Tips for traveling to New York City that you should know before you visit It's best to navigate by public transport, don't rent a car, visit Times Square, but don't eat in Times Square, don't eat in chain restaurants, pizza, bagels and egg sandwiches are life, tipping is important, New Yorkers aren't really rude. The first step in using the subway is to buy a subway card. Watch this video to learn how to do that. To find your way around, I recommend using Google Maps.
All you have to do is download the application, type in your directions and select the transport option (it's a train icon right next to the car icon). Google Maps is quite up to date when it comes to subway changes. If there are other changes, there will be flyers at the subway station explaining the changes. This is because waiters are paid very little and rely almost entirely on tips to be able to live in this expensive city.
You should never leave a tip lower than 15%, unless the service or food was absolutely terrible. In general, I always give a 20% tip, as do many New Yorkers. You'll also have to tip the taxi driver, anyone from the spa, beauty salon or hair salon, or any tour guide. However, be careful with taxis, the first option on the payment screen is to give them a 30% tip, which is a way to get extra money out of you.
To leave a tip lower than this amount, you must manually enter the tip during the payment process. The reality is that you probably don't need to use cash, unless you buy something on the street. Credit cards are accepted everywhere in New York City, so check with your credit card company for foreign transaction fees. If there isn't one, use your credit card everywhere.
Always ask to be charged in USD (the local currency), this will save you money as a conversion fee. This mobile Wi-Fi hotspot offers you fast 4G speeds in more than 130 countries and you can connect up to ten devices. You should also download the Sit or Squat app. It will tell you where the bathroom closest to you is.
Try visiting the green bathrooms because they're nicer (and, most likely, less dirty). As a world traveler and native New Yorker, I understand what it's like to visit a new city and not know how to get around. One unfortunate thing to know about New York before visiting is that it's hard to find public restrooms in New York. If you are traveling for the first time on the New York subway, it can be stressful and the last thing you need is to complicate things by thinking about several forms of payment.
