Just looking for some tips on getting a cab in New York. Can I expect that they'll be readily available around tourist sites? Specifically Battery Park, WTC site, Brooklyn Bridge, The Met, outside department stores like Macy's and Bloomingdale's, etc?

Yes -- be sure the cab has a NYC taxi cab medallion on the hood to know it is legit there are "gypsy"cabs that are not regulated and can really take you for a ride!

Hope this helps...
Debi

Yes, you will see cabs everywhere in NYC...no problem there. Also, just in case you aren't aware, the cabs that are for hire (not already taken and not off duty) will have their sign light on. If the light is off, don't bother trying to hail them.

The numbers on the sign on the top of the cab will be lit up if the cab is available. If the two off duty lights on the side of the numbers are lit up, the cab is off duty. If nothing is lit up, the cab is occupied.

Sometimes cabs are hard to come by, especially during the Christmas holidays and at rush hour. (Try getting a cab on Park Avenue South at 5 PM!)

When hailing a cab, stand out in the street (but don't get hit by traffic) with your arm out. Don't stand on the sidewalk when hailing a cab; they won't see you. My daughter lives in Manhattan and I always see tourists standing on street corners waving timidly at passing cabs. Let's just say that they are standing there a LONG time.

It is very easy to get a cab in front of Bloomies, Saks, Macy's, and The Met.

Christine

All of the above is good info. As mentioned, it's very difficult to catch a cab at rush hour - for some reason, 5pm is when the shifts change, so most cabs tend to be Off Duty. Rainy days are also a problem. Don't be shy about hailing a cab - or waiting for someone to exit one and then hop in!

Hailing a cab downtown (WTC/Battery Park, Brooklyn Bridge) also might not be the easiest. The bridge is, well, exactly that: lots of on and off ramps and cars speeding by. Battery Park is on the West Side Highway, so similar situation. And a number of streets in the Wall Street area have been made pedestrian-only, making it tricky for cabs to ply their trade... Maybe another poster has some tips for that area.

If you are looking for a cab near the Brooklyn Bridge to return uptown, try standing near the northeastern corner of City Hall, at Chambers Street: there will be a lot of cabs coming back from Brooklyn off the bridge. Also, if you're *in* Brooklyn looking for a cab, again stand near the bridge or major roadways: yellow cabs don't roam the streets in the outer boroughs they way they do in Manhattan (we use car services instead).

One other tip: city buses can be a great way to get around. You can see where you're going, ask the bus driver if they're going where you need to go and to let you know when your stop is, and Limited buses (stop at major cross streets) are at least as fast as cabs. For example, the M1, M2, M3, and M4 all stop in front of the Met and shoot straight down 5th Ave into midtown. Here's a link to the Manhattan bus map (ask for one at any subway booth once you're in the city; they're a good detailed resource):
http://www.mta.info/nyct/maps/manbus.pdf

New York City has a serious shortage of cabs. If you're looking for one in off hours, the weather is good and it's not Holdiay Season you should find one in a few minutes. Don;t expect to see cab ranks - there are none except at the airports. At train stations and major stores cabs will pull up and you need to grab one. If there's a line get on it - if not it's every man for himself.

If it's raining or snowing, the height of rush hour (including theater rush hours) or the middle of the holidays getting a cab can be a challenge.

Otherwise in Manhattan below 96th you have to search the streets. Do not stand on the sidewalk. Go out into the street - in the middle of the block - they get in trouble if they stop in a crosswalk - and wave your arm vigorously.

If you are above 72 St you may get a car service car versus a taxi. These are unmarked sedans - usually dark - but the license plate will begin with a T. They charge what they want - no meter - so find out in advance (it;s usually better to say I'll pay whatever - but you do need an idea of how much it should be).

If you are in the Battery Park/World Financial Center area, cabs usually line up in front of the Embassy Suites hotel on Vesey Street. You can also usually catch them right in front of the WFC in front of both the Merril Lynch and American Express towers.