If you are going to visit the Big Apple someday, there are some things you are gonna want to know before you go — things I wish I would have known before I went! So here are my tips in NO specific order.

If you visit in the Springtime – take a jacket!

I literally froze every day I was there because the 60 degree weather in New York is NOTHING like the 60 degree weather here in KY. I am such a cheapskate that I refused to purchase a $20 “I love NY” hoodie, so I chose to tough it out and freeze. I don’t recommend that.

Try to visit as many free attractions as you can!

Sightseeing attractions in New York can get very expensive. The Empire State Building tour is $23, Ellis Island and Lady Liberty are $21, The museums run in the $20 range to visit, and more. However, you can walk downtown and sight see the buildings and architecture for free, you can visit Central Park and walk around for free, you can see the Statue of Liberty from a distance if you visit Battery Park and that is free as well. There are always ways around super duper fees

Don’t hug a character on the street and get your picture made with them or else you will have to pay

Yeah– I kind of got suckered in to taking a picture with Elmo, but it was fun. This one only cost me $1.00, but some charge $10 and $20 to take pics so ask before you do if it is someone you want to get a photo with. I love Elmo!

Take lots of pics of everything you see. This is something you want to remember forever!

I took like 700 pictures during the time I was there. Had I been able to sight see a little more, I probably would have reached a thousand or more. You can always delete photos but you can never add, and you don’t want to have that feeling of “man, I wish I would have taken a photo of that”.

Last but not least, don’t try to sight see New York all by yourself.

Pictured above L to R (Stacie from Simply Stacie, Jen from 80MPH Mom, and me)

I made some amazing new friends on this journey by sight seeing with new people every day! One thing about New York I learned is that you do not try to go it alone if you are not from there. People pick up on the fact you are a tourist (especially if you are a Southern gal like myself) so always go in groups of three or more!

So now that you have some tips for visiting the Big Apple –Do you think you ever might go?