paulr

going soon....
thnking of...

1.Guggenheim
2.Niketown
3.Tourneau time machine (3 floors of watches)
4.Ground zero


.....been to Empire state before.

Opinions/advice welcome.

Markus

The 2 hour boat trip is pretty good. Yankee's statium would be a look. FAO Schwarz (sp?) Hey, I'm a big kid so toys appeal. New York Public Libray, you have to have your picture taken with the Lions

If you're a Kevin Smith fan then a little trip to Redbank, NJ, should be on the cards as well

stevem2k

guggenhiem was a waste of time when I went tbh.

F.A.O Schwartz

Staten Island Ferry ( free trip past Statue of Liberty for pics etc )

Les Halles http://www.leshallesny.citysearch.com

Grand Central Station ( for the architecture and the cheesecake shop )

Only 40mins from Penn Station to RedBank

paulr

I agree,FAO Scwartz is great,already been.

why the guggenheim rubbish,i thought it was the no1 art gallery in the world?

stevem2k

It may have been the display pieces when we were there , but while the archtecture of the building was superb, the gallery items generally left me cold, and I reckon I like a bit of art 'like..

Steve

jasey

The boat tour that goes around the whole of Manhattan (4 hours I think) & The bus tour that takes in Harlem etc are both great (Especially the Bus tour through Harlem - Next time I'm gonna go to Harlem for a night out (If I'm feeling Brave / stupid).

Jump in two cabs (assuming there's enough of you) and tell them to go somewhere (approx 15-20 blocks away) Tell the first one you're being followed and you want to lose the other one and tell the second one not to lose the first one (Better than any roller coaster I've ever been on ).

Get a limo tp pick you up from the Airport and take you to the City - The only way to arrive - plus you avoid the Taxi queue which can be a bit of an "experience".

There's an out-of town shopping place about 2 hours on a bus (New York state somewhere) - that's good for the girls - then the boys can find some of the nice "Sports" bars .

CliffS3

There's an out-of town shopping place about 2 hours on a bus (New York state somewhere) - that's good for the girls - then the boys can find some of the nice "Sports" bars .[/QUOTE]
Its called Woodbury Common, and your hotel concierge will be able to help you with details.

Also amazing is the planetarium in the Natural History Museum... The rest of the museum wasnt great IMHO, but that was well worth a look.

Also eat at the River Cafe, expensive but not to be missed. Other side of Brooklyn Bridge and with the most amazing view!

Dream Weaver

Southstreet Seaport is great for an evening - must be subsidised as jugs of Bud are more realistically priced at about $10. Good burger places as well.

Ground zero is fairly boring, but sitting near the Citybull is cool near Wall St.

Central park is great, go and watch some of the theatre stuff there.

Walking from Times Square down Broadway is also pretty cool.

Open top buses are great.

And as said, Statten Island ferry for the views, but dont bother getting off at Statten Island, its crap.

Markus

Ground Zero - never been, would probably have a look, but I don't think I could put up with all the yanks going on and on and on and on and on and on (you get the picture) about 9/11, sick to the back teeth of it. Not like any other country in the world has ever had a terrorist attack is it? Tragic loss of life, but a wakeup call that was well overdue.

Oh, and I *think* you still can't go up the Statue of Liberty, something to do with 'security' Like anyone would really want to take out any other yank building.

Subway, you have to go on the subway, it's like the underground, only more gritty, loved it

One last thing, donut shop, find one, sit in it, wait for the cops to come in. One of my most memorable moments from NYC is a picture of me, with five of NYPD's finest, in a donut shop having a quiet coffee and donut, classic

Sbradley

Ground Zero. Totally unlike what I expected (same as Markus). Went up the towers before, had sushi at the top. Seeing all the names and realising that one of them was almost certainly the waitress I was flirting with made it all the more poignant. Don't know what it would be like if I'd not been there before but to me it's a powerful place. Not least to see the scale of the destruction. Personally I'd leave the hole in the ground as a big 'lest we forget' message.

Grand Central Station is awesome. Don't forget the whispering gallery outside the Oyster Bar. Amazing place.

USS Intrepid is worth seieng if you like technolgy and Big Boys' Toys.

Staaten Island Ferry or the Circle Line to get views of the place but make sure you've lots of timeand plenty of film/space on your card. And warm clothing.

The World Fair i Queens is interesting, especially if you enjoyed Men in Black. Plus the miniature NYC is amazing.

Bronx Zoo. Yes, really.

Try to go somewhere upstate like Rye or Westchester just to see how green and pleasant New York can be!

SB

what would scooby do

Niketown is massive and they display 1 pair of sneakers every 10 metres or so LOL

1. Natural History museum/planetarium etc
2. Empire State building
3. Liberty Island/Ellis Island
4. South sea port / shopping area
5. Intrepid air-sea museum is cool
6. Ground zero (after been on top of the WTC 2 months before 9/11 it was freaky)
7. Central park of course !

nip into a shop called jeans unlimited just off 2nd Ave and get genuine levis for under £20

thecirsch

Echo all the above. I've been there 5 times, four times before 9/11. I went down to Ground Zero the last time I was there. It is NOT in your face. However, there are things there that WILL make you think.

You can get a coach from the Port Authority Bus Terminal to Woodberry Common. IIRC it's about $35.00 return, but it does get pretty crowded on the return leg, so get to the bus stop early.

On one occasion, we went for Sunday lunch in China Town, which was great. Just choose the restaraunt with the most locals, you won't go wrong!! On another trip there, we went for Sunday brunch in Greenwich Village, that was pretty cool too. Every Italian restaraunt has a signed photo of Frank Sinatra, he obviously went to ALL the places in NYC

Try to get a copy of NYC Time Out. Loads of stuff in there as well.

Jerome

Don't bother going up the inside of the Statue of Liberty. It takes hours of queuing and it's quite an anti-climax when you get to the top. Pretty crap view through very dirty windows.

Nathan L

without doubt the best thing we've done in NY was a helicopter trip with

http://www.libertyhelicopters.com/

Ground Zero is a very chilling place.

Drunken Bungle Whore

Used to work for Christie's (scary but true!) - go take a look around their site, it's right on Rockerfeller Plaza. No entry fee and loads of fab exhibitions. Check on their website to see what's going to be on there.

I spent 5 days there and was glad to leave - mainly because I'm NOT a city person and would go mad after 5 days in ANY city! I just felt it was really dark and dingy - a bit like walking through a very long, deep, valley with no sunlight reaching the bottom.

Shopping was good though!

Iwan

Try and get into the NYSE and watch from the viewing gallery when the market opens.

The NASDAQ centre in Times Square is pretty interesting too if your a money nut.

Guggenheim is cool, if you like that sort of thing. Awesome hotdogs from the van outside too!

Nike Town is good, i found it by accident and thought it was pretty impressive.

I'd go and see the Intrepid if i went again, love to see that...

paulr

Thansk,btw how safe is the subway?

Rags

Am i the only one here who though the new york subway was like trying to navigate a maze? or maybe it was the hangover I had to deal with!! oh and my girlfriend bitchin that cos i surprised her with a trip to NY she had only high heels and her itty bitty toes were poorly from all the walking!! theres no F**king pleasing women!!
Cure: one pair of $10 flipflops, one cup of shut the f**k up

but i did seriously have problems with the subway.. not easy to get around in my opinion..

If your going with the other half i'd definately take in a show on broadway, you can buy tickets on the day cheap as chips and its well worth it. also having lunch in rockafella centre next the fountain was cool for me.

And of course you have to buy a $1.25 hot dog from a street corner that you can eat in 3 bites and then go on to the next corner and get another one!! yummy!

Ground Zero, has to be seen IMO, eery but very hard hitting i felt.

Rags

Dream Weaver

Subway is safe as houses, and I found it better to use than the tube

jasey

Watch out you dont get on an "Express" Subway train (or whatever they're called) - They all look the same to me but Non-express ones stop at all stops and Express ones just seem to stop at the Bronx . It's a little confusing but the New Yorkers I met were much more willing to help the lost tourists than the "up-their-*****" Londoners (but that's a different thread).


Oh - and the $1.25 hot dogs become $15.87 hot dogs if you want onions & relish

King Eric

Ground Zero to pay your respects...then realise that every other tourist around you is taking pictures of their mates and family while they smile and stick their thumbs up in front of the memorial stones with all the names engraved from those that lost their lives.

Century 21 (Opposite Ground Zero) amazing for cheap clothes (designer) we spent well over $500.00 on what in the uk would of cost us in excess of £1500.00. Diesel trainers $45.00 which in the uk the week before I went (and wanted them for the trip) were £120.00! Strange that such an amazing clothes store is right opposite (yards) from where the disaster happened.

I agree with Nathan...go on the liberty helicopter ride (you wont forget it!) and pre-book via your hotels consierge to avoid queing and jump to the front They are only allowed to fly up and down the hudson now (whereas before 9-11 they could fly over central park etc etc) but you fly right over the top of the statue of liberty and can get some amazing shots...an ariel "real life" view of Ground Zero is unforgettable

Go see the New York Nicks at Maddison Square garden. Always wanted to do this and the missus took me for my Christmas present to see em play the Chicago Bulls....can spot celebs here all the time. Book with www.ticketmaster.com (cost us around £35.00 per ticket) Do not buy from people on street...99% likely to be a near perfect fraud copy ticket!

Bubba Gump Shrimp factory. Restraunt right in the middle of time square...next to MTV. Based on the hit film "Forest Gump" and serves Shrimps of all kind and some amazing food and coctails...reasonably priced with bits from the film including Tom Hanks trainers from the running part everywhere...friendly staff who quiz you about he film when serving....what we thought would be cack was one of the best places we ate in in NYC got to be done

Avoid the street hotdogs they will give you the $hits

Go to little Italy. I ate Best Italian I have been in and known to be packed full of a few celebs now and then. When I went there it was blatently full of Mafia types all wink-wink-nudge-nudge. Amazing service (with a smile) superb wines and sublime food (lobster is sensational!) Just ask the consierge what the best one in little italy is...he will book your table. "Angelo's" its on Mulberry street

Planet Hollywood...rip off for the food but an experience. You get to keep the glasses etc etc.....oh and theres the odd bit of cool memorabilia knocking about (model planes hanging from ceiling from Top Gun)

Ask a cop for directions.....cheapest and most knowledgable street map by a million miles.

Follow cops for breakfast.....dont eat in your hotel! GO OUT!! its cheaper and better quality!! We stopped two cops outside macys and said "where do you lads go for breakfast" "Hey you guys are English, cool! LOVE the accents"...go here (spent 5 mins showing us the map)...we went (short walk) and had the best brekky (with cops walking in and out for their free coffee/tea and bagels) for the price of about £5.00 for two of us (massive breakfast buns with unlimited tea/coffee)

Cabs make life easier...its not fun in winter (the winds travel between the buildings at such a rate of knotts and give you wind burn!) and they tend to be pretty cheap really...we were there 5 days and cabbed it most places (its not a big place to walk if you have time) and spent around £50.00 including at night getting back from some dodgy places! LOL They are also fun to chat too...if you can find an American. All of ours where Indian! But knew the place really well.

Go to Bloomingdales (shopping) to keep the missus happy....I did..and it wore me right out, everytime! LOL

Theatre if thats your bag (not mine really) as its said to be amazing where ever you go.

Horse Ride in Central Park.....bit iffy this one. Your better of walking it....it cost somehing like $60.00 to go round with the equivilent of a New York Piki on some rickety old wooden cart being towed by a really shabby ill looking horse which I felt guilty for! Only for the said bloke to say one thing of interest in the 12 minute ride "Over there is where Home Alone 2 was filmed" (which is pretty much everywhere)
Still...made a nice photo for the collection!

Do as much as you can from early doors...grab lunch...bit more (if your not used to walking then get started now!!!) and get back to your hotel early evening to avoid mad traffic chaos (fumes a bit iffy too) then shower, relax and hit the town. There are some great places to eat and drink....be adventurous....the people of NYC are first class

ENJOY!

Tiggs

"They are only allowed to fly up and down the hudson now (whereas before 9-11 they could fly over central park etc etc) "

pity because my best memory of our last trip to NY was the chopper up the river then over the park and the stadium.

T

Dapster

Agree with all the above. The chopper ride is a must - I paid $90 each for 4 of us and it was absolutely amazing. Also, get your self down to the East Village where the street food is fantastic - lots of Oriental food hawkers and shabby eateries which don't look special but the food will blow you away. Hardly any tourists but very safe and with a very warm and vibrant feel. For the wierdest beer you'll ever have will be at Burp Castle which is staffed by Beerist (as in Trappist, geddit?) Monks....

http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguid...ew_york_city-i

The yellow cabs are very cheap if you are used to the villains in London. My highlight was finding one with 650,000 miles on the clock, a PB for cab milages and ousting a Dutch Merc S class with 800,000km from top spot - for some reason my g/f didn't share my enthusiasm!

tonybooth

All of the above, but you have to eat at HOOTERS - Lovely Chicken Wings!!

TONY

paulr

cheers.
You've convinced me to see ground zero.

workshy_fopp

I'd agree with most of the above. Dunno if anyone mentioned the metropolitan museum, worth combining with a central park trip.
Brookyln bridge is worth a look too. I just got cabs everywhere. You should check out McSorleys Ale House on East 7th. oldest pub in NYC - they only do "light" or "dark" beer and you need to buy 2 each at a time as you get anything from a quarter to a half pint per glass, they just seem to spill the rest. Katz's Deli is a must (Harry met Sally orgasm scene) the pastrami sandwich is about 4 inches thick
Also Sarge's Deli is excellent and less touristy, the Ruben sandwich is truly massive, great pickles too - off 3rd ave nr. Bloomindales. Some great restaurants in the meat packing district too, can't remember names though.

Markus

Ellis Island, have to agree, got to go there. Holds special place for me as my great-grandfather emigrated from Ireland to Chicago, and thus passed through Ellis Island many years ago, and my grandfather was born and raised in Chicago, then left and went back to Ireland. It's amazing seeing records, and getting brass rubbings on your relatives.

Oh and shopping. Got to do Bloomingdales and Macys, well, if you're into shopping.

As for the subway being safe, my friend and I never had any problems, and we were pretty easy targets, eg; very very drunk, speaking loudly, looking somewhat tourist like, and it being 3am

Other memory about NYC was giving money to a tramp. Think we gave him 10 bucks each. Why? Well, he was honest, he had a sign saying "money wanted for booze", so my friend and I coughed up, gotta love the honest tramps

Ian_S

we went to ground zero last year first time in ny, and tbh thought it was a waste of time, just a building site, a colleague who went a week later thought the same too.
Also the helicopter trip, didnt think it was value for money as it only goes up river and back and round statue of liberty, i would save the money and do something else.

Spooks

Gota say I was there for a mere 2 days but good suggestions by all.
We did goto ground zero last year at 9/11 very harrowing, kinda bizzare day I gotta say cause just before I picked the ring for my now fiance and proposed in Tiffany's later that day ( I digress somewhat though).
Amazed that no one has said you gotta goto Tiffany's (take the missus leave the credit card) or MSG or even ESPN zone I loved that lol, for me next time I get to NYC I will be going to all that you have said before plus Yankee's Satdium, Mets Satdium..... Baseball fan and all that There is so much to see and do though never managed half of what we wanted to do , you dont realise just how big NYC is to get around till you need to go somewhere.
Anyways all this talk is making me wanna go again but longer, and my Creditcard is still recovering from last year
Spooks

Dream Weaver

Oh and dont bother with Carnegie Deli. Its pretty cool, but the sandwichs are huge with about 10 lbs of meat and 2 thin slices of bread and they cost about £15 each

The cops all told us after that Katz was better. Theres also a very cool Pizza place over Brooklyn Bridge but we never made it there (next time)