KatPen

Thanks Neo Patrick. I thought posts would appear in the New York search, just by having New York in the subject line. Now I understand it better.

NeoPatrick

But at least we all appreciate your keeping New York in your title as well. It's very frustrating to see a message on the general US forum that simply says "where should we eat?" -- like anywhere from San Diego to Portland, Maine, I guess!

kellbell

Whoops, KatPen. . . I think you are right. I forgot to select New York as a topic.

Pam SF. . . I've considered The Red Cat. However, I didn't see anything on the menu that I thought my sister would thoroughly enjoy (she can be a bit of a picky eater still at 32!). It is on my list for my next visit.

Thanks for the tip on the car. I think Vivi also mentioned Carmel in her trip report. Do you happen to know how much that would cost and if all four of us would fit??? Do I need to make a reservation far in advance?

Thanks-
Kellie

kellbell

SGNY. . . I actually did think about a carriage ride through Central Park. Again, maybe something to do after dinner on our first night there, weather permitting.

I'm totally cracking up at the death march reference. Usually my mother is the mad travel planner that leaves no one any time for bathroom breaks. I just want to reassure folks that I'm not attempting to be cruel or unrealistic. I travel with an itinerary as a general plan that I know will morph or dissolve. But you gotta have a plan starting out, I think, and know each traveler's priorities.

Mine is eating, LOL! I have too many restaurants I want to visit.

dina4

hi kellbell,

I agree that your gram might love a carriage ride thru Central Park. You'll be doing a lot of walking, so it might be nice to "sit" and sightsee.

Regarding the Statue of Liberty, you might consider going there early in the morning and getting the first ferry out. (8 am?) You can buy tickets ahead of time online to avoid lines, too. I think the view of New York while you're on the ferry is half the fun. Your mom would love that!

When we have gone, we have just enjoyed the view of the Statue from the ferry, and then went on to Ellis island and did the audio tour. It was amazing and a highlight of our trip. We then did lunch and shopping in Soho/Greenwich Village area. Balthazar is wonderfu, and we also love Mary's Fish Camp.

the other thing to consider is to do Top of the Rock at night, when other things might be closed (MOMA) or unvailable (ferry to Statue of Liberty). Maybe do this your first night instead of walking around Chelsea.

REgarding the museums, be sure to get to the Met 30 min before they open. the lines get really long. Also, if you pick and choose a few things you think your gram would really love to see at MOMA, you can be in and out in less than an hour, and still gotten a "taste".

Personally, i don't have a problem with packing it in and seeing as much as you can. you can relax when you get home, but you have a very short time in New York.

have a great trip!!!

dina

NeoPatrick

I'm no expert as I've only been to the Met a few times and yes the lines were very long -- but I've always known the lines to move very quickly. I'm sure I've never been in one more than about 15 minutes. So what's the advantage of standing in a line that doesn't move for a half hour before the museum opens so that you don't have to stand in a line that does move for 15 minutes once it is open?

dina4

Well because if you get there at 9:30 (if they open at 10), you can sit on the steps in line, sip a coffee, and watch the world go by. you're in at 10 and enjoying the musuem. If you're on a tight schedule (like kellbell seems to be), you can be on your way to your next destination earlier.

Personally, i've never stood in the lines, so it's good to hear they're only 15 minutes. They look a lot longer, so i was just trying to be helpful.

HowardR

First of all, the Metropolitan Museum opens at 9:30. Second, if you get there by 10, you'll go right right. We always go there in the morning and have never had to wait in line to get in at 9:30-10!

kellbell

I guess I figured taking the ferry to Ellis Island would take more time than we have, and my mom said she is content to see the Statue of Liberty from afar. I've only ever seen the Statue from Battery Park, myself. But I honestly can't remember how good my view was.

Ok, I'll see if my group is willing to scratch the holiday light tour and trade it in for a carriage ride through Central Park (I think this will be fun!). And I'm also thinking that maybe we should just head south straight away on Monday am and work our way back north, which would allow us to do Top of the Rock Monday evening maybe before dinner.

My mom keeps saying that she really wants to see New York neighborhoods, and I think our itinerary does that, doesn't it? I mean, hanging out in Chelsea for dinner one night, SoHo/Greenwich Village/West Village on Monday afternoon, and the UWS to go to Alice's Tea Cup for breakfast Tuesday am. Do you think she'll get the neighborhood flavor of NYC, or is there some other area that I should hit to give her this feel???

(We watched Gangs of NY last night. . .makes me want to go to South Seaport. . . )

kellbell

Wanted to ask. . . any guestimates as to how long it will take us to get from LaGuardia to our hotel on West 54th (between 8th and 9th, I believe) on a Sunday am?

nytraveler

Well - ordinarily I would say about 20/25 minutes. But at the holidays all the stores are open Sunday am and midtown is mobbed - so I would assume it could easily be an hour.

(Even though it;s longer I would go crosstown at 96th St and down the West Side Highway and approach from the west rather than down the FDR and try to fight crosstown traffic.)

kellbell

Thanks NYtraveler. . . we were just going to take a cab once we land and get our bags. I'll give those directions to the cab driver.

I'm really bracing myself for a mob scene. I just checked the weather and it is supposed to be in the high 50s while we are there. . . so I'm sure that means even MORE crowds during our visit. Should be interesting!!!!

travelsis

Just a suggestion. I have done NY at Christmas with family many times, including a grandma one weekend. Walking around is tiresome to the older folks and it can be pretty darn chilly! Did you ever consider the hop-on-hop- off double decker bus trips. The downtown loop includes all the sites you listed and even if you don't get off the bus many times you could pretty much see all the sites you have listed except the musuems. If you wait until around 3pm to start the loop you will see the city lit up in the dark. They drive by Rock center and since you are higher than the crowd you have a great view. The traffic makes the bus run slower at this time of year but if you need to get back sooner you can always skip some of the tour and catch a cab back uptown. If you have never done the bus trip you will be surpised at how much info you get from the guide and you will see so much of the city you just can't see on foot in 2 days. The tickets are good for 24 hrs so you can use it again the next day for a short while if you please. For people who have never been to the City its a great orientation to all the major sites. And at least your Mom and Grandman will go home able to say they saw the major sites.

I second the suggestion of the carriage ride in the park. My mother loved that, and so did the rest of us.

coolbluewater

Not to throw too much at you, but there IS an Alice's Tea Cup on the UES as well as the UWS. Address:

156 E 64th St, New York 10021
Btwn Lexington & 3rd Ave

I think you wanted to go to the UWS anyway, but just in case...

Good luck fitting everything in. As long as you stay flexible, you will have a great time. I like to "overbook" my time and just drop things as time becomes short. That way, I always know what to do if there's a lull.

Have fun!

kellbell

Travelsis. . . initially the hop on/hop off was part of our plan, but then everyone basically told me "bad idea!!" given the crowds and the traffic. So, we are going to see the city by foot via subway (if I can pull navigating the NY subway system off!).

My gram should be up for the physical nature of the trip, it is my mother with a healing broken toe that I worry about!!

I just checked the weather forecast and as of now it looks like high to lower 50s while we are there and no precip. Fingers crossed it stays that way!

My latest obsession/worry: my decision NOT to make dinner reservations for Monday night and just wing it. . . praying that little plan doesn't backfire and that we can easily get a table at one of the restaurants suggested here that doesn't take ressies.

Only six more days!

djkbooks

I would agree that the hop on/hop off buses are not a good idea during the holiday season.

They're best when the weather is pleasant enough for sitting on the open air upper deck, and when you're not in a hurry. THEN, this one of the very best ways to see the city, the neighborhoods, and enjoy the buildings (you can lean back in your seat and see all the way to the tops of them).

But, in the cold weather, they're an expensive way to get around.