La Watters

I will be visiting NYC Dec. 13-17 for business / pleasure for the first time and would like some advice on sightseeing, restaurants, and shopping. I have all day Friday - Sunday for activities and after 4p on Mon. and Tues .

(1) I will arrive on Friday, Dec. 13 around noon, staying at The Beacon (Broadway st 75th St). What is the best way to get from LGA to my hotel: cab or shuttle and how much will either cost?

(2) The sites I would like to see while in NYC are as follows: Empire State Bldg; Ellis Island; Brooklyn Bridge; Grand Central Station; Chrysler Bldg; Rockefeller Center; (I understand Statute of Liberty and UN is closed); St. Patrick's Cathedral; Metropolitan Musuem of Art; Guggenheim; Greenwich Village; SoHo; Chinatown; Radio City; South Street Seaport; Times Square; as well as shops i.e. Bloomingdale's, Saks.

I would appreciate any itinerary advice anyone can give me: what sites to visit on what day, what time of day is best, as well as suggested eating places while sightseeing. As previously mentioned, I will have most of Friday and all of Sat. and Sun free, but on Mon and Tues. only after 4p. My budget per day is between $55-$70 dollars. I've read about others purchasing metrocards or bus passes, so some advice on transportation would be helpful for places not within walking distance from each other. I may also add a broadway show and the Rockettes show to my itinerary. Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

Howard

1. I would suggest you check out some guidebooks (Fodor's, etc.). Most will have 1-2-3-4-5-day itineraries.
2. You've listed more sites and activities than you're likely to have time for! For example, taking in the Statue of Liberty (which is now open), Ellis Island, the Brooklyn Bridge and South Street Seaport would take up a day; Rockefeller Center, Empire State Building, Times Square, Grand Central Station, Chrysler Building would take up the better part of day; Soho, Greenwich Village and Chinatown would take up at least half a day. That wouldn't leave much or any time for museums.
3.Does that $55-70 a day include meals and entertainment? If so, you might find that budget a little restrictive in what you can do!

Duger

For your sake, I hope the impending transit strike is settled before your arrival. If the strike takes place, take our knucklehead mayor's advise and get a bike. Or at least a good pair of walking shoes. Check out the NY post website for transit strike updates.

Your itinerary is ambitious but very doable. The tour buses take in many of the sites you are interested in, and they are convenient in that you can get on and off as many times as you wish. As a single you can pretty much get any show you wish at TKTS. The Christmas show is good, but friends this past week enjoyed the back stage tour of Radio City even more.

The best way in from LGA is a cab. Save the receipt and expense it!

Have fun!!!!

old orch

cab from lga
metro card for nearly all other travel
group your points of interest logically ie. saturday take the subway 4 or 5 train or the 2 or 3 train to brooklyn, get off at the 1st stop and walk back across the bridge to manhattan. walk downtown from there and take in the seaport and wall st. pass by the wtc site and walk up thru tribeca (triagle below canal street) to soho (south of houston). eye glaze around there and work your way back east to chinatown for some lunch. back on the subway (4 or 5 this time) to Grand Central Station now you did the downtown loop. etc etc.

d

A taxi LGA to Beacon would be less than $25. The shuttle would cost anywhere between $15 and $19. The taxi is worth the extra dollars. It is also the fastest way to go. Since your visit is for five days the $17 Metro card will give you unlimited use of subway and bus transportation - assuming there is no strike. Group your activities as follows to maximize sightseeing time.
Friday - Met, Guggenheim and Central Park.
Saturday - Statue, Ellis , South Street, Brooklyn Bridge, Chinatown, Little Italt, SOHO (do this in order listed)
Sunday - Empire State, Gr. Central,
Chrysler Building, Sak's, St Pat's Rockefeller CEnter, Radio City, Bloomingdales.
Times Square-monday evening.

Jen

I have read that the Statue of Liberty has recently been reopened to visitors; check their web site to confirm. Regardless, most people find the climb to be a tedious trek, mostly focused on the behind of the person in front of them. The statue was not designed for interior touring, and is very cramped. Most people, given a choice, just view it from the ferry.

cindy

Just returned from NYC on Sunday. I love it! However, I'm not sure I would encourage a first time visit at Christmas. Everything is incredibly over crowded, to the point of not being able to move in stores, and long lines for everything. I would advise you to go to the Empire State Building web site to purchase & print your tickets, it saved us from standing in a line of 300 people. It's a fun city, just enjoy.

angie

I'm about to be in NYC for my first Christmas visit (4th trip overall) and all of this information was very valuable!
My 16 yo loves to do the "bargain" shopping in Chinatown. Since we will e nearby can anyone recommend a good restaurant in Little Italy?

r-travels

The fare on the airport bus is $16 roundtrip if you book in advance at http://www.nyairportservice.com/fares.html . Dropoffs are at/near Grand Central, PortAuthBusTerminal, PennSta, and midtown hotels between 33rd and 57th Streets. You might find it easier to take taxi from GCT to hotels, as there could be a number of stops

emma

the christmas rush in nyc is incredible and unlike anything else. since you are going for business anyway, i would recommend on top of everything don't do too much. enjoy the bustle but don't join the bustle . in any case, rockefeller center and st. pat's are right next to each other, and very close to times square. they are also right in the middle of the "5 ave" you are thinking of-saks, tiffany's, etc.
-i would recommend eating or going to bars in soho and the village, although shopping there is fun too.

as the previous poster mentioned, hopefully the subway system will be running while you are there. if so, buy a metro card (15, or 30 use) and also be sure to buy at one of the tourist shops the little business card map of the subway system. it will save you innumerous confusion (the trains here are sort of spread out in a scattered manner) and also prevent you from looking like too much of a tourist wtih one of those big fold up maps.

have a lot of fun, i'm sure you're going to love it! nothing puts you in the holiday mood (assuming you celebrate christmas) faster than nyc in dec!

emma

to the poster looking for a good restaurant in little italy: try sal anthony's on mulberry. the spinish lasagna is to die for, and the tiramisu is great too (and this is from an italian, so. . . )