mgar64

I'm planning a short trip, 2-3 days to NYC for my daughter's birthday. The plan is to see a Broadway show and maybe a backstage tour of the Met. Not necessarily interested in staying in Times Square area. We won't be there long enough to do all the touristy stuff so when we're not at the show I thought we could hang out and blend with the locals. My daughter wants to work in theater (set design) so I think she would prefer to hang out in an area with students and theater types. BTW this will be our first trip to NYC. What are your neighborhood recommendations?

Golemtoo

How old is your daughter?

I am uncertain of the path to set design besides an education in art and theatre.

Although, I do not know theatre people, I have many friends in the arts, and unless there was some sort of introduction, I am not sure they would be comfortable to talking to someone and her mother for extended period of time.

NYU has one of the best theatre schools in country. Maybe you can call the University and see if there are any student advisors or tours. It is part of the Tisch school. You also call SVA (School of Visual Arts) and Parsons or Pratt, even though Pratt is in Brooklyn.

As far as blending in, this is always a problem for any tourist in any situation, not just in NYC. A girl and her mother will be spotted as from somehwere else and your body language will indicate a degree of being uncomfortable.

Do not try to blend in, just be candid and honest and it will go along way.

doug_stallings

For a short trip like this, any place in Manhatten that is close to a subway stop will do. There are three hotels in the east 30s that are particularly convenient. The two St. Giles hotels and the Shelburne. All are near Grand Central for easy access to theaters and restaurants. But almost any other hotel on Lexington Ave in the east 40 s would do, and there are many. If you want to stay closer to theaters then a Times Square hotel would be ok, but I find that area too crowded for myself. The Affinia Dunont on east 35th is also in a very good location and close to lots of good neighborhood restaurants.

nyer

I'm making a couple of assumptions that differ from Golemtoo's
You want to hang out in a cool area, not "blend in" in the sense of trying to "pass" as locals. I also don't think you're asking about meeting specific people, just observing.
I'm guessing that your daughter is h.s age.

NYU, whether taking a tour (all schools have tours for prospective students, but you need to check times and dates) or just being in the neighborhood is a very good choice. Of course, if you are traveling during Spring break time (you don't say when) then it will be less typically busy. And the surrounding Greenwich Village area is historically interesting and largely residential compared to Times Square

Otherwise, it's not as if theater people congregate in one area. NYC can be very integrated, occupation-wsse, so "theater types" might be living and hanging out near bankers , store clerks, nurses etc.

There are often theater related exhibits at the Performing arts Library at Lincoln Center and the lobbies of some of the other buildings there. Various museums may also have temporary exhibits. A house museum like the Tenement Museum might also give some insight as to how to stage the look of a specific time period.

nytraveler

You will find theater of musical people all over the city. We live in a co-op on the upper west side and in our small building (only 48 apartments) we have a cellist that plays with a philharmonic and a keyboardist who does sessions work at recording studios here, goes on the road with a couple of major bands as an extra - and appears as part of a duo a couple of nights per month at a supper club.

So - I would make a point of checking out the tours and options at Lincoln Center, NYU etc - but as for a hotel - go where you can get a good rate and are close to a subway. (We are close enough that we often walk home after an evening at the theater.)

SueNYC

Backstage tour at the Met is a super idea but I would also add the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens since it's about the nuts and bolts of movie making including "set design" movie style -- I'm voting for the NYU area or Upper west Side for your hotel but anywhere near a subway will do. (And yes DO go to the library of the performing arts and visit Julliard while you are in Lincoln Center.

http://www.movingimage.us

thestarryeye.typepad.com/explorenyc

mgar64

Thanks for the great advice. My daughter is 15 and is a freshman in h.s. My idea is for a theater themed trip. The plan is to go sometime during the current season at the Met (thats when they do the tours) so between now and May / June. She really wants to see Wicked, so I thought show tickets plus tickets for the Behind the Emerald Curtain tour. I doubt we would do an "official" University tour but I think she would love to hang out in a neighborhood(s) with a lot of students and hip young people rather than young and middle age professionals. This is mainly for atmosphere and not to pick the brains of the these people. As a Dad my primary concern is safety. Nyer, you were right on the money. We don't want to pass ourselves off as locals. I just meant that I thought it would be interesting for us to dine, shop and hang out where the locals do rather than try to hit all the tourist spots. I thought about possibly Lower East Side, East Village, Chelsea, Greenwich Village Hell's kitchen etc. This is based on very cursory research and without having ever visited NYC so I have no idea if I'm on the right track or not.

mgar64

I left out NYU area and Upper West SIde

Golemtoo

The East Village and the area near NYU are what you are looking for.

Safety is not issue. Although no one can guarantee the safety of another but NYC is the safest large city in the US.

There are mnany shops between 9th and 11th streets betwen 2nd Ave and Ave A that are designer owner. The East Village and Chinatown have the best food value in the City and East Village has vast choices.

JoJoSiestaKey

I've got news for you, outside Times Square, tourists and locals shop and eat alike. And by going to the theater, you will be doing touristy things.

I second the East Village, St. Marks, Tompkins Square Park, etc.

Manhattan is very safe.

Tomsd

Love Greenwich Village - great place to stroll around - dine, check out Washington Square, have a Pizza Pie - etc - and the subway service takes only about 20? minutes to the Theater District. see: http://www.greenwichvillage.com/chan...portation/1779

Tomsd

And while the Big Apple is safe most of the time most of the places, I would not venture out too much late at night if you are not quite familiar with the neighborhood.

Where I love to stay - The Larchmont - on 11th - http://www.larchmonthotel.com/ is a bargain - small, simple but clean rooms - with bathroom/showers down the hall but a sink in your room (note - more for the single traveler - not when my wife is along) and just down the block - is an all-night French restaurant/coffee shop on the corner of 6th Ave - and other services in the area.

The Washington Square Hotel is very nice - and well located - http://www.washingtonsquarehotel.com/ and again, you can walk all over Greenwich Village - into the mid-evening - without feeling uncomfortable.

Tomsd

One more thing if I may. When you do walk around - do look like you are heading somewhere - and not gawking up and around too much like a tourist - as that will make you appear to be an easier mark for pickpockets, etc - which you can find around Times Square and other busy places.

Even as a pretty good sized guy - I always look around a bit behind me - when waling the streets - especially at night.

Just being aware sends a signal to anyone who may be casing ye.

nytraveler

I must demur about the streets not being safe at night. I agree that I wouldn't wander down dark alleys or around the docks alone at 3 am. But at any reasonable hour the streets are safe.

If you are in an area where the streets are deserted you may want to find one with more street traffic - but in most areas the streets have a reasonable amount of traffic until at least midnight. A good reason to stay in a residential area if possible.

Golemtoo

The East Village and the Lower East Side has nore people on the streets on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights then live in small villages.

Of course, do not go down dark alleys and always be aware, but people who have not been to NYC are unfamiliar that is truly a 24 hour town and there are neighborhoods where the noise is worse at midnight than at rush hour.

Tomsd

This may be of interest to those venturing out later at night, and I don't mean just exploring dark alleys. Muggers don't normally lie in wait in dark alleys as they don't usually get much business there.

http://www.popcenter.org/problems/street_robbery/print/

In general - I think every police dept would say you are safer at 2 PM on the streets than at 2 AM.

Golemtoo

Here is an article from tomorrow's NY Times about crime.

Murders at record low
Robberies of anything Apple record high

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/29/ny...w-york.html?hp

nytraveler

Have no idea what this opopcenter place is - but the info on it has nothing to do with NYC, which is the safest large city in the country. And I'm not sure 2 pm is safer than 2 am - since you have a much greater risk of being hit by a car than being mugged.

Of course, one should follow normal precautions wherever you visit - but there are many places, including many small towns and rural areas that are more dangerous in a lot of ways than NYC - where at least we don;t allow everyone to run around with guns.

It is doing a major disservice to tourists to try to scare them about the city based on personal misperceptions. I have lived here my entire life (in fact I am descended from 3 generations of native New Yorkers) and none of us have been victims of any sort of violent crime. And, unlike small towns, the city does not roll up the streets at 10 pm - many restaurants, theaters, and even shops are open until midnight and even later in areas with substantial nightlife.

While it is certainly possible to be mugged in NYC - the same is true anywhere. But it is a RARE occurrence - and not something that the average tourist needs to worry about - as they might in much higher crime areas (New Orleans, DC, and a host of others).

SusieQQ

Too bad this thread has deteriorated into "non-safe" NYC. I am a solo traveler who spends a lot of time in Manhattan. Believe me I feel safe! Of course, I don't do stupid things, but I think safety should not be of your concern.

Golemtoo

If Tomsd knew what he was talking about, he would be dangerous.

As noted above, no one can guarantee the safety of another but we live in a neighborhood that was notorious for crime and drug use 25 years ago and now we have $100 a person restaurants and multi-million dollar condos.

After 9/11 there was a greater police presence and greater camera surveillance in Manhattan which as indirect consequence helped lower crime. Addtionally the NYPD has CompStat, where police officials are held accountable for increase in crime in their areas of repsonsibility and strategies and tactics are discussed to thwart the increase in crime.