The 16 worst tourist traps in New York City and where to go instead

Aerial view of New York City
New York City. Alexander Spatari/Getty Images
  • New York City tourists often get sucked into expensive and overrated tourist traps.
  • Instead of paying to visit the Statue of Liberty, take a free trip on the Staten Island Ferry.
  • Skip the Empire State Building and take in the views from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade.
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Instead of seeing the sights from the top of the Empire State Building, take in the city skyline for free on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade.

Brooklyn Heights Promenade.
The Brooklyn Heights Promenade. Shutterstock

The Empire State Building has great views of the city, but it also comes with expensive tickets (which start at $44 for an adult) and long lines.

A better way to take in New York's amazing skyline? Go across the Brooklyn Bridge to the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. It's free, beautiful, and one of the best places to see NYC's skyline, day or night.

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Instead of being gouged for "Italian" food in Little Italy, go to Arthur Avenue in the Bronx.

Arthur Avenue in the Bronx.
Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. Kathy Willens/AP

Little Italy is a sad little strip nestled right above Chinatown. The real Little Italy — with its amazing Italian-American food — is on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx.

You can find fresh cheese at Casa Della Mozzarella, an amazing selection of fish at Cosenza's, and a slew of fantastic Italian-American bakeries.

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Instead of cupcakes at Magnolia Bakery, try the amazing cookies at Levain Bakery.

A Chocolate Chip Cookie from Levain Bakery.
Levain Bakery. Sarah Schmalbruch/Insider

Magnolia Bakery's cupcakes may be tasty, but with its long lines, this tourist stop is, in our opinion, highly overrated.

Levain's cookies are gigantic (they look more like scones than cookies), and though they cost $4.50 per cookie, they are the tastiest, softest, and most scrumptious cookies we've ever tried. Try the chocolate chip and walnut cookie and thank us later.

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Instead of taking a pedicab ride, rent a Citi Bike.

Citibikes in New York City
Citibikes in New York City. Michael Young/Contributor/Getty Images

Pedicabs are a part of life in NYC, especially around Central Park and Midtown where it can be hard to catch a cab. But they can be expensive and slow.

We recommend trying a Citi Bike. You can sign up for a day pass for $19 and ride around the city yourself.

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Instead of watching the Yankees play at Yankee Stadium, cheer on the minor leagues at a Staten Island baseball game.

Baseball stadium
The Richmond County Bank Ballpark in Staten Island. Al Bello/Getty Images

The Yankees may be one of New York's home teams, but a ticket to the games is pretty pricey. Plus, the stadium isn't exactly easy to get to in the Bronx.

Instead, head over to Staten Island to watch a way less crowded, much cheaper game at the Richmond County Bank Ballpark. Sure the players aren't as famous, but you'll watch a great game and see amazing views of the skyline. 

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Instead of battling tourists at Central Park, head to the more low key (and gorgeous) Prospect Park.

A field in Prospect Park in Brooklyn.
Prospect Park. Shutterstock

Don't get us wrong, Central Park is great, with Shakespeare Gardens, grassy knolls, and a gorgeous double skyline with skyscrapers rising above the trees. But man, is it crowded.

Brooklyn's Prospect Park was created by the same architects — Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux — but they had much more free reign with their Brooklyn design and were able to create a real pastoral haven. With woods, a lake, and a mile-long meadow, anyone who visits Prospect Park will forget they're in NYC for a little while.

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Instead of waiting months to have high tea at the Plaza Hotel's Palm Court, have a tea party at Bergdorf Goodman.

Bergdorf Goodman's BG restaurant
BG Restaurant at Bergdorf Goodman. Patrick McMullan/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

High Tea in the Plaza Hotel's Palm Court is iconic, but even with a reservation, you'll likely be waiting for your table and tripping over tourists in the process.

Your tea and pastries will be much more pleasant at Bergdorf Goodman's BG Restaurant. Once frequented by Meghan Markle, their afternoon tea starts at $75 per person.

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Instead of going to the giant Macy's for designer fashions, hit up a real NYC sample sale.

Women shopping for a wedding dress
A wedding dress sample sale. Andrew Toth/Getty Images for GILT

The racks at large department stores can be fun to browse, but more often than not they're chock full of deal-seeking shoppers and tourists, long lines, and picked-through inventory.

A better idea is to hit up some of NYC's amazing sample sales. There's usually always something going on 260 Fifth Avenue (sign up for email updates here) or in SoHo.

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Instead of paying a fee to visit the Statue of Liberty, take a free trip to Staten Island and wave to Lady Liberty from the water.

The Staten Island Ferry
The Staten Island Ferry passing by the Statue of Liberty. Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Visiting Statue of Liberty is a classic New York experience, but it doesn't have to cost you an arm and a leg — especially if you don't want to climb up all the way to the top.

Instead of paying between $18 to $24 dollars to visit Lady Liberty, hop on the Staten Island Ferry. You'll have fantastic views of the skyline, Liberty Island, and you can stop by Staten Island, which is a highly underrated NYC borough. 

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Instead of spending a fortune to ice skate at Rockefeller Center, skate at the less-crowded McCarren Rink in Brooklyn.

McCarren ice skating rink in Brooklyn
McCarren ice skating rink in Brooklyn. Andrew Burton/Getty Images

An adult ticket to skate for an hour-and-a-half at Rockefeller Center can cost between $21 and $65 depending on what time you go, plus $11 for skate rental.

McCarren Rink in Brooklyn is a better option that is both less crowded and cheap. It costs $8 for adults, skate rental is only $5, and you can skate as long as you want. 

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Instead of sharing a frozen hot chocolate sundae at Serendipity 3, have a romantic night at The Chocolate Room.

The Chocolate Room in Brooklyn.
The Chocolate Room. The Chocolate Room

The made-from-scratch treats at The Chocolate Room in Brooklyn are delicious, and the ambiance is much more romantic than that of Serendipity III. Perfect for a birthday or a date, the restaurant is dimly lit and cozy.

If you're not sure what to order, try the brownie sundae and their ice-cream sandwiches. All their cakes — from classic chocolate to chocolate almond — are also delicious. 

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Instead of Midtown Comics, head down to Forbidden Planet for your comics and collectibles.

Forbidden Planet comic book store in NYC
Forbidden Planet. Ben Hider/Getty Images

Midtown Comics may be well known, but its compact location in Times Square can leave a lot to be desired.

Instead, try going down to Forbidden Planet NYC in the Union Square area. Not only is it a whole lot roomier, but they also sell a wide variety of apparel, shot glasses, and figurines, in addition to all the books and comics. Plus, it's just a few doors down from the iconic bookstore The Strand.

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Instead of going clubbing in the Meatpacking District, head to where all the cool kids are in Brooklyn.

House of Yes in Brooklyn.
House of Yes in Brooklyn, New York. Andrew Lichtenstein/ Corbis via Getty Images

The Meatpacking District may be where certain celebrities, big shots, and models hang out, but for the rest of us, it's expensive and you may not even be able to get past the door.

Brooklyn has awesome (and cheaper) bars and nightclubs. There's a wide variety of nightlife, too, from watering holes for cocktail snobs to drunk shuffleboard — we highly recommend the Royal Palms and House of Yes in particular. 

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Instead of Grimaldi's Pizza in Dumbo, head down the street to Juliana's Pizza.

Juliana's Pizza.
Juliana's Pizza. Google Maps

Grimaldi's has slowly become more and more of a tourist trap through the years. Patsy Grimaldi sold Grimaldi's pizza parlor in 1998, but he opened another little pizza place down the street, Juliana's, in 2015.

And while Grimaldi's is tasty, Juliana's is the real gem — its ingredients are fresh and vibrant, the pizza isn't greasy, and they make a truly amazing sauce. It's even been named the best pizza in Brooklyn. Don't forget to try the homemade Brookie deserts (a combination of a brownie and cookie). 

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Instead of seeing sex toys and exhibitionist exhibits at the Museum of Sex, go to a burlesque show at Bathtub Gin.

Bathtub Gin in Brooklyn.
Bathtub Gin. Anna Webber/Getty Images for Bacardi

The Museum of Sex might raise some eyebrows, but, in our opinion, it's underwhelming, crowded, and not worth the price for admission. If you're in the mood for a risqué attraction, make a reservation to see a burlesque show at the speakeasy Bathtub Gin.

Though it looks like a coffee shop in the front, there's a secret speakeasy in the back where crowds come to watch the Wasabassco Burlesque Show on Tuesdays and Sundays. It's a far more entertaining way to spend your evening and it's free (though a tip is highly recommended).

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Instead of going to Times Square, go literally anywhere else.

Crowded Times Square
Times Square is a tourist trap. REUTERS / Stephanie Keith

Seriously — this city is huge with plenty of boroughs, neighborhoods, shops, restaurants, and cultural attractions to explore.

Walk through Times Square if you must, take your pictures, and then never, ever go there again.

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