New York City Tourist Traps

CNN named Times Square in 2011 as one big tourist trap and this is a fact as not only is there so much electronic and digital billboards lining the area around it and the theater district beside it,...

The food at the cafe is not very good, eat before you come to the island. The food is all cooked up front and is left lying around so when you buy it is dry. Where you eat your food there are a lot of...

If you are going to waste some money, at least be friendly to the environment! Apart from walking, which is the healthiest, cheapest and most interactive way to experience the city, visitors and...

The employees were really nice, most of them ask you where you come from, some say a phrase in your language, some say something related to your country. The audio tour is totally worth it...I mean,...

My husband and I walked into the Empire Camera Store in New York simply to look at cameras as our camera had been playing up. I would not normally purchase anything without doing some research first...

Im what you call the tourist i came to new york in April this year and made sure that Ground zero was the main thing that i saw as even though im not an american i felt the pain and sadness as i...

Food traps to avoid: Street meat - Toronto Street meat is way better. The hot dogs are nothing but skinny red hots for $3/dog. Not worth it. Street Pretzels: they are dusty and chalky and there...

This shop claims with "shop inventarisation 30% price-off" and therefore huge discounts to easy-victim tourists like myself: I left with a Canon Rebel camera with Sigma zoom lens for appr. 1700 bucks....

So, I know this may come as a shock to many, but the guys on the streets selling the Rolex, Movado, and Taghauer watches for $20, are selling knock offs. I know, I know, Say It Isn't So! So...

Note that you can use the metrocard to the airport. You just need to top it up at the interchange between the subway line and the airport line. There will be people at the interchange who claim you...

As we were leaving a Broadway play we were stopped by a street person selling cd's to promote his sister's rap career. Only $5. All I had was a $20. No problem. ends up I got a blank cd and 3...

Do not get on a pedicab without negotiating the price first and without verifying their licensing. Our driver charged $5 a minute and ended up not being licensed. They are supposed to post their...

Over the years Little Italy has shrunk down to basically three blocks of one street- Mulberry St. Most everything there is for the tourists, with some exceptions, like the Italian food stores (meats,...

No way is the met a tourist trap! It is one of the most amazing museums in the entire world and is not to be missed. I went over this past summer with my mom for my 15th birthday and spent the entire...

One of the more interesting places for bargain hunters is Chinatown. There's block after block after block of shops selling jewelry. 'Rolex' watches and electronics, as well as other goodies. And...

OH mY goodness.. okay, maybe this isn't such a tourist trap as a tourist attraction... At christmas time it is MOBBED! The christmas tree and the 5th ave windows. You can go ice skating at the rink at...

The discount TKTS booth in New York is not like London, the lines can be VERY long and not very efficient. I did get tickets there but it was a Sunday night when most of the theaters are not open so...

I live a few blocks from Serendipity and Dylan's Candy Bar...I avoid East 60th Street like the plague once it gets warm out because the lines of tourists standing outside is ridiculous. Don't waste...

We went to one of those Helicopter tours, I don´t remember the name of the company, there use to be a few but now there´s only one licensed company so it will be the same company we used. They have...

Not sure if this is the right category, but seeing this was less than impressive. You had to wait in line for about 40 minutes to get in, get thoroughly checked over (pre-9/11. probably much worse...

Why people visit this area confounds me. I suppose it is pleasant in the day to look at the bridges, ships and east river and shop at Pier 16. Still, do not hang around here at night. It is more than...

You pay over $10, tour a few studios, which is cool, but you end up in one where they take your picture. Guess what? Then they try to sell it to you for $10. Surprisingly, they will however let you...

One of my favorite buys from NYC are t-shirts with NY logos infront, like NYPD or NYFD, metro signs,neighdorough names etc. I've to tell you that i still have tees from my first visit in NY back in...

Amidst the touristy stalls were groups of people peddling some very dodgy looking goods, clearly illegal and could get quite intimidating if entered into a conversation with. Avoid eye contact and be...