Nyc...help Please.

[ThreeMusketeers]

Hi.

I need some help with NYC transportation.

We are a family of 3, going on December 4th. Coming into Penn Station.

We will be primarily taking, rail and bus for transport b/c we have a 6 year old that will not fancy walking all day.

We want to hit...

Museum of Natural History (should we pre purchuse tix online?)
Poets Walk, Central Park (bringing a small lunch with us..so if you can reccomend anything close by that would be great)
Rockefeller Center (Nintendo store, xmas tree, ice skating)
Times Square
A place for dinner would be helpful too.

**I see they have a day pass metro card you can buy for $7.50 to ride unlimited for the day...Where can you purchase them? And does this include BUS and SUBWAY? ***

**Also, if someone could give me a LOGICAL order to do these things in to max our time this day.. I would really appreciate it**

THANK YOU!

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

Hi.

I need some help with NYC transportation.

We are a family of 3, going on December 4th. Coming into Penn Station.

We will be primarily taking, rail and bus for transport b/c we have a 6 year old that will not fancy walking all day.

We want to hit...

Museum of Natural History (should we pre purchuse tix online?)
Poets Walk, Central Park (bringing a small lunch with us..so if you can reccomend anything close by that would be great)
Rockefeller Center (Nintendo store, xmas tree, ice skating)
Times Square
A place for dinner would be helpful too.

**I see they have a day pass metro card you can buy for $7.50 to ride unlimited for the day...Where can you purchase them? And does this include BUS and SUBWAY? ***

**Also, if someone could give me a LOGICAL order to do these things in to max our time this day.. I would really appreciate it**

THANK YOU!

Metrocard: buy one inside any train station. There are kiosks (big ones) that accepts debit, credit, or cash. The small kiosks don't take cash. They are touch screen and easy to use. For the One Day Fun Pass, select "New Card" and "Unlimited" and then the "One Day".

www.mta.info has a subway map. www.hopstop.com can give you directions by plugging in addresses.

That is a REALLY FULL day. How long were you planning to spend at each place?

 

[ThreeMusketeers]

Metrocard: buy one inside any train station. There are kiosks (big ones) that accepts debit, credit, or cash. The small kiosks don't take cash. They are touch screen and easy to use. For the One Day Fun Pass, select "New Card" and "Unlimited" and then the "One Day".

www.mta.info has a subway map. www.hopstop.com can give you directions by plugging in addresses.

That is a REALLY FULL day. How long were you planning to spend at each place?

Really? Too much for one day?

What should we cut? What would be the highlights to YOU?

Thanks for the links btw..that really helps!

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

Really? Too much for one day?

What should we cut? What would be the highlights to YOU?

Thanks for the links btw..that really helps!

Well I don't know...it just seems like a LOT, especially because you could conceivably spend an entire day just in the history museum.

What time are you getting into the city and leaving the city? You are not spending the night in town are you?

 

[ThreeMusketeers]

Well I don't know...it just seems like a LOT, especially because you could conceivably spend an entire day just in the history museum.

What time are you getting into the city and leaving the city? You are not spending the night in town are you?

Well.. we are only literally an hour and a half away from the city. So we can come back again. I have just always wanted to do during the holidays.

Hope to be arriving at 8am and we will stay until we are done.

Any thoughts?

 

[marlynnp]

I second using hopstop! Becareful if you get the one day cards ~ you cannot use them for another 18 minutes. You need to swipe and hit the turnstiles quickly in the subway or you will be stuck waiting. You can get one card loaded with $'s ($2 pp per trip) and you get a bonus 15% for anything over I think it's $7 put on a card. All three of you can use that one card (they're good for 4 swipes at one time). Also, you can transfer between bus/subway for free on one fare once in a two hour period.

Your schedule sounds fine. While you can certainly spend an entire day (or longer) at the AMNH, a morning will probably be about the longest a child will have the attention for. I would not buy tix before you go, unless you are trying to see an IMAX film while you are there.

 

[marlynnp]

Is the 6yo a boy or a girl?

 

[marlynnp]

If you have a daughter, there is a restaurant on the upper east side (across the park and a block or two over) called Alice's Tea Party. They have soup and sandwiches and teas.

Zabar's is just a few blocks away (to the west) from the AMNH if you want to grab something to take to the park.

 

[ThreeMusketeers]

If you have a daughter, there is a restaurant on the upper east side (across the park and a block or two over) called Alice's Tea Party. They have soup and sandwiches and teas.

Zabar's is just a few blocks away (to the west) from the AMNH if you want to grab something to take to the park.

Thank you.
So we can buy ONE metro card, fill it up and we can all use it? And what do you mean, we won't be charged if we use the bus? And what do you mean we have 18 min??I am confused on that. ..sorry. I'm not a city girl.

(I like your little ant..he's freekin me out)

 

[java]

I would scrap the history museum and save that for another trip. That really is a full day if not more of a kind of place- not a quick breeze in or out.

Then removing that the rest of your stuff is walkable- we did those with our 4 kdis this summer and the 2 youngest are 3 and 5.
Times Square? What do you want to see? It isn't really so kid friendly except for the ToysRus. or Broadway.

Diner my kids LOVE Virgil's
http://www.virgilsbbq.com/
and
Becco's is one of my favorites and my kids like it too
http://www.becco-nyc.com/
(it's like inexpensive Felidia- my all time favorite Italian in the city)

 

[ThreeMusketeers]

I would scrap the history museum and save that for another trip. That really is a full day if not more of a kind of place- not a quick breeze in or out.

Then removing that the rest of your stuff is walkable- we did those with our 4 kdis this summer and the 2 youngest are 3 and 5.
Times Square? What do you want to see? It isn't really so kid friendly except for the ToysRus. or Broadway.

Diner my kids LOVE Virgil's
http://www.virgilsbbq.com/
and
Becco's is one of my favorites and my kids like it too
http://www.becco-nyc.com/
(it's like inexpensive Felidia- my all time favorite Italian in the city)

My husband and I want to see Times Square. Esp the Toys R us at Christmas time. Is it UNSAFE for kids, or just won't interest kids..b/c dh are on this trip as well. lol

Thank you for the rest. advice..going to check out those websites.

 

[tw1nsmom]

If you go to the Natural History Museum you should know that it doesn't open until 10am. If you're going to be getting into the city by 8am, you could do poet walk first. I'm actually not sure what that it and how much time you plan to spend there. If you get there by 9am, would and hour be enough time to see what you want to see and walk to the Museum?

You could then spend a couple hours at the museum. You won't see everything, but you could hit the highlights. When my kids were 6 their attention span wasn't very long, so 2 hours would be about it for them.

Someone mentioned Alices's tea room. I've heard it's great (a little pricey, but worth it). It really sounds like the perfect place to take a little girl for lunch. I think it may be a little cold to eat lunch in the park anyway.

After lunch you could take the subway/bus/taxi to the Rockefeller Center area. Really, Times Square is just a few blocks from there so you could spend the afternoon walking around the area and catching most of the rest of the things on your list.

It is an ambitious schedule. Only you will know how your family will handle it.

 

[tw1nsmom]

My husband and I want to see Times Square. Esp the Toys R us at Christmas time. Is it UNSAFE for kids, or just won't interest kids..b/c dh are on this trip as well. lol

Thank you for the rest. advice..going to check out those websites.

My kids loved seeing Times Square. They loved the lights at night. Of course the Toys-R-Us store was a hit, but they also just liked seeing all of the activity...oh, and the M&M store too. We just held their hands and kept close track of them.

 

[java]

My husband and I want to see Times Square. Esp the Toys R us at Christmas time. Is it UNSAFE for kids, or just won't interest kids..b/c dh are on this trip as well. lol

Thank you for the rest. advice..going to check out those websites.

Not unsafe- BUT around holiday time Naked Cowboy and Naked Cowgirl are out.
Naked cowgirl will forever be "Stickers" to us since my dd asked me Mom why is that lady wearing stickers instead of a shirt?

They try to make it seem like Times Square is family friendly and I have to say I never feel unsafe there it's just that the crowd is a bit more "adult" than kid friendly.

The ToysRus Ferris wheel is fun though and the store itself is fun too.

My favorite thing to do at Christmas time is the Bryant Park Fair. It's a holiday craft fair type thing . But for some reason it totally puts me in the holiday mood- there's the free skating- and then all the cute little stalls set up. A little slice of magic in the heart of the city.
This has some pictures of last year
http://www.theweblicist.com/wordpress/category/retail-and-shops/bryant-park-holiday-market/

Oh and I don't know if the tree will be lit up yet on the 4th. Last year I think they turned it on on the 5th.

 

[ThreeMusketeers]

Not unsafe- BUT around holiday time Naked Cowboy and Naked Cowgirl are out.
Naked cowgirl will forever be "Stickers" to us since my dd asked me Mom why is that lady wearing stickers instead of a shirt?

They try to make it seem like Times Square is family friendly and I have to say I never feel unsafe there it's just that the crowd is a bit more "adult" than kid friendly.

The ToysRus Ferris wheel is fun though and the store itself is fun too.

My favorite thing to do at Christmas time is the Bryant Park Fair. It's a holiday craft fair type thing . But for some reason it totally puts me in the holiday mood- there's the free skating- and then all the cute little stalls set up. A little slice of magic in the heart of the city.
This has some pictures of last year
http://www.theweblicist.com/wordpress/category/retail-and-shops/bryant-park-holiday-market/

Oh and I don't know if the tree will be lit up yet on the 4th. Last year I think they turned it on on the 5th.

I think the tree goes up on the 3rd. that's what the website says anyway.


wondering..Is it unsafe to ride subway back to NJ with kiddo's at night? i would LOVE to stay to see the city light up. But stay in the city that time of year is CRAZY expensive. Any tips? We live in NJ, so we would like to just stay in the city if we can. Maybe make it a 2 day thing.

 

[java]

Oh yeah I see they are saying lighting on the 3rd

We stayed in NYC for the night because it was just me and my 2 oldest. Dh stayed home with the 2 youngest. Then we've all done the day in together.

We've stayed at several hotels for the night- the Mariott Marquis was surprisingly not that bad- relativly speaking. I paid under $300 in December- got a deal somehow.
I've also stayed at the Sofitel- but that was $$$ and the W but that was TINY. Great for romantic weekend not so much- with the kids.

Have a great time. I love going in- I'm in NJ now too. But grew up spending every weekend in the city with my Grandparents. So I love walking around all over the place.
The next trip in is going to be Chinatown and the village. My kids have not been down there and I think they would love it.

I have not taken the subway- I did take Transbridge buslines back to NJ though. And I felt ok in Port Authority by myself= so with your dh and child you should be fine. Subway? I don't know Have not taken it in years. Back 15 years ago I was safe and took it all over the place- have not been on one in about 8 years though so I can't comment.

 

[ThreeMusketeers]

Oh yeah I see they are saying lighting on the 3rd

We stayed in NYC for the night because it was just me and my 2 oldest. Dh stayed home with the 2 youngest. Then we've all done the day in together.

We've stayed at several hotels for the night- the Mariott Marquis was surprisingly not that bad- relativly speaking. I paid under $300 in December- got a deal somehow.
I've also stayed at the Sofitel- but that was $$$ and the W but that was TINY. Great for romantic weekend not so much- with the kids.

Have a great time. I love going in- I'm in NJ now too. But grew up spending every weekend in the city with my Grandparents. So I love walking around all over the place.
The next trip in is going to be Chinatown and the village. My kids have not been down there and I think they would love it.

I have not taken the subway- I did take Transbridge buslines back to NJ though. And I felt ok in Port Authority by myself= so with your dh and child you should be fine. Subway? I don't know Have not taken it in years. Back 15 years ago I was safe and took it all over the place- have not been on one in about 8 years though so I can't comment.

Can I keep annoying you for tips then?
PLEASE???


What is the Transbridge bus line? And where do i find tickets?

 

[java]

Can I keep annoying you for tips then?
PLEASE???


What is the Transbridge bus line? And where do i find tickets?

http://www.transbridgebus.com/

I don't know if they go south Jersey though we are central nj

 

[ThreeMusketeers]

http://www.transbridgebus.com/

I don't know if they go south Jersey though we are central nj

I was just checking them out.

THank you for the idea. Do they have buses that just drive you into the city, let you do what you want then take you back?

All i see are TOURS???

 

[ThreeMusketeers]

Am I this stupid???

I don't understand that schedule. How is it read? I can drive to whereever in NJ if we needed to. But how do i read that darn thing? Where will it let me off and how much will it be? OMG! I feel ridiculous!!