator, keep moving so the people behind you don't get stuck. Step to the side then figure out which direction you need to go. When you need to gawk at a building, check a map or stand and chat, try to move out of the traffic flow -- either to the side or next to a phone booth, trash can, etc.
Plan on doing a lot of walking when you are here, even start a daily walking routine at home before your visit. Also check out the very funny guide "How to Walk in New York" at The Morning News.
(Updated November 2006)
April 12, 2003 01:45 PM Comments (2)
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NewYorkology Basics: Times Square
This is quintessential New York, the best place to stand and gawk and feel yourself amid a sea of humanity converging from every edge of the globe. Position yourself on the very wide medians in the middle of the street and look all around. You can use your cell phone to control the MTV electronic billboard or hang out until New Year's Eve.
February 10, 2003 05:35 PM Comments (0)
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NewYorkology Basics: Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island
(Updated April 2008)
The Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty tours are ideal starting places to understand all the hopes and dreams and fears about New York City. It will take you most of the day -- and there are some tricks and pre-planning involved -- but it's worth it.
 The Statue of Liberty reopened to the public in August 2004, following its closure on Sept. 11, 2001. However, access to the top is no longer allowed.
If you visit, know there's a ticketing trick. You need a (free) special timed-entry pass to get inside the statue, its museum and the observation decks, otherwise you're limited to the grounds of the island. The tickets are extremely limited and best reserved in advance online so you can print your verification. You can also try to get one of the walk-up passes, which are available every day when the ticket booth opens, but the whole day's allotment can run out in as little as five minutes.
The best way to do it is to get a timed-tour pass and a spot on the first ferry of the day. Securing a pass for late in the day means you'll need to visit Ellis first and double-back to Liberty Island, (unless you start from New Jersey,) adding time you'll waste waiting for the ferries.
At Ellis Island they have done a tremendous job restoring the main building and the exhibits, which sometimes include first-person audio narration. You get a glimpse of what it must have felt like arriving as an immigrant with all your worldly possessions in a suitcase. The abandoned south side of the island is still closed to the public, but the first of the restored building opened in April 2007. See Save Ellis Island for pictures of the renovation work or to make donations to help speed it up.
You'll also read up on the airport-like security rules. There are no lockers for you to store anything before you board the ferry and go through the first security checkpoint. (But there are small lockers on Liberty Island.)
One ticket covers the ferry trip to both islands. From the lower tip of Manhattan, the ferry heads to Liberty Island, then Ellis. Another boat leaves from New Jersey, which travels to Ellis first, Liberty second.
If you have little interest in touring the insides of Ellis or the Statue of Liberty, you can save the ferry fare by instead taking the Staten Island Ferry, which is free and passes fairly close to the islands.
Related:
Statue Cruises settling in to new Statue of Liberty route
Inside Ellis Island's restoration; next up: laundry
Statue of Liberty: long lines, mondo security, big payoff
Lowtide surprise: the sunken Ellis Island ferry
February 10, 2003 05:15 PM Comments (0)
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