Anything & Everything New York (PART 2) - [please search thread before posting]

booklover

Hi , has anyone ever been on the Real New Tours ?

http://www.realnewyorktours.com

I read about them on tripadvisor and they seem really good but a bit dear.


Many thanks in advance

Fiona

Birdy

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Well, there is a lift at the train station at North White Plains, and it is very close to the Hertz depot and a bit over an hour out from Grand Central Station. I wasn't assessing that for wheelchair friendliness, but I do remember some impressively long ramps.


Perhaps Hertz should start giving me commission ...

So is this looking like my best option? In which case I will have to hire with Hertz from Newark.

Also, where will I get off the train for Holiday Inn Express, Madison Square Gardens, and what is the cost?

Sorry about all the uncertainty - don't seem to be able to find exactly what my best options are.

B.

Savvy_Sue

Birdy wrote: »

So is this looking like my best option? In which case I will have to hire with Hertz from Newark.

Honestly, I can't say it's your best option, but I can say it's one which will work from the train / car rental interface POV. We were travelling in the middle of the day, and had a carriage practically to ourselves. Again, I can't comment on its disability friendliness but I didn't notice anything which I can say for sure you would find a problem. Probably best to check the train websites and see what they say about access. It's NOT a subway train.

Another plus is that you can get Nectar points with Hertz. And they weren't too horrendously expensive compared with other options - I did some research!

Birdy wrote: »

Also, where will I get off the train for Holiday Inn Express, Madison Square Gardens, and what is the cost?

I'm thinking you would get the train from North White Plains to Grand Central Station, which is worth a visit anyway. And from there you transfer to the subway, I guess. The hotel website will tell you which subway station is nearest, and the very first post on this thread has a link to a guide for getting around Manhattan.

I don't remember what it cost on the train - cheaper because we bought the tickets before we got on board, I know, rather than buying from the conductor. I do remember being pleasantly surprised by how cheap it was compared with the UK.

Birdy wrote: »

Sorry about all the uncertainty - don't seem to be able to find exactly what my best options are.

This time last year and right up until we got there, I was in a similar state of uncertainty, compounded by three teenagers / young adults who did not want to read guide books or make suggestions about what they wanted to do. In the end I gave up stressing, especially about what was 'best', and went for 'good enough'. When, very close to departure, they suddenly decided that it might have been nice to go to Niagara Falls, we looked at a map and said "No way." If they'd requested that early on, we could have worked it out, but with a 2 day window to fit in a drive from NYC to Niagara and then down to Wildwood, it was NOT something I was prepared to consider!

I'd like to say they've learned from that, but it would be untrue ...

We had a great time. I hope you do too.

Iwork2shop

Hi, I've booked a trip to New York in July and will be there for the 4th July Celebrations. Can anyone tell me where the fireworks and other celebrations will be? :j

This will be our 4th trip to New York and the first time in the summer (I've always been in Janaury before when it's been absolutely freezing) so hopefully I won't have to buy extra thermals this time! This is a great site and I've already made myself about 5 pages of notes from advice and suggestions from other posts.

Any information will be much appreciated.:T

josie

Iwork2shop wrote: »

Hi, I've booked a trip to New York in July and will be there for the 4th July Celebrations. Can anyone tell me where the fireworks and other celebrations will be? :j

This will be our 4th trip to New York and the first time in the summer (I've always been in Janaury before when it's been absolutely freezing) so hopefully I won't have to buy extra thermals this time! This is a great site and I've already made myself about 5 pages of notes from advice and suggestions from other posts.

Any information will be much appreciated.:T

I googled 4th July fireworks New York :rolleyes: which came up with this:

http://www.ny.com/holiday/july4/

aussiedogga

I'm off to NY tomorrow morning with the other half and some friends for 6 nights. Scored the bargain flights through the expedia.com.au error 6 months ago for £140 return and booked the Best Western Bowery Hanbee through an offer on Travelzoo (US edition) for $89 per night, including breakfast.... what a bargain!

Absolutely pumped about it. Thanks for all the great tips of this website, it is so helpful that people share their experiences and advice.

Thanks to all and will try to write a trip report upon return!

skr80

booklover wrote: »

Hi , has anyone ever been on the Real New Tours ?

http://www.realnewyorktours.com

I read about them on tripadvisor and they seem really good but a bit dear.


Many thanks in advance

Fiona

We have booked them for next month. Yes - fairly expensive, but it's 6 hours and the reviews are very good...

costingbunny_2

Hi everyone - thought I would let you know how my trip went and what I did. Sorry if this is a little long or boring in bits but thought I'd put everything down in case there are some bits which might interest different folk

Booked Embassy Suites downtown for a few reasons - stayed Midtown before and found it very bustling which is Ok for a first time visit but wanted somewhere different this time. The location was a little too downtown really and I think next time will look a bit higher up around SOHO. Hotel was good though as it had a full breakfast included (with take away boxes to take stuff for lunch) and free evening drinks plus the room had a coffee maker and microwave and fridge. Hotel was expensive - as are most in NY - but great rooms and service and good location for Battery Park, SOL, Staten Island ferry etc.

Tues
2pm - Flew with Delta - narrowbody jet with backseat videos and OK food. Only one free alcoholic drink though (unlike BA who no longer fly direct from MAN to NYC). Immigration was a nightmare - took 1.5 hours to get through!!! Cab to hotel - quickest option, took around 40 mins. Had a look round local area and grabbed a bottle of wine.

Wed
Walked from hotel all the way down 5th Ave to Rockafeller - big walk but it was early morning which meant it was nice and quiet. Went to Top of the Tower - much better than ESB as the views include everything - felt like the building was moving though, not sure if it was or I just felt tired from the flight. Went to Times Sq - busy and I had been before so didn't hang around. Had lunch in Heartlands - this a pub with a couple of branches and it brews it own beers and has decent pub grub (think locations are Seaport, near Flaitron building and one somewhere else??). wandered around Bleeker Street - nice bars and interesting shops - good place to explore.

Thurs
Walked down to Wall Street and explored the Stock Exchange and visited the Charging Bull for photo op. Went into Tiffanys for a gift for my sister (there is another branch on 5th Ave) and the assistant was really nice and not at all snooty. Visited another branch of Heartlands (93 South Street/Foulton) as we just noticed it and the beers on sale were really nice - 4 pints and 2 lots of fish and chips was around $58. Wandered around Seaport and walked along the pier - really good for cooling down and good view of the Brooklyn Bridge. Plenty of bars on the pier selling frozen cocktails and beers and food of course. Got subway to West Village as the sun was shining and located Bob Dylans old apartment (161 W 4th St Cornelia) for a photo op. Great area to walk around - notice loads of trailers and cables and asked a guy on the trailer what was happening and got told a movie was being shot (The Sorcerers Apprentice) with Nic Cage in Washington Park. Wandered down there and lo and behold - there was Mr Cage!!!!!! Took some photos before being told to move on by a big bouncer! Wandered off to East Village - a bit like Camden and I felt a bit old to be honest (I'm 36). Back at the hotel ordered in a pizza from Steves Pizza - 18inch was the only size they do - crazy!!!!!

Fri
Really bad rain all morning so visited Century 21 (Cortland Stree/Broadway)- a bit like TKMAX. I hate shopping so only lasted about 20mins but for designer bargin hunters it would be a great place. Rain stopped about 2 so headed to MOMA as it is free entry on Fridays (4-8). Turns out you need to queue for a ticket to get in free and the queue was massive and we could not be bothered to wait - lazy eh. Got L Train to Williamsbury in Brooklyn and found some interesting clothes shops (Built by Wendy (cool t-shirts and guitar straps - 46 Nth Street Kent Ave), and some cool thrift shops (Beacon's Closet - 88N 11st St (Wythe). Good bars here - Mugs (local and small - Bedford Ave, N 10th)), Radegast Hall Biergarten (German themed bar with beer hall which played French (?) music - 113 N 3 St). Visited Brooklyn Brewery as it is happy hour Fridays (6-11). You buy tokens for the beers ($20 for 6 tokens) and there are around 6 beers to chose from. The bar is set up in the brewery so you can see the brewing equipment and the people working. The place was packed - mix of students and ale lovers - really good atmos and you can order in pizza to be delivered - this was very popular. Good cheap night out and it was good to see Brooklyn and get a different vibe. My boyfriend decribed Williamsburg as glastonbury with tarmac which I think was a good sum up.

Sat
Walked along the Battery Park esplanade which is right along the Hudson and has great views of the SOL. Got subway to madison square gardens as we had tickets for the Knicks game (boughy on Ticketmaster for $35 each but with add-ons cam eb around $90). Never been to a game before but found it very enteraining and easy to get into - game stops and starts a lot but in between there is loads of entertainment from dancers and competitions for spectators. We had to stand for the national anthem which was sung by a 10 yr old girl - suprisingly I found myself feeling very patriotic?? Knicks lost but still good experience. Headed to SOHO - really nice area but very busy at weekends. Had late lunch in SOHO Bar - cheap grilled sarnies and Hoegarden at $5 - not bad. Went around NYC market (268 Mulberry St at Prince) which is on Sat and Sun and has clothes and acccessories from independent designers - some really cool stuff.

Sun
Hot day so headed to Central Park - great to be in a chilled out place. Hired bikes from the Boathouse ($9 for 1 hour). Cruiser type bikes with back pedal brakes but easy to operate. Cycled around the perimeter which is a great way to see the park (around 6 miles). Headed to 72nd St West side of the park and had lunch in an Irish Pub (Hurleys) which was good for pub food and a few pints. Took subway to Seaport to enjoy the pier in the sunshine. Had drinks on the pier and a few more in some bars (Ryan MaGuires - 28 Cliff Street at Foulton).

Mon
Did some shopping (boring) and checked out. I then visited my aunt who lives in Queens before catching plane back. Plane was larger on the way back (seats were 2-3-2) but no backseat videos - not so much of problem coming back as it is a night flight.

That's about it - spending money was $1000 for two of us - reasonable as we only spent on food and ale (apart from $200 on gifts). Useful book was NFT New York as recommended by marky moo - great book for lots of reasons - small enought to stick in back pocket of jeans, does not look like a guide book so felt OK getting it out to look up stuff, the maps are super useful when you get to an area as they cover areas well and highlight places not mentioned in other guides. I also used Time Out New York for general research before the trip but would only take NFT next time.

As usual I missed out loads of stuff I wanted to do owing to lack of time etc but that is why folk go back all the time I guess.

Hope some of this helps someone.

rpstdavids

Thanks for the trip report costingbunny, I enjoyed the read.:beer:

Will be there at the end of the month, really looking forward to it and your report has wetted my appetite.

WaxiesDargle

Can I ask some of you New York travellers who you got your travel insurance from. Ta