Vacation to New York.....

Robocop

Moderator, *Mammoth Killer*
Joined
Nov 13, 2003
Messages
2,594
Location
Birmingham Al.
After over 8 years without taking a real vacation I have so much time built up at work I have to burn a few weeks or lose the time....I decided to visit NY with my g/f as she has a brother there. I will be there the last week of August.

We will be staying in Manhattan for a few days and I am thus far planning on visiting of course the Empire State building and the Statue of Liberty. Can anyone else give some suggestions of places or things I should also visit while there?

What about China Town or Little Italy? I am a big italian food lover and my g/f says there is nothing like true Italian food from NY City. She also says the Pizza there is like nothing else I have had so I am excited about this as well. How about some restaurants.....anybody here know of a few places I would have to try before I leave?

Thanks for any suggestions and I had to ask simply as I do not travel much at all....the big city of NY will most likely really amaze me I am sure.
 

m16a

Enlightened
Joined
Aug 4, 2007
Messages
940
Location
Being a patriot in the fine state of PA
After over 8 years without taking a real vacation I have so much time built up at work I have to burn a few weeks or lose the time....I decided to visit NY with my g/f as she has a brother there. I will be there the last week of August.

We will be staying in Manhattan for a few days and I am thus far planning on visiting of course the Empire State building and the Statue of Liberty. Can anyone else give some suggestions of places or things I should also visit while there?

What about China Town or Little Italy? I am a big italian food lover and my g/f says there is nothing like true Italian food from NY City. She also says the Pizza there is like nothing else I have had so I am excited about this as well. How about some restaurants.....anybody here know of a few places I would have to try before I leave?

Thanks for any suggestions and I had to ask simply as I do not travel much at all....the big city of NY will most likely really amaze me I am sure.

I'm not a huge fan of NY, but it is a fun trip. I'd also suggest visiting Ellis Island(along with Lady Liberty) its a very informative and interesting place to visit. The wax museum is pretty cool also. Keep a hold on your pockets and walk.. Its much easier. Oh, if you're a gamer, visit the store nintendo world. Rockefeller Center isn't all that interesting, but its nice to be able to say you went and get some pictures. That'd be my .02 for an NY trip. Have a good time and enjoy your vacation!:thumbsup:
 

mikemundy

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Apr 14, 2008
Messages
10
... my g/f says there is nothing like true Italian food from NY City.

There is nothing like ***any*** food from NYC.

Vincent's Clam Bar in Little Italy.
Stage Deli on 7th Ave.
Almost any Chinese restaurant.
Almost any restaurant.

Central Park, one of the world's great public spaces.
Metropolitan Museum of Art.
American Museum of Natural History + Hayden Planetarium.
TKTS booth near Times Sq. for discount tickets to a Broadway show.
Yankee Stadium.
Almost anywhere in lower Manhattan - south of Wall St. - a LOT of history there.
South Street Seaport.

Enjoy!
 

meuge

Enlightened
Joined
Jul 13, 2007
Messages
613
You can't forget the Village... Washington Sq Park (albeit under construction at the moment). The community around the area is a lot of fun, and there are tons of great places to eat for cheap. The East Village is a beautiful neighborhood full of landmarked buildings, and "hip" hangouts and food places. Try "Sevilla", a spanish restaurant on West 4th street - GREAT food, and very good sangria.

Don't forget Union Square as well.
 

jtr1962

Flashaholic
Joined
Nov 22, 2003
Messages
7,506
Location
Flushing, NY
To add to all the great suggestions so far, hit the subways. Get a one week unlimited ride MetroCard when you arrive. Besides being the way to get around, especially in Manhattan, they're a tourist attraction in and of themselves. Although lifelong New Yorkers are often jaded, to an out-of-towner the world down there will be amazing. Go to nycsubway.org to see what I'm talking about. Hundreds of stations, a fleet of over 6,000 rapid transit cars, dating from 1964 through the present, give the system a unique and varied character. From the old IRT lines built in the beginning of the 20th century up through recent additions like the 63rd Street tunnel, you'll find it all fascinating I'm sure.

Oh, and if you're really brave, you may even want to bring your bike. I probably won't recommend hitting Manhattan streets, but Central Park is a nice ride any time of year (wish I was close enough to ride there on a regular basis).

You might also want to hit some of the attractions in the outer boroughs such as The Bronx Zoo, Brooklyn Botantical Gardens, Coney Island, Flushing Meadows Park (about two miles from me). The former WTC site on Chambers Street is another interesting destination.
 
Last edited:

nerdgineer

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
May 7, 2004
Messages
2,778
Location
Southern California
There used to be a couple of ticket outlets (one was about 47th and Broadway) where you could get half price tickets to Broadway shows for that night. They opened about 2 pm and developed lines about 20 minutes before. You often get great otherwise unavailable seats at very cheap prices and can be a little adventurous about what shows you go see (as well as lots of big time hits).
 
Last edited:

KC2IXE

Flashaholic*
Joined
Apr 21, 2001
Messages
2,237
Location
New York City
...snip...
What about China Town or Little Italy? I am a big italian food lover and my g/f says there is nothing like true Italian food from NY City. She also says the Pizza there is like nothing else I have had so I am excited about this as well. How about some restaurants.....anybody here know of a few places I would have to try before I leave?

Thanks for any suggestions and I had to ask simply as I do not travel much at all....the big city of NY will most likely really amaze me I am sure.


Pizza? Anywhere - and you can get in fist fights over which place is best. Little Italy is mostly Chinese now - go up to Arthur Ave in the Bronx. Chinatown is OK, but believe it or not, Flushing out in Queens now has more.. (Best way to Flushing is either the 7 train, or the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR)(2 words) to Main Street)

If you like Museums - DO NOT Miss the Metropolitan Museum of Art (5th Ave, right on Central Park) - and across the park, the Museum of Natural History. For that matter, don't miss Central Park. You biggest problems is going to be - It's usually HOT and HUMID in August in NYC - sometimes you'll get lucky and it'll break for the last week.

IMHO the Statue of Liberty is overrated! Go to Ellis Island instead, or better - just hop on the Staten Island Ferry (free) you will go right past the Statue, get to see the harbor etc - One of those "the locals all know this one" kinda things.

Try and catch a baseball game (Yankees or Mets) - BOTH stadiums will be ripped down this winter, so it's your last chance (if you do Yankee Stadium, Arthur Ave isn't far)

If you want to go to Queens - go to Eddy's Sweet Shop in Forest Hills -a real old fashioned ice cream parlor

A hint a lot of tourists won't take due to fear - USE THE SUBWAY - particularly in Manhattan. It is by far the best way to get around town

I don't know if it's open post 9/11, but the Bank of New York used to have a very small museum on Wall St - some interesting stuff there, like the Hamilton/Burr dueling pistols

Go down to Wall St at lunch time. You can't tour the exchange anymore, but just to see Lunch Time on the Street - go sit on the steps of Federal Hall (you can combine this with the Ferry trip - they are in walking distance of each other, as well as City Hall, the museum of the American Indian and South Street Seaport.

The US Open should be going on at that time, if that's your thing, and you can score some tickets (Best way to get there - LIRR - Pt Washington Branch from Penn Station)

Don't miss Rockefeller Center - OH - and the building on 5th Ave, just south of the walkway? Go in the lobby, and look at the aircraft model (hidden secret)
 

Wattnot

Enlightened
Joined
Jan 4, 2008
Messages
975
Location
Lake Norman, NC
I'm originally from NYC but I left in 1985. The last time I was there was last year.

Avoid midtown Manhattan in a car no matter what. Avoid Times Square restaruants. They're just tourist traps. Other than that, the food is the best just about anywhere you find it. Any hole in the wall pizza shop will blow you away and that goes for the entire area (all boroughs and beyond). Some say the secret is in the water. Same thing goes for the bakeries. Make sure you have a canoli from a bakery.

I'm surprised nobody mentioned "see a Broadway show." It might be expensive but it's well worth it and will really make your trip worthwhile. I used to work in that industry and want to again.

If you can't make the Empire State building, the top of the RCA (or I guess it's GE now) building in Rockefeller center has an excellent view, if they're still allowing the public on top. I used to eat my lunch up there once in a while.
 

ygbsm

Enlightened
Joined
Dec 5, 2002
Messages
482
Location
NY
A nice New York experience -- take the subway (4,5 or 6) down to City Hall, and walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. In Brooklyn, just under the Brooklyn Bridge is Grimaldi's, a nice brick oven pizza place (unfortunately usually with a giant line outside). From there,walk overo the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, with views of lower Manhattan, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty (tough the latter are a bit in the distance) . Or do the reverse, taking the train into Boro Hall in Brooklyn , see the Promenade, try to eat at Grimaldi's, walk across the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan.

Whoever mentioned the weather in August is right. It normally is awful. Right now is not so great either. Hot, sticky and generally miserable.
 
Last edited:

bullfrog

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 25, 2008
Messages
1,360
Location
AZ
A few more good museums that weren't mentioned but are definitely worth it:

-Tenement Museum, lower east side
-Holocaust Museum, battery park (close to Wall St.)

Best steak:
-The strip house, E 12th Street (by union square)

Best roof bar:
-Gasevoort Hotel - the bar on the roof is called "Plunge"

Best pizza:
-Johns (already mentioned)
-Lombardis in the east village
-Famous Joes in the west village

The US open is a great idea also!

The subways are miserable right now but I agree are the BEST way to get around - if you want to avoid them, the public buses are also EXCELLENT for getting around, plus they have AC...

Sooooo many things for you to do on your trip - do you have any specific interests or hobbies (other than lights, of course :naughty: )?
 

Robocop

Moderator, *Mammoth Killer*
Joined
Nov 13, 2003
Messages
2,594
Location
Birmingham Al.
She did say we were probably going to take the subway into the city so this should start the fun off for me. I will surely enjoy myself and I am also planning on visiting a few of the police precincts just to look around. I am always facinated with how other areas run their departments.
 

binky

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 1, 2002
Messages
1,036
Location
Taxachusetts, USA
I went with my family last year. We paid something like an extra $10/person to go to the very top of the Empire State building. (You take a 2nd elevator after the first one with the crowds.) It was maybe 20' from wall to wall, if that. Great view and we were nearly the only ones up there except another couple and a guide. Definitely worth the extra 10-spots. :thumbsup:
 

Monocrom

Flashaholic
Joined
Aug 27, 2006
Messages
19,840
Location
NYC
.... I am also planning on visiting a few of the police precincts just to look around. I am always facinated with how other areas run their departments.

In that case, you'll enjoy the NYC Police Museum.

100 Old Slip, New York, NY
(212) 480-3100
 

Robocop

Moderator, *Mammoth Killer*
Joined
Nov 13, 2003
Messages
2,594
Location
Birmingham Al.
I will have to visit that police museum for sure and thanks to everyone for the suggestions. I am mostly curious just how so many people get around in the city. I am wondering if it is really like you see on TV you know all the cars jumbled up, honking horns, people everywhere type stuff.

I can not imagine so many people crowding the streets walking in such large groups. My g/f says it may look like true chaos to a stranger however says it is actually a way of life there. I have never ridden a subway or for that matter a train at all so I should be in for a treat.

I do know an old co-worker who lives there and he left my Dept. after his wife got a job in NY. He was able to get hired by the police there and I have spoken to him a few times over the last years. He told me most people do not actually live in the city however commute their daily for work.

He himself has to leave an hour and half early stating he lives outside the city and drives his vehicle a short way and parks it to take the train into the city each day. He claims this is a ritual that many people do daily.....I can not even imagine that really. I was also shocked at some of the prices he told me apartments in Manhattan cost....this must be why not many live in the city.
 

Monocrom

Flashaholic
Joined
Aug 27, 2006
Messages
19,840
Location
NYC
Best way to get around NYC is public transportation, followed by cabs, followed by walking.

Prices for apartments in Manhattan are beyond ridiculous. Trendy neighborhoods are less so impressive.... when you look below the surface. Soho is the trendiest ghetto you'll ever see. Look past the trendy shops that line the streets, and you'll understand what I mean.

(Keep in mind that Manhattan is not all of NYC. Outside of Manhattan, prices are definitely more reasonable. So not everyone commutes into the city just to work. Still, that's a common practice indeed).
 

adamlau

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 8, 2007
Messages
2,424
Location
Los Angeles
I must have been to twenty, thirty different joints looking for the fabled NY pizza. Good, solid pizza is what most places have to offer. Large, greasy slices, but nothing super spectacular. Give me a crispy, chewy, Chicago crust anyday!
 

Robocop

Moderator, *Mammoth Killer*
Joined
Nov 13, 2003
Messages
2,594
Location
Birmingham Al.
Hey what about those hot dog vendors in the streets....you know the ones with the carts you always see in the movies. I have always wondered about those as all the big city police shows always show the cops eating from those vendors. Do they really have these guys along the streets and if so does anyone really eat from these?

How about Brooklyn area? If I remember correct I think that one of the dealers I have seen here is located there. I remember reading a thread with a link to some Romisen lights and other mid range stuff that had an address in Brooklyn.....think it was Shiningbeam or something similiar.

I would also really like to take my new bicycle along however I do not really trust the airlines very much with luggage anyway. I have only flown twice and each time had my luggage lost....I got some of it back however never saw one of my bags again.

How much does an average spaghetti lunch or maybe pizza cost in the city? Just curious as I have heard almost everything you buy in the major city area is costly....and the most important question is do they have sweet tea there?? Sounds weird I know however almost every other place I have visited had no real sweet tea. By real I mean brewed ice tea and not the carbonated stuff from a fountain machine. being a true Southern person I was raised on sweet tea and love it with a good meal.
 

Aluminous

Enlightened
Joined
May 12, 2008
Messages
324
Location
Texas
A few points of interest I thought of that haven't been mentioned yet:
- stop by Wall Street, at least to see the famous bull and bear statues
- Grand Central Station
- New York Public Library (455 Fifth Ave), containing about 20 million books


I will have to visit that police museum for sure and thanks to everyone for the suggestions. I am mostly curious just how so many people get around in the city. I am wondering if it is really like you see on TV you know all the cars jumbled up, honking horns, people everywhere type stuff.

I can not imagine so many people crowding the streets walking in such large groups. My g/f says it may look like true chaos to a stranger however says it is actually a way of life there. I have never ridden a subway or for that matter a train at all so I should be in for a treat.
You should some of the big cities in Japan - sometimes the subway cars are so full of people they can barely get the doors shut! They have huge crowds of people walking around the streets, too.


Quote from citydata about transportation in NYC:
Traffic in New York is probably the heaviest in the nation. The term "gridlock," a traffic jam out of which no one can move, was invented there and many intersections are clogged during any given day. Many residents do not own cars, relying instead on plentiful taxis or public transportation. A $100 million system of sensors has been installed under the city's roadways to enable the New York City Transportation Department to monitor congestion, identify trouble spots, and control the flow of traffic by changing the duration of traffic lights. Much of Manhattan is laid out in a grid pattern, but other boroughs require a good street map for visitors. Broadway Avenue runs from north to south through the city, intersecting the numbered east-west streets. Parking in a garage in Manhattan ranges from $6.00 to $15.00 per hour.

Subways are one of the best bargains in the city. A $1.50 token or Metrocard fare payment permits travel on more than 704 miles of subway track, including local and express trains. The subway system is well-maintained and policed so that it is much safer and cleaner than its somewhat unshakeable 1970s-era reputation would indicate. Subways and buses are the only sure way to beat Manhattan's numbing gridlock on surface streets. Many New Yorkers walk or ride bikes to their destinations.


I do know an old co-worker who lives there and he left my Dept. after his wife got a job in NY. He was able to get hired by the police there and I have spoken to him a few times over the last years. He told me most people do not actually live in the city however commute their daily for work.

He himself has to leave an hour and half early stating he lives outside the city and drives his vehicle a short way and parks it to take the train into the city each day. He claims this is a ritual that many people do daily.....I can not even imagine that really. I was also shocked at some of the prices he told me apartments in Manhattan cost....this must be why not many live in the city.

New York City, NY

Population (year 2000): 8,008,278.
Estimated population in July 2006: 8,214,426 (+2.6% change)
Land area: 303.3 square miles.
Population density: 27081 people per square mile (very high).
2,870,993 residents (35.9%) are foreign born (18.9% Latin America, 8.6% Asia, 7.0% Europe).

Daytime population change due to commuting: +563,060 (+7.0%)
Workers who live and work in this city: 2,922,206 (91.5%)



From those figures, it seems many people are commuting to jobs outside the official limits of NYC to surrounding towns. I read elsewhere that the total amount of incoming commuters is thought to be about 1.5+ million, so apparently there must be about 1 million outgoing commuters.

Living space is very expensive per square foot in NYC, but many people manage to afford to live there by things such as:
- making do with a smaller apartment than they would have elsewhere (costing the same or more than the larger one elsewhere would've) - if square feet cost a bunch, pay for fewer square feet!
- avoiding the less-'trendy'/popular living areas where you pay an additional premium just for the part of town it's in
- having roommates
- living in an old (sometimes very old) building, sometimes in not-so-great condition
- living on an upper floor in a building with no elevator
- living in a place without a great 'view' out the windows



Some more citydata statistics of interest:

Full-time Law Enforcement Employees in 2006: 53,473 (35,690 officers).
Officers per 1,000 residents here: 4.35
US city average: 3.00

New York City compared to New York state average:
* Median house value significantly above state average.
* Renting percentage above state average.
* Number of rooms per house below state average.

Estimated median house/condo value in NYC in 2005: $449,000
Median gross rent in NYC in 2005: $909.

primary mode of transportation to work for NYC residents: subway=~35%, car(alone)=~25%, walking=~13%, bus=~10%, carpool=~8%, railroad=~2%, taxi=~2%, telecommute/other=~5%
 
Last edited:
Top