Everything & Anything New York City

karie

hi all

We are off to Las Vegas and New York next Saturday... less than a week now, very excited!!
We have been to Vegas before but this will be our first time to New York - I have left it a bit late to plan so looking for some advice on our proposed itinerary. Hoping it's reasonably realistic - I have used hopstop.com to help me figure out where things are. Please point out where I am being unrealistic or where we have some spare time. Thanks!!!


Friday morning - arrive in NYC at 8.20am, we fly into La Guardia. Get airport shuttle bus from LGA to Penn Station, then we apparently have a 7 min walk from there. We are staying on W 31st St, between Broadway and 5th Avenue.

After we drop off our bags, I thought we might start by going to the Empire State building because it is so close by and such a landmark.
After that plan to walk towards Times Square and grab some lunch somewhere en route.

Late afternoon - this bit is a bit vague - head to Central Park for wander round / bike ride / boat ride?? - not sure which part of Central Park we should be heading to, any tips here?

Then head back to hotel... dinner etc... no plans yet

Saturday - morning head to Battery park first thing for ferry to Liberty and Ellis Island. Visit both - I read somewhere about booking in advance for Statue of Liberty? Also would like to do the 45 min Ellis Island tour...

Afternoon - Ground Zero tour at 2.30pm (does this leave us enough time for Liberty and Ellis Island?)

Then Century 21 nearby

Evening - again not sure yet... but was considering The View in Times Square??

Sunday -
morning/afternoon - shopping
evening - Top of the Rock

Monday -

check-out
visit grand central station
....

flight from La Guardia at 6.40pm
how long should we leave to get there? would like to be there by 4.30pm latest i guess.

..............

other things i would like to fit in are brooklyn bridge, and maybe the evening harbor lights cruise or trip on the staten island ferry. not sure where these might slot in. I dont want to try cram in too much but want to take the opportunity to see as much as possible as well.

thoughts/ideas/bits that don't fit?? thanks!!!!

johnnyroper

The liberty/Ellis island and ground zero perfectly doable.
In new York at present and went to liberty on the 10.10 ferry on Thursday up to crown at 11.00 walk round island do pictures and all that,got boat back lunch in subway and walk up to ground zero.not a great deal to see at the moment due to construction works.went to century 21 just over road from ground zero,so if anyone saw a bored looking man in the womens dept playing angrybirds on iPhone Thursday afternoon that was me.
Back in hotel for shower at about 5ish
Brooklyn bridge can be done same day we went down on subway to Brooklyn and had breakfast before walking to battery park for the 10.10 ferry.

Also just out of curiosity who are you flying with and where from to end up at la guardia?
Direct flights from uk and LAS normally go JFK or Newark so intrigued how you are getting to LGA.

guineapig

I have just got back from ( on Saturday)NY and wondered if there is any interest in me doing a trip report unlike most of you we didn't go on a shoestring ( we saved up for 9 years and flew upper class).

I know most of you are young and multi visitors to NY so don't want to bore anyone with the views of a "oldie" if the object of the forum is to just get answers to questions re NYC.

reallynicegal

guineapig wrote: »

I have just got back from ( on Saturday)NY and wondered if there is any interest in me doing a trip report unlike most of you we didn't go on a shoestring ( we saved up for 9 years and flew upper class).

I know most of you are young and multi visitors to NY so don't want to bore anyone with the views of a "oldie" if the object of the forum is to just get answers to questions re NYC.

I personally would love to read your report, if you have the time to write it!:T

natsplatnat

reallynicegal wrote: »

I personally would love to read your report, if you have the time to write it!:T

ME TOO! :beer:

andrewmp

Me three.......

lisadolphin

Guineapig I would love to read your trip report - please do. I would love to go upper class with Virgin next year, so please tell us all about the flight experience too.

lisalasvegas

screwedagain wrote: »

Hi all,

We stayed at the New Yorker recently for 6 nights. No complaints at all, yes the room seemed small but it was clean and comfortable, plus we had a south facing view from the 36th floor, so we could see the entire downtown skyline, brooklyn bridge and even the statue of liberty in the distance on a clear day!

Don't worry about location, it's about as central to the main attractions as you will get. Just make sure you have comfy shoes, because if you're like us you will walk miles without realising it. We walked from Brooklyn (having got there on the subway), over the bridge, round downtown, up through the village and Chelsea and back to the hotel all in one afternoon (nearly 8 miles total!!). We just couldn't help ourselves, every street and block seemed to have something that interested us!! Found a great little bar/coffee house near NYU, off Bleecker St. that was buzzing. Great brownies and root beer!! Can't for the life of me remember where it was exactly or what it was called etc.

If you're looking for a good breakfast, the tick tock diner is ok, but very busy in the mornings and not the cheapest. We found a place called 'Lenny's' tucked away opposite MSG on 33rd street that was lovely, and priced slightly more reasonable than tick tock.

Thanks for the info looks like we're def staying at the the New Yorker, not too worried about the room being small, after all it's just somewhere to sleep!

guineapig

Right here goes, how we did NYC in style!


We have always had dogs and only travelled abroad in between dogs so despite having been many places around the world we never got around to NYC so we decided to go before we got too old ( I am 52)


So having saved up for 9 years we decided the USA and NYC in particular is not the place to visit on a shoestring and so we decided to blow the budget on Upper Class with Virgin.


We travelled cattle class on the connecting flight from Manchester to Heathrow and then we went into the classy, quiet confines of the Upper Class lounge.


WOW!!!!!!!! how the other half live!


We got there early ( flight time not our choice but nice to be able to spend some time enjoying the facilities there).


We had breakfast and then had a complimentary “mini manicure” which was very nice and relaxing( the beautician was telling me the famous people who they had done treatments for, not as many as you would think but enough to make them happy).


After that we strolled around the room and tried out all the different comfy chairs. I liked the 1960's retro swing chair best!
The people in the lounge were a mix of business types and people who prefer to travel in comfort.


None of them looked particularly rich or dressed like film stars, most looked normal and were dressed casually.


We we very well looked after the staff are very attentive and always around asking if you want anything ( but not in an irritating way, just in a “Wow” this is what you call service type way).


We had a glass of Champagne after lunch and a cocktail ( all complimentary for Upper Class passengers) but we didn't want to get blotto before we got on the plane!


Priority boarding and disembarkation along with extra luggage allowance are part of the deal too.


So we were boarded early and given a glass of champagne before take off.


We were given a shoe bag containing toothbrush & paste, socks, eye shades and ear plugs.


Sleep suits were available if required.


We settled to watch the IFE a vast choice of movies ( we chose “Date Night” which was a bit lame but that's not the airlines fault LOL!)
The screen was in the side of the seat and moved along with the table so that you can eat your meals
whilst watching.


The seat is comfortable and moves up and down and turns into a full length bed and the staff make it into a bed for you, complete with a duvet and pillow.


It is amazing to lie down on a plane, really fantastic! Well worth the extra money IMO.
That said, we didn't sleep much as we were too excited !


We got off the plane first and speed walked to Immigration where we were for 1 and a half hours having had our eyes photographed ( iris recognition) and our fingers computer printed.


We were lucky, the people who got off the same plane were about 40 plus minutes longer than us in the line.


We went to find our transfer ( included in the Virgin package) and were delighted to find that we were to be taken to our hotel alone with no one else in the mini bus, which was great!
(That was just good luck, not part of the Upper Class deal though!)


The driver was on the phone and texting/talking all the while weaving in and out of the rush hour traffic!!!!!!!!!


Got to the Beacon Hotel on Upper West side ( residential area very nice and lots of local shops to look around and great eateries too).


By this time we were sleep deprived and just nipped across the road to the supermarket “Fairways” ( Amazing shop and for a couple of weirdo Vegans like us, heaven on a stick as they had so MUCH vegan food ,ready made, waaaaaaaaaay more than we get in the UK.


We bought a meal and the fixings for breakfast and went back to hotel to eat & sleep.


We got up early Saturday and went to Central Park ( just a few short blocks from our hotel) and walked around taking in the people walking their dogs and boy do New Yorkers LOVE dogs, I have never seen so many dogs in a city, I think every 3rd person had one!


We watched various groups of people playing baseball it was a sunny day and so nice and almost surreal, especially as they close the roads in the park at weekends for the cyclists and skaters etc.


We watched the people doing rollerblade skating/dancing, again it was so surreal like watching a movie beeing made.


We had lunch at Columbus Circle at “Wholefoods” and had a look around the shops there,there was a Borders ( all closed down now in UK, but alive and well in NYC).


We walked back to the hotel via various drug stores ( I am a big fan American drug stores!)


Sunday we were up early and at the top of the Rock before 9 am ( no queue!!!!!!!!!!!!) the views are unreal, it seems like you are looking at a vast painting or backdrop rather than a view.
Very cold at the top mind!!!!!!!


We had coffee & cake in the plaza building before heading down to lunch in the East village.


To be honest I can't remember what day we did what after that! But we walked the Brooklyn Bridge and went to Battery park and to Riverside park, which was nice ( they have houseboats on there and a great view across the river to New jersey!!!)


We went to Times square and to be honest if we had booked a hotel there I would have wanted to be on the next flight back home!


Times square to me was, well, tacky, sorry to those of you who like it but to me it was like a cross between Benidorm and Blackpool! (Maybe it was the contrast of the more sedate Upper West side where we were staying but it seemed frenetic and horrendously crowded.)


I am glad I went to see it, but I couldn't wait to get away.


Went to Bloomingdales ( posh, and expensive) and Macy's which I found quite overwhelming and the only thing I bought was a NY t.shirt!


We went to the Fire dept and Police Museums ( on different days) and they were very interesting and we chatted to an old retired fire fighter.


There were some cute pre-schooler kids having training in how to find your way out of a smoke filled room, it was weird, one minute we were looking into a clear room the next minute there was thick smoke everywhere, it added to the atmosphere of the museum though!


In the Police museum you can have your photo taken against a mug shot type wall, good for a bit of fun!


Being there for 7 nights and being older we didn't feel the need to do everything at breakneck speed or tick off every possible sight and attraction, we just did the things that were important to us.


For example we went up TOTR but not ESB went to Battery park but gave the ferry a miss.


The vast majority of people I have spoken to who have been to NYC are OBSESSED with the shopping, without wishing to insult anyone I think that this must be a “young” thing, I didn't find the sort of clothes I like ( I am a big fan of Minuet/Precis/East/John Lewis type stuff) so there wasn't much to tempt me and even if I saw something the prices were not that special.


In fact I was quite shocked at the price of bread $4.19 for a loaf!!!!!!!!!!!! We tipped generously ( about 30% ) if you have read “Nickle and Dimed” by Barbara Erenreich and “Bait and Switch you
realise that the service workers must be under tremendous financial pressure especially those who don't get health care benefits included in their salary package.


We ate very well for Vegans ( except on the fligh,t the food wasn't that good) NYC caters very well for us weirdo's and that was a real treat as we almost never eat out in the UK ( no where to go to eat!!)So that was a big part of our enjoyment of NYC.


We bought very little, just stuff my Mum asked for and I got some hard to find (in UK perfume) not something most of you will have heard of( “Wind Song” if you are wondering!)


Hubby bought 3 t.shirts all NY related and I bought 1 t.shirt the rest of the stuff we bought was peanut butter stuff!!!! no other clothes because I didn't see anything that I liked and believe me I was prepared to buy stuff!! we took lots of money and brought half of it back!!!!!!!


I can only conclude that younger people kid themselves that spending ( let's say a minimum of £1500 -2000) to go to NYC and buy Uggs for £50-100 less than they would pay in the UK is a bargain???????????) no offence, but surely you SAVE by paying full price and NOT GOING to NYC????????


Ah, well, I am old and have been frugal ( in ways that don't hurt) for many years so I look at things differently.


Did I enjoy it? YES! It was fantastic, a real memory making experience.
(We saw them filming the “Night of too many Stars” for the Comedy Central channel ( at the Beacon theatre next to our Hotel)


Would I go again NO!


Why? Because I have been and seen and done everything I wanted to and I am not that in love with frenetic cities that I would feel the need to go again.


Most of our holidays are in the Lake District and Northumberland and not city style, we love quiet and beauty and whilst NYC has a beauty and charm of it's own I don't feel like I would rush back again even travelling in style!




The Upper class lounge in JFK is much smaller and has a smaller menu but of course what is available is all included in the price ( food/drinks/snacks etc) it at least has comfy seats ( there seemed to be not that many places to sit in JFK in the general areas, just seats around the eateries ( I would hate to have been there when it was busy)
I would be happy to answer any questions anyone may have but I can't think of anything else to mention as this stage.


I hope it is of some interest/use to someone.

p-pincher

Travel Money

Hi everyone

Looking for a bit of advice about taking our money, we're going new york in approx 7 weeks to get married with our 2 daughters. We've been twice before (without kids) and weve took out spending money in cash in dollars. This time were going for 2 extra nights and as weve got two kiddies with us weve upped the spending money somewhat (approx $3500). Theres obviously no way i want to take this much in cash but not sure how to take it.
We dont have a credit card anymore (cut up), we've both got visa debits but the charges will be horrendous from hsbc, weve obviously got the option of travellers cheques or i was thinking of a pre paid credit card.

How does everyone take/planning to take, their money?