New York City-5 nights with teens-Hotel?

[nybumpkin]

Kathi - Thanks for coming back and letting us know how your trip went. Nice to know about the Casablanca - sounds very nice. You will have to come back with an appetite next time:D .

[Jane110]

Thanks for the reveiw Kathy!

 

Sorry your daughter wasn't 100% and sorry to hear that your day in Soho was kind of rained out.

 

Thanks for the Casablanca review. I always have friends coming to NY and looking for a hotel. Like you, we all feel that Times Square is the pits, but the hotel sounds terrific, so they'll deal with the area.

 

Thanks and come back soon!

 

Jane

[momthecruisedirector]

This might be a naive question - but how bad is Times Square and why? We thought we'd only hang out there the first day, activity wise, taking our 17 year old to the Virgin Record store, Madame Toussards, etc.

 

Is safety an issue, beyond the normal cautions you must take in a tourist area?

[Jane110]

Momcruisedirector,

 

Sorry, didn't mean to scare you off.

 

In terms of safety, there's nothing wrong with Times Square (though since it is a tourist area, there are probably some pickpockets around).

 

The problem with it is that it IS a tourist area! Other than Broadway theatres, IMO, there's not much to see there. Yes, it used to be the seedy Red Light District, but since it's been cleaned up, it's now NY's answer to the Mall of America. There are boring chain stores, boring chain restaurants, and boring corporate snacking like Dunkin Doughnuts and most of the people on the street are other tourists. Basically, it's a snore. Kathi found a great hotel for her family - not always an easy task here - so she puts up with the area.

 

Jane

[nybumpkin]

There are boring chain stores, boring chain restaurants, and boring corporate snacking like Dunkin Doughnuts and most of the people on the street are other tourists. Basically, it's a snore.

 

And they're much more expensive than the same chain restaurants in other towns! If you haven't seen it before, it's fun to walk through and see the lights, but you can do better restaurant-wise elsewhere.

[Jane110]

And they're much more expensive than the same chain restaurants in other towns! If you haven't seen it before, it's fun to walk through and see the lights, but you can do better restaurant-wise elsewhere.

 

Yes, of course. It IS famous, so on a first trip to NYC, it's one of the sites on "the list". But after 15 minutes you can move on and never have to go back :)

 

You're right about the prices too. My guess is that the Dunkin Doughnuts are more expensive than anywhere else. And what a shame to waste money and calories there when The Cupcake Cafe on 39th and 9th has some of the best in town! Yum!

[momthecruisedirector]

Thank you for you responses. I was thinking/hoping that was what you were talking about. We only plan on visiting that specific area the first day - take our 17 year old to the Virgin Record store, go to the wax museum, other goofy stuff. The other days we'll be exploring the city. I am in love with the Casablanca (even though I haven't been there yet) so as long as safety isn't a big issue I'm okay with the area.

 

Thank you ALL again for your help.

[Jane110]

Momcruisedirector,

 

Yes, your 17 year old will want to see Times Square and you'll get to see it daily as you leave and come back to your hotel. The Virgin Store there is nice, just know that there's also a big Virgin Store in Soho on Broadway right in the hub of NYU-town. So that's also a terrific area for your 17yo to experience.

 

Have a blast here!

 

Jane

[KathiB]

Boy, turn my back for one minute and I've missed all the talk about Times Square. We felt perfectly safe there so that was not the issue. It is just way glitzy, tacky, bright, crowded and filled with nothing but tourists. You will see it daily as you come and go from the hotel so you will get a taste. We did not eat in the area. The girls did love Sephora Make Up store and the they had fun in the huge Toys R Us but just for the novelty of it's huge size. We did go to the movies one night. My daughter had been to the wax museum on a previous trip so we skipped it but most teens would get a kick out of it. Times Sq. is def. something to see, especially for teens, but I wouldn't waste my time in a chain restaurant that you can go to anywhere. New York is filled with great sights and places to eat so i would basically spend just part of one day or evening in Times Square...it will be enough. That being said I would def. stay at the Casablanca again regardless of it's location! Have a great time!

 

Kathi:)