solotraveler75

Hello,

Am originally from Asia and will be travelling on business trip next month.
I want to extend my stay to explore and experience what NYC .

Basically, i need recomendation
1. Accomodation
2. Things to do (aim to watch Musical Show)
3. Other suggestion pls...

Appreciate all your suggestion. Thanks in advance.



Solotraveller.

nytraveler

First of all you need to know that Jan in NYC can be expected to be cold and possibly snowy (average high in the upper 30s and average low about 25, but you can get temps below zero F, with snow on about 25% of days) - so be sure you have appropriate clothing for the weather. NYC is not in the snow belt so most snows will be only a couple of inches - but a coupe of feet is also possible although rare. So be sure you have a warn coat, hat, gloves,scarf and non-skid boots.

As to where to stay you really need to provide a nightly budget in $, but Jan is usually the cheapest time of year here. Also let us know what you are expecting: cheap and cheerful, moderate, business type, etc.

What to do depends on your interests and the weather - some day you will want to stay inside.

Major sights:

Met Museum of Art
Top of the Rock
Staten Island ferry (free, with views of Statue of Liberty) takes about 1.5 hours to go back and forth across the harbor (also great views of the skyscrapers i lower Manhattan)
Central Park (if you get good weather - or want to try ice skating)
Grand Central Station
Museum of Natural History (if you have any interest - we love it)

And there are dozens of others. If you tell us of any special interests people can make specific recos.

For tickets to show go to broadwaybox.com to see which shows are offering discounts. Go to playbill.com to get info on all of the shows currently playing. But tickets now to get beter prices and choice of seats.

Gwendolynn

There is currently a wonderful production of The King and I at the Vivian Beaumont Theater at Lincoln Center. Musicals don't get much better!

solotraveler75

Dear NYTraveler,

Thank you for your response.
As you mentioned the weather, Thank you for highlighting this will be a challenging considering am coming from a tropical country...I will make sure all needed dress/jacket i have to keep me warm...

For accomodation - am looking somewhere near/walking distance to tourist place , not so expensive,

I just want to make most out of my first NYC trip . As much as possible what i should not miss when visiting NYC.
Top of my list is to watch Broadway Musical show, have a selfie with a backdrop of Statue of Liberty.

See and have a feel of Grand Central Station and Central Park which mostly i seen only in movies.

I welcome suggestion if you have. With 3 days in NYC.

Really excited. THanks again.

solotraveler75

Thanks Sarahava123.
Thanks Gwendolynn, i see if i can book to watch King and I.

nytraveler

There are tourists sights all over Manhattan and on island in the harbor - as well as some sights in outer boroughs - so an area at least a couple of miles wide and more than 9 or 10 miles long. IMHO what is important is being close to a subway, since you will be using it a lot.

"Not so expensive" can mean very different things to many people. Do you want to cheap and cheerful - try for $150. Or something a little more moderate - $250? Or are you looking for a business property? Or more upscale? You need to give a specific amount in $.

Anax44

A hotel in downtown Manhattan will be closest to everything but also the most expensive.

Definitely visit The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art! Top of the Rock is pretty good too. This is more suited for summer, but here's a guide to spending 3 days in New York City; http://cestlavibe.com/how-to-spend-t...new-york-city/

solotraveler75

Hello NYtraveler,

Thank you.

Am just looking for a decent/accessible place to spend my 3days in NYC. Am looking a budget US$200-400 for this 3days... Do you think this will do? Sorry consider me really a newbie on this trip so every small detail of suggestion and recomendation is a big help.

I have my air ticket booked. Now busy searching for accomodation ..

Thanks again.

solotraveler75

Thanks Anax44, i let check them out. Cheers!

starrs

"US$200-400 for this 3days"
Is that per night? If so, that's a good budget.
Is that for 3 nights? If so, there's no way.

nytraveler

$400 for 3 nights will b difficult. I know January is low season but $100 per night is not a price in NYC.

Often the Jane hotel is the cheapest real hotel in town - but the rooms are minute and most have shared baths. Do not look at the very cheapest hotels, since they are typically not actual hotels - but really single room occupancy shelters for the homeless - even though they have changed their name. If you look at reviews on tripadvisor you will see those reviewed as unclean, unsafe and with patrons that are not tourists.

A quick look at the Jane for random dates in January shows rooms at about $120 per night, which includes the 18% hotel tax.

The Newton Hotel on the upper west side is a reliable budget property that seems to have options with private bath for less than $400 for 3 nights - but it depends on your specific dates. This is a mid/upscale neighborhood with good subway access and many inexpensive/moderate restaurants of every possible ethnicity.

I would check the web sites and reserve now if you are interested since prices can go up at any time - or they can easily sell out.

sf7307

If you're willing to go the "anonymous hotel" route, Hotwire has very good deals for NY hotels in January (I randomly searched January 14-16, and there are several choices for around $100 per night (plus taxes of course, which can add up to a lot in NY - $30 extra per night in this case).

nytraveler

You just need to make sure that you are not getting one of the fake hotels - which is really being used for housing the homeless. If you look at the discount sites you will see that many of the cheapest "hotels" are not really for tourists.

nytraveler

Sorry - be aware that most prices quoted do not include tax - which is 18% in NYC.

sf7307

That is not true of Hotwire - I have used it many times and have gotten hotels such as the Westin Times Square, W Lexington Avenue, Hilton, Sheraton, etc.

nytraveler

Not sure if the fake hotels are listed on hotwire or not. They are listed on some of the discount web sites - and are usually the few 10 or 15 cheapest choices.

Also be sure about location. Some hotels say the by are 2 miles from Times Square- but they're in Jersey - they ignore the fact that the Hudson river is in between (measuring as the bird flies - not as transit runs).

solotraveler75

Thanks to all your reply... After 2days of searching accomodation had my reservation made in Hilton Garden Inn Times Square ... I chosen this base on its location and good feedback.... Bit adjustment to my budget though but what the heck its my first time in NYC and a bit of indulge is not bad...

Question
1. Is there any public transport/bus from JFK Airport to this hotel?
2. If none, is getting taxi ok/safe? any taxi company can suggest? How much usually rate from JFK to this hotel area?
3. Any other alternative/suggestion?

Thanks again in advance.


solotraveler.

steve1526

You can take the AirTrain from JFK into Manhattan or a bus ($16) that runs every 30 minutes to Grand Central Station and Penn Station (a walk or quick cab ride to your hotel www.NYCAirporter.com (718) 777-5111. Both very managebale. Yellow cabs are the regulated form of transportations. You can get a taxi cab in Manhattan by "hailing" it with a wave of you arm if you see the light on the room lit (light on roof off means it is occupied). There is also Uber and livery cabs and limousines or town cars but these are not regulated in the same way as taxi cabs. You can also walk in good weather. NY is among the most walkable cities in the world and that's how you really get to soak in the different neighborhoods and people watch. Always the best part of being in NYC besides the food and culture.

nytraveler

The only hotels with shuttles are those AT the airport. Manhattan hotels do not have shuttles. To get near Times Square you can take a large Airporter bus to the Port Authority (42 ST on west side - I think $18) and walk, or look into taking the subway if you don't mind hauling your luggage up and down stairs and along long corridors. Airtrain to subway will cost about $8, but can take a very long time and can be mobbed if you are near rush hour (this is a regular commuter subway and you MUST hang into your luggage).

Do NOT take the super shuttle - they are very unreliable and often can drive you around for more than an hour dropping people at various hotels. Also have done the same on the way back to the airport and made people miss flights.

Taxi from JFK to Manhattan is a fixed rate of $52 plus bridge toll and tip (20%) for a total of about $70. There is a single official taxi line at each airport terminal run be a dispatcher, they are all bright yellow and they are safe. Company makes no difference. Any one else who offers you a ride is a scammer and you should NOT take them. If you prefer, going back to the airport you can organize a car service - try Carmel or Dial 7 - so you have a fixed rate rather than a running meter. With online coupons the fare is a few $ less - and you don;t have to search the streets for a cab (NYC cabs do not respond to phone calls).

sf7307

Just to clarify - the cheapest option is Airtrain and subway (Airtrain itself doesn't go into Manhattan). You can also take Airtrain and then the Long Island Railroad (commuter rail). Either way you have to take the Airtrain to the train station and then change trains. It's very doable if you just have a small rolling bag or a backpack, and takes about 1:15.