[valo403]

I'm going to do my best to throw down a bunch of tips here, so rather than doing one long post that maybe goes up tonight and leaves things out I'll just do a series of short ones on different things. If you guys have particular areas of interest throw it out there and I'll try to jump on that one next, otherwise I'll just sort of spitball. I love posts like this as they often remind me of places I need to get back to, or of places I need to visit. It's a huge city with a ton to offer so even fairly long term residents still have a ton to see.

I'll start with a couple of things that came up in the thread so far.

Transport

Take the subway or walk. Cabs can be good at nigh or if you're carrying things but generally the combination of walking and subway will be quicker and more interesting. If you want to travel in a bit more style and comfort without a huge price jump over a cab I'd recommend getting the uber app to call town cars and suv's. I won't go through a whole spiel on it here, but if you're caught in the rain or otherwise can't find a cab it can be a lifesaver.

Subway tips: There are 2 different ways to buy a metrocard, per ride or unlimited rides for a certain period of time. I imagine most tourists would be better off with unlimited cards, but that might vary based on your length of stay and your plans. It's something to consider but if you go wrong it's not going to be a huge blow to the budget. Generally the subway is pretty easy, it's fairly well signed and for its size runs pretty smoothly. The weekends can be tricky, many lines shut down or run differently over the weekend so try to look for any service disruption signs before you pay your fare, that way you can figure out a better route. Speaking of better routes, don't just hop on the closest subway and do the whole 'switch here then switch there' move unless you're completely over walking for the day. It's often much easier to walk a few blocks to hop on a more direct line than it is to negotiate switches that may involve going up and down stairs and through 1/2 mile long corridors.

General subway etiquette is to keep largely to yourself and avoid eye contact. That said, there are also mariachi bands, people doing flips down the aisles and all sorts of characters around, so if you're a normal person you'll be fine. One more thing, and this one is important, if a train is packed and there's a single car that is largely empty do not get on that car. It is empty for a reason, and that reason usually smells pretty horrible.

Walking tips: This may seem unnecessary, but walking in NYC can be a whole different beast. A good piece of advice is to think of a bust sidewalk as a highway, slower traffic should keep to the sides and let people in a hurry go past. Please don't meander along 3+ wide taking up the entire sidewalk and forcing people to maneuver around you. If you see someone moving along franticly let them by, they're probably an intern who has 2 minutes to get that coffee onto his boss's desk otherwise his entire life plan will go up in smoke.

If you're trying to take a picture across a sidewalk or other area where people are walking you should accept that people will walk in front of the camera, if we stopped for everyone trying to take a picture there are some places that would become impassable. That said, if you really want that shot just wait a few minutes and you'll probably find a break in the traffic.

Jaywalking is normal, you cross when you can, but don't go blindly crossing because the people around you did, that opening may have only been big enough for one guy to dash out and he was an idiot. Most streets are one way, but look both ways as bikes often ignore that fact. Some of those puddles just off the curb may be portals to another dimension, don't step in them as who knows where they end.

Overall if you're just semi aware of your surroundings you'll stay safe and won't annoy anyone, so it's a win-win. Don't be afraid to ask for help, NYers often come off as unapproachable but I love helping people find subway stations or other locations, and locals have to ask for advice all the time too.