New Yorkers don’t have the same type of hospitality as those from the South. If you’re in Tennessee, you’d be able to say hello to someone you don’t even know, and they’d say hello right back to you. If you said hello to a random New Yorker, they’d probably look at you like you were crazy. But that’s okay… that’s part of what gives New York its charm.

When visiting New York, it’s best to experience it as group. You definitely take in everything the city has to offer, but there’s just something about exploring a city for the first time with people you know. A trip to New York is the perfect opportunity to round up your sorority/fraternity members, contact your church group, and even reach out to your bowling team! Get everybody together to explore the city!

Thinking Like a New Yorker: 3 Dos and Don’ts of Visiting New York for the First Time

Now before you all embark on this trip, everyone needs to do their research on the ways, and the ins and outs of New York/New Yorkers… and if you have to, fake it til you make it! Everyone knows that any, and everything up North is unlike any other, so it will be quite helpful for everyone to brush up on new York etiquette, if you will. Check out the dos and don’ts for visiting New York for the first time.

Do Not Stop Walking in the Middle of a New York Sidewalk

Whether you’re walking around in New York, or walking in the mall, when someone in front of you just stops in the middle of their tracks, it can cause a human collision. You’ll run into the back of that person, the person behind you will run into the back of you, and so on, and so forth…

Thinking Like a New Yorker: 3 Dos and Don’ts of Visiting New York for the First Time

New York is known for its traffic right? Well you have to think of their sidewalks the same exact way. There’s not too many people that drive in New York, so your group will need to look at the sidewalks as busy streets, or interstates, and use the same type of driving etiquette, but with walking.

Thinking Like a New Yorker: 3 Dos and Don’ts of Visiting New York for the First Time

If a car needs to stop on the interstate, you don’t just stop in the middle of the road… you pull over to the side. Apply that same logic with walking… just walk to the side to stop (this is the do part). A true New Yorker would let you know to not do that as soon as it happens.

Do Not Rent Multiple Cars for Transportation

For a large group, it would be ridiculous to rent multiple cars to get everyone to the different attractions. What you can do is rent a bus. Calculating bus rental costs for large groups is something that you would need to have in place before the trip began. That way, everyone attending would be able to budget that into their overall cost of the trip.

Thinking Like a New Yorker: 3 Dos and Don’ts of Visiting New York for the First Time

When visiting New York, everyone wants to see the Statue of Liberty, take selfies in Times square, and walk in Central Park. Splitting up, and renting multiple cars would financially be silly… plus renting a bus allows everyone to experience it together!

Do Not Eat at Chain Restaurants

An unforgivable sin for people visiting New York for the first time is to go to a chain restaurant. What you can do is, when your group takes this trip, be sure to let them know, that the only food everyone will be eating is authentically New York.

Thinking Like a New Yorker: 3 Dos and Don’ts of Visiting New York for the First Time

I mean why would you want to eat mcDonalds, when you can eat at the Shake Shack. Some people’s taste buds have grown so accustomed to the chain flavors and textures of food, that they overlook the true authenticity of flavors from mom and pops type restaurants.