Long lines at the Empire State Building

New to New York? Time limited and you want to see as much as you can while still getting a real flavor for the city? Then there are a few activities and sites worth avoiding.

• Neither take a yellow cab or a “pedi-cab.” Only tourists take the price gauging pedal-pushing, wallet-emptying gimmicky form of New York transportation; while taxis in New York may seem convenient, but in order to get through the insane New York traffic, they may give you a heart attack. Therefore, get underground and take the beloved subway. Get there fast, get there safe, and still have some money left to actually have some fun on the other end of the ride.

• Did someone suggest visiting the Empire State Building? Well, don’t. Not unless you find long lines-five to be exact-and hard sells of stupid products like a “3-D ride over the city or an “express ticket” as some kind of fun. Consider going to the Rainbow Room instead. Trek on over to Rockefeller Plaza, 65th floor, order a drink, sit back, and for the same $20 you would have spent waiting on line at the Empire State Building, admire the exact same view.

• Dreaming of a romantic ride on one of those lovely horse-drawn carriages through Central Park? Well, you better dream of something else. The rides are nothing like what you might imagine. The horse will have no get up and go, you will travel on the same well-worn paths with little interest, the driver will talk about things of little interest, and you will spend most of the time staring at the back of the carriage in front of you.

We recommend waking up with the sun and strolling through the beautiful Central Park with your bestest friend for a real, romantic moment. Forget the overpriced horse and get real.