Everything & Anything New York City

costingbunny_2

Forgot to mention that my sis and I also got our 15 seconds of Fame in NYC. I have read about getting a message on the Hersey board but we found that you can have your photo and message displayed in TS on a board outside American Eagle (near the TKTS office).

You just need to to buy something in there - we got $6 socks. The photo and message is displayed for 15 seconds and ours was repeated lots of time as we went early in the morning and they had nothing else to show! The screen is absolutely massive and for $6 was a bargain as we got a pair of socks as well!

phatbear

ed89 wrote: »

Hi, I would love to go to NY with my GF next year, perhaps around March or April.

Can someone give me a ball park figure about how much it should cost for a four or five day break? We would have to fly from Aberdeen to London, then onto NY.

From quickly searching I have it that it would be around £800 or £900 each for flight and hotel?

How expensive is the city - how much spending money would I need to take for eating out, sight seeing etc.?

Way to many variables involved to answer this question.

It would probably be better for you to pop on to somewhere like expedia and price it up yourself, after all you know when its best for you to travel etc.

Sight seeing prices again depends if you are happy seeing esb or going up esb, going over on the staten island ferry to see sol or actualy visiting esb, you can spend $50 each on sight seeing or $500 each.

Food again personal preference, we are happ with an occasional subway/mc d's but have the occasional splurge dinner, but again this is something only you can answer.

As an overview the last trip for 4 of us for 5 days we took £600 for food and nothing for sightseeing because we'd done all that stuff on the previous trips, the flights and hotel during half term were £2500 for the 4 of us, however the hotel would have been the same price regardless if there was 2 or 4 of us

curlygirl1971

ed89, phatbear is correct - too many variables to come up with a figure to the nearest $200

So like phatbear said, have a look on expedia - look at different times of year - to get an idea of your actual holiday cost. Also before you go you will need your ESTA, $14 pp I think.

Getting to Manhatten - We once travelled from JFK in a cramped shuttle bus for $19 each plus tip(2007) but this time we chose to get a pre-booked cab from Newark (Carmel Limo - $3 voucher on this thread) and it cost $60 incl tips and tolls and preferred that.

For whilst you are in Manhatten - do some research and read about other peoples holidays on here to try and get an idea of what you want to do and what's feasible in a day. Draw up an itinerary.
Get a map and mark on it what you want to do - that helps you plan things out a little more.
All tourist spots that have entrance fees have their fees online - so you could actually draw up a sightseeing cost list.

Consider local transport - although if you've never been you really don't know how much walking you can do / want to do. I think during our last visit we probably spent $6 a dav average each on subway - we still did a lot of walking. Have a look on the subway website for cost info (Metro cards).

If you want to do a bus tour then you probably won't need to spend any money on the subway that day. Maybe do it on the first day so you get to orientate yourself a little better. If you want a fabulous view of the Empire State Building then go up Top of The Rock and not the ESB itself. ($3 voucher on this thread for TOTR)

With regard to your meals - I don't know what to suggest - there is a lot of price variation. Some days we had a huge breakfast near our 8th and 52nd Street hotel - it cost $16-18 each!!! But then we uncharacteristically didn't need anything all day and even wanted a light dinner. On the second day we shared a brekkie and still didn't need a lunch. We don't drink (well occasional glass of wine) so our meals were anything from $14 a head to $30. Plus 20% tips. We didn't eat anywhere fabulous and we didn't spend time looking for the cheapest eat.

Good luck and if you plan to go then let us know how you get on - planning is half the fun

beeza

curlygirl1971 wrote: »

planning is half the fun

Really?

I feel like I've checked prices at every travel agent going, trying to work out which airline is better, which airport, which hotel etc. I'm poised to book a deal that seems to be getting cheaper every day longer I wait but don't want to have it disappear before I book (happened yeasterday but came back later on). I've got guidebooks and maps, a map with all the points of interest pinned, webpage after webpage of info like this one coming out of my ears. I've got a spreadsheet to budget the rest of the year to determine my NY spends and a spreadhseet listing everything I need to include in my NY spends before I even think about eating, shopping and god knows what. Trying to work out what is still worth buying with the exchange rate down to below 1.6, worry about the exchange rate falling between now and then and whether I should buy dollars now or wait. I've read the internertz but what shops for me, what goods for me, will Woodbury common be worth the trip for me? What attractions do I think I'd like to see? Do I want to use tour buses or the subway? What's good value, what isn't, not to forget taxes and tips when pricing stuff up. And then there's made up public holiday curveballs, !!!!!!?

You know they say that sometimes you feel like you need a holiday when you get back off holiday? Well I feel like I'll need a holiday after just PLANNING this one!



*and breathe*

Savvy_Sue

beeza wrote: »

Really?

I feel like I've checked prices at every travel agent going, trying to work out which airline is better, which airport, which hotel etc. I'm poised to book a deal that seems to be getting cheaper every day longer I wait but don't want to have it disappear before I book (happened yeasterday but came back later on). I've got guidebooks and maps, a map with all the points of interest pinned, webpage after webpage of info like this one coming out of my ears. I've got a spreadsheet to budget the rest of the year to determine my NY spends and a spreadhseet listing everything I need to include in my NY spends before I even think about eating, shopping and god knows what. Trying to work out what is still worth buying with the exchange rate down to below 1.6, worry about the exchange rate falling between now and then and whether I should buy dollars now or wait. I've read the internertz but what shops for me, what goods for me, will Woodbury common be worth the trip for me? What attractions do I think I'd like to see? Do I want to use tour buses or the subway? What's good value, what isn't, not to forget taxes and tips when pricing stuff up. And then there's made up public holiday curveballs, !!!!!!?

You know they say that sometimes you feel like you need a holiday when you get back off holiday? Well I feel like I'll need a holiday after just PLANNING this one!



*and breathe*

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: I share your pain ... I seemed to be the only person the least bit interested in planning our trip (me, DH and 3 boys), and violence was nearly done when about a week beforehand one of them thought it would be nice to go to Niagara Falls! Indeed, it might have been nice, but there was no way it could be fitted in at that stage of planning, and I had been asking them to think about what they wanted to do for about a year!

kaytata_2

I'm booking carmel limo for JFK to New Jersey and back. I wont have a cell phone, i ticked the box that says no cell phone, but it wont let me leave the cell number blank. any way to get around this? also they dont give a contact number for when we land?

at the last page it tells me to use coupon for $5 off which is for out of town services. however its an airport pickup/drop off... shouldnt it come through as $4.. dont mind having the extra dollar off, but dont want to have problems on the day with the wrong coupon.

Lastly, anyone had problems paying with cash? i've always prepaid before, but would prefer the cash option as we can split the cost. and what should we tip if the minivan hire = $93. Thanks!

tiff

I just got back today, booked Carmel the night before we arrived in NYC. Not sure how you do it as we did have our phone with us and when they send through confirmation the number to call is on there with instructions. I didnt use a coupon either so no use to you at all, sorry!



Hope the following is of use to someone:

Four of us travelled - myself, DH47, DS12 and DD10. Flights were booked 11 months ago using DH's frequent flyer points so we only paid tax of £300 or so. Also got us access to Heathrow and JFK's Admirals club lounge which was great, Heathrow is much better than JFK as in what is provided.

Booked an apartment through booking.com, due to some mix up (by us) we ended up with a different apartment to the one we originally booked and it was awful. Clean enough but bathroom was probably original 1930's, avocado suite so small you could sit on the loo and have your head in the sink. To get in the shower I had to wiggle my way in as the sink was in the way. Anyone bigger than me would have struggled! Apartment not well equipped and the duvet cover was stained, luckily it was so hot this week we didnt need covers, just sheets. Our bed was a flat pack type and falling apart, curtains were very thin. If I had known before booking that apartment rentals are illegal I wouldnt have booked it but you live and learn. We asked if they could store our luggage on our last day yesterday, was told it would be $5 per bag so we though stuff that and lugged our bags to Central Park for a lovely few hours in the sun. Note, not all stations have an elevator so you may struggle to get your cases up the escalator.


We used the subway and air train on the way back to JFK. We had bought 7 day metrocards at the start of our trip so you can use those to Howard Beach (get the A Train that says Far Rockaway as the final destination). You then have to pay $5 each person including children to use the air train ( free under 5 I think) but still saved us $20 on a taxi (family of four). Make a note which terminal your airline flies from as there are 8 terminals.

Have to say the signs and systems etc are so confusing at times. We werent sure where to buy metrocards, went down the subway but it was just a turnstile, you needed a metrocard to get in. Went across the street to the other side and it said to buy from an agent, !!!!!!! In the end we asked someone and she said if we went down this particular subway entrance we should be able to buy our tickets from a booth or machine. Great we thought, so we went down went to the booth. Oh sorry we dont sell 7 day tickets you have to get those from the machine. OK, back to the machine we start to buy our tickets but a subway worker came over and said we could only buy 2 with the same credit card (security thing), so if you want 3 tickets you can only get two you need to pay cash for the third or a different credit card. FINE! There is only one subway map in each carriage unlike the London tube where you can see it above you from where ever you are. I would recommend buying a map that has the subway on the back and keeping it with you.


On our first morning we turned up at Battery Park to go to Ellis Island but the queue was at least 2 hours long with no guarantee we could get on to Ellis Island due to the numbers already there. DH talked to a guy there who recommended coming back the next morning at 8.30 for the first boat over to the island. This worked out well, still a small fast moving queue but we were the first ones into the building at Ellis Island that morning.

Highlight of our trip was the Ground Zero Museum Workshop, we called the day before to book tickets for 3pm. Its a one room museum with photos taken by the only official Ground Zero photographer, Gary Marlon Suson. Along with the photos are many artefacts some of which you can hold. After a video you work your way round the room with a headset and handset, pressing the number of each exhibit into the handset to hear a narrative about the story behind the photo. Very moving.

We skated at the Rockefeller Center (well the kids did), again very confusing. The signs up from the subway suddenly stopped and we couldnt work out how to get to the skate rink but a kind commissionaire at the elevators took us to the right level and pointed us in the right direction. Took a walk up 5th Avenue which was very busy, wanted to go to Abercrombie & Fitch but the queue was down the road and round the corner so we gave it a miss.

We also hired bikes round Central Park for a couple of hours. DD10 struggled a bit as it can be hilly so DH and DS went on while we watched the street entertainers.

Another highlight of our trip was the food, we didn't have one bad meal or snack. New Yorkers are healthy eaters in the main and there are lots of healthy options which surprised us. Whole Foods Market in the basement at Colombus Circle mall was really good but busy. We ate at Carmines in Times Square which was great. A couple of times we had breakfast in a local diner or grabbed a bagel (with strawberry cream cheese) in the deli to eat on the go. You can access free wifi in most coffee bars and even plug into the electric.

Someone on here recommended leaving Manhattan at least 4 hours before your flight, not sure if that was by road or subway but we took the advice and left by subway 4 hours before our flight and felt we had timed it perfectly.


All in all we had a great time, any negative points made are to help others plan their trip. Hopefully we will return again one day.

missmilly

tiff wrote: »

We ate at Carmines in Times Square which was great. .

We ate there when we were in NYC last year, it was fab and the portions are absolutely HUGE, I would certainly recommend it (but go with enough friends to share each dish!!!).

johnnyroper

kobita1985 wrote: »

I'm booking carmel limo for JFK to New Jersey and back. I wont have a cell phone, i ticked the box that says no cell phone, but it wont let me leave the cell number blank. any way to get around this? also they dont give a contact number for when we land?

at the last page it tells me to use coupon for $5 off which is for out of town services. however its an airport pickup/drop off... shouldnt it come through as $4.. dont mind having the extra dollar off, but dont want to have problems on the day with the wrong coupon.

Lastly, anyone had problems paying with cash? i've always prepaid before, but would prefer the cash option as we can split the cost. and what should we tip if the minivan hire = $93. Thanks!

cannot comment on carmel as i used lincoln limousine.

the cost i was quoted for lincoln included tax,tolls and tips but not sure if carmel are the same??
if not tip with lincoln worked out at 15%

the_salmon

Well I am finally approaching the time for my trip, been about a year of floating round ideas, checking I can have time off with work, saving, and 1 friend being lucky enough to get some compo from a car accident he was in, but 3 of us are off to New York for 6 days flying on Xmas Eve, then off to Vegas for New Year and then 10 days in California.

This thread, and the Vegas one, have been absolute gold dust for information and ideas, so thanks to you all.

What I am after is any suggestions of where we can go for Xmas Dinner? We have tickets for the Knicks at Madison Square Gardens which I think is over lunch so will probably eat in the evening. I have googled a few things to see whats on offer with places open, but would like any recomendations if people would care to share. We don't want to be going too mad budget wise, and our hotel is in Manhattan (upper west).

Any suggestions welcomed