First time in NYC
 

Hi everyone! I'm excited to be visiting NYC for the first time in a couple of weeks. We are staying in the Upper West Side and will be in town for about a week. We will be doing some of the touristy things, but would love to hear your suggestions on a few local places to eat and things to see in the evening.
Do you have any favorite places to eat in the UWS? Any cant-miss local Halloween things to see?


Thank you for taking time to help out!

Halloween things will be over 10/31, next week. If your trip is in a couple of weeks, there won't be anything. If you are there ON Halloween the parade in the village, but it will be crowded.

What do you like? Art, museums, history? Hard to suggest without specific interests.

Night - Broadway show, music, films ?? again, be more specific to get relevant answers.

NYC has something for absolutely any interest - if you tell us what they are we can make specific recos.

As for places to eat, the avenues on the upper west side are just clogged with inexpensive/moderate restaurants - assuming this is what you are looking for. What cuisines do you like/dislike and what is your $ budget (and if entree or entire meal)?

The Upper West Side covers a few square miles. State your cross-streets and then you can get recommendations for restaurants. Also, what cuisines? New Yorkers have survived for hundreds of years without worrying about Tex-Mex, unlike folks from the Southwest.

I highly recommend Pauline Frommer's New York guidebook, which has been a great reference for us in planning our upcoming trip. The Eyewitness Guide is also helpful.

Thanks for all of your replies! My girlfriend is running the marathon and we will be in town over Halloween. There will be 6 of us so tastes will vary. My best guess would be casual local places. I would love to hear your Italian recommendations. Is there a burger joint we should try to hit? Best lace to grab a slice? We like checking out new food trucks.

We plan on seeing a show or two. Have you seen one lately that you liked? We like checking out museums and parks. We live in OKC and every couple of weeks one of the local cities will close off a couple of blocks for a street festival. There will be live music, artists and other vendors selling their stuff, food trucks, ect. We would love to see the NYC version, but it may be getting to cold.

Thanks again for your help!

First thing that comes to mind burger-wise is Shake Shack at 77th and Columbus Ave..THE burger chain at the moment (there are also other branches around town.) Be prepared for lines.

You can google for info on almost everything you mention… NYC street festivals, food trucks,etc. Good luck to your friend…. I hope the good weather holds!

For example: http://www.newyorkled.com/nyc_events_street_fairs.htm

Well, a google search on burgers in NYC will get you bopping around the internet for hours.

This is just one of the many . . .

https://www.thrillist.com/eat/new-yo...y-neighborhood

If you are here FOR Halloween the big event is the Halloween parade in the Village. This is NOT an event for kids - some of the costumes and groups are definitely in the adult category but the whole thing is a hoot.

It starts at 7 pm on 6th Ave and Spring Street and head north up 6th. But get there early since the streets will be mobbed - with about 2 million viewers and between 50,000 and 60,000 marchers.

For detailed info go to:

http://www.halloween-nyc.com/watch.php

If you are here on the day before Halloween, my alter ego is running a couple of tours on the Friday. One in Central Park just beyond the Blue Line and a scenic route to the EXPO. If you are only arriving on Halloween, you'll be spending your day getting her to the EXPO to get her number.

thestarryeye.typepad.com/explorenyc

A Guide Named Sue

Paul's Da Burger Joint has few tourists and the waitress still calls you, "Hon."

Black Iron Burger
Brindle Room
The Spotted Pig and Corner Bistro are always crowded

We'll be there for the marathon as well, with a friend running in it--ostensibly our reason for the trip. You can look for my thread on NYC restaurants: many responses.

Thanks for all of the ideas so far! We are staying near 94th and Columbus.

Has anyone been to the Hester Street Fair? We saw it online and thought we may check it out.