Exploring New York like a Local
Since moving to New York in 2015, I get asked all the time by friends passing through the city, “What should I do while I’m in town?” With my (multiple) years of experience, I can inform these friends that the things tourists typically choose to do in the city are completely different from the things an NYC resident knows are the highlights of the town. Since I find myself giving the same set of insider-knowledge to those who seek my advice, I decided to document my tips and share them with the world at large. Across the various boroughs and neighborhoods, here are 10 of my top tips for exploring NYC like a local.
Times Square
You’ve heard it before, and it’s true: no New Yorker would be caught dead spending a second longer in Times Square than necessary — especially since the Olive Garden is one of the most crowded in the city. Good luck finding a table — waits sometimes extend 45 minutes or longer. Local tip! The Olive Garden just north of Central Park in Harlem has the exact same menu as the Time Square location, and there’s almost never a wait.
New York Public Library at Bryant Park
Thinking of grabbing a book to read during your trip at the historic Bryant Park branch of the New York Public Library? To check out a book, you’ll have to go just down the street to the Grand Central branch. The Bryant Park branch no longer has any books, which were moved to other branches in 2015 to make room for a series of interactive exhibits exploring the history of the Bryant Park branch of the New York Public Library.
Museums
The Met, MoMA, the Guggenheim, and more — NYC is undoubtedly home to some of the best art museums in the world. But when you get up to the admission counter, entry often looks like it costs a fortune. Here’s what the museums don’t tell you — all art museums in New York have a reciprocal agreement where any living artist gets in for free, so just go up to the counter and say “I am Banksy.” Technically, they cannot prove you wrong, and are forced to offer you free admission. If you’re traveling with friends, say that your friends are Banksy too (this really works!).
Madison Square Garden
Attending a show at this historic venue is a great nightlife alternative to visiting a club or seeing a play. Although you may be visiting on one of the few days that the New York Knicks are using the arena for basketball, New Yorkers now enjoy over 150 nights of Phish performances a year here. Local tip! For an extra admission fee, you can get an underground tour of the cryogenic chamber where they keep Billy Joel stored between concerts.
New York slice
Thinking of trying this classic “street food” while in town? Be warned — not any slice of pizza is a New York slice! Although many shops will advertise their “New York style pizza,” the original New York slice refers to the pizza that Jay Z was eating while writing “Empire State of Mind” when at Lucali’s in Brooklyn. Local tip! Even though Lucali’s is BYOB, for tables of 2–3 you are allowed corkage of only 1 bottle of wine. Choose wisely!
Little Italy, Chinatown, Ukrainian Village
Even though Walt Disney never lived to see his dream of an experimental prototype city of tomorrow come to fruition, its legacy still remains in the form of these ethnic enclaves throughout the city. In addition to being able to sample regional food & culture, many of the neighborhoods also contain short rides, although several were closed town to make room for “Ellen’s Energy Adventure.”
Central Park
Strolling through Central Park on a warm day is a great way to enjoy an afternoon in the city for free — but be sure to plan your route ahead of time. While there is no fee to enter the park, there are twenty-five unique archways and bridges in Central Park, each overseen by a troll who will charge varying fees in order to cross. Local tip! Be sure to visit “Strawberry Fields” to see the spot that inspired John Lennon to break up the Beatles.
Comedy Cellar
It’s always a fun night when you drop by this fabled comedy mecca! Be aware that a few things have changed since the “classic days” of the comic haunt —when the show starts, your host for the evening comes onstage and spends the next 2 hours choosing & coaching the audience in the story they will tell their friends about which famous comedians they will claim “dropped in” that night.
Mermaid Parade
Here’s an annual Coney Island festival you might not have heard of! Every summer, all the mermaids that have washed up at the Battery Park shore over the previous year are taken out of their cages underneath the Seaglass Carousel and are driven to Coney Island. There, they get paraded down the street to the taunts of jeering humans, before being ritualistically slaughtered and ground into the upcoming year’s supply of Nathan’s hotdogs.
Bill de Blasio
If you’re interested in seeing New York like a real local, get in touch with Mayor Bill de Blasio. If his schedule is free, there’s a good chance he’ll be willing to spend the day showing you around the city. Some of his favorite things to do include walking over the Brooklyn Bridge & attending baseball games with his son, Dante. Local tip! Bill de Blasio’s favorite Equinox branch is in Greenwich Village (it has a pool), and he can probably sweet talk his way into a guest pass for you.
There you have it. Ten suggestions of ways to explore New York like you know what you’re doing. They don’t call it “The Big Apple” for nothing!
