Fun once in a life time expeiences in NYC
 

WE are looking for fun once in a life time experiences in NYC. It could be anything, cost anything etc. Just something that would be really really cool!

Take the subway to Greenwich Village and take a walk through the Village, the East Village, Broadway, Canal Street, SoHo, Little Italy, Chinatown, the Brooklyn Bridge, etc. Snack at bakeries, fruit stands, and street food along the way.

Enjoy, HTTY

Taylort771 , on one of your other posts you asked about "cheap" helicopter rides. Now you're saying "could cost anything".
It all depends on what YOU want to do. NYC has high to low priced options for just about any interest. At the highest end, I suppose you could rent out an entire floor of a luxury hotel (or a concert hall) and hire some celebrity to come over or do a private concert. At the low priced end, you could walk around and see where movies or Tv shows have been filmed.

To give you good suggesions, how about if you tell us what you're interested in (views like from a tall building, boat, helicopter) , food, theater, art, shopping -- and some actual budget and I'm sure we can come up with something fun for you. But throw us a bone first

Sorry, again i am new at this. The reason i asked about cheap helicopter tours is because i really cant justify spending $140+ pp for 15 min. We really dont know what there is to do nowadays we used to live in Manhattan but that was 15 years ago.

No need to justify spending or not spending!

Manhattan is the same as 15 years ago--and very different. How about a little more about you--who are you, ages, what do you like to do. Maybe you never went to the top of the Empire State Building ot Top of the Rock, or maybe you're sick of stuff like that. Maybe you'd like a private tour of a museum? Or some great music venues--maybe your favorite singer, musician, band or orchestra is town while you're here . By the way, it's a good idea to put the dates of your trip and other relevant details (ages, budget concerns, etc) in every post. Most people won't cross check your information and this way everyone who wants to help can give you the best suggestions

We are both 70 and my grandsons are 17,11 at time of travel. our budget is $1200 for the 4 days

Ok, now there's something to work with. I assume the budget does not include hotels? That would take up most or all of the $1200 at most times of the year. I'm also going to assume that you're especially interested in stuff for the boys to do rather than adult activities.

If the boys like a certain sport, see if there's a game on (again-- when are you traveling?). On another post someone asked about trapeze lessons . She was asking about winter, so that won't work for her, but it may interest you. Music? Comedy clubs ?(tough with an 11 year old, but may be possible or you could spilt up one evening). Are they from another big city or a smaller town or suburbs?

Take the boys to a Broadway show. You can get good values here if you aren't set on going to Wicked or some other sold-out production: www.broadwaybox.com

Send the young men on a speedboat tour of the harbor: http://www.circlelinedowntown.com/shark.asp

Take a walk: Central Park, Rockefeller Center, Park Avenue (for people watching), Times Square

Go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and/or the American Museum of Natural History

If your grandsons have never been to NYC, all four days will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

HTTY

Oops, $1,200 for four days? How many nights? Won't the hotel room consume most of your budget?

Some places boys might like

Paragon Sporting Goods

Forbidden Planet-filled with stuff including graphic novels and older kids toys

Chelsea Piers-Wonderful and expensive sports complex

Madison Square Garden-see if they have tours-home of the NY Rangers and Knicks

Evolution on Spring Street-They will love this place. Filled with real skulls, insects in amber, etc.

Be careful about B'way shows and boys that age, many B'Way shows are intentionally aimed at 12 year old girls.

The Cage-street basketball in a smaller than usual court. If you step on the court, you better know how to play. Sixth Avenue and 4th Street.

Grey's Papaya-A NY institution-cheap franks and cheap drinks-a teenage boy's heaven.

The budget does not include hotels as we are using points. We are traveling at the beginning of OCT. 4 days and nights, our flights arrives at 8 am the first day. We are from Atlanta so a pretty big city.
Thanks fr all the suggestions

Here is a fun place for dinner. The food is great, the atmosphere is convivial, and the waiters treat everybody well: http://unclenicksgreekcuisine.us/

HTTY

Has anyone mentioned Central Park? boat ride and walk around after the Met.
I hear the hi-line is great.

Fuezer Bruta is an off Broadway show that young men/boys seem to really like. You stand through the whole performance though. There are often discounts on the left column of broadwaybox.com

accomplicenewyork.com is part street theater, part tour, part scavenger hunt. Everyone seems to love it.

There are lots of fun cruises including sailing ones, some of which are regularly discounted on goldstar.com

Top of the Rock and the Highline Park are probably the 2 most well known "new" things in NYC.

If you will be here the 8th and 9th of October, that is Open House NY weekend. It's an annual event when many places around the 5 boroughs that are not normally open to the public, or have an admission fee, are open for visitors. Check out the website for something that might be of interest; www.ohny.org

P.S. As for that helicopter ride, there really are enough places in the city from which you can get fabulous views without spending $140 each - e.g., ESB or Top of the Rock; a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge; a free ride on the SI ferry.

While I am a theatre nut, I usually take great caution recommending Broadway or off-Broadway shows for young boys/men. But I think McLaurie's idea for Fuezer Bruta is brilliant. I wouldn't even call it a "show" in the sense of other shows, but I am willing to bet the guys will love it.

I think fuerza bruta is a brilliant suggestion too. ;)

What does the group think of a visit to the Intrepid?

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions it gonna be fun!

No Open House New York is the following week this year because Yom Kippur is Columbus day weekend.