Posts by Hunter DeVries

Macy's Herald Square view taken from the Empire State Building

40 Best Free Things to Do in New York City | Part 5

By Hunter DeVries

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 31. Macy's Herald Square (Historic Wooden Escalators) Address: 151 W 34th St, New York, NY 10001 Even if shopping isn’t your thing, Macy’s Herald Square is worth…

Aerial view of the New Yorker Hotel with its iconic red rooftop sign surrounded by dense Midtown Manhattan skyscrapers in New York City.

40 Best Free Things to Do in New York City | Part 4

By Hunter DeVries

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 5 24. Roosevelt Island Address: Roosevelt Island, New York, NY 10044 Roosevelt Island is one of the most underrated free escapes in New York City. Once you’re on the…

40 Best Free Things To Do in New York City | Part 3

By Hunter DeVries

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 4 | Part 5 17. Elizabeth Street Garden Address: 209 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10012 Elizabeth Street Garden feels like stumbling into a secret European courtyard tucked…

bethesda terrace at central park in new york city

40 Best Free Things To Do in New York City | Part 2

By Hunter DeVries

Part 1 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 11. Irish Hunger Memorial Address: 290 Vesey St, New York, NY 10281 The Irish Hunger Memorial in Lower Manhattan is one of the most emotionally powerful hidden…

Panoramic black-and-white view of the Manhattan Bridge and New York City skyline from across the water

40 Best Free Things to Do in New York City | Part 1

By Hunter DeVries

1. Rooftop View at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library Address: 455 5th Ave, New York, NY 10016 If you want one of the best free skyline views in Manhattan without buying a cocktail or observatory…

The Empire State Building glowing golden at sunrise above the Manhattan skyline — the view from Top of the Rock that precedes a proper NYC brunch day

Brunch in New York City Is a Way of Life — Here’s the Spot That Lives Up to the Hype

By Hunter DeVries

Brunch in New York isn't just a meal. It's a ritual. For people in their 20s and 30s especially, brunch is treated like a weekly ceremony. Saturdays and Sundays revolve around it. Plans are made…

People walking briskly through a building interior in New York City — capturing the constant movement and collective flow that defines daily life in NYC

Why New York Is the Opposite of Every Other U.S. City

By Hunter DeVries

How NYC Breaks the Rules Most American Cities Follow Most American cities are built around comfort, convenience, and predictability. New York City is built around movement, density, and adaptation…

Looking down Wall Street at Nassau Street with the New York Stock Exchange's neoclassical columns and American flags visible on the right, pedestrians filling the street below

What’s Actually Inside the New York Stock Exchange?

By Hunter DeVries

You've seen it in movies — screaming traders, ringing bells, chaos on the trading floor. But what's actually inside the New York Stock Exchange? The reality is both more controlled and more historic…

Montauk Point Lighthouse perched above the ocean on the eastern tip of Long Island, New York, on a clear day

Walking the Hamptons: Why Montauk Feels Like New York’s Wild Edge

By Hunter DeVries

When people talk about the Hamptons, they often picture manicured estates, exclusive beach clubs, and summer crowds. Montauk tells a different story. Located at the very tip of Long Island, Montauk…

Bartender pouring a whiskey cocktail at a dark bar counter — tipping bartenders 20% or more is standard NYC etiquette

NYC Tipping Etiquette: The Real Guide for Restaurants, Bars, Taxis & More

By Hunter DeVries

Tipping in New York City is not optional, experimental, or symbolic — it is part of the city's economic structure. Visitors often underestimate how deeply tipping is embedded into service work across…