NYC hidden gems?

[dd316]

You can visit the fire station from Ghostbusters at Hook & Ladder 8 in Tribeca. If you're into Ghostbusters there are film locations all over the Manhattan.

 

[mjkacmom]

Agree that Bronx zoo is fantastic. Not sure how easy ti is to get to without car.
I also think Library usually is a great visit often has interesting exhibit. Also I use to recomend seeing if Christies had an auction going on that was worth seeing as it pretty easy to view . Only I have no idea what's easy with covid now. Also would always suggest viewing the different concert venues as there are so many there might be someone you might get chance to see. But again that was pre covid

My daughter’s ex boyfriend goes to Fordham, they get free passes to the zoo so there must be a way.

 

[mjkacmom]

In fact the city regulations require showing your vaccination status for entry into most any indoor venue including restaurants.

Just a heads up. There is no need to get the Ellis Island/Statue of Liberty combined ticket unless you want to visit the second island. The Staten Island Ferry is free and affords a great view of the Statue.

I’ve done the combo a few times and it never gets old, both islands. The views from the SOL are incredible, and Ellis island is fascinating.

 

[Donald13]

I wanted to try this bbq place when I visited but didn’t get the chance. I’m curious how it compares to Texas bbq.

It’s as close as you can get to Texas bbq in nyc.

 

[Imzadi]

Just a heads up. There is no need to get the Ellis Island/Statue of Liberty combined ticket unless you want to visit the second island. The Staten Island Ferry is free and affords a great view of the Statue.

I love that view from the S.I. Ferry. Done it several times over the decades just to see Lady Liberty. I still have never stepped foot on Staten Island though. One just gets off at the ferry terminal, turns around, stands in line to head right back on the same ferry, once they do a sweep through to prepare it for the trip back.

 

[clh2]

Another thought, check out if there are any tours happening at Central Park during your stay!

 

[Imzadi]

My daughter’s ex boyfriend goes to Fordham, they get free passes to the zoo so there must be a way.

The #2 train goes there. Get off at East 180 St stop then walk 1/4 mile around to the entrance. Or take the #1 train and use the free transfer to take a bus the rest of the way. (The free transfer will automatically be logged on the Metro card once it's inserted into the bus' card machine. Transfers are good for a 2 hour period from when the Metro card is first swiped.)

 

[Imzadi]

Food tour of Greenwich village

I've read the reviews for these food tours before and hae been interested in going, just to discover new places to go back to. They always sound really interesting as one gets to sample the foods. There's also food tours for Little Italy, Chinatown, and Chelsea Market. I vaguely remember reading about a chocolate tour.

 

[Imzadi]

thanks - I know we'll be nearish Times Square - actually can't remember which hotel we booked

Someone mentioned Junior's Restaurant in Brooklyn. That location is the original and home of the infamous Junior's cheesecake, which is the epitome of a "NY cheesecake."

They have since opened 2 more locations in Times Square. I was really afraid they wouldn't survive the pandemic with 3 closed locations they had to pay rent on. The Times Square locations were closed all the way to a couple months ago when the Broadway theatres finally reopened. . The locations are W 45th St between 7th & 8th Aves, and Broadway at 49th St.

You can get whole cheesecakes. They do sell a cheesecake with 2 or 3 different fruit toppings on the one cake, so each person get get their desired topping. And they sell individual slices with different toppings for takeout - if you guys prefer to take them back to the hotel to munch on later. Your rooms will likely have a small fridge. Make sure to ask for plastic forks & knives when you order.

They also make cupcakes with real buttercream frosting. I get cravings for real buttercream frosting now and then. So this is my usual buy from Junior's. I prefer to have the cheesecakes occasionally as they are so decadent. They remain a real treat that way.

Walk across the street and down a block from the Junior's at 49th St and there's a Krispy Kreme store. This new store actually opened up for the first time during the pandemic. And YES, we all lined up, outside, down the block, socially distanced, for Krispy Kremes.

Show your proof of vaccination and you get a free donut. (I always buy a couple extra donuts too. I'm not interested in depleting their profits while getting a free donut now & then.) If only a couple of you getting a free donut, there is actually a pre-order pickup window on Broadway, around the corner of the long line. They have a register there and usually no line. I usually just go up, ask if I can get my donut(s) there. Since I already know the donuts I want, I don't have to go in the store. They always sell me my donuts there.


On the corner of 42nd St and 8th Ave is a hub of "Cake Boss" Buddy Valastro's bakery, Carlo's Bakery. Small corner store. You can buy a whole cake. They have many varieties. Or cake slices to go for about $9/slice. My favorite is their vanilla confetti cake with real buttercream frosting (again!) Grab plastic forks & napkins on the way out.

 

[holden]

I haven't read the whole thread so I apologize if this was mentioned:

DeGustibus Cooking School - super fun! You don't have to cook. They have classes where you taste wine and food is cooked by a famous chef. Not sure if they are in person now. We have done several classes and really enjoyed them! It's located in Macy's on 34th st.

https://degustibusnyc.com/

 

[NYCgrrl]

My daughter’s ex boyfriend goes to Fordham, they get free passes to the zoo so there must be a way.

Or take the D train straight up to Fordham Rd., then the bus (12 or 12 express) to Southern Blvd. The Garden is on your left.

ETA: stick to the 12 bus instead of the express. The local is a free transfer from the subway but you have to pay $2.00 or $3.00 additional for the express. Either way it’s a short ride maybe 10 to 15 minutes.

 

[NYCgrrl]

I've read the reviews for these food tours before and hae been interested in going, just to discover new places to go back to. They always sound really interesting as one gets to sample the foods. There's also food tours for Little Italy, Chinatown, and Chelsea Market. I vaguely remember reading about a chocolate tour.

A chocolate tour used to visit Jacques Torre’s factory in Dumbo but may have moved into Manhattan. The pandemic has changed so much in various parts of town.

 

[NYCgrrl]

I love that view from the S.I. Ferry. Done it several times over the decades just to see Lady Liberty. I still have never stepped foot on Staten Island though. One just gets off at the ferry terminal, turns around, stands in line to head right back on the same ferry, once they do a sweep through to prepare it for the trip back.

Poor Richmond, once in life I got off the Ferry. Guess you have to know someone who lives there what with them having no subway, LOL.

 

[luvmyfam444]

You can visit the fire station from Ghostbusters at Hook & Ladder 8 in Tribeca. If you're into Ghostbusters there are film locations all over the Manhattan.

oh neat! gotta introduce Ghostbusters to the kiddos - lol

 

[luvmyfam444]

Someone mentioned Junior's Restaurant in Brooklyn. That location is the original and home of the infamous Junior's cheesecake, which is the epitome of a "NY cheesecake."

They have since opened 2 more locations in Times Square. I was really afraid they wouldn't survive the pandemic with 3 closed locations they had to pay rent on. The Times Square locations were closed all the way to a couple months ago when the Broadway theatres finally reopened. . The locations are W 45th St between 7th & 8th Aves, and Broadway at 49th St.

You can get whole cheesecakes. They do sell a cheesecake with 2 or 3 different fruit toppings on the one cake, so each person get get their desired topping. And they sell individual slices with different toppings for takeout - if you guys prefer to take them back to the hotel to munch on later. Your rooms will likely have a small fridge. Make sure to ask for plastic forks & knives when you order.

They also make cupcakes with real buttercream frosting. I get cravings for real buttercream frosting now and then. So this is my usual buy from Junior's. I prefer to have the cheesecakes occasionally as they are so decadent. They remain a real treat that way.

Walk across the street and down a block from the Junior's at 49th St and there's a Krispy Kreme store. This new store actually opened up for the first time during the pandemic. And YES, we all lined up, outside, down the block, socially distanced, for Krispy Kremes.

Show your proof of vaccination and you get a free donut. (I always buy a couple extra donuts too. I'm not interested in depleting their profits while getting a free donut now & then.) If only a couple of you getting a free donut, there is actually a pre-order pickup window on Broadway, around the corner of the long line. They have a register there and usually no line. I usually just go up, ask if I can get my donut(s) there. Since I already know the donuts I want, I don't have to go in the store. They always sell me my donuts there.


On the corner of 42nd St and 8th Ave is a hub of "Cake Boss" Buddy Valastro's bakery, Carlo's Bakery. Small corner store. You can buy a whole cake. They have many varieties. Or cake slices to go for about $9/slice. My favorite is their vanilla confetti cake with real buttercream frosting (again!) Grab plastic forks & napkins on the way out.

thanks, we have KK here, grew up on them, but free is good too. Made it to Juniors & Carlos a couple of years ago. The cheesecake eating people liked Carlos' better. ha

 

[luvmyfam444]

A chocolate tour used to visit Jacques Torre’s factory in Dumbo but may have moved into Manhattan. The pandemic has changed so much in various parts of town.

ohhh that would be nice - a chocolate tour

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Gray’s Papaya

 

[LovesTimone]

I would do quite a bit a planning before you go.. Checking and rechecking what is opened, day and times... and restaurants around your hotel status...

We have had several friends that have been to NYC recently, and have been very disappointed, as well safety is a huge issue right now.
They each had some really good reason wishing that they would have spent their time elsewhere... and all of them said its not safe!

One you must show your vaccination card to eat in doors if not you must do take out. So if you have little kids you might want to rethink this for sure.

Limited restaurant are opened, and some with very short hours. Alot of place's are shuttered up and out of business.

Homeless, and groups of teens, and young adults or gangs robbing and mugging in the Park and the Subways - not safe.... and after what happened in Philadelphia on the subway with that poor woman being raped and no one helped her... I most definitely would not think of using the subway...

My friends went to college in NYC and love to visit there, and go 3 or 4 times a year... and when they said for the first time ever they felt unsafe... Then I tend to believe and listen to them... They were accosted in the park while just sitting on a bench drinking coffee by a group of young people screaming and threatening them. He said luckily a bodega owner let them in and locked the door, and said he would call the cops if they wanted them to, but there just aren't enough of them around due to cut backs, and defunding of the departments.. As well when they were leaving early am the doormen at the hotel made them stay inside until a their car pulled up, he said it wasn't safe...

Another friend of DH's took his boys to NYC for a guys trip, and he said trying to find them something to eat was very very hard. Alot of the deli's, diner's and bagel places are gone, even finding a dirty water dog on the street was hard. He told DH he wished he would have waited, he said that walking a short distant in the park on the way to the MET, was just scary, and that most everything has limited hours and/or days... he said that he made sure that they were back in the hotel room each day before it got dark...

Wishing you safe travels...

 

[rlk]

I live in Manhattan and run every day in Central Park as well as walk/ subway all around the city. While I have noticed an increase in the homeless population, I have not encountered any dangerous situations. Perhaps it is a matter of perspective. As a seasoned New Yorker, I am comfortable with a lot of chaos around me,and can see how someone not familiar with New York could find it a bit "scary"

 

[luvmyfam444]

I would do quite a bit a planning before you go.. Checking and rechecking what is opened, day and times... and restaurants around your hotel status...

We have had several friends that have been to NYC recently, and have been very disappointed, as well safety is a huge issue right now.
They each had some really good reason wishing that they would have spent their time elsewhere... and all of them said its not safe!

One you must show your vaccination card to eat in doors if not you must do take out. So if you have little kids you might want to rethink this for sure.

Limited restaurant are opened, and some with very short hours. Alot of place's are shuttered up and out of business.

Homeless, and groups of teens, and young adults or gangs robbing and mugging in the Park and the Subways - not safe.... and after what happened in Philadelphia on the subway with that poor woman being raped and no one helped her... I most definitely would not think of using the subway...

My friends went to college in NYC and love to visit there, and go 3 or 4 times a year... and when they said for the first time ever they felt unsafe... Then I tend to believe and listen to them... They were accosted in the park while just sitting on a bench drinking coffee by a group of young people screaming and threatening them. He said luckily a bodega owner let them in and locked the door, and said he would call the cops if they wanted them to, but there just aren't enough of them around due to cut backs, and defunding of the departments.. As well when they were leaving early am the doormen at the hotel made them stay inside until a their car pulled up, he said it wasn't safe...

Another friend of DH's took his boys to NYC for a guys trip, and he said trying to find them something to eat was very very hard. Alot of the deli's, diner's and bagel places are gone, even finding a dirty water dog on the street was hard. He told DH he wished he would have waited, he said that walking a short distant in the park on the way to the MET, was just scary, and that most everything has limited hours and/or days... he said that he made sure that they were back in the hotel room each day before it got dark...

Wishing you safe travels...

thank you for the info - we can't reschedule since we will be there for the Macy's Day parade. Good to know about the food...I think I will make sure to have a box of granola bars packed for everyone.