Best sights near our hotel?
 

We are staying at the Marriott NY Marquis on Oct 12, leaving for a cruise the next afternoon. Then on the 18th when we return we will have the rest of the afternoon to sightsee from the Marriott NY Financial hotel. Can anyone suggest the most efficient sightseeing itinerary for those 2 short days. Also, I'm a little nervous about the Marquis because I've read such mixed reviews. They rated ir either horrible or great. I didn't find anything about the second one. BTW, they were from Priceline so I had no choice. Thanks for any help!

The only negatives I recall of the Marquis are long waits at the elevators. Don't worry. For either fo these days you could do the grayline hop on hop off bus tour. Go to the website for info on tickets & locations.

If you'd rather walk, from the Marquis walk east toward 5th ave then head uptown on 5th ave. You'll see Rockefeller Center, St Patrick's Cathedral & Saks Fifth at 49-50st. Continue up 5th ave passing all the shops (Takishmaya, Bendels, Disney, Tiffany, Bergdorf Goodman)to 59th st at the Plaza. Have a walk around the ground floor of the Plaza & maybe a carriage ride through Central Park-the carriages line up around the Plaza & along central Park South. Then head back to your hotel along 7th ave or Broadway.

For the downtown stay, you could do a Staten Island ferry ride, go to the WTC site, go to chinatown. Bayard's is a great restaurant in the Financial district in a wonderful building. Check for when they're open though.

I really like the Marriot Marquis, despite the fact it is huge. Rooms are very large and well furnished. We request a north facing high level room, open up the wall to wall, floor to ceiling draperies, turn the sofa around to face out, and just love the view up Broadway!

A secret about those elevators. Even when the circular elevator lobby is jammed (half the elevators go to one level of the hotel and the other half go to the other--so make sure you're on the correct side for your floor), look at the small bank of "non-view" elevators in the middle. There is a call button for those way up high, independent of the main glass elevators. Stand near one of those, push the button and you'll often get an elevator more quickly.

Don't worry about the Marquis. Its fine. The elevators are somewhat annoying but not enough to impact a trip. I've stayed there at least 4 times and have never had a problem. There is a rotating bar at the top of the hotel called The View - its nice but I prefer the lounge at the lobby level (8th floor I think) that puts you at eye level with all the bright lights of Times Square. I just love that.

Thank you very much for the tips. I did hear lots of complaints about the elevators so the trick mentioned is a good idea! The carriage ride sounds so nice. I've never been to NY and I can't wait! Oh, we are arriving at LaGuardia and will have lots of luggage for the cruise part of the trip. What is the best way to get the our hotel (the Marquis)? Thanks, again!

I would take a cab from LGA to Times Square.

I posted a while back all the things to do in the Financial District. I'll see if I can find the post.

Things to do in the Financial District.

There is a ton of stuff to do in lower Manhattan and the Financial District.

South Street Seaport, St. Pauls Chapel, Trinity Church, Wall Street, Century 21, walk the Brooklyn Bridge, Battery Park, take the Staten Island Ferry for a great view of The Statue of Liberty and Lower Manhattan, The Museum of American Financial History, Museum of Jewish Heritage, Museum of the American Indian, The Woolworth Building, City Hall and City Hall Park, South Street Seaport Museum, New York City Police Museum, and the Fraunces Tavern Museum to name a few things to do.

This cruise had better be good since I know I will hate to leave NY without seeing it all! Wow, there is lots to see in the financial district. I was afraid it was just offices. Thanks for the ideas.

We took a cab from LGA into midtown where LaGuardia is and I was very surprised at how reasonable the price was $14.80 one-way from LaGuardia to 54th Street and Sixth Avenue. This did not include tip, but for four of us and lots of luggage I was pleasantly surprised. This was late at night so not much traffic.

Oops not where LaGuardia is, I meant the Marquis! We stayed at the Hilton New York at Rockefeller Center.