Getting around NYC

There are many ways you can get around in NYC area. You can of course walk, but you can also take the typical transportation methods that you think of when visiting NYC. Such as a taxi, Uber, or subway. I am going to give you my recommendations on the best way to get around NYC and not die from exhaustion. You will still be tired, there is no way around it. This is a massive city and nothing is close together. Hopefully, these tips will help make things easier.

Navigating the Subway

First, let's knock out the typical types of transportation and my personal insight into them. The subway is tricky to get around in if you do not do a little bit of research. Download a subway on your phone and this can be a great guide as to which train to take. The trains are all colored and noted with the direction they will go, such as Long Island, uptown, midtown, etc. But if you want a specific stop along the way the app is your best bet as it will give you direction as to which train to take. Once you are on the train it does list the various stops along the way so you know which is your stop coming up.

The other biggest tip I can give on not getting lost in the subway. Pay attention to which set of stairs you go up when you get off the train. You can end up on the opposite side of the block you need to be and those are BIG blocks to walk around once you are on street level.

SAFETY: The subway has changed post pandemic. Prior to, I did not worry about being on the subway during the day hours at all. I was just aware of my surroundings and tried not to look like too much of a tourist. I felt safe traveling with my teens. Post pandemic, there are less locals on the subway.

When I talk to the locals that live in the city the reasons they give are: 1. Crime is up, and criminals are not as held accountable for infractions as they were before. They seem to have more rights than they did a couple of years back. There are fewer people on the subways so you stand out a bit easier ...you know, safety in numbers. So my recommendation is, if you are a woman by yourself or with small kids, I would choose another method of transportation. If you are with others or with a guy (sorry to say it this way, but it's a visual deterrent) just be aware of your surroundings. Most of the guys I talk to are not worried about traveling the subway. Just the women I spoke with. For the mayor of the city. Please address this issue.

Ride Share (Uber/Lyft)

Believe it or not, it is very easy to get a ride share in the city. They are very prevalent. For many reasons, I prefer Lyft. I think the company is better for so many reasons in their screening process, communication, and rewards they give riders. Plus the drivers seem to be friendlier. But nonetheless, it is very easy to get access and the turnaround time is very quick. BUT...you will be riding in NYC traffic. It can take you 30 min to get a couple of miles depending on what time of day you are looking for a ride. So give yourself extra time.

Good Ol' Walk the City

I had to shift my mindset here when walking in NYC. I wanted to look cute. NYC is trendy, fashion-forward right. Well yes they can be, but what I found is everyone is more casual than you think. They are trendy but smart about it. Unless you are driving into the city for dinner or a show and not walking more than a block, I would not recommend making a shoe statement.

In Ohio, if I were to show up to a trendy or fine dining spot or a trendy bar and wear some type of sneaker, I would get some strange looks and I would also feel very out of place. In NYC, it is the exact opposite. I am not in my 20s or 30's anymore and I need arch support and typically need to wear a sneaker if I am walking any distance. I tend to get blisters, so I have had to get over wanting to be CUTE. It is painful in many aspects. LOL

COMFORT over CUTENESS!!! I can not stress this enough! If you are in heels you will stand out as a tourist!

When asking family members that live in the city what I should wear to dinner, they gave me a resounding 'sneakers'. Residents wear sneakers to get around the city and sometimes they change their shoes when they get to where they are going, work or dining. But I was amazed how many people I saw in fine dining restaurants dressed very cute with their outfits but had white sneakers on their feet. So if you want to fit in the fashion-forward city of NYC, wear sneakers. There are several cute pairs you can get. My favorites are Vionic shoes , because they give me arch support. Here are just a couple of options. Get what works for you!

Citi Bikes

There is a glorious new option that is available in NYC and surrounding areas. You can find these racks throughout the city. You do have to pay to use them, they are very nominal. There are monthly plans or single ride or a day pass options. $3.99 for 30 min ride or $15/day. It is very simple to use. Download the app, search for a bike location, load a payment method and when you are done you can return the bike at any one of the rack locations throughout the city. The app has all of this information.

There are new bike paths around the outskirts of the city so you are not riding in the middle of the crowds, you just do have to cross the street in the walkways. But it is a very slick and much quicker way to get across the city if you are going multiple blocks.

Here is the website if you want to read more about it. Citi Bike is a privately owned public bicycle sharing system serving the New York City boroughs of the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens, as well as Jersey City, New Jersey, and Hoboken, New Jersey. Here is a brief video description of the bikes.

Whichever way you choose to get around the city, do some research ahead of time to plan your day and your visits so the sites you want to see or places you want to eat are close together. You will max out your steps so save them when you can as you will enjoy your visit even more!

Cheers, and let me know which way you prefer to travel.

Lisa