In order to access New York City's brand new visitor's center, you'll have to walk through the 34th Street entrance of Macy's, hang a left, and ascend a flight of steps near the handbags department until you reach a small mezzanine-level area populated by an information counter, a wall of brochures, and 4 large touch-screen kiosks.
Having officially opened on Wednesday, this visitor's center is the result of a new collaboration between NYC & Company and Macy's – the first of its kind between a city tourism bureau and a retailer. It's a great idea: Macy's is one of the most visited attractions in midtown, with an estimated 6 million visitors per year.
First off, the center is chock full of information on all the city's attractions, restaurants, hotels, public transportation, and more. Depending on the length of your stay – and your familiarity with New York – you can research which visitor's pass yields the best discounts, find the best subway route to get where you're going, or get tips on what Broadway show to see (and where to find tickets).
And we love how modern and efficient it feels: several attendants stand by to answer questions, but another option is to simply poke around on one of the four touch-screen kiosks. Powered by Google Maps and organized into categories like "Attractions," "Dining," "Nightlife," and "Resources," the kiosks contain valuable information, whether it's your first or tenth visit to NYC.
Of particular note to shoppers, the kiosks offer an exclusive 10% discount card that can be used toward select Macy's purchases. That's kind of handy, considering you're already standing inside the store! Simply swipe your passport or a qualifying government-issued ID, and let the shopping begin!