cathies

My husband is going to be in NYC on July 4 and for the morning of July 5. He arrives from Vancouver late on the night on July 3 and is catching the 1pm train to Boston on the 5th. He is interested in Art and realises he can only have a very quick glimpse of NYC which he hasn't been to before. He is staying at the Affinia Manhattan Hotel, 371 Seventh Ave.

I think he would enjoy the following but am very happy for the Fodor's NYC experts to modify so that it is more logical and/or manageable.

1. Guggenheim (for the architecture as much as the art).
2. Walk through Central Park, starting at Strawberry Fields memorial.
3. MET where i think he will enjoy the Egyptian exhibition (he majored in Ancient History many years ago!). I don't expect that he will have more than an hour or so there.
4. Taxi to Grand Central Station to have a look and have lunch at the Oyster Bar.
5. Top of the Rock
6. Taxi to 911 memorial and St Paul's church.
7. Walk 1/2 way across the Brooklyn Bridge to the viewing platform to take in the lower Manhattan skyline.
8. Taxi back to hotel. Dinner or a show, he and his two colleagues will organise that.

The following morning I thought that they could do 6 and 7 above if they run out of time on the 4th, but if they do get all that done, I thought they could catch a taxi to Chelsea and do the High Line walk.

What do you think? Too much for one day or will it be manageable? I know it's a lot, but he can collapse on the train the next day.

Thanks you in advance, Cathie

Aduchamp1

The collection at the Guggenheim is not very good.

The Guggenheim and Met Museum are on the eastside of the Park and Strawberry Fields is on the west side of the Park. Unless he takes the vehicle transverse (not recommended) it is a rambling walk across the Park.

He might consider using the subways for his uptwon-downtown trips.

nytraveler

I would check to see which places are open for what hours n July 4 - which is Indpendence Day. Commercial places will be open, not sure about hours for others.

musicfan

I concur re: the Guggenheim--it was a big letdown, at least right now.

I also agree that to make the most of his time, he should take the subway as much as possible to get from place to place--it's SO much faster than surface street transportation.

For our trip, we needed to leave the hotel about 11:30am and we did the High Line that morning--nice to have a bit of exercise before sitting on planes all day.

doug_stallings

This is definitely way too much for one day, but the fact that it's July 4 is going to make getting to the Highline virtually impossible. The fireworks are on the west side, so everyone in NYC and the surrounding area will be trying to get up there on that day. And getting around town may be difficult as well, though it will be easier on the East Side. Most museums are open,

The Oyster Bar could be closed on July 4, but I'm not sure. A few restaurants close, some don't, but since the Oyster Bar relies in surrounding businesses for lunch guests as well as tourists, it might very well be closed. Definitely check.

I'd recommend he stick with the subway wherever possible, and since almost all the sights listed here are accessible from the 4/5/6 trains, that's his best bet.

If he really wants to visit the National 9/11 Memorial, he needs to see if visitor passes are still available. Since that's a major holiday, the place will be swamped with people.

If he wants to do dinner and a show, make reservations asap. Again, since it's a holiday, this is a busy night, and some places may even close, though I don't think many do.

ggreen

Overall I think you have a nice list. As nytraveler says, July 4 is a big holiday - there will be closings, and also tons of people heading to the west side for the Macy's fireworks in Hudson River in the evening.
http://social.macys.com/fireworks/?c...ils#/watchShow

From your list, a suggested itinerary would be:
- Take the (1) subway from Penn Station across the street from the hotel uptown to 72nd Street, then walk east to Strawberry Fields in Central Park. Pick up a subway map from the token booth when he purchases a Metro Card. (He'll want a "pay-per-fare" card; $2.25 per fare, which includes one subway-bus or bus-bus transfer per fare within a 2 hour window.)
- Walk across the park, either up the west side a bit to take in the architecture of the Rose Center on the north end of the Natural History Museum, or crossing at 72nd Street for the lake and Bethesda Fountain before turning north to the Met.
- The Met has a pay-what-you-wish policy; the Egyptian wing is just inside the ticketed entrance on the far right of the lobby.
- From the Met, walk uptown on 5th Ave to the Guggenheim. I agree that at the moment there isn't a good show there, so it's better for its architecture than anything else. He can go inside and stand in the lobby for the interior effect of the spiral, without paying an entrance fee.
- Either a taxi or city bus down 5th Avenue, or it's a short walk to the 4/5/6 subway line at 86th Street and Lexington Avenue. The 4 and 5 are express with only 2 stops from 86th to Grand Central (downtown direction).
- Grand Central. Note that they offer tours, if he's interested; this site also includes the Oyster Bar: http://www.grandcentralterminal.com
- Again downtown 4/5 subway to Fulton Street, which will put him about a block east of St. Paul's. Definitely walk through the graveyard behind the church, both for the colonial-era tombstones and the view of the construction site at "ground zero".
- Walk over to the Brooklyn Bridge and across as much as he'd like. If he ventures all the way across, he can take the A/C subway uptown/Manhattan-bound back to Penn Station.

I know I didn't include the Top of the Rock. It's not really on the route I described! It's open from 8am to midnight, so I'm sure he can fit it in. Also, since there are timed tickets available, he won't waste a lot of time standing in line... To get there from the hotel, he'd walk up 7th Ave to Times Square and then east to Rock Center; or go over to Herald Square, then up 6th Ave. (One stop on the subway.)

On his second day, it's great that his hotel is right at Penn Station, so he can make the most of the half day. I'm sure he can leave his luggage at the hotel. Know that also there's a left-luggage counter for Amtrak customers near Track 5 inside Penn Station. I think it's about $7/bag and you need to show a valid ticket.

That day, from Penn it's easy to walk south to the High Line and then take the A/C/E subway back uptown. Or vice versa: that subway line is located on the 8th Ave side of Penn Station and he can take any of those trains downtown to 14th Street, then walk two blocks west to the Meatpacking District and then up onto the High Line...

cathies

Thanks everyone for the assistance. ggreen in particular for tweaking my very rough plan.

I've emailed the Oyster Bar to see if they are open and will also recommend that he just visits the ground floor of the Guggenheim for a quick look at the architecture. I'll also recommend the subway rather than taxis. They may skip the 9/11 memorial but I loved St Paul's and will make sure he does see that.

I'll make sure they save the High Line walk for the 5th, thanks for the heads up re the crowds going to see the fireworks.

nytraveler

Yes, much of the west side will be closed to transit from about 4 pm on the 4th - since several hundred thousand people gather to see the fireworks at 9 or so. Definitely do not even consider using a cab then.

cathies

Thanks nytraveler, I'll make sure he knows to avoid that area and to stick with the subway.

PS. I was in NYC this time last year and was pleasantly surprised to find how helpful New Yorkers were. Several times on the subway our group of 4 would be discussing which stop to get off at, and inevitably a couple of other passengers would very nicely offer assistance. It was great! I can't wait to go back, hopefully with my husband next time.

ggreen

cathies, you're very welcome. And hey, that might've been me on the subway!

I wish I had a trip to Oz planned so you could reciprocate. (Can you imagine, what a great excuse to book a vacation-!)

mmmooommm

this is way, way, too much for one day. no time to relax and enjoy where you are!! I would cut it in half to 1/3, and keep in mind, that walk across CP from Gugg to strawberry fields and back for one hour at the met is not realistic. the heat will encourage indoors during the day...time for walks in CP is evening. Good tips here, I would really rework this and see what is most important to you.

MFNYC

The high line closes early (6pm) on July 4th (at least it has in the past few years).

cathies

mmmooommm Aduchamp already set me straight about the location of Strawberry Fields so I've abandoned that already. The day isn't meant to be a relaxing day, he is happy to have a very busy day and try to take in as much as possible. I do understand that it probably will be hot and if that slows him down somewhat and he doesn't get everything done, then we'll just have to go back together another time. Fortunately as we live in Sydney we are used to hot weather so hopefully that won't bother him too much.

He can relax the next day on the train to Boston.

ggreen you are welcome any time!

travelbuff

Sounds like a plan to me too. Also like ggreen (a friend btw), I always ask tourists if they need help. We can always tell tourists, they look like deer in headlights, staring at maps or street corners trying to figure out which way is up (litteraly).

Also on the 4th there are street fairs around the city, which also MESSES up traffic so absolutely do the subway, even the bus gets really slowed down.

One thing I would mention if they are going to St. Paul's is the Staten Island Ferry, if they are not doing a show, or even if they are the SI Ferry is a great way to see the Statue of Liberty, it's a FREE ride and the views of Manhattan on the way back are spectacular.

I'd recommend just doing the Met instead of the Gug, there is so much to see there, and so worth the time, and you can save it for the next trip for the 2 of you. That way he is spending more time seeing and less time in travel.

Hope he has a great time.

cathies

thanks travelbuff. I thought about the Staten Island Ferry, you are right about the views and if they are tired by then, they can at least sit for a while on the ferry ride. I'll put that in as an alternative to the walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.

Before I went to NYC I read some posts by Aduchamp1 about annoying tourists who spread out across the pavement and slow down the locals, so I felt that I spent quite a lot of time nagging the girls in my groups to 'move out of the way'. I'm sure they thought I was a bit crazy!

I love NYC and really would love to return. My dream trip would be, explore more of Italy, a couple of weeks in Paris, 10 days - 2 weeks in NYC and then home via Hawaii. But that will probably have to wait a few years as we like to take our time when we travel. Maybe when we are retired...

ggreen

Aduchamp already set me straight about the location of Strawberry Fields so I've abandoned that already.

Since your husband is staying on the west side, he's going to have to get across town to the Met somehow! In my suggested itinerary, I had him take the subway up to 72nd Street and then walk across the park that way, so that he could visit Strawberry Fields. That does mean about a mile walk to start the day (roughly a half-mile across and another up). If he got off the subway at 81st Street/Museum of Natural History instead, it's a straight walk across the park to the Met. The key is to have a map of the park's paths and also look out for the directional signage in the park. If you just find a path and follow it, it might twist and turn and put you somewhere else entirely!

Or there are cross-town buses on both 72nd and 79th Streets. If he takes a taxi from the hotel, it would probably trace the same route, just aboveground... However, to take the subway from Penn Station to the Met becomes much more of a drag! Probably the most direct way would be to:
- Walk over to 6th Ave/33rd Street
- Take the uptown N/R to 59th Street/Lexington Ave
- Transfer to the uptown 4/5 to 86th Street or the uptown 6 to 77th Street
- Walk from Lexington Ave to 5th Ave to the Met


Before I went to NYC I read some posts by Aduchamp1 about annoying tourists who spread out across the pavement and slow down the locals

It's not just the tourists... Last week I witnessed such a piece of *drama* on this subject! A woman of a certain age started loudly berating three oblivious young women spread abreast across the sidewalk, passing in front of the restaurant where I was one of many seated outside. I wish I could remember enough to quote, but it was something along the lines of "if they think that they're all that to take up the full sidewalk, they must have another think coming". And then she'd overtaken them and was off!

(I too drive my travel companions rather crazy with the constant reminder to "pull to the side" when we consult a map...)


// Hi travelbuff!

Aduchamp1

Here is the complete Rules of the Road. Tourists were not singled put.

Rules of the Sidewalk

For NY’ers and Tourists

•WALK TO THE RIGHT, even if you are English or a leftist.
•Electronic device users-take one pod out of your ear and place it up your butt so you will have stereo. WATCH WHERE YOU ARE WALKING!
•Do not stop short.
•Do not do pirouettes in the middle of the street when lost.
•Do not walk five across the street as if you are playing Ringo Leevio or Red Rover, Red Rover let Fred Come Over.
•Drink your coffee at the coffee shop. The street is not a cocktail party or your cubicle, so do not hold your drink in front of you.

Cell-ibites
•SHUT UP!!!. Now we know publicly how petty and inane you are privately.
•Do not dial the phone as you walk. Stand by the curb like dog at a fire hydrant.
•Do not pace the street, you are not home in your jammies and slippers.
•Watch where you are going. You are on the phone, not us.

Just NY’ers
•Do not run, jog, or elbow your down the street between the walkers
•Do not ride your bike down the street. I know bikers think they are elevated live forms but pedestrians may disagree. And now it is illegal for anyone over the age of 12 to do so.
•Sunday fathers-do not use your child’s stroller as a battering ram. If you are mad that you are divorced or stuck with the kids, take it on yourself not us.
•Dog walkers-try not to have the entire 20 foot lead extend across the sidewalk. Someone is going to step on your Chihuahua.

Tourists
•Look at the map either at the curb or next to a building not on a corner, the middle of the street, by garbage cans already blocking the street, or on the subway steps.
•If you must window shop do it by the windows and not from the middle of the sidewalk with binoculars.
•Jay-walking is a NYC sport. If you are going to wait for a light, get out of the way of those who want to break the law.
•If you are going to look up assign a designated seeing-eye tourist so others can pass.

cathies

That's the one Aduchamp1. You had me quite paranoid for the entire 10 days! The most common problem with my group is that my friend Julie and I walk fast and the other two are VERY slow. So the two of us who are fast would often suddenly realise we'd left the others behind and would stop and swivel to find out where they were! I promise I tried to remember the rules!

ggreen, thanks for the update re transport, I'll make sure he has it all!

regards,

Aduchamp1

Sorry, I did not mean ruin your stay. But tell the others to walk faster next time.

cathies

You didn't ruin my stay, NYC was fabulous!