We are flying into LGA and staying in lower Manhattan, east side. Any suggestions on best way to get to our hotel? We've been to NYC and seen most of the uptown sites. This time we'd like to see the Statue of Liberty and the various neighborhoods in the south of Rockefeller area (SoHo, Meatpacking District, Chinatown, Chelsea) -- any suggestions on not-to-be-missed?

Carmel Car service or taxi from LGA.
Take a walk on The Highline Park in W. Chelsea, visit Chelsea Market. SofL is closed for restoration. Take a free RT ride on the Staten Is ferry instead and get a great of the S of L.
Eataly at 23rd and 5th.

SoL is closed for restoration but if you take the same ferry (get tickets in advance from the Park Service) you can get a close-up view and then go on to visit the Ellis Island Immigration Museum - which is brilliant. Allow about 5 hours for the whole trip including the various ferry rides.

You might also visit the Tenement Museum (tours which require reservations), the Village, the East Village, Municipal Center (you will recognize a lot of places if you have ever watched Law & Order), walk the Brooklyn Bridge. there is also a lot of trendy shopping downtown, a bunch of galleries and several other museums (have a look at the NY Magazine web site for details).

Separately Rock Center and times square are midtown - not uptown. Have you seen the uptown sights - most of the major museums - and far uptown (Cathedral of St John the Divine and the Cloisters - a fantastic midievil museum.)

Thanks for the replies. Do you know if we can book the Carmel Car service in advance? Yes, we have seen the uptown sights. Can you fill me in with the best place to window shop downtown? Also - we'd love to listen to some jazz in the evenings. Any ideas of good spots - or web sites to check into? We've been to a couple in Harlem, but would like to find a place or two near where we're staying this time (near the Chrysler Bldg. and Grand Central Terminal). Thanks again!

Yes you can book Carmel ahead of time. Their website has an online form and also a phone number. We've used them twice to pick up large groups from the airport and they were great. But for small groups I just get a taxi-easy to do from LGA.

Check out City Winery for good live music (and of course wine and food). It is a lovely venue and often has jazz. The historical place for jazz is BlueNote in the W. Village but it has cramped seating at tables w/others and is pricey. I prefer Zinc Bar down the street.

Also see here, but be careful bc I know that the Cutting Rm has closed and is still on this list, so check out the club first before going to be sure it is still open:

http://www.gothamjazz.com/venues/

"staying in lower Manhattan, east side"
"near where we're staying this time (near the Chrysler Bldg. and Grand Central Terminal)"

If the second statement is true, then you are not staying in lower Manhattan, east side, which would be the financial district/Brooklyn Bridge area, about 3-4 miles from where you are actually staying. Grand Central Terminal is considered midtown, perhaps the very center of midtown.

With your midtown location in mind, Jazz Standard on East 27th Street would be a jazz choice in lower midtown. Iridium jazz Club on Broadway near 51st Street is another midtown west jazz venue.

What ellenem said. If you are staying near Grand Central, you are NOT in lower Manhattan. In fact, you're not even close. You're in midtown on the east side. The Fitzgerald, perhaps?

Depending on when you're arriving, there's no need to arrange a car service in advance. I find it really difficult to meet up with a car at most of the LGA terminals (what airline are you flying?). Just take a regular yellow taxi; it will be cheaper and in most cases won't require a long wait. You will likely wait longer for a reserved car to arrive at LGA since they don't have a nearby place to park and wait.

You can also take the airport bus, which stops across the street from Grand Central, though a regular taxi for 2 is not much more (maybe $5 to $7 to that particular location ... instruct the driver to go either the Queensboro Bridge or the Midtown Tunnel ... the latter will add about $5 to your fare but is sometimes faster).

If u r here after memorial day go to Governor's Island