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?

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

No need - just google before you go, note down a few good places/generally cheaper areas and you're sorted
Or if too hopeless to do that, ask at any information place or even in a shop; the staff obviously don't eat at the rip-off places and will happily help

Oh, and for souvenirs stop off at Chinatown en route to Brooklyn Bridge and the 9/11 memorial, where much of the tat's at least 70% cheaper than in the tourist traps

So glad I didn't go on holiday with you OP, you sound utterly joyless to be around!

@RosieAnnie81 I did an AMA thread about NYC a couple of years ago (I was very pregnant and now I have a toddler) but a lot of the info and advice still stands: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/AMA/3574465-I-live-in-New-York-City-Ask-Me-Anything

Some of the places have closed down (RIP Vandal. We hardly knew ye) but most of it is still about.

Sounds like you didn't do much research.

January isn't the best time & no where is at its best nearly 2 years into a global pandemic.

I adore New York & have been loads of times & at different times of year. Best time is coming up to Christmas

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

It took me about 10 seconds on google to find this:

10 Best Classic Diners in Manhattan

I went in April 18 …it was freezing and the really expensive hotel room was tiny ! But l LOVED it !! I live in London so used to the antisocial beggars etc but found it vibrant and the 9/11 museum was mind blowing ….anyone going needs a fat wallet though !

[quote 100problems]@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.

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This is all excellent advice. And yes, yes, yes to people watching. One of my favorite activities.

Also, always make friends with the hotel concierge. They know everything, can get you tables and discount cards.

In NY about twenty years ago for the first time, went back three years ago. Loved it both times, and will definitely go there again.

Thank you @allfurcoatnoknickers I've lived, worked, partied and chilled in your great city for 30 years. It re-invents itself so fast even a five year gap changes so much.

I was so sad for it in 2020, but I've been there at 9/11 and just after the hurricane blew away the south end. It alway comes back swinging!

It took me about 10 seconds on google to find this ...

Shhhhh!! It's ages since I've been to the Pearl, but it's busy enough without attracting the hordes better suited to the Hard Rock Cafe

Ellis Island museum, MOMA etc were amazing but generally it wasn't great. Once we stopped doing what we "should", it was OK.

The first time I went to NYC was in 1973 when it was a very dangerous place. Soon as we came out of Grand Central we were met with beggars. One man had no legs at all and was scooting about on what looked like a skate board. The female cop jumped back when we asked for directions and within a block we were being asked by a man in a tan raincoat - who kept following us, if we 'worked' there.

If you valued your life you never stepped foot in the subways. Times Square was full of porn shops, hookers and pimps. Late one night I was leaving a Broadway play and going into a cafe or bakery that was still open and there were these two little hungry boys outside begging for food. They must have been both under the age of 10. I asked them where their mummy was and they looked at me as if I were stupid.
You kept out of Central Park and no taxi would take us to Harlem.

The nice thing was back in '73 - there were no lines to go into the Empire State Building etc.

Years later NYC was cleaned up and became a place that attracted tourists. Now it's going to shit again. Well done Democrats! (Sarcasm)

YANBU. I went years ago with my parents and hated it. Overrated in every way, soul-less (apart from Harlem and the Bronx where at least you can find some genuine culture), overpriced and pretentious. Most people I know who have been/want to go spend their time there shopping and eating posh burgers. I’m never going back, for sure.

NYC was ruined for me on my last trip in 2017 when sat eating lunch in a restaurant of a huge departmental store and there was a mouse foraging around looking for crumbs 🙃 Also I loved NYC for shopping but with inflation so high there are no more bargains to be had 😔 Still like it though, beautiful in the evening

I love NY for its grittiness and the directness of the citizens, its unique energy.

It's always been old and dirty, freezing in winter and the hob of hell in summer, and the subway is a glorified rat-filled public pissoir at the best of times.

If you want an even colder city in January, try Chicago. It's much cleaner and has a different energy.

DH and I were there about 10-years-ago. It sounds like the levels of impoverished and mentally ill people on the street has worsened considerably since then. We also found taxis to be very reasonably priced (a good thing as the subway was awful). New Yorkers were not rude to us and we really liked Central Park. All that said, it was interesting to go, but for us, nothing special and we wouldn’t go back.

Haven't been to NY, but felt the same about Chicago.

The rift between haves and have-nots is huge - and it's bad enough here!

The way black and Latino people were treated was appalling - absolutely shocking! On an evening families were digging through skips for food - and it was freezing! (November).

I couldn't believe how awful it was - wonderful if you were rich, though.

Got to agree OP. I was very underwhelmed with it. Even the Statue of Liberty was disappointing! It looks huge in the movies, but in reality, although big, doesn’t live up to expectations. Empire State Building so over hyped. Brooklyn Bridge is just ....ok. The only place I found amazing was the 9/11 memorial museum - so moving and packed with so much information. Central Park is lovely, but no more special than lots of big parks. Glad I went, but wouldn't want to return.

@KateADM

I'm so surprised about the immigration comments, my daughter visits all the time and never has a problem. Meanwhile as a US citizen I was treated like shit at the UK border. I guess it depends on who you get and how they want to wield their power.

For anyone not white immigration in the US is often a horrendous welcome to the country. I am white DH is not. We have visited the US 3 times. All 3 times we have had a bad experience. The first time was in New York. Upon arrival I saw one of the officers nod to another when they saw him. He was questioned for 2 hours about why he was visiting. I was sat waiting for him 95% of the other people waiting were non white. It was an awful start to the holiday but we had a great time after it. The second time in Las Vegas DH was accused of having a false British passport. I was also questioned asking me a lot of questions about DH repeatedly I think hoping to some how trip me up. The third time DH went to New York again on business and questioned again. He had to contact his employers in the middle of the night to get proof.

A friend of mine who is actually white but does have olive skin/dark hair. Was told by a officer her kind shouldn't be mixing with 'his kind' (his being a very white looking BF).

Not that I am saying it only non white people who have bad experiences. From the sounds of it a lot of people do.

Quite the nerve to go somewhere and accuse the local people of being 'rude and ignorant.'

I agree, and as I said in an earlier post I find that how people treat you often depends on your attitude to them! Anyone hearing the OP's moaning and whinging is hardly likely to respond in a good way. I really think she should go on a package tour to somewhere which is sanitised for tourists - real life seems a bit too much for her delicate sensibilities.

Where are you staying if cab driver didn't know it it can't be as popular as you think maybe you chose an extra dodgy area by mistake? Please tell so we can avoid!

You can’t go to a major city & not plan your break. My last city break pre-pandemic was Rome. We did weeks of research into the best things to do & see, where to eat, hidden gems etc. We read travel blogs, websites, tourist guides. We had a really solid idea of how we were going to spend our few days (not a schedule as such, we decided on the day but out of the list of things we’d read about). We had a brilliant few days, did some cool, less touristy stuff and eat some incredible food in tiny restaurants off the tourist trail.

I personally love NY. I went in very late November/early December last visit & it was snowy and magical! Ice skating in CP was a huge highlight & all the Christmas trees and decorations where incredible. Again, we’d done a LOT of research and had lots planned both touristy & off track. I never once felt unsafe although I was really taken aback by the forwardness of street sellers who would basically stop you from walking down the road until you looked at their stuff. Homelessness was very sad to see as well.

I do prefer London. It’s not as tall. There’s more to see at eye level. Buildings are older & more interesting in my opinion.

Found Manhattan disappointing and uninteresting but really loved exploring Brooklyn so maybe head in that direction!

Where are you staying if cab driver didn't know it

The cab drivers in New York don't know everywhere, obviously the main things but not every hotel there are literally thousands. Give them a block and they will get you there.