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1. Not staying close to the city.
Firstly, I'm grateful that I had somewhere free to stay for my first time in the US, it was by God's grace that I could stay at my friend's uncle's house BUT one thing I didn't take into account until I arrived was that they lived an hour away by train and 3hrs by bus. This meant commuting into the city every day was part of the itinerary. Since I wasn't paying for accommodation, the money that could have gone towards it was now being spent on return train tickets each day ($26 each) and subway tickets ($3 each) which works out to around 300 dollars but also staying at a hostel directly in the city like at NYC Hi would amount the same or a little more.
Here's a tip: If you don't mind commuting, make sure you look into the ticket bundles, they might work out cheaper, like a week pass for whatever zone you're in, and choose off-peak times, I did see other options but it was only near the end of my trip that I realized this and I most likely could have saved money so plan your trip - here!
All of this got me to question: Which one would you pick? Commute (when you're on holiday) or pay the cost of staying closer?
On one of the hottest days of the week, we turned up to the train station only to find out that no trains were going into NYC for the rest of the day. Essentially, I had two options; take a 3-hour bus ride in that heat to the city so I don't miss out on activities or stay and explore the town I was in.
I ended up staying and exploring Huntington town, it obviously didn't have what the city could offer but I made the most of it (itinerary below!) and decided that day to stay closer next time (maximum 30 minutes away) because obstacles happen, so try your best to jump over them!
And if I got home late - which I did because I had to fit Broadway into the itinerary - it meant taking a taxi ($16) back to the house because in outer New York City, the streets are wide and long and everything you need is sparsed out between miles of each other like a modern desert. Walking at night for an hour was not an option due to no one being around and it's pretty scary for a solo traveler!
Here's a tip: use Uber, new yorkers opt for it more than Lyft so download it for everyday use or emergencies, because I tried the latter and it didn't work for me. There are some taxi services at the station but only go with the driver if you feel safe, take a photo of the reg and send it to your loved ones along with your live location until you get home so they know where you are, etc.
Lastly, choosing a place closer is ideal for the mornings when you wake up and you're tired from all the walking you did the previous day and just need an extra hour to snooze. You miss out on this due to the thought "Well, if I don't get into the city early enough, I'll miss out on getting XYZ done before the last train!"
So if you can stay closer, and it's even better to go with a friend to split the cost of accommodation in half as it is pricey but if you don't mind hostels because you'll be out and about then go for it, I mentioned one earlier but if you're not about that life, here are some budget travel options for you: there's Airbnb 1 & Airbnb 2 and the cheapest hotel I could find was BeHome on Booking.com but do your own research just in case you come across a better option.
PS I went for 10 days so the more days there are, the more expensive it gets, so opt for max. 5 days/nights, it's enough to see everything!
2. Going on the free ferry.
Every hour, there's a free boat to Staten Island which passes by the Statue of Liberty, and I usually opt for free activities because I love budget traveling but here's why it was a mistake. We queued up and practically fought for a spot on the balcony due to there being so many people, and as we finally came to the climax of the trip - seeing the statue - it was tiny!
I could barely make out her face and I was wearing glasses, don't get me wrong, the experience was great because I got to see how everyday New Yorkers would travel to Staten Island and I love people watching but if you're opting for a more touristy ride with a guide and an up-close view of the Statue of Liberty, this is not it.
It's definitely worth it to pay to see the Statue, walk around the island, and take pictures so I'd recommend the day before or 2 days before you want to go on the boat trip, take the scenic walk from The Brooklyn Bridge (Put 25 E River Greenway into Google maps) and walk down towards the Staten Island Ferry port in the evening. That way you can check out the stalls along the way from each boat company because they offer different packages. It's also a great way to see the the bridge from a different angle, the sunset too, and get excited for the boat ride!
3. Missing these activities!
Some of the activities I missed out on were because I was traveling with my friend and her parents, and although we had the best time we also had to consider their limits. Some of the activities were a little out there for them and others doable, so make sure you vet your travel partners and agree on what everyone can and can't do.
1. When I saw that there was a helicopter ride on offer I was thrilled because the more people that go, the better value and cheaper it is for you but to my dismay, my friend's parents were like "No way" so it meant really thinking hard about if a $350 helicopter ride was worth it. Maybe if I was stupidly rich then yes.
I'm keeping this experience in mind because if it ever so happens that there are activities I'd like to do and someone else doesn't want to do them, I can opt for finding a solo travel group online and asking a bunch of other girls if they're in NYC to see if they'd be up for it instead!
2. Do not miss out on Summit, I didn't have time to go but if it were up to me, I would have done it on the same day as seeing The Edge, you can choose either one to visit in the day and another at sunset!
3. Moma is a must, but bear in mind you need up to 5 hours to see the entire building, we only had an hour before closing so there was no chance of it, I'd definitely spend a day in there next time, or a morning session in the museum and then head into Times Square after!
4. I don't know about you guys but I love visiting libraries, and there are a good few there, one in Brooklyn - perfectly placed right next to a beautiful viewpoint of Manhattan Bridge - and another right in the city - New York Public Library - where you can get a view of the Empire State Building and tasty matcha across the road at Cha Cha. Both were closed at the time so, another thing to add to the list!
4. Not renting transport.
I really wish I rented a bike to roam around the city or a car to drive on the bridges as it would have been cool, there isn't much traffic during off-peak times but during rush hour you will get stuck in it. They also have segways which would be an interesting experience to have, or if you're into horses and carriages they have lots of options in Central Park!
5. Missing the best food spots!
- Kat's Deli - Lunch - Best Pastrami Sandwhich
- Joe's Pizza - Lunch - Best Pizza
- Ellen's Stardust Diner - Dinner/Breakfast - Amazing Atmosphere
- Angelina Bakery - Breakfast - Best Baked Goods
- Banter - Brunch
- Two Hands - Brunch
- Maman - Bakery
- Jack's Wife Freda - Brunch
Important tip: Pray over EVERY trip you want to take and who to take it with!
But even if you have taken trips out of impulse and it didn't go as you thought it would, God's grace and His lovingkindness are always with you to remind you that He can still use those moments you thought were invalid for good.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. - Romans 8:28
One comforting thing a friend said to me after I told her "I didn't have the time of my life like I thought I would" Her response was "Not every trip will be a good one" which warmed my heart because we often have this huge expectation on travel, but it's still part of day-to-day life, just in another location so it really humbled me, because I had no idea I was putting travel on a high expectation and creating movies in my head with it and we all know movies leave out a lot of stuff!
I thank God anyway for the trip, the privilege to be able to go anywhere outside my country, and being in America for the first time, even though there was a blip in the trip, He restored the rest of it and I had a great time spending time with my one and first love; Jesus every morning.
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God bless you!