Everything & Anything New York City

jalapenojojo

Thank you this is really useful:j

bleepandbooster

The week before you go check out weather.com or the BBC weather web page and look at the 10 day forecast. But be warned especially weater.com it will change on a day to day basis !!!!!!!!!! So sometimes you are none the wiser ! The most important thing to pack is a pair of pumps/trainers/sneakers because you will end up walking miles !

Cofion
David

sammyjammy

Rockerfella Centre observatory platform or Empire State building?

If I book a timed ticket for ESB then its twice the cost of the Rockafella Centre who sell timed tickets as a matter of course. I'd love to hear your recommendations otherwise maybe we'll do both!

phatbear

Consider this why are you going up either:

For kudos, then esb
To see the sights, then top of the rock.

From the top of esb you will see some tall buildings and thats about it, including my favourite the chrysler building

From the top of the rock you will see the empire state building, central park and lots of tall buildings not much of the chrysler building.

Also another consideration why would you buy a timed ticket? do you know what the weathers going to be like at that time? surely its better to time it for when you know the weather will be good and the view good, ie when you are there.

so in conclusion save your money and do top of the rock

greenface

Plus the viewing area at ToTR is much better. Less cramped and so chilled out compared to ESB (done ESB 1 x ToTR 2)If you go at dusk you will get a good feeling for the view then the lights start to come on . Magical.

BlueWorldOrder

TOTR opens at 8am, you pretty much have the viewing deck to yourself

tarkytarks

sammyjammy wrote: »

Rockerfella Centre observatory platform or Empire State building?

If I book a timed ticket for ESB then its twice the cost of the Rockafella Centre who sell timed tickets as a matter of course. I'd love to hear your recommendations otherwise maybe we'll do both!

We ended up doing ESB on our first morning in NYC - we were up early and having a walk around to explore - anyway, it was before 10am and we didn't have any queues to get in, up the lift, pay or up the final lift to the top. This was on (I think) presidents day in Feb - no idea whether this was the reason it seemed quiet, but it was definately getting busier by the time we went down again.

Anyway, if we go back I don't think I'd bother booking a reserved time ticket or not. The only place I was grateful to have done so was for the SOL - even then we ended up on an earlier boat than our ticket said!

cymrubaby

Hi all,

I've just booked 3 nights in NY for my 10th wedding anniversary next April. We're staying in Millenium Hilton which is right by Ground Zero, so downtown.

Flight from Heathrow leaves at 1pm and we'll be in NY around 3pm so we have a good afternoon/evening there, the day we go home our flight is 9pm so we still have a good full day there. We've got transfers to hotel and back to airport.

Seeing as we're downtown I think we should probably make the most of the sightseeing there on the first day. We're buying New York Passes as part of our holiday and we want to visit all the usual places. We like museums, we love food, I love all things cupcake, my hubby loves 50's America, we like Jazz music, bookshops etc. We're not necessarily going for a shop 'til you drop holiday but we will be popping by all the well-known places to buy gifts and things.

Can anyone recommend any good places to eat, or any hidden gems that might be of interest? We're hoping to have a budget of around £1,000 spending money. Our wedding anniversary (a Friday) is the day after we get there so we'd like to do something special and romantic. We fly back on the Sunday night.

I'm trying to look around here for itinerary ideas, but any pointers will be gratefully received.

Thank you.

cymrubaby

Having read a previous post about hotels requiring a credit card upon check in, I was wondering whether getting a prepay credit card might be worth doing?

I'm not going to NY until April 2012 but right now there's a pretty good offer for a MyTravelCash US dollar MasterCard (I don't want an actual credit card, only a prepay one) which offers free shop and internet purchase (no fees) and also free ATM withdrawal. Oh and they also offer 1.00% cashback on all purchases.

Is this a more cost-effective way of spending abroad? Do hotels really require a credit card upon check in?

pcyuljr

Not quite sure if this fits in here.

I want to share the advice, but not start a new overread thread (and thus revoked offer!!).

But I'm staying at the Distrikt Hotel in NYC, which looks awesome.

By going on the Facebook page, clicking 'Like' and making a comment, a lot of people are getting freebies, whether it be an upgrade (like me!) or free metrocard.

I've not been yet (December visit) so can't comment on what type of upgrade, but it seems like it's worth doing in advance of a stay.

Might work at other hotels also!