Is it wise to travel to New York "alone" and see how it's like to live there?

Question

I'm planning to move to New York and want to know if it's wise to travel alone to New York, is it dangerous? Non of my friends want to travel down to New York, they like it in California and don't want to use up their vacation time, so I guess I will be traveling alone.

How much do you think I need in order to stay in New York for about a week? Nothing fancy, just a place to sleep and the resource to see New York as a New Yorker. Thank you for your insight. Also, how's the college there? Is it better then California?

Answer 1

I went to New York for a week by myself in January and loved it. Fortunately for me I had a friend find a good hotel in midtown for me, so it was easy to get around. You can actually go cheap, but I am not sure if this is what you really want. I found airfare and hotel for as little as $700, which surprised me. Until I read the accomidations. It was in a hostel, where you share a room with twenty people and a bathroom with eighty. Okay I think I maybe getting a little over the top there, but I have never seen something like that before. In the end my hotel was only for me with my own private bath (you want to watch for that too, some share bathrooms with other rooms) and I spent $1600. I paid extra for smoking, but I cannot remember if that was $300 or $400. So you could probably pay $1200 to $1300 for seven nights. When getting a room with airfare I always suggest using one of the travel sites such as Expedia and Travelocity. Just make sure you bargain shop between the two since prices can vary between them.
As far as dangerous goes I never felt scared there and the people were extremely polite and helpful when I got lost. I have heard there are still some areas to stay away from, though most of the city is pretty safe now. As for spending money I would suggest having a lot of that (as much as possible), since you will more then likely want to stay in Manhattan and this tends to be more expensive for food and stuff. Getting around can be cheap if you buy an unlimited metro card and use the subways and buses.
As for colleges, once you live in NYC for more then a year you are able to attend the City University of New York (CUNY) for about $1200 a semester. If you go full time. You can check them out the web for more info and the year would give you time to settle into a new city. I hope you enjoy it and your friends do not realize what they are going to lose out on. I have been to Cali and really enjoyed it, but it has nothing on New York.
Future New Yorker

Answer 2

Hi! First of all...it is PERFECTLY safe. I visited NYC alone 4 times before moving there...basically going on scouting trips to see where I wanted to live, work, and the basics. I recommend a hostel if you are not picky as to where you stay...price-wise you can't beat it, and they are perfectly safe. Most of them are pretty nice actually. Get a Metro-card straight off...buy the weekly unlimited and then all your subway/buses are taken care of. And always remember that even going 2-3 blocks in any direction from the main tourist sections are where you can eat, play, and shop MUCH cheaper!!! (^_^) Enjoy...stay safe...and don't worry. NYC is a great place...alone or with others.

Answer 3

Theres nothing wrong with going on a vacation by yourself. ive done it many of times. just makes sure you do your research on where your vacationing to, first, and have like a map of places you want to go. mapquest is what i use. other then that, EVERY place has its good sides and bad sides, so i wouldnt worry about the danger. and as far as money goes, ive heard many times that New York City is overpriced, very expensive. so i think that if it was me and i wanted to stay in New York for a week like you was sayin, id have to save at LEAST $1000 to fully enjoy your trip. hell maybe even more then that, cuz like i said, New York is EXPENSIVE. but id like to go there myself, so take a chance, see what its like. dont want to have any regrets about not goin.

Answer 4

I live in New York City (BRONX)
If u satying in New York for About a week i say about 500$.

If u go stay a Hotel in Lower Manhattan around Ground Zero, because it is safer by there. Go to the Statue Of Liberty,Time Sq, the Empire State Building, the lobby of the Chryler Building, go to Central Park. take a cabbie to W.181 street w/ Broadway and eat at the biggest Mcdonald in manhattan. go to teh Hudson River Park. Visit the Little Red Light, take the 59th street bridge trams. walk across Warts Island Bridge, and the Brklyn Bridge

College
My cousin in Law goes to Saint Johns Uni. It's great, it's in Queens! there is also one in Uptown Manhattan around W.184th Street but i think it's only for jews. . .

Answer 5

No. the call of the city does no longer make any distinction in any respect. Are you joking? First, you are able to no longer artwork interior the U. S. as a resident alien without a artwork enable. which will take ninety days to get and you will prefer greater effective than a centred visitor's visa to get it.

Answer 6

I spent a week there last year, just wandering around on my own.
It's a great place and I met some lovely people.
I've felt more at risk in some supposedly 'sleepy' towns.

Edit: can't remember how much I spent, but it's cheaper than London ;)

Answer 7

Very expensive.