New Yorkers are surprisingly hospitable. When approaching from the front make sure to lay hands flat in front of you in a passive position. No really, don't hesitate to ask someone for help if you're lost. Manhattan above Houston Street is on a numbered grid and could not be easier to navigate. Avenues run north-south, streets run east-west. Even streets go east, odds west. Downtown or in the other boroughs (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) use a map.

Jaywalking is the norm in this city. When you come to a street corner you should walk right off it as if you expect to be able to cross the street. But don't expect traffic to slow down or stop for you. New Yorkers tend to walk fast. An average pace is one north-south block per minute; 20 of those blocks make a mile. Crosstown blocks are about 2.5 times as long as north-south blocks.

Not for the meek, but often the best way to get around. Watch out for doors, turning cars (with or without a signal), serious fumes. Cyclists generally obey their own laws, but you can get ticketed for running a red. Cars use bike lanes too. A good lock is a must. The major bridges have bike pathways: Brooklyn Bridge is scenic but crowded with pedestrians. Wear a helmet.

Don't call it the metro. The hundred year old system is the best in the world, open 24 hours a day, and ideal for getting into, out of, and around Manhattan. Many lines have express and local tracks, so make sure the train you board stops at your station. To ride the subway you need a MetroCard, which you can purchase at easy-to-use machines or from human beings at token booths. $2 for a single ride (only available at the machine); a $10 card gets 6 rides ($1.66 per ride); $7 for 1-day unlimited (only worth it for 5 rides or more); $21 for one week unlimited travel. Hopping the turnstyles, once common, now can get you a night in jail.

Two dollars in change or a MetroCard, which you cannot purchase on the bus. You can transfer for free from subway to bus or vice versa. City buses are especially useful for getting across town at 72nd, 59th, 42nd, 34th, 23th, 14th or to hard to reach parts of the outer boroughs. Feel free to ask the driver if the bus stops where you're going.

It's a drag, especially during the day. Even without street closures and protests, driving through Manhattan is one of the sweatiest experiences in the world. By law, seat belts are required in the front seat and hands-free devices are required for cell phones. No right on red unless posted. Do not drink and drive. Yield to pedestrians and bikes.

Street parking in Manhattan during the day is difficult and lots are pricey. Tickets are expensive (over $100) so check the signs. Some regulations are in effect after midnight. The city has "alternate side of the street parking" regulations that require you to move your car from one side of the street to the other to make way for street cleaning. If you're driving to New York, your best bet is to park your car in one of the outer boroughs, near a subway, in a neighborhood with only one day of alternate side parking per week.