please help - visiting New York City!

[PaDisney02]

We are thinking about taking a day trip to NYC. We live about 2 hrs away. Where can I park for the day? What are some cool things to do with kids? I know you cant do much in NYC in one day. We are thinking about exploring the time square area, the museum of Natural history and also china town, is that doable for all in one day? Also, how do u get arund in NYC? Can we walk to those 3 places? Any tip are greatly appreciated!

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

We are thinking about taking a day trip to NYC. We live about 2 hrs away. Where can I park for the day? What are some cool things to do with kids? I know you cant do much in NYC in one day. We are thinking about exploring the time square area, the museum of Natural history and also china town, is that doable for all in one day? Also, how do u get arund in NYC? Can we walk to those 3 places? Any tip are greatly appreciated!

I always use the subway, it's so cheap. You could walk to all those places in one day. The Museum is on the Upper West Side, Times Square is in Midtown and Chinatown is Downtown. It would be a LOT of walking. These three places almost form a triangle. How old are the kids?
There are parking garages in the city, they are fairly expensive...like $30 or more a day.....I can't remember because I've never driven in the city.

 

[PaDisney02]

My kids are 3 and 7. What about port authority? Can I park there?

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

My kids are 3 and 7. What about port authority? Can I park there?

I don't think so...I went to their website and couldn't find anything. I did find an article about parking. I just have no clue...sorry!
http://manhattan.about.com/od/gettingaround/a/parkingnyc.htm
I think the kids would really love Times Square...esp if you are going to be there at night. And even if you aren't, there is plenty to do. There is a HUGE Toys R Us store, a Hersheys store. Dylan's Candy Bar is a great store, but that's in the opposite direction. Hmmm, let me think about it. I haven't taken my girls yet, and they are teenagers now, so they would be happy to just hang out and shop in the Village or on Canal. I honestly don't think a 3 and 7 year old can handle that much walking. The places you want to go just happen to be in different directions. And even if they could walk it, it would wear them out. Do you have boys, girls or one of each?

 

[LuvOrlando]

Do a google search for NYC best parking. the first selection was given to us by a NYC resident and has saved us tons of money.

The American Museum of Natural history can be an all day thing and is totally worth the time. If you can afford it do the Planetarium shows, it is just spectacular and I think en entire package is much cheaper if you buy ahead of time on-line. The other spots are sort of spread out and there isn't so much there this time of year, China town isn't much to look at (what is there that you want to see?), you can just drive through and Time Square isn't much either unless it's Christmas time and the tree is up, the rest of the year these areas are just crowded and can be full of some pretty scary characters, IMO. But up by the museum you can go to the Central Park Zoo or The Loeb Boathouse and rent a rowboat, there are even tons of museums depending on the ages of the kids.

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Yeah, I was thinking it would probably be best with kids that young, to stay around the museums and walk into Central Park to do things. The zoo is pretty famous, I've never been there but pretty much everything in the city is awesome!

I agree with the PP about Chinatown. It's cool to see once, but with the limited time...I mean it is almost at the tip of Manhattan.

Now if you do go to Times Square, you won't be far from Rockefeller Center. I think it's just one street over...I cant remember. You could go to the Top of the Rock and see the city 70 stories up. I like this view better than the Empire State Building because this way you actually get to see it.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Rockefeller Center is more than "one street" over. Not too far to walk, but not steps away either.

Research parking outside the city and taking a commuter train in.

As someone who has walked from Madison Square Garden to South Street Seaport, I'm all in favor of walking the city to get the best feel.

Heck, just walking is an education and an experience in itself!

If you insist on driving into the city proper, then do the Google search and choose the selection that works best for you.

 

[PaDisney02]

thanks for all the tips! I've never been to china town....I just heard its cool and has lots of street vendors and markets and stuff like that! I think the kids will love the museum of natural history....I cant wait!

I'm affraid I will get lost in NYC! I hope they have maps of the city posted! Thanks again! You realy helped me!

 

[PaDisney02]

Rockefeller Center is more than "one street" over. Not too far to walk, but not steps away either.

Research parking outside the city and taking a commuter train in.

As someone who has walked from Madison Square Garden to South Street Seaport, I'm all in favor of walking the city to get the best feel.

Heck, just walking is an education and an experience in itself!

If you insist on driving into the city proper, then do the Google search and choose the selection that works best for you.

I prefer not to drive into the city, so I will check that out....thanks! I think just walking around will be really cool. I have been to NYC a few times but my hubby and kids have not. I think my hubby will just like walking around and seeing the culture! Thanks for all your help.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Since you are only two hours away, you could see if there is mass transit from near you...

Also, the only drawback to walking in NYC is that there are no convenient public restrooms. With children that might be a factor. So, you'll need to plan on stopping for drinks and a snack in places that have a restroom...

Walking through the city is great! Weekends are slower than weekdays of course, but that can be ok.

If you do want to go to Chinatown, do that early on. It's a much safer area than it used to be, but it's still over there near the east side/Bowery and you don't want to go looking for trouble.

5th Avenue is always fun to stroll and "gawk."

My favorite area is the Village. Everyone has their own preferences, eh?

You'll have fun!

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Rockefeller Center is more than "one street" over. Not too far to walk, but not steps away either.

Research parking outside the city and taking a commuter train in.

As someone who has walked from Madison Square Garden to South Street Seaport, I'm all in favor of walking the city to get the best feel.

Heck, just walking is an education and an experience in itself!

Oops, sorry about the bad directions, I haven't been since last year. And this poster is 1000% percent right about walking the city. That's the only way to get a real feel for it. Each neighborhood is so distinctive. You get to eat real food, and not touristy food like TGIFridays. But with the little ones, you are going to want to pick one area and kinda stick to it. You can't go wrong, there's always something going on somewhere.
I have walked from Penn Station to Chambers. We could have taken the subway right to Chambers, but we walked around the Village, and Washington Sq and ate at Umbertos in Little Italy which is now a tradition for us. It pretty much took about 5 hours I'm thinking.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

I think a day at the museum, planetarium and Central Park will be a great day for the kids and you. There's the zoo in the park, (two of them, don't miss the children's zoo) the Merry Go Round, rent a row boat and make it a day.

I don't think Times Square is anything great, but of course it seems to be a requirement for people when they come here.

Chinatown is okay but I wouldn't make a special trip down there. It's very crowded and not so interesting for kids. Every block is similar, fish market, store with cheap looking fake designer merchandise, restaurants, etc.. If you plan to walk from either the museum down there or vice versa, it's at least 5 miles. Fine for me, but don't know how your kids will do or you pushing a stroller or two. You're better off taking the subway and just walking around the neighborhoods once you're there, imo.

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Since you are only two hours away, you could see if there is mass transit from near you...

Also, the only drawback to walking in NYC is that there are no convenient public restrooms. With children that might be a factor. So, you'll need to plan on stopping for drinks and a snack in places that have a restroom...

Walking through the city is great! Weekends are slower than weekdays of course, but that can be ok.

If you do want to go to Chinatown, do that early on. It's a much safer area than it used to be, but it's still over there near the east side/Bowery and you don't want to go looking for trouble.

5th Avenue is always fun to stroll and "gawk."

My favorite area is the Village. Everyone has their own preferences, eh?

You'll have fun!

I LOVE the Village. If I could live anywhere in the world, it would be in a brownstone in the Village.
And this poster is right...if you are only 2 hours away, you might be able to take a train right into Penn or Grand Central Stations. Then you wouldn't have to worry about parking or driving. You don't need a car in Manhattan.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

Oops, sorry about the bad directions, I haven't been since last year. And this poster is 1000% percent right about walking the city. That's the only way to get a real feel for it. Each neighborhood is so distinctive. You get to eat real food, and not touristy food like TGIFridays. But with the little ones, you are going to want to pick one area and kinda stick to it. You can't go wrong, there's always something going on somewhere.
I have walked from Penn Station to Chambers. We could have taken the subway right to Chambers, but we walked around the Village, and Washington Sq and ate at Umbertos in Little Italy which is now a tradition for us. It pretty much took about 5 hours I'm thinking.

Oohh, love the shrimp with linquini in Umbertos, yum, I've been going there for at least 20 years I think. Darn I'm old.

 

[Art 1]

thanks for all the tips! I've never been to china town....I just heard its cool and has lots of street vendors and markets and stuff like that! I think the kids will love the museum of natural history....I cant wait!

I'm affraid I will get lost in NYC! I hope they have maps of the city posted! Thanks again! You realy helped me!

If you have never been to Chinatown it is worth the stop. Little Italy is right there as well. Stop in to eat at either place. It is less than 1/4 mile walk to Rockefeller Center from Times Square. It is worth going to take a look. Once there you may want to check out St. Patrick's Cathedral. You won't get to see much at the museum but can walk thru to see what interests you. Make sure to see the blue whale. You will be safe in all these places. My wife and daughter walk back late at night from shows and we hang out late in these places and have no problems. You can take a subway from the museum right to Chinatown, C train I think. Get off at Canal St. It would be nicer to go there in the day and Times Square area at night. You may want to try lunch at Carnegie Deli on 7th and 54th/55th. You can purchase very nice small maps at the book store. Lots to do have fun.

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Oohh, love the shrimp with linquini in Umbertos, yum, I've been going there for at least 20 years I think. Darn I'm old.

OMG, I love it/ it's the bomb. My dad's favorite is the calamari in that spicy marinara. I think last time I got the spaghetti and sausage. YUM
It's not a trip to the city unless we eat at Umbertos

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

If you have never been to Chinatown it is worth the stop. Little Italy is right there as well. Stop in to eat at either place. It is less than 1/4 mile walk to Rockefeller Center from Times Square. It is worth going to take a look. Once there you may want to check out St. Patrick's Cathedral. You won't get to see much at the museum but can walk thru to see what interests you. Make sure to see the blue whale. You will be safe in all these places. My wife and daughter walk back late at night from shows and we hang out late in these places and have no problems. You can take a subway from the museum right to Chinatown, C train I think. Get off at Canal St. It would be nicer to go there in the day and Times Square area at night. You may want to try lunch at Carnegie Deli on 7th and 54th/55th. You can purchase very nice small maps at the book store. Lots to do have fun.

The Stage Deli is also great. I had the "Tiger Woods" last year. Wonder if they have renamed it?
I have never felt unsafe anywhere in Manhattan. Guiliani did a great job. He turned that town around!

 

[czycropper]

Yes, you can drive in and park at the Port Authority-the parking lot will be basically right in front of you once you get out of the Lincoln tunnel. The only problem with that is that depending on the day you go - it can get full. We have done that more than a few times and my DH does it quite often when he goes into the City for work. BTW, we live in Central New Jersey about an hour away and we go in every 6 weeks.

Another option is to just find a parking place once you're in - if you go on the weekends some have specials.

If you're going to Rockefeller Center, there are several places on 48th, 51st that are reasonable. You can actually park at 30 Rock but it's expensive. We used to park there when my DH worked for a firm that their headquaters was there and we go discounted parking but it was still about $30 for the day.

If you don't want to drive in you could park in NJ and take the NJ Transit or PATH in. I have done just my DDs and I and gone down to Lower Manhattan since the PATH will take you down there from Newark - the parking in Newark is right beside the train station and it's very safe.

I usually drive in when I go in and just park, once you get the hang of driving in the City it's fine - even streets go East; odd go West; Avenues go both ways-usually

You'll just have to decide exactly what you want to see and then check which is the best thing for you to do. The Museum is an all day thing, Chinatown is in Lower Manhattan and again is a good place to just walk around and then walk up to the WTC. You can reasonably do Times Square & Rockefeller Center and walk up to Central Park in one day-I just did that with friends that came in from Alabama and it took us about 5 hours but we didn't go into the Top of the Rock, or see a show, or go into many stores - we did go into The Plaza and have "Tea".

Oh, if you want to see the Statue of Liberty - it's actually in New jersey and can get to it off I-78 before you get to the Holland Tunnel.

Have fun planning - I love living where I do because we can decide to go into the City and be there within an hour/hour and a half after we get ready!

 

[PixieTopaz]

Since you are only two hours away, you could see if there is mass transit from near you...

Also, the only drawback to walking in NYC is that there are no convenient public restrooms. With children that might be a factor. !

Google all the Starbucks-they have restrooms
Also central park has several
Bryant Park has a LOVELY bathroom-in fact its a "jewel"

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

IMO, I would skip Chinatown if you only have one day. I think you'll be much better off starting midtown and going up! Walk around Times Squares, all the fun stores that were mentioned before (there's an M&M store too), walk to Rockefeller Center, the NBC store...then up to the museums. Whenever we want to go to Little Italy after walking around, it's always a pain and takes a lot of time. (But we LOVE to eat there anyway!) Plus the "street vendors" you mentioned in Chinatown are more like bootleggers...