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Old Mar 25th, 2011, 06:21 AM
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One Day in NYC - suggestions

We have one day in NYC to do the American Girl Doll experience but would also like to see the Statue of Liberty - even if it is just by boat/cruise. what is the best way to do this in April? or any other must-do things when you have a short amount of time in the city? thanks!!
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Old Mar 25th, 2011, 06:24 AM
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I've heard taking the Staten Island Ferry will give you a good view. It's free also.
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Old Mar 25th, 2011, 06:37 AM
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The SI ferry is cheapest but imo not the best way to see the Statue. You're a distance away and would have to go down to the southern end of Manhattan. If you're in midtown for American Girl, it might be easier to take some sort of cruise from midtown. Both Circle Line and NYwaterway.com do cruises from midtown on the west side. NYwaterway also has a free shuttle bus that picks up for free to get you to their pier. Look for the route on their website. NYwatertaxi.com does a Statue of Liberty Express from the South St. Seaport. You might also look on goldstar.com to see if they have any discounts for cruises on the date you're here.

Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center is almost directly across from American Girl and worth doing for a bird's eye view of the city.
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Old Mar 25th, 2011, 07:30 AM
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It's probably impossible to do both American Girl Place as well as a real tour of the Statue of Liberty, but here's my opinion of the only way possible.

You take the earliest departure for Statue of Liberty (no later than the 8:30 am ferry, which is likely sold out by now). You dash around, don't go to the top (though you could get a pass to do the museum and base if they are still available, which is unlikely). All reserved tickets to the Statue in April may already be sold out, so this may not happen at all. If you can't get a reservation, then the stand-by line will be too long, and you'll have to limit yourself to the Staten Island Ferry.

If you can get a ticket at all at this late date, then spend no more than 30 minutes at Liberty Island. Jump on the next possible ferry, arriving and staying until 11 or 11:30am at Ellis Island, which is by far the more illuminating parts of the Statue experience. Rush to American Girl Place for a late lunch. Then you have time to either catch your breath or take a look at one more thing in NYC, namely Top of the Rock.

This is an ambitious and probably punishing day, but I think it is, at least, physically possible if you do indeed have one full and complete day in Manhattan. If you aren't spending the previous night in Manhattan, then I don't think this is possible. But you could still do a float by of the Statue on the Staten Island Ferry.
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Old Mar 25th, 2011, 07:41 AM
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Since American Girl is in mid-town, I would take the opportunity for a very interesting walk to the southern end of Central Park, Rockefeller Center (home of the Christmas tree), and the Times Square theater district.

Then, from Times Square, I would take the R train to Battery Park and walk to the ticket office for the Statue of Liberty. The statue is an amazing experience up close even if you can't get access to the interior staircase. A visit to Ellis Island would also be an eye-opener for an American girl.

HTTY
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Old Mar 25th, 2011, 09:43 AM
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To try to buy a ticket to the SoL ferry (Statue ticket themselves are long gone) as a walk up would probably involved a couple of hours of waiting. If you want to try this go to the web site now and buy advance tickets. If there are none left agree you wil have to see the statue froma distance - either from the free Statne Island ferry (about an hour for a roundtrip to SI and the ferry runs every 20 minutes or so) or buy one of the Circle line cruises of the harbor.
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Old Apr 1st, 2011, 11:44 AM
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We are debating doing a one-hour cruise by the Statue of Liberty on NY Watertaxi or the 2-hour cruise on Circle Line Cruises.

Since most of our day centers around Mid-town - I am thinking it would be better to do the Circle Line cruise because they have a pier at 42nd and 12th Ave...this would be closer than going to South Street Seaport -

any advice on one versus the other?

Thank you!!
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Old Apr 1st, 2011, 02:09 PM
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You might also check the nywaterway.com cruise which leaves from midtown too and covers in 90 mins. what the Circle Line does in 2 hrs.

I would also say while the Seaport is not in midtown, it's on the east side, the same as American Girl. In a taxi, it wouldn't take much longer to get there vs. making it crosstown to the midtown pier. Traveling north/south is always easier than traveling crosstown. What time do you anticipate doing this and what day of the week? From where do you leave the city?
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