The 10 mistakes that most tourists in New York make

As there are so many things to see, do and know in New York, mistakes when visiting it will always happen, for example, paying more or getting the wrong address.

These are the 10 mistakes that tourists make the most when visiting the “Big Apple”.

1. Make a mistake when taking the subway

Although in the New York subway you will save time and money when moving around, being a tourist you will run many risks of making mistakes in how to pay, in train numbers, in the colors of the lines and their routes or when boarding empty cars.

What I recommend is that you buy the metrocard with unlimited passes during your stay in the city. Have it ready before you go up or down the stairs so you can move quickly and don’t block the entrance.

Regarding your mobilization, turn to Google Maps, a tool that will guide you on the stations and the lines that you must take to reach your destination.

Whatever you do, don’t board empty cars. You will be an easy target for criminals.

2. Pay Full Ticket Price for the Met Museum

Entrance prices to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York are suggested. Although the official rate is $25 for adults, $17 for seniors, and $12 for students; you can pay less than that.

The museum is a must-see for its 2 million works of art that make it the largest in the United States and one of the most visited in the world.

3. Visit the Statue of Liberty on Arrival

I recommend from my own experience that the Statue of Liberty not be your first tourist stop when you arrive in New York.

You will find long and annoying queues to board the ferry that will take you to Isla Libertad, where you will also encounter slow lines to enter the 93-meter-high monument. Leave this visit for another day when you are more prepared to face all this.

Better go first to the famous Brooklyn Bridge or to the Red Rock neighborhood in the same district, from where you will have a beautiful view of Lady Liberty without the crowds.

4. Stopping Suddenly While Walking Down the Sidewalk

New York is known as the “city that never sleeps” for its always active lifestyle. You will see men and women everywhere walking hurriedly with their heads down or with their cell phones in hand, so it will be a mistake to stop in the crowd.

To stop to look at your phone, shop, take pictures, or any other action, pull over to clear foot traffic.

5. Staying out of Midtown

Don’t settle for visiting Time Square in Midtown Manhattan. New York is big and its 5 boroughs offer numerous places to visit such as the picturesque houses of Brooklyn Heights; the alternative atmosphere of the East Village or the charisma that still preserves the Lower East Side.

Go ahead and go through them all. There’s always time to explore the Big Apple.

Also read our guide on the 28 best tourist places in the United States to visit

6. Not Visiting Brooklyn

Brooklyn is one of the most famous districts in New York where it is worth walking through its neighborhoods and tree-lined streets.

Its most famous symbol is the Brooklyn Bridge from where you will have beautiful views of the Statue of Liberty, lower Manhattan or the peaceful Hudson River.

Be sure to visit this district, the Coney Island Museum and much less miss the atmosphere of Williamsburg, a neighborhood surrounded by art, music and nightlife.

7. Eat Only Fast Food

New York is a city made up of people of dozens of nationalities, which makes it a multicultural metropolis where immigrants have contributed their gastronomic offer in all districts.

If so, why just eat hamburgers, pizza or burritos with fries and a drink, when you can taste food from all over the world. It’s New York, there is no other place like this to discover new flavors.

8. Make Long Lines

Entering the Empire State Building will be a day of queues that will make the ride an unpleasant one. For this and other attractions, I remind you to better prepare your logistics and buy tickets online, which will save you time and money.

9. Have No Idea Where the Places Are

If you’re traveling to New York for the first time and you have no idea where the places you want to visit are, you may make the mistake of not leaving Manhattan or the district where you are and thus missing the opportunity to explore the entire city.

I insist. Plan your trip and organize an itinerary to avoid this type of error. Walking and checking a map is also a bad idea because you will be warning criminals and scammers that you are a lost tourist.

I also don’t recommend spending your whole day on the tour buses. They’re great, but you decide.

10. Take a Taxi in Peak Hours

Avoid taking a taxi during times of high demand because, as I warned you, New Yorkers are always in a hurry. Better give up your place because as a tourist you will not have more trouble than them.

Also, by not being familiar you run the risk of boarding an illegal taxi and exposing yourself to a scam or inconvenient situation. It is best to travel by subway because it is also part of the experience of getting to know the city.

New York, safe visit

Like all the big cities in the world, New York can be scary for tourists, a fear that you can overcome if you plan your trip well. Don’t let fools ruin your visit to the “capital of the world”, a divine metropolis of which you just have to have good memories.

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