First Time in New York: 10 Things That Will Strike You

Heading to New York for the first time? Here are 10 things that will leave a lasting impression. New York knows how to amaze its visitors!

1/ Building Heights

New York is unquestionably the skyscraper capital of the world. While the Eiffel Tower stands as Paris’s highest point at 300 m (984 ft), even modest buildings in Midtown or the Financial District exceed 300 m (984 ft). They go much higher still—up to 381 m (1,250 ft) for the Empire State Building and 541 m (1,776 ft) for One World Trade Center, the tallest building in North America.
Climb to the observation decks of the Empire State Building and One World Trade Center for views that feel like you’re flying above the city. Also consider heading to the top of Top of the Rock: the building itself is only 260 m (853 ft) tall, but the views are spectacular.

If you’re coming from a European city, you’ll immediately notice New York’s rigid grid of streets intersecting at right angles. This creates endless vistas down the avenues. Don’t try to walk the entire length of an avenue on foot—your shoes will give out before you reach the end.
In New York, distances are measured in “blocks”—the number of city blocks between two points. See our article on blocks in New York. For streets with a more European feel, head south of Houston Street to Downtown.

If you’re coming to New York seeking absolute silence, cancel your trip now. New York is the opposite. The city never sleeps, and noise is relentless: traffic, sirens from fire trucks and police cars, crowds on Times Square at all hours of the day and night. Even from the top of buildings, you’ll hear the constant hum of the city with thousands of air conditioning units running nonstop.
You’ll find that the sound of New York is often the first thing you miss when you get home.

Another thing that strikes first-time visitors to New York is the incredible flood of taxis flowing through the avenues and streets. There are exactly 13,587 taxis in service in New York, according to the total number of licenses issued by the city.
The fact that all New York taxis are the same bright yellow color reinforces this impression. That color has become synonymous with New York itself. What would New York be without its yellow cabs? Read our articles on yellow taxis and green taxis.

In Europe, restaurants often serve modest portions. In New York, it’s the opposite: portions are enormous, and first-time visitors are often caught off guard. You order an appetizer, main course, and dessert, and when the appetizer arrives, you realize you may have a problem finishing the meal—it’s so generous.
Here’s something to know: in New York, there’s no problem asking for a “box” to take home the pizza or cake you didn’t finish. Just remember that Americans don’t say “doggy bag”—they call it a “box”.

Of all the things that strike you when you arrive in New York, this is perhaps the most noticeable: the feeling that you’ve already seen the place in a film or TV series. New York hosts more film and television productions than any other city in the world, so you see it everywhere.
The Brooklyn Bridge, the Empire State Building, Central Park, Fifth Avenue, and Greenwich Village appear in countless films and series. Check out 10 films to watch before you go to get in the mood. Also visit our section on film in New York.

Loving New York doesn’t mean you can’t be critical! 🙂 The New York subway is something that will strike first-time visitors: unlike Paris, Lyon, or Marseille, most of New York’s subway network is aging, with stations that look like they haven’t changed since the system opened in the early 1900s.
After a while, you get used to it, and the subway becomes part of New York’s charm. Okay, I’m in love with New York again.

Contrary to what you might think, New York is more than just buildings and endless avenues. You’ll discover genuine neighborhood life in the Upper West Side, the East Village, and Brooklyn.
The best example is Greenwich Village: as you walk through this neighborhood in the heart of Manhattan, you won’t feel like you’re in one of America’s largest cities. You’ll experience a village atmosphere instead.
You’ll also notice that every neighborhood in New York has its own park, and New Yorkers love to picnic or relax there. New York is also a village.

You’ll quickly feel the infectious energy that drives New York. On a weekday morning, walk through Wall Street and the Financial District to sense the financial power of New York.
On weekends, settle into Central Park to watch New Yorkers jogging, rollerblading, or playing baseball. New York never stops, and it will give you an incredible energy boost! 🙂

After a few days, once you’ve adjusted to life in New York, you’ll likely feel the urge to stay. This is a phenomenon that affects many visitors to New York, unlike those visiting Madrid, Berlin, or Prague.
How do you explain this? In my opinion, it’s probably simply the result of the 9 points above! 🙂 What do you think? Join the conversation on the New York forum or the Destination New York Facebook group!