1 day in New York
 

A buddy and I are going to New York City for night game and will have all day on Friday for sight seeing. We will have all day, morning and night, for experiencing NY. So far on our bucket list besides Yankees game is: Empire State Building, WTC site, contemplating a half circle boat cruise so we can see Statue of Liberty, eating a NY hot dog from a street cart. I'm looking for other suggestions for two bud's in the city. We do not drink and are not interest in art museums.

Are you staying in NYC the night before the game or after? It's not clear. Most evening games start around 7, and you'd have to leave to get there by about 6. If you're staying over the night before and then touring before the game, you can get an early start and fit in what you want to see, but there's really no time for anything other than what's on your list.

If you just want to see the Statue of Liberty from the water you can take the free Staten Island Ferry which gives you some nice views but saves time and money over a Circle Line cruise. Would you be intersted in visiting the Intrepid?

WTC site requires advance timed tickets to guarantee that you get in. There are walk ups available, but depending on how busy the city is when you come, that may not work out for you). The Empire State Building routinely has long lines for admission so if that's an important place for you to see, budget the time.

So you can go early (but after rush hour)on the Staten Island Ferry, then visit the WTC site.Have lunch,then up to the Intrepid or the Empire State Building.

If you really want the Circle Line cruise, start downtown with the WTC site, then work your way uptown to Empire State or the Circle Line, or both if you're game. Be sure to allow enough time to get between spots especially places that aren't easily connected to each other by subways, like The ESB and the Circle Line.

Macaw I know you want to see Empire state building but consider Top of the Rock (Rockefeller Plaza)instead. It is a little more central in the island so you get a great view of the whole island of Manhattan. You get to see how big Central Park is. It has shorter waiting lines from what I have read on here.

The best thing, I think, is that you have a superb view of the Empire State Building rather than being inside it looking out at other buildings. It makes for a nice backdrop if you take a photo of each other up there.

Have a great time. New York is amazing.

IMHO Top of the Rock is much better than ESB - better views, including OF the ESB, and noo waiting in long lines.

You could consider the free Staten Island ferry versus a 2 hours cruise - if youonly have one day.

For the Yankees - I would get there earlier so you can see Memorial Park (closes 45 minutes before game time) and perhaps even bating practice. When we go we get there about 2 hours before game time and you will want to leave at least 30 minutes for the subway.

NYC has museums for everything - not just art - from Natural History (human evolution, gems and minerals and dinos are fascinating) to the transit museum to the museum of sex.

I love the main branch of the library - always have interesting exhibits and the reading room is incredibly beautiful. And Grand Central Station is wonderful - all of the original architecture, the food court and the Campbell Apartment for a great cocktail.

Also consider walking the Brooklyn bridge, the Highline or visiting Central Park (go to the central park conservancy web site to get info on sights and activities. The Boathouse is a good place for lunch.)

For something active check out Chelsea Piers to see if they have anything to interest you.

If those are the things on your bucket list for NYC, then you will have more than a full day and don't need any more suggestions.

If you really want to do the Circle Line tour, then by all means do so, but I think you'd be better off spending your time just taking the Staten Island Ferry. If it were me, I'd take the extra hour and go, perhaps, to the Intrepid, but by tickets in advance to avoid the longest lines.

Normally, I'd also say get tickets to the 9/11 Memorial in advance as well, but in this case no. Go to the Intrepid first thing on arrival. It's on the far west side; you'll need at least 2 hours to do it justice. Once you are inside, you can buy a ticket on the water taxi that includes a timed entry to the memorial; the boat will whisk you down to the World Financial Center in less than half the time it would take you to get back to the subway, so you can visit the 9/11 Memorial next and then hop on the Staten Island Ferry.

If you have arrived in the city early (i.e., by 9am ... the Intrepid opens at 10), then head directly to the Intrepid so you are there when the doors open (grab breakfast on the way). You can finish all this by 1pm and then have lunch. If you really do want to do the Circle Line Tour, then you can do that immediately after the Intrepid. The dock for Circle Line is next door.

You'll still have the afternoon. Head for the Highline for an hour and then over to whichever building you want to see. If it's the Empire State Building, make sure you have advance tickets and skip the Highline. If it's Top of the Rock, go directly there after the Highline (this whole thing will take about an hour, the ESB at least 2 hours).

I'm not sure when your game will start, but arrive in advance and remember that you can only carry a very small bag that's less than 16 inches square, so most backpacks are prohibited.

We are arriving on Thursday at Penn Station around 3:30pm and plan to go to hotel first thing, only a block away, and then start heading to the Yankee Stadium for a Thursday night game. We will have the whole day on Friday for sight seeing and enjoying the city. We will be leaving out Saturday late morning. Thanks for all the suggestions. Intrepid and Top of the Rock definitely sounds like a plan items. The Staten Island Ferry sounds better than the two hour cruise. So it looks like the Intrepid should be first activity of the day and then 911???

Like Doug suggests, you can do the Intrepid first then Water Taxi to WTC site but I only see a "hop on, hop off" water taxi combo that's $28 per person, I'm Not sure if you can just take a single ride from the Intrepid downtown.

You can also start downtown and work your way up stopping at whatever seems interesting
SI Ferry
Federal Hall (where Washington was inaugurated),
NY Stock Exchange (no tours anymore)
NY Federal Reserve Bank (tours by appointment)
WTC site.
Brooklyn Bridge (walk partway across?)
City Hall, court buildings
Lots of food vendors, hot dogs and gourmet food trucks are in this part of town. Good subway access to almost anywhere uptown.
Go uptown to the Intrepid (by subway plus a walk)It's open until 5pm .
ESB and Top of the Rock are open late, so fit in it any time.

Exhausting day, but you'd still have a few hours for dinner and walking around whatever neighborhood interests you.

I'm seeing where the Intrepid opens at 10am and you can add a Water Taxi ride which includes entrance to 911. The water taxi runs at 11 and 1; would we have enough time to tke the 11 or should we plan the 1?

macaw we went to the Intrepid last year and spent a good few hours there. You wouldnt be able to read about or look at the displays inside the carrier in one hour let alone the whole museum.