The collection at the Guggenheim is not very good.

The Guggenheim and Met Museum are on the eastside of the Park and Strawberry Fields is on the west side of the Park. Unless he takes the vehicle transverse (not recommended) it is a rambling walk across the Park.

He might consider using the subways for his uptwon-downtown trips.

I would check to see which places are open for what hours n July 4 - which is Indpendence Day. Commercial places will be open, not sure about hours for others.

I concur re: the Guggenheim--it was a big letdown, at least right now.

I also agree that to make the most of his time, he should take the subway as much as possible to get from place to place--it's SO much faster than surface street transportation.

For our trip, we needed to leave the hotel about 11:30am and we did the High Line that morning--nice to have a bit of exercise before sitting on planes all day.

This is definitely way too much for one day, but the fact that it's July 4 is going to make getting to the Highline virtually impossible. The fireworks are on the west side, so everyone in NYC and the surrounding area will be trying to get up there on that day. And getting around town may be difficult as well, though it will be easier on the East Side. Most museums are open,

The Oyster Bar could be closed on July 4, but I'm not sure. A few restaurants close, some don't, but since the Oyster Bar relies in surrounding businesses for lunch guests as well as tourists, it might very well be closed. Definitely check.

I'd recommend he stick with the subway wherever possible, and since almost all the sights listed here are accessible from the 4/5/6 trains, that's his best bet.

If he really wants to visit the National 9/11 Memorial, he needs to see if visitor passes are still available. Since that's a major holiday, the place will be swamped with people.

If he wants to do dinner and a show, make reservations asap. Again, since it's a holiday, this is a busy night, and some places may even close, though I don't think many do.

Overall I think you have a nice list. As nytraveler says, July 4 is a big holiday - there will be closings, and also tons of people heading to the west side for the Macy's fireworks in Hudson River in the evening.
http://social.macys.com/fireworks/?cm_sp=searchbanner-_-fireworks-_-getthedetails#/watchShow

From your list, a suggested itinerary would be:
- Take the (1) subway from Penn Station across the street from the hotel uptown to 72nd Street, then walk east to Strawberry Fields in Central Park. Pick up a subway map from the token booth when he purchases a Metro Card. (He'll want a "pay-per-fare" card; $2.25 per fare, which includes one subway-bus or bus-bus transfer per fare within a 2 hour window.)
- Walk across the park, either up the west side a bit to take in the architecture of the Rose Center on the north end of the Natural History Museum, or crossing at 72nd Street for the lake and Bethesda Fountain before turning north to the Met.
- The Met has a pay-what-you-wish policy; the Egyptian wing is just inside the ticketed entrance on the far right of the lobby.
- From the Met, walk uptown on 5th Ave to the Guggenheim. I agree that at the moment there isn't a good show there, so it's better for its architecture than anything else. He can go inside and stand in the lobby for the interior effect of the spiral, without paying an entrance fee.
- Either a taxi or city bus down 5th Avenue, or it's a short walk to the 4/5/6 subway line at 86th Street and Lexington Avenue. The 4 and 5 are express with only 2 stops from 86th to Grand Central (downtown direction).
- Grand Central. Note that they offer tours, if he's interested; this site also includes the Oyster Bar: http://www.grandcentralterminal.com
- Again downtown 4/5 subway to Fulton Street, which will put him about a block east of St. Paul's. Definitely walk through the graveyard behind the church, both for the colonial-era tombstones and the view of the construction site at "ground zero".
- Walk over to the Brooklyn Bridge and across as much as he'd like. If he ventures all the way across, he can take the A/C subway uptown/Manhattan-bound back to Penn Station.

I know I didn't include the Top of the Rock. It's not really on the route I described! It's open from 8am to midnight, so I'm sure he can fit it in. Also, since there are timed tickets available, he won't waste a lot of time standing in line... To get there from the hotel, he'd walk up 7th Ave to Times Square and then east to Rock Center; or go over to Herald Square, then up 6th Ave. (One stop on the subway.)

On his second day, it's great that his hotel is right at Penn Station, so he can make the most of the half day. I'm sure he can leave his luggage at the hotel. Know that also there's a left-luggage counter for Amtrak customers near Track 5 inside Penn Station. I think it's about $7/bag and you need to show a valid ticket.

That day, from Penn it's easy to walk south to the High Line and then take the A/C/E subway back uptown. Or vice versa: that subway line is located on the 8th Ave side of Penn Station and he can take any of those trains downtown to 14th Street, then walk two blocks west to the Meatpacking District and then up onto the High Line...

Thanks everyone for the assistance. ggreen in particular for tweaking my very rough plan.

I've emailed the Oyster Bar to see if they are open and will also recommend that he just visits the ground floor of the Guggenheim for a quick look at the architecture. I'll also recommend the subway rather than taxis. They may skip the 9/11 memorial but I loved St Paul's and will make sure he does see that.

I'll make sure they save the High Line walk for the 5th, thanks for the heads up re the crowds going to see the fireworks.

Yes, much of the west side will be closed to transit from about 4 pm on the 4th - since several hundred thousand people gather to see the fireworks at 9 or so. Definitely do not even consider using a cab then.

Thanks nytraveler, I'll make sure he knows to avoid that area and to stick with the subway.

PS. I was in NYC this time last year and was pleasantly surprised to find how helpful New Yorkers were. Several times on the subway our group of 4 would be discussing which stop to get off at, and inevitably a couple of other passengers would very nicely offer assistance. It was great! I can't wait to go back, hopefully with my husband next time.

cathies, you're very welcome. And hey, that might've been me on the subway!

I wish I had a trip to Oz planned so you could reciprocate. (Can you imagine, what a great excuse to book a vacation-!)

this is way, way, too much for one day. no time to relax and enjoy where you are!! I would cut it in half to 1/3, and keep in mind, that walk across CP from Gugg to strawberry fields and back for one hour at the met is not realistic. the heat will encourage indoors during the day...time for walks in CP is evening. Good tips here, I would really rework this and see what is most important to you.

The high line closes early (6pm) on July 4th (at least it has in the past few years).

mmmooommm Aduchamp already set me straight about the location of Strawberry Fields so I've abandoned that already. The day isn't meant to be a relaxing day, he is happy to have a very busy day and try to take in as much as possible. I do understand that it probably will be hot and if that slows him down somewhat and he doesn't get everything done, then we'll just have to go back together another time. Fortunately as we live in Sydney we are used to hot weather so hopefully that won't bother him too much.

He can relax the next day on the train to Boston.

ggreen you are welcome any time!

Sounds like a plan to me too. Also like ggreen (a friend btw), I always ask tourists if they need help. We can always tell tourists, they look like deer in headlights, staring at maps or street corners trying to figure out which way is up (litteraly).

Also on the 4th there are street fairs around the city, which also MESSES up traffic so absolutely do the subway, even the bus gets really slowed down.

One thing I would mention if they are going to St. Paul's is the Staten Island Ferry, if they are not doing a show, or even if they are the SI Ferry is a great way to see the Statue of Liberty, it's a FREE ride and the views of Manhattan on the way back are spectacular.

I'd recommend just doing the Met instead of the Gug, there is so much to see there, and so worth the time, and you can save it for the next trip for the 2 of you. That way he is spending more time seeing and less time in travel.

Hope he has a great time.

thanks travelbuff. I thought about the Staten Island Ferry, you are right about the views and if they are tired by then, they can at least sit for a while on the ferry ride. I'll put that in as an alternative to the walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.

Before I went to NYC I read some posts by Aduchamp1 about annoying tourists who spread out across the pavement and slow down the locals, so I felt that I spent quite a lot of time nagging the girls in my groups to 'move out of the way'. I'm sure they thought I was a bit crazy!

I love NYC and really would love to return. My dream trip would be, explore more of Italy, a couple of weeks in Paris, 10 days - 2 weeks in NYC and then home via Hawaii. But that will probably have to wait a few years as we like to take our time when we travel. Maybe when we are retired...

Aduchamp already set me straight about the location of Strawberry Fields so I've abandoned that already.

Since your husband is staying on the west side, he's going to have to get across town to the Met somehow! In my suggested itinerary, I had him take the subway up to 72nd Street and then walk across the park that way, so that he could visit Strawberry Fields. That does mean about a mile walk to start the day (roughly a half-mile across and another up). If he got off the subway at 81st Street/Museum of Natural History instead, it's a straight walk across the park to the Met. The key is to have a map of the park's paths and also look out for the directional signage in the park. If you just find a path and follow it, it might twist and turn and put you somewhere else entirely!

Or there are cross-town buses on both 72nd and 79th Streets. If he takes a taxi from the hotel, it would probably trace the same route, just aboveground... However, to take the subway from Penn Station to the Met becomes much more of a drag! Probably the most direct way would be to:
- Walk over to 6th Ave/33rd Street
- Take the uptown N/R to 59th Street/Lexington Ave
- Transfer to the uptown 4/5 to 86th Street or the uptown 6 to 77th Street
- Walk from Lexington Ave to 5th Ave to the Met


Before I went to NYC I read some posts by Aduchamp1 about annoying tourists who spread out across the pavement and slow down the locals

It's not just the tourists... Last week I witnessed such a piece of *drama* on this subject! A woman of a certain age started loudly berating three oblivious young women spread abreast across the sidewalk, passing in front of the restaurant where I was one of many seated outside. I wish I could remember enough to quote, but it was something along the lines of "if they think that they're all that to take up the full sidewalk, they must have another think coming". And then she'd overtaken them and was off!

(I too drive my travel companions rather crazy with the constant reminder to "pull to the side" when we consult a map...)


// Hi travelbuff!

Here is the complete Rules of the Road. Tourists were not singled put.

Rules of the Sidewalk

For NY’ers and Tourists

•WALK TO THE RIGHT, even if you are English or a leftist.
•Electronic device users-take one pod out of your ear and place it up your butt so you will have stereo. WATCH WHERE YOU ARE WALKING!
•Do not stop short.
•Do not do pirouettes in the middle of the street when lost.
•Do not walk five across the street as if you are playing Ringo Leevio or Red Rover, Red Rover let Fred Come Over.
•Drink your coffee at the coffee shop. The street is not a cocktail party or your cubicle, so do not hold your drink in front of you.

Cell-ibites
•SHUT UP!!!. Now we know publicly how petty and inane you are privately.
•Do not dial the phone as you walk. Stand by the curb like dog at a fire hydrant.
•Do not pace the street, you are not home in your jammies and slippers.
•Watch where you are going. You are on the phone, not us.

Just NY’ers
•Do not run, jog, or elbow your down the street between the walkers
•Do not ride your bike down the street. I know bikers think they are elevated live forms but pedestrians may disagree. And now it is illegal for anyone over the age of 12 to do so.
•Sunday fathers-do not use your child’s stroller as a battering ram. If you are mad that you are divorced or stuck with the kids, take it on yourself not us.
•Dog walkers-try not to have the entire 20 foot lead extend across the sidewalk. Someone is going to step on your Chihuahua.

Tourists
•Look at the map either at the curb or next to a building not on a corner, the middle of the street, by garbage cans already blocking the street, or on the subway steps.
•If you must window shop do it by the windows and not from the middle of the sidewalk with binoculars.
•Jay-walking is a NYC sport. If you are going to wait for a light, get out of the way of those who want to break the law.
•If you are going to look up assign a designated seeing-eye tourist so others can pass.

That's the one Aduchamp1. You had me quite paranoid for the entire 10 days! The most common problem with my group is that my friend Julie and I walk fast and the other two are VERY slow. So the two of us who are fast would often suddenly realise we'd left the others behind and would stop and swivel to find out where they were! I promise I tried to remember the rules!

ggreen, thanks for the update re transport, I'll make sure he has it all!

regards,

Sorry, I did not mean ruin your stay. But tell the others to walk faster next time.

You didn't ruin my stay, NYC was fabulous!

Hilarious Adu - spot on! Do you have one for Subway Riding Rules of the Road too? If not, I might have to craft one.

One typo: "Do not ride your bike down the street" should be sidewalk. Mayor Mike has made bike riding down the street a regional pastime...

With only one day, why not the Frick and the Neue (Klimts there are gorgeous and the cafe is good). Those two would make for a comfortable day with a great variety of art. I wander into the Met and could get lost for a month. I think if you want to do anything else in that day, I'd avoid the Met, to be honest.

Hi amyb, I went to the Frick and I don't think it would be his sort of place, but I'll suggest the Neue as that would be something different to see. I still think he'll enjoy the Egyptian collections at the Met because he teaches ancient history. I agree with you though that you could spend a month in the Met, it is amazing!

He's still in Ireland and doesn't get to NYC for about 3-4 weeks so I still have time to tweak the plan.

cathies, I don't know if you're a fan of the British drama Downton Abbey. (It's taken this country by storm.) I've been reading a book about the "real" Downton Abbey: the castle Highclere where it's filmed and the Earl of Carnarvon who lived there at roughly the same time. Because of this, I found out that he was the partner of Howard Carter, and together they discovered Tutankamen's tomb in 1922! Further, the book explains that the Earl had quite the collection of Egyptian antiquities, which the estate sold off after his death - to the Met. I haven't made it uptown yet to check it out, but I now have a renewed interest in the Egyptian wing.

By the way I have a cousin I call Downtown Abey. And I hope he reads this before Shabbos.

ggreen, I am also enjoying Downton Abbey, it's the hot show here in Australia too.

I knew about Howard Carter and Tutankamen's tomb, but I didn't know the relationship to the Earl of Carnarvon. It's good to have the extra info, thanks.

Aduchamp1 I have no idea what you are talking about, I think it must be an in joke or a Jewish joke??

I have another for tourists. Do not haul multiple large pieces of luggae down the street. I fyou have a shuolder carry=on or a small wheelie - that's OK. But people take precedenceover stuff and you MUSY keep the luggage out of the way to other pedestrians.

And do NOT - as I saw the other day walk 2 abreast when you are each hauling tow wheelies - one small and one large each. These peopls were taking up the entire width of the sidewalk, lollygagging and trying to deal with recalcitrent wheels. At 5:30 pm. On East 42nd St. In front of the entrance to the subway station. It wouldn;t have been so bad if they were one behind the other and stayed to one side - but they were side by side in the center taking almost the entire street.

I was afraid some irate commuter was just goinng to herd them off the sidwalk in front of a bus.

I have another for tourists. Do not haul multiple large pieces of luggae down the street. I fyou have a shuolder carry=on or a small wheelie - that's OK. But people take precedenceover stuff and you MUSY keep the luggage out of the way to other pedestrians.

And do NOT - as I saw the other day walk 2 abreast when you are each hauling tow wheelies - one small and one large each. These peopls were taking up the entire width of the sidewalk, lollygagging and trying to deal with recalcitrent wheels. At 5:30 pm. On East 42nd St. In front of the entrance to the subway station. It wouldn;t have been so bad if they were one behind the other and stayed to one side - but they were side by side in the center taking almost the entire street.

I was afraid some irate commuter was just goinng to herd them off the sidwalk in front of a bus.

It's a Jewish joke. I didn't go over big in England either, but the NY'ers liked it. We also bought smoked fish when we were with friends in York and they did not get my young kipper joke either.

ok I get the young kipper joke - that's funny.

Hey nytraveller, those annoying people with their luggage probably spent a pile of money in your city, be kind. They are more than likely confused and overwhelmed.

I thought I'd post an extract from the emails my husband sent telling me about his 1 1/2 days in NYC. He's in Boston now attending a conference at Harvard and will finally be home next Sunday night. 6 weeks is a long time......

July 4 - It turned out to be a very hot day after the early rain which also made it very steamy,
The Top of the Rock was absolutely brilliant and there were only about a dozen other people there all together, not a soul around when we bought our tickets. I love the elevator and the way the lights go out and you can see the top of the shaft.
We saw Time Square ( i have never seen so many people in all my life. We popped inside the Plaza foyer, saw Tiffany & co, the Trump Tower and Mickey Mantel's bar (closed for renovations) last night.
We walked to Central Park and then walked half way round it.
It was about 11.30 when we caught the train to Whitehall, South Ferry, and were serenaded by groups of black men singing and busking on the train. They were fantastic and we tipped them a few dollars.
We caught the ferry and saw the Statue of Liberty as well as Brooklyn Bridge.

We got back to the hotel at about 2.30 but it's stiflingly hot. We are just getting ready to go out and hopefully see the fireworks.

I might try for 9/11 and the Brooklyn Bridge tomorrow morning.

July 5 - We had dinner and then watched the fireworks last night. Forgot to tell you P and I had a dog with the works.....one in a lifetime is probably one too many.
We're now sitting in the Amtrack lounge waiting for the train to Boston.
P and S didn't want to do anything this morning so I went out, got my subway ticket and went to 9/11. I was there by 9.00, it doesn't open until 10.00. So I walked up to Brooklyn Bridge and onto the bridge and took a few photos, then along Wall Street and to St. Paul's Chapel. You're right, it is very moving.

I didn't have enough time to go back to the memorial because we had to check out for the train. Maybe another time.

I bought a pair of Nike joggers for $54 yesterday so they were comfortable to walk around NYC. Yes, we will have to come back at some stage.

Thanks again to everyone for the help in putting together a plan. They didn't follow it exactly but that doesn't matter. At least they had a guide for the time they were there and didn't waste it wondering where to go and what to see.

I'm thrilled that he would like to return as I loved NYC and am very keen to spend more time there.

cathies, thanks so much for posting back! I'm impressed that he did as much as he did in this heat. I spent the Fourth on the beach in a sea of humanity. (Is that pushing the metaphor too far? LOL)

And I learned something from his comments! I didn't know that Mickey Mantle's is closed for renovations. IME, it's a good place to pop into to get out of the weather!

I hope he's having a good time in Cambridge, and a safe flight back. Looking forward to seeing your future post about you both coming to visit!