Fishing Frenzy

For those visiting New York City helpful tips will in handy for everything from local transportation to where to stay and eat and how to visit all the famed attractions in the available time. Of course, it's different strokes for different folks, but some things will be helpful to everyone. For instance, what's the best way to get around in the Big Apple, or what are the top 5 attractions worth visiting in a day.

Local Transport: Most people take cabs from the airport to their hotel, and many complain about being ripped off. There are so many other options, including the New York Airport Service between Manhattan and JFK and LaGuardia airports. Go Airlink shuttles take passengers from Newark to Midtown hotels.

As for moving around within the city, the best choice is to use the subway or take a bus. The same MTA passes can be used on both, and subway maps are easily available everywhere. Of course, it's easier if the hotel is close to a subway station, but it's not essential that it has to be so.

Hotels: This is a very specific matter, and finding a good hotel obviously depends on what type of accommodations the visitor is looking for and can afford. Again, it's not essential that the hotel should be right in Times Square or even in Manhattan. In fact, many visitors these days save a lot of money by staying in a hotel across the Hudson in New Jersey.

It only takes abut 5 to 10 minutes in a ferry to get from there to the tourist attractions in Manhattan. But the hotel rooms in NJ are much cheaper and a lot bigger too. To be noted that some savvy travelers can also use online booking sites and tools to find decent hotels at shockingly low rates in good locations in Broadway and near Central Park.

Meals: This is also something that depends on individual preferences. The problem is that NYC has such a wide variety of local and ethnic dining options and food outlets. Fast food can be found everywhere, and cheap eats can be had in Chinatown and Brooklyn. The tourist-trap restaurants in places like Times Square should be avoided, but don't forget to sample the offerings of some of the famed Little Italy Pizzerias.

Attractions & Tours: It's pretty much impossible to visit and see every attraction in the Big Apple. The easy way to sort it out is to join a tour group or hop on one of the iconic sightseeing buses or double-deckers. A Circle Line cruise wouldn't be a bad idea, and a free trip on the Staten Island ferry would be a good idea too.

The ferry ride and cruise will offer a pretty good view of the Statue of Liberty. As for the rest, the attractions that are on every visitor's itinerary include Central Park, the Empire State Building, Times Square and Broadway, and the MET Museum. This pretty much covers the basic "visiting New York City helpful tips" guide for visitors new to the Big Apple. The important thing to remember is that fast-paced NYC can be confusing for first-time visitors, so it's better to plan for it beforehand.