first time visit to New York City
 

My daugther in law and I are taking a day trip from Baltimore to New York City. We will be there for 8 hours. She has never been before. What should we do? I don't think we will do museums this trip. She is interested in sight seeing. We might take in a matinee. Any suggestions for how to tour New York in 8 hours

What time are you planning on getting to NY?

are you taking a train? where do you arrive? grand central? penn station?

We are coming on a bus that lets us out at Time Square or Rockerfeller Centre at about 10am and picks us up at 6;30pm. I think that Times Square is the better drop off if we want to get 1/2 price show tickets

Rather than waste part of your 8 hours standing on the half-price ticket line, check out the offers at broadwaybox.com or theatermania.com. You can use the discount codes found there for good savings well before your trip.

8 hours is very limited time, assuming the bus runs on time. If you want to do a matinee (definitely get tickets in advance) you have the time to do Top of the Rock, see Rock Center, a little of Fifth Ave and St Pat's, grab a very quick lunch and then do the show and see a little of (uber tacky) Times Square. Can;t do much more than that in so little time.

I think nytraveler has it totally right. And I agree to get some discount tickets ahead of time -- why stand in line for an hour or two (or even more) using up precious time, when you can basically do just as well in advance?

On the other hand, I'm one of the few who says that an open top bus tour (if the weather is right) really shows the highlights of the city. A first timer will get more of an impression of the sights that way than trying to get to several places on your own.

if we did the hop on, hop off bus and skipped a matinee, what could we see? She is really interested in the Statue of Liberty but I think that would take too long. From another post I got the ipression that it is closed. I would like to take her to Katz Deli or Carnegie Deli. I remember the wonderful hot pickled brisket Sandwich at Katz (who eats like that anymore) and the look on my young son's face at the size of the meatball at the Carnegie

You can get a really good view of the Statue of Liberty on the Staten Island Ferry, and that is a free ride.

Honestly, I think the view of the Statue of Liberty from the Staten Island Ferry is good, but not great (certainly better than not seeing it at all). You just don't get that close.

To see the Statue of Liberty will take at least 4 hours - and that's if you've bought ferry tickets in advance. You need to wait on a security line for the ferry (like airport security), take the ferry to Liberty Island, wait on a line there to get into the base (you can't go up inside for safety reasons), tour the lower inside, then take the ferry to Ellis Island and back to South Ferry. With the to and fro from Times Square it would take almost all your time - and IMHO isn't really worth it.

I would rather see 2 or 3 things instead.

nytravler - that is good to know - I was considering going there when I am there next week with my 17 yo daughter. I have seen it from the ferry but never went to it. She wants to see but not on the top of her list.

I would agree, scratch the Statue of Liberty for this trip. If the theater is your top priority, go with advance tickets so you won't waste time or be disappointed. If the weather is good and you decide to skip the theater, I would think about visiting one major museum and then walking. Get a pop-out NYC map, it'll show locations of interest in relation to each other & are easy to carry. You'll be within walking distance of the Whitney, MOMA, the Guggenheim, the Frick, the Met, the Museum of Natural History.... but choose just one of those... maybe walk in Central Park (we like to walk to the Dakota & through Strawberry Fields) and down 5th to see St. Patrick's, Rockefeller Center (Top of the Rock is well worth visiting) and over to Times Square. Christie's (auction house) is right across from the Rainbow Room, often interesting auction items to see & the cleanest bathrooms in NYC! From there it's a short walk to Times Square. That's easily done within your time span. NY has so much to see, enjoy your stay.

So sorry - just realized you said no museums, so scratch the above. Even without, you won't run out of things to do.

KatieR:if it was just me I would go to Brooklyn to see Judy Chicago's "Dinner Party", but in our time frame and for a first timer, museums take up too much time. Thank you for your suggestions. Your itinerary makes good sense. I am always interested in clean bathrooms.

If this bus trip works it is something we could do on each of my visits to Baltimore

thanks to Fodorites we are taking the megabus and saving over $60 US (I am Canadian) and planning to take a walking tour through Central Park, then a matinee (if we can find good priced tickets) and go to the top of the Rock. We will also probably have time for a museum because Megabus has a more flexible schedule with more time options, so we can stay longer. How late are museums open on Wednesday?

Museum opening and closing times vary--you must go to the websites of the particular museums you want to visit and check.

I have 3 questions that I will ask here before I start a separate thread.
1.-Carnegie Deli-I was planning on taking my daughter-in-law here for the experience, but the menu doesn't appeal to me. Is it worth going for the atmosphere?
2. How much time should we allot for the Top of the Rock?
3. The subway-I have never been on the NY subway. Is it worth figuring it out for 1 day or is it better to take a few cabs-eg. Central Park to Palace Theatre, Rockerfeller Centre to Penn Station, etc?

1- If you are not interested in the menu, then skip this.

2-One time we took 30 minutes at Top of the Rock and another 2 hours. I'd allow minmum of 30 minutes, mre toward an hour to be sure.

3- The subway isn't as difficult as many think, but you are talking about short trips in a relatively small area. Taxis and walking should suffice.

I've never been to the Carnegie Deli actually.

Regarding taking cabs, most of your locations are midtown or midtown west, so I think that taxis should be ok. I'd probably avoid going crosstown in a taxi. The traffic jams can be pretty harrowing.

And the subway isn't that difficult. There's a BDFV stop and an N/R stop near Rockefeller -- and also a 1/9 stop on 50th. All of these will take you to Penn Station (at 33rd/34th Street). There are no switches. You want the downtown train.

However with two people a cab really shouldn't be much more expensive.

I grew up going to the Carnegie Deli, it's my comfort food. But if the menu doesn't appeal to you, there's no point at all. The atmosphere is brusque and crowded and if you didn't like the food I think it would be really annoying.

1.-Carnegie Deli-I was planning on taking my daughter-in-law here for the experience, but the menu doesn't appeal to me. Is it worth going for the atmosphere?

<i>WHAT ATMOSPHERE? There is none. </i>

2. How much time should we allot for the Top of the Rock?

<i>It's up to you. You can spend as much or as little time as you want once you get up there. </i>

3. The subway-I have never been on the NY subway. Is it worth figuring it out for 1 day or is it better to take a few cabs-eg. Central Park to Palace Theatre, Rockerfeller Centre to Penn Station, etc?

<i>It's only worth figuring out the subway (or having exact directions in advance) for getting to Penn station IMO. The distance between Rockefeller Center and the Palace theater and the south end of Central Park are all easily walkable or short cab rides. To get to Penn station, if that's where the bus leaves from, you should know how to go by subway should you not be able to find a taxi or should it be a busy time. hopstop.com is a good site to help with directions and even estimate taxi costs. You can also make a personal map of the places you want to see on maps.google.com</i>

Carnegie Deli's meals contain 500 times the calories of a McDonald's supersize meal. I kid you not. You can feed a village with one order. Their desserts and meat servings are ginormous. I don't go to CD for the food, but more for the ambiance and to look at all the photos on the wall. If you are big on actors, movie stars, that sort of thing, I'd go there.

I would narrow down and focus on one or two things. The open bus is a good idea. Subway for NYers is negotiable, but if you're a newbie, it's confusing - cab it - if you take the subway, read the map well. Map is spaghetti. Despite my comments on the subway, you should experience the subway, which is more than 100 years old.

Current day pass for subway for one person is $7, but they are talking about an urgent change, from $7 to $7.50.....Just got back from a short visit.....If you are in NYC for 8 hrs, being at Times Square or Rockfeller Center will provide several hours of entertainment alone....be sure to know the map. That way, you can get your bearings for the direction you are walking or subway-ing before you get off the bus...

If you've never been to a broadway show before, I think I would do a matinee (getting tickets in advance from broadwaybox.com). My cousins were just here from out of town and saw Phantom for $50 or $60.

we are going to see Westside Story.

I have checked distances and here is my tentative plan. We arrive at Penn Station, will take a cab to 5th Ave &72 to take a cross park walking tour-1 1/2 hours. From there we will go to Palace Theatre by cab or walking to see Westside Story. After the theatre we will go to the Top of the Rock and then probably to Carnegie Deli. It's not that I don't like the food, it's the quantities, but I think it is a New York experience for a first timer. Somewhere we will make time for 5th Ave.

Of course when travelling one must allow time for serendipity and be able to adjust schedules. I never understand the itineraries I see that are planned to the minute. My experience is to be flexible about meals and not make reservations to be at certain restaurants at certain times unless it is a very special place. In cities like New York or Paris whereever you are there you can find good food.

In your original post, you said the bus for the ride home picks you up at 6:30. If that is the case, you're playing it awfully tight. West Side Story ends at around 4:30. By the time you get out of theater and walk to the Top of the Rock, it's around 5 at the earliest. You need at least 30 minutes at TOTR, which means leaving there at 5:30 at the earliest. No way can you walk over to Carnegie Deli, eat and be on time for your 6:30 pickup. Keep in mind that you may have to wait for a table at Carnegie which further casts doubt on your plan working!

Now that we are using megabus our departure has been changed to 8pm. If we don't have the time we will skip Carnegie Deli. Probably there are plenty of places for a bite at Rockefeller Centre. The thrill of the day for my daughter-in-law would be seeing a celebrity. How likely is that? on 5th Ave?

The thrill of being in NYC will be overwhelming. If she's lucky enough to see a celeb, then that, I say will be lucky but I've been to NYC mulitiple times, but haven't seen a celeb....however, in Chicago I saw Jennifer Anniston's ex who was in the Santa Clause. They were filming outside of Tiffany's. You could go online and google new york city current filming...and that may let you know where folks are. A. Jolie was in NYC last weekend to film the last NYC scenes of her current movie.

I don't know that celebrity is exactly the correct word :) - but we walked within inches of the "Naked Cowboy" yesterday, corner of 45th & Broadway.

As of today, a broadwaybox.com email shows $39.00 for Impressionism with Jeremy Irons & Joan Allen.

I read the reviews of "Impressionism" and I guess that's why the prices are reduced. Who is the "Naked Cowboy"?

That may be all that Impressionism is worth...if that much! The show did not get very good reviews.

http://www.nakedcowboy.com/akki/

As for Impressionism... guess I'm just a Jeremy Irons fan and enjoy the opportunity to see good actors performing live. Disney stage shows that remake movies don't do it for me. But one reason to love NYC is the range, something for everyone.

If you want to see good actors performing live in a GOOD show, then get tickets for Exit the King, starring Geoffrey Rush and Susan Sarandon.

Howard, are tickets for Exit the King available at 1/2 price?

We saw God of Carnage yesterday and can recommend it - but no bargain tickets are available.

"but we walked within >>INCHES<<< of the "Naked Cowboy" yesterday, corner of 45th & Broadway."

Sometimes it's just so hard not to say the obvious here. Biting my tongue like a good boy.

Yes, Patrick,I too was letting discretion be the better part of valor and not responding to that one!
KatieR, there are discount tickets available for God Carnage, also for Exit the King. Check broadwaybox.com and playbill.com.

Discretion and sarcasm aside, HowardR - checked both links and neither site comes close to the 1/2 price ita is hoping to pay for a Broadway performance for either play. But I am always willing to learn, so if I'm missing a wonderful bargain please - spell it out.

KatieR, I guess it's just semnatics. What you consider a bargain ticket is different than what I consider a bargain ticket. To me, getting a third off a ticket for a good show is a bargain! To get half off a bad show is not a bargain!