Some friends (with 3 teenage kids)will be spending Christmas & New Year in NYC for 12 days. Mother & 2 daughters looking for factory outlets in NJ? or are they in NY? They arrv about Dec 22 so presume sales are on.

They're staying around 54th West Side & want to be as close to Times Sq on NYE but with all the security & crowds don't think they'd do it.
Any suggestions for NYE?

Is the museum of contemporary art in NY supposed to be the best in the US or is it Chicago?

Are you able to go to Wall St?

Any other suggestions/advice much appreciated. It's their 1st time in NYC.

I have spent Christmas 2000 in NY & NYE & it was fabulous! However thgs have changed since 9/11 so my recommendations may not be up to date.

NYC does not have factory outlets. We have great discount stores (Century 21, Daffy's Loehmann's)and sample sales held in showrooms of the manufacturers. After Xmas, and even before, department stores have big sales . There are outlets in NJ and upstate NY but they may not need to leave the city for their bargains.
There is no museum called museum of contemporary art , but we have the Museum of Modern Art, and the Metropolitan Museum., Guggenheim etc. All are considered some of the best in the world.
You can go to the Wall Street, the street, but not to visit the NY stock exchange., They stopped those tours due to security after 9/11

If you want a whole day of discount shopping the Woodbury mall (moderate to upscale) is about 1.5 hours from Manhattan. You can rent a car or take a bus direct to the mall from Port Authority.

There are a series of small malls and warehouse outlets (inexpensive to moderate) near the Meadowlands in Jersey. Also reachable by bus - but there are a bunch of different places and getting from one to another can be a pain.

However, there will be a lot of sales in the city and Century 21 and Filene's basement do have some good discounts.

Woodbury Common in Monroe, NY, is the best of the outlets. But, be forewarned, it'll be cold up there this time of the year, and they'd have to do a lot of walking outdoors. Their best bet is to look for the sales right in the city right after Christmas.
A previous response mentioned the Museum of Modern Art, which is indeed has one of the best collections of contemporary art in the world.
They, indeed, would be smart to stay out of the immediate Times Square are over New Year's Eve.

Thanks all... I've should have mentioned that they are fr Sydney, Australia which is peak summer time.

It's a pity about Wall St...ditto happened to me 2 yrs ago in Chicago - won't let you into their commodities area. It's such an education to watch live.

I've also recommended the usual dept stores - Saks, Bloomingdales, Berdorf Goodman...is Macy's still Macy's? Or a take over (I might be wrong!)

What's the latest quirky must try/do in NYC? Read somewhere about those lobster sandwiches @ about $25...yummy - but for a family of five..?!!

Perhaps too early for a broadway play recommendation ie last minute tkts...

I KNOW they're going to LOVE NYC & there abouts...

Must admit I found Chinatown a little disappointing for yum cha on NY's day...but then almosr eveythg else was closed.

It was a walk intended over to Brooklyn fr Chinatown on New Yr's day that I missed..yeah I'm still reminising...

"shopping" and "NJ" made me wonder if they would enjoy going to IKEA. Good buys and an amazing store - for anyone who hasn't been in an IKEA.

starrsville - we have IKEA in Sydney though that's more furniture than clothes, shoes, bags, accessories etc that you'd find in outlets.

Same here.
Just an amazing store.