New York City Tourist Trap Tips by Electrcrio

Times Square....the lights, the sights, the allure. Sure its the center of New York (and some might say the center of it all) but it is one of the largest tourist traps on the list! I worked in Times Square for 2 years and let me tell you that even at 9 AM there are tons of tourists mulling around looking at the sights. Yes, everyone should visit it but there is just so much going on that it can be a nightmare. The worse times to visit is during the mid day (especially on Matinee Wednesday!) when everyone is exploring and at night between 6 - 8 and then from 10 - 11 PM. Why is that? Because that is the times when the pre and post crowds from the countless plays in the area are wandering about.
And one thing that I seriously tell everyone is do not shop in the stores around the area that are selling cameras and photo equipment. Most of these places are not legit and you will wind up spending much more than what the times really do cost. If you need stuff like that check out B&H Photo (see my review under Shopping)

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At Least Do This: If you are going to visit (which I think everyone should) then you should definitely check it out at night. There is nothing like seeing all the lights at their brightest. If you want a good view check out the bar located in the Marriott Marquis which is on the 12th Floor and over looks Times Square. Also, do catch a play. If you are going to be in town on a certain night book tickets in advance from Teletron and not from a third party broker who will charges you three times as much as the ticket is worth. Or you can also check out the box office of the theatre to see if they have anything available. Also if you don't mind waiting on line and aren't picky about what you want to see try the TKTS booth in the middle of Times Square. You can get seats that are 50% the value for the same day performances.
Alternative: Well, crowds not your style? There are other places to visit that might be less (but not by much) crowded. Check out Rockefeller Center which is a few blocks from Times Square and is pretty neat too. Or do something that more locals do and visit the village. It will have lots of "colorful" people for you to be entertained by and tons of cute shops and nice (and much more affordable) places to eat and drink. Also, if you are in the mood for a play, there are many lower budget off - off - Broadway plays that can be seen downtown. Want to see some real animals while you?re here? Take a trip to the Bronx zoo, which is part of Wildlife Conservation Society. The Bronx Zoo is one of the largest in the United States and is the flagship of the Wildlife Conservation Society. It is a must see if you are an animal love...Don?t want to travel outside of Manhattan? You can always check out the Central Park Zoo which is nice but much smaller. It is also run by the Wildlife Conservation Society.