---NYC---family trip this summer---recommendations, please!! :)
 

My husband is taking me and our two teen aged (13 and 15) boys to NYC for my 50th birthday! and i would love to get recommendations on a few things, i am fairly familiar with the major sites, but would like any ideas!

I would love to see a broadway show or two, any ideas here? Adams Family? Billy Elliot?? Jersey Boys?? Lion King?? Westside Story?? and here, which would be best to buy full price to get the show you want, and which could you maybe pick up at tix tix tix?? are there any other ways to get verifiable tickets in advance? I am assuming Lion King and maybe a few of the other titles are fairly easy to get the day of the show half priced.

Would love a few restaurant recommendations (that might be a bit less expensive) we are staying in the upper west side around 72nd, haven't booked it yet, but am looking at a few apts. on VRBO.com. I have heard scary stories of people not having 'real deals', any thoughts??

And then some hints, i would like to attempt the staten island ferry and statue of liberty stuff. probably will go down to the world trade center area, empire state building, rock center for the view, and the museums...(met, natural history, guggenheim).

we will be there 8 nights, so we have time to do lots!!!

thanks, all!!

The Lion King is still a "high-demand" show, so I doubt you'd be able to pick up discount tickets on the "day of".

yes, i am starting to see that, don't know that it is a top priority show for us, although i know it is supposed to be great. any recs?

We returned a couple of days ago from a visit to NY with teenagers they loved the crossing on foot of Brooklyn Bridge.
Top of the rock of course, and they enjoyed Lion King and Billy Elliot.

I suggest Top of the Rock, rather that Empire State Building--and not both.

We saw the Addams Family in Chicago and enjoyed it--but we just wanted to see Bebe Neuwirth and Nayhan Lane, whom we love. The reviews haven't been very good.

Broadway Box is a good website for discount tickets--so you don't have to pay full price or wait in the TKTS line.

Many people have said that short term rentals in NYC are usually illegal and ill-advised. One alternative is the Affinia group of hoels; another is Radio City Apartments.

There are a zillion reasonable priced ethinc restaurants in NYC; that's the way we like to eat. I found lots of coupons on restaurant.com; their sales frequently offer $25 coupons for $2.

I would reccommend In the Heights for your family. I think everyone would love it. You will smile through it! I think some teen boys would like Billy Elliot and others would not. I think In the Heights is more of a sure thing. Lion King is great too.

I would skip the Statue of Liberty. Take the ferry and see it from the water. You cannot walk all the way up and there is over an hour wait just to go through security. It was a waste of time. AND if you are going in the summer, the ferry gets crowded and hot. Don't be the first one on or you will wait in the heat/sun while everyone boards.

You really don't have to limit restaurants to the part of town you are staying in. Manhattan is SO accessible! The night of your show you might consider reservations at 6 or 630. You all might like Carmines in the theatre district. Check out menupages.com as well. What do the boys and you all like to eat?

New York is full of adventures
It's not only for the New Yorkers seen in "Sex and the city" to enjoy, it's also for us to enjoy
The link I'm adding will surely give you loads of ideas

http://www.lastminutetravel.com//Act...h-Results.aspx

Enjoy New York and tell us all about when you're back

Oooh, I envy you :)

All the best

have you looked at the Beacon Hotel or the Milburn? Both are on the UWS around 72nd, have suites with kitchens/kitchenettes, and while they won't win any design awards, are clean and well-run.

Your teens probably would like to see the John Lennon memorial "Imagine" at Strawberry Fields on the west side of Central Park, then walk through the park to the Metropolitan Museum of Art..
Or go for a walk on the Highline from 14th to 20th streets on the west side.

Definitely book Broadway tickets in advance from Broadwaybox.com. Everyone would love In the Heights.

Do y'all watch any of the morning shows? (E.g. Good Morning America, Today?) If so, get up early and stand outside. You're bound to see someone who is at least semi-famous.

The NBC studio tour is interesting IF you watch shows on NBC (e.g. SNL, Today.)

Take the subway to Brooklyn, have pizza at Grimaldi, ice cream at the place on the warf, then walk over the Brooklyn bridge.

Ellis Island is interesting, esp if you have family who came into the country through there.

For museum tickets, go to http://www.highfivetix.org/splash.aspx. The boys can get tickets 2 fo $5 and I think you can get one adult ticket for $2.50. My Ds and I went to the Guggenheim for $7.50.

You've gotten great advice so far. I agree with:
>Avoid apt. rentals. On the UWS, Beaconhotel.com or Milburnhotel.com are like apts. Affinia.com are all suites.
Best Western Hospitality, Kimberly & San Carlos are some other options in midtown.

>"In the Heights" is a great show for the whole family. You can get discounted tickets in advance without waiting on line by using the discount code on broadwaybox.com You can also print off that discount, bring it with you and go directly to the box office when you get here and avoid the transaction charges. Lion King, Jersey Boys & Wicked are the shows never or rarely discounted. Not sure any of those need to be top priority for your group with teens. There are some off B'way shows like Fuezerbruta, Stomp and Blue Man Group that the teens might like. If you want to try the TKTS booth, the one down at the South St. seaport is usually less crowded.

The reason to ride the free Staten island ferry is to see the SOL from a distance and avoid long security lines & reservations. If you intend on actually visiting the SOL and/or Ellis Island, you must book in advance only on statuecruises.com Another option is to take one of the harbor cruises like nywaterway.com, shearwatersailing.com, sail-nyc.com or circleline.com for a closer view of the statue without the long lines.

The boys might like cafewha.com one night and the National Comedy theater is also popular.

There's a combo ticket for MOMA/Top of the Rock that's good value. Buy it in person and no need to do both on the same day.