Anyone from or know New York??

[sue and co]

Hi,

DH and I are planning a trip to New York in September 2011 (we have previously only been to Florida and California). The plan is for six nights but only five whole days (plus an hour or so on arrival and departure days). If there is anyone out there from the New York area - or who knows it well - I would be grateful for any advice or comments. So far we know we want to visit the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, the Empire State Building and the Police Museum (DH is a serving police officer). We are unsure at the moment which area would be best (and not too expensive) to stay in and what else is a must do to visit. I understand that the subway is easy to understand and reasonable safe so we would use this as transport - I believe an unlimited metrocard is best?

Any and all help would be very welcome. Thank you.

Sue

 

[Andtototoo]

NYC has everything, so the question of what is a "must do" is best determined by your interests.

To start:
I highly recommend getting the two day Grayline bus pass. This pass will take you all over the city and is a great way to get acclimated, figure out where you want to go, etc. It's also a very convenient way to get around the city on a day when you are doing a lot of touristy things.

Your interests:
-Shopping? What kind of shopping?

-Tourist spots? What are THE spots you've always wanted to visit? For example, Central Park is a big yawner to me, but every visitor I have seems to want to go there. So we go. I prefer the Empire State Building over Top of the Rock, but that's my choice. Do you like Sex and the City? There are tours especially focusing on the show's landmarks. Etc. Do you want to see the sets for Jimmy Fallon and SNL -- then go to Rockefeller Center for the tour.

-Art? Are you interested in art and what kind? I think the Metropolitan Museum of Art is the best art museum I've ever visited in my life (including the Uffizzi in Florence) and that is my go-to art museum. The Cloisters up in the Bronx is a unique experience in the US. For modern art lovers, different choices would be made.

-Theater? Do you want to see a Broadway show? What kind? Certain shows will have discount tickets at the Tix booth in Times Square. Others will not. So don't assume you can get discounted tickets to everything.



I generally recommend a hotel in the theater district area because it's centrally located.

Wear COMFORTABLE shoes.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

I would read this thread, it will be helpful to you...

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2620170


Also, make sure to check each Museum's website. While there is a price to enter, most are just a suggestion. Donations are accepted.

 

[BlvInMagic]

I definitely would recommend a visit to Times Square! Tons of themed restaurants like Planet Hollywood, Hard Rock Cafe, Bubba Gump Shrimp -- lots of cool tourist stores like the M&M Store, a massive Toys R Us, Ann Taylor Loft and one of our favs is to visit the Madam Taussads Wax Museum! There's also the broadway box office there where you can get, sometimes, discount tix on certain shows. Then you can't beat the window/shopping on Fifth Avenue -- like Tiffany's, the Apple Store, FAO Schwartz, and so on! This is also near the Plaza Hotel and Central Park. Lots of neat stuff in the Central Park area -- horse carriage rides and even a zoo. Have a great trip

 

[gometros]

I assume you are traveling to New York City, not New York State. Otherwise, I would tell you to visit West Point, the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, Corning Glass Works, the Eastman Kodak House in Rochester and Niagara Falls (although, admittedly much better from the Canadian side)

The suggestion to stay in the Times Square area is a good one, but it all depends on your budget. Hotels in the theater district tend to be pricier than staying a little towards the west side. I would also consider that many people want to visit Ground Zero.While downtown, you can visit the Museum of the City of New York, the Jewish Museum, Chinatown and the South Street Seaport.

And to add two more museums that New York City is known for, throw in the Guggenheim and the Museum of Natural History.

 

[7165red]

For more detailed info I suggest you check out www.tripadviser.com, check out the NYC forum.

 

[bjgrazi]

Also remember you have to pre-purchase your tickets to go up into the Statue of Liberty. It can sell out way in advance. They do great tours of the city on double-decker buses. You can hop on and off to check things out.

 

[sue and co]

Thanks everyone - we probably won't want to do much shopping (that is for DD1 and I and she isn't coming) but we do both love museums. I will make sure to book up for the statue of liberty well ahead of time as I have heard it gets very busy.

Thanks for the link to the other thread and trip advisor both very helpful.

Sue

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

Thanks everyone - we probably won't want to do much shopping (that is for DD1 and I and she isn't coming) but we do both love museums. I will make sure to book up for the statue of liberty well ahead of time as I have heard it gets very busy.

Thanks for the link to the other thread and trip advisor both very helpful.

Sue

There are two lines at the Statue of Liberty. The shorter one is for those pre-purchased tickets, with pre-set times. The second, much longer line, is for those that just show up and buy their tickets. Make sure you check to see which line you are in. You can save yourself a ton of time. To put it in Disney terms, it's like having Fast passes but waiting in the stand-by line.

 

[Swank]

a few things.

If you want to go to the Empire State Building, buy tickets on line before you get there, It is like a super fast pass, we must have saved at least two hours doing this.

Statue of Liberty. You need to go on line and buy tickets to go into the pedestal, and there are separate tickets to go into the statue itself up to the head. So plan ahead (some pun intended).

One good way to see a lot of Manhattan is to take the double-decker tour buses which stop at all the major tourist destinations and you can get off and on them at you leisure.

Definitely take in a Broadway Show, The discount ticket booth in Time square is your best bet for value tickets.

There is a refurbished Disney Store!, A giant Toys r' Us, also a Lego Store and a Nintendo Store at Rockefeller Center.

Great Museums, I love Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Natural History Museum.

Have Fun!

 

[jlewisinsyr]

IMO, avoid Time Square to eat, mostly overpriced chain restaurants, IMO, nothing exciting.

As for what to do, there are many, many options (most discussed), but no one really has touched on where to stay and that will be difficult to say with certaintity because many of the attractions you are interested in are at opposite ends of Manhattan. Centrally staying would be good, but then you're not going to be in the areas where there are a lot of tourist things and you're going to want to be comfortable with the subway system (my preferred mode of transportation while in Manhattan).

I'd discourage you from driving into Manhattan, it can be chaotic and parking is very expensive (ie. $50 + a day at most hotels, some approach the $100 mark even). Staying in NYC, in a decent place is not that cheap, but if you plan ahead and use programs like JetSetter.com and others, you might be able to score a nice hotel reasonably priced (at least for NYC standards).

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

From NY,

I agree buy Empire State Passes early. Save a lot of time, on a crowded day, they are lined up real bad.
You can buy express ticket at building but I think you pay EXTRA.
I hear them talking about a CITY PASS, not sure what that is but it might include Empire and Statue of Liberty ETC.

Buy a unlimited bus pass. MTA is changing the ones available. If not buy a $20 card etc.
If you buy a $20 card and use the Subway or Bus, you have 2 hrs for a free transfer to the other bus or subway. So if you are shopping at a store it may work out for you.

Sometime in September might be restarunt week. It is well worth it to try some of the better places to eat durring it. Agree about Times Square eating mainly chain type places. You can probabbly look it up oline to find 2011's week.

I think the Library on 42nd and 5th is an a fantastic free site. Upstaris has some amazing things and the ceiling is incredible. They also have show in the back(Bryant park) aroung September, though they might end in August. Ussually some show stars will be in it doing a song or 2 from the show. You can find out when online.

Also check out what auction is at Christies. I think September might be a good month. It never hurts to see what you can't afford(unless you can of course than bid) though it is hard to get a seat to bid. You have to have bid/and or won something prior by registered bid. Viewings are open to public.

Booth at Times Square can have some good deals. I heard they are working on the lines, but if someone is doing some shoping other person might want to wait on line. It looks long.

I would also go to Stub Hub and see if there are any bands/performers you like in NYC. There are some of the greatest/intimate musical venues that very big/good artist play. Especially on weeknights you might find a deal on StubHub.

I also think the subway will take you all the way to the bronx zoo. It really is a great zoo.

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

The new Disney Store in Times Square, haven't been yet, but we're going in 2 weeks when we take DD to AGPlace for her birthday

I'd do a play, my favorite is Phantom of the Opera.

I did Madame Tusads in London and thought it was really neat and would like to do it again one day in NYC but I just dont think its something DD would find interesting right now.

When we took DD to the old Disney Store we did a picnic in Central Park.

I enjoy going into those little shops that have all NYC related items.

The Met or Museum of Natural History.

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

Just checked it is the Queens restarunt week that was in September. Sorry about that! Well, its just a Subway to Queens as well.
BTW. If you are driving in and not getting a parking with your stay you might want to park in a lot in Queens. I am sure it would be cheaper.

 

[sue and co]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to help.
We don't plan on renting a car so will be using public transport. Unless they change it before we go it looks like a metrocard for $27 unlimited subways and buses for seven days would be our best option. We are both from London so are used to the underground and I understand your subway is similar. As DH is a police officer we would like to visit the police museum - need to work out where that is in relation to other things. Still not sure where to stay, hotels seem more expensive than California or Florida the only other two states we have visited. I have a few sites bookmarked but they all seem to offer more last minute deals so perhaps we shouldn't try to book the accomodation just yet.

 

[kbeam]

I love using Hotwire.com for upscale hotels at discount prices. You don't know what you'll get, but you will ensure you get the level of 'stars' you choose (4 star, 3 star, etc.). Good luck!

 

[mjkacmom]

I have a few sites bookmarked but they all seem to offer more last minute deals so perhaps we shouldn't try to book the accomodation just yet.

NYC is probably the most expensive city in the country! Real estate is at a premium. Also, a lot of the cheaper hotels can be scary.