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

[Lewisc]

Circle Line runs most of the harbor cruises. They're located at 42nd and 12th. The Intrepid is at 46th and 12th.

 

[Soupermom]

Thanks so much everyone! I will be modifying our plans and posting another revision soon. I really appreciate your time and insights. Can anyone tell me...is there somewhere to eat lunch near the Intrepid/Cruise port? I can't find anything on TripAdvisor.

 

[shoney]

Thanks so much everyone! I will be modifying our plans and posting another revision soon. I really appreciate your time and insights. Can anyone tell me...is there somewhere to eat lunch near the Intrepid/Cruise port? I can't find anything on TripAdvisor.

There is a bowling alley w/ bar across the street. Great wings and bar specials during happy hour! Kid friendly too!

As far as restaurants, I'm not sure!

I didn't see you add the BEAST speedboat ride....it really is soooo much fun!!! I think teens (and adults) would love it and the pics you can get of the statue of liberty are priceless!!! It is the one "touristy" thing in NYC that I could do again and again.

Have a great trip......

 

[Soupermom]

How "rough" is the Beast? Sometimes boat rides bother be because of the motion. Does it ever go "slow" so you can take pictures??

 

[shoney]

How "rough" is the Beast? Sometimes boat rides bother be because of the motion. Does it ever go "slow" so you can take pictures??

It stops in front of the Statue of Liberty for a few minutes so everyone can get up and get pics.

It is fast, but not really rough. You aren't jumping up and down in the seat.

It is only 30 minutes from start to finish.

 

[Soupermom]

Can anyone recommend somewhere near the Museum of Natural History to grab an inexpensive lunch, possible to take into Central park for a picnic? If we enter the Park at the history Museum and walk south thru it, how far/long of a walk is that? (I'm sure we will stop along the way, I'm just wondering in general)

Thanks again everyone!

 

[lisaross]

maybe u can walk around the park and grab a hot dog or something else from a food vendor. Love NYC hotdogs!

Can anyone recommend somewhere near the Museum of Natural History to grab an inexpensive lunch, possible to take into Central park for a picnic? If we enter the Park at the history Museum and walk south thru it, how far/long of a walk is that? (I'm sure we will stop along the way, I'm just wondering in general)

Thanks again everyone!

 

[hsmamato2]

the museum is right across the street from the park....one summer I took the kids to CP,and the museum,we walked a few(?) blocks west to Greys Papaya.... I can't remember how far it was though...the special was like 3.50 for 2 dogs + a papaya smoothie.....

 

[snoopy5386]

It is NYC there are restaurant, food trucks and carts everywhere. You will find something to eat on every corner.

 

[ntink]

we like to eat here:
http://www.cilantronyc.com/
when we vist the museum of natural history. It is a few blocks north on Columbus

 

[chloelovesdisney]

Can anyone recommend somewhere near the Museum of Natural History to grab an inexpensive lunch, possible to take into Central park for a picnic? If we enter the Park at the history Museum and walk south thru it, how far/long of a walk is that? (I'm sure we will stop along the way, I'm just wondering in general)

Thanks again everyone!

Shake Shack is right there -

http://www.shakeshack.com/location/upper-west-side/

 

[writersblock42]

The Statue of Liberty was damaged in Hurricane Sandy but should be opened back up later this summer. Too bad. I would def go to the museum of Natural History.

 

[GC&S]

We just got back from a 4 day/3 night stay in NYC and while I can't say it was budget friendly, we did have a blast. We stayed at Staybridge Hotel on 60th st in Times Square (right across from the Port Auth Bus Terminal and next to the Parole Board! ). We walked everywhere except when we took a cab to the 911 Memorial. We did not get tickets on line but got to the preview site where you get tickets if you didnt reserve them by 9:30 and got 10:00 tickets. When we went back to the preview site to look around some more the wait for tickets was over an hour. You have to have tickets to get into the memorial (which is a couple blocks away). If you reserve tickets on line it is $2 per ticket.

Everything we did took a lot longer than we anticipated and we didn't do half the stuff we wanted to do. But again, we walked everywhere.

Chinatown was a lot bigger than we thought. Go into one of the markets to see the really fresh food. My DD was grossed out by it. My friend got yelled at for taking pictures. Little Italy was fun.

We did the Brooklyn Bridge but only halfway so we could get pictures. We did the empire state building at night and it was freezing and crowded. DO NOT DO THE SPECIAL PACKAGE DEAL they sell outside the building. I'm still kicking my DH for buying the VIP package. Waste of money. It includes the "Imax" movie (which really wasn't) and then got in line with everyone else. The only thing it saved us was waiting in line to buy tickets but it wasn't worth the money.

Our biggest waste of time was eating at Serendipitys. Slowest service ever. I think we were there 3 hours. The deserts were great but the food was mediocre and I can't believe how long it took. Our server was fabulous. But the experience was not worth the time we wasted there.

Central Park was fun - we did the zoo (it is small) and then wandered around. They were taping a segment for "Person of Interest" which none of us ever heard of. When we got back to the hotel we looked it up and recognized one of the main characters from the park. None of us took pictures though. Now I keep seeing commericals with guy in it.

I am sad we didn't see a show but that will be at the top of our list next time.

 

[leelee9878]

Just so you know the Intrepid is reopening the shuttle exhibit on June 13, if you go that weekend they may have higher crowd levels than during the week since it will be the first weekend it reopened.

 

[Soupermom]

Just so you know the Intrepid is reopening the shuttle exhibit on June 13, if you go that weekend they may have higher crowd levels than during the week since it will be the first weekend it reopened.

Thank you for this information! We will be going on that Saturday, but I plan to be there at opening (10am, right?), so hopefully it won't be toooo bad.

 

[Soupermom]

Why? Is there anywhere else you cannot take photos? I know its a no-no in the theaters, but I can still have my camera with me right (to take photos outside the theater)?

 

[Soupermom]

Friday, June 14th
Drive from Danville to New York City, New York

Saturday, June 15th
Intrepid Museum (10 am; go EARLY), (lunch at bowling alley across the street?), Harbor Cruise (1:30 pm), New York Public Library, Grand Central Station (dinner?), Empire State Building

Sunday, June 16th
Chinatown (Wo Hop), Scott’s Pizza Tourn (maybe), Little Italy, (Meatball Shop) Economy Candy, (Brooklyn Bagel Company) Improv at the Upright Citizens Brigade (7:30pm—go early)

Monday, June 17th
9/11 Museum, St. Paul’s Chapel (Stage Door Deli), Wall Street, Trinity Church, Jimmy Fallon?? (3:30), FREE evening?

Tuesday, June 18th
Museum of Natural History, Central Park (Shake Shack), FAO Schwarz
Carmine’s or Tony Di Napoli’s for dinner/The Lion King (7:00pm)

Wednesday, June 19th
ToTR (8 am), travel to Brooklyn/eat lunch/walk back across the Brooklyn Bridge, FREE evening


Thursday, June 20th
Drive from NYC to Danville, Illinois

 

[lisaross]

oN Your free evenings if not too tired u could always go ont he TKTS line and get show tickets!

Friday, June 14th
Drive from Danville to New York City, New York

Saturday, June 15th
Intrepid Museum (10 am; go EARLY), (lunch at bowling alley across the street?), Harbor Cruise (1:30 pm), New York Public Library, Grand Central Station (dinner?), Empire State Building

Sunday, June 16th
Chinatown (Wo Hop), Scott’s Pizza Tourn (maybe), Little Italy, (Meatball Shop) Economy Candy, (Brooklyn Bagel Company) Improv at the Upright Citizens Brigade (7:30pm—go early)

Monday, June 17th
9/11 Museum, St. Paul’s Chapel (Stage Door Deli), Wall Street, Trinity Church, Jimmy Fallon?? (3:30), FREE evening?

Tuesday, June 18th
Museum of Natural History, Central Park (Shake Shack), FAO Schwarz
Carmine’s or Tony Di Napoli’s for dinner/The Lion King (7:00pm)

Wednesday, June 19th
ToTR (8 am), travel to Brooklyn/eat lunch/walk back across the Brooklyn Bridge, FREE evening


Thursday, June 20th
Drive from NYC to Danville, Illinois

 

[Sagginit]

Why? Is there anywhere else you cannot take photos? I know its a no-no in the theaters, but I can still have my camera with me right (to take photos outside the theater)?

i would guess they got yelled at b/c they were trying to take pictures of a business (on their property) without their permission or the person just really did not want to be in a photo. i have seen this happen to others while travelling (in and outside the US) because the business did not want anyone photographing their locations.

in museums pay attention to signs and notices as there are always restrictions. some public places, like port authority bus terminal, have postings that they do not allow you to photograph inside.

as for the museum of natural history if you head over to colombus and amsterdam you will find more restaurants.

for transportation you may want to avoid busses. my boyfriend has been in NYC for over 10 years now and he almost never uses them as they can be much more complicated than subways.

 

[NYCDiane]

Regarding the camera:

You CAN bring your camera into the theater but cannot take photos while the show is on. I've taken photos of my daughter in the lobby next to the poster as well as inside the theater itself but not when the show is on.

MUSEUMS: Natural History and Metropolitan Museum of Art, you CAN take photos but cannot use your flash. There are security people EVERYWHERE in the Met and if your flash goes off, they will say something. I know you cannot take photos at all inside the Guggenheim

You can take photos anyplace outside; there are no restrictions.

You can take photos at Top of the Rock or the ESB.