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Voykit pocket guide · United States
New City
New City is a 30-minute drive from Manhattan but offers little for tourists: skip unless you have business or family in Rockland County.
New City is the county seat of Rockland County, a suburban hub with a historic courthouse, a local history museum and a handful of independent restaurants. It has no major sights, no nightlife and no public transport worth relying on. Most travellers use it as a pit stop on the way to Nyack, Stony Point or the Hudson Valley.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- May–Oct
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (cold, grey)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $60–90 excl. bed · Mid $90–150 excl. bed · High $150+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, Fire, Ambulance 911 · Rockland County Sheriff 845-638-5400
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee (diner or cafe) | $2.50–4.00 |
| Pizza slice | $3.50–5.00 |
| Sit-down dinner (main + drink) | $18–30 |
| Beer (bottle at a bar) | $5–8 |
| 5 km (3.1 mi) taxi / ride-hail3.1 mi (5 km) taxi / ride-hail | $12–18 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- JFK · John F. Kennedy International Airport
- About 1 h 15 min by car via I-278 and Palisades Parkway
- LGA · LaGuardia Airport
- About 1 h by car via I-95 and Palisades Parkway
- EWR · Newark Liberty International Airport
- About 1 h by car via I-95 and Palisades Parkway
Typical fares
- New York City (Midtown) → New City by car
- about 45 min, $30–50 tolls and gas (check)
- Taxi from Suffern train station to New City
- about $15–20, 10 min
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Car is essential. No subway, no train station. Taxis and ride-hail are available but sparse. Parking is free and plentiful.
See and do
Known for
- Rockland County Courthouse
- Historical Society of Rockland County
- Kosher and Puerto Rican food
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Nyack | Car via Main St north, about 10 min | 10 min |
| Stony Point | Car via US-9W north, about 15 min | 15 min |
| Suffern | Car via NY-59 west, about 15 min | 15 min |
| Piermont | Car via US-9W south, about 10 min | 10 min |
Sleep
- South Main Street corridor
- Motels and a few chain hotels; walkable to restaurants and the courthouse.
- Route 304 / Route 45 area
- More budget motels, but you need a car.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hello |
| Thank you | Thank you |
| How much is it? | How much is it? |
| Where is the bathroom? | Where is the bathroom? |
| I need a taxi | I need a taxi |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- No train station: the nearest NJ Transit or Metro-North stations are in Nanuet or Suffern.
- Restaurants close early (by 21:00 or 22:00) outside the main strip.
- Sales tax is 8.375% in Rockland County; not included in menu prices.
New City is a low-crime suburban town. The main risk is car accidents on Route 304 and South Main Street; lock your car and keep valuables out of sight.
One and two days
No timed day plan for New City yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Rockland County Courthouse
- Historical Society of Rockland County
- Kosher and Puerto Rican food
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Rockland County Tourism: www.rockland.org/
- Wikivoyage: New City, revision 5020439 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5020439
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
New City
Take me to this address, please
Take me to this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, Fire, Ambulance911
- Rockland County Sheriff845-638-5400
English is the only language you need; Spanish is widely spoken.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/new-city). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.