I will never drive in NYC. I lack the confidence and skill, and I doubt that I’ll ever have the guts to weave through NYC streets with the precision of a seasoned yellow cab driver. So, that being said, here are my favorite ways to get around town. (And not only does relying on public transportation keep you and your car safe, you also save money and help the environment. Win-win!)

The Subway
Subway rides are $2.25 for a one-way trip. With a Pay-Per-Ride MetroCard, you can get a discount if you purchase $8 or more on your card. In addition, you may be eligible for free transfers, and the card is refillable. However, if you plan on staying in the city for a while and taking the subway all over town, consider getting an Unlimited Ride MetroCard.

There are different types of Unlimited Ride cards available. The Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) offers everything from a 1-Day Fun Pass starting at $8.25 to a 30-Day Unlimited Ride pass for only $89. For vacationers, grab a 7-Day Unlimited Ride MetroCard for only $27. It’s a steal.

The Bus
Your MetroCard can be used for MTA bus rides, too. Local rides in NYC are $2.25 (the same price as a subway ride). Bus schedules are available on the MTA website, but you can also map out your bus route (and other public transportation routes) using Google Maps. And, if you’ve never used a bus before, the MTA also provides great information for riders.

If you stay in New Jersey during your NYC vacation, you can take the NJ Transit to the Port Authority Bus Terminal for about $3.40 one way. Once you’re at the Port Authority, you can catch a subway or find a local MTA bus to get to your NYC destination.

The Gray Line
Whenever I travel to someplace new, I usually check to see if they offer any good sightseeing tours — like the Gray Line Tours — so that I can get acquainted with the area. The NYC Gray Line tours can take you uptown, downtown, and through Brooklyn. Plus, they’re hop-on, hop-off tours, which means that you can get off the bus at any time and get back on when you feel like taking a ride to another place.

If you’re only going to be in town for a few days, using the Gray Line bus as your primary means of transportation isn’t such a bad idea. In fact, it’s a great idea. You don’t have to think about your subway or bus routes, and if you have any questions about where to go, just find a Gray Line attendant who can point you in the right direction or get you on the right Gray Line loop. Plus, if you’re only visiting NYC for a couple of days, chances are you only have time to hit the landmarks — like the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, etc. — and the Gray Line buses take you directly to those spots.

As a bonus, some Gray Line bus stops give free gifts to riders. Check your map for clues.

Staten Island Ferry
If you’re looking for a free ride and scenic tour of the New York Harbor, take the Staten Island Ferry to and from lower Manhattan to Staten Island. It’s a 25-minute ride that passes by the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. As you float away from the harbor, you’ll get spectacular views of the bridges and skyscrapers.

As one Gray Line tour guide told me, the Staten Island Ferry is the only FREE thing that NYC has to offer. So take advantage of it!

The Yellow Cab
For the complete NYC experience, hail a yellow cab. Obviously you’ll have to pay more than if you took the subway or bus, but riding in traffic in a yellow taxi feels so New York!

If you want to check on your fare before your ride (which I highly recommend), visit YellowCabNYC.com and click on the “Fare Estimator” tab at the top. Type in your starting and final destinations and the times you wish you to ride, and find out how much you need to be ready to pay, including suggested tip amounts for the taxi driver.

And if you accidentally leave something behind in the cab, don’t worry. You can check out the Lost and Found page on the website. Pretty cool, huh?