These are some essential travel tips when it comes to visiting New York City as a solo woman.

I first moved to New York City when I was eighteen, right after I came home from South Korea. I was supposed to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology for four years (it turned into three, and COVID happened right in the middle of it), and when I was 20, I moved back home to Baltimore.

However, because of my degree and connections from FIT, I ended up getting multiple jobs with local companies and nonprofits here in NYC. While working remotely, I had to go up to the city at least once a month sometimes, trying to get the cheapest Megabus tickets as possible. Because I knew people, I’ve never paid for a place.

But throughout my time in the city, it has become a second home. I mainly spend time in Brooklyn and Queens, and if I ever moved back, it would be to Queens. I love that borough from the bottom of my heart. That said, I’ve learned quite a few tips about safety, especially because I always go around by myself.

Here’s some wisdom for travelers, especially women in the city.

Don’t always use headphones when walking down the street—or don’t play audio.

This might actually be an unpopular opinion, but I don’t suggest wearing headphones sometimes, and if you do, then don’t play music or audiobooks while walking, especially at night in some neighborhoods. I’m very big on self awareness, especially at night.

Personally, I never walk around with headphones in New York, but they are a great method in deterring men from hitting on you. Due to the nature of my work, I often get home anywhere between 10 and 12 AM at night, which means I’m walking on empty streets in Brooklyn by myself.

There’s no way I would listen to music by myself, especially considering it takes aware your awareness. Some people become completely oblivious when they do this, and I want to know if someone is coming up right behind me. I’ve never had anything happen in NYC, but it helps to be cautious.

Keep your bags close on the subway, and check that you have them when you’re getting off.

It’s actually amazing how many people I know who’ve left their purses on a subway car before, losing all of their stuff. While some have been given back to the kindness of a stranger, others were tough out of luck, their bag never to be seen again. Put a hand on it on your way out to make sure you didn’t leave it on there.

My favorite bag to use in the city is the UNIQLO crescent bag. I know BAGGU has a similar bag, but it helps when you don’t plan on shopping a lot to have a lightweight bag that isn’t on your shoulder.

My boss, who is a native New Yorker, always has her guard on and tells me to put my bag in my lap with arms over it. She remembers when the city was a lot more rough than it is now, and the one time I did set my bag down on a platform with groceries, a guy tried to swipe it. We screamed at him and got it back, but he certainly tried to get it.

All of this boils down to awareness again. Know your surroundings and the situation.

Study the route before you start moving—you’ll be more alert going through it.

People get annoyed in New York when tourists clog up the sidewalks, stopping to look at their phones and direction that will lead them to where they want to go. When I want to go somewhere, I look up the crossroads in Manhattan (i.e, 46 and 7), the train I need to take (if needed), and the direction to go into. Check to see the dot is moving in the right way, then go right ahead to navigate.

Something to remember about Manhattan specifically is that it is is a grid. Right to left means the numbers will increase/decrease, and up/down is a different kind of increase/decrease. If you’re going north, the numbers go up. If you’re going to the western side of town, the numbers will go up to 8th Avenue, 10 Avenue, etc.

Walking is one of the best ways to see the city and its people.

While the subway in itself is such an experience, I find that the best way to understand New York is to put on a comfortable pair of shoes and walk through it. If the walk is less than an hour and I have the time, sometimes I will walk thirty blocks to get to where I need to be. One time I walked half of Manhattan just for fun, too.

Another time I had three hours to burn before a Broadway show, so I walked around Times Square and Hell’s Kitchen for a while. During this walk I saw so many interesting things, from musicians performing to restaurants to check out during my next trip to the city.

If it’s hot or cold out, though, I’d take the subway. Sometimes the weather makes it not worth it.

I once met a woman at work who told me she wouldn’t live anywhere else in New York because every time she steps outside she finds something new and interesting to see and do. I’m starting to see that when I walk through the city for sure, especially as I’m basically a part-time New Yorker.

Take some moments to relax, sit in a park, and enjoy the natural beauty of a chaotic city.

Some tourists find themselves feeling pressured to check off all of the things on their must-see list, which I totally get! Travel is expensive, and we don’t know when we’re going to be back to the places we visit in the world.

But in New York especially, it’s great to find a random little park, sit down, and just people watch. Maybe it’s for fifteen minutes, or an hour. I recommend bringing a book and watching the world around you in these kinds of moments, letting yourself think about what you’re experiencing.

Maybe the next time you’re walking through town and have some time to spare, take a seat at Bryant Park, or the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, and just take it all in. There’s so much more than the tourist adjacent things, and a lot of people don’t realize how beautiful other aspects of New York are when it comes to mindfulness and simple living.

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