DON'T BE AN OBVIOUS TOURIST WHEN VISITING NEW YORK CITY
Tourists in New York is one of the many things that make New York... well New York but making it obvious that you are one can be a burden for both you and New Yorkers.
Now don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with being a tourist, even people who live in tourist cities act like tourist at times, but there's always a time and place for everything. Let's start with the basics.
1: "I *love* New York" anything is the easiest way to spot a tourist and yes if you're visiting New York and you don't get buy anything saying that then did you really go to New York? but wearing them out while exploring will only make you seem like the biggest tourist of them all, a shirt is alright but don't go over board and where a key chain, sweater, umbrella, shirt, sun glasses, and anything else that people sell with that oh so famous phrase. There's nothing wrong with seeming like a tourist but unless you want to be the easy target for market people to try and sell you things, have the characters at times square to literally pull you towards them to take a picture with you and make you tip them because it's New York EVERYONE in New York gets tipped, or have promoters go up to you and not letting you leave because they know you're a tourist so you want to explore as much as possible, and many more reasons basically have New Yorkers take "advantage" of the fact that you're a tourist.
2: DONT STOP in the middle of the sidewalks!!!! it doesn't matter which part of New York you're in they're all going to be busy all the time and you stopping in the middle to do whatever it is you need or want to do is going to annoy the people that are in a rush to get wherever they need to be at step to the side or against the wall to leave space for the others to keep doing whatever it is they're doing.
3: This kind of applies to "rule" number 2 but this instead is to not look up, yes we know it's the city of buildings but again looking up will halt your steps and once again it might bother those around you it doesn't matter if they're tourist or not IT BOTHERS ANYONE.
4: TIP WELL!!! like I said before literally anyone and everyone gets tipped there, New York itself is expensive so adding a tip may seem absurd but trust me some of those workers get paid the minimum and some of them don't even get paid and simply live from tips. I'm not saying to leave a tip that will pay for their college tuition but at least a $7 tip will seem like you appreciated their service. It all depends on who you're tipping if it's the characters in times square a $3 tip will be sufficient same goes to the people at airports, taxis, or people who helped you find your way to whatever place, but if you're at a restaurant a good tip is expected.
5: We're not rude but we are trying to be places and tourist sometimes get in the way of that. We're not rude but if you're at a store and you keep asking questions please keep in mind we have seen over hundreds of faces that day and they all haven't been pleasant. We're not rude but if we can't understand you and ask you to repeat what your saying or something else don't tell us off and ask for our managers, boss, or somebody that you believe will get after us for not understanding you. We're not rude but if we bump into you and not say sorry it's not because we purposely bumped into you, trust me most of us try to not bump into others, but imagine if we always apologized for bumping into people the whole city would always be filled with apologies, it gets to the point where bumping shoulders is a normal thing and not consider "rude".
6: SUBWAYS- if there is a pregnant, elderly, somebody with heavy or numerous bags, etc... give up your sit and offer it to them trust me they need it more than you do and it's the right thing to do. Also grab on to the pole even if you're sitting down unless you want to straddle the person next to you, don't try to seem cool or worry about the germs because there's more germs on the floor where you'll be if you don't grab on. KEEP YOUR HANDS TO YOURSELF AND BEWARE OF RUSH HOUR!!!!!!!
7: Keep all personal belongings in secure places, it's a big city so "loosing" your stuff is extremely easy. Don't keep your phone in your back pocket with all the people you won't feel it when somebody snatches your phone.
8: Dress appropriately to wherever you go. If you're going to simply just explore New York dress comfortably cute it's a city where walking is the main way to go.
and finally just enjoy being a tourist don't try so hard to make it seem as if you're NOT a tourist because we all have our tourist moments even if we are born and raised New Yorkers sometimes we'll go to the empire state building and take pictures just like many of you. Enjoy New York because after all it is the city that never sleeps so try to keep up with it!
