My DH, DD and I will be in NY for for four nights in October. For me and my 14 yr old daughter, it is like a first trip since I've not been to NY since I was her age. We arrive very early on a Saturday morning and leave late evening on Wednesday.

We are staying at Le Parker Meridien. I read some uncomplimentary TAd reviews, but we like the style of it, the location, and the pool. If anyone has any tips or comments to offer about staying there, I'd love to hear them.

Since this is a first trip, please have a look at my draft itinerary and let me know if anything is out of place or if you have any suggestions. I also don't feel like I have a sense of how long some things will take. If you have suggestions about the itinerary, please make them. Also, I left little scheduling notes I thought might be useful to others, i.e., hours, etc.

One more thing - We have to go to Abercrombie because my daughter shops there and Hollister exclusively, and insists. I personally don't want to spend any trip time shopping except for the little bit for her and for souvenirs.

Saturday
Arrive 8:00 a.m.
Shuttle to Le Parker Meridien
MOMA (Lunch at *Modern restaurant) (closed Tues., 10:30-5:30), St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Shopping (H&M, FAO Schwarz), Top of the Rock (sunset), Times Square, Dinner

Sunday
Central Park/Times Square
Central Park – Fall foliage (Strawberry Fields/Sculptures Tour, Belvedere Castle), Tavern on the Green Brunch (reserve 873-3200, 10am-3:00pm), 3:00 Theatre Hairspray, Dinner

Monday
Downtown/Battery Park
Battery Park/Ellis Island Ferry ($11.50/person) (8:30 a.m.-6:00 p.m.) & Museum, WTC Site, St. Paul’s Chapel, Abercrombie (199 Water St.) Chinatown/Dinner (Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory, Bayard St), Little Italy, Greenwich, Brooklyn Bridge (at night)

Tuesday
Metropolitan Museum, $50 for 3 (9:30 to 5:15, closed Mon. open til 8:45 Fri&Sat), (Met Rooftop Garden Cafe), Guggenheim $18/person (10 a.m. to 5:45 pm, cafe), Dinner

Wednesday
Natural History Museum ($30, 10am-5:45pm, open every day). Depart LGA 8:30p.m.

Too much? Too little? We are considering another play.

Thanks.

Well- Monday is about 3 days worth of stuff. Just getting to and visiting Ellis Island and returning in at least 5 hours.

(And by the way - don't say Greenwich - that's a very exclusive suburb in CT. You can say either Greenwich Village or the Village. If you say Greenwich people will send you to Grand Central for the train to the suburbs.)

Separately, plese do not waste the money at Tavern o the Green. the food is mediocre at best - and the service both poor and condescending. If yo want ot eat in the Park go to the Boathouse.

Also- not sure why you're going back to Times Square on Sunday. And I would go to the Central Park Conservancy web site to see what 4else you might want to see in the Park. (Zoo? Lake?????)

And on Tuesday I would not do both the Met and Guggenheim. I'm not a big fan of the latter - and I think you will be museumed out. You can spend days in the Met alone if you want. And if you want another activity I would do something more different - The New York Historial Society or perhaps the Tenement Museum.

I stayed at LPM a few years ago - got an upgraded room, but otherwise thought the hotel was nice. Great location and the pool looked nice too.

I think your itinerary is busy. MOMA will take at least 2-3 hours without too much lingering, and depending upon what time you get there, you could miss sunset if you went to St. Patrick's.

Skip brunch at Tavern - Norma's inside LPM is supposedly fantastic. I haven't gotten there yet, as I forget to make advance reservations!

Monday's optimistic - you have a lot in there and could easily be side-tracked with that many neighborhoods. Plus, it's a good deal of walking without any "destination." May want to find an "activity" to break up the walking tour.

I agree that the Met & Guggenheim are a lot in one day. Perhaps switch one of them for Nat. History just to have a change of style in museums if you really want to see both.

Thanks. Since the Guggenheim would be too much, I took a web look at the NY Historical Society, and I think we'd all enjoy going there. My husband is a Civil War buff.

I picked Tavern on the Green because it looks like such a really lovely place. I have a list of restaurants recommended by a friend and the Boathouse is on it (TotG isn't). So, you don't think that Tavern on the Green is worth it. Does it look like the pictures on the web site? Well, we do plan on dining at Norma's and the Hamburger Joint since they are at the hotel and I've seen lots of raves about them.

Also, I did look at Central Park and just jotted down a few things that I'd like to see, but I'd appreciate knowing what I shouldn't miss.

We have Times Square on Sunday because we were right there after the play. We were planning to eat there, but any suggestions would be great.

So how would you change Monday? Stop after Chinatown or Little Italy and then Brooklyn Bridge? Should we wait until another time for Greenwich Village?

Some things we'll play by ear. The only reservations we have are the theatre tickets and the MoMA.

Thanks

The hotel is outstanding as is the location

The burger joint in the lobby is excellent (you have to search for it) and serves some of the most famous hamburgers in Manhattan.

Also Norma's for breakfast is outstanding.

When I say "we were there," I'm talking about on my map. LOL
(I got the vanDam map suggested on another thread.)

claire, if it was me I'd take her to Abercrombie to shop. I believe the 5th Ave store is the flagship NYC location but there is also one at South St. Seaport. She is only 14 once and taking her to Abercrombie if she really wants to go is going to go a long way toward giving everyone a happier and nicer trip, and she'll be mor able to tolerate the things that might not be her favorites on your itinerary. I speak from having done this w/my young teen daughter in NYC a few times.

So, how was your visit? Hotel, TOTG brunch, sites? Does LPM have their own shuttle from LGA to the hotel? Looking forward to hearing how it all went. We are doing the same trip over Thanksgiving.

If you really want to see TOTG go for a drink (they will have something appropriate for your daughter) and enjoy the atmosphere, then take your dining dollars somewhere else for a good meal.

You hotel is fine and it is very convenient. The Burger Joint (mentioned above) if fun, but it is small and fills up fast, go early or go on a night that you d

(sorry about that) . . .go early or go on a night that you don't mind waiting.

No hotels in Manhattan (to my knowledge) have shuttles from the airport. The flat fare for a taxi for up to 4 people is $45 plus tip plus toll (if any). You could ask to take the 59th st. bridge to avoid toll and get a nice view.

Whoops. That's totally wrong. Was thinking JFK. Cab from LGA is on the meter and will be much less. ~$35.

Calamari, we had a wonderful time! I posted a trip report: "United States: NYC Trip Report by First Timer," if you would like to read it. I'm sure you will love NYC! We had a great first trip, and I can't wait to go again.

We took a taxi to LGA on the way out, but I don't recall how much it was since my husband paid. I do recall that dh said the taxi was cheaper than the pre-arranged airport shuttle that we shared with several other people on the way in. (There were three of us at $17 per person for the shuttle, and the driver made several stops to pick up others.)

I look forward to reading about your trip.

ttt

Yes, Claire, those shared shuttles are really a bad deal from LGA. Unless you're alone, a taxi is the way to go.