trebizond

My cousin is visiting the US for the first time and I was hoping to show her NYC. She is coming with x2 kids, 7 and 10 yo.

There have recently been lots of reports of crime escalating in NYC, including in public places, subway, etc.

Do you feel it's still safe for tourists? Subway too? Any ideas how to get around the city efficiently if not using the subway for safety concerns? Is Uber realistic or exorbitant?

azuregirl62

We are going to NYC tomorrow, with a 10 year old, taking Amtrak. All three of us adults will have our heads on a swivel to make sure he stays safe. We are not anticipating any trouble but it always pays to be careful in a big city where random crime is increasing. We will be using Uber a lot, yes it will be relatively expensive but totally worth it for many reasons.

Fra_Diavolo

The greatest danger in NYC right now is errant bicyclists, scooter riders and moped drivers ignoring red lights, one-way streets and the sanctity of sidewalks.

The subway, although plagued with delays, is still the fastest way around town. Stand in the middle of the platform, away from the edge. After eleven pm, take a taxi, NOT an Uber, which is a plague on the face of the earth.

Normal tourist areas are quite safe.

tom_mn

It’s not an exaggeration to say NYC is much safer for tourists than Paris, Rome or Barcelona. Those cities require special precautions, but New York does not.

trebizond

Rome and Barcelona worse than NYC? Are you serious? I knew Paris was getting bad, never knew Rome was...

PrairieHikerI

Pick-pocketing and purse-snatching (and traffic) are about the only things tourists need to worry about in the tourist areas.

robertwinston3516

It's definitely cheaper to use the subway, but since you have such young kids with you, I would suggest using Uber. Yes, the traffic might be hard to stomach, but it is so much better than the stuffy and hot subways (and the situation gets even worse during peak tourism).

If you are making multiple stops in the city, Uber will cost you a lot. You can squeeze in so many other activities with kids for the price of the Uber rides. So definitely take the subway if you are on a budget. Just try to avoid getting on one late at night.

Every big city has a crime rate, and so does NYC. It is a metropolis, with crowded neighborhoods like Downtown Brooklyn and Times Square, and it is true that these areas are infested with pickpockets and bag snatchers.

And since tourists look so out of place, they are more vulnerable than locals, so keep an eye out for your cousin and make sure that everyone is vigilant in congested areas.

Since you want to show them around NYC, why don't you take the kids to the American Museum of Natural History? They will love the ant farms there!

Madam397

Use common sense and be aware of your surroundings. Subway is perfectly fine to use. As another poster has said, stand in the middle of the platform, stay away from the edge and don't bury your head in your phone. If traveling later in the night, take a cab, but most likely with kids you won't be out and about after midnight.

FYI it is well-known and has been for a long time that both Rome and Barcelona are notorious for pickpockets. That said, long time ago, I had my bag pickpocketed on the Madison Avenue bus heading uptown to what was then the Whitney Museum. Called the police and I was told that the Madison Avenue Bus filled with primarily women out shopping and avoiding the subway, was the most heavily pickpocketed bus route in Manhattan.

tom_mn

I went all over NYC on the subway, including to and from LaGuardia with bags. Except for the one time mentally ill person ranting (happens in every city) no concerns whatsoever. Walked everywhere. It’s full of people at all hours.

ekscrunchy

I live there, have lived in Manhattan for decades. Not once have I had any problem with crime or any kind.

I rarely take the subway anymore; prefer the bus....subway platforms are too. hot in summer and too crowded during rush hours. For me.

Avoid Times Square as much a possible unless. you are going to the theater.

Another thing to be careful of is if you are shopping in the department store, keep an eye on your wallet at alll tines, especially on checking out. Big problems with thieves and shoplifters in Bloomingdales' Saks, Macy's, etc.

Agree that for minor crimes against the person (pickpocketing), NYC is far safer than Barcelona, Rome, Venice, etc.....summer is the worst season for all that...crowds of tourists bring out the opportunistic thieves.

Have a great time!@

Also, I take Yellow cabs, rarely UBER. But prices have gone crazy lately....and traffic makes it worse.

StantonHyde

of course it's safe for kids--ask all the families that live there and the kids who use the subway to go to school every day!!!

shelemm

Yes, it is safe and the subway is safe for kids. It's a good experience for them as well. It's an essential part of the NYC experience. And it can be a fast way of getting around. You'd be missing out if you don't take the subway. There are of course times when it's simply much more convenient by cab.

In no subway in the world should you stand at the edge of the platform. Stand back and let people get on and off. The next train might not be the one you want.

mrwunrfl

Nope

"it always pays to be careful in a big city" is true

This.

NYPD Announces April 2024 Citywide Crime Statistics | City of New York (nyc.gov)
Significant reductions achieved in most major crime categories citywide,
continued double-digit decreases seen in vast subway system

AJPeabody

Don't believe Fox and the Murdoch outlets. NYC has half the crime rate of rural America.

jenw5617

Just like traveling to any big city, it's always good to be vigilant and mindful. We were in NYC with our daughter this March and never felt unsafe or less safe than any other city we've visited.

zebec

Some Roman restaurants now include free-to-keep, a sort of clasp-thing that women may use to attach their purses to the backs of chairs.
When Mrs Z was given one such clasp this past spring, we both stared in bewilderment, not at first recognizing that item for what it was.
"Uh...(eyes narrowing) yeah um, grazie...uh GRAZIE MILLIE (looks for hidden cameras)...so uh...great...yeah.......WTF is this? (shrugs with spouse)."

As for Barcelona, we traveled to its annual 'La Merce' fest about a month ago. MASSIVE crowds attended its most popular events and we worried about pickpockets. In one tradition known as the castelers (human towers with the kid atop), crowds were so thick that 'shoulder-to-shoulder' falls short in describing the ordeal. You have no idea. But yet again, no pickpockets that we were aware of.

Afterwards, we laughed at ourselves for having been so paranoid about the evil pickpockets targeting seniors/tourists/marks like us. Same in Paris at the end of the trip.
I am not suggesting that visitors should be careless, but no need to be paranoid. Not once in two weeks in Barcelona did we feel threatened in any way.

OP Treb, we too are planning a trip to NYC in late 2025. So we'll be following your posts in that regard.
Btw, on our first trip together back in '90, to show off to my new girlfriend (now Mrs Z), I jogged non-stop uphill to Sumela monastery in your Trabzon/Trebizond.
I want 10 points plus a sparkly red armband for that.
I am done. The end