NYC - Thanksgiving trip

[drinkme]

Dh is temporarily working in NYC, so the kids & I are going to be flying out there the week of Thanksgiving to stay with him. His apartment is in the Financial District (he's right next to Battery Park). I'm looking online and I can't figure out the subways. Everyone says it's easy, so I'm wondering if there is a good online site with a map to figure everything out. While dh is at work, I'm planning on taking the kids (12 & 13 years old) to touristy spots. So, I wanted to plan everything out in advance.

I'm thinking of MOMA, 9/11 site, Statue of Liberty (dh says he can see it from his apt. and we can walk to the ferry), Central Park, chinatown, I got tickets to Elf at the Al Hirschfeld Theater, not sure where else we will go. Dh doesn't go anywhere but his apt and his office so he's no help...lol. I know there are alot of New Yorkers on this board.

Also, which is the best way to get to La Guardia airport to his apt. Dh says we should just take a cab because they're everywhere! lol. Do you think we should schedule a shuttle instead?

TIA!!

 

[minnierocks]

If you have a smartphone then hopstop is a great app to figure out how to get where you are going. You will need to reserve the 9/11 tour early. You can do so online...I would suggest for that busy time doing the same for the Statue of Liberty. Cabs are more expensive than the subway but they are quicker and more convenient.

 

[minnie1012]

Dh is temporarily working in NYC, so the kids & I are going to be flying out there the week of Thanksgiving to stay with him. His apartment is in the Financial District (he's right next to Battery Park). I'm looking online and I can't figure out the subways. Everyone says it's easy, so I'm wondering if there is a good online site with a map to figure everything out. While dh is at work, I'm planning on taking the kids (12 & 13 years old) to touristy spots. So, I wanted to plan everything out in advance.

I'm thinking of MOMA, 9/11 site, Statue of Liberty (dh says he can see it from his apt. and we can walk to the ferry), Central Park, chinatown, I got tickets to Elf at the Al Hirschfeld Theater, not sure where else we will go. Dh doesn't go anywhere but his apt and his office so he's no help...lol. I know there are alot of New Yorkers on this board.

You should be able to walk to 9/11 site, and the Statue of Liberty ferry from his apt. I used to work on Water Street (not far from Battery Park) and walked to the PATH train every day which is where the 9/11 memorial is. South Street Seaport is also nearby so you can go there. Not a whole there but its near where you will be. I also recommend hopstop like another poster. You should be near the "1" line which you can take to 42nd street where you can pick up alot of other lines. I like this to help get around as well:

http://www.amazon.com/Specialty-Map...1125794&sr=8-9&keywords=NYC+pocket+subway+map

 

[Kitzka]

I work in NYC (commute from nj) and I second the hop stop app. You enter where you want to go and it will tell you how to get there by bus, subway or walking. You can also use the hop stop website an enter a few locations to have an idea of where to go before you get there.

 

[disykat]

Are your kids good travelers? I ask because when we took the kids to NYC/WDC my youngest had just turned 13. I like to say he "pooped 13 all over that trip."

DH and I went to NYC by ourselves last year and did a walking tour with "real new york tours." Both DH and I commented that if we had done that with the kids our first day on the trip with them, they would have been more invested in sight seeing and more observant, etc. for the rest of the trip. It also takes you on and off the subway, so you'd be pros going out on your own.

 

[cornflake]

The train is really easy - you can just look up a NYC Subway map on Google Images and see the different lines and stops.

You can also use Google Maps.

Like if you just enter two different addresses (even street corners and/or destinations - like you can put in 'John St. to 53rd and Sixth Ave NYC') and click maps, it should give you the map and an option for directions. Then, above the default driving directions, there are four little logos - a car, a bus, a person and a bike. Click the bus and you'll get the both the subway and bus options, with where to walk to (to the station) the line (like N, R or whatever), all labelled and listed for you with approx travel times.

I'd just grab a cab from LGA, but if you want to take a shuttle, you want the SuperShuttle. There's an 800#. They're good, professional, reliable, clean, big, blue well-maintained vans, etc. It'll be probably $10-15 cheaper than a cab, depending on when you're coming in (like what time of day and also how many people - they charge more per, cabs do not), but it'll also make a bunch of stops dropping off other people and could take a decent while winding about.

Don't forget the Tenement Museum (AWESOME), the Metropolitan Museum of Art (also awesome), the Planetarium (esp. if they like space stuff, the movie is cool), the various things to do IN the Park, the Empire State Bldg at night, and some great walking neighbourhoods with shops you'd all like - SoHo, the West Village, the Upper West Side, etc.

Also fun places to eat - Peanut Butter & Co. for all kinds of in-house-made peanut butter on various sandwiches, Oatmeals, for locally sourced, freshly made Oatmeal with different additions, either sweet or savoury (fig and gorgonzola, bacon and maple syrup, sauteed cinnamon apples), Rice to Riches, the rice pudding bar - a dozen different flavours, tons of toppings, or the classic Momof uku Milk and Noodle Bars, with asian noodle bowls and buns and amazing cookies, cakes and unbelievably good soft serve ice creams flavoured like cereal milk (like milk that's at the bottom of kid cereal bowls) or stuff like ritz crackers.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I have traveled on subway lines all over the world and none of them are as confusing as the NYC subway system! I use their trip planner to figure out my route:

http://tripplanner.mta.info/MyTrip/ui_web/customplanner/tripplanner.aspx

I agree with Cornflake; the Tenement Museum is really interesting and your kids are the right age to enjoy it.

Get a good guide book and start planning.

 

[soccermother]

I would plan for time at Ellis Island. We found it more interesting than the statute of liberty.

 

[Sagginit]

when will you arrive, before or after thanksgiving? the reason i'm asking is if you are there for thanksgiving try the macys day parade. i personally don't care for the people on the floats but seeing those big balloons in person is amazing! if it is a few days before you can also look into seeing the prep of the parade (you can sometimes get in where they are filling balloons and if you go to macys the day before you can see them setting up for the live telecast. one year we went the day before and it was one of my favorite holiday trips. we saw the rockettes, watched them trimming the tree at the rock, and then went down to herald square to see them setting up the parade.

the main thing to remember with subways is are you heading uptown or downtown? sometimes they are on opposite sides of the street so you need to know BEFORE you swipe your card and enter if you are going up or down. also local vs express is the second key thing to know, you would hate to get on an express train to realize your stop is local! i would use the app and just pay attention to those two things when getting on the train. in mid-town/ touristy areas there are also plenty of friendly people like me that can point you in the right direction should you get totally confused down there. :