We will be going to NYC in Feb, for 8 days and need some help deciding how we should go about "touring" the city. Has anyone been on Gray Line's 48 hour "Hop on Hop off" tour, $45. How about their day trip to Atlantic City, $27? Are these worth it? Or should we just adventure on our own? What would be the best way to see the sights?

Hi Kerri...where are you staying? I have never been on a Gray Line Bus Tour because I am a native New Yorker, but I think the best way to see it and experience it is to walk and/or take the subway or bus...make a list of your must sees and break them down into days trips determined by their location...for instance...if you want to go to Little Italy then include Chinatown and Greenwich Village in that itinerary...let me know what you really want to see and do and I'll post back...as for Atlantic City, it's a 3 hour ride one way from the city...I certainly wouldn't talk you out of it, but is there a specific reason why you want to go? The town itself is not worth the trip...if you've been to Las Vegas and liked it I think you'll be disapppointed by Atlantic City...it lacks the glitz and the glamour and the lights! If it's a very cold day, you may not like a walk along the boardwalk.

We went to New York for the first time last year and went on a Gray Line tour. The tour was really interesting, they told all kinds of things that you wouldn't know by just walking past. We also walked EVERYWHERE-it was great and we can't wait to go back this summer. New York is such a special place!!!

I am not a fan of the hop on hoop off tour bus but I can understand why visitors would do this. With a little planning (see Merilee's note) for $16 ($4 Metro card for two people for two days two days) you get to almost all the places where the tour buses stop and you can do it at your own pace.

The New York Times did an article on tour buses a few years ago. They found that most of the drivers made things up.

If you go, take the comments with a grain of salt.

Friends advised us to not get off the first day, then get off the second day at the places we really wanted to see.

I agree that many tourists may like the convenience of the hop on/hop off buses,but I too remember reading that the commentary given by the tour leaders isn't that great.
NYC, especially Manhattan, has an extensive network of buses, on virtually every avenue, and major cross
streets, that should work great if you don't always want to take a subway. Take a look at the transit authority's website to see how many bus routes there really are and where they go!
(www.mta.info). And honestly, most NYers will be glad to give you very detailed directions AND some extra commentary, too!
For places that you think might be hard to get to, you could take a short cab ride or even 2 a day, and still come out way ahead. Remember an unlimited weekly bus/subway pass is only $17 per person (and there's a $4 pass if you need it for the one extra day)

DON'T go to Atlantic City. It is a slum filled with chain-smoking senior citizens and alcoholics...all wearing ugly sweatsuits. And it's scary and possibly dangerous (this is coming from a Brooklynite who lives near the projects). We were followed by several men every night on the boardwalk...they wouldn't leave us alone! Because we were wearing khakis instead of sweats, they thought we were rich or something.

Spend more time in NYC instead!!

Suzanne: Nice of you to group seniors and alcoholics together. As a senior there is one thought that makes me happy - you will be a senior one day and that day will come soon enough.

We took the Gray Line double decker tour and were pleased overall, especially the night city tour. The tour guides do give some interesting information; however, the street salesmen tend to fight for fares and the waits can be long for the route you want. The guide for the Harlem tour (don't remember the official name) was absolutely awful. Obnoxious, self-righteous, egotistical etc. We thought it was a set up by Sat. Night Live and thought about giving them a tip for a new skit!

hi kerri,

just got back from NYC last week. DH and i took the grayline bus tour because it was his first time there and i thought he might find it fun to see the streets and sights as well as use the hop-on, off feature since we only had 2 full days.

we sat freezing on the open top while our guide pointed out the buildings, but gave no other information other than a funny story that had happened to him. the bus route was also modified, the seaport was the last stop in the downtown area since they no longer went to the financial district or near battery park.

after walking around the financial district ourselves, we caught the bus at the seaport to continue and our guide was MUCh better, he pointed out lots of smaller places as well as the usual sights with background info, our necks were getting achy swiveling about all the time, but he was fun and we learned a few things. hope you get a good guide.

we bought our tickets at one of the stops near our hotel, where we had to pay cash but the guy offered us the 48-hour pass for $40pp. maybe they were slow? we only took the downtown loop, though, and wandered around the upper west side and the museums ourselves.

DH thought the tour was average (since we really only got 1/2 a tour and the route changes were only given to us on the bus), but i think it's a good way to orient yourselves if you haven't been there before, and then you can go back to where you want to go on your own. just check the route and see if they stop near where you want to go.

have fun!