nysimi

Last week I received a great deal on last minuter airline tickets. My bf and I (late 20's and early 30's) will be flying into LGA tomorrow night and flying home Sunday morning. We will be staying at a hotel near the airport. This essentially gives us all day Friday and Saturday in the city. Neither of us have visited NYC before and I am very overwhelmed at what we should do in such a short period of time.

Given the short amount of time we will be in the city, our main goal is to see the big/typical touristy things. I am thinking about doing either the 48 hour hop-on hop-off bus tour or a 5 1/2 hour tour on the party shuttle. I figure either of those will give us a great overview. My bf wants to go to the Today show on Friday. I'm up in the air about it. I think I would rather do other things with our 4 hours. I am hoping to get tickets to a broadway play once we are there (possibly for Sat afternoon)- I know to go to the TKTS booth downtown. I'm also thinking about one of the 3 hour harbor cruises but am still up in the air about that.

My question is, what would YOU do if you only had 48 hours in NYC and it was your first time there?

KikiLee

Do you absolutely have to stay at a hotel by the airport? (Which airport, btw?) You are going to waste a ton of time and money getting to and from your hotel, and Manhattan is fantastic at night. I HIGHLY recommend looking into other options.

nysimi

Yes, we already booked the hotel through priceline (it is near LGA which we are flying in and out of. It will be convenient when we have to leave first thing Sunday morning to head home). I tried to book a place in Manhattan but, even offering $150 a night for a 2 star in Manhattan (all zones) was denied through priceline for Thur - Sunday night.

The train station is about 2 miles from the hotel, we plan to take either a cab or bus to the station. I don't think it will be too expensive getting back and forth to Manhattan (after all the cab ride to and from the airport would be at least $60 total) but it does add the extra time.

dan_woodlief

While I have not done the bus tours you mentioned, I like the idea of doing a combination tour of walking and riding so that you can take more in while also enjoying what NYC has to offer. Personally, if I had only that much time on a first trip I would opt for a broadway show at night to save daylight hours for sightseeing. I have taken the two-hour boat tour. While it was very good, I wouldn't do that in a short stay.

I would skip museums with that timeframe unless you are a huge museum fan. You might want to use one day to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge (even more fun than the boat tour and less time consuming to get great views of the city) - start out early. Use the rest of the day to walk through Chinatown, Little Italy, Soho, and Greenwich Village. It can be done in one day.

For the other day, I would likely concentrate on Times Square, 5th Avenue, Rockefeller Center, Empire State Building (buy tickets online ahead of time if you want to save a lot of time), and nearby sights. This might be a good day for a bus tour of some kind.

As for the Statue of Liberty, you get a very distant view from the Brooklyn Bridge. You can see it from Battery Park, take the Ellis Island boat out and back (time consuming), or take the Staten Island ferry across and back.

dan_woodlief

When I mentioned the Empire State Building, I am not sure I would go up top with two days in the city, but I mentioned the tickets in case you want to do it.

nysimi

Is there a reason why you might not go up top with just two days in the city? If we buy the tickets in advance, how long do people usually spend for doing the observation deck at the Empire State Building?

Margie

Hi! You can go to the Today show without spending 4 hours there. Unless it is a concert day you can arrive at the plaza pretty much anytime, we've gotten there as late as 9 and have still seen Katie, Matt, Al and Anne. You can leave after 5 minutes or stay for as long as you want. Last time we stopped by Katie came back out at the end of the show and stayed out in the Plaza until everyone who wanted one got a photo or autograph, she was very gracious.

dan_woodlief

No, no real reason why I wouldn't go the top in two days. It is just a matter of preference. It is a nice view, especially at dusk. I am guessing you could do it within an hour or just over if you have tickets ahead of time. I spent a lot of time up there, but I had a young child, and I am really into photography.

GoTravel

Yikes!

I wish you would have posted here before you booked a LGA hotel.

Any money you've saved will be eaten up by time and PIA getting to and from Manhattan.

Highly recommend the Grayline 48 hour hop on hop off tour. I think it is $49 per person and DO NOT skip the night time Brooklyn tour. The view is worth the price of all the tours combined.

Take the Staten Island Ferry for views of the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge and lower Manhattan.

If only time for one Museum, the Metopolitan Museum of Art is tops.

GoTravel

Skip the Today Show. 99.9% is standing around.

HowardR

Put the Staten Island Ferry ride on your A-list of things to do. And, to save time, do that stop at the downtown TKTS booth at the same time. I suggest going there Friday morning, as your choice for a Friday night will probably be better than for Saturday. By the way,
Dan's advice about seeing show at night is good advice.

Jenski

Hi-I live in NYC but prior to living here did all the touristy things. I think the Empire State Building is worth it-it gives you an overview of just how awesome this city really is. I'd get there and line up before the doors open to save the time of waiting in line. I agree with a post above-skip museums unless you are a huge art fan. I think Central Park is worth a walk through or bike ride...it's nice to see us hectic new yorkers at rest and it really is a pretty place. I think the bus tour is a great idea-you will save a lot of time and energy that way and it'll be much more relaxing than walking/training all over the place. Staten Island Ferry is great. Don't bother with going up Statue of Liberty-you'll get a much better view of the city from Empire State building. Don't go crazy, you can always come back. Oh, and try and eat at a fun restaurant...I can give you recommendations if you email me your preferences/price [email protected].

LlTTLES

I recommend the double decker bus tour. I took it before and it gives a great overview of the city. It will make you feel like you saw the whole city and didn't miss out w/ such a short amount of time. I'm going back to NYC next year and bringing my girls who have never been and I'll be taking the tour bus again.

LlTTLES

P.S. - Is your name Simi? My sister's name is Simi and I've never met anyone else w/ the same name.

JohnS38

" I am hoping to get tickets to a broadway play once we are there (possibly for Sat afternoon)- I know to go to the TKTS booth downtown"
If you have such short time won't it be more reasonable to get your tickets in advanced? If I where you I would check out one of the discounted tickets sites such as www.broadwaybox.com and get my discount and tickets in advanced.