New York ...New York

All, Again thanks for the feedback so far.. Going to be a blast. Just the Ice Hockey game to book up.

One questions whats the best - Top of the Rock or the Empire State Bld ?

Q
 
FTM said:
last time we went it was the first week of december....it was mad busy, they had police at pedestrian crossings on fifth avenue just to manage the crowds

but it all looks great all done up from christmas...I think you get used to seeing it in so many movies that when you are there its like visiting a movie set.

as people have said the greyline buses are good for getting a round, especially as you can buy a pass for a few days which lets you just hop on and off any of their tours, so ideal for getting around manhatten.

never got above -8 when we were there!!, was really bitter cold, breath caught in your throat and we invested in ear muffs as well as there loads of people selling them.

but then that made it all the better to drop in a deli or cafe for a huge sarnie or slice of cheescake and a coffee

there are many many attractions but I found the main one was the city itself as it is so familiar. Men in Black was on the tv in the hotel, and the next morning we were in Battery park sitting in the bench Will smith had been..it was just plain wierd

Neil Diamond was on some news/chat show thing as well we were watching (might have been NBC's morning programme), then a couple of hours later we were at the rockefeller centre and he was singing carols
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Radio City, is at rockerfeller centre so he was just in the area. There always a queue outside for the audience on Friday night.
 
We're staying at this hostel in a few weeks. Read some really good reviews and it doesn't seem too far away from the main hustle and bustle.

http://www.newyorkbudgetinn.com

I've read quite a lot of the New York threads on here. Is the New York City Pass still highly recommended and which attractions from the pass would people recommend?
 
iamtheoneneo said:
Didnt think much of NY personally, Time Square is so ridiculously small it really puts film making into perspective when you see it and they make it look so big.

Oh and wear a coat, scarf and hat - the biggest you have. you think England is cold , you aint seen nothing yet.
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Cool Story Bro.
 
Copy/paste from the last time someone asked about NY....

First off - get the City Pass. If it's your first time, you'll get a load of use out of it. The bonus is that you save on queue times,as you can usually buy your tickets away from the standard queue (as well as getting in free/discounted to hundreds of places).

Additionally - check the arrivals hall and your hotel lobby for discount card racks. You can pick up discounts for all the main attractions from these if you're not doing the City Pass. I know the Macy's visitor centre definitely has them if you don't see them anywhere else.

As for attractions - the "must sees" are:
Empire State Building
Rockerfeller Centre (personally, I prefer this to the ESB)
Central Park (the Zoo is also well worth a visit - although I have heard the Bronx Zoo is supposed to be better)
USS Intrepid (retired aircraft carrier, brilliantly set up with loads of planes on the flight deck)
Statue of Liberty (There's a great immigration exhibition on the island, but if you're not bothered about that, save yourself time and just take the free Staten Island Ferry instead)
Grand Central Station - amazing architecture, loads of shops. Worth a quick spin through.
Times Square - yes, it's tourist central, but it's amazing by day and even more spectacular at night. If you get someone offering you comedy tickets - take them. Been a couple times and they get some very decent comedians in. Ask about drink minimums though.
Highline Park - converted railway tracks turned into a park in the air. Start at the 34th street end - that way you can walk through Greenwich and all the way down to Chinatown (if you have the legs for it!)
Madison Square Gardens -for NBA/NHL games. Check the USA ticketmaster site and select "will call" to pick up your tickets on the night. Also do the tour, it's well worth it.
Natural History Museum - can be crazy busy, but worth it. If you do everything, it's a good part of a day to see the lot.
Guggenhem (didn't like this so much, but the building is amazing)
Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)
Police Museum - brilliant 9/11 exhibition.
Chinatown - South of Canal Street. Knockoff watches/perfume/bags and authentic NY Chinese food(!)
Brooklyn Bridge - amazing bridge, fantastic views of the city - walk across and you can tick off Brooklyn from your visit. Grimaldi's Pizzeria is just under the bridge on the Brooklyn side.

If you have time, Atlantic City is great. I did it as an overnight in the middle of my NY stay. It's got some great outlet stores and the casinos are pretty decent.

If you want to go to the theatre while you're there - you can get very cheap tickets from the TKTS booths. I'd avoid the Times Square booth as the queues are insane. Go to the South Street Seaport booth instead - get there for opening time and there's not much of a queue. Bear in mind that not all shows are discounted, but there's so much choice, you'll find something you want to see.

Shopping:

Macys - go to the visitor centre on the mezzanine with your passport and you'll get a 10% discount card.
Century 21 - TK Maxx on steroids. Amazing range of cut price clothes, shoes etc. It's absolute chaos, but I have stocked up there time and time again. It's also right next to Wall Street and the WTC, so you can chalk them off at the same time.
J&R Electronics/B&H Photo - the two best electronics shops. B&H is brilliant for cameras (duh)
5th Avenue is the place to go for all your brand name shops. Start at the Apple Store on 59th and work your way down.

Transport:
Get a Metrocard. It's unlimited use and is the best way to get around. IIRC you can get daily, 3 day or weekly passes. Don't bother with buses - they're slow, smelly and rarely go where you want. Taxis are pretty reasonable for short hops - they now all take cards as well as cash.

I'd also recommend taking a taxi or Airbus (shuttle service) into New York - the view as you come in is amazing, especially at night. Bear in mind that taxis charge a flat rate from NYC <--> JFK of $52, it's about $60 to and from Newark. Both will drop you at your hotel.

Whatever you do - don't hire a car unless you are planning on spending time away from the city. It costs a bomb and there's no parking anywhere in the city!

Hotels:

I've stayed in a few different places, at different budgets.

The Jazz hostel I stayed in has sadly shut down, but there are others. They're not luxurious, but if you just want somewhere to put your head down, they're a cheap stay.
http://www.jazzhostels.com/jazzonthepark.php

Going upmarket a bit, I loved the Roger Williams Hotel. Lovely rooms, right in the middle of everything. Really nice hotel - but can be pricey.
http://www.therogernewyork.com/#index

Also stayed in the Ace Hotel. Really cool rooms, the bar downstairs is constantly busy and they have an amazing coffee shop in the front. The attached restaurant is award winning as well It's just around the corner from the Empire State (as is the Roger) so you don't have to take a subway to get into town.
https://www.acehotel.com/newyork

Last couple of times, I've stayed in the Pod hotels. Been in both locations, loved the roof terrace on 51, but 39 is just that little bit handier for everything. Both of them have excellent bars nearby. The rooms and beds are pretty compact, but have all the usual amenities - you shouldn't be spending a lot of time in your hotel room anyway!
http://www.thepodhotel.com/

P.S.

Tipping - it takes a while to get used to, but anywhere a service is provided (taxi, concierge, hotel porter, barman, waiter, etc) it is expected to provide a tip. Here's a quick guide. Bear in mind that many service staff are not paid a minimum wage and do rely on tips to make a living. It's a weird setup, but it is considered very bad form not to tip.
 
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Another vote for Top Of The Rock over the Empire State, more room to move about and better views. Maybe try and get to see one of the major sports teams while you're over there (not sure when the seasons for each run to and from) we went to see the Yankees when we were there, it's just a completely different spectacle to sport over here, I loved it.

Not sure if its really a recommendation for Winter time but we stayed at a place called Hotel Metro on West 35th Street and it has a great rooftop bar (open to the public) right under the Empire State Building.
 
NY top attractions

Wow, this would be some Christmas and birthday celebration.What do you guys like to do? Is it your first time in NY? I'm also planning a trip for my husband and I in 2014.

I'm the kind of tourist that when I go visit a place, I want to see the "tourist-y" attractions. My husband's the opposite. His idea of vacation is sleeping in and doing nothing.

If you're like me and want to hit the major attractions, look at the double decker tour buses. I think they're so much fun. :)

You get discount if you book online. They're supposed to be award-winning so I'm really excited. We're planning to do the Manhattan comprehensive. It covers uptown to downtown, Little Italy, Top of the Rock and New York Harbor cruise -- in one day!

We figure that would give us a good overview of NY then will choose our favorite to explore more.

For your wife's bday, if she's into musicals, you definitely have to go see a Broadway musical. Maybe a nice dinner before or after.

I'm a fan of Project Runaway and I think it will be cool to swing by Parson's and Mood and other landmarks they've featured in the show.

Hope this helps. Have fun!

Slightly edited for your viewing pleasure :), try not to spam website adverts on your very first post.... - Will Gill
 
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