New Yorkers: Please comment on my "budget" NYC itinerary **Updated Itinerary Post #77

Happy Spring!

I have been planning at family trip to NYC for this June; cast will most likely include myself, DS, DD and her Dboyfriend. I have been doing much research and checking out lots of information on TripAdvisor (I LOVE TripAdvisor!). After re-working a few things, I have an itinerary I'd love some natives from NYC to check out and comment on, if you have the time.

We are driving from Illinois and I currently have reservations (AAA)at the TRYP hotel which is on W. 34th Street and 9th Ave. (Watching for other bargains on TravelZoo). I know we will be paying $40/day to park with the hotel. I plan to get a subway pass. I also have already purchased tickets for the Lion King, so that activity is set without wiggle room.

My itinerary is below. I understand the Statue of Liberty is closed until July due to Sandy; can you tell me if she has also interfered with any of the locations below? My plan was also to get a CityPass; I know there are several types of passes, but this seemed the best for our plans. Some days may be switched due to weather. Are there any activities that should/shouldn't be done on the weekends vs. week days? Any comments on anything are welcome. Thanks!

*Friday 6/14:Arrive from Illinois around 7pm EST (how crazy will traffic be? This is the one thing that scares this mid-western girl!)
*Saturday: ToTR, Library, Grand Central Station (lunch), possibly a museum, Harbor Cruise
*Sunday: Chinatown, Scott's Pizza Tour, Little Italy, Improve at Upright Citizens Brigade at 7:30pm
* Monday: ESB, 9/11 Memorial/St. Paul's Chapel, Wall Street/Trinity Church, ESB after dark
*Tuesday: Central Park (picnic lunch from Zabar's Deli), Museum, Dylan's Candy Bar, Carmine's for dinner/The Lion King
*Wednesday: Intrepid Museum, walking across the Brooklyn Bridge/eat/walk around and back across the bridge
*Thursday: Drive home

I thought about possibly switching Saturday with Monday so we wouldn't have two later nights in a row (ESB after 10pm--City Pass--Monday night, then the Lion King on Tuesday night), also, would it be better to go to Wall Street and such on a weekend? I may try to get tickets to Jimmy Fallon, but my son will be 2 weeks shy of his 16th birthday so I am going to ask when I call if he will make the cut or not.

Thanks for any suggestions you can offer! :thumbsup2

I would echo the recommendations to park outside of the city if you can manage it; the PATH is so easy (I work in Hoboken and take it everyday) and it will take you to very near your hotel. Plus, since you're staying in midtown, the traffic is even busier there.

Like Disney, you just can't do EVERYTHING in New York in one trip, and I think you have a great cross-section of things to see. The Lion King is...there isn't a word for it. I've seen it twice and cried both times. Er... anyway.

I recommend doing Top of the Rock and skipping going up Empire State Building all together. The view from ToTR is so much better; you can go around all sides, see the park, and see the Empire State (which you can't while you're on it).

Take some time to check out Times Square while you're there for the Lion King. It's crowded and annoying, but also super cool at night with the lights and everything.

On the night you get here (and it may be a given), just take some time to walk around and soak up the atmosphere; check out some architecture, people-watch, look at all the crazy food options. I live in midtown about 20 blocks from where you're staying and it's such a cool area, especially in the summer.

Have fun!!! :)
 
You can buy broadway show tickets at TKTS,TKTS for close to half price, it is located in Times Square I would try to sneak in another Broardway show early in your trip (maybe a matinee).Also checkout Broadwaybox.com for cheaper tickets.
I am not a Chinatown/Little Italy fan, you may want to walk around the Village/Chelsea area instead.
As an ex NYer I usually park in the streets for free on the Upper West Side or Upper east side(80's) to save money but that takes experience but it can be done.
 
Just wanted to say, once we are parked in the garage, I have absolutely no intention of driving again until we leave for Illinois! I don't know it would be worth it for me to park somewhere else for the week and then shlep all of our stuff back and forth on our arrival/departure days. It may save some money, but I think I would lose my sanity on that one! :goodvibes
 
You can buy broadway show tickets at TKTS,TKTS for close to half price, it is located in Times Square I would try to sneak in another Broardway show early in your trip (maybe a matinee).Also checkout Broadwaybox.com for cheaper tickets.
I am not a Chinatown/Little Italy fan, you may want to walk around the Village/Chelsea area instead.
As an ex NYer I usually park in the streets for free on the Upper West Side or Upper east side(80's) to save money but that takes experience but it can be done.
just beware you will have to stand in a huge line for a while to get those cheap tickets IF they are available.

we stay outside the city--usually Ft Lee, NJ, just a quick ride over the GWB--and get free parking. you can take public transport into the city and save the parking AND the $12 to cross the GWB.
 


chloelovesdisney said:
You have 5 days in NYC which really isn't a lot for all there is to do. With that in mind, I'd skip Dylan's Candy Bar. They don't sell anything you can't buy anywhere else in the US, for much less money. I would not make a special trip there for some overpriced gummy bears and other candy. Unless you have several small kids, it's really not worth it and you aren't doing anything else in that location. If you really have a hankering for a candy experience I'd look at Max Brenner, it's a little more interesting -

I would not do the Empire State Building twice. You are already doing Top of the Rock in the daytime, doing the Empire State Building at night will be nice. All of these things take time, just all of the traveling around will take up much of your day.

If you skip the morning ESB plan, you can finish up with the 9/11 and Wall Street area by early afternoon. You are right by the Brooklyn Bridge, I would go across that day, eat at Grimaldi's and take the water taxi back across. Walking both ways is really not necessary and it's much longer than it looks. You don't just exit down off the bridge where the restaurants are, you have to go all the way to the end and loop around.

Where does your Harbour Cruise leave from? I would plan to do some activity in that area or that is easily along the way.

Like the pp said, on your Central Park day I would consider also doing the zoo since you're already there. It's small, nothing like the Bronx Zoo, and won't take up too much time. My favorite museums are the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Frick.

If you've already done the Brooklyn Bridge thing you have a lot of time on your Intrepid Day. Since that is on the west side, you can easily get to the Highline, walk across to the end and then spend some time in the Meatpacking area and West Village.


I know Carmine's is the big place on here, I prefer Toni DiNapoli's.

Roosevelt Island is a pit of nothing, the tram ride is fine but since you are already walking across the Brookly Bridge I'd say that's enough time looking at the East River.

Traffic coming into the city is brutal on Friday nights. It should start to taper off at that time but be prepared to maybe get I to the city a little later. I agree with Dylan's. It is cool if you are in the area but do not make a special trip for it. If its a nice day you would want to spend more time around the park or check out the museums. The Central Park zoo is small but its a nice walk.

I am glad you are not leaving Brooklyn off your list. I know you probably love your Chicago deep dish pizza but you have to try Brooklyn pizza. I have not looked at the stops on the pizza tour but if Grimaldi!s is not on the list you should try it.

The transit museum and Brooklyn botanical gardens are great.

Carmine's may be busy and even with reservations you may be waiting a while. Tony DiNapoli's is a good alternative just in case.
 
I say skip Dylan's Candy Bar...it's really nothing very special. Just a bunch of overpriced candy you can buy anywhere......

On your Central Park day, you mention picking up lunch at Zabar's. If you go over there, you might like to check out Harry's Shoes---the best shoe store ever! Also, if you decide it's too hot to picnic in the park, there's a great "deli" on 83rd and Broadway where you can get egg creams, matsoh ball soup, corne beef sandwiches, etc. It's a classic NY deli (sit-down restaurant) and prices are much more reasonable than in mid-town.

Also, if you plan to spend your morning on the upper-west side, you have time to hit a museum (Natural History is right there) and make your way over to 59th and 5th where you'll find the Plaza Hotel, FAO, Tiffany's, etc. I like to take tourists walking from 59th down to Rockefeller Center. You pass a number of churches, Trump Tower, etc.--Gives you a taste of things.

Also, in China Town-- we like getting bake goods (steamed buns, etc) at the Tai Pan Bakery on Canal Street with is right across from our favorite italian bakery, Farella, on Mulberry Street (just off of Canal). You can take home yummy treats from two different cultures with a 20 minute shopping trip.
 
As the poster above me mentioned, you'll be in the area of FAO Schwartz, which is a great place to visit AND they have a giant candy section which is really similar to Dylan's.

I'd leave the car elsewhere too - even if you got somewhere cheaper and took a cab in and out with your luggage, you could still save some $. But if you do take it, just be prepared for crazy driving and lots of stop-and-go. When I first moved to NYC, I drove in Manhattan a total of 3 times - ended up twice in tears and once with a $150 ticket for something I'd never heard of until then, and vowed my car would never go into Manhattan again lol (and it hasn't!)

I would skip the Empire State Building too if you're doing Top Of The Rock. I know its a fun touristy thing to say you did, but the view from both is almost identical, with the difference being that if you go up TOTR, you can get the ESB in your pics. Plus if you want to see the daytime and nighttime view, TOTR has a deal where you can go during the day, and then back up the same night for much cheaper.
 


My advice is to go to each website for everything you know you want to do and see , and everything you think you want to do and see if you have time after doing the must sees. Price each activity individually and the compare it to the CityPass tickets. Sometimes you find it isn't the deal you thought it was. For example: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Museum of Natural History are suggested admission prices. You can pay $1 or $2 dollars per person to get in to these museums (certain exhibits will be additional, but that would hold true if you paid the full "suggested" admission price too.)

I'm not a fan of wasting time in places like Dylan's either. Over priced, and you can go to the same kind of candy store at local malls and outlets. Then again, I don't get it when my friends want to go to Macy's to shop when we are in the city, so maybe I am not the best judge when it comes to those type of activities.
 
My advice is to go to each website for everything you know you want to do and see , and everything you think you want to do and see if you have time after doing the must sees. Price each activity individually and the compare it to the CityPass tickets. Sometimes you find it isn't the deal you thought it was. For example: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Museum of Natural History are suggested admission prices. You can pay $1 or $2 dollars per person to get in to these museums (certain exhibits will be additional, but that would hold true if you paid the full "suggested" admission price too.)

I'm not a fan of wasting time in places like Dylan's either. Over priced, and you can go to the same kind of candy store at local malls and outlets. Then again, I don't get it when my friends want to go to Macy's to shop when we are in the city, so maybe I am not the best judge when it comes to those type of activities.
 
When you're in Central Park, be sure to stop by Bethesda Terrace & Fountain. It's mid-park around 73rd Street. Very beautiful!

The Central Park Zoo is very cute, too. Snow leopards, red pandas, a polar bear (the other one died about 2 years ago), snow monkeys, fun sea lions, and the rain forest. Included in the ticket is admission to the children's zoo which is cute because you can feed/pet the animals.
 
I don't know. Dylans candy bar is a fun visit for 1st timers....we went a couple of years ago,and it's fun...though once I've seen it,that's enough:thumbsup2
I wouldn't bother with a trip to the bronx zoo, if they're coming from the midwest,which has quite a few stellar zoos, it won't be worth all that hassle to get there.
I also catch the train and subways in NYC,won't drive there-
I think Times square is worth a visit for sure, it's very exciting....
I love Chinatown and all it's cool little bakeries and restaurants....
I am looking for a decent hotel option too,as we have some midwest family visiting this summer,and they want to stay a night in the city.....
wandering central park is a great way to spend a day,snacking,looking,etc.
I LOVE the Met....
 
Do you have an iPhone, or smart phone? If so, use HopStop app for detailed steps of how to get from one place to another. Which subways (you really should use the subways, they are just very NYC). It also gives detailed walking instructions. I get a little confused with the busses, and get by with walking, subways, and the occasional taxi.

For parking, I use the Better Parking app on my phone, but some of the info is iffy at times. And some of the parking options listed are tiny.

I live in NJ, and you are doing more stuff than I do in a year in NYC, lol. I have been to Dylans Candy bar though, and have seen Lion King 2-3 times. There are fun things to see in touristy Times Square, too.

A shame you are missing Central Park, and not seeing a zoo (although the fantastic Bronx zoo is quite a haul from central Manhattan), and the Central Park Zoo is nice but small. The NY Acquarium is very good as well, but also not centrally located, although it is right next to Coney Island and the famous Cyclone. (hopefully it will re-open, not sure about any Sandy damage)

Coney Island will be up and running. The Cyclone opened last week!
 
hsmamato2 said:
I am looking for a decent hotel option too,as we have some midwest family visiting this summer,and they want to stay a night in the city.....

Get on Expedia and just put in your dates, Manhattan (specify Manhattan as opposed to NYC or it'll overload you with NJ options) and click on "arrange by price". Although it can vary by date, I've had several friends visit me in the city and got a 3-4 star for $100ish a night and in great tourist locations.
 
You were given some great suggestions so far!! Since you mentioned this is a "budget trip" I will suggest trying out some food trucks for lunch. Korilla is my fave right now! Also, the Staten Island Ferry is free and ends up being a pretty good harbor ride - including a view of the SOL! I would skip the pizza tour & try the "best" ones at your own pace over the 5 days. Have fun!!
 
If you have a nice day - I would recommend the Top of the Rock - again - we LOVE stuff like that. It isn't mentioned at all when you pay for tickets - but they do have discounts if you have an AAA card. (Not much - but heck - any discount is better than list price.) Others on the Disboards prefer the Empire State Building, so maybe that is an option too!

!


We like Top of the Rock better than the empire state building- my friend had never been to the empire state building so we went by last week while we were in the city and it was almost 50.00 each to go to the top! Price sure went up from the last time I did it LOL.


You have 5 days in NYC which really isn't a lot for all there is to do. With that in mind, I'd skip Dylan's Candy Bar. They don't sell anything you can't buy anywhere else in the US, for much less money. I would not make a special trip there for some overpriced gummy bears and other candy. Unless you have several small kids, it's really not worth it and you aren't doing anything else in that location. If you really have a hankering for a candy experience I'd look at Max Brenner, it's a little more interesting -


http://maxbrenner.com/


I know Carmine's is the big place on here, I prefer Toni DiNapoli's.

.

We love going to Max Brenner- we get lunch there and then chocolate after it! I like Carmines and Toni DiNapolis- we are going to Toni DiNapolis next month after we see Matilda.
 
just beware you will have to stand in a huge line for a while to get those cheap tickets IF they are available.

.

Even IF the line is long it moves very quickly. I have been there twice last month and there was no wait at all. I bought tickets for Mama Mia one day and the next week we went and got Phantom tickets. I think next week we may go in and get tickets for Newsies or Once. As long as you have a few shows in mind in case there are no tickets and not expecting to get Wicked tickets you are fine.
 
Yeah, the TKTS line moves very fast, and there's almost always something available. My roommate and I walked up at 7:30pm one night a couple weeks ago and got two decent seats for the 8:00pm show of Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark. (Fun but not great, for the record.) You won't find tickets at TKTS for The Lion King, Wicked, or Book of Mormon. Don't count out the off-Broadway stuff, either.

NYC has so, so, so much stuff to do. All the suggestions here are great. Coney Island's amusement park is operating, and the NY Aquarium is expecting to be open in "late spring 2013" so your guess is as good as anyone's. The train ride out to Coney Island can be interesting too - I've lived off the Q train and currently live off the F train, they're both full of local color. They run above ground for most of the Brooklyn track. Also, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden is quite nice, and the surrounding area is pretty cool. The Bronx Zoo is amazing but a bit of a trek, as others have said, but I think it's worth it if time permits - if not, there's always next time. :)

Eat food from local places and from food trucks. There's some amazing food here.
 
you will sit in a lot of traffic coming in at 7 pm. the lincoln tunnel is one in and two out at that time. if i get a bus to go in anytime after 4:30 in the afternoon its a nightmare, and i live 15 minutes from the tunnel. i second trying to find parking outside the city if you won't be driving. it may cut down on your stress a bit and if you take say the path or NJ transit train in it will be much faster that time of day. any way you can get there a bit earlier? or you may even want to plan to get there a bit later. the thing with rush hour is it can build up and last for hours and also can cause gridlock in midtown.

i think you have a lot packed in there. NYC is not like a disney park, it takes longer to get places than you think especially when you are not familiar with the area. figure out how much time you want to spend at each area and factor in travel time of 15-30 minutes at least and then map out your days again.

i love the village, they have great restaurants so you may want to work that into a day/evening. many of these are not crazy priced either. keep in mind in tourist areas/mid town there will be a bit of price inflation. my big midtown tip is to stay out of the time square tourist trap giant chain restaurants and head over to hells kitchen.
 
I'm the lone person so far that says drive in. I don't see the point in parking in another state, then traveling with your luggage into the city and then getting to the hotel. Your hotel is in midtown on the west side, it's not far after you exit the Lincoln Tunnel (assuming you're coming from that direction).

Although you might consider stopping for dinner and then coming into the city closer to 9pm.

I 2nd Grimaldi's in Brooklyn.
 
We love going to Max Brenner- we get lunch there and then chocolate after it! I like Carmines and Toni DiNapolis- we are going to Toni DiNapolis next month after we see Matilda.

We got trays of food from Toni's for my son's 1st birthday party (not the Times Square location). I've been going there for 15 years or so, can't go wrong.
 

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