Everything & Anything New York City

kezby_2k

Thursday we want to take in some shops on 5th Avenue, Central Park, Grand Central Station, Times Square and TOTR (with ice skating), but am unsure of the best order to tackle these in? We are looking to go to a cocktail bar in the evening.

This part sounds like one of my days!
We stayed on 42nd street, we literally turned out of our hotel and were on fifth avenue.
If you walk all the way up fifth avenue, you will come to Central Park (Just past tiffanys). IIRC, its around 55th street?
TOTR is 45th street, I think, so its a bit further down - It all depends on what times you want to do these - We did TOTR about 2pm I think, but I'd like to do it again at sunset.
Depending on where you're starting from, (and if you arent fussed about times), I would say... TOTR, Fifth Avenue, then Central Park (Although I didnt go, Central Park is heeeeeuge!).
Times Square you could do at the same time, but if its just for taking pictures, etc, I'd do it on your way to ground zero, etc (As everything else you have mentioned is going 'uptown').
As for Grand Central, thats around 42nd street (It was RIGHT by our hotel) - How about doing that on your last day? If you are impressed, you could go to one of the restaurants or bars there, and stay for a while, or if you dont want to stay there, you could get the subway to Macys or Bloomingdales. The area by Macys is Herald Square - Its also very close to the empire state building, but there is a little area with lots of chairs and dining tables - Its lovely to grab a drink and relax there, surrounded by all the sights!

kezby_2k

One more thing - Do you like italian?
There's a lovely restaurant in the TS area - Its one of the nicest meals I've ever eaten!
Its called Tratorria Trecolori (Or Tratori Trecolori, one of the two). Its down a little side street in Times Square, but it was so nice, we went back twice!
Its not TOO expensive either... We had a sharing platter for a starter, and then my sister had a veal dish, and I had a seafood pasta malarkey (Oh my god, it was TO DIE FOR) - We also had a bottle of wine, and the whole thing (With tip) came to $80.

Edit - Cupcake shops... The most famous is Magnolia, but I didnt have any, so cant really comment!

Philippa36

welshiebeth wrote: »

Right, following Mark's advice, have booked the cosmo via Quikbook on a cancellable rate as we're not going til oct and I'm hoping to find it cheaper nearer the time......

But, the price of $200 per night is excluding all taxes....can anyone advise how much this is likely to be on top?

Also am desperate to see some kind of NY sport whilst there, have heard that basketball tix are like gold dust so am thinking of American Football - can anyone recommend the best way to find tickets (or even if there is a game whilst we are there? 1-4 Oct)

Thanks in Advance
Welshiebeth - secretly addicted to this thread!

$200 excluding taxes seems like a lot to me Taxes are roughly 15%

Philippa36

Crumbs gets fantastic reviews for its cupcakes. Its on my list of places to go.

greenface

IMO ice skating was better,bigger & cheaper with less queues at Central Park than ToTR. But ToTR design is great

gregg1

katy1986 wrote: »

Hi all,

I am travelling to NY in less than 2 weeks, departing LHR on 24 Feb and returning early morning 2 March. I have been a ‘lurker’ on this thread for a few weeks and have found it very useful and am very excited for my trip!

I am travelling with a friend and we are staying in MidTown Manhattan.

I have put together a draft itinerary and wanted some advice on how feasible it is and any improvements/suggestions that could be made. As it is our first time in NY we want to focus on seeing the main tourist attractions and do a fair bit of shopping!

We arrive early evening on the 24th and are planning on depositing our bags at the hotel and heading to Times Square for a meal so we can see it at night with the lights etc.

Thursday we want to take in some shops on 5th Avenue, Central Park, Grand Central Station, Times Square and TOTR (with ice skating), but am unsure of the best order to tackle these in? We are looking to go to a cocktail bar in the evening.

Friday we are heading to Century 21 early to avoid the manic crowds. We’d then like to take the Staten Island Ferry, visits the TKTS booth at Seaport to get tickets for an evening show, visit Ground Zero, and walk Brooklyn Bridge.

Saturday we are going to NJ as my friend has family there and we are spending the day at the Garden State Plaza Mall to make the most of the lower tax rate there! We are having dinner with her family there and returning to our hotel late Sat night.

Sunday we’re really keen to take in some ‘real’ NY, so planning a walk around Greenwich Village, Tribeca and Soho. Am looking into seeing a gig for the evening.

Monday we’re on a 9pm flight from JFK so have the majority of the day for more sightseeing/wandering about. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Please feel free to tear the above apart- really want to make the most of our time there.

Also, is anyone aware of any good cup cake shops?! And has anyone got any advice for visiting NY during Restaurant Week?

Thanks in advance.

We went during restaurant week and it is a fantastic way of eating at some pretty high priced restaurants for a good price. We ate at The Boat House Central Park for only $25 for 3 courses (we went when the exchange rate was exceptionally good so that equated to about £12 per head which was even better). Strongly advise booking before you go as the restaurants get extremely busy round this time.

In my book Magnolia cupcakes are the best! I know some people think they are over-rated but we loved em and I drool just thinking about them, but then I'm a cake guy! I think I am right in saying that Magnolia now have bakery in mid manhatten as well. Their red velvet cupcake is amazing.

Philippa36

I love baseball, I've seen the Atlanta Braves play a few times.

Its quite slow paced at times but very family friendly.

ajdj

katy1986 wrote: »

And has anyone got any advice for visiting NY during Restaurant Week?

Thanks in advance.

For Restaurant week have a look here- www.nycgo.com/restaurantweek

You really need to be researching restaurants now and getting reservations in before you go (especially for dinner). Please, please, please don't go and have an average meal in Times Square when restaurant week enables you to have an excellent meal at vastly reduced prices. Most lunches are $24.07 and dinners $35 during Restaurant Week.

For example, plan to have lunch at the Boathouse whilst visiting Central Park. I would also recommend ice skating in Central Park rather than Rockerfeller Centre (TOTR)- its cheaper and you have much better scenery.

A reccommendation for dinner in Midtown would be Kellari Taverna on West 44th Street and 5th Avenue. Mediterranean cuisine, great service and at $35 during restaurant week a good deal. Do take a walk to Times Square first, see the lights, stand in awe but walk away to eat here instead of the overpriced chain places you'll find in Times Square. You don't say what hotel you are staying in but Kellari Taverna is next door to Iroquois and Algonquin so if you happen to be staying at either you've got a short crawl to bed!

As for your last day if it was me, I would walk downtown along 5th Avenue stopping at New York Public Library (as seen on SATC movie) to look inside at the fantastic ceiling! From there continue down 5th Avenue, past Empire State Building and where 5th Avenue meets Broadway you have the Flatitron Building and Madison Square Park. Have a little stroll in the Park (its not very big) and continue walking down Broadway to Union Square. This is one of the main areas for shopping IMO, google (or search this the 2009 NYC thread) for Filene's Basement, DSW shoes and TJ Maxx. Union Square also has a very good Diesel shop, Footlocker etc. Indulge in some last day shopping, then walk back to Madison Square Park for lunch at Shake Shack (brilliant burgers, frozen custard etc). From there you can get the subway back to your hotel to drop your bags off and if you have more time to kill, grab coffee close by to your hotel before heading to the airport.

Have a great trip!

QueenKatie

Hi everyone,

I'm heading to NYC on 22nd March for 6 nights. I've got my flights booked, yay! But have now spent hours trawling through hotels, and seem to have only succeeded in confusing myself. I don't know the city at all, and this is the first time I will ever have been to the states.

I want to stay somewhere nice and pretty central i.e. close to everything, and looking to spend around £700-800 or so on a hotel for me and my partner. Does that sound doable? Anyone seen any good offers for that period? The Affinia Manhatten thing looked ideal, but it's not on offer for the dates I'm in the city

Thanks!
Queen K xxx

Chrispy_2

I've seen lots of really cheap hotels when I was looking, but I opted for a hostel in the end as I will hardly be in there.

I'm going on April for 7 nights. I am going with my works football team, however they are flying out 2 days later than me, I'm going 2 days earlier so I can do what I want to do for 2 days. We are going to stay in Connecticut for 2 of the nights as we are playing against Connecticuts University football team, then 2 days later we are playing against the NYPD football team which should be brilliant.

On my early agend of things I want do are
Ellis Island/Statue of liberty
Run in Central Park
Grand Central Station
Times Square
Top of the rock
Staten Island Ferry
Ground Zero
New Jersey (Mall, maybe visit a couple of Sopranos locations etc:)
Find some hidden food and drink gems