No bags to claim-four adults.....

Original plan was Grand Central for lunch en route to the Met for a couple of hours then stroll Central Park back to TOR or just dinner.....now thinking lunch, wander around 5th avenue, Rockefeller Center area, stroll Central Park and then catch late museum hours. Any advise? I may be trying to hard to include a couple of hours at the museum, but I really would like my father to visit as the place is amazing.

What advice are you asking for? If you're going to the Met, there's no reason to go to Grand Central. The Met is actually closer to LGA than midtown. I assume you realize that with 4 people the only way to get into Manhattan is by cab or car service? Don't even think of using the express airport bus since 4 fares will be more than a taxi. (~$30-35)

If you're asking whether it's wiser to go to the Met when you first arrive or in the evening, we can't judge that for you. What will you do with your bags, btw?

I, too, aren't quite sure what you want advice on.
First of all, while you say you have no bags to claim, I assume you have some luggage. (That's based on another asumption that you are not flying to New York just for the day!) What are you planning to do with your bags? Where are you staying?
And, as mclaurie questioned, why are you going to Grand Central?
It's tough giving advice with the little info have passed along.

You guys are right, what a sloppy post! Sorry! We are staying at Shelburne Murray Hill and will taxi from LGA to the hotel. I figured (based on great advise you've already provided a month or so ago) that we'd catch the subway at Grand Central to the Met.

Okay, new itinerary--honesty is appreciated...

Friday 11:50am arrival
hotel 37th @ Lex
Subway to Brooklyn for Grimaldi's
Brooklyn Ice Cream
Walk the bridge
Ground Zero/St. Pauls
Top of the Rock
Dinner between Rock Center and hotel (casual suggestions welcome)

Saturday
11am Foods of NY Greenwich Village tour (already booked-lasts three hours)
Wander Chinatown, Little Italy, Soho
Broadway show (Curtains already booked)
Dinner in Times Square area

Sunday
Late breakfast/early lunch Katz deli
Tenement Museum tour
Hotel break
Fifth Avenue area for shopping
Circle Line Sunset cruise 7pm
Late dinner (suggestions welcome)

Monday (Memorial Day):
Subway or taxi to Met (9:30am opening)
lunch (casual suggestions)
Central Park
Flight from LGA at 4:10pm

The itinerary looks good. I guess my only comment would be you're having 3 dinners and all are falling in the midtown/tourist area on a holiday weekend. I'd try to eat at least one dinner in a more residential or fun area. Perhaps on Sunday, after the cruise you should eat in Chelsea or the meatpacking district or even Soho. What kind of food do you like?

For lunch on Monday near the museum, there are cafes inside the museum. If it's a nice day, you could eat outside at the Boat House in Central Park on your way back to the hotel. The outside area is pretty casual. Caffe Grazie is a rest. across the street from the museum on Fifth ave. (& 84 st) that does brunch.

For dinner on your first night, Tintol is a tapas place on west 46 st. (slightly out of your way back to hotel, but not much). http://www.menupages.com/restaurantd...aurantid=19845

Metrazur inside Grand Central is also good.

How long does the circle line cruise last? And where does it let you off in Chelsea? It is hard to find a restaurant open in Chelsea after 10 p.m. I know because I've tried it.

However, you could always go to Pastis on the west side in the Meat packing District.

It is amazing in the City that Never Sleeps it is often times hard to find restaurants that are open late for dinner. So definitely so a little research on your Sunday night plans.

Eating around TImes Square -

Consider a local place. "Le Madeline" at 403 West 43rd Street New York, NY 10036 (212) 246-2993

Heard good things about this place. Reasonable and charming.
Note that the Boat House in Central Park is very expensive.

Brooklyn; Walk around Brooklyn Heights, the Promenade and then down towards Grimaldi's (in DUMBO area - "Down Under the Brooklyn Bridge"). From there walk into side streets to see the factory buildings (now expenseive condos): Make sure you go into Empire State Park and just inhale the view. Spectacular. Also go to Jacques Torres' store, he's a master chocolatier.

If you don't know where any of these palces in DUMBO are, just ask someone on the street once at Grimaldi's.

Thank for the advise! I'm more excited about this itinerary than the ones I've been working on. As much as I'd like to add Ellis Island, it deserves more time than this trip will allow.

We are definitely up for a walk/subway ride/taxi to somewhere other than midtown for dinners. I know after theater night we will most likely dine close by, but the other nights are up in the air. The harbor cruise is two hours long and ends around 9pm.

We love just about every food other than sushi (and dad doesn't do indian). I prefer a laidback atmosphere as I believe my parents would feel more comfortable with that sort of vibe. Trendy is okay as long as it's not stuffy.

Well, my first attempt to post apparently didn't go through, so I'll try again.

Someone above recommended La Madeleine -- I think I heard it's closing, though I'm not sure when. As to the post-Circle line dinner, you might want to try 10 Ave in the 20's -- Red Cat comes to mind. Even popular places are pretty available on holiday weekends, when the City is empty. Chelsea wouldn't be a bad idea either -- stick to 8th Ave and you shouldn't have a problem finding places that are open.

One piece of advice about your first day's itinerary - while the Brooklyn Bridge is a great walk, it's also a longer walk than one might think. If everyone in your party is fit and ready to commit a good part of the day's energies to this activity, then great. For my part, between walking the bridge and viewing Ground Zero, not to mention flying to NY and getting around town, I'd have no juice left for anything but putting my feet up at the hotel and ordering in Chinese food for dinner!

If your circle line cruise is done by 9, you should be fine. Most restaurants stop serving at 10 p.m.

Consider also Tia Pol or Cookshop for dinner on Sunday night.

Your best bet for dinner on the Sunday night of Memorial Day weekend is probably in one of the neighborhoods rather than midtown....say, Greenwich Village, the Upper East Side or the Upper West Side.
HellieF, where did you hear that Le Madeleine is closing? Terrible news, if true.

The hotel you are staying in has a restaurant - RARE - that has excellent hamburgers. The Kobe beef hamburger is well known and many people who are not staying in the hotel go there just for that. It's a casual atmosphere as you're looking for.

Also, you're not that far from the Gramercy Park area and there are a lot of restaurants on Park Avenue South. L'Express is a French bistro with good food and it's open 24 hours, on Park Avenue South between 19th and 20th - walkable from your hotel or a short cab ride if you're too tired.

Also, for lunch around the Met, I have to second mclaurie's suggestions for the cafes at the Met itself or going to the Boathouse in Central Park. If the weather is nice, the Roof Garden Cafe at the Met is great and even if you don't eat there you can often see an interesting exhibit on the roof and enjoy the view.
Have a great time!