New York Business Trip Off Hours Suggestions
 

I am spending two work weeks in New York alone (no weekends) beginning 3/14. I am staying in the Hicksville area, working til 5:30 or so daily, and would like to get some suggestions on things I should do, places to eat, see, etc. I will have a car. I would like to get to Manhattan at least two or three times, maybe see a play, eat somewhere cool, catch some music (indie rock or jazz), shop. I'd also like to know if there's anything to do or see in my neck of Long Island. Sights, beachs, etc.

I've been to Manhattan once as a 7 yr old and once as a 19 year old( a while ago, so I remember little), so I've been to the Empire State Bldg and some other touristy places (except Statue of Liberty). I would perhaps like to go to Ground Zero. Anyway, I've never driven in Manhattan, should I try it? What's the best park and ride options? This just came up so I am really a blank slate. As much info as possible, including show suggestions, would be great. Thanks!

It takes about 45 minutes to take the Long Island Railroad into Manhattan. There are trains back to Hicksville up until about 11pm. You can go there during the week, but don't drive. You can drive, if you want, all weekends but you could still take the train.

Look at Time Out NY and the Village Voice on-line for music listings.

People are afraid of driving in Manhattan. Above 14th Street the city is a grid with numbered streets and north/south avenues and it is easy to follow. Below 14th, especially below Houston there are many named streets and one could easily get lost.

Most of the indie rock places are in the East Village with some in the West Village. More jazz in the West Village.

If the LIRR's last train is at 11 and you do not get out until 5:30, I would definitely drive and have a new experience.

If you train it, the last train to Hicksville during the week is 11:42 arriving at 12:30 a.m.

see http://lirr42.mta.info. Better check on parking there;
apparently there are few spots. Hopefully there is
metered parking open from returning commuters at that time.

If you train it, the last train to Hicksville during the week is 11:42 arriving at 12:30 a.m.

see http://lirr42.mta.info. Better check on parking there;
apparently there are few spots. Hopefully there is
metered parking open from returning commuters at that time.

Dizzy's Jazz Club of Jazz at Lincoln Center has 7:30 shows during the week. You can be seated (with a reservation) as early as 6 (and if you have a reservation you must be seated by I think 7:15) - enjoy your dinner at the bar (better views (of Central Park) than a table) and the show will be out by 9. Columbus Circle is a short subway ride from Penn Station but you can also walk there and/or back through Times Square.

www.jalc.org

thestarryeye.typepad.com/explorenyc

Ground Zero last time I saw it was pretty much a big construction site. Nearby St. Paul's Chapel had memorial material for 9/11 when I was there, though, and I thought it was a worthy tribute to that day -- not sure how late it's open, though.

I would definitely catch a set by the Bill Charlap Trio, appearing at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, part of Jazz at Lincoln Center in the Time Warner Center on Columbus Circle. They are there from March 22 to 27, playing sets at 7:30 and 9:30 on weeknights. We're seeing them on March 26. You should make a reservation at www.opentable.com.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions so far. I found out that due to a recent move I will actually be working in Woodbury with my hotel in Syosset. My rental car will have a GPS so, I am a good driver and willing to drive into the city as long as I know where I want to go...

I will also consider the train, but don't want to get stranded if its late. Would it be better if I drove closer to the city and found a train station just east of the river somewhere? Sorry for my ignorance, but again, this just came up and I have done nowhere near the research I'd normally do...

I will have my laptop along, so I will continue to check your suggestions while I am there.

1) Get used to using maps.google.com They have a feature 'search nearby' that allows you type in anything from restaurants to specific kind of restaurant (pizza) to tourist sights, museums etc.

2) In addition to the Hicksville train station, Mineola is also not far and the trains may be more frequent from there. Syosset is also an option. What I don't know is how easy it is to find parking at each station for non-residents. That's something you should be able to research online. Rhea's info about the last train is misleading and wrong. There are trains after midnight at 12:14, 12:39, 1:01, 1:11 etc. and that's just to Hicksville.
http://www.mta.info/lirr/Timetable/

3) I wouldn't drive into Manhattan on a weeknight. If you were staying over a weekend, maybe, but after a day's work, it will be much easier and less stressful to take the train. In fact, instead of parking at the train station, you might want to take a taxi from your hotel. If you do that, you must make sure there'll be taxis at the station at whatever time you return. You should be able to order one.

4) For sightseeing nearby on Long Island, Old Westbury Gardens and Sagamore Hill are both worth seeing. You're not far from Jones Beach but it's not really the time of year for the beach.

5) I can't really help much with dining suggestions in Hicksville but can tell you the Roosevelt Field shopping center is not far and there should be lots of dining places near and around there. Oyster Bay and Syosset may have more to offer and on a nice night, I think there are still some restaurants on the water in Bayville. If you do a restaurant search on google maps there are reviews linked.

6) As for what to see/do in Manhattan, Top of the Rock is new and many prefer it to ESB although it's best in daylight when you can see Central Park. Since we're going on daylight savings time this weekend, if you head straight in one day you should be able to get there before sunset which will be after 7 pm.

Most Broadway shows start at 8 pm except on Tuesdays when many start earlier. The left column of broadwaybox.com will have discounts for many shows and there are a number of new ones in preview or about to open. Here's a list of what's playing http://www.playbill.com/events/listing/1.html

Agree with Sue that Dizzy's Coca Cola is a great jazz venue but can get pricey. There are plenty more listed here by area. http://www.bigapplejazz.com/nycjazzclubs.html
For rock and indie stuff you might try ohmyrockness.com

You're somewhat limited by what you can see/do to the evenings. Some of the museums are open late but usually Fri/Sat. nights. You should have a look on goldstar.com which also has discounts for theater and other things that might give you ideas.

Sorry, I didn't see your last post before my reply. Your dining options should be even better from Woodbury. I wouldn't bother driving closer to the city for the train. Just read the train schedule properly and you'll have plenty of trains to pick and several different stations. I would get the name of a good cab co. maybe from your hotel and use them for getting to/from the station rather than worrying about parking and driving late.

Jazz is like other music genres, there are all sorts of iterations. Bill Charlap is a fantastic and highly respected musician but if you are expecting Charlie Parker or Miles you are not going to get it. And if you are looking for indie rock, Charlap may be too tame.

It is akin when to people ask for comedy clubs. There is a universe between Carrottop and Lewis Black, but both are considered comedians at least by some.

Thanks Aduchamp1. I am more the Charlie Parker/Miles Davis type jazz fan.

No problem. BSpileman loves music. Charlap when not playing by himself accompanies people like Tony Bennett, which is praise in itself.

When in NY the following are known for indie Rock-Mercury Lounge, Irving Plaza, Bowery Ballroom, and the Canal Room. But there are others.

Driving into Manhattan after work is a bad idea - traffic can be very rough until 7 pm or later. Much faster to jump on a train. And no - there isn;t really any place closer you want to leave your car on the street.

Have a look at the online time Out New York to see what is playing where when. Also check out New York Magazine online searchable by dat and type of event.

For most things you will be able to make the last train back. (There are trains all night to Syosset - although after the 12:25 - I believe, but check - they only run once an hour.)

You might have to drive. Some of the indie rock venues do not have the best acts until late. But, of course, that varies as well.

There are trains to Syosset around 1 am, 1:35, then 3 something. So you can get back by train from the city - even after a late show.

Thanks again to everyone who offered advice. I took the train from Syosset to Penn Station last week and walked about 50 blocks from MS Garden to Ben's for a pastrami sandwhich, through Times Square, Rockefeller Center and back again. I'm glad I did it.

I am thinking about going back to see a show this week. My problem is that most likely the earliest train I can get to the city is a 6:40 from Syosset which arrives in Penn Station at 7:35. If most shows start at 8:00, can I make curtain? What if you're late? Can you buy tickets at the door or do you have to go to an agent first?

You should definitely get show tickets in advance.

Hits sell out months in advance. And even other shows may sell all tickets earlier in the day.

If you think you can RUN to the theater to get there in time I would buy a discounted ticket for what you want in advance from Broadwaybox.com. BUT, many shows won;t seat you after the start of the show (you would have to stand in the back until the intermission). (NOTE: the shows don't begin exactly on time - you have a few minutes leeway - but many LIRR trains are routinely 5 to 10 minutes late.)