New York: Insider Tips From Locals

3:16 pm  |  05.10.2021

Are you looking for insider tips for New York? Tips for the city that never sleeps as the saying goes? Everything you need is here.

Red Hook


Red Hook is a neighborhood in Brooklyn that is not that easy to get to by public transport. That’s why it doesn’t feel so much like New York. It’s pretty convenient to get to thanks to UBER and Lyft.

In the former Red Hook harbor district, you will find a few great restaurants, bars and also get a great view of the Upper Bay in Manhattan including a view of the Statue of Liberty.

Hometown BBQ: Best food in Brooklyn, the line at the entrance is often long, it’s definitely worth it.

Abandoned Underground Station Under the Town Hall

Do you know the hidden New York subway station under City Hall? Hardly any tourist knows one of the most beautiful stations. Quite a few locals have never been here either.

The station was closed in late 1945 but is still accessible. Crazy, right? A lost place in the middle of Manhattan is hard to imagine. However, you will only come to the abandoned subway station as part of a tour.

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You can only book the tour on the New York Transit Museum website. The tour is only for members, but then free. You have to take out a 1-year membership here.

Abandoned subway station New York City Hall

Note: You shouldn’t stay seated. But some do. Take the green line 6 from Central Park Downtown. Sit at the end of the line (despite the announcement) and go uptown again. Then the subway practically turns and passes the station under the City Hall.

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Independent Rapid Transit Company 


The tracks run under the town hall building and the adjacent park. In this sketch, it’s easier to see how the 6-way line makes its 180-degree turn while express trains can travel south through downtown and into Brooklyn.

Food Hall Under the Plaza Hotel

Would you have thought that there is a large eating area in the basement of the Plaza Hotel? If it’s cold outside and the weather is bad, your hunger will be satisfied here.

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Smorgasburg Food Market

Where are the foodies? Would you like a change from Chelsea Market or the other food spots? Then visit the Smorgasburg Food Market.

The market has become so popular that there is also a weekly offshoot in downtown Los Angeles.

The street food market is always on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

There are over 100 stands that have to be applied for and checked to see whether the quality and uniqueness are right.

Address: East River State Park: 90 Kent Ave at N. 7 Street.

Speakeasy Bars

The speakeasy bars date from the prohibition era when alcohol was banned. These bars are pretty mysterious. One of them is the PDT. More follow without much explanation because you have to find out for yourself.

Please Don’t Tell (PDT)

So-called secret bars are a real insider for city trips. The “Please don’t tell” bar is a real insider tip.

Enter the Crift Dogs hot dog shop and find the phone booth inside. Go into the phone booth, pick up the receiver, and talk to the landlady. A bar employee will open the secret door in the phone booth for you.

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He asks for your phone number. As soon as a seat is free, you will receive a message on your mobile phone and you must have entered the bar within 10 minutes. Otherwise, it’s the next person’s turn. At the weekend you may have to wait several hours. Here, too, it is worth waiting.

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Photography in New York: Skyline Views

Every tourist knows the most famous viewpoints in Manhattan’s Rockefeller Center, Empire State Building, One World Observatory, and Edge Observation Platform at Hudson Yards.

Pier 1 in Brooklyn Bridge Park – great views of Lower Manhattan and the Financial District.

At Pier 1 in Brooklyn, you can stare at the Lower Manhattan skyline for hours. The most beautiful location to photograph the Financial District with its numerous architectural masterpieces.

Brooklyn Brewery

For many, the Brooklyn Brewery is probably no longer an insider tip. A long line often forms here shortly after opening. The beer is becoming more and more popular and is now also available in selected locations in Germany.

Katrin also revealed that the New York Pass includes a free tour of Brooklyn Brewery. So buy the pass, it will really save you a lot of money if you want to visit the sights in New York. 

Address: 79 N 11th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11249

Relaxing in Brooklyn Bridge Park

Another great park to relax in is Bryant Park with the great Le Carrousel with 14 traditional circus animals on the French-style carousel. There are also chess boards in case you want to compete with locals.

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You can also find chess boards in Washington Square Park. This is the place that was once a swamp, then a public place of execution, a burial place for victims of yellow fever, and a military parade ground. Today, Park is the unofficial campus garden for NYU students.

Filming Locations in New York

New York is quite a popular filming location for movies and TV series. The number of days of shooting per year is between 30,000 and 40,000 per year. The probability of running into a film crew is therefore not that small.


Look out for film crews and “no parking signs”. These often even state the project for which a street or even an entire block of houses was closed.

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