TRAVEL TIPS
Street Smarts
You'll look and probably feel less conspicuous if you replace paper maps with apps. If you have a smartphone or tablet, download a subway map app from the MTA's website to help you plan your trip (by fastest route or fewest train changes), find nearby stations, and stay up-to-date on service disruptions. Most NYC attractions have their own apps to help you make the most of your time, so download accordingly before you visit. Even better, download just one app—the Fodor's NYC app—for attraction overviews and suggestions of what's nearby.
New York City is a safe metropolis, but it's still a city, so keep flashy jewelry out of sight on the street, and keep your extra cash and credit cards in your hotel safe.
When in bars or restaurants, don't hang your purse or bag on the back of a chair.
Expect to have yourself and your possessions inspected thoroughly in such places as museums, sports stadiums, and major attractions. Police officers reserve the right to check your bags before you pass through a subway turnstile.
We suggest politely ignoring panhandlers on streets and subways, people who offer to hail you a cab, and limousine and gypsy-cab drivers who (illegally) offer rides.
