Ok, let's approach this bit by bit. Other will chime in here!

Arrival--take a TAXI. The cost will be the same or less than supershuttle for 4 people

Walking back to hotel after show: absolutely. It is just 4 blocks, and the streets will be very busy (and safe) with all the other theatergoers mulling around

Saturday: I'd skip South Street Seaport.

The "museum" itself is probably not that interesting for moms/teens, and the shopping is not terribly exciting (standard mall stores and tourist junk)

4:00-4:30 PM United Nations tour
--you need to allow more time for this, IF you are interested.
Between getting through security, paying, getting tour started, figure another hour at least

Top of the Rock is only a few block from the hotel, so again you will be fine walking on busy streets back to your hotel

Yikes! I know some people like to tightly schedule their trips, but just seeing it scares me sometimes.

It is safer in NYC than most other places. There are always people around. I traveled there alone and had no problems. As with anything, just be aware of your surroundings and you'll be fine.

If you are going to do both, I would do TOTR during the day, and do Empire State Building later at night when it is less crowded.

Take the subway to Brooklyn, have pizza at Grimaldi's, maybe stroll the Promenade, then walk back across for the best views.

Also, you need more shopping time! Way more shopping time with 16-year-olds. Soho is great for this. Make sure they visit H&M also.

www.tripadvisor.com has a great forum dedicated soley to NYC, so check that site out as well. Lots of good info there from local experts and people who just love New York. Have fun!

As someone who went to NYC without much experience using taxis, we felt more comfortable with a car service from the airport (we used Carmel). We made it to the Belvedere within your time frame, but it was a Saturday so traffic may have been less.

Are you planning on using the Grey Line tour as your main transportation? You can't count on catching a bus whenever you want. They get caught up in traffic. We ended up taking taxis more than once because we got tired of waiting for a bus to show up.

Your times kind of scare me if you are planning on specific times for tours. For instance we had to wait for the Staten Island Ferry. I think you will find that you will feel much safer than you anticipate.

A few restaurants in the Times Square area that wioll not be over-touristy or (argHH!!) chain stores.


Becco - 355 w 46th st - 212-397-7597 (Maake a reservation)

Cafe Edison in the Edison Hotel - Very reaqsonable for the Times Sqaure area and an old-timer:
228 W 47th St
New York, NY
10036
Phone: (212) 840-5000

Le Madeleine -
403 West 43rd Street New York, NY 10036
(212) 246-2993

Don't expect to land at LAG when it says you will. I think you're cutting it close if you have to first get your luggage and then get to your hotel to be off again at 10:45.

As far as taking taxis - If you can walk it; do it. NY is a walking city. Consider less than 15 blocks not a problem.

BTW - You're close to Bryant Park at 6th Avenue between 42nd and 40th Streets. It's really lovely and a good place to just relax duirng a long day, and eat a snack. Very civilized.

ALSO - You will be floored by Times Square and the crowds there if you're coming from a town of 5,000 or, for that matter, almost anywhere else. Just know that all of us here in NYC don't live right there and it's crazy to us too!!

Have a blast. (Nix on the South Street Seaport.)

You are covering a lot of ground. Do you have any interest in museums?

A few thoughts:

1. For 4 people, take a taxi from LGA, which will be less expensive and quicker than Super Shuttle. Taxis charge by the taxi-load, while Super Shuttle charges by the person.

2. Skip the South Street Seaport Museum (not worth the effort to get there to see a very uninteresting museum) and skip Lincoln Center (not much to see if you're not attending ballet, philharmonic or opera)

3. What is the GS tour?

4. I would add one museum, even if for a few hours -- either the Met, MoMA or the American Museum of Natural History.

Agree with thit-cho - Museums are a must. They're not stodgy and there's so much in them, you can find what interests you.

First, relax. You can not and will not "see it all," and you can return.

New York is a city to walk, to explore, and to savor. Take your time and forget about the to-the-minute itinerary. Sure, you'll want to see some of the major sites, but otherwise, relax and enjoy your vacation.


(And, yes, just say "No" to the "super" shuttle.)

Thank you for all of your tips! You can't imagine how much help they are! Please send more!
We have no problem skipping Southstreet--it was just one of the attraction brochures we got in the mail.
Switching Empire to night time is a great idea to beat the crowds.
Times on the schedule are just for the benefit of mapping things out and we really didn't know how much time to allow for things either. If things run late we'll just shuffle stuff around or skip it.
We were using the tour bus package for two days plus the night tour as may means of transport. So thanks for the headsup about them not running exactly when you need them. We're having trouble picturing how far it is from one area to the next so just thought the bus tour would be the easiest way around to all the 'sites'.
I'll check to see how "into" the United Nations tour they are before we dedicate time to that one.
Any tips on things we've missed that would be more along the girls teenage interests?
It's the news from people that have been there/live there that we love hearing! Reading it on a brochure or looking it up on a map cannot compare to advice from you guys!
Thanks again! We REALLY appreciate it!

IMHO, your scheduled plans for Saturday and Sunday are much much too tight, not allowing enough time at or between each site. For instance, on Saturday you have yourself scheduled for a UN tour from 4:00-4:30, yet their web site says that the tours last 45 - 60 minutes.

I think you would regret relying on the Gray Line buses as a major transportation option between sites, especially given your time constraints. Try doing a search on these discussion boards for some insight into these buses. You might be better-off spending that money on taxis.

Relax. There is no reason to be nervous in NYC. It is a very safe big city (as long as you aren't completely careless). I think you have a good plan but you are cramming a lot in. Here are some suggestions so you can enjoy your time here.

Friday:
I think you have a good plan for this day.
Take a taxi from the airport to the hotel.
I would do whatever shopping you are interested in first (5th Ave, Madison, etc) You can always walk around Times Square after Lion King. It will be perfectly safe and probably still crowded.

Saturday:
Be prepared for lines to get back on the bus at the popular destinations.
I would walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, eat an early lunch at Grimaldi's, back across the bridge, walk down to Ground Zero (5-10 min walk, safe), then walk to the Staten Island Ferry (you will pass Trinity Church, Wall Street, and the bull). Like others have said I would omit South Street Seaport.
You should pick the UN tour or the NBC studio tour. You won't have enough time to do both and do them justice.

Sunday:
Given your limited time I would pick between the Empire State Bldg and Top of the Rock.
I would skip the ESB and go straight to Central Park. Wander around. Then do Lincoln Center (or the Met Musuem of Art or the Natural History Musuem or one of the tours you dropped from yesterday)

Monday:
You can see the ESB from GS Headquarters. Do they really have much to tour? It looks like every other office building. The rest of the day sounds fine.

I also think they would like shopping in Soho. Any interest in Greenwich Village or Washington Square Park? Fun places, crowded but a little more relaxed. I see you have an hour in Macy’s. I think it will take that long to find the right department! I’d skip that and find an H&M.

Times Square is a zoo and often a bit of a freak show! Dig your heels in and just enjoy. I was there 2 wks ago and even I stood on the corner a while to just watch the world go by.

Is GS Goldman Sachs? I thought they were at 85 Broad, near Wall Street -- did they move to midtown, like so many of the large i-banks.

Thanks HCart. Your advice is wonderful.
The GS tour is just so the girls can run in and get a patch and quick tour of the national headquarters since it's a GS trip.
We didn't add any museums because we are coming to NY from 4 days in DC and touring all the museums there. We were afraid the girls might be "museumed" out!
I can't wait to show them everyone's suggestions. I know they'll love the Brooklyn pizza idea!
Thanks kenav for your tips on Times Square places to eat, too!
You are all making this nervous nellie feel better already!
I see lots of suggestions of using taxis. Our town doesn't even have a taxi, so that's probably why we didn't consider that option. We'll definitely look at comparing those costs now. Dumb question I'm sure (please dont' laugh out loud!), but will 4 people and their week's worth of luggage (say 6 bags) all fit in one taxi? One person sits up front?

Oops, forgot to clarify--GS is for Girl Scouts. It's our national headquarters--so we gotta peek inside. As members we can sign up for a private tour of any of their departments and visit the GS shop.

dkopp9, don't be nervous, it's very safe here! You'll have a great time.

4 people in taxi will definitely be cheaper than shuttle. Last time I checked shuttle is $12 each and taxi from LGA to time sq shouldn't be more than $35, unless there is major traffic.

You're pushing real close for the 11am tour. LGA is a VERY busy airport. Even if arrival is on time a plane often has to wait for a gate to open after landing. plus luggage pick-up time and waiting in line for a taxi, you may not get in a taxi until 10:30am.

4 people plus lugguage should fit in a taxi no problem. If your suitcases really are huge there are always minivan size taxis. You don't have to go to a different line or anyhing to find one. Just go to the normal taxi line, let other people waiting behind you to get on the normal size taxis first, until a van size one comes around. You won't have to wait long for one.

I hope you have a great time!

I don't believe you are allowed to sit up front in a taxi - against regulations.

When you get on line at LAG for a taxi - they'll see what you have and probably give you a large taxi.

Taking taxis in Manhattan is OK, but once again, I say walk it if it's less than 15 blocks. Part of seeing NYC is seeing it! And walking the streets allows you to do this.

Be flexible - if weather is better on a day that wasn't set up to go across the Brooklyn Bridge, then do it on that good weather day anyway in case it rains the next. Also, spend time in Brooklyn, not just at Grimaldi's. The neighborhood around there is very interesting. Go to Jacques Torres' chocolate store (ask at Grimaldi's - they will probably be able to direct you there). Incredible chocolate and hot chocolate like you' ve never had before. Definitely not Nestles!

Also, go into Empire State Park also in this neighborhood ("DUMBO"). Fantastic vistas. A true NY neighborhood.

Four people and all your luggage should fit in a taxi. Maybe you'll have to keep a smaller bag on your lap--depends on the size of your bags. Definitely take taxis to and from LaGuardia.

As others have said, your Saturday is very packed with scheduled tours too close together timewise and not close together locationwise, so you'll have to make some choices.

As others have said, DO explore away from the busy midtown areas. Take a walk in the Village where you'll find quaint streets with shorter buildings and shopping that is not nationwide chains.

I highly recommend buying one of those laminated street maps of Manhattan. I have seen them by Silver Linings and Streetwise. I have bought them at Barnes and Noble. You'll be walking more than you think.

Also check out the Circle Line boat cruise. They have a Harbour Lights Cruise that is nice in the evening, especially from the top deck. You see the skyline, Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges during daylight, then they turn around and head back as the sun sets and the city lights all come on. Here are a couple photos I took from the Circle Line to give you and idea what you might see:

http://i.pbase.com/v3/29/292529/2/45920773.P7030046.jpg

http://i.pbase.com/v3/29/292529/2/45919917.SOLsunset5x7.jpg

PLUS, then you can cross the Staten Island Ferry off your list and have more time for other things during the day. Check for coupons in the free tourist publications you can find at the airport or your hotel.

Do not use a tour bus as transit. It simply won;t work - and is a complete waste of money. If you want to take a bus - just use the regular city buses - they cover the whole city and generally appear every 5 minutes or so during the day early evening.

But - for short distances walk. New York is a city that you must get out onto the streets to see things to really learn what the city is like. For longer distance transit either use a cab (not that much for 4 people) or the subway (cheap, safe and faster than anything else for longer distances).

Agree ot to schedule so many things. You will want time just to walk and explore, sit in a sidewalk cafe and have a drink or snack.

And it is Criminal to visit the city and not see at least a couple of the museums. Go to the web site of the Met to see what departments might interest you (pick just 2 or 3 - perhaps the Costume Institute or Impressionaist paintings or ???). And do try to do Ellis Island Immigration Museums - which is positively brilliant. It chronicles the lives of so many immigrants - and personifies what makes New York - and the US - the incredibly diverse place it is.

(IMHO diversity is one of the most important benefits of NYC over any small town - color, race, religion, nationality, gender oprientation and every sort of opinion on any topic. We have positively anything - and anyone - you can imagne. And leraning to understand and live with that is a great part of our strength as a nation.)

Just returned from trip with 2 teenage daughters. I don't think the Lincoln Center is worth the time, but that's JMHO. Wear good shoes with VERY good arch support or orthotics, not flats. Plan on walking a LOT, cause it's faster than taking cabs! We booked the NYC Party Shuttle tour from 10-#:30 and saw everything without worrying about driving, catching transportation, etc. The remaining time, we filled in the blanks with shopping, TOR, etc. I highly recommend this, plus the info they give and questions they answer are priceless. They give you 30 min for lunch at the South Port...next time, I'd bring my own lunch.

Sorry...meant to say, the tour is from 10-3:30. Highlight of our trip.

Another reco to get rid of the Super Shuttle. It's an awful service that will take you forever. Even if you've already paid for it, don't use it. Bad buses, drivers etc. Get a taxi to your hotel and make sure to get an official yellow cab from the taxi line. Do NOT accept a ride from anyone who approaches you. The taxi will be about $30-35 for up to 5 people. (another reason why Super Shuttle is not a good idea for your group) If you prefer a car service, I like limores.net

Walking to/from your hotel to theaters is absolutely fine. Just walk with a purpose. Yes taxis will carry 4 people but one has to sit up front with driver.

Maria Pia is a good Italian rest. not far from your hotel with a good prix fixe dinner. The girls will also like Film Center Cafe and Vinyl. Must have some good pizza. John's on west 44th st is one good one.

Menupages.com is a great website for searching for rest. by area and by cuisine.

Hopstop.com will help you navigate around Manhattan. If you plug in addresses, it gives you options for getting there including estimates taxi fare and walking time plus detailed walking instructions to subways.

Have a great time and RELAX.

As a mother of 3 daughters (23-15yrs), I can't tell you what a great trip this is going to be. I go to NYC with my dtrs 2-3x/yr. They love it! Where you are staying, walking to & from activities is fine at night. "It is the city that never sleeps," so you will be amazed at how many people are on the street walking out at night. The Lion King is a great show. People for the most part are friendly & helpful. You can always stop & ask for help. There also is a great deal of police officers on foot, as well as car & horse patrols. This always made me feel more comfortable, but note crime can happen in any town or city so take precautions not to take money out on the street or wear lots of gold jewelry and stay together. I think you might have underestimated your time from the airport to the hotel, and your time for check in, walking & dinner. It depends where you eat. You can wait an hour or more to be seated at certain restaurants or walk right in at others. Carmine's Italian Restaurant is great but allow alot of time to be seated or sit at the bar & have dinner much quicker. The portions are huge (family style)but you can eat reasonable there is you order 1-2 entrees & 1 appetizer & split it. You will still be stuffed. Hope you have a great time.

We literally just got back from a long weekend staying on Broadway, not our first trip but anyway:
You have way, way too much stuff planned. NYC is a crazy place, you may need to wait in lines for things, the people watching alone will take time (and its fun) so cut out about half of your list IMHO and relax. Yes, its safe on the main streets, just watch the obvious stuff like your bags as you would in any incredibly crowded place. Be careful around the street vendors as there are some shady types sometimes hovering around and some might be pickpockets. But overall, its fine. We walked about 7-8 blocks after an event on Monday night back to Time Square and never worried for a second.
Eating- you would have trouble NOT finding a place to eat, restaurants are every couple of feet. Some are even affordable. I hope you have lots of cash planned because this is a very expensive city. We commonly paid $2 for a cup of coffee in some places (not all) and a glass of wine ran about $10 in some places.
Definitely wear good shoes, the streets are brutal on your feet- trust me, I'm still feeling it as we are big walkers, aren't heavy people but I wore slightly ornamental shoes without the support of my walking sneakers- not a good idea.
Again, cut down your wishlist. You'll be very surprised at how tired you'll feel coping with the newness of such a big place coming from such a small one. Its very noisy, traffic is nuts, the signage alone will awe and surprise you- its a great fun place to visit but take it slow!

I agree with everyone who says - take your time! You'll love just walking around and people watching.

Just hit the highlights - Central Park, Rockefeller Center, Macy's, Metro Museum of Art, Times Square, Wall Street (maybe). Seriously - you'll be EXHAUSTED!

Use cabs. Only use the official yellow cabs. They will let you put a fourth person in the front. If the numbers light is on on top of the cab then it is available. (No point in trying to hail down an occupied cab.) Just stand at the curb and stick your arm up. ***Catch them on the one way street that is going in the direction you want to go!*** It saves you the money (and time) of going around the block in the cab. SAVE YOUR FEET if you're going longer distances.

You have NOT left enough time on Monday for your flight!!! You should BE AT the airport around noon-12:30 for your 2:00 flight - not just leaving the city. You really have no idea how much traffic there is and how busy the airport can be and what sorts of unforeseen things might happen!

You are going to have a blast.

NY is only really expensive (clothing and other articles, and restaurant)s in areas like Times Square that cater to tourists, as in any big city.

The restaurants I recommended in that area won't be so bad. I agree on the Film Center Cafe as well on 9th Avenue between 44th and 45th Streets. Think your 16 year olds will like it - funky and comfortable - and it's reasonable.

I realize you probably have a Macy's at home, but this one is huge (one whole square block, nine sales floors), and you won't even be able to try anything on in your one hour alloted time. I had a friend who was there recently that was totally entranced with the wood escalators on the upper floors. Sounds like she spent 30 mins just going up and down them! If you really want to shop, allow more time.

Thanks so much, kenav. Your suggestions are very much appreciated! Pizza and chocolate--that's speaking the girls' language!
And I had no idea taxis came in more than one size, so even that simple advice means a lot!!
I'll print all these off and narrow down our to-do list and highlight all the dining suggestions!

I'm so glad I stumbled across this website! Thanks to all of you!

Taxis may come in two sizes -- sedans & minivans -- but by law they only carry 4 passengers. (In sedans, the 4th passenger sits in the front seat next to the driver, as well as in some minivans.)

Another Girl Scout here, have to admit, I have my 25 year pin, and had been a leader for many years.

Just a thought would you like to meet up with a troop while you are here? The Greater New York Girl Scout Council is located on W 23rd ST and there are lots of troops in Manhattan.

Let me know and I can get you in touch with a Field Service Manager.

Have a great time while you are here.

flying into lga. you'll be late lga is always late. tack on a half hr. luggage retrieval is slow too. sorry its true!!!! I'd bet you arrive closer to noon (say 1140ish) by the time you get the bags and the girls in a cab and into town. But some might call me a pessimist.

Remember the girls will be overwhlemed! I've lived in the city for 6 yrs now and sometimes I do!!

Ok Friday- Times sq is a good option but I'd do 5th ave instead- it wont be as crowded as it wil lon Sat. H&M is on 51st and 5th... right across from St Patricks Cathedral. Theres also great shopping around there too... You can meander back to your hotel in time to change (if you want) and go to dinner etc and then the play. Times Sq at night is the best. It will DEFINITELY be packed ona Friday night and there will be tons of people (and police) around. Remember nyc is the safest big city- you'll be fine... jsut don't dangle your purse in the wind and you'll be ok. walking will be fine.

sat- take the subway!!! I know this sounds nuts but if you take the N,R from your hotel (and yes its close! it's on 49th and broaway) downtown to city hall. You'll get out and be at the bridge. I know you wont see much- but no trip is complete without a subway tour. The bus will take forever. agree w the top of the rock at night- did you make reservations??

nix the UN tour- I think NBC is more interesting for teenagers. I would def sneak in the park- its amazing to see such a huge mass of green in the middle of the city- and its a nice break. world trade center. walk to the water- there are a few restaurans there and its pretty. right near the site is mainly business lunch places.


before i forget. if i had 2 pm flight to LGA and I was staying where you are staying I would leave at 1115 latest. Figure by the time you get a cab (always aim fo rthe worst)and get to lga it will be 12 at the earliest- cross town during the day is a bitch. excuse my french. LGA can be a disaster at any moment... so maybe 1130. But not 12. You will be anxious and nervous.

If you or your daughters are interested in business (I was as a kid!!) I would say leave early on Monday am and see the rush of Wall Street. All the men in suits racing around I though twas great. But thats JMHO.

Theres another restaurant Eatery by your hotel (53rd st) we used to eat there a lot. The food is good and its a trendyish cool place. 9th avenue is exploding with restaurants so I would chk that out if you're around.

HAVE FUN!!

> I don't believe you are allowed to sit up front in a taxi - against regulations.

Except for children, sitting up front is definitely allowed.

> Be careful around the street vendors as there are some shady types sometimes hovering around and some might be pickpockets.

I want to comment on this because what I love about my city is that there is room here for all kinds. Some people look clean cut and some don't, and it often has little to do with whether they are upstanding citizens or not. I'm a partner at my firm but I probably look like a bag lady on my days off. The poster's intention is absolutely right – be alert. But dkopp9 will likely see a lot of people that she's not used to here, and she has already said she's nervous. So I just want to reassure her that just b/c someone looks less put together doesn't make them shady or a pickpoctet. In fact I don't think there's a pickpocket problem in nyc.

Sorry - regular cabs hold 4 adult passengers (1 up front with the driver). The vans can hold 5 adult passengers.

As for getting to the airport - if your flight is 2:10 I would be at the airport no later than 12:30 - at the latest - meaning you need to leave the city at 11:30. If you leave later you may make the flight - but all it takes is an accident or some roadworks and the drive is 30 minutes longer. And a hold -up in the security line can make it take an hour.

Better early - than agitated and running for the plane.

And to give you some perspective the official population of NYC is 8 million - more than 9 if you include the illegal immigrants. But the greater metro area (suburbs from which people commute to work in the city) is about 20 million people.

The new york city school system has more than 1.1 million students - and some high schools have ore than 5,000.

In fact, about 5,000 people live on my block (we have several highrises) - which is not rare in Manhattan.

travelbuff,
Hi! I've only got my 15 year pin, but I have another troop with my ten year old to get through the program so I may get to that 25 year mark, too!
I'll ask my girls if they want to meet up with another troop. I'd love to, but it's their trip so I'll check--plus we are pushing it time-wise.
Have you toured the GS headquarters? Do they have a shop there like they do in the council headquarters?
Thanks for your post!!

I will agree with others that your schedule is way too tight. Part of the fun of New York is just walking through the different neighborhoods without rushing.

I stay at the Belvedere when I come to NYC. On 9th street (go out of the lobby, go right until the end of the block) there are many smaller restaurants that are reasonably priced. You can just walk by and check out the menus.

Definitely take the girls to H&M. They have several locations but my daughters really like the one on 5th Ave across from St. Patricks. You have down plenty of time on Friday to go to H&M. Although you will get to your hotel probably later than you listed, I don't think you need all the time allotted to walk around Times Square. I am sure you will want to get some lunch and of course just soak in the Times Square environment. Once you have down this you can head over to 5th Ave to H&M and this will get you out of some of the crush of Times Square.

As others have suggested, try using the subway especially to Downtown. Besides the N, R mentioned at the 49th & Broadway, there is a smaller subway station at 50th & 8th which is just around the corner from the Belvedere. You can take the C,E right down to the WTC location. If you are worried about using the subway line, this is a good station to use because it is not that crowded and it's close to the hotel. Just remember that not that many lines go into the 50th street station.

The day I took my younger daughter downtown, we did the Staten Island Fery, walked over the WTC and then started walking Uptown going through Chinatown, Soho, the Village. My daughter really liked this part of time. She was 17 at the time. Finally when we couldn't walk any futher, we took a taxi the rest of the way home. Of course you would also have to fit the Brooklyn Bridge in that day-lots of walking!!

Have a wonderful trip. I know you will all have a wonderful time.

my typing is not too good tonight. Meant to say "my daughter really liked this part of town".

Just to reiterate the leaving early for your flight. My parents were in NYC last year and missed their international flight home because they didn't listen to me telling them to leave earlier than they had booked the car service.

I was also a GS leader for a year. I think it's great that your girls are getting this experience.

I'm going to NYC for my first real trip this weekend, so I can't really give any decent advice right now. But I will post my trip report when I get back. But you are definitely getting some of the best advice and everyone on this board is so keen to help out other travelers.

I can also agree with everyone that says you'll probably feel a lot safer in NYC than other big cities.

Just on the museum question - the Natural History Museum is the one that the recent movie "A Night at the Museum" is based on so the girls might enjoy that. Maybe skip the Natural History in DC and do it in NYC instead. I live near DC so when my parents were here last year they did both and enjoyed them both, so it might be an option.

Good Luck with your planning and have fun.

Yes National has quite a nice shop and they sell EVERYTHING Girl Scout so the kids will have a fun time seeing the new uniforms and everything else and probably find things they will want to bring home. Also if any are going to camp this summer, they have camp uniforms as well.

National is located in a large building on 5th Ave very close to Lord and Taylor and a couple of blocks away from Macy's and the Empire State Building. Also a favorite place to shop for them will be Conway which is on 35th and Broadway. Conway is a GREAT place for tee shirts, jeans, shorts, summer stuff. There's also an Old Navy and an H&M all in the Herald Square area.

Just a fun side note. I took my troop camping one night up on the 86th floor at the Empire State Building. That was so much fun. Not well known but the Empire State allows 1 group a year to camp there for a night, maybe on your next trip.

Your trip sounds like lots of fun. My first visit to NYC as a college student change my entire view of the world! I was visiting from a much smaller town, too.

One poster mentioned nixing the UN for more time at NYC...that makes me a little sad! It's sort of apples and oranges, but I will allow that perhaps teens might not see it that way.

Also, I find it curious that only one person has mentioned the subway...a main stay of our own trip...we were poor college students, after all. Some of our fondest memories were of subway-related incidents!! You should at least give it a try.

If you can only pick one of the main museums, go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I think going to NYC and not going here would be like visiting Paris and skipping the Louvre! It is huge, though, I could spend an hour in the gift shop alone!

Well, you've gotten so much advice that I don't expect you to be able to take it all, but I do wish you a good trip. I hope it will be as magical for you as it was for me.

One other little thing...the folks are right about there being literally thousands of people around 24-7. When I got back home, the first thought I had was "where are all the people?" My town looked like it might as well be the dark side of the moon. It was weird.

If I can be of any help to you while you are here, please let me know.

Lots of great advice you've already been given....

Regarding Central Park-the Belvedere Castle doesn't need to be toured. It'll take about 10 minutes if you actually go inside. But I would recommend going to it. The view is great - you can look out over the Great Lawn (you'll see the Met to your a little north and to your right)and the Delacorte Theater. You can do it on your way to or from the Met. When I have friends visiting, I always include this as part of the walk I take them on through Central Park. Make sure you walk through the Shakespeare Garden on your way up or down.

Here's a thought for you- if you are going to do Top of the Rock- you might also be interested in a backstage tour of Radio City Music Hall. The theater is amazing, they'll even take you up to the rehearsal halls. And your girls might get a kick out of meeting a Rockette. Then you can go shopping at H&M at 5th and 51st...

If you are down in the Wall Street area/visiting the WTC, and you want to do some shopping- I suggest Century 21- huge discount department store.

The Belvedere is a nice hotel and a great location. There are lots of great restaurants on 9th avenue and McClaurie's suggestions for Film Center and Vinyl are perfect. If you are going to eat in Times Square- John's Pizzeria is another great suggestion. Cafe Edison is nicknamed "The Polish Tea Room"- a joke and a nod to the working or non-working actor who couldn't afford to eat at the Russian Tea Room.

And yes to Jaques Torres! If you don't make it to Brooklyn, there is another one in Manhattan on Hudson Street (by subway, take the 1/9 to Varick Street).

Taxi to the city. then do the Gret Line tour once...sit up top. then ride the subway from TS down to the Bowery. After you have done the "rides".....walk, walk, walk. NYC, cross the Brooklyn bridge, the whole Manhattan experience is walk, walk, walk. Turn off the clock and the tight schedule. Loosen it up a bit. So-Ho is great for shopping. G Village is a must to just walk and get lost. Look at the architecture everywhere. Look at the people everywhere. I loved the previous comment that is literally true...you can sit on a corner and people watch all day long! It is wonderful. You will find that NYC is safe and people are simply living their lives like the rest of us. Sure, stay out of dark alleys at night. be you do that in your town as well! Have a long lunch at Bryant Park at the NYC Library. You all are going to have such wide eyes I wish I was going with you and watching your faces. It will be worht a million dollars!!!!!

You can save some money on Broadway shows by buying discount tickets at Broadwaybox.com

I forgot a MUST your kids will love in the village on 2nd Ave just south of St. Mark's Place is Pom Fritte, which makes the BEST fries and lots of interesting sauces with them. They will also enjoy walking that area of the village, lots of college age in that area (NYU, Copper Union).

Let us know if you have any other questions.