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?

There is no way I'd ever go to NY, I hate cities anyway and I've seen too many films about the bronx.

No I bloody love it! My fave place in the world.. there are loads of places where meals are not expensive.

Love new york. I can't get over the nescafe comment. If it's for real. I think the op maybe should stick with Blackpool or Benidorm maybe

@dreamingbohemian I could give you a list of 20 reasons I hate NY on any given week , but Central Park is a Park and cheap filter coffee is a bit shit aren't two of them.

@MissMaple82 I live here and I love it. Except in February. I don't love it in February.

Have been two times, first in 1999 and second time in 2019 definitely won’t visit again, enjoyable enough but sooo expensive, taxis, eating out, tipping (well don’t get me started on tipping) and in general it is very expensive to do anything, anyone who goes just save up hundreds of pounds before you go as you will need it.

@LakeShoreD I do agree that some people have an odd love of the flavoured coffee creamers, which are frankly disgusting. I spent part of my childhood in the US and then lived there again when my husband was sent to work in NYC and LA for a few years and his office coffee culture was great but then again he worked for a well known tech company and having the best food, coffee, other perks was part of the job. I loath to say this and admit it is a massive generalisation but perhaps the coffee culture I am talking about has much to do about income level, etc. It is much more expensive to buy the $20 coffee beans and the nice coffee machines, etc. I was recently in the US for work and was shocked at how much the cost of coffee has gone up. I had a black filter coffee at a coffee shop and it cost $5. Was very good though, but would get very expensive quickly if doing that on a daily basis.

I still find the use of instant coffee in the UK to be shocking but there are some great coffee shops in London that I missed during lockdown.

I loved NY but went in my 20’s with friends and spent my time mainly drinking cocktails and site seeing. I loved that you could pop into most cafes and get a huge pancake stack, and loved all the rooftop bars and independent clothes shops. I do remember thinking the trip was ridiculously expensive but I think that’s true with most city holidays.

I feel your pain though because I was really looking forward to going to sanfrancisco and hated it when I got there. Constant grey weather, so many homeless, constant walking up hills. I really thought I’d love it there and felt so let down! I think when you really look forward to going somewhere you can build it up in your head too much, and then it’s always a disappointment.

Thats the problem when you dream about anything like that for years, rarely lives up to the dream.

Ive booked NY for ny daughters 16th in February next month. Im a single parent also taking my youngest who is 10. Im a bit nervous now reading the comments as i want to feel safe and enjoy it

@RosieAnnie81 I live here and it's really fine! Just wrap up warm and stay away from Times Square and the major tourist traps and you'll be fine. Feel free to DM me if you want any info. I love playing tour guide!

RE Tipping. You can't not tip in the US. Not only are they paid a few dollars an hour and rely on tips, they are taxed on the tips that the government assume they are given- thus you not tipping costs them money! If people don't understand this, they shouldn't travel to the US. Always budget for a 20% tip

Thank you. Its a dream of mine and my girls to go. Ive saved up and really want to enjoy it

I'm not a lover but I like NYC.
Food is cheap outside of pricey Manhattan and, like many other places, has a variety of authentic cuisines.
It's like any major super-city--it's got its shitholes and its nice areas. America, IMO, has always had a high degree of homelessness compared to the UK (I've been to NYC, LA, SF, NO, Chic) but since austerity, we have been catching up!!!! The divide is widening everywhere!!

Re half-half in coffee, no way!! Silk Vanilla almond milk all the way...

I will say this about prices: between inflation here and the decline of the pound, New York is expensive for Brits now. If anyone came pre-2008 they likely found it cheap as the pound was so strong. Not today. Nothing in the US is cheap when you're thinking in pounds now.

I haven’t been in a good few years, but felt like New York had a special kind of magic. I have family there so never have to worry about accommodation and are advice where best to go. It’s sounds just like london tbh, and yes I live in london.

@user2155340308842

They also won't take you to the airport if they're due to shift change within about 45 mins as I discovered!

@CornishGem1975

That's because they rent their taxis in shifts, so have to have them back by a certain time (unless things have changed in the last couple of years), so a drive to the airport would put them over their time.

Yep - but it would have been handy knowledge to have before I was waiting for a taxi to JFK Luckily my hotel had a very lovely doorman who just stood bang in the middle of Park Ave until one stopped for him.

@allfurcoatnoknickers, you are one of our finest imports.

Even before I voted (YANBU) I guessed it would be a fairly even split, and it was 50/50! I agree with you for all the same reasons. A friend of mine (a lady in her twilight years) was chased down the street by her waiter from the Plaza who'd served her - because she'd left a 10% tip. He shouted at her in the street!
Lots of my friends LOVE New York, equally, many hate it.
It's not for me... give me London any day.

Oh my god will people stop whining about how expensive the food is! Do your homework! There are a gazillion cheaper places to eat, you can get a big pizza slice for like 3 bucks

I see your pizza slice and raise you a delicious 3 course Thai lunch for $17, 6 minutes walk from Times Square in late 2019

Whether you call it homework or just a bit of basic research, it seems some have never heard of it - and then they go to some tourist trap and complain they've been ripped off

But do you really want to have to research every single bit of food you eat?

You want to be ripped off for food, go to Disneyworld 🤣 I thought New York was comparable to dining out here to be honest.

Agree to disagree. I've been a number of times on various budgets at different times of year

Always had a great time if avoid tourist areas. I HATE Times Square

Went multiple times, I am not a fan but DH loves it. I absolutely adore Boston. It’s small and intimate.

I agree with you! But I think a lot of cities across the world are similar. The movies portray them as beautiful glamorous places but the reality is very different. It’s very much a case of seeing how the rich AND very poor live in many cities and that can be difficult to stomach. I couldn’t believe the amount of litter and the number of beggars in the streets of Marrakesh to give another example

@RosieAnnie81 I have taken DS to NYC since he was 7, now 15, and he absolutely loves it. He's ridden the subway loads of times . He loves to hang out in a coffee shop and people watch.

Get them on a bus or walking tour, go to Liberty Island, do the museums, book a show; we've seen loads including Mathilda and Lion Kong and because the theatres are smaller it's more intimate than London. Also just take it easy. The thing that makes NYC great is if you don't turn it into a route march; if you slow down you see the treasures like all the Art Deco; Empire State lobby, the Chrysler Building even Bloomingdales.

If you go up to the mamgement suites in Macy's or Bloomingdales you can get discount cards.

Don't do anymore in TS than drive through in a cab (which are also great IME); it's like saying you hate London after going to eat in Leicester Square.

Make sure you've got layers as Feb usually has a massive snow dump. If they do, Central Park will be amazing.

When DS was 8 I even took his scooter folded up in my checked in luggage and he scooted all over Manhattan and CP.

Breakfast: diner (look for the steamiest windows for the best ones) eggs and pancakes all the way
Lunch: hot dogs
Dinner: head downtown in a cab, there's loads of choice

DS said go to Grand central and just look up at the ceiling.