First Trip to NYC
 

Message: I'm sorry I was so vague in my first message. We are arriving in NYC at 12:30 p.m. on 7/3, and leaving on 7/7 at 3:30 p.m. We are staying at the Millennium Hotel on 44th St. We are going to broadway shows on Friday & Sat. afternoon/early evening.

Things we'd like to do: Bus Tour, Ground Zero, some of the nearby neighborhoods (China Town, Little Italy, Soho, etc.), Macy's. Can anyone tell me if I can fit this much in such a short time?

Any suggestions on restaurants in that vicinity that are in the $30/range per person?

Thanks for your help.

Start thinking of more things to do--many people would try to fit all you mention into one day in NYC. You have 3 full days and 2 halves.

I believe the hop on/hop off downtown bus loop, if you stayed on for the entire ride, takes about 2 hours. So that's one morning or afternoon.

Exploring Ground Zero and those nearby neighborhoods could be done in half a day minimum--it all depends on how many places you stop. I'd apportion a full day to it.

Macy's is not far from your hotel, with the Empire State Building just down the block.

Keep in mind that one of your days is a holiday. Some places may be closed or close early.

You will have plenty of time to se everything on your itinerary.

The Grayline hop on/hop off tour is great. Take the Lower Manhattan loop for what you want to see. At the same time you buy tickest for the tour bus, you can also purchase tickets for the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island tour which I highly recommend. I wouldn't get off at the Statue of Liberty as you cannot go inside after 9/11, you get an excellent view from the boat. I would spend your time at Eliis Island. There's so much to see there, you could easily take 3 hours just there.

To see Ground Zero, the best place would be from inside the Winter Garden at the World Financial Center, not tickets are required.

As far as a nice restaurant in Little Italy in your price range, you can't go wrong with IL Cortile.

Have a great time in The City.

www.graylinenewyork.com

http://ilcortile.citysearch.com/

Not sure if you're looking for restaurants in the area of your hotel or elsewhere. In midtown, best place to eat for under $30 per person is 9th Aver in the 40's and 50's. There are dozens of places to choose from, many of them moderately price (i.e. entrees in the $10-$18 range). In Chinatown you'd have to sork hard to find a place where dinner added up to that much and in Little Italy prices are all over the map but lots of good choices available.

My favorite dining option in NYC is to just wander around and "menu-shop" - most places post their menu outside. I have rarely been disappointed and have made some great finds this way.

The best place for restaurants in Midtown is Restaurant Row on West 45th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues.

Oops, make that West 46 Street, NOT 45th.

Here are a few of things you could add to your itinterary:

While downtown, walk part of the Brooklyn Bridge (it starts on the East Side of City Hall).

Visit Central Park (if the weather permits). You could also include a visit to the Frank Lloyd Wright designed Gugenheim Museum on Fifth Avenue and 89th Street (right off the park). And of course, if you're in the mood for museums, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is at Fifth Avenue and 84th Street (also right on the park) -- one of the best museums in the world.

You can also tour the United Nations, which is an often overlooked tourist destination in New York. They also have a little gift shop with trinkets from around the world, as well as their own post office with their own stamps. The tour takes about an hour.

Bear in mind that Ground Zero is, basically, a construction pit right now. They're rebuilding the transit and infrstructure. Winter Garden, mentioned before, is worthwhile, as is Hudson River Park in which it is located, with great views of the Hudson and Statue of Liberty.

Have a great time!

Thanks everyone for taking the time to supply us with such great information. We are truly looking forward to our trip and I'll let you know how it turns out.

Thanks again!

Mangia E Bevi on 53rd and 9th, I think, is cheap and lots of fun!