I'm arriving at the Marriott New York Marquis (45th and Broadway) on Fri. 8/1 in the evening and need to be in Newark Sunday 8/3 late in the afternoon. What shall I do Friday night, Saturday and Sunday in NYC? I was thinking of walking to Times Square Friday night, taking a Grey Line 1/2 day Manhattan tour Saturday morning, go the Empire State Building, Macy's and Rockefeller Center Saturday afternoon. No plans for Sat. night (any suggestions?), then Sunday taking the Staten Island Ferry to see the Statue of Liberty.

Grey Line also offers a "Downtown Loop" ticket which is good for two days. You can hop on and off at the more than a dozen stops: Times Square, Broadway, SoHo, Greenwich Village, Battery Park, World Trade Center, Wall Street, Empire State Building (not in this order), etc. The commentary is pretty good. Busses run every half hour. From Battery Park, you can take a ferry to Liberty Island (Statue of Liberty) or Ellis Island both.

Whenever I get to NYC, I like to save at least half a day to stroll Central Park. You'll love to see how the hustle and bustle of the big city can disappear in the park. It's full of great walkways and artist of every kind. I walk it alone every time I go and never have a problem. Please don't miss Central Park

We stayed at the Marriott last summer. Fantastic service there, and really, just about everywhere in NY. Ask for a room over-looking Times Square. You may have to wait for it but, it is worth it. We did a lot of walking and exploring. Liked Battery Park, The Met., Central Park, ANY pizza or deli was a treat and Rosa Mexicana was fantastic (I never thought I would pay $90 for 2 to eat mexican food!) Good luck and have fun.

See Central Park via bicycle! Just returned from 4 days in NYc and took 2 1/2 hour bike tour from Bite
of the Apple Tours (found in Fodor's book) Great FUN! (212) 541-8759. Easy enough for even the
non-athlete like me, $30.00 person Highly recommend it. Also, see a show (any one!) or Caroline's Comedy Club Saturday night. Have fun!

All of the above suggestions are good, and will more than fill 40 hours in New York City. Two incidental points: you don't have to go to Times Square from the Marriott Marquis -- the hotel is right in the middle of Times Square. The half-price TKTS booth is just across the street from the hotel. Also, the Staten Island Ferry passes within a mile of Liberty Island, but doesn't go there. That's a separate boat leaving from Battery Park. On Sunday, however, the wait can be rather extensive. As a first-time visitor to New York, you may also want to savor some of the things that make New York unique among cities. Ride a subway, see the inside of Grand Central Station, see Zabars (B'way at 81st), walk a few blocks of the brownstone neighborhoods of the West Side in the '70s and '80s. For a first-timer, I'd also recommend spending Saturday night seeing Blue Man Group's "Tubes," a delightful but bizarre show/revue that plays at a theatre down near Astoria Place. Enjoy your visit -- it's a great city.

By all means, go see a Broadway show. The half price ticket booth is right there in Times Square.You should be able to get a ticket for something on Saturday night. There's no better theater than Broadway.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art next to Central Park, Circle Line boat trip around Manhatten, South Street Seaport.
Dennis

We have stayed at the Marriott many times. Great location. By all means walk out the door and go get 1/2 price at TKTS for same day performance Broadway tickets to SOMETHING! If you are museum oriented you can go from the Guggenheim to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to MOMA (very close to the Marriott and the Monet water lily panels are not to be missed) and have a wonderful day. If you have to choose, go to the Met. Then don't miss Central Park. The zoo is right there with the Prozac polar bear and the great penguins. The clock at the zoo is nice. Central Park is not dangerous during the day. I suggest the ACCESS NYC (forgive me Fodor's) for a handy pocket guide with maps, etc. There is a good Spanish restaurant within walking distnace of your hotel called El Meson and a good Italian place across and up from the Marriott called Limoncello. Carnegie Deli is close too. You don't really have to do a tour on Gray Line. You catch the subway outside your hotel and go to Battery Park. Go early and try to beat the ferry crowds. Then you can round-trip Ellis/Statue of Liberty. Really something to see, but if I was pressed for time I would avoid on a weekend. You can have the best time. Get this little book. Pick out what interests you. Plan your subway stops. You won't be held to anyone else's schedule. Hope you have fun. I was somewhat frightened to visit NYC being a small-town Southern girl, but love it. The cab ride from Newark was the only scary part of any of our trips there. And only because our driver was burning so much incense I thought the cab would burst into flames. Have fun!

By all means, don't miss Rockefeller Center!!! Within walking distance to Marriott Marquis (49-51 sts bet 5 & 6th avenues)

Have fun in the greatest city in the world!!

By all means, don't miss Rockefeller Center!!! Within walking distance to Marriott Marquis (49-51 sts bet 5 & 6th avenues)

Have fun in my favorite city!!