bw79st Loc: New York City

You're right about the Staten Island Ferry. I ride it maybe once a year just for fun. In the 1950s whenever we had visiting relatives in town my father would take them on a SI Ferry ride. He would also take them on the FDR drive uptown to Dykman St, across to the West Side Highway and down the Hudson River, around the Battery and back up the FDR Drive to the Queensborough Bridge.

We gave up our cars since living in Manhattan so I use the buses and subways almost every day.

SparkyNYC Loc: NYC & Coconut Creek,Fl

That’s the Circle Line Cruise on land
😁

bw79st Loc: New York City

Ha! We did that too! My father worked on the pier next door to it so we had connections!

CWW Loc: North Jersey

Attic?

Alan Block Loc: New York

I agree I live in NYC and will not take my camera or myself on the NYC subways. Buses only. Further I carry my camera in a gym bag as a camera bag is a give away. Just be alert to your surroundings and you should have a good time and take lots of pictures

Rick0747

New York City is like any other big city in the world. Everywhere one travels there is crime, theft, murders. But there is more beauty than fear. I won't give the nay sayers in UHH the courtesy of responding other than to say I bet they don't travel around the world. Every city has it's issues but one has to be a smart traveler. Don't put yourself into a situation that you are not comfortable in (a dark alley at night). I grew up in the Bronx (a borough of NYC) and now live in CT. I go into the Bronx, Manhattan and Queens very often. I am still in awe of the beauty, size, people and architecture of the city. As others have said, there are many tours - walking and bus - to choose from. Pick areas that interest you (museum row, Chinatown, Greenwich Village, Little Italy, Yankee Stadium, Times Square/theater district, etc.) and find tours. Or buy a book and a map and explore. Just remember - be careful, be smart and have fun. Just like other cities around the world, it is a great place.

elee950021 Loc: New York, NY

As a native-born and bred NYCer, who has been to most of the major cities of the country, NYC is no better or worse than elsewhere at this time. Probably better despite the mainstream media's cries of wolf. When I traveled to other cities, I always started with bus tours! One of my favorites is New Orleans where I've been 4 or 5 times.

Advantages of bus tours: the buses follow a set route with specific popular and peopled site stops along the way; they will follow a set schedule and you can get off to explore further the area around them; when done exploring, you can reboard a bus to the next stop or not; the buses go to Brooklyn as well and will return to your original location at the end of the circuit. The price is reasonable for the whole day. As I ride, I would take a street map and mark off places that are of interest to visit later.

You can take side tours as well: for example: all the buses make a stop in the financial district right near the famous Wall Street Bull. A few blocks south you can catch the free 20-minute NYC Ferry to Staten Island, passing through NY harbor by Brooklyn, Governor's Island and the Statue of Liberty. Be sure to stand on the starboard side of the upper deck of the ferry! Free return trips every half-hour and you can photograph the lower Manhattan skyline at the front of the ferry.

By spending several hours on the tour bus, you'll see more of the neighborhoods of Manhattan and Brooklyn than on your own. And the interesting things to photograph are scattered around the Big Apple. Plus with the double-decker buses, you'll get a bird's eye view of things! The companies mentioned also have "Theme Bus Tours."

Several bus tour articles follow:

https://www.timeout.com/newyork/things-to-do/bus-tours-in-nyc

https://www.newyorksightseeing.com/?__cf_chl_tk=ewb_zK4uLrK_gM4R7bFpukFeZ8ZO0zAaH7dTTOX3ZfI-1673732106-0-gaNycGzNB9E

https://www.viator.com/New-York-City-tours/Bus-and-Minivan-Tours/d687-g12-c98

Most of the bus tours are located and usually begin in the Times Square midtown area. I do not work or endorse any of the companies that are mentioned in the articles.

Be well! Ed

JRD3 Loc: Richmond, VA

Ed, thanks for this thoughtful and complete outline. Much appreciated

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

I am a former New Yorker- Born and raised in Brooklyn. I can tell you this- unequivocally, New York City is a photographer's paradise- it has so many interesting people and places to photograph. You would have to go there, take up residence, and spend 10 years seeing and experiencing everything and you would never take all of it in.

Where you go, what you shoot, and how you do it is going to be your decision. Asking other folks may be helpful but it all depends on what INTERESTS YOU- people. culture, architecture, art, entertainment, history, landmarks, fashion, slums, stores, high finance, jazz, beaches, bridges, museums, photographic equipment retail stores, botanical gardens, the Bronx Zoo, churches, synagogues, mosques, Grant's Tomb, I can go on for days.

So, check out this link- it contains a description (with photos) of over 80 popular points of interest- take your pick and make a plan.

https://www.timeout.com/newyork/attractions/new-york-attractions


Yes, if you venture under the Williamsburg Bridge near the edge of get East River, you may see rats the size of very large tomcats. There are a few neighborhoods where they are more cockroaches than people but most folks do not go there.

I can guarantee that you will have a great visit- enjoy the people, the diversity, the great food, and all the sights.

When I visit my old home town I reals that, these days, I am spinning at 33 1/3 RPM and NYC is spinning at 78! After a while, I speed up

All large urban centers have criminal elements. NYC and the entire Metropolitan Area are well-policed. Most tourists utilize common sense and are not going to visit a public toilet in a deserted subway station at two o'clock in the morning.

A guided tour is safe and will give you a good overview, that is if you have a limited time. If you like it, you can visit again and concentrate on whatever interests you.

Jsykes

If you wish to Private Message with your email address me I can provide you with a four day itinerary my wife and I completed during Covid.

It covers things to photograph, by day, and by route. For example, a day in Central Park with the key landmarks starting on the south west of the park and finishing north west, Two separate days in Manhattan and its key landmarks, One day Ellis Island and the Battery.

AndyT Loc: Hampstead, New Hampshire

Wives always drag you out. Lol.

Jsykes

And they somehow spend "your" money.

Oh dear.......just got a head slap for that one!

BigDaddy Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

Why not post in here so others can benefit. Public forums are not so much for Private Messages...

Jsykes

Thanks, but not good advice. I request an email so that I can attach Excel spreadsheets, provide other data and provide further assistance to the OP; such as advice on Google Maps, questions on the itinerary etc.

Why would I provide excess info to the post for those who are not interested? If someone is interested they can reach out to me

BigDaddy Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

OK, EXCELL spread sheets wouldn't be good on the forum.
Lists of where to visit would have been perfectly on topic to the OP and likely welcomed to a number of people participating in the thread.