We have an opportunity to visit New York City January 4, 5 & 6 which is first weekend after the Holidays. We'll be staying at a location on Astor Place between 43rd & 44th Streets. This is our first trip to the Big Apple! Is this area convenient to major attractions, and will the Christmas lights still be up (hopefully they are not taken down until after that weekend)? Any information on things to do will be appreciated. Thanks.

Check the address where you will be staying. Astor Place is in below 14th Street. 43rd and 44th are in midtown. If you are staying at Astor Place you will be in Greenwich Village and very close to SOHO. The theater district and Times SQuare are about 1 1/2 miles north. The lit up area of 5th Avenue is above 42nd Street, also about 1 1/2 miles north of Astor Place.

rqf is quite right about the location of Astor Place.
As for the holiday lights, I believe they will still be blazing. And, unless my memrory is totally failing me, the tree at Rockefeller Center will definitely still be up in early January.

Astor Place is in fact in the Village but I believe or "Astor Plaza" might be a term used to refer to the area you mention that's between 43rd and 44th Streets. There's a large movie theatre in the sublevel of a building at the corner of 43rd and 7th Avenue - it's called the "Astor Plaza". I've not heard the term used to describe the area but there are several hotels adjacent.

Thanks to all for the help. We've been invited to stay at The Yale Club whose address may in fact be Astor Plaza & not Astor Place between 43rd & 44th Streets. Hopefully this is convenient & in reasonable walking distance to popular places. Like I say we are first time visitors and all this will be new to us. Bob.

Yale Club is on Vanderbilt right outside Grand Central. Very convenient.

Bob: The Yale Club is on Vanderbilt Avenue, I think you've gotten your millionaire names confused. In any event, it couldn't be more convenient directly across the street from Grand Central Station and 2 blocks from Fifth Avenue. You are dead center in the middle of midtown and can walk to all the major tourist attractions in midtown. If you want to get some additonal information on the Yale Club, check out their website at yaleclubnyc.org. Enjoy your stay.

Now it makes more sense! You'll be just east of Madison Ave and just west of Grand Central terminal. It's a quiet area at night but quite safe. Easy access to Grand Central means you can get the 4,5 and 6 train for uptown and downtown east side or the shuttle to get to Times Square. The terminal is really worth a visit - fantastic job was done on the renovations and there are some decent restaurants and shops in there. Also lots of good restaurnats in the area once you get 7 or 8 blocks up past the office district into more residential areas. Some on Lexington and even more on Third Avenue - they start in the low 50's and continue on up. Some folks may have recommendations but if the weather good it's fun to just take a stroll and menu shop.