Your favourite places in New York City

Old Jun 10th, 2016, 05:36 AM
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Your favourite places in New York City

DD and I are going to New York City in July, staying for a month. I have read the guide books and Trip Reports and the to-do lists. I now want to ask those who love the city: if you had to select one or two favourite places - where would it be?

DD is a 23 yo student, I am a 50-something lover of good coffee, theatre, art, food, wine, history, nature, books, good walks, interesting people. Last year we spent summer in Paris, and some of my best memories are not the obvious choices (Versailles) but the somewhat unexpected (Moret sur Loing).

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!
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Old Jun 10th, 2016, 05:40 AM
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Narrowing down to two is tough, but my pair would be:

*Walking the High Line
*Going to the theater

...closing followed by:

*Visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art
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Old Jun 10th, 2016, 06:09 AM
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Thanks Howard! Did not want to limit your list - you are welcome to add

Question: DD loves the big musicals - we will most definitely go for Les Mis. I read about 'off Broadway' and 'off off Broadway'. Any suggestions there? In London we often find cheaper tickets at the theatre on the same day. Will that also work in NYC?
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Old Jun 10th, 2016, 06:42 AM
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Since you like history:

--The Lower East Side Tenement Museum

For art and history:

--The Cooper-Hewitt Museum of Art and Design

These are not necessarily my two favorite places or things to do in NYC, but they are great and worthwhile stops that are lesser-known.
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Old Jun 10th, 2016, 06:57 AM
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Lunch at the Boat House then stroll over to the Frick Collection.
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Old Jun 10th, 2016, 07:36 AM
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I live in NYC, so I probably don't visit the "must-see" sights as much as I should. That said, I do have some favorite places, some of them a little off the beaten track.

1. Red Hook, Brooklyn (an interesting waterfront neighborhood combining some great city views, gritty city, art galleries etc). You can take a free ferry from lower Manhattan (the IKEA ferry) on weekends - but be sure to line up early (at least 30 minutes early) because it fills up fast. You can also get there my overland public transit (subway and bus). Or take the Ikea ferry on weekdays for a small charge.
2. Irish Famine Memorial in Battery Park City
3. Governors Island (which has been undergoing a phenomenal transformation in terms of landscaping and design; there are a lot of great weekend events planned there this summer)
4. The International Center of Photography (a museum and school) - the museum reopens in the Bowery later this June
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Old Jun 10th, 2016, 07:51 AM
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On top of all the usual NYC sights given the time that you have,

I'd add the USS Intrepid for the history that is on the Flight Deck as well as the carrier itself.

Bronx Zoo

Different neighborhoods away from Times Square ie Greenwich Village, Chelsea, etc

If baseball fans, either of the two teams (Mets or Yankees)
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Old Jun 10th, 2016, 08:58 AM
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Bryant Park and the New York Public Library.
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Old Jun 10th, 2016, 09:08 AM
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What a great city this is! Thanks for such creative ideas.

About a Baseball game: I have not considered it, but what the heck ... where and when else will I ever again have a chance to watch this in real life! I am from South Africa where we eagerly watch and discuss and lament about rugby and cricket. Looks as if tickets for a Yankees game are still easily available - am I right?

Something else: I would love to attend church with African-American gospel music. Any suggestions?
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Old Jun 10th, 2016, 09:17 AM
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Other sites or experiences I wouldn't miss, listed in no particular order:

*A ride on the Staten Island Ferry (it's free!) to view the Statue of Liberty among other sites.

*Viewing the city from the Top of the Rock. (It definitely beats the view from the Empire State Building.)

*A walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.

*Walking around Central Park.

*Walking around Greenwich Village and other neighborhoods.
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Old Jun 10th, 2016, 10:22 AM
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Since you mentioned you enjoy food, you might like a food tour:

http://www.foodsofny.com/

I've done the Greenwich Village (their original) tour twice and both were great so I wouldn't hesitate to recommend any of their tour offerings.
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Old Jun 10th, 2016, 10:39 AM
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I second the suggestion to do a Foods of NY tour, and I suggest you do it early in your visit, because it will give you a good overview of the area, and lots of ideas for places to eat the rest of your stay.

I now try to do a food tour early in my visit to other cities--a great way to get a local's perspective if good, local food is an interest.
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Old Jun 10th, 2016, 03:22 PM
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The fountains at the World Trade Center are haunting.

Freedom Tower observation deck is worthwhile in my opinion.

A stop at the Eataly store is enjoyable.
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Old Jun 10th, 2016, 03:43 PM
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We have done two of the food tours in Greenwich Village and loved them both. Loved Chelsea Market and Bryant Park(bathrooms there are great-very clean). Didn't care for the Highline-very crowded.
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Old Jun 10th, 2016, 04:05 PM
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Top two places are:

Visiting the Met - voted the greatest museum in the world

ToTR - to get an overview of the city

But in a month there you are going to be way beyond anyone's top 2.

With your interests I would include:

Frick
New York Historical Society
Museum of the City of New York
Asia Society
Museu del Barrio

(Really just start at the top of Museum Mile - Fifth Ave from 106 on down and stop in to the many, many places with wonderful exhibits.)

For special activities look at the website of New York magazine whch lists activites by date and/or type - there are alwasy special programs - since many of the museums, esp Museum Natural History - have wonderful speakers in the evening if you have any interest in evolution, local history and a host of other topics. For that you can check out the web sites.

Also hav a look at the Lincoln Center web site - which has a huge number of activites, many of them of museum collections or behind the scenes (that most people never have time to get to).
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Old Jun 10th, 2016, 09:18 PM
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good coffee, theatre, art, food, wine, history, nature, books, good walks, interesting people

Good coffee-All depends where you are
http://gothamist.com/2015/11/05/best_coffee_nyc.php

Theater
Most tourists think of Broadway, but there is a whole other world of theater in NYC.
http://www.timeout.com/newyork/theater

Art
As the current art capital of the world, it is difficult to know where to start and end. But besides the obvious large museums, which are clearly among the world's best, there are hundreds of galleries and smaller museums with wonderful and interesting collections.

Someone mentioned going to Red Hook. The largest art coop in Brooklyn, BWAC, has exhibits in a Civil War era warehouse. The views of the harbor are spectacular. Here is the website, they are only open on weekends but there will be hundreds of pieces on display.
http://bwac.org/

Food
You need to be more specific for budget and interests.

Wine
There are scores of wine bars and fine and cheap wine stores.

History
Once again as a colonial and modern city there are countless ways to explore the history.

Nature
Once again there are places like Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge where few tourists go because from Manhattan, the only sane way to get there is by car. Central Park has all sorts of wild life, if you know where to look

https://www.nps.gov/gate/planyourvisit/index.htm

Good walks
It is a great city to wander. See if you can get from your library the AIA Guide to NYC and you can decide where to go.

Interesting People
Always a crap shot.
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Old Jun 11th, 2016, 03:30 AM
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Thanks everybody, for taking the time to post here - it is highly appreciated. I obviously have to do more research, but your suggestions help. I must confess that I find the immensity of choice a bit overwhelming at the moment.
My goal is not to rush through the city with a checklist, but to experience a bit of it for one precious month. I will not see all the important things, and that is OK.
I think I will start with 'my current top 10' (Met, Central Park, NY Public Library, Morgan, Broadway show, Staten Island Ferry, Brooklyn Bridge, 9/11 Memorial, general wandering, something in the Lincoln Summer Program) and then take it from there. By then I will be into the second week, and will know better what specific questions to ask.

About food: a middle-of-the-road civilized lunch near any of the places listed above will be nice.

It will a treat to splurge at least once in a good restaurant (perhaps Greek?)for dinner - if it is not already too late to book. Suggestions most welcome!
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Old Jun 11th, 2016, 04:09 AM
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Having a whole month should make your goal of seeing the best of NYC a success! You'll have plenty of time to really absorb almost everything. (Hey, I say "almost everything," because it would take more than a lifetime to enjoy everything NYC has offer!)
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Old Jun 11th, 2016, 05:20 AM
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About food: a middle-of-the-road civilized lunch near any of the places listed above will be nice.

Still not very helpful as the sights are all over the place and the description is vague. But for a upscale Greek restaurant try Pylos or Periyali.

http://www.pylosrestaurant.com/

http://www.periyali.com/
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Old Jun 11th, 2016, 09:04 AM
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I would not miss the High Line, especially on a beautiful day.
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