blh

We arrive in NYC on Friday night, June 1st. I am trying to figure out an itinerary so that we can see as much as possible. We have been to NYC several times - this will be her first trip. We have 4 l/2 days - Saturday until mid afternoon on Wednesday. We will be staying at the New York Helmsley on East 42nd St. Here is our tentative schedule:

Saturday
1) Hop on Hop off Bus - I've read all the comments on the web about this bus. I had thought it would be a good overview of the city (we did it on our first trip many years ago). However, there are many negative comments about wait times, etc. I am thinking we might just ride the bus around rather than hop off and have to wait a long time on another bus. Your thoughts?
2) Midtown walk - Grand Central Station, NY Public Library, Rockefeller Center, Bryant Park,
St. Patrick's, Chrysler, Bldg ....
3) Met - Saturday evening

Sunday
1) American Museum of Natural History
2) Central Park in the afternoon
3) The Plaza, American Girl Store, Dylan's Candy Store, FAO Schwartz, Serendipity's
(as time allows)

Monday
1) Battery Park - ferry to Ellis Island - tour - get tickets now for 9 am ferry
2) afternoon - see wall street - go to Chinatown/Little Italy or Southstreet Seaport as time allows
3) 911 Memorial - WTC - have 5:30 pm tickets - the earliest available on that day

Tuesday
1) Take subway to Brooklyn - walk back across bridge
2) South street seaport - if missed on Monday (or any other missed things downtown)
3)Greenwich Village
4) Musical - Mary Poppins - any advice on seating choices?

Wednesday
1) Sony Tech Lab
2) possibly United Nations
3) or anything else in Midtown that we missed
4) leave mid afternoon for LGA for flight home

I have a long list of possible places to eat - if you have suggestions for places that would be good with 12 yr old, that would be great. We are looking for moderately priced restaurants with menus that a 12 yr old would enjoy - pizza, italian, hamburgers, american food mostly. Thanks for any suggestions on the itinerary. I have tried to group things in the different areas. We will possibly get the 7 day subway pass even though we'll only be there 4 l/2 days.

HappyTrvlr

Saturday, reorder the sites for #2:Rock Center,cross the street to St. Pat's, walk south to Bryant Park. Grand Central is beautiful but to the east..Use the cross town subway shuttle to conserve energy.Sunday #3..this is a better order. American Girl, Plaza, FAO Schwartz,are all on Fifth Ave, then head east to Dylan's Candy Bar ( crowded on a weekend),and Serendipity's(expect a long line on a Sunday.)
From what I've heard, your granddaughter may be too old to enjoy the SONY Tech Lab.
Re: buses. You have to deal with a lot of traffic, especially going crosstown.
You have to realize that this is a very ambitious schedule.Hopefully, The American Museum of Natural History may take the whole day . Our grandkids all love MoMA and the Met. Make sure she sees the Temple of Dendur at the Met in the Egyptian gallery.
We have traveled extensivly with our grandchildren in cities and have learned that you can't do as much as you think you think you can. They need down time.

Elainee

The Met museum with Egypt and costume galleries favorite of my 12 yr old granddaughter. She loves MOMA because staff from there go to her school so she knows the art. Without that it might not be interesting.

nytraveler

I don;t remember seeing Top of the roc - if it's not there - it definitely should be.

I find Serendipity very expensive and not good food - you're just going for the atmosphere. If she likes song/dance go to Ellen's Stardust diner. Basic diner fare but the wait staff are resting B'way chorus boys and girls - so the entertainment is fun.

I guess 12 year olds vary a lot - mine would have been bored stiff by American Girl and looking for outdoor cafes in the village or SoHo chelsea to try to see "someone". Also looking for Indian, Thai, Asia fusion, Mexican, other exotics, etc (burgers and pizza were for little kids).

I wold also skip the Seaport and spend more time for trendy shopping (even if only window) in east and west village.

blh

Thanks so much for the suggestions. I will definitely put everything in better order. I have made note of the Egyptian gallery at the Met.

Thanks for mentioning Top of the Rock - I definitely plan to do that. One question - should I get the timed tickets on-line ahead?

I had Ellen's Stardust diner on my list - I think we will try to go there for dessert or maybe breakfast - the reviews of the food aren't great - but I know my granddaughter would think it was fun. She's not quite 12 - so still pretty young as far as food choices go. I think we would also just try to go to Serendipity for a frozen hot chocolate or dessert - I know the food is overpriced and not great. She has seen the movie and and wants to go there for something.

I had thought about brunch at Good Enough to Eat before the American Museum of NH on Sunday morning. I know it is a small place and there can be long lines. It doesn't open until 9:00 am on Sunday - the museum opens at 10:00 am. Does anyone know if there is a long line waiting when they open at 9:00?

I appreciate all the help - more suggestions?

laurie_ann

Rather than Ho Ho you might browse the available public bus routes around Manhattan and include them in your way to or from the other sights you want to see. Here's the link

http://www.mta.info/nyct/maps/manbus.pdf

Also I noticed you didn't have Times Square on your itinerary. At night, even if just a walk by when you go to see MP, is IMHO not to be missed.

SueNYC

If they are going to a show, they will see Times Square.

HappyTrvlr

Introduce her to dim sum and Shanghai soup dumplings, They are a must for all of my grandchildren when they visit NYC.

Aduchamp1

For dim sum-Jing Fong, Nom Wah, and Golden Unicorn.

For soup dumplings-Joe's Shanghai

And wherever you eat be sure to go to the Chinatown ice cream factory for store made ice cream.

And yes, the South Street Seaport is a waste of time and I think the UN tour is a bit boring and I am intersted in international events.

nyer

Good Enough to Eat is mostly popular with the brunch crowd, which in NYC means long lines from about 12 noon to 3 pm . I doubt there would be any wait at breakfast time 9am .

nytraveler

Agree - in NYC brunch starts at about noon - many places won't be open at 9 am - and is usually only on weekends.

blh

Thanks everyone for all the good suggestions. I think riding the city buses is a really good idea - and thanks for the link to the bus routes. Are there any bus routes that are particularly good for seeing some of the landmarks? I'm thinking we will pass on the HOHO bus.

Thanks for the dim sum suggestion and the restaurants - we will do that for sure - and the Chinese ice cream place too. That sounds like fun.

We will definately see Times Square - I agree - not to be missed! We will see it at night when we go to Mary Poppins, but will probably see it at least once during the daytime as well.

I think I left Empire State off the list, but we will definately see it - although we don't plan to go to the top. We're doing Top of the Rock instead.

Anything else I am overlooking? All suggestions are appreciated!

Aduchamp1

Sorry, I forgot to mention in the dim sum recommendations, that at Jing Fong and Golden Unicorn, women come around with carts and you point to what you want, as they speak little English. And at Golden Unicorn there is a ritual. You enter the lobby of a commercial building, go to a lecturn, tell them how many people and they will send you in the elevator to one of their floors.

nytraveler

Well if you take the Fifth Ave bus downtown starting at 96th St you will see a lot of Central Park, many of the major museums, upscale and midscale shopping, Rock Center and St Pat's. Get off at 42 St to visit the main branch (reference only)Library (great exhibits and a gorgeous reading room), Bryant Park and Grand Central station - with the stary sky and a bunch of placs to eat.

sf7307

My kids loved riding the bus down 5th Avenue when they were little.