Brian

In June we will be spending 3 days in New York on our way back to London from California. Any suggestions on the most interesting and best sights to see in this short time.

Patrick

Hello, Brian. Are we related? My last name is Ashton.
I'll advise you the same as I do travelers to London. One of the best things to do your first day is to take one of the double decker bus tours. It will give you a good feel for how big Manhattan is, and you will see many of the major "sites". Seeing any theatre? If you're from London, perhaps not as your theatre tends to be just as good as considerbly less cost -- the one true "bargain" we find in London.
Most of the bus tours allow a "hop on--hop off" policy which I would recommend as you can spend the full day and get off to actual experience some of the sites. Beyond that, what are your interests? NY has some great museums -- you could spend a month at the Metropolitan. Where are you staying? Maybe we can offer some suggestions near you. Tours of Radio City Music Hall, Rockefeller Center, or Ellis Island are all very interesting. You may just want to take taxi or bus (more scenic than the subway) to areas like Soho, Greenwich Village, Chinatown, Little Italy, Wall Street, Harlem, and many others. And in June by all means do a nice stroll in Central Park or a horse carriage ride at night through it.

Riki

The above post is right on target, but, I think the Circle Line tour, at £11 per person for 3 hours up and down the Hudson seeing NY city from the water, is the best money spent in Manhattan. I have taken many friends on it when i lived in NY, now live outside London, and when I go back to visit, I have gone on my own to enjoy it. and June would be wonderful on the water. the commentary is terrific and highly informative. you pass directly by Ellis Island and Miss Liberty, see the twin towers from the water is very impressive, and learn tons of info about NY that most NYers don't know! then, a hop on hop off bus for maybe mid town or down town and the rest just walk. with a short time, dont' spend too much time in museums. enjoy walking, the sights and sounds and best of all, the food.

Patrick

Riki is right, I always forget to mention the Circle Line. We made the mistake, however, of doing the full circle tour all the way around Manhattan. After the first couple of hours it became boring. I don't remember how long it was, but it seemed like all day! I'd opt for the lower Manhattan tour only!

A New Yorker

The Circle Line is cool, but if you don't want to commit to the price and the time, take the Staten Island Ferry- it's free and fast. You get to see the lower tip of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty. When it stops in Staten Island you can get right back on and come back. If you like museums the MOMA and the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art can't be missed. The Met has an incredible collection of Egyptian art- like nothing I've ever seen. I've lived here for 5 years and still go back regularly.

ML

Brian, I agree on taking the double deck tour if you really enjoy site seeing. But other than that, I think NYC is very similar to London. Like theaters and clubs. But do walk around in chinatown for the food and culture. If you like shopping, I would highly recommend you to spend most of your time to shop in NYC. Much much cheaper than London!
Have fun!

rqf

One of the major operators of the double decker bus tours (NY Apple Tours) went out of business. Gray Line may still be operating but I am in midtown every day and I haven't seen a Gray Line double decker bus in weeks.

RUTH

I think I was visiting N.Y. the week Apple bus tours went out of business as the double decker broke down somewhere in the suburbs, it was raining v.hard and the bus leaked so much that people had umbrellas up (that was downstairs in the double decker).The round trip took 4 and 1/2hours, changes of buses notwithstanding. Anyway, N.Y. great, do all the touristy things Central Park on Sunday afternoon, boat trip to Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty and top of the Empire State at dusk. One strange thing I found unique to N.Y. is that restaurants really rush you and will bring you the bill before you finishing eating.

Owen O'Neill

Grayline is still running doubledecker bus tours - info at http://www.graylinenewyork.com/ - if you're a first time visitor it's worth getting a one day pass. It's an easy way to acuqaint yourself with some various areas of the city and the better guides can be quite informative and entertaining about varous aspects on NY history. I'm in agreement with Patrick on the lenght of the Circle Line tour. The three hour tour that circles the entire island has little to no commentary for about 1/2 of the tour. Try the 45 minute harbor tour or at most the mid length tour. We had a beautiful day with great weather but were both a bit restless about an hour into the tour.

steph

hi,
I have been to New York a bunch of times, there is so much to see and do. If you want to see a play or musical, cats is great and smokey joes cafe is great. Go to Times Square and see al the sites, rockerfeller center is pretty. Also, walk down Madison Avenue, there are many shops and cafes along the street. If your a fan of museams, the metrapolitan museum of art is nice. Walk down Broadway and go to the huge Macys. Theres plenty to do!

david

Make sure you go to Ellis Island. Really great. On the other side are the Cloisters. By way of orientation, the Bronx is up and the Battery's down. The people ride in a whole in the ground

Caitlin

Don't know when Steph was last in NYC, but Cats and Smoky Joe's Cafe are long since closed.