Anyone been to New york at all? Ive been thinking about taking a trip there soon. Any advice on places to go, transport, the main differences etc etc would be appreciated.

Scrappy

Been there a few times - bit late so I can't think of everything - I'll say a few things and come back tomorrow with more, unless peeps get there before me.

There are obvious 'touristy' things like Empire State, Satue of Liberty, Time Square...go shopping at Saks, Tiffany's, FAO Schwartz (toy shop :D ) etc.....There is Broadway of course....Might be a sporting event at Madison Square Gardens, Dodgers game or Knicks (think thats them) although I dont know when their seasons are....

\if its your first time I think you have to pretty much do the sightseeingy bits and then a bit of shopping. However, you may be someone who is satisfied with just seeing the Statue of Liberty, say, rather than going up it - if you are, its kind of better because you can get on with other things. My girlfriend is like this so when we went it was my second time and luckily (for me!) she didnt insist on 'doing' everything.

When I go next I will probably head down to Greenwich Village and chill out, or somewhere similar. Its kind of nice just to wander around.

Its definitely somewhere I would recommend, but I also think you should plan to go again, and not try and squezze everything in. If you are going for shopping, shop - and do a little bit of sightseeing in between. And vice versa, if you are into the sightseeing bit, just concentrate on that and just set aside a small amount of time for shopping.

As I said, I'll have a think (once Ive had some sleep!) about some good places to go - my g/f went just before christmas so I can find out what the current things are...unless someone beats me to it!!

:)

Cheers mate, thanks for the info so far then. If you can think of anything else dont hesitate. Probably be doing more sight-seeing than shopping although knowing my sis she will want to do the shopping thing constantly:)

Also does anyone know or maybe you do John where the good clubs are as i might go off and have a night out as im in my early 20's and want to sample NY night life. You know like the type of clubs here in the uk not the jazz types etc like they have alot of out there. Im looking for the more packed places as i wont stand out so much then.

This experience is going to be so different from the uk isnt it :). Everything is just so big out there. ;)

Cheers guys

Scrappy

Head down to Tribeca/Soho and Greenwich. New York is fantastic to walk around. Forget the Empire....you dont get to go to the top.
WTC site would be interesting to visit. Canal street is a full on must.Just ask for the better quality stuff if you want to buy the fakes. If they trust you you will be amazed at the quality.

Head down to Tribeca/Soho and Greenwich. New York is fantastic to walk around. Forget the Empire....you dont get to go to the top.
WTC site would be interesting to visit. Canal street is a full on must.Just ask for the better quality stuff if you want to buy the fakes. If they trust you you will be amazed at the quality.

You will have the time of your life!!

[Edited by Luke - 1/14/2003 7:10:41 AM]

Echoing above, the Empire building is a waste of time. Spent ages queuing for ticket, then queued for lifts, herded in a line to the top and.....well, it's a skyline, what more do you expect.

WTC has been cleared up now, so nothing to really see apart from the well-wishes, firemen's shirts etc.
Personally, we took a tour bus and passed by the site but didn't take the option to go for a further look, I'd rather remember how it was before the attrocity.

Bus tour recommended to see most of NY on restricted time.

Oh, head up to Toys'r'Us....superb !

No one has yet mentioned Central Park- this is a must see!!! Especially at the weekend- loads of jazz bands, freaks in the park doing weird stuff, organised chess matches etc.

Walk up to Times square- see Toys'r'Us and all the other stuff- Carnegie hall on the right- Central Park in front of you.

I'm fairly well travelled and considered myself immune to the wide eyed tourist syndrome- I went to NYC this year and was just gobsmacked. All the cliches people trot out are true- it is just like being in a movie. NYC- what a city!

My guess is you're not a travel agent. Cause you really don't sell NYC all that well.

I have been up the world trade centre and the empire state building. I went up the ESB at dusk and it was breathtaking to see the city turn to darkness, it was one of the highlights for me.

5th Avenue is a good walk, as is central park. I also liked an afteroon beer in a Times Square bar and just watch all the people walking past.

Take a look around Grand Central Station - amazing architecture. We also used to hangaround the TV stations early in the morning so we could get our mugs on TV (some of them do the weather outside)

Grand Central for fab cheesecakes, there is also a very good oyster bar downstairs.

Les Halles on Park avenue if you want to treat any women in tow. Book up before you leave though. Also know a fab mexican gaff if you are interested.

Food & Drink is relatively expensive we found.

Clothing down in the village/spring street.

Cheapskate's way to see the empire state is by taking the Staten Island ferry - it's free and goes across the front of it.

Best way around is via subway - daily ticket was £3.50 as I recall.

Be prepared to do a lot of walking.

We stayed at some great apartments at the back of Radio City - just behind times square. Here , 4 sharing and still loads of space.

Steve

Hey Scrappy...

My sister's going on a 'round the world trip' Tomorrow and her first stop is New York.......
She's spending the initial week in Manhattan, where she can then decide on what to do and where to go....

If she tells me ".......... was good. You MUST go and see ......." then I'll let you know....

She go 3 months in the states, so not too sure how long she will spend in NY.

Cheers

just got back on the second of this month.

was great.

sales are great etc.

as stated above do a bus tour.

sod the building climbign, go for a helicopter ride, but prebook or choose a time when no one is around.

what was great was the ferry around the island of manhattan. Dont go witht he circle tour, take the 90 minute tour offered by one of the other companies whose name escapes me.

ice skating in central park or rockafella plaza is cool.

central park is interesting but a bit of a non event.

If you hadnt been to the wtc before they fell then you probably wont appreciate ground zero as yout understand the scale of the buildings.

The ferry tour will go some way to explain that when you sail past the flight path and see the huge gap in the skyline.

plenty cool museums, but new york is mostly about shopping.


have fun.

Make sure you go have dinner at "Del Frisco's" on Broadway 62nd street I think. Best steak house in NYC! Erm, like $100 pp though :(

Done New York a few times here are my tips:

You can buy a multiple ticket that gets you into, Empire State, Museum of Modern Art, Natural History Museum, an USS Intrepid (aircraft carrier), A nuclear Sub, it was $50 and saves you having to queue.

Go to the view at the top of The Marriot just off time square. It has a revolving restaurant / bar at the top which takes an hour. Dusk is best as you get to see it all turn dark

Macy's and Bloomingdales for shopping and a walk up 5th Avenue.

The NBC studio tour in the Rockefellar centre is well worth it.

Go to The Red Eye Grill (think it's on Broadway) they play Jazz and food is mainly fish. A couple of years ago it was the place to go... not sure it is now but still very good.

Don't do the Statue of Liberty Tour unless you have a long stay... it takes almost half a day and isn't all that.

Central Park as already mentioned (mind the dog turds though)

Don't expect a cabbie to know where to go they are quite simply appauling...

You'll not get tickets to a Nicks basketball game, but college basketball is very very good and Madison gets jam packed...

Walk around lots, your neck will ache for the first few days as you can't resist looking up.

That's all I can think of for now.

I would also think about going to Chicago as it's better then NYC ;) + much cleaner.

As well as everything that's been said...

The Statue of Liberty is not worth going all the way to the top. It took me 5 hours of queueing for a few moments of looking out some poky windows. Visiting the island maybe, but don't bother queuing when on the island.

Most things have been said already..... I personally like greenwich village etc, and you can probably get tickets for the Rangers (ice hockey) at the garden.

I personally don't really rate the shopping, there are plenty of shops, but I can't be done with department stores.

If you do the statue of liberty, I wouldn't bother going up inside the statue, takes forever to get up the tight spiral staircase, to have a very quick look out of the windows in the crown, Ellis Island is good though.

Also try the stock exchange, quite exciting.

Food wise, you won't struggle, every corner has a restaurant, and starbucks and street vendors are everywhere. But if you can try and get to Virgils BBQ and Steakhouse, just off Times Sq, something like 45th/46th street, big red neon sign. Looks a bit ropey from the outside, but you will eat like a king, and it won't cost you much either, Oh you must try the cheese/chilli fries, a must every time I go back.

If you want clubs check out www.clubnyc.com (I think), or do a search, I went to Twilo on new years day 2000, on par with Cream etc, but the music is a bit harder, plus they had Digweed and Sasha that night, but I have a sneaky feeling it may be closed, check www.twilo.com

Im going back to NYC in a few weeks time cant wait

Times Square is where we spend most of our time

Canal Street is top too

and them Gyros they sell down there, worth the trip to NY just for those :)

Liberty afaik is closed to the public to go inside, you can only go on the island itself

We went to Ground Zero, a month after Sep 11th, horrible, but worth visiting, to appreciate the sheer scale of what happened

Central Park is cool for Ice Skating too and Rockafella

Central Station good for food (Pizza) & S'Barros

Greenwich Village is good too, need lots and lots of money for beer, as it aint cheap, oh and you'll see Monicas Apartment :)

Steve

Echo most of above.....can't describe how bad cab drivers knowledge / attitude is :(

Don't bother with "the beast" (half hour speedboat "ferry tour") it's not much faster than some of the ferries as they're restricted, and you get p1ssin wet :)

I personally enjoyed the Empire State - get there for opening (8:30?) and there's sod all queue ~ we waited about 6 minutes total.

Central park was....a park.

I agree with Ducati, Virgils is the best,try out their Bloody Mary's in a pint glass!!!!! :)

If you fancy something cultural, how about the Guggenheim Museum, which is on the east side of the Central Park, then have a walk in the park afterwards.

Check out The Rough Guide to New York by Martin Dunford & Jack Holland. IMO 10 quid well spent if you're going.

Happy travels,

Ed

Thanks everyone for the valid advice. I have been busy arranging the things to do each day based on some of the things you guys mentioned. This BBS is really useful aint it. :) A very valuable source of information.

Legacy,
Let me know then mate as im considering going very soon. Hope she has a lovely time. By the way im considering organising a meet soon. You up for it?

Once again thanks everyone

Scrappy

tip- when you get out of JFK get a yellow cab! despite having been loads last time i went i was knackered and accepted a lift from the first cab that offered- it was a private cab driven by a 7ft mad gansta looking mutha who drove like a loon while singing to himself like somesort of reject from an LA rap outfit for being to offensive.

i was VERY concerned i was going to end up dead in the bronx somewhere.......espeially when i said "waldorf astoria" please and he had never heard of it!

T