Advice on City Tour in January
 

My mom, 11-year old daughter and I will be visiting NYC (first time in decades for me and mom, first time ever for daughter) Jan 10th-13th. We're staying in Secaucus and have tickets to Wicked on the 10th, and will be visiting the Lower Eastside Tenement Museum on the 12th. I'd like to do a city tour on the 11th, and have seen recommendations on both the New York Party Shuttle and Marvellous Manhattan. Although I realize the best way to see the city is to walk it, I also recognize the potential folly of that with January weather, a mom with a trick knee, and a limited time schedule. I'm just looking for ideas on which of these tours would be best...or suggestions of alternatives. I figure that we can re-visit or spend more time on the 12th at places that we saw during our tour on the 11th.

Also, are there any "must try" foods or restaurants while we're in town? I'm not looking for a fine dining experience...just more of something that says "New York" (sorry this is probably very vague). I figure that we'll probably be more prone to do lunch than dinner in the city.

Thanks!

The Party Shuttle and Marvelous Manhattan are both well regarded. Folks used to rave about the guide for Marvelous Manhattan but I read one report which suggested he'd pick a scapegoat in each group and do some teasing of that person. Since that time I don't tend to recommend him. The Party Shuttle also has some half day options that may work better with your schedule. I think either way, they're both good options for Jan in your situation. I think both make stops for lunch so check that as it might include some of the places I'm mentioning in the end of this post.

As to must try food or restaurants, that's such a personal thing and somewhat depends on where you're from. NY Pizza is generally a must, but if you're from Chicago, some prefer that. Grimaldi's in Brooklyn (near the Brooklyn Bridge), Lombardi's in Little Italy and Patsy's in Harlem are some of the famous places.

Some folks think NY deli is a must. The 2nd Ave. Deli has just re-opened in a new location (33 st & 2nd ave.) Katz's deli is also famous and not far from the Tenement Museum but it's very basic and the traditional side is cafeteria style. (known for their home made handcut pastrami)

I love Gray's Papaya hot dogs. They have a location at 72 st. & Broadway that's not far the Museum of Natural history if you plan to go there.

Ellen's Stardust Diner in midtown is popular with families with kids for their singing waitstaff. Food is "ok".

Make sure you see the city lit up at night. Maybe dessert at the View in the Marriott Marquis hotel would be fun. Food not great but it's the only revolving restaurant in NYC.

The 2nd Ave Deli isn't on 2nd anymore, it's on 3rd.

You're right, ofcourse. ;) It's on toity toid and toid.

mclaurie, thanks for the great suggestions. I had been leaning towards pizza (I'm from Virginia so there is no "Chicago vs NY pizza" drama here) and saw a show on TV about pizza a few months ago...Lombardi's and Grimaldi's were both featured so we'll have to try one for sure. I'm not too sure about deli's even though they do evoke NY to me.

Appreciate your advice about the tours as well. I definitely don't want to do a full day tour as I think we'll all end up on sensory overload. I'll just have to check the itineraries and see which one of the tours offers the best bang for the buck.

Again, many thanks!

A note of caution re 2nd Ave Deli.
Lines out the door down the street.
Many of us returning on a nostalgic
trip.
Be prepared if you are on a budget.
Price point: $14.25 for a gargantuan pastrami sandwich
-comes w/assorted pickles & cole slaw.

January is probably going to be cold and either rainy or snowy while you are here, so I'd really suggest looking for a hotel in Manhattan, instead of commuting in and out of the city each day. YOu will be adding lots of travel time to your short stay, especially if the weather is bad.

Also staying in Manhattan, you can head back to the hotel easily for a break, and Mom's trick knee will thank you.

I'd suggest picking up a Zagat guide so no matter where in the city your wanderings take you, there will be a good restaurant close by.

Instead of the tours you mention I'd suggest looking at the Big Apple tours, hop on/hop off so you can see what you want and then pick up a later bus.

The Museum of Natural History would be a hit with your daughter, lots to see there, and they also have IMAX with several movies showing during the day. There's also a decent cafe right in the museum.

Hope this helps and have a great time.

2nd Avenue Deli is not on Third Avenue. It is in the middle of the block on 33rd Street, between 3rd and Lexington.
Try going for breakfast if you can't get in for dinner. Blintzes and matzoh brei were delish. And we did get the matzoh ball soup, even though it was 9 in the morning. Fab!

Thanks for all the suggestions. I am really leaning towards the organized bus tour because it affords us protection from the elements and a chance for a nice overview of the city. We only live a little over 6 hours away, so we will definitely be visiting again. This trip was booked specifically as a Christmas gift to my mom and daughter and revolved around seeing the Broadway show....and, in the interest of keeping costs down, I went with the hotel outside the city, which would enable us to have more money to spend in the city.

I've been to New York many times, three times in the last two years and I really, really enjoyed our trip on the Party Shuttle last Spring! It isn't just a normal "bus tour" but a small group of about 30 on a comfy van. We had a most interesting guide who not only provided many facts and stories but answered many, many personal questions. Very personalized. We got out at St Patrick's, Central Park, Wall Street, Ground Zero and took a ride on the Staten Island ferry. I do advise you to take your own sandwich for lunch as it was rushed a bit and we barely finished our lunch at the port. Make reservations for the shuttle online, too. I also am in favor of the MET. My daughter could have spent a week in there.

Linda, did you do the "See It All" (5 1/2 hour) itinerary, or one of the shorter ones?

We did the see it all. It was great!We chose the 10 am and got back to the hotel around 3:30, rested, then did dinner and a show. My girls said it was their favorite part of the trip. The next time I took my daughter, we did a more thorough self tour of Central Park, MOMA and the MET plus a few other things. You can get to ground zero and Staten Island ferry, etc by subway, but you miss everything in between! this way, you get a real feel for Manhattan. If your Mom wants to stay on the shuttle at any time, it's possible as well. I still encourage you to pack your own lunch!

Thanks, sounds great. I was a bit leery about the length of the "see it all" but sounds like that's not a problem. We will definitely take your advice about packing some snacks as well!

I also did the Party Shuttle and it was fantastic. The facts that are shared on the trip are amazing and the small group definitely makes it interesting. I went in Dec and it was freezing so we stayed on the shuttle at some points that weren't as appealing to us. In all my trips to NYC, this one helped me learn some much about the city. It's worth every cent.

Thanks Punkin (and Linda)! I'm getting ready to book our tour now!

As far as 'typical' NY food...I definitely second the pizza and deli ideas. If you go to one of the classic delis with the HUGE sandwiches, one sandwich is big enough for two people. It's fun to get one just for the experience.

If you like ethnic food, of course there are thousands of choices. The enormous variety is a feature of NY all by itself! But I do have one recommendation in case you happen to be in midtown at dinner time, looking for something hot - La Bonne Soupe, on 48 W. 55 st. Their specialty, of course, is soup, and you make a meal of it. They have wonderful French Onion soup with cheese on top. If you get the 'dinner', you get soup, french bread, salad, a tiny dessert, and a beverage (coffee, tea, or a glass of wine) for around $20 per person including tax and tip. It is probably more than you expect to pay for lunch, but is a great deal for dinner, especially if you are tired and chilled and looking for a place to warm up.

The metropolitan museum of Art is always a great place to go -- don't try to see the whole thing, it's too big. One good technique is for each person to choose one or two exhibits they want to see rather than wandering endlessly -- this way the 11-year-old will know that she doesn't have to put up with too much of the 'boring' stuff until she gets to see her preferences.

Street food is always popular, of course...I find that roasted chestnuts are often disappointing (dry or charred), but sometimes they are excellent -- it is always a gamble, but might be worth while trying them as a snack, from one of the outside carts. Best to go to a chart that looks quite popular, since they are less likely to have been sitting there getting petrified. In any event, it would give your daughter a new appreciation for the song - 'Chestnuts roasting on an open fire'.

A big hot pretzel is also a nice afternoon snack. Some people eat these with mustard, but I've never quite taken to that flavor combination. Get one pretzel and split it and see how you like it.

Have fun!

You really have to know what your daughter is into. My husband and I love MOMA and the Met, however, my 11 year old DD hates museums; after a few tries now we only go without her. I am not trying to be negative, she loves going "into the city" as long as we stay away from the museums.

Deb....I took my older daughter back to NYC to look at colleges and all she wanted to do was go to art galleries and museums. She told me that she was glad her younger sister wasn't with us because she was so "shallow" that she only wanted to shop! I about laughed my head off...