First-timers trip to NYC...help needed please!

[Soupermom]

My family has informed me that they really want to go to NYC next summer for our family vacation. This leaves me feeling ! I love to plan our trips and usually do a great job, but for some reason I am very apprehensive about this target destination. To start...can anyone recommend a good guide book? I usually use the UG series when traveling, but this particular one did not get very good reviews on Amazon. Any suggestions on where to fly into? I'd like to use our SouthWest points, so that would be a consideration. Do we need a rental car? Where should we stay hotel-wise? Activity suggestions? I know we'd like to see: WTC Memorial, Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty?, a Broadway show (The Lion King? maybe, is Daniel Radcliffe currently starring in anything?).
It would most like be the four of us plus DD's BoyF, who is like a son to us. I appreciate any helpful suggestions; I know my fellow Disers will point me in the right directions! Thanks!!!

 

[NYCJoshua]

Hello....

NYC is a great place to vacation!

Don't book a rental car. Driving in The NYC area is a challenge to the best drivers and it's not needed.


A couple of suggestions:

1. Don't feel you have to stay in Midtown/Times Square. There are great hotels all over the city and the subways are easy to use. In fact, you will be using them as much if you stayed in TS.

2. I would wait on buying theater tickets until closer to when you are traveling. Unless you want to se Wicked/Book of Mormon on Saturday night or something. At this point we don't even know what will be playing next summer. There Re great discounts on Broadway shows any night of the week.

3. I would try to fly into JFK if you can. It's very easy to get into the city via the air train/Long Island Railroad.

 

[slmjam]

We went to NYC in June for about 5 days. We flew into LaGuarda, just because airfare from Houston into New York was cheapest during that time. We did NOT want to rent a car. If you are staying in the city, parking is very limited and expensive. It is very easy to get around, either by walking, taking a cab, or the subway to wherever you wish to go. We stayed at the Fairfield Inn, I believe it was at 40th and 8th, just a couple blocks from Times Square. It was right behind the Port Authority Bus Terminal. Not the grandest view when exiting the hotel, but we did enjoy how close it was to Times Square. While we were there we went to Times Square many times, Central Park, 5th Avenue, Rockefeller Center, WTC Memorial (amazing!), Trinity Church (near WTC), a Yankees baseball game, Chinatown, Little Italy (Paesanos for dinner and Ferrara's for dessert... yummmm), Broadway show (Newsies --- it was FANTASTIC!!!). I might be in the minority, but our family enjoyed Newsies much more than The Lion King. Also went to Staten Island and the Statue of Liberty. The only thing we didn't get to do was the Empire State Building. It rained the day we were scheduled to go there. I'm sure there was more, but that's all I can think of off the top of my head. As far as transportation to/from the airport, the hotel arranged a driver both directions. We enjoyed that because he was waiting for us outside as soon as we exited baggage claim, took us directly to the hotel, and when we were headed home, took us back to the airport. We had already discussed the price for his service prior to us arriving in New York so I knew what to expect. It was a great trip. Have fun planning; there is so much to do and see there!

 

[Soupermom]

OP here. Thanks for all of the info so far! I have a new question to add...is it possible to stay in the city with 5 "adults" in one room. Although my will be 15, he is a tall 15. I kind of looked at hotels on TripAdvisor and couldn't find anything to hold 5 people of any size. Thanks!

 

[java]

There used to be an out of the way embassy suites hotel- that closed and I now think it's called the Conrad. Check that out for bigger sized rooms. The Marriott Marquis has some big rooms (my dd and I got an upgrade with points and the room was HUGE) so check there for your size. I'll try to think of others.

 

[drinkme]

There used to be an out of the way embassy suites hotel- that closed and I now think it's called the Conrad. Check that out for bigger sized rooms. The Marriott Marquis has some big rooms (my dd and I got an upgrade with points and the room was HUGE) so check there for your size. I'll try to think of others.

Dh took dd13 to NYC during spring break this year. They stayed at the Marriott Marquis. They LOVED it. I booked the trip through Delta Vacations. I got $250 off by cashing in my DMR points. They ended up seeing 3 or 4 Broadway shows.

DD13 also went to NYC in June with her friend and her family. They stayed at the Double Tree Suites on Broadway (1568 Broadway). Their room had a separate bedroom.

HTH

 

[Soupermom]

Hmmm....these hotels all seem SOOO expensive. How hard/$$$ is it to stay further out of the city?

 

[Aristocath]

We are a family of five and go to NYC fairly often. There are a few hotels that will allow five in a room, such as the Affinia brand. We prefer to stay at either the Doubletree Suites in Times Square or get two rooms in a less expensive hotel. If you have any points with Holiday Inn/Intercontinental you can use them at the Crowne Plaza on Broadway. We use points plus cash there and get a great deal on two rooms.

Do not rent a car! Get a Metro card and you are good to go. Only get show tickets now if you want Book of Mormon. Discounts come out for lots of shows and as a PP said, we don't know what will be on the boards next summer.

It is a great vacation!

 

[shoney]

since we live fairly close and my husband works in the city, we only go for day trips. I am not a hotel expert at all.

If you are on a budget, look into the Long Island city area in queens. While you wouldn't be staying in Manhattan, you will be a very short subway ride away.

i would also post on tripadvisor. they can be a rough bunch...LOL
Just make sure you give exact dates, exact budget, and as much info as possible and there are some very good posters on there that will help.

 

[bamor]

Some hotels you may want to research (read reviews on Trip Advisor & then decide)

Radio City Apartments
Jack & Judy's Bed and Breakfast
Affinia Manhattan
Eastgate Towers
Travel Inn (you'll need two rooms, rooftop pool)

some websites that may be helpful
the NYC travel forum on trip advisor is great
www.hopstop.com to get an idea @ subway and walking directions
www.menupages.com for menus broken down by area of the city

 

[irishsharon]

I would look into homeaway.com,you could rent an apartment

 

[shoney]

I would look into homeaway.com,you could rent an apartment

whatever you do, do not mention this on tripadvisor....LOL...

You will be met with lots of angry posters ....far worse than the mention of poolhopping or reusing last years mugs here on the DIS.

(Apparently it is illegal...from what I have read there)

 

[disneyeveryyear]

We are a family of five and go to NYC fairly often. There are a few hotels that will allow five in a room, such as the Affinia brand. We prefer to stay at either the Doubletree Suites in Times Square or get two rooms in a less expensive hotel. If you have any points with Holiday Inn/Intercontinental you can use them at the Crowne Plaza on Broadway. We use points plus cash there and get a great deal on two rooms.

Do not rent a car! Get a Metro card and you are good to go. Only get show tickets now if you want Book of Mormon. Discounts come out for lots of shows and as a PP said, we don't know what will be on the boards next summer.

It is a great vacation!

We stayed at the Affinia 50 when we went for spring Break this year. We had a one bedroom suite that slept 6. There were two very comfortable queen beds in the bedroom and a sleeper sofa in the large living room. We had a decent price and it was fairly close to the blue line which we used for a lot of our travel.

We were close enough to walk to Times Square, Top of the Rock, etc.

 

[kiddisney]

hi - coming from the other side of the river- you should check to see where your favorite airline flies into - and if it's better or cheaper to fly into newark i would recommend that - you could stay at hotels on the jersey side - there is the w in hoboken - which is a ferry ride to nyc - or in weehawkin - edgewater - jersey city - etc - which are also ferry rides away - and ferries can take you to midtown - downtown - eastside & westside so you could hit all the attractions you want -

 

[kiddisney]

oh - and there's a suite hotel in weekawkin - so it'll fit the whole family

 

[clori]

it is a little early but keep an eye on travelzoo.com for NYC hotel deals. I once booked a 1 bedroom suite at Affinia Manhattan with two queen beds, 1 double sofa bed, full kitchen and 2 full baths for $159 a night. It also included breakfast but just for two people. It is an older hotel right near Penn Station.

Two other hotels I've stayed at that could hold 5 people were Chelsea Savoy hotel which I stayed in last summer for the weekend before the 4th of July - I got that one for $135 a night by calling the hotel directly with two doulbe beds and a free rollaway - ask for an l shaped room. This is also in walking distance from Penn Station and had free continental breakfast.

I only had 4 people but the girls loved having their own beds. The skyline hotel is another older hotel near the USS Intrepid but an easy busride to Times Square area offers a room with two beds plus a sofabed (I had the regular two queen room) and a indoor penthouse floor pool. The pool was very clean, had a lifeguard (thus limited hours) and toys like noodle/beach balls.

None of these are luxury hotels but all were clean and we looked hard and no signs of bedbugs. We actually go to Manhattan to visit family so don't care about staying near Times Square but also appreciate quieter areas to sleep at night.

Depending on what you want to visit the newyorkpass.com can be an excellent value. The busses and subways are easy to learn. Dh is from midtown Manhattan, took driver's ed and got his license while living there. We still don't drive when staying in Manhattan.

 

[Momto4boys]

I was able to priceline the Doubletree in Jersey City for $100/night. quick walk to the train to take you into the city..less than 15 minutes total. It had 2 double beds and a pull out sofa in a large living room. Super comfy beds.

 

[elf]

I also have gotten good deals at Affinia Manhattan around the $180 price. I like it and it's very centrally located. I've also stayed at the Travel Inn got a low price there as well AND it had free parking which is amazing for Manhatten! It was not a luxary hotel by any means but we were fine with it.

I like staying in the center of things, so I vote for staying in Manhatten. I've heard good things about Radio City apt.s too.

We really only live 40 minutes away but we like to stay for special occassions.

We LOVED Wicked.

 

[cornflake]

Unless you completely can't avoid it, don't stay in Jersey or LIC. It's just a pain in the rear.

Yes, it's 'just' 15 minutes on the PATH or whatever but that's if you're not waiting for the PATH, if it's not rush-hour crowded, etc. Same with the ferries, which have a much more limited schedule.

Also, and perhaps more importantly, remember you'll pay a fare for each one of you to ride into and out of the City each day if you stay in Jersey. If there are five of you, that's $20 a day on the PATH alone.

I'd do as some others suggest and watch for deals - you have time and we have plenty of hotels!

 

[shoney]

Cornflake, I agree. I wouldn't stay in NJ either. LIC is on the subway line and could be an affordable way to stay and commute to the city. It is very close and wouldn't be a real time constraint. (Assuming they would have a 7-day metro card, cost wouldn't be an issue either)

I equate it with staying in crystal City in VA on the metro line and visiting DC. Still doable IF the cost of the hotel offsets the cost of travel.