What do you need to bring to go to New York?

Answer 1

The most important thing you need is a couple of pairs of comfortable walking shoes. New York is very much a walking city. The average New Yorker walks at least a few miles a day, so, you should plan to do the same.

Other than that, it depends on what you plan on doing. If you plan on seeing some Broadway shows, going out to nice restaurants, or going out dancing or clubbing, then you will need to bring some nicer clothes (i.e., not just jeans and T-shirts).

If, by chance, you smoke cigarettes, then I would bring a carton. The price of cigarettes in New York City is obscene. At discount stores (like Duane Reade and CVS) they cost $10 a pack, while at delis, bodegas, and newsstands, they cost $12 a pack.

Spring weather in New York is extremely erratic (and fairly rainy), so be sure to bring clothes for hot weather (80 degrees or more) as well as chilly weather (50 degrees or less) and a raincoat.

All New York City taxis are fitted with credit card machines, and the drivers are required by law to allow you to pay with a credit card. However, occasionally the machines do break down. Furthermore, since the drivers have to pay the credit card processing fee themselves, sometimes they will still refuse to take your card, even though they are required by law to do so.

This is especially true on Friday and Saturday nights. Because the banks are closed on weekends, they will not receive the tips from credit card payments until Monday. They want their tip money NOW, not two or three days from now. So, they are especially reluctant to take credit cards on Friday and Saturday nights.

So, I would recommend that you bring extra cash, just in case you should run into a driver who flat-out refuses to let you pay with a credit card.

Also, because the credit card processing fees significantly cut into their tips, if you do pay with a credit card, be sure to leave a great big tip.

That's about all I can think of.