Seniors Guide to New York City
Of all the things travelers aim to do on their trips, imitating how locals go about their lives often tops the list. When you are in New York City, there are many ways to accomplish this goal, but if you are stumped for ideas, we will share a few that you can borrow from us in the paragraphs below.
Take subways everywhere
After arriving on one of the many business class flights from London to New York, clearing customs, and retrieving your bags from the luggage carousel, strongly consider taking the subway from JFK to your hotel.
If you pack light enough, this won’t be too physically taxing, but even if you opt for a taxi or limo, do the lion’s share of your exploration by rail.
The majority of New Yorkers get around like this, as the subterranean metro system glides effortlessly from one borough to the next, while taxis remain gridlocked in traffic above.
Check out museums for little or nothing
Much is said about how pricey New York is, but one of its best attributes costs next to nothing for visitors and locals to experience.
The Museum of Natural History, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art all admit patrons in return for a suggested donation. This means you could visit all of these institutions for free (give what you can, though, as this is what locals do).
The same is true for the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) on Fridays between 4 and 8 pm, and the Guggenheim on Saturdays between 5:45 and 7:45 pm, so time your visits to save considerable sums of money on admission fees.
See a Broadway show
This may seem touristy to some, but there are plenty of New Yorkers who are faithful patrons of the arts.
As such, they make room in their budgets to see a show on Broadway at least a few times per year, as the stage acting in these productions is frequently the best that can be found anywhere in the world.
Don’t line up like an idiot at overpriced ticket sellers in Times Square, though: the locals get theirs for less than full-price from discounters like TKTS.
With booths in Brooklyn and at the South Street Seaport, and with a smartphone app that allows for online sales, there are numerous ways to get your hands on cheap tickets to a Broadway classic or the latest smash hit that native New Yorkers are raving about.
Have an authentic slice of New York-style pizza
Yes, many tourists do dine on this classic, but seeking out a genuine NY-style pizza won’t make you any less of a local.
So long as you know where to get the best pies in town and avoid those who produce cheese-covered slabs of cardboard, you will be doing what every overstressed New Yorker does when they don’t have the time or energy to think about cooking.
There are many quality providers of NY style pizza but start by seeking out a margarita pizza from Di Fara’s in Brooklyn.
Their commitment to marrying simplicity with quality ingredients makes them a spot you need to check out at least once during your visit.