New York Itinerary ~ Dec. 20 - 24
 

Please critique and give any advice about changes I should consider making. Not interested in restaurant suggestions...already have those taken care of. My husband and I are in our late 20's and are very active...can do a LOT of walking!

Dec. 20
Arrive at LGA at 8:30 a.m. ~ should we take a taxi or car service to the Westin in Times Square?
Rockefeller Center
NBC Tour - is this worthwhile?
Top of the Rock
Radio City Christmas Spectacular

Dec. 21
Lots of shopping on Fifth Avenue
Chicago at Ambassador Theater

Dec. 22
Chinatown, Little Italy, SoHo, Greenwich Village
MOMA

Dec. 23
Bethesda Terrace & Belvedere Castle in Central Park
MET Museum

Dec. 24
World Trade Center Memorial
NY Waterway Harbor Tour (leaves from Battery Park)
Grand Central Station

Dec. 25
Leave hotel at 4:30 a.m. to catch ridiculously early flight to Cleveland to visit relatives for Christmas...should we take a taxi or car service to LGA from the Westin in Times Square?

Organize a car service ack to the airport - you may have trouble getting a cab that early on a holiday AM.

As for Central Park - it's certianly not at it;s best now. But it's been very warm so far - so see it if you want - but be preapred to alter plans if it turns cold. For the Met go to the web site beforehand to pick out which departments you want to see - and perhaps you can sign up for a free gallery talk.

You might want to mix upo the Met with another of the eastside museums (Frick, Guggen heim, Whitneyetc) - or the Natural History just across the Park - if that's your interest (Have heard the gold exhibit is good but not seen yet.)

Reviews of the NBC tour are mixed. Your Fri. the 21st is pretty unrealistic. You'll be exhausted and your feet will be aching from all the walking downtown. I wouldn't do MOMA on the same day. It also gets really crowded on those free Fri. nights.

Why no theater?

Take a taxi from the airport to hotel. I agree order car service for early pickup.

Dec. 22 and 23 are very ambitious. Get some comfortable shoes and get an early start…but, you sleep when you die.
Have fun, there is no city like New York City.

If you're a Saturday Night Live fan, that part of the NBC tour is worthwhile. Otherwise, skip it, unless you're interested in seeing how tiny (and well lit) the various studios are and how the weather is done with a green (or was it blue?) screen. I thought the best part were the photos all along the hallways, but they rushed us through too quickly to enjoy them.

You might want to go to MOMA while in Midtown on the 21st, so as not to have to rush around on the 22nd and really enjoy all those neighborhoods.

Be advised that shopping venues on 5th Avenue will be mobbed beyond tolerable and way overheated.

On the 23rd, I'd start at the Met, then take the crosstown bus and explore the Upper West Side rather than Central Park (better done in the nice weather).

On the 22nd, I'd recommend viewing the department store windows later on at night, when the crowds have subsided.

You might be able to squeeze in a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge (toward Manhatten) on the 24th - depending on weather and your tour time - especially if you've never done it. Exquisite views of Manhatten with some good photo ops.

Do you have future NY trips planned? If not, there is no way I would skip Central Park. It definitely needs to be seen. I would also move MOMA. I wouldn't want to rush out of Greenwich Village, it's my favorite area.

On December 23, include the wonderful Frick Museum at 70th and 5th Avenue. It is housed in a mansion that belonged to one of the great industrialists who exploited workers in yesteryear.

Dohlice: Yes, have been to NY before and will visit again. These are just my personal favorites to visit. Have not been to NY at Christmas time before, though. It sounds like the crowds this time of year will hold us back a bit.

From your suggestions, I am thinking of skipping the NBC tour...it was just something I hadn't done before and thought might be interesting.

Thanks!

I recommend the NBC Tour. It is something different and interesting to see. My husband and I are in our early 20s and we enjoyed it.

If you like walking and history, downtown offers a nice tour. Down by the Statue of liberty boats and Battery Park there are several historical sites of the 1600 and 1700's. Just north of City Hall is the infamous Five Points (near Chinatown).

http://www.oldworldnyc.com/Goog_maps.html

has a few maps that show many of the sites. You need to be able to move and walk alot to see many of the sites - and it can get busy during the holidays. Hope this helps.

JohnTa,

OP arrived in NYC two days ago!