Hi. We need help tweekin' our plans for our first trip to nyc. We are stayin at a friends condo by essa bagels east of Rockefeller. And would like any help or ideas.

NYC Itinerary


Day 1, Monday
Arrive around 3pm,
Explore Central Park 2-3 hours,
Need good ideas for Monday evening food and fun as everything seems to be closed.

Day 2, Tuesday
Quick visit to St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Rockefeller Center: Top of the Rock, NBC Studio Tour, eat lunch???
Un Tour,
Grand Central Station
Yankees game evening at night

Day 3, Wednesday
Battery Park,
Staten Island Ferry,
WTC site,
Chinatown lunch,(ideas)
Brooklyn Bridge—walk both ways, get ice cream in Brooklyn,
Broadway Show—Spring Awakening,
Any dinner suggestions? Eat before or after show?

Day 4, Thursday
Morning at The Met,
Greenwich Village lunch and stroll afternoon,
Dinner at Picollo Angolo,
Comedy Cellar show,

Day 5, Friday
Early am: Times Square or Rock (try to catch Today Show concert)
Keep day fairly open to shop
Evening: Dance Club or need ideas

WE would like ideas on:
Pizza,
Food in china town,
Shopping,
Comedy Clubs,
Rock clubs,
Piano Bars,
Sight seeing we might have missed,
Transport from LGA to mid town and how much.

Thanks a lot

There are several good NYC trip reports that have been posted recently and NeoPatrick just completed a month's stay in the city.

Read one/some of those trip reports and you'll get LOTS of ideas.

Do you specifically want to walk both ways across the Brooklyn Bridge? If not, to save time, take the subway to Brooklyn, grab your ice cream and then walk back to Manhattan. This seems to be the most recommended option.

You could get the train to Coney Island, its worth it for the history of the place, nice beach and interesting people. We really enjoyed an afternoon there. I note you have not put the Empire State Building as you are going to the Top of the Rock instead, but the ESB has more romance. The River Cafe is an option, its just uner the Brooklyn Bridge on the Brooklyn side. Expensive but great views of Manhatten at night. Century 21 is great for designer bargains if you are prepared to rummage.

Since when is everything closed on Monday in NYC????

If you're coming in a few weeks, you'll be here in August. I'd head for the Hudson river and/or the piers. In fact, if it's really, really hot, you might want to forego exploring Central Park midday and instead head for the air-conditioned inside of some place, like St Patrick's or Grand Central.

You could go up the Empire State Building for the sunset.

Don't comedy clubs still have open mikes on Mondays?

Do you like falafel? Eat off the pushcarts for lunch, especially in the 40s.

You're itinerary seems heavy on things that cost money and not enough things that are free or very cheap. Pick up copies of Time Out, NY Magazine and the New Yorker or the village presses when you arrive and do what the weather and your budget and your interests suggest.

Since there's more than one of you, take a taxi from LGA. It should costs $30-$45 including tolls and tip. There are cheaper options, but most aren't that much cheaper for two people and involve multiple forms of transport. DO NOT take the SuperShuttle or you will be stuck driving all over Manhattan dropping the various riders at their hotels.

Monday night go up Top of the Rock around sunset - so you can see the city in daylight and lit up after dark. Then head for a comedy club or one of the many jazz clubs in the city. (CHeck NY Magazine or Time Out NY web sites to see what else is on.)