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Is NYC safe for tourists? If you believe everything the news and social media tell you, you may be concerned about safety in New York.
But as a native New Yorker, I’m here to tell you that the city is completely safe for travelers – as long as you use common sense and keep a few tips in mind, you’ll be fine!
(Also, don’t miss reading my list of common NYC tourist mistakes to avoid!)
Here’s what you need to know now about safety in NYC:
1. “Dangerous” areas are not where tourists go
Every city has its sketchy neighborhoods, but these aren’t usually areas where tourists go.
Most tourists in New York stay in Manhattan, below 96th Street, and in Brooklyn’s waterfront neighborhoods like Williamsburg, DUMBO and Brooklyn Heights, which are directly across from Manhattan.
These areas are completely safe. As a tourist, it is highly unlikely that you will ever find yourself in a neighborhood with a higher crime rate, such as Brownsville, Brooklyn or the South Bronx, because there simply isn’t much for tourists to do in these areas.
2. Isolated crimes occur, but are rare
If you listen to sensational news reports or social media posts, you may think that New York is a crime-ridden city where you can’t walk down the street without being robbed or attacked.
The truth is that most crimes are still isolated incidents.
While it’s factually true that crime in New York has increased since 2020, it’s still not at a rate that should make you feel unsafe — and crime in the city is still lower than it has been historically.
3. Don’t be afraid to take the subway
Many tourists are afraid to take the subway in New York, and that really shouldn’t be the case.
Taking the subway is a lot more efficient (and cheaper) than taking a taxi or Uber.
But a few tips: stay alert on the metro platform and on the train itself. Hold on to your belongings securely, especially during rush hour when it is busy.
Oh, and never get on an empty subway, it’s empty for a reason.
4. Be aware of your surroundings at all times
If you walk around New York clueless or not paying attention to your surroundings, you are more likely to become a target for a crime like pickpocketing.
Stay aware of your surroundings at all times.
Don’t walk down the street staring at your phone or looking visibly lost. If you’re not sure where you’re going, take a moment to step aside or enter a nearby store to get your bearings.
5. Keep your belongings close
In addition to being alert and aware of your surroundings, you should also keep a close eye on your belongings at all times.
You don’t have to do anything extreme like wearing a money belt or one of those travel scarves with a hidden pocket (that’s a bit of an overkill), but you should just take basic precautions like not keeping your wallet in your back pocket or walking around with a handbag that is unzipped.
Sometimes you may find yourself in a crowd and you need to be extra vigilant about your belongings as they provide good cover for pickpockets.
6. Don’t walk alone in unfamiliar areas at night
This is common sense advice for any city in the world, but you shouldn’t walk around unfamiliar areas alone at night in New York.
Most of New York is completely safe to walk around at night; After all, it is the city that never sleeps, and many neighborhoods are lively all day long with lots of other people walking around.
Some neighborhoods and streets Doing At night it can look a bit deserted, so avoid walking around alone where possible.
7. Avoid Central Park at night
Another area to generally avoid at night is Central Park.
The park is completely safe during the day (and sandwiched between some of New York’s safest neighborhoods, the Upper East Side and the Upper West Side), but you shouldn’t walk through it at night because it’s technically closed and many parts of it park becomes empty and deserted at night.
If a crime happens in Central Park, it will certainly happen at night.
That said, the southern end of the park closest to Midtown is in a tourist area and there will often be people in that part of the park, even at night, and it is well lit as well.
You just want to avoid wandering down random dark paths at night.
8. Know the most common tourist scams so you can avoid them
Tourist scams are easy to avoid in NYC. In short, you should be overly suspicious of someone who is way too friendly or helpful or tries to give you something “for free.”
- Don’t be afraid to walk past these people and ignore them; that’s what New Yorkers do.
- Don’t take photos with the characters in Times Square (they will ask you for money afterwards).
- Never play street games such as three card monte or the shell game (you shall lose your money.)
- Ignore people who aggressively try to get you to sign a petition or contribute to a fundraiser (it’s fake).
- Beware everyone who approaches you on the street (they are probably trying to scam you.)
In short, be smart and avoid falling prey to scams.
9. Try to blend in as much as possible
Finally, you should try to blend in with New York as much as possible to avoid drawing attention to yourself. Honestly, it’s pretty easy to spot a tourist in NYC no matter what.
But there are things you can do to make sure you don’t stand out. To start, walk quickly and purposefully, and whatever you do, don’t stop and block the center of the sidewalk.
When it comes to clothes, avoid fanny packs and flip-flops, but other than that, it’s New York and anything goes. Whatever you wear, you’ll be far from the crazily dressed person in town.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, and not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.
