Everything & Anything New York City

onesocklizzie

Hello all,

I’m in the last stages of planning my Sister’s Suprise Hen Weekend to NYC, and I have read the threads over and over to try to ensure we see/do lots of exciting stuff and don’t waste time.... It would be greatly appreciated if you could comment/advise on my planned itinery as I’m sure it may be flawed. Apologies in advance if this is too long....We’re a group of 5 fit and healthy females so we’re fully prepared to walk a lot but I guess we’ll have to use other transport as well, thinking the subway would be the quickest and cheapest? Can anyone tell me how many people does the average nyc taxi seat?

We arrive at JFK 16.40 on Thursday and our plan is to settle into our Hotel (Vincci Avalon - 16 E 32nd St) then go to the totr followed by a quick bite to eat in the area - any recommendations? And finally bed.

Friday - After visiting a diner for breakfast we plan to make our way from the hotel to Ground Zero, century 21 then onto the statue of liberty - we are undecided whether to do the beast, the staten island ferry or the nyc water taxi tour - then we’d like to walk over or cycle the Brooklyn bridge and have some food on the other side, is the pizza place (Grimaldi’s) that all the guide books recommend really good or just a tourist trap? We then plan to amble back up towards our hotel, passing by the Magnolia bakery and some nice shops if possible... can anyone suggest a good route back up towards the hotel? We then plan to catch a show in the evening with tickets purchased from broadwaybox. Does this sound like enough/too much for a days sightseeing? Are there any places we’d pass en route that we really should stop at?

Saturday, Shopping! Shopping in the standard stores, abercrombie and fitch, macys, bloomies... Then off to central park for lunch at the Boathouse and hopefully a gondola ride on the river if the weather permits. Back to the hotel for a quick powder of the nose then off out to paint the town red. Here’s where we’re really stuck, we would like to have an excuse to get dressed up but can’t afford ridiculous drinks/cover charges... can anyone suggest a place for 5 ladies in their late 20’s to go out and have a night to remember without it costing us all $100’s of dollars? And somewhere we can dance a bit too? Also are taxis easily available at all times of the night so we can get back to the hotel safely?

On Sunday morning we’re planning to go to BB King’s Gospel Brunch, a tourist spot no doubt but we hope it will be good fun... after this we haven’t got anything planned until we leave for the airport at 6.30pm.

All comments and suggestions welcome and thankyou in advance.

onesocklizzie.


Ps We’re hoping to fit in eating at Balthazar and Bubbys at some point too!

phatbear

onesocklizzie wrote: »

We arrive at JFK 16.40 on Thursday and our plan is to settle into our Hotel (Vincci Avalon - 16 E 32nd St) then go to the totr followed by a quick bite to eat in the area - any recommendations? And finally bed.

Personally when I arrive i tend to find my appetite is zero which is odd for a phatbear personally we just tend to find a cheap-o place to eat.

onesocklizzie wrote: »

Friday - After visiting a diner for breakfast we plan to make our way from the hotel to Ground Zero, century 21 then onto the statue of liberty - we are undecided whether to do the beast, the staten island ferry or the nyc water taxi tour - then we’d like to walk over or cycle the Brooklyn bridge and have some food on the other side, is the pizza place (Grimaldi’s) that all the guide books recommend really good or just a tourist trap? We then plan to amble back up towards our hotel, passing by the Magnolia bakery

Oooh you used those words "ground zero" be aware you will feel the wrath of certain people who claim that new yorkers dont use that term, but you're not a new yorker so go for it, on the diner front my go to place when im down that way is stage door deli, which is on vessey street and church street, if you are looking at st pauls its on the left, no this place is'nt flash or shiny but its real and i always feel like ive arrived when i've had my 1st pancakes and bacon here.
Be prepared for century 21 as its a bit like a jumble sale but if you dig about there are some real bargains to be had.
Re the choice of boats be aware that you will get wet on the beast so maybe decided based on the weather, theres nowt worse than walking around wet when its not very warm. Grimaldis is very subjective some people say its the best others say its a gimmick, personally I cant be bothered queuing up for ages for any pizza. Magnolia bakery is very very meh!! I prefer crumbs but I understand why you would want to visit the shop.

onesocklizzie wrote: »

Saturday, Shopping! Shopping in the standard stores, abercrombie and fitch, macys, bloomies...

Heres my slight issue with your plans, the shops are busy weekdays but they are heaving at weekends personally I would try and do as much shopping as poss on the Friday and spend saturday mooching about, however on the shopping front you can get 10% off if you go the customer service desks in macys and bloomies, just show them your passport and they will give an out of towners discount card.

costingbunny_2

Hi Lizzie

Firstly, how lucky is your sister going to NYC for a hen do - well done!!

I've only been to NYC a few times but thought I'd offer some advice on the chance that it's helpful.

Grimaldis - I loved it but got there about 3pm so no queues as it was funny time to eat but with jet lag I find my tummy is all over the place. Thought the pizzas were fab and it was a buzzy place. It's not posh or anything but if you are walking over the bridge it's a good option. Saying that, if you decide to get the subway over the Brooklyn instead there are lots of lovely places to eat in Williamsburg.

We saw Promises Promises on Broadway at a matinee performance with tickets from TX Booths - we preferred the day show as it was cheaper and left us with the late afternoon-evening free. The show was fab - not sure if it's still on.

Nights out? Well me and my sister are happiest in jeans and runners so went to Club Wha in Greenwich to see the house band who were fab. Kind of underground little dark club, band do three sets and by the last one lots of folk up dancing. At weekends I think there is a cover charge but so have most places. They do offers on buckets of beer and you can get platters of nachos, falafel etc (might be too slouchy for you?).

We did do 'posh' one night and went to 230 5th, a rooftop bar on 5th between 26th & 27th. You are literally on the rooftop of the building overlooking the ESB - lots of tables and lounging chairs and you can help yourself to blankets or dressing gowns if it's chilly. It's pricey but then that's NYC (in some places). Paid around $13 a drink - we had a raspberry mojito and a hot cherry cider. The drinks were really well made and v. alcoholic. Expensive but it was a massive highlight to be curled up on a deckchair in a blanket, drinking a cocktail and staring at the ESB all lit up at night!

Have fun!

costingbunny_2

Oh forgot to say, also ate at the Boathouse but only the cafe bit. You are in the same building but not directly at the window and it's self service not waiter service. Saying that, it was fine for us, more relaxed and cheaper and no booking necessary.

mum_of_lewis

Hi,

Hope you lovely people can help? we arrive at newark airport on wednesday morning at 11.30, we are coming to new york for my husbands 40th, he knows nothing about it yet:j:j
What is the best way to get to the radisson lexington? ive looked on tripadvisor but it was confusing me! i was thinking about a taxi but im thinking the bus would be cheaper as there is only 2 of us?

Any replies would be appreciated. xx

Janette x

phatbear

You ask what the best way is then make reference to the price re the bus, the two are completely different things, the best way is a cab it will get you to your hotels front door with no faffing about.

It would also help for future reference is you give the address not just the name of the hotel, inc the cross street.

M4RKM

mum_of_lewis wrote: »

Hi,

Hope you lovely people can help? we arrive at newark airport on wednesday morning at 11.30, we are coming to new york for my husbands 40th, he knows nothing about it yet:j:j
What is the best way to get to the radisson lexington? ive looked on tripadvisor but it was confusing me! i was thinking about a taxi but im thinking the bus would be cheaper as there is only 2 of us?

Any replies would be appreciated. xx

Janette x

AirTrain and then NJ Transit Train is one of the cheaper options. From Newark taxis do run rather expensive, as they can't pick up a fare back to the airport, as they're from a different state.

The alternative option is something like Carmel or Dial 7, a prebooked car service.

TA is a wealth of information and not really that confusing. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g60763-s301/New-York-City:New-York:Arriving.And.Departing.html - that is the link to details on how to get in and out of NYC.

M

onesocklizzie

Thanks so much to phatbear and costingbunny for all your tips, especially the wtc/ ground zero terminology .... And the shopping... Didnt occur to me that Saturday would be heaving, of course it will be - I avoid the uk high street at all costs on a Saturday...don't know what I was thinking!

And yes, my sister is a very lucky lady, her wedding is moneysaving agogo but we've managed to get standby tickets for under£100 so it'd be rude not to!

phatbear

onesocklizzie wrote: »

Thanks so much to phatbear and costingbunny for all your tips

You're welcome and you know where we are if you need any more help.

walking-alone

Hi all!

My and the OH have decided to finally start planning our trip of a lifetime to New York. We've been wanting to go for years but can only just now afford it, so we plan to make the most of it! It's great reading all your tips, some of them have been helpful already.

I have two questions really. Firstly, we're going to go next March/April for 10 days to two weeks, but we were hoping to spend maybe 5 days at the beginning or end in Chicago. BA do round trips to New York for around £340 for next March, but just a single there costs more than double that! Is it possible to get one-way flights to New York and from Chicago for a normal price or will we have to fly to Chicago from New York and then back again? It seems absurd that they're so much, especially as the round-trip tickets break down the cost by journey!

Secondly, as we will be going for a while we don't really want to stay in a hotel the whole time, are there any affordable holiday apartments that we would be able to rent for a week whilst we are out there?

thanks for any help!