NYC IN AUGUST
 

Our family of four (one 14 year old boy) would like to see the following but we only have 2 1/2 days and not sure how to schedule them. Not knowing the layout just yet maybe you all can help with sorting our activities by day so that we are not going all over the place without some sort of organized chaos..:-)

We are staying in an apt. 75 West End Avenue.
Travel info: arriving Penn station at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, August 8th. We will be leaving out of Laguardia on the 11th at 8:55 a.m.

We want to experience the following:
1) Top of the Rock
2) Broadway (the boys will see Blue Man Group and the girls will see Phantom on Sunday night)
3) Central Park and/or High Line (both or just focus on one?)
4) NY Harbor (I read about taking the cheaper Staten Island Ferry at night rather than pricey tour) - y'all agree?
5) A great NY neighborhood for pizza or other specialty
6) Tenement Museum - thinking of Victoria Confino (air cond) :-) - will purchase in advance
7) 9/11 Museum - will purchase in advance
8) Chelsea Market
9) South Street Seaport (worth?)

Any other hidden gems? Any advice you have on organizing the above is so appreciated. Also, any travel warnings for getting to airport.

I promise to write a trip report when I return.

Charli

The Staten Island Ferry is not "cheap" it's free. Beats the Circle Line price by 100%.

Thinking Chelsea Market and South Street Seaport are a bit duplicative. Latter tends to be expensive but not too bad of a walk from either the ferry or the Brooklyn Bridge. Chelsea Market isn't convenient to anywhere else you're going to be.

If they haven't seen Blue Man Group, the boys will have more fun than you. But they don't really play on Broadway - their venue is nowhere near the theater district.

However if you do go to Chelsea Market, you'll be adjacent to The Highline.
Blue Man is down near the Village, far from Rimes Sq/ Broadway. Your kids will love it.
I'm surprised that an apartment tour is now air conditioned as they were authentic when we toured one hot summer day, i.e., no a/c on purpose.
I would skip the South Street Sea Port.

You sure about air conditioning??? I don't see it mentioned on website.

Skip south street seaport. Chelsea Market is nice and also adjacent to high line. You can do that on Sunday and head uptown to Phantom. Blue Man is not close it is in village on Lafayette. A nice place to walk around.

The FAQ section of the Tenement Museum website mentions that Meet Victoria Confino is air-conditioned

I don;t think any of the places in the Tenement Museum have AC - they are real recreations and no one had AC then.

The Staten Island ferry - esp at night =gives a great view of the NYC skyline coming back and a not bad view of the SoL. But this is commuter transit - there is no commentary and you hae to figure out what you're looking at. I would do over the Circle Line just due to your lack of time.

Don't bother with South Street - it's very commercial and that's about it.

I would do the Met or the Museum of Natural History at the same time as Central Park. The latter has incredible dinos, gens and minerals and a fantastic human evolution (I actually saw the real "Lucy" fossil there some years ago). Great for kids of all ages and adults with an enquiring mind.

If you prefer the Met (greatest cultural institution in the western hemisphere) look at the departments in advance: you might prefer Impressionists, costume Institute, Temple of Dendur/Egyptian dep't or arms & armor. Something for everyone and you might want to break up into 2 groups.

Just FYI, I just returned from NYC, was there for 4 days. It was amazingly cool. Sunny each day and never broke a sweat. It was cool enough at night that I wore a wrap for my arms. This summer has been very temperate on the east coast (D.C. too). Everyone in NYC was talking about the spring-like weather this summer. it is now almost August 1, so hopefully it will hold and you will have unusually nice weather.

It was low 80s at mid-day, in the 60s at night! What a wonderful surprise.

I do hope you are not doing something through AirBnb or one of the other short term rental. New York city is really cracking on the illegal, short term rents so make sure your rental is legal. West End is a nice street with mostly residential. We frequently visit our son at 300 West End. Lots of nice local restaurants along Amsterdam and Broadway and close to the subway.

Thanks for all the replies. I work for a Museum and we put together the Lucy exhibit which was fascinating. I am all for museums but my traveling partners...not so much.

I am excited to hear about the temps since Houston is sweltering in August. I will look at the Circle Line you mention. Yes, the website does say that particular tenement is air conditioned.

Really good to know about Blue Man Group's location. We will be in Boston prior so maybe that is the place to do BMG. Any other recommendations for the guys in the Broadway area?

Thanks everyone! Keep em coming.

If you wake up early on August 9th -- take advantage of Summerstreets before you start your day. It is really fun!

http://thestarryeye.typepad.com/expl...st-2-9-16.html

And for those of you reading this who have more time in August, the Fringe Festival begins Friday and Governors Island is open 7 days a week.

http://thestarryeye.typepad.com/expl...taycation.html

) Top of the Rock - Yes absolutely do this!

2) Broadway (the boys will see Blue Man Group and the girls will see Phantom on Sunday night)
Yep, Broadway show feels like a must do!


3) Central Park and/or High Line (both or just focus on one?)
You won't see all of Central Park but having a general wander around for as long as you can afford out of your time budget will be amazing all the same. The High Line on the other hand is walkable in a pretty short space of time - I can't remember exactly, but I think we walked the full length of it in less than 2 hours including time to stop and look at the views and take photographs etc.
4) NY Harbor (Yes, Staten Island Ferry being free is great and allows great photo opportunities of lady Liberty!
5) A great NY neighborhood for pizza or other specialty - Grimaldi's near Brooklyn Bridge gets my vote for pizza...
6) Tenement Museum - thinking of Victoria Confino (air cond) :-) - will purchase in advance - haven't been here but it's on my list for our next visit in October.
7) 9/11 Museum - will purchase in advance - not been, not planning to.
8) Chelsea Market - we have missed this so far - but I want to go in October.
9) South Street Seaport (worth?) - I can't see what's worth seeing here..

Enjoy!!

For such a short visit I would skip Chelsea Market and South Street. Even on a week's visit I would skip South Street.

Also for such a short trip I would not go Brooklyn for pizza. There are plenty in Manhattan that are equal or superior including

Lombardi's
Motorino
Keste
Co
Luzzo's

Central Park is well worth the time.
The lower part of the High Line is much more interesting, say below 25th St.

A 14 year old boy might like the following stores;

Forbidden Planet
Evolution on Spring Street
http://theevolutionstore.com/
He will think you are a cool Mom

Use broadwaybox.com and goldstar.com for discounted tickets and museum/event entry.
Central Park is wonderful, but it will consume a lot of time - it's huge.
Love the Highline, but not sure of the appeal to an out of towner - it's a rehab'ed neighborhood and lovely really. You can have a peaceful glass of wine and snacks outside Chelsea Market on the highline at Terroir.

High Line gets incredibly crowded. Central Park has more areas to wander to, lake, food carts, etc.

Walk over the Brooklyn Bridge into Brooklyn or from Brooklyn. On Manhattan side you can easily get to Chinatown for lunch, dinner.

Skip the South Street Seaport. Now it's just a tourist mecca with chain stores

14yr old boy would like shopping at Yellow Rat Bastards, 483 Broadway

Mom can go to Pearl River Mart next door while he is there

.
https://www.yellowratbastard.com/

Last week we started Central Park at Strawberry Fields ( the John Lennon Memorial) and walked 10 min from there to the Castle, and climbed the castle to top floor. Then we exited the park and got a cab. We were in Central Park for a total of 1.5 hrs and got to see the area where people are boating, the lakes around the castle. And the castle is pretty awesome.

Sorry you are leaving so soon on Monday morning. For the rest of you, here is my itinerary for the day. If anyone wants to meet up along the way let me know.

http://thestarryeye.typepad.com/expl...1-15-2014.html

The Fringe Festival started for me today. Volunteering is fun and for a half hour of work you get a pass to see another show and sometimes you can see the show you are volunteering at.

http://thestarryeye.typepad.com/expl...on-892014.html