Maggie101

We will be arriving in NYC (La Guardia) in October on a Tuesday at noon and fly out the following day at 5pm (JFK- international flt) Thinking of staying in the theater district hoping to see a show that evening. What would you suggest the best way to see the most on our VERY limited time frame. I was looking at a Hop on Hop off bus but I remember the traffic and wonder if we would see more just walking. Also thought of a harbor tour to see the Statue of Liberty and the 9/11 and the city sky line. Thoughts?

abram

The subway is the most efficient way to get around.
No need to stay in the theater didtrict.
Some people like the (free) Staten Island ferry to see the SOL and skyline.
If you actually want to go to the SOL, book at www.statuecruises.com.
The 9/11 Memorial is free; the Museum takes about 3 hours and timed tickets can be booked in advance.

JoJoSiestaKey

You aren't going to be able to do the theater and the HOHO bus.

If you've never been before, I'd suggest the HOHO bus, a nice dinner somewhere, and the night time HOHO bus. It is such a great over view of the city. Don't miss Brooklyn at night.

I agree hop off for the Staten Island Ferry (free) and I think it is the most beautiful at dusk.

The subway is the easiest to get around but it can be confusing for newbies and you will not get to see anything on it.

nytraveler

IMHO HoHo buses are a complete waste of time and money. You spend a lot of time sitting in traffic, possibly in the rain since you can only see from the outside, and there are several major places that the buses can't go - such as central park and some of the charming residential areas.

Much better to just pick out a few things that you really want to see and do so. Subway is fastest but if you want to stay above ground then take the regular city bus which runs every few minutes (versus every 30 - at best - for the HoHo bus).

I would stay midtown but not the madness of Times Square, see a show in the evening and the next am do the SoL (get tickets as soon as your date is fixed and for the earliest ferry so when you get to the island the lines have not formed yet.

You seem very clear on the things you want - just do them.

doug_stallings

This is hard because you have so little time, particularly since you arrive midday. I'd recommend staying close to Grand Central so you don't waste as much time getting to your hotel. Take a regular taxi FROM LGA to your hotel. You could save as much as 30 minutes by not going across Manhattan in the middle of the afternoon.

Then you can take a quick taxi to Penn Station for the combo of Long Island Railroad/Airtrain to JFK. It can take a while to get across town on a Wednesday afternoon, but the theater district is typically mobbed on Wednesday afternoons because of matinees. That will likely be your quickest option to the airport on Wednesday (probably much quicker and cheaper than a taxi).

As to what you can see, your time will be best spent if you find 2 or 3 things you really definitely want to do and do those rather than trying to pack it all in. You'll waste so much time moving from place to place.

If you want to go to the theater, you probably have time to do one quick activity on Tuesday after your arrival, then have a quick bite, and head to the theater (save time by buying your theater tickets in advance, either for full price for a popular new show or at a discount for an older standby). Most plays and musicals on Tuesdays are now at 7pm, so you don't have a lot of time to do stuff, eat something quick, and get to the theater on Tuesday afternoon. Depending on where the theater is, you might consider a quick trip to the lower end of Central Park to walk around.

After the theater lets out, head over to the Empire State Building to see the city at night (it's open until 2 am). It's within walking distance of the theater district. A much better experience is Top of the Rock, but the last ticket there is sold at 11pm. It's also within walking distance of the theater district, so you probably have time on a Tuesday if you prefer that, and then you'll be at Rockefeller Center, which will still be hopping until late.

I would not bother with going to the Statue of Liberty with such a short time, but I would certainly bother taking the free Staten Island ferry early on Wednesday morning to do a sail-by. You can do a round-trip in less than an hour. Then if there's anything else you want to see near Wall Street (the 9/11 Memorial Plaza, for example), do that quickly and then head to do one other thing (maybe a museum). You'll have to head to the airport after lunch (be on the train around 1 pm).