Gary_D

Hello,

We will be visiting New York City on Dec 8 to the 12. We made the trip last year only to be met with a transit strike, so we thought we would give it another try. Will be staying at the Super 8 in North Bergen and taking the shuttle into Manhattan. The shuttle will drop us off at the PABT so our days will start and end there. We plan on using day transit passes for getting around.
Any ideas on what sites should not be missed this time of year that can be accesses by bus or subway.
I assume that Coney Island would be closed for the season, but would like to go Nathan’s. Does anyone know if they will be open? We have tickets for the Monday Radio City Christmas Show.
As far as food goes we are not into fine dinning. Pizza, hamburgers and such are fine. A good Monte Cristo Sandwich would be great. We do plan on eating at Bubba Gumps on Friday night, which is as fancy as we get.

Thanks for any ideas

Gary

gard

Hi

My wife and I went to NYC for the first time a couple of year back and I have posted a trip report with pictures and links on my homepage http://gardkarlsen.com/new_york_city_trip_report.htm . Maybe you can find some useful info there to start with

When it comes to weather you should check up weather stats on http://www.weatherbase.com

Regards
Gard
Stavanger, Norway

GoTravel

Firstly, I'd try to get out of New Jersey and stay in Manhattan.

Take the Staten Island Ferry (free) for the very best views of The Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty, and Lower Manhattan/Financial District. The best time to do this is at dusk and you can watch the city light up.

I would not schlep my family all the way out to Coney Island for Nathans. Especially since they were sold to the Riese Brothers (restaurant mafia responsible for the unedible chain food in Times Square).

There are so many other better options than Bubba Gumps.

One of the best deals in Midtown is at Becco. The homade all you can eat pasta special is $21.95 per person is excellent and includes the anti-pasta. There is usually one ravioli. The waiters bring the freshly made pasta to your table in large pans.

nytraveler

Nathan's is - I believe - open all year round. But Coney Island is a real trek on the subway - and I don;t think that 3 hours is worth it (esp with limited time in NYC) for a hot dog you can buy in any supermarket.

I would focus more on the Christams stuff - not sure which you're done:

Rock Center, tree and skating rink (and do skake either here or in Central Park)

Other special trees in the city (Neapolitan tree and creche at the Met, origami tree at Natural History - and a lot of others)

Incredibly decorated store windows (start at Fifth and 39th and head uptown

The Nutcracker at Lincoln Center

Check Time Out New York and New York Magazine web sites a couple of weeks before you come to see all the seasonal things - they're not listed yet

Don't miss Top of the Rock

And don;t forget all the museums if the weather turns cold - again don;t know which you have seen yet so don;t know which to reco

karameli

You can eat a Nathan's hot dog right in Penn Station. Or, if you want a real NY-hot-dog-stand hot dog, you can also go to Gray's Papaya, which is right in midtown and way easier to get to than Coney Island.

If you're staying in Jersey to save $$, North Bergen isn't the most convenient. Somewhere in Hoboken, Weehawkin or Jersey City would have easier transportation options.

Some of my favorite cheap eats in the city: Virgil's BBQ in Times Square (44th Street), Chipotle Mexican Grill (all over the city -- it's counter service but SO GOOD -- huge burritos for $6-7); Manganaro's (great Italian deli sandwiches on 9th Street between 37th and 38th).

My favorite Monte Cristo, I hate to admit, is at Bennigan's. The raspberry sauce is just so tasty

Dohlice

My favorite cheap eats is Benny’s Burritos if you find yourself in that area. Here’s some info about that - http://tinyurl.com/qhbbc. For great, cheap burgers you can’t go wrong with this place http://tinyurl.com/c3ul4. And if there’s any chance you like falafels (they converted me) food just doesn’t come any cheaper than at this place http://tinyurl.com/ntnt5. There are also a lot of good, inexpensive places to eat in the lower level of Grand Central Station. Some places have seating, others are food court type but there is a large section of free seating. Two Boots has good pizza, not exactly your traditional NY pizzeria pizza, but delicious. For the Monte Cristo I would look for a true diner type place or coffee shop. Unless Junior’s has opened in Times Square, then you can finish off with a tasty slice of cheesecake.

I love Brooklyn and I love Nathan’s but I think it’s too far out of your way for that time of year. It is open, but it will be about the only thing open. You certainly can’t just pop into a supermarket and get a comparable hot dog, but I don’t think it’s a good use of your time for this trip.

doug_stallings

I'm assuming you've chosen North Bergen because of the prices. I don't think you'll be very happy with the choice, as the other posters here have warned. If you absolutely have to save money, I'd suggest looking at the relatively new Comfort Inn that is in Queens, about 2 blocks from the Queens Plaza subway station. It's certainly not a glamorous area and completely dead at night, but the hotel is among the cheapest reasonably located places in the city and it's just one subway stop away from Manhattan (it's also less than $20 by cab from many places in Midtown if you go out late at night).

Virgil's is a good place for a good meal in Times Square. John's Pizza is also very good. New York has some great burgers, including the Burger Joint in the fancy Le Parker Meridien Hotel, but that's just for lunch. Nathan's is good but hardly worth the hour-plus trek to Brooklyn (in my opinion); the Nathan's you see all over Manhattan are just cheap fast-food and not as good as the original (again, my opinion). Rather, I'd go to Payaya King, which is in Manhattan. Or you could try the giant 1-pound hot dog at Juniors, which has outlets in Grand Central and near Times Square. Get corned beef or pastrami at Pastrami Queen on the Upper East Side. Those are all good New York places that even I would eat at.

GoTravel

The burger stand in Le Parker Meridian is an excellent call!

Is that the name? The Burger Joint?

doug_stallings

Yes, the name is The Burger Joint, and it is good.

mclaurie

I agree that staying in North Bergen to visit Manhattan is a bad idea, especially at that time of year. If hotel prices are too high in Manhattan, see if the hotels in Jersey City (the Hyatt Regency and the Doubletree Suites) are affordable for you. From there you take the PATH train (like a subway) which is a lot faster than the bus.

If you're going to be in Manhattan every one of those days, buying a day transit pass doesn't make sense. Some days you are likely to just be walking and may not need transport. OR, buy the weekly pass for $24/person. It will be cheaper than buying the $7 daily pass x 4 days.

The current issue of NY Magazine is all about cheap eats. I haven't read it yet, but here's the link
http://newyorkmetro.com/restaurants/...ts/2006/18479/

Gary_D

Thank all of you for your suggestions. We decided to skip Nathan's.

We stayed at the Super 8 in North Bergen last year (Dec 18 to 21) and for $84 a night just too hard to pass up. The shuttle picks us up in front of the lobby and in 20 minutes we are in Times Square.

Will take the Ferry to Staten Island for the SOL and city view, as Go Travel suggests. Is there anything we should see while in Staten Island or just turn around and go back?
Top of the Rock is also on our list.

Karameli, we will also check out some of your favorite eats.

Again thank you all for your suggestions.

escargot

Recent issue of New York magazine cover is "101 Cheap Eats" in NYC - you might want to find it online/library/etc and check that out for food ideas too.

nytraveler

The Cheap Eats are not actually cheap. Well - a few of them are - but mostly in the outer boroughs with only a few in Manhattan.

Rather than cheap eats a lot are good deal for your money eats - ie $100 dinner for $50 - not a $20 dinner.

But, certainly worth looking at anyway - just check the web site.