My mom (age 67) and I (age 29)are headed to the Big Apple for a 4 day trip and I am in hopes that I have planned an adequate itinerary. The topics on this board have been an invaluable help but I have a few last minute questions:

1. We arrive in Penn Station via Amtrak at 5:20 pm and our hotel is at 17 West 32nd Street. It seems like it will be a short walk out of the station but we will have one medium roller suitcase a piece. Mom and I both enjoy walking but will it be difficult to get our bearings coming out of the station? After settling into our hotel we wanted to visit the ESB (I've already printed out tickets from their website). Is there usually a long line for the elevators on Thursday evenings?

2. We have booked the all loops grayline bus tour and plan to do the downtown loop on day 2 with the ferry to staten island for a look at Lady Liberty. Then lunch in Chinatown or Little Italy, finish the downtown loop and head to the hotel (or Macy's) in the afternoon. Our plans for the evening include Phantom of the Opera at the Majestic at 8pm and a pre-theater dinner along Restaurant Row. Are reservations a must? We're not set on any one place, just a good meal and atmosphere for $25-35 a piece.

3. The next day we'll do the uptown loop and maybe have lunch somewhere in Central Park. Any suggestions or should we just find a hot dog vendor? The afternoon is free for rest or shopping then we'll have dinner near Times Square and enjoy the night bus tour. Is there a restaurant nearby (in Times Square or near the Gray Line visitors center at 777 8th Ave) that we shouldn't miss?

4. We leave on a Sunday morning so it will be a quick trip but I think we will be able to pack a lot in. With all of the hop on/hop off stops from the grayline I think we'll definitely be able to hit the high notes. Is this a reasonable itinerary for two NYC first-timers?

THANKS IN ADVANCE!

See my recent trip report to NYC. I took 3 friends to the city - it was a first time trip for 1 of the group. Plan to spend some time at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Its an unbelievable museum.

Becco's is a very good restaurant on restaurant row. They have a prix fixe 3 pasta dinner for $21.95. We loved it.

I'll also recommend Becco in your price range. Definitely make pre-theater dinner reservations.

Thanks for the info bennnie and HowardR.

Becco's sounds good but what if we didn't want Italian? I figure we will get Italian or Chinese for lunch that day so I was hoping for more traditional American fare for dinner?? Any advice?

Coming out of Penn Station, you will want to follow any signs toward Seventh Avenue. That will put you headed in the right direction.

On theater night, try to get to your restaurant around 5:00-5:30. This is the calm before the storm period. Many restaurants have a prix fixe option. Depending on the day you go, you may not need reservations.

You may want to try Alice's Teacup 102 West 73 (at Columbus) for light lunch. It is a short walk to Central Park from there.

Two dinner suggestions in the neighborhood you suggest. Almost next to the Grey Line place on 8th is Jack Rose, with primarily an American type menu. Excellent food, great steaks without steakhouse prices. It also has some of the largest, most well spaced tables in all of New York, and an added benefit of a fireplace for atmosphere.

Also there is Angus McIndoe on 44th, just off 8th (next door to The Producers and right across the street from Phantom of the Opera for your pre-theatre choice). This is a reasonable and nice restaurant primarily with an American menu. Great boned grilled chicken, good steaks and fish, with very friendly and helpful servers.

You will have a great time while you are here. The trees have started to change so by the time you get here, they should be in full "bloom", within the next week or so.

One thing I would suggest is the top of the Met Museum. They have a lovely garden on the top with priceless sculpture and since the museum sits on the edge of the park the view from there (especially in the fall) is breathtaking.

I would suggest having a Zagat in your pocket so wherever you get off the bus and are hungry you can find a nice place for lunch or dinner.

Near Central Park, on the West side one of our fav restaurants is Pomodoro which is on Columbus and 71st St. Good food and service.

If you are here soon, on nice days alot of the restaurants in town have outdoor cafes so you can sit and watch the city go by.

I would not bother with Liberty Island, you can't go inside the statue anymore, instead do the Staten Island Ferry, which is a wonderful ride and it's free. The view of Lady Liberty is just as good from the ferry as going to the island.

Lots of good places for shoping along 34th St, and try Daffy's across the street from Macy's. The Manhattan Mall is also in the immediate area.

You also might try a trip up Madison Ave for more shopping from 52nd St all the way up to the 80's there are tons of nice shops.

Discount shops I would again mention Daffy's there are several of them around town and in the 18th St area 5th and 6th Ave you will find Filene's TJMaxx and more.

If you are downtown another local favorite is Century 21, which is right across the street from the World Trade Center site, and the memorial to the WTC is in Battery Park just a few blocks to the south, near the Staten Island Ferry.

If you are downtown and getting hungry, try Fraunces Tavern, a good lunch spot, with some great history, good ole' American fare there, and it is the oldest restaurant in NY, it's where Washington said goodbye to his troops and shortly after took the oath of office on Wall St at the Federal Building. Fraunces TAvern is just off Water St and very close to Battery Park.

New York sounds huge, but honestly it is not all that big, the entire island is only 11 miles long and at it's widest point on 14th st it is only 1 mile wide.

Have fun while you are here, and if you feel like Dim Sum in Chinatown, let me know and I can steer you to some of the best restaurants there. We go everyweekend for Dim Sum. (ohh and lots of shopping in that area as well).

Sorry, wantsomesun, but Manhattan is wider than you state. At 14th St, it is about 2.5 miles wide. At 42nd St, about 2.25 miles.

Think about it: an average NYCer walks 20-minute miles. I would feel superhuman if I could WALK the length of 14th St in 20 minutes, even if there was no traffic.

For your first full day, there is no way you will fit all of that in unless you start the tour at dawn. My suggestion would be the downtown loop, Staten Island Ferry, a late big lunch, theater, after theater dinner.