Everything & Anything New York City

catmiaow

We are arriving Thursday at 1pm and getting a late flight back on Sunday. (Going in November).

Anyone suggest what I can fit in?

I want to:

Go shopping (Where are the best places?)
Ground zero area
Rockfeller centre
Times Square
Staten ferry
Central park - possibly the zoo as well??
See a Broadway show
Empire state building (day and night)

Am I going to be able to fit this all in??

poor_johno

catmiaow wrote: »

We are arriving Thursday at 1pm and getting a late flight back on Sunday. (Going in November).
I want to:

Go shopping (Where are the best places?)
Ground zero area
Rockfeller centre
Times Square
Staten ferry
Central park - possibly the zoo as well??
See a Broadway show
Empire state building (day and night)

Am I going to be able to fit this all in??

I'd say yes you could fit all that in. Just group things together that are nearby i.e. Staten ferry and World Trade Centre memorial site (its not called Ground zero). Do the Empire state building early before you're shopping. Times Sq and Central Park etc etc.

It all depends on yourself too, like are you good with public transport and able to walk a fair bit?

I'd also suggest maybe doing the top of the rock instead of the ESB twice. Google it, its a great view and you can see the ESB as well as have a better view of central park.

phatbear

jaffacat wrote: »

thanks Phatbear, any recommendations in SOHO & Chelsea for food?

No one could really answer that question without knowing what you want to eat.

Personally I would trawl tripadvisor and you can search by food type/price etc

bb69

jaffacat wrote: »

thanks Phatbear, any recommendations in SOHO & Chelsea for food? We have a few evenings spare so will deffo visit these places....appreciate your comments and money saving at shops (didnt know about that)

Don't forget shopping in Soho and Greenwich village. Also Union Square at the weekend usually have a food/flower market etc

merchcon55

reallynicegal wrote: »

Hi folks wee bit of advice needed. I will be arriving in Newark airport 5/6 hrs earlier than my travel companion who is flying from Heathrow. She's never been to NYC before so i'd be prepared to wait on her to travel into Manhattan together. My question is what is there to do in or near Newark arrivals for some or all of this time??

Here is a plan: As you come out of customs down the corridor, turn left at a coffee place (its not starbucks but like one) - walk about 1 minute and you come to an escalator. Take the escalator down to street level. Cross over the road to the central island - this is where buses stop.

Look for Bus 28 http://www.njtransit.com/var/var_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=GoBus28To

This will take you into Newark - ask for Broad Street/ Washington Park. A 2 min walk from the stop is Newark Museum http://www.newarkmuseum.org/

It's OK for a couple of hours.

Once finished at Museum walk back to Broad Street and take the Light Rail (Tram) a short trip to Newark Penn Station - this is the main train station in Newark. Change here for the other Newark Light Rail line (I think it goes towards Grove Street) - you want to get off at PARK AVENUE.

Visit this church

http://www.cathedralbasilica.org/


Take Newark subway to Park Avenue. At top of stairs go left (east) on Park Avenue. Cathedral is two blocks ahead on the corner of Park and Clifton Avenues.


It really is one of those "hidden gems" and is quite nice. Take the tram back to Military Park/Broad St - change there for the 28 Bus back to the airport (Terminal B for Internation Arrivals) to meet your friend.

OR

Take the Air Train to Newark Airport Train Station - and take the train 1 stop to Newark Penn Station (there may be a bus that goes direct too - the Bus 28 above goes on Broad Street - about a 5-10 min walk from Penn).

From Newark Penn take the PATH train http://www.panynj.gov/path/maps.html
to EXCHANGE PLACE (about 30 min) which is in Jersey City - great views of New York from here). You can then take another PATH train a short trip to Hoboken - which is a really cool place with lots of trendy bars and restaurants and also great views of New York.

Please note that Hoboken was really hit bad during Hurricane Sandy and the town sufferred ALOT of flood damage. So just to go there, have a lunch, support local business - a great thing to do. Relatively safe town.

Great place for pizza: http://www.grimaldis.com/

If the weather is nice, I would do Hoboken - if the weather is raining, perhaps better to do the Museum and Church visit.

merchcon55

No trip to New York is complete without stopping here:

http://katzsdelicatessen.com/

If you remember the movie When Harry Met Sally, it' s the place where Meg Ryan has her fake orgasm.

The pastrami sandwiches are to die for - If you go to Broadway and Houston Street (south of Houston is the SoHo area) - on broadway is where you will find Hollister and other trendy clothing shops. About 10 min walk east on Houston Street to Katz.

merchcon55

A 10 min walk away from Times Square is 9th Avenue - along 9th between say 42nd and 57th street are many wonderful restaurants and bars. You will notice no tall buildings here - its the way NYC was 80 years ago. Nice local places - dont get trapped in the tourist joints.

merchcon55

From Manhattan take the 2 train towards Brooklyn - get off at Grand Army Plaza - this is New York's "Arc de Triomphe" and is well worth a visit.

Depending the time of year you are going to New York - this is the start of Prospect Park, Brooklyn's central park. Very nice Japenese Gardens. You are also near (or 1 more stop on the subway) Brooklyn Museum - which has one of the best Egyptian collections in the world.

Take the subway back towards Manhattan and get off at Clark Street - from here walk 5 minutes towards the river - walk along the Promenade for fabulous views of New York. You will be walking towards the Brooklyn Bridge

http://brooklyn.about.com/od/brooklynbridge/a/How-To-Walk-The-Brooklyn-Bridge-Manhattan-To-Brooklyn-Brooklyn-To-Manhattan.htm
2. For a more charming adventure, exit the 2 and 3 subways at Clark Street Station, ride the elevator to street level, and walk to your left onto historic little Henry Street. Head downhill towards the un-miss-able Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges. Cross Henry Street at Cranberry Street and take the pathway through the Co-op houses. Walk across the street known as Cadman Plaza West. Then follow the path through tiny Cadman Plaza Park to Washington Street (which is also known as Cadman Plaza East). On Washington Street, take the underpass on the left, up a stairway to the Brooklyn Bridge Pedestrian Path.
(Distance: a third of a mile to the Brooklyn Bridge walkway

Walk across the bridge - many places to stop along the way - bring a sandwich and stop 1/2 way and have lunch - fantastic !!

OR before walking the bridge stop here for fantastic pizza
http://www.grimaldis.com/

sonicmouse

If I've already booked and paid for my hotel through a travel agents, would I still need to provide my hotel with a credit/debit card incase anything happens?

merchcon55

http://www.timeout.com/newyork/restaurants/best-bbq-in-new-york-city

Earlier in the thread someone mentioned Virgils BBQ near Times Square - very touristy and over priced.

Try some of the places on the list above - Dinosaur BBQ is the real deal !!

Take the 1 train to 125th street - then walk to 12th ave.

While you are in the area visit Grants Tomb and Riverside Church - also Columbia University and Church on Amsterdam and 112th street - sorry I cant recall name - but its one of the largest in the world - Elton John held his 60th Bday bash there