Tour Without Being a Tourist

Stay in a hostel or a B&B instead of a chain hotel. Ask the people who work there where they like to hang out. Walk around your temporary 'neighborhood.' You will probably find your favorite pizza-by-the-slice place, a friendly bagel vendor, a deli with hundreds of menu items and a -per-plate ethnic restaurant -- all on one block. One highlight is Clinton (formerly Hell's Kitchen). This area has been cleaned up, and the best local fine dining restaurants are at Restaurant Row.

Quick Tips:

Don't be afraid to try something new to eat, like 'Egg on a Roll' for breakfast. After all, you're in New York because you want an experience you can't get at home, right? On that note, try to stay away from franchise restaurants for the same reason. Besides, they're too expensive in New York anyway.

Find a place where you can stop and listen to the street musicians playing or smell the great restaurants at night in Times Square. Visit a fresh fish market in Chinatown. Order a bag of sugar-coated coconut from a street vendor.

New York City is safer than it has been in 30 years! The Times Square area has police everywhere and is very well lit, even late at night. If you want to feel the safest, stay away from unlit or uncrowded areas of NYC and put your cash, credit cards and picture ID in your front pockets, instead of a purse or wallet.

Another word on safety: there's lots to see in NYC, but don't get too distracted. If you stay aware of your surroundings and walk swiftly like the natives, you'll do just fine.

Best Way To Get Around:

Try all the different ways to see Manhattan. Walk around to experience the sights, smells and sounds of the City. Take a bus to see that walking is much faster. :-)

If you really want to get around cheaply and quickly, the subway is the best. It isn't hard to figure out the routes (Manhattan is a narrow island) and the daily or weekly passes cover unlimited subway/bus rides and transfers. The subways have places you can stand while waiting so that you will be seen by the employees and undercover cops, if you're concerned about safety.

Also, don't forget to ride the free Staten Island ferry. You can see the Statue of Liberty, but instead of riding crowded tourist ferries, you'll be hanging out with locals as they're traveling to and from home.

The location is the best -- between Times Square and Clinton (formerly Hell's Kitchen). If you're used to hostels, this one isn't much different than the others.

If you're female, you can request a women's dorm room when you make a reservation, but remind the front desk of your request at check in.

The rooms have no air conditioning, but you can open your window in the summer and/or bring a small fan with you to stay comfortable. The hostel will provide clean sheets and pillows for an extra charge, but you can bring your own bedding, too. As of Summer 2000, rooms were $30 each plus tax, so you can't beat the price. Hopefully, you're not in NYC to live in your hotel room, anyway.

The Aladdin has shared bathrooms on each floor and only one elevator, but two separate stairways. Sometimes it's faster and easier to just take the stairs.

There are lockers on the first floor for an extra couple of bucks. There is also Internet access for around one dollar for three minutes! If you must check your e-mail, you can go to the Visitors Center a couple of blocks towards Times Square. It's free and the lines go pretty fast.

There is a smoking lobby in the hostel, as well as the regular non-smoking one. If you want to meet the international students (the main hostel clientele), you either have to be a smoker or at least be able to handle the smoking lobby because most of them hang out there.

Overall, the experience was very good. It provided a true New York-native feeling that you wouldn't find at a chain hotel. And anytime you want to be pampered, without spending $200+ per night, walk two blocks down to the Marriott Marquis. You can order a cup of coffee in the lounge area and soak in the elegant atmosphere before turning in for the night.

The best deal for an exquisite look at Manhattan is their rotating rooftop restaurant called The View. You don't even have to buy a meal if you just want to go to the top, but it costs five dollars per person. Don't be intimidated by the long lines to the elevators. What may look like an hour wait is probably more like 15 - 20 minutes.

Instead of eating dinner in the dining room (a required $50+ per plate), go for the all-you-can-eat appetizers and dessert for under $20 per person in the lounge. You get the same sensational view and they provide a circular 'map' on the cocktail napkins to help you navigate the famous NY landmarks.

The lounge area is for all ages; there's even a dance floor where both adults and children can hang out.

For those with limited cash who want to experience one night of NYC fine dining, this is the place for you.