HOW TO GET AROUND NEW YORK CITY
NEW YORK – TRAVEL GUIDE
New York City is a beast, they don’t call it The Concrete Jungle for nothing. How to get around New York City can be daunting, but to me, it became second nature.
I was a stay-at-home mum in Manhattan for two years and I was always out exploring with my little boys. So here, I’ll share with you the best ways to get around New York City, including kid tips. Number 3 is a real hidden gem, I can’t believe hardly anyone talks about.
HOW TO GET AROUND NEW YORK CITY LIKE A LOCAL
1. WALK
This may sound obvious but walking where possible is the best way to see the city. Most days in New York I walked 15k+ steps; if you’re coming as a tourist and packing things in, you can expect to do about 20-30,000 steps a day so make sure to pack comfy shoes!
Parent Tip: it’s very easy to connect to WIFI around New York if you need it for Google Maps. There’s a Starbucks on almost every corner. Buses also usually have it as do most of the main attractions.
Kid tip: with little kids, you’re going to want to use a stroller/ pushchair. I mainly used my Uppa Baby Vista but also had the smaller Joolz Aer+ for travel and both of these I highly recommend.
Kid Tip 2: Break up long walks with playgrounds. NYC has so many great options. I use the app, Playground Buddy to find ones that are close by.
2. THE SUBWAY
Unfortunately, New York is too big to get around solely on foot. I’ve heard some horror stories about the subway but we used it often with no issues. Of course, take the usual precautions. Make sure you don’t have valuables on display etc.
Kid Tip: if you’re exploring with a stroller. Go on to Google Maps, select options and set it to wheelchair accessible. This way will only show stations that have elevators (lifts).
Some of the elevators are not the nicest. The Times Square one seemed to often be used as a toilet so avoid that one if you can!
3. THE FERRY
This is my absolute favourite way to get around New York City and it is a real hidden gem! Everyone will tell you to ride the Staten Island Ferry but no one talks about the NYC Ferry.
It’s spacious and has plenty of room for strollers. You get amazing views of the NYC Skyline and in warmer months, you can sit on the top deck.
You can get more information on their website, HERE.
4. BUS
Busses run up and down the Avenues. I didn’t use the bus often, with NYC traffic, they’re almost as slow as walking and sometimes the drivers would be difficult about you bringing a stroller onboard.
It’s not my preferred option, but it’s still an option!
5. YELLOW TAXI
New York yellow taxis are so iconic! They’re not the cheapest or quickest mode of transport but you should take a ride in one, just to tick it off your bucket list!
You can do the classic cab-hailing or there’s usually a line of them waiting outside Grand Central Station.
Kid tip: Children are not required, by law to use a car seat in New York City taxis. Of course, you can decide for yourself if you want to do this or not.
6. UBER
A cheaper and easier alternative to the yellow taxi. We mainly used Uber to get to and from the airports. Download the app and you can easily find a car to get you wherever you want to go!
Kid Tip: It is possible to book a car with a car seat. They’re often harder to get but sometimes can be booked in advance. Also, they don’t offer proper car seats, more like a booster with a harness. This can work for a toddler but not for a small baby.
Thank you for reading this guide on how to get around New York City. I hope it has been helpful to you!
CHECK OUT MY OTHER NYC GUIDES HERE.
Happy Exploring,
