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What to do in NY

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lagunabeach | 21:04 Thu 21st Dec 2006 | Travel
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What are the main, top things to do during a weeks break to New York at easter time? :)

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I went last april with my girlfriend, brilliant!

Empire State, you've got to do that, we went up there twice (day and night) Which was great! If your going up once im not sure which to reccomend, night is brilliant, but I think I would choose going up in the day, you can obviously see lots more. If they offer you a talking tony (I think its called that) dont get one, they are pretty crap, I cant remember how much they are but they werent worth it put it that way. Theres a gift shop up there. The main bit is on the 86th floor, quite big up there. You can pay an extra so many dollars to go to the very top, which is the 102nd floor, basically a tiny space, you cant go outside, its nothing really, but we just did it anyway just to say we went there if you know what I mean.

Times square is great, we stopped in the Crowne Plaza, which had a great location, theres plenty to do there, lots to see. I would personally say that times square is the perfect location for a hotel, but thats just my opinion. The planet hollywood is great for something to eat there, as well as bubba gump, thats a cool place. Its MEGA busy, I woke up at about 2 in the morning go the toilet and couldnt believe it when i looked outside the amount of people, and the lights are bright so when you are walking around at night time its very bright. Its very safe walking around at night too, you dont feel on edge at all.

The bus passes are well worth it. They are a must! Its 49 dollars for a 48 hour pass (choose the red busses by the way) They are much better than the blue ones apparently, well thats what I got told and we thought they were good. The downtown loop is by far the best so dont miss that one.
Most of the people on the microphone are great and they tell you a hell of a lot about new york, were people live, what buildings are etc.
Go up the Empire State Building
Walk in Central Park
Sunday brunch in Greenwich/Soho
Visit Wall Street and/or the NYSE
Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge to Brooklyn (subway back)
Rockerfeller Centre
Visit Zabars (food shop)
Ground Zero
and of course major shopping!
Ground zero - We went there to have a look, nothing really to look at, just what you would imagine really, its quite sad when you see all the names and writing about what happened there.

Grand Central station - Its on something like 42nd street, thats worth a look in there, quite impressive, but thats about it, we just looked inside, said oh this is nice, then just had a walk round then walked out, so this is only a 10 min job really, worth doing tho.

Statue of liberty is worth going too aswell. there are 2 ferrys, one is free, but this just goes around liberty island and does not stop to let you off, the other you pay for (i dont think its much) On this one you can get off at liberty island, which is quite nice, got somewere were you can get summit to eat, and a nice gift shop. Also you can get a much better look at the statue (although you cant really go up it which dissapointed me) You kinda can but you have to get a pass something like 48 hours before, and you can only go up to where her feet are. On this ferry you can also get off at Ellis Island, we did not bother so I cant really comment on this.

Maddison square garden which is close to the empire state building is worth a glance, especially if you are into your sport, we didnt go inside here so just seen it from the outside really.

Flat Iron building, smart building, I took loads of photos of that, its a strange looking building.

Macys is great for shopping, its HUGE, its annoying tho as its that big, its hard to find what you want, its like John Lewis' in london, or harrods. I really hate shopping, really really! My girlfriend was getting annoyed with me in there! haha.

Central Park - Didnt make it there, we left it till the last day, and it started raining so we missed out here!

There are LOADS of places to eat, even just little cafes stuff like that we went a different place every time.

We did not do the Crysler building or the Rockerfeller Centre, these look really good and if I go back I will deffinately do these! A friend of mine said he went up the Rockerfeller centre and he said it was better than Empire! The Rockerfeller Centre had an ice rink at the bottom when we went in April.

The Taxi from Newark ariport cost us $51 plus tolls, plus tips! think we gave 65 if I remember correctly, aparantly JFK is about the same. When we landed we expected to see all the buildings and you can see hardly anything until you drive into Manhattan! I can remember when driving back to the airport when we were going home just looking back at the empire state, it stands out a mile, but when you are actually in manhattan with all the other buildings around you it doesnt really blow u away with its size.

tips - dont get in any other taxis other than a yellow cab. When you come out of the airport there will probably be blokes there saying taxi taxi, dont go to them go to the yallow cabs accross the road. somebody tipped me this before I went.

sorry if theres loads of spelling mistakes, Ive had to split the answer in three as it was way too big haha.
ive just raced through it! Dont forget your cameras, and have your tips ready, you know what theyre like.

Who are you flying with, we flew with continental direct from manchester it was a good flight.

HAVE A GREAT TIME!!!
You wont get bored!
Oooooooh that's all really helpful! Me & my fella are going in May for 6 days... flying with Virgin & staying at a hotel (holiday inn express..??) in Times Square :-)
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Thanks guys for the replies, so helpful!
however many times you go to NYC there's always something new and great to see, agree what others have said but worth seeing is Battery park, museums and the two cathedrals, St Patricks on 5th and The largest unfinished cath of St John Divine, the trump building on 5th, tiffanys 5th ave, staten island ferry (free) and lovely views of liberty and skyline of manhatten which looks very strange now without twin towers, the apple tour bus is good, but the blue buses are great as well, need coins
$1 50 for any ride same for the trains, have a good time I hope to go again been 7 times...
It is true, that now they're building around ground zero (at ground level), so you can't really see into it much any more. But still I think to have some idea of the 14 acre* 5 storey hole is worth the trip, perhaps on the way to Wall Street, or Century 21 (designer bargains) which overlooks ground zero.

If you can go to an ice rink, the Wollman Ring in south Central park is better (much larger) than the Rockerfeller ring. Though the latter is special in it's own way, with all the skyscrapers around. Both of these rings are seasonal though...

I haven't been to the 'Top of the Rock'. Might have to try that sometime. Don't think you can go up the Chrsyler, but you can walk through the art-deco lobby when it is open on weekdays... you can do the same with more art-deco lobbys on Wall street as well (they let you in to basically working office space to look at the design! - or at least they used to).

You have to go for a NY Jewish deli lunch, somewhere like the Carnegie deli, or Katz's. Don't expect to need much of a dinner afterwards. I'd suggest a reuben sandwich with the works (saltbeef, melted emmantal cheese on top, saurkraut, Russian dressing on rye-bread)



Hi y'all. I went for 4 days about 18 months ago and didn't see half of what I wanted, so I'm going back in September for a fortnight. You have all given me loads of ideas, so thanks.

Empire state is a must, Rockefeller Centre, Times Square, Broadway, St Patricks, Ground Zero. I took a shuttle service taxi from the airport, which was good. It costs about �45 dollars return and they will come to your hotel and collect you when it is time to leave.
top of the Rockefeller Centre is a better view than the Empire State building imho - do it on a clear day if you can. I don't think you can go up the Chrysler building. Take in a Broadway show - half-price tickets on the day at the TKTS booth in Times Square (long queues usually) or South St Seaport (no queue at all when we went there). Circle Line cruise, round Manhattan in 3 hours is wonderful.
http://www.circleline42.com/index.ihtml?page=s ightseeing

We did our Sunday Brunch in Central Park. Macy's and Bloomingdale's for department stores. Plus all the things everyone else has said. It's good for walking as it's mostly flat (Manhattan, I mean), so you could enjoy yourself strolling all the way up 5th avenue to Central Park, for instance. It's a wonderful place.
ps . Perhaps if you are a returning visitor to NY, try and do something different. Take the train from Penn station out to Morristown or Madison in New Jersey for a day (best in warmer months). Enrol in Trapeze School (open air) for a day, down in west Chelsea on the banks of the Hudson. Go and take a rifle lesson at NY's only indoor range (NYR&PC at 20 west 20th). Take a cooking class at the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) at 50 W23rd. ... I can strongly recommend this, though look at their hundreds of classes online, and book early. You might pay $80 for a 3-5 hour course, but this is with a top rated chef-instructor at a world class cooking school... their range of courses is mind-boggling!

A circle Line boat tour is also meant to be great. Still haven't done that either. The Staten Island ferry is free, and gives good views of the Statue of Liberty. I reckon the latter is over-rated to visit... but if you do, go early or you will have little time there to wander, before they tell you it is time to leave.

Remember at Macy's, go to the Visitor Centre , and get an overseas visitor card entitling you to 11% discount on just about everything, valid for a month. You need to show some 'overseas' id, they prefer passports, but they've always been happy with me showing them a UK bank/credit card. A driving license would do fine too. I find the clothes department there rather dingy... but have bought a lot of stuff in the basement kitchen department. It is particularly good for sets of quality pans!

Then when you are done in Macy's go over the road to Old Navy or American Eagle and stock up on cheap 'basic clothes' . Then lastly, after all of that go and have a Korean barbecue meal on 'Little Korea street' just south of the Empire State, on 33rd street between 5th and 6th avenue... something we don't get a lot of in the UK, and very good, all for maybe $20-25 a head for a serious nosh-up!

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