Going to NYC

Between dec 26 and 30th.
I'll be driving.

Any ideas what to see and do?
Where to stay? (for 2 ppl not too expensive, but clean parking would be great, we'll take a cab in town)

I want to go to the American Museum of Natural History.
Do some shopping, so Time Square.+ Canal St.

jamesmtl514 said:

Any ideas what to see and do?

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What type of things do you generally like to see & do?
Cathederals
Museums
Walks in the Parks
Shopping for ________
Great food of ________ style/cusine
Sports teams
Nightlife / clubs

There are a LOT of options in NYC.

Cathederals not really
Museums definitely want to check one out
Walks in the Parks - not particularly
Shopping for ___GF's dept._____
Great food of ___any _____ style/cusine
Sports teams - nope
Nightlife / clubs - lounge, comfortable setting.


I'm 27, gf 26. It will mostly be walking, sightseeing, morning to nightfall.
Stop in the fast food places, with a nicer meal in the evening.

You should definitely go to the American Museum of Natural history, and make sure to go to one of the planetarium shows, as well as Central Park (they are right next to each other).
There is so much in NYC that simply walking around can be entertaining if you have never been there before.

you could spend days in the museum, make sure and allow a lot of time for it as it is huge, I went to NYC in the 80s and the statue of liberty was closed to visitors, I went on top of the empire state building also and had a small tour of places famous people stayed at in NYC when our country was very young. I went to a laser light show there also. and there are broadway shows always to check out used to you could buy tickets in Times Square not sure though but the shows can be costly to go to. remember if you want water at restaurants you have to ask for it at least we had to, I drank 2 glasses of it as it is almost tasteless compared to local water where I am here.

http://www.littleitalynyc.com/labellaferrara/


Ohhh...the pastry...ohh the humanity!
Plus is just a hair north of Chinatown...always fun

I am a fan of the Cooper Hewitt Design museum as well

look into TKTS...you might be able to see a show pretty cheap, day of...

try to see Ballet or Opera @ Lincoln Center even if you are NOT a fan...it has the potential to turn you into one.

Peter Lugers for steak.

The American Museum of Natural history is a must see, It's an experience to see the exhibits there. little Italy/Chinatown is still fun. AHH Fried Shrimp & Clams at Vincent's (can smell it as i write this) Mott & Hester St. Now I want to go now. Wandering around is half the fun esp at Christmas

try to exit the museum (of Natural History) a half hour before sunset so you can walk through the park, pass the lake and fountain, then head downtown, pass the Wolman skating rink, come out on fifth avenue and 59th street, (if you want the best hot chocolate -- chocolate chunks melted in milk and served in a silver tureen, visit Rumplemayer's on 59th (but west of fifth - around 6th or 7th avenue or so )then walk down fifth avenue at night, check out the stores (Tiffany's , FAO Shwarz (is that still there??) skating rink and giant tree at Rockefeller center..

fifth is interesting for several blocks going downtown-- but if you get tired, or when you reach 42nd street
take a taxi downtown to Washington Square, then walk some more..or taxi to Little Italy (Mott Street, Hester Street) and/ or Chinatown for dinner.

I lived there most of my life and this is exactly what I would do if i went back this time of year..

Canal St just isn't really worth it anymore, and hasn't been in a couple of decades

Natural History - yep, goo - Metropolitan Museum of Art? Very good - no close public transit, BUT it's right across the park from Natural History - good excuse for a walk in the park

There are some good little "odd" museums tucked away in NYC. I don't know if it's still open to the public, but there was a little Museum run by the Bank of NY on Wall St - some interesting items in there

Here's one I always take people to see that almost NO one knows is there

When you got to Rockefeller Center, and you run from 5th Ave to the Alley that leads to the tree (the classic view), there is a building to your left (South) - GO INTO THE LOBBY - there is a silver model airplane there - LOOK AT IT - take you all of 60 seconds to get there, and usually gets more than a few gasps

Little Italy? OK I guess, but if you have transportation, go up to the Bronx, and go to Authur Ave

There are tours of Grand Central Terminal - worth seeing believe it or not

I personally never found The Empire State Building all that interesting

Statue of Liberty - Not all that interesting, and a PITA. If you want to see it close up, but not actually climb it, wait on line etc, just hop the Staten Island Ferry, and ride that both ways - this is one of THE best bargans in NYC - It's FREE

RE Statue of Liberty - I think Elias Island is a LOT more interesting

The Intrepid - If your interested in it, it is fairly good

If you're into Mideaval stuff - The Clositers up in Upper Manhattan

KC2IXE said:

... hop the Staten Island Ferry, and ride that both ways - this is one of THE best bargans in NYC - It's FREE

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That is a great idea, although be sure to dress warm this time of year, even if you don't plan on being on the outside deck. The view of the harbor and the Statue of Liberty are fantastic.

LED_Thrift said:

That is a great idea, although be sure to dress warm this time of year, even if you don't plan on being on the outside deck. The view of the harbor and the Statue of Liberty are fantastic.

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Oh yeah, it does get a TAD chilly - I would NOT want to be out there right now - the "wind over the bow" is significant - That said, I can remember riding it on either my 16th or 17th birthday (Dec 17th - next week) and it was COLDER - way way colder than today (I think we set the Dec17th record that day - or close). Rode outside the whole way just to see the sights

One of the things you shouldn't miss is seeing the subway system. You have to see it to believe it. It's still amazing even to a lot of jaded New Yorkers. Forget the idea of using a taxi to get around town. Besides being very expensive, in Manhattan it's usually not a whole lot faster than walking. For only $27 each you can buy a 7-day unlimited ride Metrocard ( see here for list of various Metrocard options ). The subway is faster than a taxi most times of the day, and it's open 24 hours a day. It'll take you within a few blocks of pretty much any place worth going to in the city, including destinations in the outer boroughs ( NYC is a lot more than just midtown Manhattan ). Besides that, it's a great thing to see, even if you're not into trains. The sheer scale of the system is amazing ( see the map ).

Yeah, the subway system is amazing, and IMHO the only way to go if you are going any distance [say > 2 mile] in the city. With the Metro Card you could also take the bus, which is another inexpensive way to "see" parts of the city. I know when I'm travelling in unfamilliar cities I sometime opt for the bus instead of the subway/metro so I can see some of the neighborhoods I'm passing through, even though it's a bit slower.

thanks for the excellent tips everyone!

There was another thread like this some time ago with a lot of good info..
Vacation to New York.....
..and I followed KC2IXE's advice.
Pic was shot last month under a crisp autumn sky (the wide angle makes the statue look smaller).


Have a nice time

LED_Thrift said:

That is a great idea, although be sure to dress warm this time of year, even if you don't plan on being on the outside deck. The view of the harbor and the Statue of Liberty are fantastic.

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There's the Circle too, which is pretty good [we might be talking about the same thing]
http://www.circlelinedowntown.com/schedule.asp
that I have taken people on...its fun.

Ellis Is. is a little tough to get to as well, but COMPLETELY cool IMHO