Need advice to ensure a great trip
Aug 21st, 2001, 01:26 PM
#1
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Need advice to ensure a great trip
I am planning a "girl's trip" to New York in October. Out of 4 of us, 3 have never been to New York. We have the typical sight seeing things on our list, but need some help with our schedule. We arrive in time for dinner on Wednesday, and must leave the city by noon on Sunday. We have tickets to the Producers and Lion King. Other things we want to do:
Shopping-Soho, Canal Street, 5th Avenue, Madison Avenue
Eat/walk around in Little Italy
Grand Central Station
Central Park
Wall Street
Statue of Liberty (do not want to climb up)
Met. Museum of Art
Greenwich Village
Rockefeller Center
World Trade Center
Radio City Music Hall
Brunch at Tavern on the Green?
Times Square
Brooklyn Bridge
Great restaurants-need recommendations
What have I left off? Can we do all this in 3 1/2 days? Can someone note the time needed for each activity? How about days to avoid a particular attraction due to crowds? Thanks so much for any advice! We southern girls plan to have a blast and need your help.
Shopping-Soho, Canal Street, 5th Avenue, Madison Avenue
Eat/walk around in Little Italy
Grand Central Station
Central Park
Wall Street
Statue of Liberty (do not want to climb up)
Met. Museum of Art
Greenwich Village
Rockefeller Center
World Trade Center
Radio City Music Hall
Brunch at Tavern on the Green?
Times Square
Brooklyn Bridge
Great restaurants-need recommendations
What have I left off? Can we do all this in 3 1/2 days? Can someone note the time needed for each activity? How about days to avoid a particular attraction due to crowds? Thanks so much for any advice! We southern girls plan to have a blast and need your help.
Aug 21st, 2001, 01:39 PM
#2
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My, you girls are ambitious! I'd pare your list down just a bit and skip some places that sound more interesting than they really are, such as Grand Central Station, Wall Street and the World Trade Center.
Maybe you'll find time for an afternoon tea at The Plaza or one of the other tea rooms in town? That's always great fun with the girls.
Maybe you'll find time for an afternoon tea at The Plaza or one of the other tea rooms in town? That's always great fun with the girls.
Aug 21st, 2001, 01:44 PM
#3
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I have no advice for you about New York--sorry--but if you don't get much help on this question, try posting again and put NEW YORK in the title. Then people who know about New York will be more likely to look at your question. Advice "to ensure a great trip" could be 1) make sure your passport is up-to-date, 2) take bug spray, 3) don't take your toddler into the restaurant, 4) get a malaria shot, or 5) don't try to drive so far each day.
Aug 21st, 2001, 03:55 PM
#5
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Take the ferry day or night but like everything in New York, its better at night. If you can, bring an extra stomach. There is more great food than you can possibly taste in that much time. Don't miss the Met or Chinatown. A manicure and pedicure is cheaper than anywhere else in the U.S. Enjoy!!!
Aug 21st, 2001, 03:59 PM
#6
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You will have so much fun and you have great broadway tickets. On my first visit to NYC I did the World Trade Center and found it a big disappointment. LONG wait (1 hr) for a 5 min view, skip it. We enjoyed just walking around times square, strolling by the fancy hotels, seeing FAO Shwartz. Central Station can be seen in about 5 min, it's fun to say you were there, but you don't need much time. Make sure you see Central Park only during the day.
Aug 21st, 2001, 06:57 PM
#7
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On this short a visit (anything less than two weeks in New York is a SHORT visit), I'd definitely skip a visit to Liberty Island. Ride by it on the Staten Island Ferry, but don't waste several hours just to stand underneath it. Its power comes from imagining what it must have been like to enter New York Harbor and see her; best done from the Ferry but NOT by going to the island itself.
Aug 21st, 2001, 09:25 PM
#8
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I live in NYC so feel free to email me w. specific ques. I would say you definitely CANT do all that stuff in the short amt. of time you'll be here. I'd do the NY Apple double decker bus tour. I've done it w. friends who visit and it's a blast and covers much ground. Do the night tour.
Aug 22nd, 2001, 05:41 AM
#9
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Where are you staying? That can help cross things off your list - stay in Times Square and see it every morning and evening or stay near Grand Central and you will use the subway there everyday, etc.
Try to break things down by area, so that you spend one day downtown seeing the Statue of Liberty, Wall street, & the World Trade Center, another day have brunch at Tavern on the Green, walk through Central Park to go the Met. Museum. Eat dinner in Greenwich Village and see it after dark.
If you go to the Statue of Liberty be sure to see Ellis Island, I thought it was incredibly fascinating.
I know you have too much to see for such a short time, but don't let people discourage you too much. I have found that New Yorkers and people who visit there a lot will tell you that certain things are not worth the time/effort, and from their perspective they are probably correct. Knowing the City intimately and having done the big tourist sites, they have a different perpective. It is hard to appreciate the value of the Staten Island Ferry as an alternative to going to the Statue of Lberty if you have not gone to the Statue of Liberty (yes, I have done both). But for someone on their first trip, crossing some of these sites off their list is a big deal.
Hope you have a great time!
Try to break things down by area, so that you spend one day downtown seeing the Statue of Liberty, Wall street, & the World Trade Center, another day have brunch at Tavern on the Green, walk through Central Park to go the Met. Museum. Eat dinner in Greenwich Village and see it after dark.
If you go to the Statue of Liberty be sure to see Ellis Island, I thought it was incredibly fascinating.
I know you have too much to see for such a short time, but don't let people discourage you too much. I have found that New Yorkers and people who visit there a lot will tell you that certain things are not worth the time/effort, and from their perspective they are probably correct. Knowing the City intimately and having done the big tourist sites, they have a different perpective. It is hard to appreciate the value of the Staten Island Ferry as an alternative to going to the Statue of Lberty if you have not gone to the Statue of Liberty (yes, I have done both). But for someone on their first trip, crossing some of these sites off their list is a big deal.
Hope you have a great time!
Aug 22nd, 2001, 06:01 AM
#10
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My two cents worth:
Skip the Statue of Liberty as it will take 1/2-3/4 of the day to get on the boat to Liberty Island, instead take the Staten Island Ferry round trip to and see the Lady from the boat.
Skip the Brooklyn Bridge (walking across it) but you certainly can see it from Pier 17 at the South Street Seaport.
Add Chinatown to your areas to see (you can do this right before/after Little Italy as they are in the same area.
I didn't see the Empire State Building on your list and i would recommend going to the top of it (make this the first stop early one morning to avoid longer lines).
I WOULD visit the World Trade center as it's fairly awesome up close (assuming it's not a cold October day). DON"T go to the observation deck at the WTC, instead go to the Greatest Bar on Earth (inside the WTC) for ONE drink (as they ARE expensive), but you'll get the view that you would have otherwise gotten from the Observation Deck and you'll get to relax while sipping a drink.
I also WOULD visit Grand Central Station, as it only takes a few minutes and it's one more site that you'll be able to see that you can't get anywhere else in the world.
I would skip Tavern on the Green, as i haven't been there recently, but it's mostly tourists these days as i've heard the restaurant has "rested on its reputation."
A fun place for a nice "girls dinner" might be Blue Water Grill (sit upstairs, NOT in the "jazz basement") as it's a "lively" spot with excellent seafood. Dinner there will run about $50/per person with drink, appetizer, and entree.
Feel free to ask any add'l questions.
Skip the Statue of Liberty as it will take 1/2-3/4 of the day to get on the boat to Liberty Island, instead take the Staten Island Ferry round trip to and see the Lady from the boat.
Skip the Brooklyn Bridge (walking across it) but you certainly can see it from Pier 17 at the South Street Seaport.
Add Chinatown to your areas to see (you can do this right before/after Little Italy as they are in the same area.
I didn't see the Empire State Building on your list and i would recommend going to the top of it (make this the first stop early one morning to avoid longer lines).
I WOULD visit the World Trade center as it's fairly awesome up close (assuming it's not a cold October day). DON"T go to the observation deck at the WTC, instead go to the Greatest Bar on Earth (inside the WTC) for ONE drink (as they ARE expensive), but you'll get the view that you would have otherwise gotten from the Observation Deck and you'll get to relax while sipping a drink.
I also WOULD visit Grand Central Station, as it only takes a few minutes and it's one more site that you'll be able to see that you can't get anywhere else in the world.
I would skip Tavern on the Green, as i haven't been there recently, but it's mostly tourists these days as i've heard the restaurant has "rested on its reputation."
A fun place for a nice "girls dinner" might be Blue Water Grill (sit upstairs, NOT in the "jazz basement") as it's a "lively" spot with excellent seafood. Dinner there will run about $50/per person with drink, appetizer, and entree.
Feel free to ask any add'l questions.
Aug 22nd, 2001, 06:49 AM
#11
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Great advice so far. Our hotel is in the Broadway area if that helps. Love the idea of taking the Ferry and not waiting in the long line at the Statue of Liberty. We do want to see as much as possible and pleasurable during our visit. Keep the adivce coming-I appreciate it so very much!
