1st time in NYC--much help needed!
 

My husband and I trying to organize our first trip to New York City and having a hard time fitting everything into the right place. I'm new at posting here, so please let me know if you need any more info from me. And thanks in advance for any advice :)

What we are thinking:
- fly in Saturday, fly out one week later, in early May.
- stay at the Hilton Times Square (we want to be close to the "action" and the Hilton sounds nice, although spendy).
- we want to see a play/musical or whatever people suggest... The Lion King sounds fun (?)
- we want to go to a Yankee game
- we want to see the regular tourist sites (the Statue of Liberty, maybe Good Morning America or one of the morning shows, Times Square, Central Park, etc...)

Is this do-able? How difficult is it for a first-timer to get around the city? What else should we see or what should we skip? Are there any websites or books that we should use to help us plan our trip?

Thanks again for any advice!

Lion King was AWESOME!

Order your tickets to the Statue of Liberty in advance on the internet.

I would recommend taking the double decker bus tour. That way you can get on and off as much as you want. It also will let you get an idea of where everything is.

Empire State building has a great view if it isn't cloudy.

I think it is all doable. We have been many times for less than a week!

We stay in Time Square too...at the Marriott.

It is not that difficult to get around. Cabs are everywhere!

8-)

I love walking across the Brooklyn Bridge, and would put that on my list. I also like the Lower East Side Tenement Museum. They have a website with info. You need to get tickets in advance, or else might have to wait a couple of hours. Yes, for sure see a Yankees game. You can take the subway.
A great experience. We usually get tickets for Yankees games on craigslist.
I did NOT like The Lion King, at least not after the first five minutes, but obviously a lot of people would disagree with me. Times Square is also not where I would want to stay. I suggest that you read some of the other posts related to NYC trips before you commit to anything. People are so different in their likes and dislikes.

If you do want to stay near Times Square check out the Michelangelo. I don't know whether it is in the same price range but it is more romantic and just steps from Times Square but away from all the noise and crowds.

There's lots of really great musicals out right now. I loved Spamalot, if you're into Monty Python, but if it's your first trip, you might want to see something a little more traditional Broadway, like Chicago or Chorus Line.

Keep in mind that being in Times Square only means you're close to Times Square. You can base yourself almost anywhere as long as you're close to reliable subway lines (which is the only REAL benefit to staying in TS). While the cabs are everywhere, the subway isn't that hard, and is generally faster for long distances. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with the Hilton, but you might find a better hotel at a better price if you look around a bit.

It's really easy to get around on foot, by cab, or by subway. And if you want to experience the city, you should really try all three!

There's TONS of books and websites available, but take a look at the itineraries of other first time NY trips. They'll probably hit the same spots you want to hit. And once you think you've got it figured out, post your own itinerary to get feedback. I've found that's the best way to test it out.

You will have time to see a lot in a full week.

Strongly reco the fololowing:

If you wnt to see a Yankees game get tickets NOW - almost all games sell out - and if you wait only the worst - or no - seats will be left

Definitely see more than one show. Go to broadwaybox.com about 60 days out to see which shows are offering discounts. You can get these in advance, have a better selection of seats and not have to wait hours on line for tickets.'

Spend at least one or two evenings in a real NYC neighborhood (Times Square is the LEAST typical area in the city). Go to the upper west side, lower east side or Village and have a casuale dinner, stroll around, have a drink in a cafe and do some shopping (all areas have some shops open til late - 11 pm or so).

You don;t mention the Met and it would be a crime not to go - even if you see no other museums. go to the web site in advance topick out 3/4 departments that interrest you (Costune Institute, impressionists, Temple of Dendur, arms & armor -of the dozens). And see if you can schedule your visit to take one of the gallery talks - which are fascinating.

Top of the Rock is not to be missed. I have enjoyed The Drowsy Chaperone, Wicked and The Producers much more than The Lion King.

I live in Mississippi and I have been to NYC 35 times. You can't do a tenth of what you would like to do in a week. Walk around the Theater District and go to a play/two then walk down 5th and Madison and tour all the great shopping stores like SAKS, Bloomingdales, Macy's, et al. Take a helicopter flight from the 34th St. Heliport for a quick over look of NYC. Take a long walk in Central Park. Have a drink at a few of the great Hotels like Ritz Carlton, Pierre, St. Regis, Helmsley NY, Carlisle, etc. Walk up Madison from 59th and go in all the great shops. Eat at Daniel, Jean George's, Babbo, Felidia, Del Posto, or any of the great NYC restaurants. Take the boat to the Statue of Liberty or take the Staten Island Ferry. Take it easy and enjoy yourself. Come back again. It ain't easy. Good luck.

You might want to think about booking a Big Apple Greeter, www.bigapplegreeter.org, to show you around their part of the city. You can pick which part you'd like to tour and they pare you up with a guide that knows/lives in the area and can show you all the choice sights.The best part is its free! They don't even let you tip. You do have to reserve in advance though, so don't wait too long to sign up.

You've gotten great advice. It is very easy to get around NYC by subway, bus, taxi and WALKING! Many of the tourist sites are within a walk of each other. I agree that at the beginning of the trip you do some sort of bus tour. The double decker hop on/off is probably the most popular but you can also do kingofnyc.com or nypartyshuttle.com in smaller, climate controlled buses.

I wouldn't get too attached to one hotel before checking prices. There are lots of good hotels in the TS area including the Marriott Marquis, Doubletree Suites TS, the Renaissance etc. There are also a few hotels (like the Michelangelo) that are within a short walk of TS but not really IN it. The Blakely is another. blakelyhotelny.com

Quikbook.com is a good website for getting prices (and booking if the price is lower than the hotel's own website.

playbill.com is a good place to see what's playing both on and off Broadway. Agree with the advice to try to get discount tickets in advance on broadwaybox although some shows (like Lion King) are rarely or never on discount.

People forget that NYC's history and commerce were created because of it's location ON THE WATER. That being said, I would highly recommend the Circle Line Boat tour, Staten Island Ferry or boat/Tour to Ellis Island. In May, Central Park will be lovely. A walk through Central Park--maybe from the Natural History Museum (a great choice,too) to the Met Museum is a wonderful route. There may be street fairs or festivals that time of year--so check online before you leave. Please make sure you get downtown--maybe into the Lower East Side,West Village or Chinatown. As far as a hotel, maybe the other Hilton (on Ave of the Americas) would be a better choice. You are closer to Central Park and can still walk to Lincoln Center, 5th Ave and the Theatre District. I don't care for the crowds around Times Square.

I'll say it again -- there's no need to waste a few hours to go to Liberty Island, particularly now that you can't go beyond the base. DEFINITELY ride the Staten Island Ferry to see the Statue, while imagining what went through immigrants' minds as they entered the harbor and saw it for the first time. But you won't see anything of value by going to the island itself.

I would suggest staying in midtown, closer to Rockefeller Center, rather than Times Square. There's a lot of "action" in that area, but you won't have to deal with the major crowds in Times Square. That will get old fast.

Definitely recommend the Circle Line Ferry instead of actually going to the Statue of Liberty. You'll go right past it, and be able to get a lot of great shots. Plus you'll get some fantastic views of the Manhattan skyline.

We really liked the Top of the Rock, as opposed to the Empire State building. Minimal wait, great views, and that way you get to see Empire State and take pictures of it, rather than just taking pictures from it.

If you haven't seen Phantom of the Opera, you must! It's definitely a Broadway experience. Les Mis is also a classic show. We LOVED Wicked, and The Producers was hilarious. The Producers is worth going to just to see the beautiful St. James theatre.

Try www.mappy.com. You can print out maps to and from any location, and you can get driving OR walking directions. It'll give you a great sense of how long it will take to walk to places. Manhattan is definitely doable by walking and cabs. Just wear comfortable shoes.

Thanks everyone! All such great advice!

We are doing more research and considering a different hotel. We are even thinking of attempting Priceline (so we can get a better hotel closer to our price range). Has anyone had any good or bad experiences w/ that?

Thanks--we've added a lot to our list of things to check out, especially the Met (we'll definately do that, too!). We are also checking out different tour buses. Wondering if anyone has taken a helicopter tour? They look spendy, but I imagine it would be a great experience. (Ike--you mentioned one, have you done it?)

Thanks again--I really appreciate all the input :)

Just to clarify a little about the Big Apple Greeters. We did that on our first trip to NYC about 5 years ago.

Our greeter didn't request a tip, BUT he did ask us to bring a sweatshirt from a local college to him, he did buy that from us. The tour guide was with us all day, So we ended up buying his lunch on the upper east side -- he certainly didn't stop us from doing that!

So they do accept various gratuities, I am sure he would have let us buy him the $45 sweatshirt, if we had offered.

Not that he didn't deserve to be tipped, it was that he went a bit out of his way to give us many opportunities to do so.

Ohh and the Priceline question, we did Priceline when we went to NYC and got the Hilton New York on 6th. A very large Hilton! I think the rate was about $90 a night then. I think it is still available sometimes on Priceline at around $100-110 a night. if it is just the two of you it was a wonderful location and close to the subway system.

I wouldn't get too excited about Priceline for a 1 week stay in May. Priceline bids are generally more successful for shorter stays. If you decide to pursue it anyway, make a cancellable reservation some place you wouldn't mind staying and then try bidding.

Either biddingfortravel.com and/or betterbidding.com are MUST reading before attempting bidding on Priceline. (FAQ on hotels) Very often you "win" bids on Priceline closer to your trip (as hotels decide to release unsold rooms to Priceline). You must have patience. Any of the areas with the word "midtown" in the name will be reasonably central.

In order to avoid "dog" hotels and also to maximize free re-bids, bid only 4 star hotels. Have a look at the hotels people are winning to make sure this would be ok with you.

For a week's stay, I'd go for one of the suite hotels like the Blakely or one of the Affinia.com hotels myself.

We were just there at Thanksgiving. We stayed at The Kimberly and loved it. Location - 145 E. 50th; there's a metro stop on the corner. Definitely book tickets to Statue of Liberty on-line then go to the "will-call" window (it's on the right when you go in the castle). Definitely visit Top of the Rock around sunset so you can see NY during the day and lit up at night. We enjoyed a horse carriage ride around the park, but getting a carriage was a bit difficult (unorganized at best)! I've heard that the Tenement Tour is very interesting, but didn't take have time to do it.

How far in advance should one make reservations for the Tenement tour?

4khansen -

I think you do the Big Apple Greeters a disservice. These are volunteers - often retired people - that show the city they love to tourists - at considerable effort to themselves - for no pay. And - the arrangement is that they're to offer a 2/3 hour tour.

You kept the greeter for an entire DAY, complain that he asked you to bring him a sweatshirt, for which he paid, and then you had to buy lunch. What did you expect the guide to do - go out and wait at the curb while you ate?

A paid guide for the day would have cost ten times the sweatshirt - which didn;t cost you anything.

Talk about ungrateful!

I'm not suprrised the greeters have trouble getting enough volunteers if many of the guests have your attitude.

(A friend of mine used to do this - but after a couple of bad experiences - people treating him like a servant rather than a host/friend - he has given up. And he's not doing it for the "gratuities" - but for his love of the city - since he's been retired from a very successul careeer since he was about 45 and is worth over $2 million.)

Whoa, didn't want to create a fuss about the Big Apple Greeters. But I want to clarify the circumstances.

For one thing, our greeter was a full-time bank executive from Queens who takes an occasional day to do the greeter tours for his amusement.

Secondly, I had no problem getting a sweatshirt for him, nor did I have a problem paying for his lunch--the question was stated that they don't expect a tip. I think they do in some fashion, and I think a $40 lunch/with alcoholic drinks at the greeter's favorite place to eat and his choice of restaurants was a tip.

We did have a few other issues with our greeter that shouldn't reflect on the organization as a whole. One, he was an middle-aged (45 or so) single guy, who spent most of his time hugging our two teen aged daughters who kept getting slightly freaked out about it and secondly he must have taken 15-20 photos of our girls for his personal collection that day. He didn't seem to want a picture of me or my wife, not that I am that photogenic, but still why just two teens 16 and 14 at the time.

Now if nobody sees a problem with that, I am sorry and I won't comment on Big Apple Greeters again.

Ohh, I forgot to mention, when he first contacted us, he insisted he liked to do full-day tours instead of the 1/2 day that we had originally requested and he specifically mentioned he liked families with teenagers, because he had some great ideas for what "they" would like to do.

Well given what you describe, I hope you informed the Big Apple Greeters organization of your experience. It is the exception rather than the rule on all counts.

I agree, I do believe it is the exception! It was one of those events that made us very uncomfortable, and we did mention it in our evaluation of the tour -- you want to be tactful, because he didn't do anything technically wrong -- but it did not come across very well.

You'll have a blast! NYC is the best. Use your hotel conceirge to purchase tickets (learned this later on in trip)...Montey Python is great/hilarious.

Don't miss out on Greenwich Village & SoHo; great shopping and awesome food. We did the double decker bus tour (cheesy) but definately worth it. You can hop on and off when you would like and it's a cheap means to get around town during daylight hours.

Central Park is definately worth it too; especially when the weather's nice.

Good luck!

Thanks everyone, I appreciate all the input!

maybabe80 - when you say "Use your hotel conceirge to purchase tickets" do you mean ahead of time or immediately upon arrival? (Sorry if this is a dumb question, I've truly never taken advantage of this service.)

Also, are there any areas that we should definately stay away from?

Thanks again!

If you stay in Times Square be aware that it is very, very crowded and hectic.
It is not really the center of things, just the center of the theater district.
There are other prettier neighborhoods, for example the upper east side, or along Central Park , that are much calmer. It depends on your taste and tolerance for crowds. Loved the Lion King. Cabs are expensive. The subway and buses are the way io go, although I imagine the subways could be confusing for a first timer. SOHO and the village are fun. We also have lots of great museums. If you are going to the Statue of Liberty, see if you can combine it with Ellis Island-very interesting.

You can certainly ask the concierge of the hotel you chose to make reservations and purchase tix in advance of your trip. Just realize you will pay a premium for the tix and you could probably do better on your own with advance planning. Some concierges can get tables at restaurants that might be booked. But again, since you are planning in advance, you should be able to get a table is most any place you'd chose.

As far as things to stay away from, I'm on a crusade to downplay Little Italy and Chinatown. Little Italy is 2 short blocks of what's now become very touristy restaurants serving mostly mediocre food. Chinatown is a heaving mass of people trying to buy & sell illegal merchandise.

We've heard on another thread that the 9/11 exhibit at St. Paul's Chapel (across from WTC site) has been taken down. The WTC site itself has (finally) become a construction site.

The first thing you should get is a good map. This is one that seems to work well and includes a subway map.
http://www.vandam.com/shopflash/unfolds_a.htm
You can evidently find it at some Barnes & Nobles.

You should consider a bus tour to get acclimated. The hop on/off are most popular but there's also kingofny.com and nypartyshuttle.com--smaller buses. The guide of kingofny gets high marks.

You can also consider some walking tours. Bigonion.com does some interesting ones and foodsofny.com tasting tours are very popular.

4khansen -

A $40 lunch (hardly a luxury for a bank exec in NYC) is not a gratuity. Unless you thnk it;s a gratuity when you're someone's houseguest and take them out to dinner. It's just a small sign of appreciation for what they've given you. The way civilized people treat each other. (I repeat - what did you expect him to do - sit on the sidewalk with a hot dog waiting for you while you ate in a restaurant?) And how much do you thing his time is worth?

A gratuity would be if he had asked for $100 cash.

I live in NYC -- and the one thing I would strongly suggest is NOT staying in Times Square. Times Square is extremely crowded and super touristy -- if you want to get the real New York experience, definitely stay somewhere else where you can get the flavor of a NYC neighborhood without the crowds. Depending on your budget, you can find hotels in great NBHs like Upper East Side, East Village, Greenwich Village, etc... midtown east probably has less expensive hotels than upper east, but will be less crazy than Times Square.

The only thing i have an objection to on your list is the Yankees game -- as a die-hard Mets fan, I strongly urge you to go to a Mets game at Shea instead -- after all, it will be one of the last years it's there!! :)

Enjoy your visit!!