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Must Dos In New York?

Martin and Lindsey

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RHefley228

RHefley228

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HOHO bus tour (to see as much as possible), Empire State Building, Ground Zero and St. Paul's Chapel, a Broadway show, a quiet dinner in Greenwich Village (which won't look anything like what you think NYC is going to look like. For an up close and personal interaction with those of us who live here, you should also try walking five abreast down a busy sidewalk reading a map....

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mandabear

mandabear

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People watching in Times Square. And Central Park. Check out the park, then buy and snack, find a bench, and watch Manhattan skate/bike/roll/run/jog/unicycle on by.

 

Also, I agree that a Broadway show should be on everyone's list! Either plan way ahead and buy tickets early, or plan to get in line at Tixx, in Times Square to buy discounted tickets for same-day shows. (be careful to line up at the right time...AM for matinees, PM for evening shows!)

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Got2Cruise "Live from...." Rare

Got2Cruise

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My list would include: jmo

 

1. A Broadway show

2. Metropolitan Museum of Art

3. Empire State Building - at night

4. I happen to love Central Park, and go to Strawberry Fields if you are a John Lennon fan. (it is outside the door practically of the Met). It will be hot, but then you can have an Italian Ice to cool off.

 

Does your cruise leave at the Manhattan piers? Because you will sail past Ground Zero, which at the moment is a construction site. You really can't realize the devastation. And, the Statue of Liberty.

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cot427

cot427

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Take one of those hop on hop off tour. You get to see the whole city, take a one day. you get to see ground zero, all of the neighborhoods, united natinos, times square, chinatown, little italy, and i you buy a super tour, you get tickets to things like the UN, empire state, ferry, etc.

 

1. A Broadway show

2. Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island

3. Empire State Building/Top of the Rock (my personal fav is top of the rock)

4. Central Park

5. Times Square

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ZoneHPH

ZoneHPH

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hmmmm....tough to just limit to 5.

 

1) Katz Deli - for a REAL nyc deli sandwich.

2) milling around Times Square (night, preferably)

3) i say skip the Empire State Building...go to Top of the Roc (Rockefeller Center) from there you can see the ESB, Chrysler tower, and the building i work in...hheehehehehehe

4) Coney Island (last summer until they spend some time revitalizing it)

5) Broadway show OR opera (Lincoln Center)...my wife and i saw Mme Butterfly a couple months ago. Was nice to see the inspiration for Miss Saigon.

 

obviously we can all go on and on.

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Name game

Name game

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Definitely a broadway play like everyone else suggested. I agree with Zone about Coney Island. If you don't go this year, forget about it forever. It is a hike from the city but the subway takes you there just fine. Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty - that's a given.

My additional two cents - explore the village. Take a day to walk around and take it all in. It's such a great place. Great shops, restaurants, etc... While down there you can also hit up SOHO and then further down to Battery Park City and then over to the Seaport. It will be a wonderful day (you have four). New York City is a walking town.

http://gonyc.about.com/od/toursbr/New_York_City_Walking_Tours.htm

The link above takes you to walking tours of NYC, as well as bus tours, boat tours, etc... Do a tour or do it on your own but definitely walk around. Actually, do a tour and see what you want to go back to on your own.

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Got2Cruise "Live from...." Rare

Got2Cruise

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I don't want to be considered materialistic. . .but don't forget shopping.:) If you go the Macys to the customer service dept, and show that you are out of town, they will give you a discount shopping certificate for the day. And, shopping at Tiffanys is always fun.

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ZoneHPH

ZoneHPH

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I don't want to be considered materialistic. . .but don't forget shopping.:) If you go the Macys to the customer service dept, and show that you are out of town, they will give you a discount shopping certificate for the day. And, shopping at Tiffanys is always fun.

 

TOO LATE, Got2Cruise...i first met you in the clock tower mall...hehehehe.

 

definitely good suggestions. as for TnCo...the silver collection is on the 3rd Fl. (about the only floor i can afford anything).

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murphysmum

murphysmum

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I LOVE New York, so all of the suggestions are great!

 

One, not mentioned, is a visit to St. Patrick's Cathedral. It's a lovely quiet place to sit a bit and contemplate.

 

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is always a full day for me. I love to get there when it opens, stroll favorite areas, take a lunch break and stay until the light starts changing in the area where the temple is...I can't remember it's name right now...Help?...from a New Yorker, please?

 

Enjoy!!!;)

 

murphysmum

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jennbill

jennbill

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We spent two nights post-cruise after the Crown Princess last fall. We stayed at the Michealangelo Hotel at 51st and 7th and were perfectly positioned for two intense days of sightseeing. Among the things we did are:

 

Top of the Rock

Times Square area a lot

St. Patrick's Cathedral

Saks

Roxy Deli

Bicycle rickshaw through Central Park

Two Broadway shows (don't miss Spamalot)

St. Andrews restaurant

Les Halles restaurant (Anthony Bourdain's place)

Stage Deli

Macy's

Sabrett's dog from a street vendor

 

And much more. The most memorable thing, however, was our trip to Ground Zero. We booked a tour through TributeWTC.org, a group of survivors, family members, rescue workers, nearby residents, etc., who give a personalized tour of the area. We were fortunate to have met the parents of the youngest firefighter killed in the tragedy and are forever moved. On our way back to our hotel, we visited the station where he was assigned and saw the memorial to the men from that station who were lost. We will never forget this experience and would highly recommend it.

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kris4842

kris4842

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Im from Ny, something to do which most people dont know you can do is, you can go sit on a nys supreme criminal court case. The court rooms are public and you can sit in and watch an actual case or some of it. all you have to do is go to 100 centre street to the 10th floor, room 1000 and tell them you are a tourist and would like to see a trial. They will show you what trials there are that are going on and you can go watch. go before 1 before lunch or after 2:15

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willysgrandma

willysgrandma

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Im from Ny, something to do which most people dont know you can do is, you can go sit on a nys supreme criminal court case. The court rooms are public and you can sit in and watch an actual case or some of it. all you have to do is go to 100 centre street to the 10th floor, room 1000 and tell them you are a tourist and would like to see a trial. They will show you what trials there are that are going on and you can go watch. go before 1 before lunch or after 2:15

 

It's more fun getting tickets to a taping of the People's Court. They tape 4 or 5 cases at a time and - well- THAT's entertainment! I think taping starts again end of August or beginning of September!

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ZoneHPH

ZoneHPH

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Have a meal at Carmine's, in the theater district...A very popular place. :D

 

carmine's is a nice place, but also a tourist place in the theater district. i prefer the location on the upper west side...2450 Broadway. or take your pick of restaurants in Little Italy...downtown on Mulberry St.

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mmcruise

mmcruise

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Hi there - I work in Times Square. Hope you enjoy NY in August. It can be hot and unpleasant like anywhere else, but on the weekend, a lot of the "locals" have fled for the beaches.

 

Times Square and a Broadway show seem to be among everybody's list (and they should be!) so here are some recommendations of places I go.

 

In/Around Times Square

- Carmine's is fine, kinda touristy but pretty good food - however, it's a family style restaurant with big platters of food that you share, so I don't recommend it if it's two of you. I'd cross Times Square and go to Bond 45 (45th, just off Times Square), with great Italian, thin crust pizza and burgers and a wide-open space that's unusual for the area - very non-touristy. Or head west on 44th Street to John's Pizza (No Slices!) for delicious thin crust pizza.

- I like to take visitors to The View at the Marriott Marquis, which revolves for a 360 degree view of the city. There's a dinner buffet in the lounge. (Avoid the tourist ripoff and steer clear of the pricey theme drinks and the restaurant buffet). PS-the TKTS discount Broadway ticket booth is also on the ground floor of the Marriott Marquis right now.

- For delicious and more authentic food (and mostly very casual) walk west to 9th Avenue, where there are tons of ethnic restaurants that are delicious, affordable and off the beaten path. Head north around 47th-48th and higher for most selection.

 

Outside Times Square

- Definitely try to leave Times Square to see real "local" NY.

- Greenwich Village/SoHo/Tribeca and the whole downtown area is amazing, but bring a small, unobtrusive map to peek at - streets are maze-like. Many great restaurants - check Zagat's or Time Out NY.

- Lincoln Center. The Lincoln Center Out of Doors festival is on that weekend. The Upper West Side is one of the most populated residential neighborhoods in NY; more great restaurants. Zabar's at Broadway and 80th is the quintessential NYC gourmet grocery experience. Also at 80th and Broadway is H&H Bagels, arguably the best bagels in NY.

- Central Park is amazing, but know where you want to go - it can be overwhelming.

- Metropolitan Museum of Art is also on my list. Walk east, as far as 3rd Avenue or so, for great restaurants - too many to name.

- Oh! Forgot the Museum of Modern Art, recently renovated, right off 5th Avenue on 52nd(?) = maybe 53rd. You can walk to Tiffany's from there :). Yes, also a favorite, I'm embarrassed to admit, though I also can only afford the silver stuff.

 

Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty are both great ideas (can you believe I've never been to either?) but require committing an entire day.

 

jennbill, your list is amazing and you saw so much in a short time. I've not been able to bring myself to visit Ground Zero just yet - I've driven by once or twice but never really stopped for long. It sounds like you saw it the way it should be seen.

 

Anyway, Martin and Lindsey, Hope you have fun!

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mmcruise

mmcruise

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About Central Park: depends what you're interested in doing. For schedules, information on tours, etc., the Central Park Conservancy has a great website:

 

http://www.centralparknyc.org

 

I like this black and white PDF map of the whole park.

http://www.centralparknyc.org/media/file/centralparkmap.pdf

 

A couple of weeks ago, DH, DS (4) and I, after an outdoor event at Lincoln Center, walked in by Strawberry Fields, picnicked at Cherry Hill (great view), caught some music at the Bandshell, walked by Bethesda Fountain (been in a zillion movies, you should recognize it -big angel on top) and past Sheep Meadow (I dare you not to hum "The Odd Couple" theme when you walk by) and out by Tavern on the Green. And we hadn't even scratched the surface. There's a great restaurant at the Boat House (or there was, last time I did grownup things), where you can watch people sail little boats in the lake. When you come back in the winter, go skating at Wollman Rink (sorry, another movie reference here - end of Love Story, just before Jenny goes to the hospital for the last time). It depends who you are and what your interests are...and the weather.

 

It's NYC's big playground and definitely worth a peek. Only one caution: just like the rest of NYC, keep your wits about you and specifically for the park, try to get out by dark, if you're walking. It's perfectly safe during the day but kind of creepy at night. DH still laughs about the first time he went there with me and I made the mistake of walking him all the way across the park at dusk. Suffice it to say we were offered a lot of illegal substances that we most certainly did not want.

 

I do go on... can you tell I love this city (and hate it, both on a daily basis). Have fun!

 

mm

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