How long for New York - any hints/tips/advice

[Isafari]

Next summer, we're thinking of either going to New York on the way to Orlando or taking a few days in the middle of our holiday and getting a return flight to Orlando.

What would you say is the minimum amount of days we would need to see the major attractions?

Any tips on flights?
Any suggestions for hotels?

Any info at all will be gratefully received as it's all totally new to me.

[arkvilla]

We stayed in July for 4 nights at the Affinia Manhattan, booked through Hotels.com

It was right opposite Madison square gardens and we walked everywhere - I absolutely loved Ny and can't wait to go back

We booked Virgin to JFK and then homebound from MCO toGatwick.

We booked our internal flight separately to Orlando and used JetBlue, the flight was $81... bargain

Sandra

[Slowhand]

We spent 5 days in New York a few years ago as a package trip to see Eric Clapton at Madison Square Gdns. [No surprise there then! :lol:]
I reckon that you would be able to see most of the "touristy" parts in around 3 days at a fairly leisurely pace [Empire State Bldg., Statue of Liberty, Central Park, Macy`s etc.etc....maybe a show on Broadway?]

[Isafari]

Thank you so much guys :)
I think I'm going to need a lot of help with organising this little trip so I'll probably have lots of questions.
Sandra - great tip on using the internal flight from JFK to MCO :thumbsup:

[Slowhand]

Remember that VA fly to NY Diane so maybe you could get a good deal on your FC miles.
I`m told that there are more reward seats to NY than to MCO so they should be easier to come by. :thumbsup:

[Isafari]

Remember that VA fly to NY Diane so maybe you could get a good deal on your FC miles.
I`m told that there are more reward seats to NY than to MCO so they should be easier to come by. :thumbsup:

Thanks - all tips greatly appreciated :lol:

[Isafari]

I have no idea of the scale of things in New York. The idea of being able to walk to each attraction from a hotel sounds great.

Places I can think of that we would like to see are
Empire State Building
Statue of Liberty
Central Park
Times Square
Ground Zero
Watch a broadway show

Am I missing anything? Any of the above not worth it?

[arkvilla]

We did Rockefellar Centre too and St Patricks Church which is right opposite it so I would add those to your list too.

Sandra

[lisaw]

It is a lot of walking - we stayed on West 35st - 1 street away from the Empire State Building about a 10 minute walk to Times Square. We had 9 days and had very long days with lots of walking and still there was a fair bit we didn't see.

An idea of timings - we spent a whole day in Central Park and we only got around just over half of it (including The Central Park zoo).
Statue of Liberty Day we were on the first ferry at 9am (you need to arrive quite a bit earlier than that to clear the airport style security) we did Liberty, Ellis Island and we were back 'on the mainland' at about 1pm. The queue for the ferry at that time was probably a couple of hours long!! So top tip get there early! :lol: Oh and if you want Crown access you need to book in advance.

Also I much preferred the Top of the Rock (rockerfeller centre) over the Empire State Building. We did the Top of the Rock again first thing as it opened and we had it pretty much to ourselves - the view of Central Park from there is amazing!! You also get to see The Empire State Building which obviously you don't from the ESB itself! :lol: The ESB we did late at night to get a different perspective and it was just one big push and shove to get a space to see! Nothing like the romantic image I had of it! :rolleyes:

DD and I saw Wicked! DH and DS went to a Yankees game.

Other things we really enjoyed were the circle line boat trip around manhatten, we did tours of both Madison Square Gardens, Radio City Music Hall and NBC studios - all were excellent! Loved an evening bus tour we did over to Brooklyn to view the NY skyline at night too.

We bought a New York pass which gave us admission to all those places, they sell them for varying amounts of days.

[Isafari]

We did Rockefellar Centre too and St Patricks Church which is right opposite it so I would add those to your list too.

Sandra

Thanks Sandra :thumbsup:

Lisa......
I have so many questions :unsure:
Did the time you mentioned at CPZ include your visit to CPZoo?
What time of year did you go for the queues to be so long?
What is Crown access?
Any links for the tours?
More info on the New York pass please.

[lisaw]

We were there last August, it was extremely hot!!

Yes we got to the zoo as it was opening did that first and then hit the park - if you think how big you may think CP is then multiply it by 1000 you may just have some idea of the scale of the place. We did most of the sites in the park - Bethesda terrace (in the film Enchanted), Strawberry Fields, the boating Lake, Alice in Wonderland statue, the baseball/softball fields, and Belvedere Castle which is a bit further north in the park but definitely work a visit as its very pretty with some fantastic views.

Crown access allows you to go up into Liberty's crown, they only allow so many a day to go up and they were sold out before the day when we were there so if you want to do that you need to book in advance. Our tickets were monument tickets which allowed access to the top of the plinth on which she stands - you can look up inside the statue from the top of there and there again are great views from outside.

Not sure if I can put a link to the place I got my pass from so I'll PM you :)

[arkvilla]

Butterhead on secrets lives in NY and sometimes drinks in the bar of the hotel we stayed in so he knows Manhattan really well. He sent me some details of restaurants and I'm sure he'll help you too Di.

I forgot to say we also did Greenwich Village

So much to see so little time.....

Sooooo jealous - I absolutley LOVED NY

Sandra

[josh.p.]

Another vote for the pass you can get- it was really good value for money :yes:

[Isafari]

Thanks for the links Lisa - they are very useful to me :hug2:


Another vote for the pass you can get- it was really good value for money :yes:

Thanks Josh - any do's and don'ts from your point of view?


Butterhead on secrets lives in NY and sometimes drinks in the bar of the hotel we stayed in so he knows Manhattan really well. He sent me some details of restaurants and I'm sure he'll help you too Di.

I had thought of him - hopefully he'll be around shortly and will give me some ideas too

[Britchick]

I shall be watching this closely as this may be part of a bigger road trip next summer if all goes to plan :thumbsup:

[Johnie]

Love NYC! I just said the other day that I need to go purse shopping lol

[BUTTERHEAD1]

I was born and raised in Manhattan and still live here. I can help you with restaurant and entertainment recommendations and things like that however I have never needed a hotel so I dont have any to suggest and have no idea how to get good rates(sorry).
My favorite things to do here are:the Museums, Broadway plays,Shopping, Bronx Zoo,Yankee Games,bar hopping and of course dining. There is so much to do and see here that you could spend 43 years here and not do everything :biggrin:... I havent been to the statue of Liberty since I was kid. I have never been to the top of the Empire state building or the Rock. I love Times square although my wife cant stand going there, she complains that is way too crowded for her and it makes her neervous. I love Central Park and could spend all day there however the central park zoo is very small and can be done in an hour or two. The Bronx Zoo is super cool and extremely large and in my opinion is a cant miss.
It is a great city and a lot safer than people think, with that being said you still have to be vigilant and aware of your surroundings. If you have any questions just ask and if I dont know the answer I will do my best to find out for you.

[uscwest]

I was born and raised in Manhattan and still live here. I can help you with restaurant and entertainment recommendations and things like that however I have never needed a hotel so I dont have any to suggest and have no idea how to get good rates(sorry).
My favorite things to do here are:the Museums, Broadway plays,Shopping, Bronx Zoo,Yankee Games,bar hopping and of course dining. There is so much to do and see here that you could spend 43 years here and not do everything :biggrin:... I havent been to the statue of Liberty since I was kid. I have never been to the top of the Empire state building or the Rock. I love Times square although my wife cant stand going there, she complains that is way too crowded for her and it makes her neervous. I love Central Park and could spend all day there however the central park zoo is very small and can be done in an hour or two. The Bronx Zoo is super cool and extremely large and in my opinion is a cant miss.
It is a great city and a lot safer than people think, with that being said you still have to be vigilant and aware of your surroundings. If you have any questions just ask and if I dont know the answer I will do my best to find out for you. Are you available for being a tour guide? LOL

I've been trying to convince my DW that New York is a great place to visit.

[BUTTERHEAD1]

John it really is a great place to visit and it is very safe, I believe that Donna would love it here. I am a NYPD detective and have been with the department for over 19 years. The city has made a huge turn around in regards to crime over that same time period. Times Square was a scary place back in 1980's and even in the early 90's and the subways were dangerous, but now I would have no problem allowing my 15 year old son to go to times sq. with his friends.
There are so many great restaurants here and there is nothing like a Broadway play. My least favorite season in NY is the summer and I wouldn't really recommend coming here during July & August. The Spring is nice and the fall is great too but there is something about NY during the Christmas season that is magical. A nice dinner,a broadway play and a horse and carriage ride through Central Park during a light snow and Donna will fall in love with New York, now if I can only get you to root for the Yankees.

[Isafari]

Thanks for all the great help and advice so far Butterhead - I'll be sure to get back to you as I have absolutely loads of enquiries/questions about New York.


I wouldn't really recommend coming here during July & August.

Oh dear - that is the only time we can go! :unsure:

[arkvilla]

We went 24th July for 4 days and it was absolutely lovely. If you are used to the Florida heat and crowds then NY will be a doddle :-)

I can't wait to go back

Sandra

[uscwest]

now if I can only get you to root for the Yankees.

Yeah, right, figure the odds on that one. :tongue:

[Tinkfan]

:wave: Lucky you, I haven't been in years! Don't forget to take in some of the museums in Ny, they are outstanding and well worth it. There are many places you can walk to but not all, You will have a fabulous time. There are many small places to eat that are well wrth it and not as pricey as the well known steak houses and The Russian Tea Room.

[Tink]

Be SURE to do the Village, and stroll through Soho. :yes: Dean and Deluca (the original one in the Village) is my all time favorite "grocery" shop. :yes: :mental: Stop in just for a browse, but I KNOW you'll have to buy something.

Poke in every shop you see. There are wonders that you'll find no where else. Unfortunately, you'll not be able to buy some of the best things you'll see (food items)! :D

The Brooklyn Bridge is stunning. South St. Seaport is a bit fun, if a little boring (but nice enough for a rest). Battery Park is another great place to visit.

The Intrepid... is it still there. :unsure: I thought I'd read that it was being moved? :unsure:

Just simply BEING in Manhattan is wonderful. NYC is truly the greatest city on earth. The Yankees are the BEST ball team and even if you don't think you'll understand the game, GO TO A YANKEES GAME!!!! It's the quintessential, "perfect" American experience.

If you get the change do a bit of a tour of the Bronx and Brooklyn.

Oh and Chelsea!

Seriously, the more time you can spend there the better. It's a huge city and has so much to offer, you'll never see and do it all, but give the first time a good go! :yes:

Oh, and I'm as jealous as all get out. :sigh:

[lisaw]

A big recommendation from me would be breakfast at The Clinton Street Baking Co - it was the best breakfast I have ever had! It is only tiny and there is a queue outside before it opens every morning so it fills straight away and stays that way! It's all good fresh food and their muffins are fantastic - we had to wait a while (well not long at all in our eyes!) for breakfast so they bought round a selection of muffins straight from the oven - they were the best I have ever tasted and then we were too full for breakfast! :lol:

After breakfast we then walked across town - through the village (stopping at Dean and Deluca because Tink told me I had to ;) It is well worth a visit - gorgeous shop!) to Magnolia Bakery. Lets just say that walk was a lot further in real life than it looked on a map, especially in 95 degrees!

[Tink]

OH! I'm so glad you had a chance to stop at Dean and Deluca! Isn't it wonderful? I LOVE that shop. (Gee, there's some news). :embarassed:

[josh.p.]

Thanks for the links Lisa - they are very useful to me :hug2:



Thanks Josh - any do's and don'ts from your point of view?



I had thought of him - hopefully he'll be around shortly and will give me some ideas too
I can't think of anything I didn't like :unsure: I have to say though that if I only chose one art gallery to visit it would be the Guggenheim. It's fantastic if you're into art. I'm not really a major fan but I still enjoyed the museum. If you're limited on time and not a lover of art I would give them all a miss :yes:

Something we LOVED was the deli's available all over NY. The food is great and ultra cheap. It feels typically 'New York' to eat in one of those and is a great way to save a bit of money on the cost. That being said, if your budget allows there are some amazing restaurants in New York :yes:

The Disney store is great and you can even meet some characters on the top floor :yes:

[mainecoon lover]

A big recommendation from me would be breakfast at The Clinton Street Baking Co - it was the best breakfast I have ever had! It is only tiny and there is a queue outside before it opens every morning so it fills straight away and stays that way! It's all good fresh food and their muffins are fantastic - we had to wait a while (well not long at all in our eyes!) for breakfast so they bought round a selection of muffins straight from the oven - they were the best I have ever tasted and then we were too full for breakfast! :lol:

After breakfast we then walked across town - through the village (stopping at Dean and Deluca because Tink told me I had to ;) It is well worth a visit - gorgeous shop!) to Magnolia Bakery. Lets just say that walk was a lot further in real life than it looked on a map, especially in 95 degrees!


I completely agree with Lisa on the Clinton street bakery, the pancakes are the best ever. Try going during the week and try the maple butter :yes:.

I would say do not forget Grand Central Station and remember to go down to the food court, they have juniors and magnolia bakery. To be honest there is not much to be seen at ground zero as it's all boarded up. Our best meal was at the boating lake central park. People say dress up but there was a mixture of people dressing up and in everyday clothes.

[BUTTERHEAD1]

Hey Josh they closed the World of Disney on 55th and 5th a while back. They have since opened a Disney Store in the heart of Times Square. The new store is nice but there arent any characters in the new store.

[mainecoon lover]

A big recommendation from me would be breakfast at The Clinton Street Baking Co - it was the best breakfast I have ever had! It is only tiny and there is a queue outside before it opens every morning so it fills straight away and stays that way! It's all good fresh food and their muffins are fantastic - we had to wait a while (well not long at all in our eyes!) for breakfast so they bought round a selection of muffins straight from the oven - they were the best I have ever tasted and then we were too full for breakfast! :lol:

After breakfast we then walked across town - through the village (stopping at Dean and Deluca because Tink told me I had to ;) It is well worth a visit - gorgeous shop!) to Magnolia Bakery. Lets just say that walk was a lot further in real life than it looked on a map, especially in 95 degrees!

Lisa i have their cookbook that i bought from Amazon. I made the pancakes yesterday and they tasted as good as in the restaurant

[lisaw]

Lisa i have their cookbook that i bought from Amazon. I made the pancakes yesterday and they tasted as good as in the restaurant

I'll have to check that out - thanks! :)

[gwennie81]

Recommendation: travel guide "Eyewitness Travel's Top 10 New York City" by Elenor Berman. Published by DK Publishing (I bought it at Barnes & Noble). There are "Top 10's" for every borough/neighborhood, plus other tips & tricks, plus a pull-out map. I memorized it before I went.

Looooooved NYC! Was there last September for a couple of my BFF's wedding so we were on a tight schedule but saw as much as possible. Amazingly enough, Manhattan is very walkable and you can do quite a bit in one day.

If you're worried about how to get around, the subway system was VERY easy for me to navigate. Let me preface this by saying, it's incredibly hard for me to get lost but...There are maps in every terminal and the stop is announced before every stop, either by conductor or electronically on the train, depending on what line you're on.
I think we bought a week pass for around $25 for unlimited service. And the subway is NOT scary (I was worried, as I am kind of a country mouse). We stayed with friends in Brooklyn (Bayridge) so we were on the train quite a bit.

A few highlights:

Ground Zero - As an American, this was at the top of my list to visit. No words can describe.

Battery Park - you can catch a ferry to the Statue of Liberty, which we did not have time to do, but you can still see it from the park.

Wall Street/NYSE/South Street Seaport - Pretty cool area to see. And the bull sculpture is literally in the middle of the Avenue of the Americas on the way to Battery Park. The seaport area is on the river, you can see the Brooklyn Bridge. There is a good pub down there called the Heartland Brewery.

City Hall area - I can't even describe how cool it was when I got to see Manhattan's City Hall (I'm a nerdy city planner, myself). And my friends got married in a building nearby and one of the buildings they use for the show Law & Order was there. In general it was awesome to see buildings that I've seen used in movies & tv shows.

Central Park - walked all around from the south end up to the Museum. Incredible public space. God bless Fredrick Law Olmstead.

Tiffany & Co. (bought a souvenier there - and it's right by Central Park & the Apple Store which is cool to see. And the Plaza Hotel is right there, too.)

Chinatown/Little Italy - The San Genarro festival was going on while we were there and we ate in Chinatown (I wish we would've eaten in Little Italy, haha!)

Rockefeller Plaza - My friend and I decided to do The Top of The Rock. I'm glad we did. It was only ~$20 and totally worth every penny of the views of the Empire State building, Central Park, and the surrounding area. Incredible. Incredible. Incredible.

Times Square - Heart of the city. Lots to take in. I suggest going in to M&M world for a delicious experience.

Macy's - We walked from Macy's to Times Square no problems. Go to the back of Macy's to see the world's oldest working wooden escalator (fun to say you've rode it).

Bryant Park/NYC Library - I wanted to go in the library and reenact Ghostbusters but we didn't have time. Bryant Park is a great outdoor space to witness. And if you're a fan of Project Runway, well...then...it's legendary. I almost wet my pants when I saw Parsons and I kept my eyes peeled for "Mood" (never saw it).

Much, much more. I want to go back soooo badly.