The Real New York is Its Neighborhoods and Its People

For us, the people of Big Apple Greeter, New York City is our home, our passion, our joy. In this section, we’ll show you why we feel this way by writing about places you might want to explore.

Learn about what makes each New York City neighborhood special.

New York City is composed of five distinct boroughs, once separate cities. Though combined into “The City of Greater New York” in the late 19th century, they remain a patchwork of colorful neighborhoods, each with its own history, architecture, ethnic restaurants, shops, and attractions. Enjoy this sampling of our diversity.

Navigating NYC

Getting around New York City may seem daunting. Maybe we can help.

• First of all, New York is a walking city. It’s mostly flat. And going by foot provides you the best views of the life and cityscape around you.

• For speed, subways are your best option. Buses give you views of the street and easier access for those with walking difficulties.

• There are many tools you can download to make it easier to get around. We recommend you install Google Maps and MyMTA on your smart phone to find the best way to get to your destination.

• The transit system is called the MTA. You can buy single- or multi-ride MetroCards at vending machines in all subway stations. Or try the OMNY payment system available at almost all entry points to subways and buses. You can use your phone (Apple Pay or Google Pay) or just tap your credit card if it has the contactless payment symbol on it. (It looks like the WiFi symbol).

• Use the Curb app to request a taxi at your door. You can also hail a yellow NYC taxi anywhere in the city, or a green NYC taxi in parts of Manhattan (north of East 96th Street and north of West 110th Street) and in any of the other boroughs. Uber and Lyft are both available citywide.

• For limousine service to and from the airport, try Carmel.

• NYC has an extensive bike rental system called Citi Bike with stations in all five boroughs.

• There are no scooter rentals in NYC, thank goodness!

• The city has three great ferry systems. On the East River, NYC Ferry has multiple routes serving the Bronx, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. On the Hudson River, NY Waterways has multiple routes between Manhattan and New Jersey. And the Staten Island Ferry offers free travel between Manhattan and Staten Island along with stunning views of the city and Statue of Liberty.

• If you need to park a car in the city, try an Icon garage.

Getting In and Out of NYC

By Train

New York City has 2 main train stations. Penn Station is the major inter-city station serving Amtrak, Long Island Railroad (LIRR), and New Jersey Transit trains. Grand Central Terminal serves the MetroNorth Railroad. Both railroad stations have easy connections to subway lines and other local transportation.

Travelers from Jersey City, Newark and Hoboken, New Jersey, can take PATH trains to lower and mid-town Manhattan.

By Bus

Inter-city busses arrive and depart from the Port Authority Bus Terminal in mid-town Manhattan.

By Air

La Guardia (LGA) in Queens

• From the La Guardia Airport you can take a taxi from the taxi stand, or meet your Uber or Lyft driver at designated pick-up points. Note that in addition to the fare, riders may have to pay for tolls, congestion pricing fees, and other costs.

• There are also limo services which you must reserve in advance. Never take take a limo ride or other ride offered to you by a driver who approaches you at the airport.

• You can take the MTA Bus 70 to Roosevelt Avenue and connect to the E Subway line into Manhattan. You need to pay for your ride at the bus stop at the airport before getting on the bus. Use the same payment option when you enter the subway and you won’t have to pay again. It will take about an hour to get into Manhattan using this method and the total cost is $2.90 per person.

John F Kennedy (JFK) in Queens

• From JFK you can take a taxi from the taxi stand or meet your Uber or Lyft driver at designated pick-up points. Taxis have a flat fare into Manhattan with a surcharge for peak hours. Riders may have to pay for tolls, congestion pricing fees, and other costs.

• There are also limo services if you want to pre-book your pickup.

• The NYCExpressBus takes passengers from the airport to Grand Central Terminal or the Port Authority Bus Terminal. You can make a reservation, and the fare is $19 one way, $35 round trip.

• The A subway line serves JFK and stations in Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan. Take the AirTrain on the Green Line to Howard Beach. Transfer to the A line. The AirTrain/subway takes about an hour and 10 minutes to get into Manhattan and costs $7.75 per person,

Newark (EWR) in New Jersey

• From the Newark Airport you can take a taxi from the taxi stand, or meet your Uber or Lyft driver at designated pick-up points. Note that in addition to the fare, riders may have to pay for tolls, congestion pricing fees, and other costs.

• There are also limo services if you want to prebook your pick-up.

• Newark Airport Express Bus goes to Manhattan, and makes stops at Port Authority Bus Terminal, Bryant Park, and Grand Central Terminal. The fare is $17 one way, $30 round trip. Lower fares are available for children, seniors and active military.

• NJTransit Railroad goes from Newark Airport to New York Penn Station. in Midtown Manhattan. Take the free AirTrain from your airport terminal to the railroad station. The fare is $15.25 one way, $11.25 for children, seniors, active military, and disabled persons. Tickets are purchased from vending machines before entering the station. Be sure to take NJTransit, and not the more expensive Amtrak train., and go to New York Penn Station, not Newark Penn Station.

NYC Subway & Bus Maps