NYC Advice - For Members Living in NYC

Hi guys, I know this is not a holiday forum infact I don't even know if I'm posting this in the right forum, but I know a hell of a lot of members are from the US, so I'm hoping some live or have lived in NYC.

My wife is going for a week in NYC on business, unfortunately because of my work sending to me outer nowhere, she has to take our 1 year old. So I was just hoping for some advice, where to go, where not to go etc. She has been put in some hotel in Long Island City...Which is in Queens, I am lead to believe, which historically wouldn't feel me with great confidence, but I haven't been to New York in 20 years so I don't know too much about the place now.

Anyway guys and girls, if you could give any hints tips, things to take note of in terms of safety (aside from the general tourist common sense stuff) that would be greatly appreciated. Mainly places/areas in NYC to toally avoid. She's going to be doing a lot of commuting to and from Manhattan (her tin pot company wouldn't pay for a hotel there), but she wants to do tourist stuff as well which is part of the reason I'm posting as I know what she's like when she starts wondering! So any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I know this isn't a usual ATS request, but just to settle my mind somewhat.

Thanks guys and girls!

I don't live in NYC ... but I grew up in CT and took lots of day trips into the city.
Gotta see go up the Empire State Building ....
Gotta go over and see the Statue of Liberty ....
Gotta eat something (anything) from one of the pushcarts in Central Park.
(you have to)

Walk or take taxis if possible.
I do okay on the DC metro but the NYC one is too complicated for me.
Maybe you can do better .... but I couldn't do it.

STAGE DELI in NYC .. best deli ever.

NYC is pretty safe nowadays. I love Long Island City. It's pretty safe there too. It just sucks she has to take the 7 train, which is too packed in rush hour. Other than that, NYC is not what it used to be 20 years ago.

If your in a sketchy neighborhood at night, act insane. Talk to yourself, twitch your neck, move your hands around. Basically act like those weird people you see on the bus.

No one wants to mess with a psycho. Muggers will look for an easier target, for all they know you really are crazy and are armed.

Disclaimer: This may not work, and you might get picked up by the police if you're to convincing. A better bet is to take taxi's or public transit instead of walking.

People have this perception that it's a dangerous place. For the most populated city in America, a majority-minority, it's safe. If she was within Brooklyn and the Bronx she'd have some areas to look out for, but she should be fine regardless. Funniest thing I ever heard someone say, I'll point out they are a "paranoid prepper", is that they'd never visit Manhattan again because they couldn't carry their firearm. Take a guess where in America they're from and visit weekly, Detroit and Flint, Michigan. Don't ever get yourself paranoid to the point that you're psychologically screwed up like that person. Cops patrol these streets on the regular, this is a strict city, your family is fine.

She wants to do "tourist stuff," tell her to stick to Manhattan. Museum of Natural History, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Central Park, Bryant Park (nice place to relax), 5th Avenue (a bunch of stores), Rockefeller Center, Times Square, South Street Seaport. If you're going adventuring outside of Manhattan you should be going with a local friend.

She'll enjoy herself.

Bronx park still good? Remember visiting it ..uhm.. about 25 years ago.. It was fun.

Do you have an iPad III or newer? Try this app, it gives some kind of "overview" over the city, esp. Manhattan Recce's New York Map

reply to post by SecretFace
The tourist stuff is good, especially the Empire State Building and Times Square, but our favorite area is St. Mark's Place in the east village. Your wife has a 1 year old so I'm assuming she is relatively young. She may love this area as much as we do.

It's a beautiful, and safe, walk from Times Square (just head south on Broadway) but she may not want to walk that far with a child.

St. Mark's Place is very safe, lots of family types mixed with colorful bohemian types.
Cool shops and good eats, a truly classic New York neighborhood.

You can stroll down one side of the street from St. Mark's and Third Ave. down to Tomkins Square Park where you can have a sit and take a break, enjoy some ice cream, then turn around and stroll back up the other side of St. Mark's.
Also, just off St. Mark's Place at 121 2nd Ave. is one of the world's best toy stores, Toy Tokyo.

After she gets back to St. Marks and Third, she can hop in a cab and it's an easy and quick ride to Central Park East. Tell the cab to drop her at 5th Ave. and 79th Street, this is a particularly beautiful part of the city. She can walk through the park, around the Metropolitan Museum of Art, then circle back around to the entrance if she wants to visit one of the best museums in the world. Again, very safe.

reply to post by SecretFace


LIC is a business center of sorts. Plenty of people moving about there. Obviously like any large city, there are places you don't want to go, especially at night, but most areas she will be traveling around are fine. The subways are as safe as they've ever been. Just don't stand near the edge of the platform for obvious reasons.

Manhattan has the most touristy stuff, but Brooklyn has some great neighborhoods. It's where I live. Park Slope/Prospect Heights have great restaurants and Prospect Park is a smaller version of Central Park. Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO have some nice shops and interesting places as well.

A ride on the Staten Island Ferry is free and gets you a great view of the Statue of Liberty. Not a lot to do on Staten Island, but there are some historical and cultural places you can get to via public from the SI side of the ferry. All in all there's lots to see and do and those neighborhoods are bustling even in the later hours so there's safety in that. Don't worry. She'll be fine

reply to post by SecretFace

I live and work in Long Island City, there is no worry or cause for concern, the neighborhood is safe, just tell her to stay with the subway system, take the N closets to her hotel or the 7 Train into Manhattan. The 7 is one stop away from midtown, and on the N she could be 2 to 3 stops from Manhattan. I am fairly sure exactly where she might be since the hotels in LIC are concentrated in only a few areas.

There has been in the past 3 years a turnover in the city's zoning within Long Island City and many areas that were residential became open for hotel development, and other areas that were light manufacturing/industrial became open to high rise development. The neighborhood is still transitioning through this, with alot of development still happening, but it is not a sketchy area. Being so close to the city via public transportation makes it not only a desirable area, but also much more affordable than staying in Manhattan.

As in any neighborhood in NYC, late night hours a person should stick towards their destination and not draw attention to themselves.

I think a safe bet would be to stay in NY.
I hear Chris Christie is off his diet and he eats tourists.

Hey guys, thanks ever so much for your replies. Its greatly appreciated, will pass on info to my wife!

Cheers!!

Oh, a last and final link from me:

Atlas Obscura

For all things and places obscure.. Might see corners unknown to most tourists, but a small wonder in their own ways.