New York in One Day Guided Tour

[NCteacherlovescruising]

Some are recommending Central Park on our own. Is there a trail we would follow or how do we find the places we want to see?  

[markeb]

35 minutes ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

 

It's the Free Tours By Foot walking tour.  (Pay what you think it's worth at the end of the tour)  It's from 2-4. It's is over the Southern part of the park.  Here is there description:

Join Free Tours by Foot as we stroll through the park and tell the epic story of New York's green oasis. This Central Park tour explores the southern half of the park, wandering the winding pedestrian paths, passing a pond, rocky outcrops, bridges, open fields and skyline views -- all great photo opportunities. The tour also includes a stop in Strawberry Fields, a living tribute to John Lennon, and will end in front of the Dakota Hotel, where the great Beatle's life was tragically ended

 

This food tour looks really good to me, but it overlaps with the CP tour.  

https://www.foodsofny.com/foods-ny-tours-2/nolita-noho/

 

 

Darn. That actually sounds pretty cool. Meet at 60th and Fifth Avenue? That probably takes you by the skating rink, maybe to the Bethesda Steps and the mosaics, and across the Sheep Meadow to Central Park West. That's a nice part of the park. It's certainly doable on your own, but...

 

If you're pressed, you can do that without the guide. As long as the guide isn't making things up, it would probably be nice. The Dakota is pretty obvious, BTW.

[markeb]

28 minutes ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

Some are recommending Central Park on our own. Is there a trail we would follow or how do we find the places we want to see?  

 

Start here.

 

The site includes information on planning a visit, maps, etc. 

 

From the corner of Fifth Avenue and 60th, you maneuver around the carriages and vendors to the southeast entrance into the park. Easiest entrance and hardest to get lost. Go north (away from the buildings behind you) along the pond, and the rink. Pick up a map for a buck or two from the CP vendors. Go halfway around the rink and turn right up the hill. Building left, the old Dairy building to the right. Follow the trail and you'll come to a road with horse drawn carriages, cabs, and fearless and non-stopping bicycles. Cross when you can and there will be a large opening with trees on both sides and a series of statues on the south end. This is the Mall. Ten minute walk max down the mall, past the bandshell on your right, and you'll come to the Bethesda Terrace. Ahead and down you'll see a fountain and a lake. You can go down the stairs through a really cool set of mosaics. Backtrack to the terrace, turn right, and head generally west. You should find a sign to Strawberry Fields, and you'll see the Dakota outside the park and across the street.

 

If you start at Columbus Circle, you just reverse those directions and start at the Dakota.

 

If memory serves, Google maps will guide you through the park. So you can enter "Strawberry Fields", for instance, and it'll keep you on a direct path across the park.

[NCteacherlovescruising]

55 minutes ago, markeb said:

 

Darn. That actually sounds pretty cool.

 

I agree!  😜

 

Quote

Meet at 60th and Fifth Avenue? That probably takes you by the skating rink, maybe to the Bethesda Steps and the mosaics, and across the Sheep Meadow to Central Park West. That's a nice part of the park. It's certainly doable on your own, but...

 

If you're pressed, you can do that without the guide. As long as the guide isn't making things up, it would probably be nice. The Dakota is pretty obvious, BTW.

I’m considering it. 

 

46 minutes ago, markeb said:

 

Start here.

 

Done!  Thanks!!

 

46 minutes ago, markeb said:

The site includes information on planning a visit, maps, etc. 

 

I see that. It looks very helpful and does make the park look doable alone. 

 

46 minutes ago, markeb said:

From the corner of Fifth Avenue and 60th, you maneuver around the carriages and vendors to the southeast entrance into the park. Easiest entrance and hardest to get lost. Go north (away from the buildings behind you) along the pond, and the rink. Pick up a map for a buck or two from the CP vendors. Go halfway around the rink and turn right up the hill. Building left, the old Dairy building to the right. Follow the trail and you'll come to a road with horse drawn carriages, cabs, and fearless and non-stopping bicycles. Cross when you can and there will be a large opening with trees on both sides and a series of statues on the south end. This is the Mall. Ten minute walk max down the mall, past the bandshell on your right, and you'll come to the Bethesda Terrace. Ahead and down you'll see a fountain and a lake. You can go down the stairs through a really cool set of mosaics. Backtrack to the terrace, turn right, and head generally west. You should find a sign to Strawberry Fields, and you'll see the Dakota outside the park and across the street.

 

If you start at Columbus Circle, you just reverse those directions and start at the Dakota.

 

If memory serves, Google maps will guide you through the park. So you can enter "Strawberry Fields", for instance, and it'll keep you on a direct path across the park.

 

Wow!  Thank you!  This is very helpful as it gives us a lot of flexibility. 

[markeb]

The cool thing about the park, along with the landscaping, etc., is the people. Down by the fountain there will probably be a guy making giant soap bubbles, with kids chasing the bubbles. On some trips, we've had school or church choirs down there singing. Up on the terrace, there's a semi-resident band of "urban acrobats" for lack of a better word doing all kinds of crazy stunts. There may be people roller skating (fast and good). Along the mall you'll find various art, some good, some so-so, for sale, along with caricature artists, and musicians busking. It's a place you experience as much as see.

 

Olmstead and Vaux did an amazing job on Central Park. There's a line of thought that they created modern landscape architecture, at least in North America. It's a fun place to visit as an outsider, and it's the backyard of Manhattan for people who live there. It's a great place to just wander aimlessly...

[waterbug123]

12 hours ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

We would have no idea where to go or what we were seeing if we did CP on our own.

 

Google is your friend.  You can read all about Central Park, find maps, etc. 

 

12 hours ago, markeb said:

A tour is fine, but if that time slot causes issues, you can see a lot on your own.

 

This^.   Again, if you have time for the tour, great.  But I would consider letting that tour be the last of my priorities.  Figure out your schedule for seeing/doing other things.  If time remains for the CP tour, great.  If not, you can visit at least briefly, to see iton your own.  You might not get all the tidbits of info, but you'll get a feel for the park, probably see some street entertainers doing their thing, etc. and you can say you've seen the park. 

 

11 hours ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

Some are recommending Central Park on our own. Is there a trail we would follow or how do we find the places we want to see?  

 

Google maps for central park! 

[princeton123211]

14 hours ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

This food tour looks really good to me, but it overlaps with the CP tour.  

https://www.foodsofny.com/foods-ny-tours-2/nolita-noho/

I would do the food tour and hop up to CP to do these things on your own. It's "pay what you think it's worth" because everyone would be scratching their heads at the end if they had paid $30 a person to get walked around a public park. You can cover most of the CP things they list in much less than 2 hours. The Dakota is interesting from a historical standpoint, but its an exclusive building you can only look at and not enter. The Plaza Hotel on Central Park South is actually the same architect as the Dakota and you can obviously go inside. 

[Got2Cruise]

If this is your first time in NY stick to basics. As you are learning NYC is huge with so much to see. Personally I’d go with the HoHo sit on top and enjoy the sights. The HoHo sells extensions with additional water cruises. The fast speed boat to the Statue of Liberty looks like a lot of fun. Jmo 

[NCteacherlovescruising]

1 hour ago, Got2Cruise said:

If this is your first time in NY stick to basics. As you are learning NYC is huge with so much to see. Personally I’d go with the HoHo sit on top and enjoy the sights. The HoHo sells extensions with additional water cruises. The fast speed boat to the Statue of Liberty looks like a lot of fun. Jmo 

 

I lived there for a couple years, but that was about thirty years ago.  My brother and his family lived there much longer. I’ve seen some of these sites before but I don’t remember them. The strange thing is I still remember going to the ticker tape parade in ‘86 after the Mets won the World Series. I also remember going to Chinatown and Macy’s. Strange what the mind remembers and what it forgets. 

 

We did the HoHo in New Orleans.  I’ve read it can be hard to get a seat in NYC though and we will be there Labor Day weekend. 

1 hour ago, princeton123211 said:

I would do the food tour and hop up to CP to do these things on your own. It's "pay what you think it's worth" because everyone would be scratching their heads at the end if they had paid $30 a person to get walked around a public park. You can cover most of the CP things they list in much less than 2 hours. 

Perhaps. I have to please dh as well. I’m thinking of making a free itineraries, showing them to him and see what he chooses. And I still haven’t eliminated the Circle Line SOL cruise either. 

[mking8288]

Here's a different spin for you to choose & consider, since you are (as others said) pressed for time - a 1 hour only Downtown Express "Liberty" Cruise, that leave from Pier 16 by the (old) South Street Seaport/(formerly) Fulton Fish Market ... fond memories of that area before/during & after 9/11 as we ran/co-own our small family business on Pearl Street, just a few steps from Fraunces Tarvern.  It's an easy, nice15 or 20 minutes walk across the Financial District (along Liberty Street or Fulton Street) if the Memorial is a must-do on your bucket list.  

https://www.circleline.com/sightseeing-cruises/statue-of-liberty/downtown-liberty-express

 

The Downtown Alliance (one of many BID across NYC, Business Improvement Districts) run a free shuttle with stops - if you feet are tired & needed a rest, you can pick it up near the Memorial & you will end up near the Pier on the East River to catch the Express Cruise, it's a nice & scenic one, absolutely free once you get on them.  DA has useful links, maps & suggestions for plenty of DIY walking tours - use the same link & click on it to get ideas.  

https://www.downtownny.com/programs/downtown-connection-bus

[waterbug123]

On 7/31/2019 at 8:25 PM, NCteacherlovescruising said:

 

This food tour looks really good to me, but it overlaps with the CP tour.  

https://www.foodsofny.com/foods-ny-tours-2/nolita-noho/

 

 

I missed that you had referenced this food tour. I have done all but one of the tours offered by foodsofny.com, including the Nolita-Noho tour you listed, and every single one has been excellent.   It's a great way to get what amounts to a meal, and learn some interesting neighborhood history as you go.  All guides with this company have been great and we've really enjoyed the tours. 

With a food tour under consideration....

most of the tours are roughly 11-2 if i recall correctly.  You could get up early and do an early morning walk through part of CP.  Then head downtown to the food tour meeting spot, do the tour, and then go on further down to the 9/11 memorial.  Head back up to midtown and do the Circle Line 7pm "Liberty at Night" tour to get great views of the Statue of Liberty.  You won't get off and visit the statue, but the views will be great!   Depending on how long it takes you to get to 9/11 and see it, you could alternatively try to make a late afternoon Liberty Island ferry/tour from Battery Park since you'll already be downtown.

[NCteacherlovescruising]

19 hours ago, mking8288 said:

Here's a different spin for you to choose & consider, since you are (as others said) pressed for time - a 1 hour only Downtown Express "Liberty" Cruise, that leave from Pier 16 by the (old) South Street Seaport/(formerly) Fulton Fish Market ... fond memories of that area before/during & after 9/11 as we ran/co-own our small family business on Pearl Street, just a few steps from Fraunces Tarvern.  It's an easy, nice15 or 20 minutes walk across the Financial District (along Liberty Street or Fulton Street) if the Memorial is a must-do on your bucket list.  

https://www.circleline.com/sightseeing-cruises/statue-of-liberty/downtown-liberty-express

 

We haven’t decided if we are doing the 9-11 Memorial or not. If not, we would have no reason to be down there at all. Most everything we are looking at is in Midtown, with the exception of a food tour we may do in Greenwich Village. We were looking at Circle Line until yesterday when someone on TA pointed us to Classic Harbor Line Cruises. Their 1920’s inspired yachts look lovely and comfortable. I’m really excited about it!  We are going to do either their Statue & Skyline Sightseeing Cruise or their Champagne Sunset Cruise. Is it safe to walk from Pier 62 to public transportation at 9:00 at night?  That and Central Park are our only definitive plans. 

 

19 hours ago, mking8288 said:

The Downtown Alliance (one of many BID across NYC, Business Improvement Districts) run a free shuttle with stops - if you feet are tired & needed a rest, you can pick it up near the Memorial & you will end up near the Pier on the East River to catch the Express Cruise, it's a nice & scenic one, absolutely free once you get on them.  DA has useful links, maps & suggestions for plenty of DIY walking tours - use the same link & click on it to get ideas.  

https://www.downtownny.com/programs/downtown-connection-bus

Thanks!

[NCteacherlovescruising]

1 hour ago, waterbug123 said:

 

I missed that you had referenced this food tour. I have done all but one of the tours offered by foodsofny.com, including the Nolita-Noho tour you listed, and every single one has been excellent.   It's a great way to get what amounts to a meal, and learn some interesting neighborhood history as you go.  All guides with this company have been great and we've really enjoyed the tours. 

With a food tour under consideration....

most of the tours are roughly 11-2 if i recall correctly.  You could get up early and do an early morning walk through part of CP.  Then head downtown to the food tour meeting spot, do the tour, and then go on further down to the 9/11 memorial. 

 

We have only been on one food tour before and we really enjoyed it. We’re thinking it would be nice way to learn some history of a part of NYC while having a long, leisurely lunch of various foods.  While walking on this tour sounds better than standing in long lines for a view of the city, I am worried we may wish we would have invested the time to do TOTR, ESB, or the 911 Memorial instead.  Thing is, dh could care less about going high to have views of a “concrete jungle”, although I think it would be cool. He would do it, but it’s not on his short list. He would like to see the 9-11 Memorial, but neither of us are sure we want to go there to see one thing, while we could just spend our day in midtown. I actually added the TOTR and ESB because of that. Seeing the church would be neat too. 

 

We are flying in to Newark at 8, so getting to CP for an early walk isn’t feasible. We are planning on going to our hotel in Jersey City first, hopefully luck out with an early checkin, if not we can at least let them hold our luggage. Then walk over to Brownstone Diner for breakfast. All itineraries I made for him that omitted breakfast he crossed off. Lol. Believe it or not, the Diner is at the top of my list because I am eager to try their pancakes!! 😋 

 

[NCteacherlovescruising]

Looks like we finally made a decision.  I guess I will just start a new thread because this one has taken so many turns.