Your vehicle has no place in New York particularly not in Manhattan. Chances are you won't need it at all during your stay, and parking fees alone will drain your budget faster than anything else.
2. Sort out your airport transfer in advance.
Taxis from the airport are costly. But cheaper options exist every airport has an information desk to point you in the right direction. A little research before you fly could land you a shuttle that drops you directly at your hotel for a fraction of the price.
3. Stop underestimating how long things take.
You might stroll through Central Park and think the Natural History Museum, the Met, and the Guggenheim are all a quick detour away. They're not. Each of those museums can easily fill an entire day. Be honest with yourself about what's actually achievable.
4. Take the subway.
It's the single best way to move around the city. Yes, it can be confusing at first but don't let that put you off. New Yorkers are more helpful than their reputation suggests. Just ask.
5. Don't limit yourself to Manhattan.
Coney Island in Brooklyn. DUMBO. The Museum of the Moving Image in Queens. The Bronx Zoo. Manhattan is extraordinary, but it isn't all of New York. The outer boroughs also tend to be far easier on the wallet when it comes to food and shopping.
6. Use every restroom you come across.
Seriously. Go before leaving your hotel. Use the facilities at museums whenever you visit — they're usually excellent. Public restrooms in New York are not exactly plentiful. Don't wait until you're desperate.
7. Plan your meals before you go out.
New York has outstanding affordable food just none of it is anywhere near Times Square. Great Italian exists well outside Little Italy. Brilliant Chinese food can be found far beyond the borders of Chinatown. Look it up the night before.
8. Keep moving on the pavement.
If you need to stop for a photo or to check a map, step to the side first. Stopping dead in the middle of a busy New York pavement is a guaranteed way to frustrate everyone around you and possibly get walked into.
9. Wander off the beaten path.
Some of the best spots in the city sit just outside the most visited areas. Union Square, tucked between Broadway and 14th Street, is a personal favourite two bookshops and a comic store within steps of each other. Stay curious and explore.
10. Don't let old reputations scare you off.
Words like "Harlem," "Hell's Kitchen," or "Lower East Side" might conjure up outdated images but the reality on the ground today is very different. All three neighbourhoods have genuinely interesting things to offer. Go and see for yourself.
Harlem
Lower East Side
Hell's Kitchen