Practical Information
What to Bring
Please visit the Welcome page for a general overview of the things you should be sure to bring, and the things that you need to know.Getting to the Venue
Please visit the Travel Information page for logistical travel information from various locations to the venue.Time
In summer, the Eastern U.S. (including New York City) is on UTC-4 (EDT).
Money
The currency in the United States of America is the dollar. There are many ATMs throughout New York City, as well as at the airports and train stations you may pass through on the way there. ATMs in New York will typically charge US cardholders not affiliated with the ATM owner $1-3 for a withdrawal, but are not allowed to charge the fee to international cardholders.
Sales tax in New York State is rarely included in the prices you see, except at corner stores, newsstands, and street vendors. In most cases you will be charged an additional 8.875% when making a purchase. The generally-accepted standard rate for tipping in restaurants is 15-20% in the case of satisfactory service, so doubling the tax listed on the bill is a common calculation technique. It is customary to tip taxi drivers a comparable amount and bartenders $1-2 per drink.
Most taxicabs now accept credit cards as a method of payment, though the cab drivers appreciate a generous tip in this case since they must pay a 5% processing fee for credit card payments.
Weather
Average temperatures:
Month | Avg. low | Avg. high |
June | 17°C | 26°C |
July | 21°C | 29°C |
August | 20°C | 28°C |
Weather forecast for New York City
Alcohol and tobacco
The legal minimum age for buying alcohol is 21, and tobacco 18. It is not abnormal to be asked to show proof of age when making a purchase or entering certain bars or clubs. People without US ID are advised to have their passports with them when purchasing these products as store clerks are generally unfamiliar with most foreign ID.
It is illegal to drive a car with a blood alcohol concentration of more than 0.08%.
Smoking is not allowed indoors in public places (including our venue's buildings), with very few exceptions.
Electricity
Type A and B power sockets are used.
Electricity in the US is 110-120 V, 60 Hz. Most outlets accept type A and B plugs.
Telephone
To call numbers in the U.S. from other countries, dial +1.
The international dialing prefix for calling other countries from the U.S. (for which + is a placeholder) is 011.
Mobile (cell) phone networks in the U.S. use the GSM standard on 850 MHz and 1900 MHz, or CDMA on 1900 MHz.
The emergency services can be reached by the American standard number, 911, or via 112 from a GSM phone in accordance with the GSM standard.
Health
Tap water is piped in from the Croton Watershed and is clean and safe to drink.
No vaccinations or immunizations are needed to visit the US.
Tourist information
The official NY state tourism website is at http://www.iloveny.com/. The corresponding NYC website is at http://nycgo.com/.