How do you get around n NYC? I mean directions wise. How do you know which way your going?

Question

Can you go into depth, please? I would like to go to college there but the street signs and the East and West all that seems SO CONFUSING!!!! Thanx a lot!

Answer 1

The answer is ok but i would add:

"Avenues" run North to South, "Streets" East to West, (this kinda breaks down south of 14th Street).  Also, "Street" numbering starts at Fifth Ave, so the higher the number the farther away from Fifth ave the address is.  

Answer 2

Below 4th St. the grid system dissapates as you enter the oldest settlement of Manhattan (before the street plan of 1811). If you find yourself lost down there utilize the time of day and sun's position in the sky to orient yourself in the right direction and continue until you hit one of the main thoroughfares.

Answer 3

If you were standing at the southern tip of Manhattan (South Ferry) and looked northward (away from the Statue of Liberty), the west side of Manhattan would be to your left, the east side to your right.

In general anything to the left of 5th Av (starts around 4th St) is West and to the right is East.  5th Av is considered the dividing line.

Get yourself a street map of Manhattan (Hagstrom makes good ones) and look it over so you can get an idea of how the streets are laid out.

After a while it won't seem so confusing.

Answer 4

how do you get around your own hometown? do you know which way you're going to visit your friends, family, etc.?

NYC is no different from anywhere else in the world, except on a much larger scale. you just have to learn the rules of and get used to our geography. it really isn't confusing at all; in fact, our various grid systems throughout the city's boroughs make it almost "idiot-proof".

here's a tip for Manhattan only: every number street (not avenue) is either an "East" or a "West", so "East 4th Street" is a different street from "West 4th Street". there is no such thing as just "4th Street". in my job i constantly run into people who decide that the "East" or "West" isn't important enough to include when giving their addresses, and it causes me extra work...

Answer 5

Generally speaking the traffic on odd numbered streets go west.  On avenues it is a little trickier for north-south, but Second, Lexington,Fifth and seventh always go southward, while First Third madison and sixth go north.  That should help a little.

Downtown trains are on the eastern side of the avenues.

One more thing.  Fifth Ave is the East-west divider, so if you know that you are west and the building numbers are increasing, you are moving further west.  Avenue numbers always increase to the north.