There are tons of fun things to do in New York City; however, there are also many tourist traps. This article will show you the tourist traps to avoid in New York City.
Times Square
Times Square is a massive tourist trap and the only good thing about this place is the Broadway shows. Everything here is overpriced and try as much as you can to avoid Ripley’s Believe it or Not and Madame Tussauds when you are in Times Square. That is one of the biggest tourist traps you should avoid in New York.
Avoid Expensive Souvenir Shops
If you want to buy any New York souvenir, don’t go to any of the souvenir shops you will find all over the Midtown area of New York. Instead, go to Chinatown, Walgreens, or Duane Reade to get them at a much cheaper price.
Avoid Empire State View
Avoid going to places like the Empire State Building or the Freedom Tower. Those places have really long lines and are very expensive. Instead, go to one of the amazing rooftop bars in New York. There are so many of such bars and they offer better views than what you get at the Empire State buildings. A few of my favorite spots are St. Cloud at the Knickerbocker Hotel in Times Square, Monarch Lounge, and Jimmy at The James. There is also an amazing rooftop bar overlooking Central Park. These places have amazing views and there is usually no one there. It is just so much better than going to the Freedom Tower or the Empire State Building.
Don’t Shop on 5th Ave
Avoid shopping on 5th Ave because it is very expensive, and it is where you will find most tourists. Instead, go to where real New Yorkers shop such as Union Square or the West Village, Nolita. Any of these spots have tons of cute boutique stores that are better priced than all the items you will find on 5th Ave.
Do Local Tours not Bus Tours You will be offered a lot of pamphlets when you are walking on the streets of New York for big bus tours. This is a huge scam, so avoid it because they don’t offer a good tour of the city. They will just crowd you into a big bus full of other tourists, and dish out blanket information about New York City as the bus goes past all the city’s attractions and landmarks. You can instead go on a small group tour or a private tour. There are many of these companies all over New York and offer fun tours that are really personalized.