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First time to New York ….. advice please


Funbobby68
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I would also get the Uber and Lyft app we think that’s the easiest way to get around , but you have lots of things in walking distance. A few blocks from 9/11 memorial is trinity church where several people from the revolutionary war are buried including Alexander Hamilton.

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3 minutes ago, Treasure Hunter said:

I understand. It maybe bitter cold and Manhattan is BIG. but the subway can take them anywhere . Staying in touristy midtown with mediocre restaurants sure would be easy.  Just trying to make the trip memorable. 

There are lots of great restaurants in midtown, also in February I rather deal with Uber or Lyft rather than dealing with the subway that they are not familiar with . 

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Lots of traffic and sitting in a car. Just need to remember the Bronx is up the Battery ( or Brooklyn ) down . Manhattan is a grid. You can’t get lost. The streets  go east to west . Numbering changes ( restarts) at Fifth Avenue. The Avenues go North to South. But I agree Uber or a taxi ( very easy to Hale) is much more comfortable especially if you have packages.

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Thanks all for the over whelming response, glad we have some time to plan

we the four of us are all 50 or just over , but all in good ish shape so walking a bunch is no issue , 

wife’s a bit nervous about being out and about after dark , I’m more geared to embrace the night life , is there any where We should avoid 

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5 hours ago, markeb said:

Let's keep in mind that pizza is a religion in NYC. Most of the classic recommendations are either in Brooklyn or well south of you. George is a fan of Angelo's; I love John's on 44th. Look them both up. I've never eaten at Angelo's, so I can't compare. John's is located in a desanctified (looked it up and I think that's the right term) church, and is allegedly the largest pizzeria in the world. And I really like the pies.

 

John's on West 44th Street is not bad, and whenever we're returning late at night through Port Authority Bus Terminal, it is the most convenient place to get a decent bite to eat. I do not see it as the "largest" place. It is not to be confused with John's of Bleecker Street (off of Seventh Avenue in Greenwich Village) which is one of the best within New York City. I agree that most of the best places are concentrated in various parts of Brooklyn, a trio of which are right next to each other at the foot of Fulton Street (Juliana's, Grimaldi's, and Ignazio's). Go the the Barstool Pizza YouTube site for good reviews of pizza places.

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3 hours ago, Funbobby68 said:

wife’s a bit nervous about being out and about after dark , I’m more geared to embrace the night life , is there any where We should avoid 

 

Most streets are well-lit, so there's not much risk of not being able to see your way, or being hit by motorists not seeing you after dark. Perhaps the most inconvenient part of being out at night is that after about 1:00 a.m., many subway lines have trains operating only every 20 minutes, and the express trains run local, so the overall travel time to get back home (or back to the hotel) can take a bit longer.

Edited by GTJ
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12 hours ago, Funbobby68 said:

we the four of us are all 50 or just over , but all in good ish shape so walking a bunch is no issue , 

Manhattan is not the most walkable place-- the distances are further than you think and the city blocks are very long east to west. Taxis and Ubers/Lyfts are your friends-- locals use them all the time even to go relatively short distances, especially in the cold or heat. I wouldn't recommend the subway with maybe the exception being the shuttle between Times Square and Grand Central which is a very easy way to experience it. For the most part cars will be faster point to point for you, and more comfortable especially in Feb. 

 

12 hours ago, Funbobby68 said:

wife’s a bit nervous about being out and about after dark , I’m more geared to embrace the night life , is there any where We should avoid 

Most places in Manhattan are generally fine-- you should be aware of your surroundings just like in any city, but for the most part its very safe. I know that you are staying there so I'll be gentle, but Times Square is generally my least favorite place in Manhattan and to me at least it feels the seediest. 

 

There are some extremely nice places to walk not far from you like Central Park, along Central Park South, Madison Ave (and to a lesser degree 5th Ave) shopping, and along the park side of 5th Ave north of where the Plaza Hotel is. You should absolutely add the High Line to your list of things to see-- you'll take a cab down and its a great walk above the city on a former rail line. 

 

If you are looking for nightlife, head south, don't stay in Times Square. There are plenty of bars and clubs, restaurants, and shopping in SoHo, Chelsea, Meatpacking District, and the Village. Now that I'm thinking more south some other restaurants that might be of interest are Raoul's (fantastic steak au poivre) as well as Balthazar or Pastis (basically interchangeable with each other but both very strong French bistro fare that works well for brunch). These three are mid range from a price point.  

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A couple of places near your hotel - Bill’s Burgers 16 West 51 Street at north edge of Rockefeller Center very near St. Patrick’s Cathedral - reasonable prices, good food and service - breakfast, lunch or supper. For a top of the line meal: Gallagher’s Steakhouse - pricey, but classic old style steakhouse with great beef- 228 West 52 Street.(check their menu on line for prices).

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10 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

A couple of places near your hotel - Bill’s Burgers 16 West 51 Street at north edge of Rockefeller Center very near St. Patrick’s Cathedral - reasonable prices, good food and service - breakfast, lunch or supper. For a top of the line meal: Gallagher’s Steakhouse - pricey, but classic old style steakhouse with great beef- 228 West 52 Street.(check their menu on line for prices).

Gallagher’s is our favorite bar in nyc excellent stiff drinks , very old fashioned, must a speak easy in the 1920’s have seen a few famous people there. Again short walk as others just mentioned. Bar on second floor of Sardi’s is also great , I believe it’s 44 and broadway. Patsy is a interesting restaurant, it was a one time hang out of Frank Sinatra on 56st so really close to your hotel , I have seen some interesting mafia types in there but a Becco has much better food. 

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We generally walk from TriBeCa to Midtown and back for theater, even after evening shows, so returning after 10PM.  Stick to the main avenues and you will have lots of well lit places with plenty of people around you.

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Hi. If you are going to 9/11 Memorial, as previously advised prebook tickets. Across the road from 9/11 Memorial is Brookfield Place, a high end mall with lots of good places to eat. 
 

Almost any pizza place in NYC is good as long as it’s not a chain restaurant. Some swear by brick oven pizza, while others prefer the NY style foldable slices. It’s all good!

 

If you use Google Maps, you can look for coffee shops near your hotel. Plenty of those within walking distance. 
 

Broadway is back! Since you are Canadian I recommend Come From Away. Playbill.com is a good place to read up on all the shows. 
 

Central Park is a must! You might want to book one of those tours with the guys driving you on the bikes to see everything. I suggest then visiting either the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the Museum of Natural History. Both border Central Park. 
 

Lots of Michelin Star restaurants. Le Bernardin is excellent if you enjoy seafood. But check the menu to see if the choices and price point is in your liking. If you want other choices let us know. 
 

A trip to NYC wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the top of the Empire State Bldg. Or the Top of The Rock. 

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Totally agree on the broadway play “ Come from away “ it is delightful, definitely can’t wait to see it again , we talked about tkts before download there app and you can see there locations and plays currently available along with the discounted price. Top of World Trade Center is also great.

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 6/18/2021 at 10:14 AM, Got2Cruise said:

Hi. If you are going to 9/11 Memorial, as previously advised prebook tickets. Across the road from 9/11 Memorial is Brookfield Place, a high end mall with lots of good places to eat. 
 

Almost any pizza place in NYC is good as long as it’s not a chain restaurant. Some swear by brick oven pizza, while others prefer the NY style foldable slices. It’s all good!

 

If you use Google Maps, you can look for coffee shops near your hotel. Plenty of those within walking distance. 
 

Broadway is back! Since you are Canadian I recommend Come From Away. Playbill.com is a good place to read up on all the shows. 
 

Central Park is a must! You might want to book one of those tours with the guys driving you on the bikes to see everything. I suggest then visiting either the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the Museum of Natural History. Both border Central Park. 
 

Lots of Michelin Star restaurants. Le Bernardin is excellent if you enjoy seafood. But check the menu to see if the choices and price point is in your liking. If you want other choices let us know. 
 

A trip to NYC wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the top of the Empire State Bldg. Or the Top of The Rock. 

Did you ever go to DiFara’s in Brooklyn or Original Pizza in Brooklyn ,two of the best in my opinion.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 7/13/2021 at 2:33 PM, lenquixote66 said:

Did you ever go to DiFara’s in Brooklyn or Original Pizza in Brooklyn ,two of the best in my opinion.

Not that I can remember, some good ones in Brooklyn Hights and growing up in Ridgewood on the Brooklyn, Queens border but that neighborhood definitely changed none that were there are still there. 

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3 hours ago, BklynBoy8 said:

You selected the greatest city to visit.

 

So much to see and do.

 

Especially the restaurants of the city are so numerous.

 

So many other activities to see to tour and visit.

I prefer Brooklyn to any other part of NYC

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3 hours ago, George C said:

[G]rowing up in Ridgewood on the Brooklyn, Queens border but that neighborhood definitely changed none that were there are still there. 

 

I lived in Ridgewood in the late 1980s, so many of my ancestors lived in Ridgewood years ago, and today my wife's cousin lives there. My observation of the changes are (1) diminution of the once-strong German population and commerce--today there's only Rudy's for bakery, Morscher's for butcher, and Zum Stammtisch for restaurant--largely replaced by eastern European immigrants, primarily Polish, and (2) a remarkable hipster/rebel makeover on the Brooklyn side of the border, especially along Wyckoff Avenue between DeKalb Avenue and Flushing Avenue. Otherwise, this part of Ridgewood remains a relatively strong conservative area (along with Howard Beach and northeastern Queens) that has maintained its traditional built environment and strong family ties. Not an area that sees much tourism, certainly not from passengers on any visiting cruise vessels!

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2 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

I prefer Brooklyn to any other part of NYC

Those that have the opportunity to stay in Brooklyn are very lucky now a days.

 

With Court and Smith Street, Montague St., 5th & 7th Avenue, a lot of cafes, boutiques, restaurants are popping up. The yuppies have moved in and brought up the area. I see a lot of them in Whole Foods and type of foods they buy.

 

If you come across on a TA on the QM2, you can easy spend your time around the Court and Smith St area and easily return to the ship happy.

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1 hour ago, navybankerteacher said:

It has its character, but at the end of the day Brooklyn is to Manhattan as the Staten Island ferry is to Cunard's QM2.

 

The Staten Island ferry is much less pretentious than Cunard Line, a positive attribute in my book. Indeed, one of the turn-offs with travel by cruise vessels is the excessive number of princesses and princes onboard. In that respect, I think the analogy is quite apt, and perhaps a reason I find Brooklyn to be more interesting, and comfortable to be in, than Manhattan. Yes, Manhattan has more, in terms of business, attractions, wealth, and many other indicators, but Brooklyn is more real. That said, I prefer Queens over Brooklyn, but that's more a quibble than the wider chasm with Manhattan.

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9 minutes ago, GTJ said:

I lived in Ridgewood in the late 1980s, so many of my ancestors lived in Ridgewood years ago, and today my wife's cousin lives there. My observation of the changes are (1) diminution of the once-strong German population and commerce--today there's only Rudy's for bakery, Morscher's for butcher, and Zum Stammtisch for restaurant--largely replaced by eastern European immigrants, primarily Polish, and (2) a remarkable hipster/rebel makeover on the Brooklyn side of the border, especially along Wyckoff Avenue between DeKalb Avenue and Flushing Avenue. Otherwise, this part of Ridgewood remains a relatively strong conservative area (along with Howard Beach and northeastern Queens) that has maintained its traditional built environment and strong family ties. Not an area that sees much tourism, certainly not from passengers on any visiting cruise vessels!

Was just at Zum two sundays ago for a delightful meal as they always make. Jagerschnitzel and a Pilsner was great. Strudel to top it all.

 

Afterwards we did some shopping in their store next door.

 

We even before it closed went to Niederstein as a primary German cuisine.

Edited by BklynBoy8
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