1. "Wow this city is giant!"
New York City is honestly SO BIG and there's no possible way to see it all in one trip. The buildings are huge, the streets are packed, and there are so many people everywhere. It's a giant city, and there's nowhere else like it!
2. "I honestly couldn't live without this Metro card."
If you're traveling in New York City, the subway system is by far the best way to get around. It can be intimidating, but it's really fun once you get the hang of it! Us southern girls aren't used to public transit, so the subway in NYC is definitely an experience to check off our bucket lists!
3. "If there's so much traffic, why do people still drive?"
Seriously. Traffic moves at like 1 MPH, so why do people even try? I feel like you would have better luck taking a train/subway anywhere you needed to go. Plus, NYC has an 18% parking tax which is honestly ridiculous. I don't get it, and I'm sure other Southern girls don't get it either!
4. "Um, no tax on clothing/shoe purchases of under $100? Sign me up!!!"
Coming from the state of Alabama where there's sales tax on literally everything, this was actually a really cool thing to find out! (Fun fact: New York City's sales tax rate is 8.875% AKA lower than most of Alabama's...) You can shop till you drop in Times Square and not have to worry about that extra 8.875%!!!
5. "Can I live here?"
At least once during the day, you'll wonder if you could actually make a life for yourself in NYC. It's a place where countless people have gone to start out in life or start their lives over. Tons of Southern girls dream of living in New York City one day.
6. "Why can't New York pizza just be United States pizza??"
New York pizza is one of the best things about New York! It just isn't the same as Little Caesar's or Domino's. Part of why it's so good could be the experience factor, but I'm not so sure. Either way, it's delicious. (Also, it's a ton better than Chicago "pizza.")
7. "The Brooklyn Bridge is SO beautiful!"
The Brooklyn Bridge is just one of the beautiful things about New York City. It was built in 1883 and is one of the oldest bridges in the United States! It's a great place to hang out and have a beautiful view of Lower Manhattan. (There was actually a wedding on the bridge while I was walking across it!)
8. "Why are there so many people selling things on the street?"
It's not just regular food, either! There are people selling clothes, purses, shoes, souvenirs, smoothies and so much more on the streets! I'm not sure if it's all legal (or real), but you can definitely get some good deals from people on the street.
9. "The Financial District is actually really cool."
The New York Stock Exchange? Federal Hall? Trump Tower? All of those buildings are super close together and the whole area is actually a lot cooler than I thought it would be. There were a lot of things in the area that I had no idea about!
10. "Ugh, so many people are trying to sell me a bus tour of the city. NO THANKS."
How many times do I have to say no? There are so many people working for these companies trying to give bus tours of the city. They're on every corner, I'm convinced. While a bus tour might be cool once, I'm not paying $30 to ride around in a bus with a bunch of strangers seeing things I could see for free on my own. Thanks, but no thanks.
11. "Times Square is literally breathtaking."
Oh, Times Square. I could spend all day in Times Square watching all the people go by. There is so much to do and see in Times Square alone, it's honestly crazy. I can't wait to go back and take in so much more.
