genec85

Hi guys

I'm going to NY tomorrow (I know its gonna be a nightmare)!
So since this is the first time I will be in NY, I was thinking of going to join the "fun" in times square. now i've read and heard lots of horror story of nye in times square.
so i was thinking whats the better alternative?
i was thinking of like a rooftop bar that can see the ball drop and everything without the cold and waiting and get squashed.

or should i avoid times square all together?
thanks

panecott

Any place that affords a vies of the ball dropping will be exorbitantly expensive, and not really worth it - assuming you could get reservations. If you really want to watch the ball drop, watch it on TV. Times Square will be a zoo.

It's not Times Square, but the Cathedral of St. John the Divine has a free Concert for Peace every year. It's on 110th St. and Amsterdam Av. It starts around 7 and ends around 9. It's usually a lovely event and way preferable to Times Square.

http://www.stjohndivine.org/NYE2010.html

Or, for an alternative, see Travelbuff's thread on "New Year's Eve Concert" on this board.

You can have dinner after the concert then watch the Central Park fireworks.

Aduchamp1

There is still an active topic which speaks about Times Square,

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...mes-square.cfm

panecott

BTW, "vies" in my first post should be "view".

genec85

thanks guys!

hamlet

Another alternative is the NY Road Runners Club race in Central Park. You can watch (free) or participate (fee). It's a 5k or so fun run and some people wear crazy costumes and they have champagne at the water stations. There's also fireworks at midnight!

The weather will be comfortable for being outside running or in Times Sq, where running will be impossible. Happy to say I've enjoyed both experiences in previous years!

nytraveler

Outdoor rooftop bars will not be open. Indoor ones - or restaurants - will be a fortune and probably long since booked solid. A "view" room at the Marriott Marquis was more than $1500 for the night last year. At lower levels the prices are similar - and you must have reservations to get access to restaurants (usually through back entrances). the dinner at Applebees last year was about $300 per person.

A realistic option (avoiding standing for 8 hours in a pen with no food/drink and no toilet) is to eat dinner on the upper east or west side (a lot of small local places will have regular prices versus a set "party" price for the evening) - and then look at fireworks over Central Park. they have done this every year in the past - but do google the city web site to see if it is happening this year - due to the massive amount os snow still left.