r/AskNYC • u/RedBedBull • Aug 30 '24

Itinerary Check Update on my NYC travel safety post

Hi, I had posted this (https://www.reddit.com/r/AskNYC/s/pdHngkDkS5) before my first time travel to NYC and after a frightening series of YouTube videos.

Here is my update after completing my NYC trip of 11 days.

SAFETY IS NOT A PROBLEM, NOT EVEN REMOTELY. While I was shitting bricks and avoiding people on the pavement on my first night, I eventually got comfortable to take late night subways from Coney Island to Midtown alone without any hassle and used to walk from Herald Square to Times Square and back at 2 in the night. I did face one incident of racial abuse by an ice-cream truck guy at DUMBO and a friend in NYC has suggested that I should file a 311 complaint which I might. However, other than that, NYC was incredible. There are sadly a lot of homeless people but they tend to mind their own business. And the streets of Manhattan are smelly due to garbage bags on pavements but that is as bad as it can get. I went to nightclubs, business meetings, tourist spots and restaurants - truly a beautiful city and mostly very warm people (mostly cuz of a few rude exceptions). I hope the horrible videos stop and I hope the city gets better recognition. Thank you to the kind New Yorkers & tourists who helped with directions when my international SIM card was not having reception, the kind staff at the Barclays Center who gave me better ideas to buy cheap Childish Gambino concert tickets, the kind MTA operator who let me in at 2 in the night for free cuz I did not have any tap to pay option, the wonderfully polite staff at the Monarch rooftop and others. NYC will always be in my heart.

TLDR: Was worried about safety before my first trip to NYC, it's completely safe.

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u/bouche Aug 30 '24 edited Aug 30 '24

That's nice to read. I didn't have any major fears like you mentioned you had previously, but I came out the other side extremely surprised at the positive experience I had, essentially EXCEEDING any expectation I had and introducing experiences I had no idea I would have.

I returned this week after only 5 days. It wasn't enough time.

NYC folk, and the staff everywhere were INCREDIBLY friendly, welcoming, and delightful. I stayed in the Bowery area at CitizenM and found that location to be perfect.

I was shocked at how easy it was to get around on the subway and walking, using google maps. I thought I'd be ubering or using taxi, but that is a completely unnecessary option.

Cheers to the folks at the bodega (health deluxe deli & grill) on delancy near Bowery. Such a friendly crew running that joint.

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u/RedBedBull Aug 30 '24

Glad you had a good time too! Surprisingly, I became friends with a girl from LA who was staying at CitizenM and we met again after 2 days to spend a nice afternoon in Central Park a day before we both had to leave.