NYC in March- itinerary feedback, please
 

I’m starting to get excited about my trip in March and I think I’ve got a rough itinerary worked out. Please let me know if something doesn’t make sense or if I’m trying to do too much. I have 3 nights in NYC. I arrive and leave on Amtrak. I’m going to DC for 8 nights after this, so I want to make the most of my time in NYC, and I don’t necessarily want to spend the whole time in museums if the weather is nice.

March 24: arrive in late afternoon. Take transit to hostel, check in. If I’m not dead on my feet (red eye flight), go to Katz’s deli for a sandwich and get a feel for the city.

March 25: Eat a large breakfast. Any recommendations on where?

Then visit Cloisters and Metropolitan Museum. If the weather is nice, check out High Line park. Go to the evening performance of Matilda at the Shubert. Any suggestions on what would be the best economical/but still close enough to the stage seat region? Maybe eat a late night dinner afterwards. Any suggestions on where?

March 26: early breakfast- would love recommendations on bakeries, especially french. Go to 9/11 museum first thing. Is that an attraction I need to book ahead of time? If so, how far out? How long does museum generally take to get through?

Explore Central Park. Afternoon Tea somewhere nearby. Plaza or Mandarin Oriental or somewhere that I’ve overlooked perhaps?

Go to the Cooper Hewitt or natural history museum and then the Whitney in the evening. Cooper Hewitt and Natural History really depend on the weather and my mood. Find somewhere to eat dinner. Maybe Strip House. If so, which location? Any alternative suggestions?

March 27: Brunch at Marseille (or elsewhere, open to suggestions, but Marseille’s menu looks intriguing). If you have other suggestions- I’m really looking for a great brunch place that serves cocktails. Probably getting on the train by 2 because I want to arrive in DC early-ish.

Only “for sure” things are Matilda, the Met, the Cloisters, 9/11, and Central Park. I’m open to suggestions otherwise. I’d like to go to the botanical garden for the orchids, but it seems out of the way and I’m not sure that would be the best use of my time.



I’d love any suggestions you have about food. Fodorites always give me the best food ideas! I eat pretty much anything. I tend to stay away from greasy spoons and fast food, and I love farm to table type places. Pizza, burgers, and Italian are comfort food for me- they’ve got to be excellent though. I love ethnic food, and I enjoy excellent vegetarian places, because that’s not something I get often. I’m probably not going to splurge on sushi this trip, but recs are always welcome! I like the traditional sushi places- really don’t care for americanized sushi.

How’s the coffee scene in NYC? Good independent places or am I better off resigning myself to a weekend on starbucks?

(Sheesh, I apologize for the long post. I always try to trim it down and it always turns into some kind of unruly monster. I think I shall name this fellow…Herbert).

Yes, you need advance tickets for 911 museum - as long in advance as possible. Pick the earliest time (9 am) to avoid the very long lines that can occur. People report spending from 2 to 3 hours there.

I love DC but would not spend 3 nights in NYC and then 8 in DC - unless you are going to do trips out to Williamsburg, Mt Vernon, Monticello or other places in VA.

Sorry - March can be mild her or can still be late winter. Central Park will not be at it's best (leafless trees and possibly brown grass) - there is no telling what weather you will get and snow is still possible.

Cloisters AND the Met AND the Highline in one day? That's at least two days worth.

> Eat a large breakfast.
> Any recommendations on where?

Shopsin's in the Essex Market (www.shopsins.com ) would be a classic choice: very good food in huge quantity, and an "ambience" that is unmistakably New York.

Clinton Street Bakery has some of the best scones and pancakes in the City.

If you just want pastries
City Bakery-places to sit
Balthazar-the bakery section, no seats
Pan D'Avignon-no seats
Amy's -seats

You really need to plot the places you want to visit on a map and re-arrange your itinerary in a more geographically logical way.
For example, the Met is at Central Park.

And specify what neighborhood you're staying in, since most people want to eat breakfast at least in the general vicinity of their hotel.

HI NYC
891 Amsterdam Ave

But I don't mind going out of my way for a great breakfast! I usually prefer to eat dinner closer to my lodging, but it doesn't happen that way often.

Thanks, IMdonehere! Very helpful- I tend to eat on the run if it's just pastry and coffee.

Abram- I know. I did map it out, but I'm terrible at that. That's part of the reason I posted for feedback. In this case, from what people have said about the Met, I'm pretty sure that's going to wipe out my day. Central Park depends on the weather, so I don't think I'll worry about it til I get there. If the weather is amazingly good, I often rearrange my plans anyway.

Sambachula- any place that high line would fit better? It's not a must, though.

Nytraver- thanks. Weather is never reliable in PNW, so that doesn't bother me. The NYC- DC day allotment is due to the fact that NYC is a last minute add on. I usually travel during the summer, but I'm hoping to see the cherry blossoms in bloom. Also have been to DC in summer and never again. I figure I'd rather spend 2 days in NYC than anywhere else:)

DonTopaz- thanks! Looks great- adding Shopsins to my list.

Now that I've posted the address, does anyone have any specific tips on safety or the subway?

We did not have advance tickets to the 9/11 and did not wait long in any lines;we went early in the day. You can easily spend hours inside if you want as it is extensive area-wise and a lot depends on just how much contemplation you engage in.

The weather should organize your day at that time of year. You need to make a lot of choices for the short time you'll be here. Below is more than you will be able to manage but it gives you ideas to consider:

Save Katz’s for when you are downtown; also consider: Russ & Daughters, walking around Orchard & Essex Streets (Shopsins is there), Chinatown and Little Italy, Soho, Washington Square Park -- all places below 14th Street.

Try not to miss the High Line – it is very cool. Suggest you enter around Chelsea Market around 16th Street

The Cloisters is all the way uptown and might be combined with Harlem (125th Street) or Columbia University (W 116th Street) - although that is a stretch in distance.

Metropolitan Museum is massive but you could to split the day between the Museum and some time in Central Park. Cooper Hewitt is not far from the Met if you want to have a museum day but you will feel overwhelmed for sure.

9/11 museum is a +/- 3 hour event. In that area, you could walk over to Battery Park City or Battery Park, take the Staten Island Ferry (free) to view at the Statue of Liberty. Also, City Hall, Wall Street, South Street Seaport, walking across the Brooklyn Bridge - all cool things to do. The new Whitney is in this area, but there is no way you can do it all.

The Museum of Natural History and the Hayden Planetarium are uptown not far from where you are staying. Also, walk around Columbus Avenue shops.

If you want to splurge one night - Blue Hill is a premiere farm to table restaurant but it is expensive and difficult to get reservations.

Try Candle Cafe West on 89th & Broadway for vegan

You could try Oren’s Daily Brew on Broadway for coffee

Breakfast/brunch places on the Upper Westside near where you are staying worth checking out:
- Sarabeths
- Zabar's
- Popover Cafe
- Barney Greengrass

Check out TravelZoo.com for discount tickets to museums and plays. Check Groupon.com and LivingSocial.com and Restauran.com for discounts on restaurants, Hop on bus, activities and plays. You can check reviews on Opentable.com.

Thinking like a New Yorker -- even though you are staying in a safe area -- be careful about posting your address and travel days in the same place. I am sure it is completely harmless and it is true that we are somewhat cynical, skeptical and suspicious types, but always better to err on the side of caution.... Just my 2 cents

Ok ... Popover Cafe closed something like 2 years ago. So not a very good recommendation. Sarabeth's is expensive but a good bet for brunch, but I'd never go there at any other time.

I'd have second thoughts about going all the way to the Lower East Side from your hotel on arrival. That's a 30-minute plus trip. To be honest, I'd hesitate to go to the Lower East Side for breakfast at all. Most restaurants don't open early for breakfast (Shopsin's doesn't open for breakfast until 9am, for example). If you want to have a walk in Central Park and perhaps head toward Pastrami Queen at 77th/Lexington, that might make more sense for a sandwich place on your arrival day (and it's very good, but tiny).

Finally, keep in mind that you are coming to NYC on Easter Weekend, so brunch on Sunday will be super expensive and a very difficult reservation to come by. Make your brunch reservations as soon as possible. Some places may also be closed on Sunday.

marvelousmouse: Is it about getting a NY deli sandwich or is it about checking out famous Katz's experience?

Holy moly, Doug! Somehow I overlooked that it was Easter Sunday. Thanks! No brunch for me.

Steve: bit of both. I love delis and Katz's sandwiches look amazing. But I'm open to other pastrami suggestions.

I'd definitely recommend the Lower East Side, so don't avoid that area. Perhaps do it on the day you are downtown. If I had any advice, it would be to skip the 9/11 Museum and do a tour at the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, which for me is a much more rewarding experience. Katz is across the street. But definitely do the things that you enjoy.

I'd very much agree w/Doug that the Tenement Museum is terrific, one of the absolute don't-miss highlights in NYC. (But the Tenement Museum is across the street, sort of, from Shopsin's, not Katz's. The Tenement Museum is on Delancey, and Katz's is several blocks away on Houston.)

Not that you'll be near there, but the pastrami at the Second Avenue Deli (now located on 33rd between 3rd and Lexington) is maybe even better than Katz's. It's a regular restaurant though, not the craziness that is Katz's.

For a french bakery, La Bergamote on 9th Avenue in Chelsea. Combine a visit to The Highline with some of tneir pastries.