This post is all about how to not look like a tourist in NYC.
New York City welcomes somewhere around 60 million tourists every single year. It’s one of the greatest cities on the planet, and I love that it attracts so many people from all around the world.
But after living here for nearly five years, it’s hard not to play this little game of “guess if they’re from New York or not.” I’ve definitely started to pick up on some telltale signs of how to tell if someone is a tourist or a local.
Curious what those things are? I’ll share what they are in this post and give some tips on how to not look like a tourist in NYC (if that’s what you want to do – or embrace being a tourist and that’s totally cool too!).
How To Not Look Like A Tourist in NYC
1. Share the sidewalk
You’ll probably do a lot of walking when you visit NYC so let’s talk about sidewalk etiquette. Sidewalks operate a lot like highways. There’s a left half and a right half. You should always walk on the right half but can pass on the left side (but let’s be real, a lot of New Yorkers drip into the street and cross on the right side).
If you’re walking with a large group of people, it’s natural to fill up the entire sidewalk. Be mindful of people behind you and remember to share the sidewalk!
2. Skip Midtown
Yes, I know it’s where Times Square and the Empire State Building are but unless it’s where your office is, most people in New York avoid going to Midtown as much as possible. If it’s your first time in the city, it may feel exciting and the embodiment of New York energy, but after a while, it begins to feel chaotic and overwhelming.
3. Don’t talk loudly in small spaces
New York is a loud city which sort of makes you think it makes sense to speak loudly, right? Wrong. New Yorkers tend to speak quietly, especially in small spaces like coffee shops and trains. You won’t find many locals taking calls on trains. Be mindful of your noise level. And remember that even though New Yorkers have a cool facade, they’re 100% eavesdropping on your conversation.
4. Don’t wait for the walk sign
Even going to Sunday brunch with friends, New Yorkers are in a rush. You’ll often see New Yorkers being their own traffic directors and crossing streets when it’s not their turn. So it’s a dead giveaway when people are patiently waiting for the light to give them the walk sign. Especially when there is no oncoming traffic. Now I’m all for safety and I’m not encouraging you to do something that doesn’t feel safe. But that’s the way of the New Yorker.
5. Don’t get on an empty train car
Bonus tip: New Yorkers call the subway the train.
And they’ll never get on an empty one.
If you’re visiting the city for the first time, it might feel like your lucky day to have a train car all to yourself, but trust me, there’s a reason. Either there’s no air conditioning or bad smell or bodily fluid…New Yorkers will always skip the empty car.
6. Don’t ask a celebrity for a photo
There’s a running joke that the difference between celebrity culture in New York versus Los Angeles is that nobody in New York cares if a famous person is sitting right next to you at dinner (unless you’re Hailey and Justin Beiber). I personally love that celebrities are able to have their space and live a semblance of a normal life.
You won’t often see New Yorkers approaching celebrities. Maybe they’ll strike up a short conversation if the person seems open to it, but you won’t find locals interrupting a dinner or chasing somebody down the street.
7. Don’t rep your home state on your t-shirt (or wear bright colors)
The stereotypes are true about New Yorkers wearing a lot of black so it’s a big giveaway when someone wears an overly bright color or a flashy shirt or sweatshirt from their hometown.
I realize this pride and loyalty runs deep in greater American culture, but you won’t find much of it in New York City.
8. Don’t make small talk
In some parts of the world, it may seem rude but in NYC, we value speed and efficiency so skip the small talk and get to the point. This applies when you’re ordering pizza, hailing a cab, asking for directions, etc.
This isn’t to say that there is NO small talk, but it’s usually the case when you’re in crowded areas or in a long line.
9. Don’t wear a backpack on your back or a camera around your neck
I mean, these are the biggest signs that somebody is out sightseeing which there’s nothing wrong with. But it immediately communicates to the people around you that you’re not from here.
10. Don’t stare or point
The wildest thing about New York is that you’ll see some crazy thing like an elephant in Times Square but everyone around you is acting like it’s completely normal. It’s kind of funny if you think about it. I promise you the seemingly stone-cold New Yorkers have hearts deep inside and will go to dinner with their friends and tell them what they saw but in the moment, they’ll play it cool.
11. Don’t order a scooped bagel
New Yorkers may go back and forth on whether or not a bagel should be toasted, but one thing everyone is unanimously against is a scooped-out bagel.
For many, bagels are a vessel for cream cheese or sandwich toppings but in New York, bagels are appreciated as the art. Go crazy on your toppings but respect the bagel!
That concludes this post about how to not look like a tourist in NYC.
I hope you enjoyed this post, I’m curious what things you’ve observed about New Yorkers. Let me know in the comments below!