Rhett

My wife, kids, and I are planning a trip to New York City in June. We have plenty of black clothes so as not to stick out, but are wondering about good choices on accomidations, the best way to get tickets to good shows, the typical tourist questions. The kids will be 11, 9, and 5.

patg

You should find this site helpful

http://www.nytoday.com/hotels

It's sponsored by the New York Times.

annK

Well, June will be pretty hot here so bring light weight black clothes, lol, no don't worry anything you wear will be fine, bring shorts, and maybe some dress up clothes for dinner and the theatre. NYers mostly dress up for dinner out, and the theatre, it's the tourists mostly dressing down, (ok my personal opinion, since we always dress up).

Should be all kinds of fun things going on while you are here, at Lincoln Center and LOTS of broadway shows up. When you get here, the best way to get tickets for the theatre is to go to TKTS at the World Trade Center, there the tickets are half priced for that days' performance they also have tickets for matinees on Wed and Sat or Sunday. Most of the theatres are dark on Monday night.

A must would be the Museum of Natural History, the Bronx Zoo, Botanical Garden, the Central Park Zoo, Liberty Science Center (in New Jersey, an easy ferry ride over).

I would suggest a New York Magazine as a good source of info on what is happening in the city.

Have a great time while you are here.

lp

I recommend seeing Beauty and the Beast. I just took my 8 year old and we both loved it. You will not be disappointed. We ate breakfast at a resaurant named Ellen's Stardust Diner and I highly recommned it. It is a nostalgic themed diner...very kid friendly and the food is good, too. It is within walking distance from Beauty and the Beast. Have a wonderful trip. It is an incredible city.

GOL

Subscribe to Playbill.com. Get on their mailing list. Good site to get lowdown on previews, on / off broadway shows, prices, seating charts, etc...

I'd get advance tix to a show (shows) you really want to see, so you get good seats. B&TB would be a true winner, as suggested. Seats make the show.

This link http://newyork.citysearch.com/feature/34849/ gives recent shows at TKTS; Note you can buy tickets for Wedn. Sat. & Sun. Matinee day before at TKTS in World Trade Center.

Kids will like Bronx Zoo. Also ESPN Sportszone in Times Square area has a popular arcade on 3rd (4th?) floor; Intrepid museum www.intrepidmuseum.org(aircraft carrier, etc..) also popular with kids. Yankee game. Theme restaurants are popular, such as Mars 2115 (?). AAA map of NYC (you have to buy for $2.45, not free) lists theme restaurants and typical tourist stuff.

Ask each kid what one ( or 2) things they want to do/see in NYC. Plan around that.

My favorite NYC book is Fodors Citypack New York. Good map. Basic info, detailed enough to plan.

rqf

A suite hotel might be best for a family your size. Embassy Suites in Times Square is in a good location. YOu can get discount TKTS at the booth in Times Square - 47th and Broaday (across street from Embassy). YOu don't have to go to the World Trade Center. Bring clothes for warm weather and "dressing up' is not necessarily the norm. Unless you are going to one of the finer restaurants sports shirt and slacks would suffice. Certainly don't need a jacket, shirt and tie and that goes for the theater as well. Things you could consider doing
Empire State or World Trade Center
Staten Island ferry ride (free)
Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
Tussard Wax Museum
Zoo in Central Park or in the Bronx. Central park is smaler and much less expensive.
Natural History Museum and Rose Space Center.
Intrepid Museum
If into theme restaurants there is
ESPN Zone and the WWF place, both in
Times Square.
There was a post in this group recently (scroll back) entitled "100 Things to do in New York. It lists many things you could consider to fill your days.

Michelle

Go to TKTS in Times Square to purchase your Broadway show tickets. Get there early (9:00am) and be prepared to wait in line for a LONG time. The Marriott Marquis is right in Times Square and offers great views (high floors) and great location -- close to all public transportation.

newyorker

There is also a TKTS booth at the World Trade Center usually with a much shorter line. Also matinees are sold 1 day prior to the performance at this loc. It opens around noon. Get there a little before opening time. The line moves very fast once it starts selling tickets. Bring cash, they don't take credit cards.

mikki

Dear RQF:
Are you sure there is an Embassy Suites in Times Sq? I couldn't find it on their website. Is there another suite hotel in the area? Thanks in advance!

anne

All of the above are excellent recommendations. Two other ideas: Lion King (you won't get these tickets at TKTS, but it's worth it) and Chelsea Pier if your children are sports-minded. Hope you have a good trip.

Becky

Embassy Suites is in Lower M'hattan at battery park city--Doubletree Suites is in Times square. Do a search here for suite hotels to get some good info!

rqf

Sorry - it is now a Doubletree Suite Hotel. It is on the corner of W.47th and Broadway. It is across the street from the Tkts booth. The booth in Times Square opens at 3pm for tickets for evening performances; 10 am on matinee days (Wed. Sat.). The booth at the World Trade Center (#2 WTC, mezzanine level) opens at 11 am. There is a group that runs a number of suite hotels in Manhattan. YOu might check them out. The 800 number is (800) Me-Suite.

Rhett

Thanks for the suggestions. We'll be driving to New York from California. I am comfortable driving in L.A. and all SoCal freeways, but the thought of driving in New York is intimidating. Once I get in I assume I can park at a hotel garage and walk or take cabs. How difficult is it to drive to some of these destinations?

RQF

You don't need the car to get around NYC. There is a very good transportation system that will take you to any major tourist attraction. YOu can use your car if you want to get to see something in the outer reaches of one of the boroughs (Bronx zoo for example - can be done using public transportation as well)
Parking at as hotel garage is expensive - anywhere from $25 to $35 for 24 hour parking
There are less expensive parking options. There is a parking lot at 60th and West End Avenue where you could probably get a weekly rate. This is on the far west side (on the Hudson River). It wouldn't be too inconvenient if you were to stay at the Doubletree - lot is about 1 1/2 miles from the hotel. Post a note on parking options and you are sure to get responses.

Sally

Definitely skip the black clothes, unless it's for a fancy adult evening out. Kids in NY dress the same as kids everywhere. And in June, it will hopefully be sunny and warm!

Rhett

What about parking in Jersey and taking a ferry over and relying on city transportation from there? Is that a reasonable possibility? We'll probably be in the city for two or three nights, part of a month long transcontinental odyssey.

rqf

Assuming two days in the city it would probably cost as much to park in Jersey and take the ferry. Total round trip cost would be in the neighborhood of $60. Two days parking in a midtown garage would cost about that much and would not be inconvenient. Since this is a month long journey consider planning to arrive in the city on a Friday and leaving either Sunday or Monday. Many hotels offer lower rates for Friday/Saturday stays. Parking might even be less of a problem and certainly traffic will be lighter.

m

Rhett,
don't stay in NJ.
also, the only time that you may be able to drive and park within the city would be weekends and evening and in general, downtown is easier to park than midtown (midtown may always be impossible). The parking rules loosen up (meters aren't necessary) in the evening usually sometime between 6 and 8pm depending on the street. Sunday is usually the easiest day to park with the most relaxed rules. Saturday it varies. Lower manhattan (wall st area) tends to be very quiet on the weekends therefore easier to find a spot. Usually you can also find a spot in the village area (just not in the heart around bleecker stbetween Broadway & 7th). Parking signs are very confusing so read them carefully and if in doubt, don't park there. also some restaurants have parking arrangements with local garages for free or discounted parking so check with the restaurants (especially in midtown area) beforehand. Also if you do plan on using the car, bring lots of quarters (for meters). There are free street spots but again it depends on the day and the time.

for multi day parking, you may get a better rate at an independent garage in the area of your hotel instead of at the hotel itself.

Owen O'Neill

If you're driving in from the NJ side and come trhough the Lincoln Tunnel there's a garage I use regularly that's probabaly the cheapest in the whole midtown area - $18 including tax for 24 hours. It's on 40th Street and is the very first garage on your right just past 9th Avenue. The Port Authority building is on your left. The block is a bit on the unkempt side with a few street people wandering here and there but it's perfectly safe. You'll be about 50-60 feet from the corner of 9th and can easily grab a cab to the hotel from there. I like it because 40th is the first right turn immediately after exiting the tunnel and this parking option allows you to avoid the midtwon traffic hassles.

Patty

Re kids' activities: Many people mentioned the Central Park zoo but don't forget the carousel (go west from the zoo), the marionette theatre (west side around 81st St), roller skating in Wollman Rink (or watching roller skaters near the Halfshell), the Conservatory Pond where you can rent model boats to sail and where the Hans Christian Anderson statue is for Saturday 11am storytelling during the summertime (72nd St on the east side), Alice in Wonderland statue a bit north from the pond, the Dana Discovery Center at 110th St (fishing & other kids activities - call for info) and the Conservatory Garden at 105th St & Fifth Ave (just plain beautiful)...not to mention the playgrounds up and down Fifth Ave and Central Park West. And if there's a free concert scheduled in Central Park during your visit, go! (It's safe at night if you stay with the crowds.) There are opera offerings and symphony concerts with fireworks during the summer, usually at the Great Lawn in the evening. (Bring a picnic dinner). There are also rock/world music/jazz/folk concerts for free at Summerstage, around the middle of the park, maybe 79th St, usually during the day on the weekend. If you're down at the World Trade Center/World Financial Center area and need a playground there, one of the best in the city is Rockefeller Playground, just north of the World Financial Center along the Hudson River, kind of between Murray St and Vesey St. And although I still use New York magazine's kids listings, I prefer two others: Time Out New York's listings and the New York Times Friday Leisure section. I'm still looking for a good online calendar of children's activities! Have fun on your trip.