For two years running, my Mom has come up for Delaware to New York City for her birthday. I guess now you can call it a tradition. This year, we decided to be super touristy and take both a bus and boat tour of Manhattan. I would absolutely recommend the boat tour or at least taking a boat cruise around the Hudson River (which I plan to try next). However, the bus tour was at best okay. Even as a tourist you see most of the places walking anyway and the tour guide was super annoying. What I liked most about the boat tour is that you could see the city from a whole new prepective and get see the Statue of Liberty up close at sunset.
Being a city girl isn’t always easy, the rents are high, the crowds are crazy and sometimes it’s impossible to find a cab. Luckily, there are apps that can make city life a little easier. Here are my go-to apps that if you don’t have already, you should totally download.
1. HopStop:
In spite of the fact that I’ve lived in NYC for almost five years now, I still use HopStop at least once a week to find the best ways to get places on the subway. This amazing app providing subway and bus directions along with maps for over 140 cities around the world, always keeps me sane while commuting. It even accounts for route changes and construction.
2. Hotel Tonight:
For the spontaneous traveler, Hotel Tonight is a dream come true. Starting everyday at noon, Hotel Tonight lists unsold rooms for purchase the night of at a fraction of the price. To get the best deals, check the app as close to noon as possible as the cheapest rooms tend to fill up first.
3. YPlan:
In cities like New York, there’s often so much to do, that’s is hard to decide what to do on a night out. As tonight’s going out app, YPlan was created by a team of entertainment experts who believe that the best nights are unplanned. This app allows you to browse through a curated short list of the top events of the night where you can book your evening out in two taps.
4. Candy Crush Saga:
With its pretty colors and challenging puzzles, Candy Crush has become one of the most popular apps. I often a look around the subway and notice that over half of the people in my subway car are playing Candy Crush. Though it has caused me to miss my subway stop a couple times, I find Candy Crush a huge form of relaxation because it gives you something to focus one aside from the often overwhelming city. Plus, these’s no better way to start your day than passing a level of Candy Crush on your way to work.
5. Uber:
Thanks to Uber, every city dweller can now have their own private driver. Instead of trying to catch a cab on a rainy night or walking to the subway in heels, simply request an Uber to take you door to door. The app offers cashless clear pricing that includes tip. They even let you know exactly when your driver in on their way, send you a photo of the driver previous to pickup and give you the option to split the fare.
