mmmooommm

8 nights in manhattan with teen boys, mom's 50th birthday! staying at 57/6th if any favorite spots in area?

day one tues 6/29/10 - Upper West Side...AMNH, lunch at Kefi (greek and inexpensive-ish) on columbus between 84 and 85, walk/see Dakota, shops, etc. dinner?? W. 79th Street Boathouse (?) for waterview ...anything 'special' in area??
may try to get tickets (in advance or any shot of day of?) for Billy Elliot.

day two wed 6/30/10 - Central Park, rent bicycles and explore, lunch at Boathouse. Evening...ESB (i will buy the speed through tickets) for evening view and dinner SOMEWHERE in area of ESB or hotel (57 at 6th)...he wants REALLY GOOD PIZZA!! Lazzaro's pizza on 38th?? don't need a fancy place, but don't want a dive, any rec's for pizza in either area?

day three thurs 7/1 - Chinatown/Canal Street/Little Italy...want to do a good dim sum and have been recommended to Joe's Shanghai and Jing Star (Manhattan Bridge Underpass), shopping on canal street. Don't know how long we will want to stay down there or where we might wander upon, so no plans rest of day....ideas??

day four friday 7/2 - mom's birthday, Chelsea Market and lunch in area, and High Line Area...any favorite spots in here?? Wicked in evening, any restaurant pics that aren't a madhouse (doesn't have to be elegant, but it is a big birthday, so ideas near hotel or theatre would be appreciated!! )

day five Sat 7/3 - Upper East side, Met. Nothing else really 'set' here, open for lunch and early dinner.

day six Sun 7/4 - explore midtown area, rock center observation deck (will buy tickets ahead of time) Grand Central Station, shopping in 57/5th areas...no lunch or dinner plans yet! and don't want to fight crowds too hard for evening fireworks I assume around SOL, but hear you can see them from any west side /theatre area sight?? ideas??

day seven Mon 7/5 - Circle Line (buy in advance) 2 hour (i hear don't do the 3 hour one??) and Intrepid Aircraft Carrier, lunch and dinner spots...Landmark Tavern (46/11) and Sullivan Street Bakery (w. 47th)

day eight Tues 7/6 - evening flight, so all day is open to do whatever


some things that might be added are WTC site (i know it is just construction, but it has got to make an impact!), Battery Park (but seeing SOL on cirle line cruise so not essential), Greenwich Village? (never been), do i 'need' to go to brooklyn or somewhere?, South Street area just seems touristy and no real interest here?, i guess downtown neighborhoods seem interesting, good food area?? combined with good people watching and not TOO radical!!!

Thanks so much, I am trying to plan as much as i can, and to have an idea of where to eat and find a good meal at a reasonable price?

ellenem

The fireworks will be on the Hudson River in midtown, best viewing between 23rd St and 59th St—you won't see anything downtown by the Statue of Liberty.

http://www1.macys.com/campaign/sitel...ks/viewing.jsp

Yes, do explore Greenwich Village. Your teen boys should enjoy the East Village as well.

ellenem

(Yes, I know I provided a link to 2009, but the barges will be in the same location this year.)

travelbuff

Sounds like you are going to be very busy and have a great time based on your schedules.

On Billy Elliott, I don't think you have a chance at all of tickets the day of, so if you want to see it get them in advance. That show is still selling out, so little chance of discount tickets. Check the tkts website just before you leave home for shows that are on the board so you have some ideas of what has been and probably will be available.

If you are going to go to Chinatown, get your theatre tickets at the TKTS booth down at the South Street Seaport. I think it opens at 10am and the lines are usually very short, alot shorter than the 47th St booth. You can also get mantinee tickets there as well. So get the tickets, visit the seaport and then walk up Water St to Chinatown. Mott St will be right in front of you as you get to the square. There are several good dim sum spots in Chinatown, my favorite is Mandarin Court on Mott St. If you want really good Chinese food not Dim Sum go to Peking Duck House also on Mott and of course order the Peking Duck, (ok, now I want some, lol).

From there walk up Mott St to Canal and explore some of the shops along the way, mostly touristy.

YOu are close to Little Italy and you will see the street on your right, so find a great place for some pasteries, and I promise it won't be hard. All the restaurants on the street have cafe seating.

From there you can walk over and up Broadway for more shopping, a recommendation is Pearl River and for good bargins on clothing Daffy's

I didn't see a ferry ride on your list, so you might add a ride on the Staten Island Ferry which is a really great way to see the lights of the city in the evening and a beautiful view of the Statue of Liberty.

The fireworks on the 4th will be spectacular, they are every year. They are shot from 3 barges in the Hudson River from 14th to 59th ST, so best viewing is around 42nd imho. Also if you have a radio, bring it along there is a simulcast radio broadcast with music and celebrity appearances along with the fireworks. Macy's really goes all out each year on this event.

You might pick up a Zagat guide when you get here, so you have a handy list of restaurants whereever you are in the city. I find it so helpful.

One tip about Chelsea Market, is try the Lobster roll at the Lobster stall. Not cheap but amazing.

For the kids 2 stops they will love, Pomme Fritte for the BEST FRIES,,,,,,,ever!!! It's in the east village on 2nd AVe just south of St. Marks place, just ask anyone on the street for directions in the area. The kids will also love St. Marks place.

And lastly one of my favorites is Veniero's for the best pasteries. It's on 2nd and 11th St.

If you want to see a "neighborhood", my area is hosting a street fair on Saturday July 3 uptown on 145th St, and Broadway, there's be great food, lots of interesting vendors and people watching. This area also has some of the really beautiful brownstones in the city, and some national landmark streets, and historic homes. The street fair is from 11am to 6pm, so let me know if that sounds like fun and I can make some time to show you around.


Ok, that's my list have a great time and I know you will get lots more suggestions.

kenav

Do walk in the East Village - 2nd and East of that. Also, the very west part of the Village. (West of 7th Avenue)

Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge, in my opinion, is one of the best ways to see the skyline and get a sense of how big the BB really is. AND it's fun and relaxing. It also leaves you in Brooklyn Heights which is a great 19th century neighborhood. Don't do the pizza tourist thing there, though.

mmmooommm

great ideas!! still hunting for the perfect place to take my 15 year old son for 'the best pizza' in town (convenient to 57 at 6th or ESB area on his birthday...wouldn't mind getting to times square area if that could answer a restaurant, as he wants to see that and it might provide some restaurant tips, and the theatre area i presume is shorter waits after the shows have started at what, 8??

also, my upper east side MET day is a bit blank, don't think we would do the museum for much more than 3 hours, so we have time up that way, if anything comes across your mind? i went, years ago, to Il Vagabondo...is it still good? thought it might be a place the kids would enjoy.

also, am i fooling myself, or is the bike rental and CP a good idea, we are all fit, and not looking to do anything heroic, just seemed like a fun thing.

Aduchamp1

Travelbuff

My friend with the gallery is interested in particapating in the Street Fair as is her msuician friends. How should they contact you?

SueNYC

Make detours for pianos while you are here.
http://www.streetpianos.com/nyc2010/ One will be by the Met.

Do NOT rent bikes to visit the Park Walk Walk Walk. More of a pain than a fun thing in the park as you should not leave the paved roads with bikes in the Park.

mmmooommm

hmmm, thanks sue, just seems you could cover so much more territory, but i appreciate that thought, as i haven't done it and could see 'just one more thing to keep up with'

bachslunch

Your itinerary looks very good, and very realistically put together. Feel free to do some guidebook searching to see if there are other attractions in the areas you'll be in (for example, there are several museums near the Met in the "Museum Mile" area of varying kinds, some of which may appeal to you) -- you've certainly got some openings in your itinerary should you wish to add in some things. A search on this board may also yield some ideas.

The best option for worthy pizza anywhere near the ESB area will likely be the outpost of John's in Times Square, unless you decide to hop the subway down into Little Italy and go to Lombardi's. I've been to both and preferred the pizza at John's, though.

Note well that except for Lombardi's and some of the espresso-and-cannoli places, the food options in Little Italy are considered to be tourist traps, best avoided altogether. Fun to walk around and look of course, but eat Italian cuisine elsewhere, preferably in the Arthur Avenue area of the Bronx.

Aduchamp1

One other thought about bike rentals in Central Park. Between the hordes of people and the serious, and I mean scowling, bike riders, joggers, skateboarders it is not just a walk in the park.

bachslunch

I don't agree with the idea that one should "not do the pizza tourist thing" in Brooklyn. Grimaldi's is located there not far from that borough's terminus of the Brooklyn Bridge, and I greatly liked the pizza I had there -- though the place does have its detractors on this forum. It can get crowded though, to the point where there's a line waiting outside for a table.

Also have not been to DiFara's, which is also in Brooklyn though not in this part of the borough. It's another place considered to be first-rate.

NCPat

Definitely walk the Brooklyn Bridge.

travelbuff

For Pizza not far from Times Square just off 8th Ave is John's Pizza and one of the best in the city, not cheap but GOOD. It's in a church that has been recycled into the restaurant, how's that for kid friendly, lol.

Oh and one other suggestion for eating is Ellen's Stardust on Broadway, all the severs are broadway wantabe performers so you get to hear some really good voices and if your kids are hams as well, they might get asked to get up and sing too.


Aduchamp.

I will stop by the gallery to talk to your friend and give her details of the fair. I'm sure we can work out something. She can also reach me at [email protected]

We are putting finishing touches to the fair at a meeting tomorrow night so I should have a few updates the next couple of days.

Aduchamp1

Thank you.

Her gallery is not always open, so I will forward your e-mail address to her.

Thank you.

nytraveler

Riding a bike in the park is a mixed blessing. Great for exercise but not for seenig the park since you MUST stay nthe few paved car roads. Most of the paths are for pedestrians only - and you need to use them to see much - and if a cop sees you riding a bike on one you could end up with an expensive ticekts.
In the park you could consider the small zoo. Also consider the Museum of Natural History or the nearby New York Historical Society - whcih always has great exhibits.

mmmooommm

i think y'all are right! i'll skip the bike and just do areas of the park that are near where i am that day, it'll be a good way to break up the day. thanks, also, checking out sailing schooners for seeing SOL etc. (not getting out, just sailing by!) any tips, these sound AWESOME!!

mmmooommm

looking at my chelsea market day, do you think it is feasable to migrate from chelsea, through meat packing district into greenwich village in a day and have enough steam to make it through Wicked that night? What do ya do in GW? ideas?? thanks,

Aduchamp1

Those neighborhoods flow into one an other. The charms of the Greenwich Village are a combination of the residential architrcture, stores, and the circus that is Washington Square Park.

azzure

Your Chinatown day might be a good day to add the Tenement Museum...it's nearby and well worth seeing.

BTW, if no one has mentioned it, it is likely to be steamy-hot in Manhattan that time of year...I would plan to spend as much time in air-conditioning as possible.

Also, I don't think there's any reason to do the ESB if you're also planning to do Top of the Rock.