To absolutely HATE New York

[GreetingsFromVenus]

Dreamed of going there for many years. Thought it would be amazing. Everyone seems to think it is.

Here now and I hate it. Extortionate prices, rude ignorant locals, so many aggressive beggars. mentally ill people shouting in the street. loads of homeless people. The subway stations are disgusting and feel very menacing compared to London.

I find it really depressing actually and feel that the way Hollywood has portrayed New York is all smoke and mirrors. It is nothing special at all IMO. In fact it has a LOT of social issues and it made me feel quite sick to be spending $100 just for a mid range meal for 2 (no dessert) while there were people asking for food outside.

Central Park - pffttt!

Cannot wait to get home next week and will never complain about London prices again!

Anyone else felt the same?

NY is a gritty, old-school city. You know you’re alive when you’re in NY. It has a rawness & a buzz to it that other, shinier cities don’t have. This is what some people live about it. It’s real, it’s an eye-opener, it occasionally jolts you out of your comfort zone, it delivers interest & intrigue & is a challenge on your senses & your sensibilities.

Sorry - love about it rather

@dreamingbohemian

Americans get excited about it because it’s one of the few places in America that’s multicultural

Tell me you know fuck all about the US without saying you know fuck all about the US

Brilliant!!!

[quote OLP2019]@kanaloa ok that makes complete sense I wasn't sure if you actually went to foreign places based on movies you'd seen ha ha [/quote]
No need to sound so bossy. How do you yourself decide which cities to visit? Do you close your eyes and put a pin on a map? Or do you only visit places where you know people who have already been and given you a personal recommendation?

I love NYC but haven't been since 2011. I lived there in 2002 for a few months on a student internship programme and fell in love. Returned in 2009 with my gran for her birthday (was her life dream) and had a great time. Back again for my hen do in 2011 and the biggest difference was the cost! So expensive. In 2002 it was nearly $2 for the £1. My dc really wants to go around Xmas time but I'm unsure if it'll live up to expectations.

@GreetingsFromVenus - I love New York.

That’s sad but to each their own. I love it and have been many times but don’t spend much time in midtown and haven’t been since the pandemic so can’t comment on how things have changed.

@purplepaintedpineapple

I agree - did 5 days there as part of an east coast tour - Washington is much nicer. So much to do there and all the museums and the zoo are free.

Interestingly Washington is one of the places in the works where I have felt really unsafe.

As pps have said, it’s true that big cities can grown on you when you live there but are expensive and dirty as tourists.
I moved to London at the same time as a work colleague. We both thought it was dirty, overcrowded, expensive and overrated. She was particularly disappointed as she was from Calcutta!
My first year there I hated it. Second year I found some nicer spots and thought it was ok. Third year I loved it, had found “my” London and had to be dragged away by DH. I would imagine NY and LA etc are the same.
But yes - if you are a tourist having travelled a a long journey during your precious free time off work you might be disappointed and feel ripped off.

*can grow on you

I really dislike NY. Thought I’d love it, but didn’t. It’s Brixton meets Canary Wharf with a few sniffs of Knightsbridge.

However, NYer friends tell me it has really suffered from the Covid exodus over the past 2 years. So many people and businesses are just gone and the number of homeless camping out has skyrocketed.

Ever been to Paris OP? I would avoid it if you found NY disappointing. It's a well known phenomenon in Japan to be disappointed with Paris in real life vs its depiction in movies/TV/books

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_syndrome

I'm not really a city person but I love New York (admittedly haven't been for about 6 or 7 years). I love the fact that you can walk anywhere & see so much - I don't go on the subway that much because I love walking around the city. January is grim though. Central Park in the spring is a joy.
Mind you, everyone seems to love Las Vegas & I absolutely hated it (twice ). Have no intention of ever returning there, but would love to go back to NY.

I've not been since before 9/11 (I'm quite old). Liked it then but can imagine, with a couple of economic dips and Covid, it might have got worse.
IMO the point of Central Park is largely that it's a park slap-bang in the middle of a massively built-up city. Which I like (I liked that about Tokyo's parks too).
I'm not bothered about 'sightseeing' in the sense of the Empire State etc, but would go back just for the Guggenheim, MOMA and the Whitney Museum.

[quote LampLighter414]Ever been to Paris OP? I would avoid it if you found NY disappointing. It's a well known phenomenon in Japan to be disappointed with Paris in real life vs its depiction in movies/TV/books

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_syndrome[/quote]
I hated NY and loved Paris.

I hated NY and loved Paris

Ditto.

NY is disappointing because it’s ugly, smelly and no great architectural excitement.

Paris is enchanting because it’s beautiful and historic.

Absolutely love New York.Me and husband went in January 18 years ago and went back in June for a stopover for our honeymoon 16 years ago.I would say we much preferred it in January.The weather was freezing but beautiful blue skies,whereas June was rainy and humid but it's just pot luck.It seemed like two different places,going in winter and summer,so done completely different things while we were there.I'll never forget ice skating in Central Park(one of my favourite places ever)Visiting the Statue of Liberty,Ellis island,Times Square and going to the top of the Empire State Building.Loved seeing all the sights snd would go back in a heart beat.Definitely have a soft spot for Manhattan,have some wonderful memories and would love to take my kids there one day - so would be really sad to think it's gone down hill.Might be just a matter of opinion though coz I know lots of people that weren't impressed.

New York in January in the middle of a pandemic surge is...less great.

I went in July pre-covid, had all the same issues as OP. Except that I expected extortionate prices.

So, July and January are out, when exactly is the magical week in NY when it becomes wonderful?

Accessibility was dire. The people were definitely not friendly. PP says it is a city lover’s city. I love cities, I’ve been to loads and really enjoyed them. We couldn’t wait to get home from NY.

Yabu for using the phrase 3rd world. It is widely known as a derogatory phrase tbh. Developing country or emerging economy doesn't quite fit either.

I've been twice in summer. First time as a tourist and I was a bit underwhelmed. 2nd time as more of a city break, not worried about the attractions and we spent time with friends who lived in Mahattan, we had an absolute blast.
Enjoyed going to roof top bars for cocktails in the afternoon, restaurants and nightclubs (was early 30's).
We went to visit the intrepid, a naval boat which we loved and is close to the highline for a stroll to chelsea Market for lunch.
We went to williamsburg for roof top drinks and dinner, loved that neighbourhood and Greenwich is also nice.
I thought Central Park was fun, it was more about the people. There were just so many random hobbies going on like mass rollerblading.
We also went out to the Hampton which was fun.
I think mid winter and covid probably has a huge impact.
I've been to california and unfortunately there are lots of homeless/wierdos there too. The weather is better so apparently they flock there. Is a massive problem in the US 😞

I love NYC and have been a number of times. First was 30 years ago with my now ex and teenage sons. We were on an organised tour so NYC for softies really! But it was great being taken on walking tours around the deserted Wall Street on a Sunday morning, early morning trips to the top of the World Trade Centre, night visit to under Brooklyn Bridge, top of Empire State Building, Oyster bar at Grand Central Station etc.

Such a tour gives you a good background and ideas for return trips.

I've been 4 times since, independently, not for about 8 years though.

I hated NY and loved Paris.

Same. There is an atmosphere in Paris that is definitely lacking in NY.

We also went out to the Hampton which was fun.

The Hamptons are glorious.

I like the East Coast just not NY.

We went to visit the intrepid, a naval boat which we loved

This was probably the worst part of our trip. But that could be because I spent half of it on the deck with my daughter in her wheelchair because vast swathes of it are inaccessible. Still charged us all full price. We’ve done similar tours on navy and civilian ships and they have all been pretty much fully accessible and all offer either a discount for disabled customers or a free carer ticket to allow for the fact there might be some bits you miss.

I feel like it's at its best when you go on a work trip, so you're pseudo living there.