It's Tourist Season

It's summertime in New York City and you know what that means? Confused, eager, gawking strangers have invaded the city. Oh geez.

Living in New York my whole life, you tend to be annoyed by a lot of things: transit, rude neighbors, blaring ambulance sirens, but the one that hits a chord for many New Yorkers are tourists. We understand that you are one of the many driving forces that keep New York afloat, but must you flood the streets with your slowness. I'm sure other cities have similar love/hate experience with tourists, but New York; it leans more towards hate and here's why.

Be Prepared
I feel like most people that come to New York have an agenda of seeing a Broadway show (Aladdin is amazing) or come for a major event like a wedding or festival. That is great and all, but the few days/weeks you are in the city, you are going to experience the agony that is New York. Know where you're going. Know how to get there. Be ready to move when it's time to move. Most New Yorkers who have lived here for under 5 years still can't grasp that concept, but it is something that your gonna have to pick up quick. 

Whenever I'm traveling, I try to gather the necessary information needed for me to experience a city/town the way I want to. I try to get coupons, know where the destinations are and grab a metro pass on my arrival. I want to be a tourist, but not look too obvious, as to not to be taken advantage of.  If you can be prepared before visiting NY, you won't feel so overwhelmed and lost. You won't feel the need to do everything.

Too Many People
Naturally, when visiting other cities you want to see museums, go shopping, do all the natural touristy things. The problem is, in New York, tourists think the city is the only place to do any sort of activity. It's not. New York is claustrophobic as it is, especially in the city aka Manhattan. Yes, Manhattan has a lot of museums, shows, and eateries, but so do the other 4 boroughs and nine times out of ten their cheaper and your more likely to enjoy the atmosphere. So explore the other boroughs. Be a gazelle in the concrete jungle.

Pick Up The Pace
What bugs me and I believe every New Yorker is how slow tourists walk. New York is a crowded city. There is a lot of things to see. There is a lot of things to do. So it's understandable to want to do as much as possible, but I'm gonna need you to be aware of people around you. I'm gonna need you to walk with a purpose. New York is a city that moves fast. We want to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible. Most of us account for roadblocks (ie: transit delays), but you shouldn't be one of them. You want to take pictures, gawk at the pretty buildings and weirdos, hell tie your shoes; move to the far right or left of the sidewalk because I will body check you to get to where I need to go.


​Hope these tips help!  :)