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New York
- Thread starter Harty
- Start date
Missing Leeds
Taking Mrs H to the Big Apple for her 40th.
Never been before, only there 4 days, two kids in tow, 14 and 17, any ideas and tips please?
Fly into EWR not JFK, apart from the terrible weather there recently JFK is closing it's main runway in March, also imigration is far easier at Newark.
The Large One
Who's Next?
Missing Leeds
Taking Mrs H to the Big Apple for her 40th.
Never been before, only there 4 days, two kids in tow, 14 and 17, any ideas and tips please?
Yes, leave the kids with grandparents or friends or Social Services or something and use the money that they would have been screaming for to extend your stay to eight days.
Have a good trip.
We did this as a rough itenary:
Day 1) Time Square, Top Of The Rock (Rockefella tower) or Empire State building (either is usually best about 5pm on a week day, usually very quiet.
Day 2) Statue of Liberty (get out early as getting there and the ferry etc etc can take time) and Ground Zero.
Day 3) Shopping! It is really handy to try and research some of the shops you/the missus/kids want to go and get locations in advance. It is well worth going to Macys, take your passports and you'll end up getting another 10-25% off [it varies, but go to Customer Services and they give you tourist discount cards] if any of you are half bothered about really cheap 'designer' / 'high street' clothing you'll spend ages in here. Could also take in some of the other attractions around the usual shopping bits.
Day 4) Central Park, Zoo is worth looking at in CP (won't take that long really, but pretty cool.) Maybe some extra shopping.
Another tip, use taxis, they are so cheap it really is not worth the hassle of the subway or any other modes of transport.
Day 1) Time Square, Top Of The Rock (Rockefella tower) or Empire State building (either is usually best about 5pm on a week day, usually very quiet.
Day 2) Statue of Liberty (get out early as getting there and the ferry etc etc can take time) and Ground Zero.
Day 3) Shopping! It is really handy to try and research some of the shops you/the missus/kids want to go and get locations in advance. It is well worth going to Macys, take your passports and you'll end up getting another 10-25% off [it varies, but go to Customer Services and they give you tourist discount cards] if any of you are half bothered about really cheap 'designer' / 'high street' clothing you'll spend ages in here. Could also take in some of the other attractions around the usual shopping bits.
Day 4) Central Park, Zoo is worth looking at in CP (won't take that long really, but pretty cool.) Maybe some extra shopping.
Another tip, use taxis, they are so cheap it really is not worth the hassle of the subway or any other modes of transport.
Go up the Empire State Building at night, the views are very impressive. I went in April and it was snowing at the top so make sure you take some warm clothes!
Central Park is always good for a morning stroll.
Be warned their subway system makes the London Underground look like paradise.
Central Park is always good for a morning stroll.
Be warned their subway system makes the London Underground look like paradise.
Having been lucky enough to visit NYC a few times now, I'd say my 'top tips' are...
Going up the Empire State Building is seen as iconic but it's not all that and gets very busy. Instead go up the 'Top of the Rock' at the Rockefeller Center. The view is better and you get to see and photo the Empire State Building from way up high. Buy a timed ticket before you go, if you can, and I'd say aim for late afternoon so you get to see things in daylight but get to see the sun go down and the lights come on across the City.
I honestly do not know if the Statue of Island is worth the trip. Before I went t NYC for the first time I heard it wasn't - you'd queue for ages etc, but to get the Staten Island Ferry to, errrrm, Staten Island. You get great views of the Statue of Liberty on the way over, and great views of the NY skyline coming back. Don't look to do much in Staten Island - I've never found anything decent within a walk of the ferry terminal.
Walk over the Brooklyn Bridge. Maybe have an explore of the DuMBO area. But DOget a pizza from Grimaldis - said to be the best pizza in NYC. You can eat outside looking back to Manhattan but I suspect it will be a bit parky for that this time of year! Buy an ice cream from the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory to eat when you walk back over the bridge.
Other than that - just walk, explore and enjoy!
Going up the Empire State Building is seen as iconic but it's not all that and gets very busy. Instead go up the 'Top of the Rock' at the Rockefeller Center. The view is better and you get to see and photo the Empire State Building from way up high. Buy a timed ticket before you go, if you can, and I'd say aim for late afternoon so you get to see things in daylight but get to see the sun go down and the lights come on across the City.
I honestly do not know if the Statue of Island is worth the trip. Before I went t NYC for the first time I heard it wasn't - you'd queue for ages etc, but to get the Staten Island Ferry to, errrrm, Staten Island. You get great views of the Statue of Liberty on the way over, and great views of the NY skyline coming back. Don't look to do much in Staten Island - I've never found anything decent within a walk of the ferry terminal.
Walk over the Brooklyn Bridge. Maybe have an explore of the DuMBO area. But DOget a pizza from Grimaldis - said to be the best pizza in NYC. You can eat outside looking back to Manhattan but I suspect it will be a bit parky for that this time of year! Buy an ice cream from the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory to eat when you walk back over the bridge.
Other than that - just walk, explore and enjoy!
Agree with all that except a slight tweak to number 2. Instead, get the last ferry in the evening - as the ferry pulls out you get to see this:
http://www.highaperture.com/photos/n/e/new_york_at_night.jpg
- Aug 8, 2005
- 26,960
Bozza; Going up the Empire State Building is seen as iconic but it's not all that and gets very busy. Instead go up the [URL="http://www.rockefellercenter.com/index.php/section/2#/2/1/-1/11/" said:
My wife went a few years ago and said the same.
Yea we did both, Empire State Building, security very OTT, quite alot of queueing despite being told that it was "quiet" at this time and quite cramped at the top. It is quite nice and worth doing, but Top of the Rock was a better experience and had a bit more information / history to it.
Walk across Brooklyn Bridge, straight down Flatbush Avenue on the bus and visit Prospect Park in Brooklyn. Also get some pizza while you're over that way innit.
Actually it's probably best to walk over Brooklyn Bridge towards Manhatten, get the D train over to Brooklyn.
Actually it's probably best to walk over Brooklyn Bridge towards Manhatten, get the D train over to Brooklyn.
Monkey Man
Your support is not that great
It's free to get into the NYSE - quite an interesting way to while away an hour.
Battery Park, at the southern tip of Manhattan, is a good place to take a break and gather your thoughts.
All the art galleries are good - the Met is definitely worth a visit.
Just wandering around Greenwich Village is a fun experience.
Battery Park, at the southern tip of Manhattan, is a good place to take a break and gather your thoughts.
All the art galleries are good - the Met is definitely worth a visit.
Just wandering around Greenwich Village is a fun experience.
graham moseleys gloves
New member
things in new york
Harty you should have a great time and agree with most points on here, went 2 years ago and times square is a must deff central park as this time of year you can ice skate their. preferred Rockefeller centre for views to empire especially for the lift ride!!! and the fact your caged in at top of empire. also if you get the free ferry to staten island you can see the statue take your pics and not stand in a long que to be charged a tourist trap price! also when you come back across on ferry you can walk 10 mins up the road to ground zero. walked everywhere in new york as you see more and its very easy to follow road signs due to their grid road system.
Harty you should have a great time and agree with most points on here, went 2 years ago and times square is a must deff central park as this time of year you can ice skate their. preferred Rockefeller centre for views to empire especially for the lift ride!!! and the fact your caged in at top of empire. also if you get the free ferry to staten island you can see the statue take your pics and not stand in a long que to be charged a tourist trap price! also when you come back across on ferry you can walk 10 mins up the road to ground zero. walked everywhere in new york as you see more and its very easy to follow road signs due to their grid road system.
Missing Leeds
Taking Mrs H to the Big Apple for her 40th.
Never been before, only there 4 days, two kids in tow, 14 and 17, any ideas and tips please?
Mrs H will be 40 for 364 more days, how many days will we be playing leeds? Defer the holiday!
Went there last year Ian at the same time in Feb, weather was ok actually. Needed a coat and jumper but was sunny and quite warm. However I think this year its a tad colder.
My tips would be...
1. Walk everywhere, its the only way to see the city and its safe everywhere.
2. Times Square at night is a must.
3. Central Park try a walk its brilliant, New Yorkers generally pretty friendly.
4. Brooklyn Bridge - walk over it its excellant.
5. Roosevelt Island Tram - excellant views avoid if heights a problem. You can then view Manhatten in peace and quiet from Roosevelt Island, nice and relaxing.
6. Be careful where you eat in Midtown - very expensive I found.
7. Empire State - do at end of day (dusk) much quieter and watch the sun set.
8. Grand Central Station and New Your Library - will recognize from countless movies.
9. Staten Island Ferry - Free and great views of the Statue of Liberty (its not worth going to as you cant go higher than the pedestal anyway since 9/11)
10. Shops - the Mrs Will love Macy's and Bloomingdales, and don forget Tiffanys.
Have a great time you will love it. You are brave taking the kids though, they will probably get very tired and fed up with walking and the crowds of people!
NY does empty out on a Sat and Sun though just like London.
Enjoy....
My tips would be...
1. Walk everywhere, its the only way to see the city and its safe everywhere.
2. Times Square at night is a must.
3. Central Park try a walk its brilliant, New Yorkers generally pretty friendly.
4. Brooklyn Bridge - walk over it its excellant.
5. Roosevelt Island Tram - excellant views avoid if heights a problem. You can then view Manhatten in peace and quiet from Roosevelt Island, nice and relaxing.
6. Be careful where you eat in Midtown - very expensive I found.
7. Empire State - do at end of day (dusk) much quieter and watch the sun set.
8. Grand Central Station and New Your Library - will recognize from countless movies.
9. Staten Island Ferry - Free and great views of the Statue of Liberty (its not worth going to as you cant go higher than the pedestal anyway since 9/11)
10. Shops - the Mrs Will love Macy's and Bloomingdales, and don forget Tiffanys.
Have a great time you will love it. You are brave taking the kids though, they will probably get very tired and fed up with walking and the crowds of people!
NY does empty out on a Sat and Sun though just like London.
Enjoy....
.........and when walking , look up. That's when you appreciate the buildings.
Agree with the free ferry ride and something I would recommend is a helicopter ride over Manhattan wonderful way to see the city. Also there is the aircraft carrier Intrepid museum on the West Side which the children might enjoy. Plenty of other Museums include the Museum of Natural History. Macys for the wife, even going to the cinema is different in New York plenty of audience participation.
NMH
Banned
Gugenheim and The Met museums. And I'm not really a great fan of museums particularly.
Ray's pizza, just West from The Dakota Building (which I recalled you wanted to see).
The park is cool, you can take a horse-and-trap ride which I reckon the missus should really love the romance of. There are also performers there in the daytime (but I'd advise getting out before dark). JL's Strawberry Fields is also on the West side of the park (I think Elton sang 'Empty Garden' about it). Columbus Avenue and Amsterdam too, have cafe's that can be nice.
Greenwich Village and Soho are tourist-ready.
I imagine you can take your pick from the recommendations here, and get an excellent overall overview of The Big Apple.
Ray's pizza, just West from The Dakota Building (which I recalled you wanted to see).
The park is cool, you can take a horse-and-trap ride which I reckon the missus should really love the romance of. There are also performers there in the daytime (but I'd advise getting out before dark). JL's Strawberry Fields is also on the West side of the park (I think Elton sang 'Empty Garden' about it). Columbus Avenue and Amsterdam too, have cafe's that can be nice.
Greenwich Village and Soho are tourist-ready.
I imagine you can take your pick from the recommendations here, and get an excellent overall overview of The Big Apple.
defrocked priest
Father Footy
Take the clan to the middle of Times Square at night and just marvel at it.