NYC~~~ in ONE day
Apr 24th, 2006, 02:25 PM
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NYC~~~ in ONE day
I know this is ridiculous, so save me the sermons. Here's the deal, I'm in Philly for a week in June. My 18 yr. old daughter will be with me, and she has never been to NYC. We're from Texas...so we don't get out much..ha. Anyway, I will catch a VERY early train with her for ONE LONG DAY and EVENING in NYC. Give me your best..NYC in a day. Skip the museums for this trip. Lastly, I've never bought Broadway tickets at the booth in Time Square. Is it still there??? Reliable??? I'll cherish your recommendations!!! Where the thunder is Canal Street? And why does my daughter know about it???? 
Where's Kal when I need a chaperone???? Thanks in advance...visormom
Where's Kal when I need a chaperone???? Thanks in advance...visormom
Apr 24th, 2006, 03:00 PM
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I recently spent an afternoon with a bunch of high-school students from Denver who were here on a choir trip. They had four hours to do some sightseeing, and I got roped in by my 15-year-old stepbrother (who had apparently been bragging to his pals about his sister who lives in NYC) to be their designated chaperone. I imagined we'd head off to the Met or the Empire State Building. But no: They voted unanimously to go to Canal Street. Apparently this is the rage among teenagers. So we took the subway down there and spent 2 hours going from tacky little shop to tacky little shop, where they purchased jewelry, knockoff handbags, ridiculous Japanese anime figures and DVDs. Then we jumped in a cab and went all the way uptown to 112th and Broadway to have lunch at Tom's, the 'Seinfeld' diner. The kids were pleased as punch.
As far as the TKTS booth, if you only have one day to spend, don't waste your time waiting on line for tickets. Just buy them ahead of time online. You'll pay more, but in this case, it'll be worth not having to spend 2 of your precious hours just hanging around Times Square.
As far as the TKTS booth, if you only have one day to spend, don't waste your time waiting on line for tickets. Just buy them ahead of time online. You'll pay more, but in this case, it'll be worth not having to spend 2 of your precious hours just hanging around Times Square.
Apr 24th, 2006, 03:14 PM
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If it were me, I'd take the hop on hop off tours to see as much as possible...but I wouldn't hop off. The uptown loop is about 2 hours and the downtown loop is close to 3.
I was just in NY with my friend and her 14 year old daughter and she enjoyed the tour. But then she also enjoyed Canal Street. Thirty minutes there should do it. The above descriptions are correct...but teenagers love it.
After the tours, go up The Rock for a wonderful view of the city.
Have fun.
I was just in NY with my friend and her 14 year old daughter and she enjoyed the tour. But then she also enjoyed Canal Street. Thirty minutes there should do it. The above descriptions are correct...but teenagers love it.
After the tours, go up The Rock for a wonderful view of the city.
Have fun.
Apr 24th, 2006, 03:15 PM
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I agree with tristangela - a day trip to NYC is how many of us within long commute distance of NY visit the city anyway. The train ride from Phl is no longer than the commuter rail from many areas. (although a bit more expensive)
I think you biggest problem will be how to get back to PHL after a night at the theater. Most shows finish up between 10:30 and 11. According to Amtrak website, there is a ~11pm departure (which you can't guarantee you'll make if you see a show) and the next one is 3am.
If you must see a show, you could buy tickets in advance for a 2pm matinee, then enjoy dinner out and catch a late train back to PHL.
I think you biggest problem will be how to get back to PHL after a night at the theater. Most shows finish up between 10:30 and 11. According to Amtrak website, there is a ~11pm departure (which you can't guarantee you'll make if you see a show) and the next one is 3am.
If you must see a show, you could buy tickets in advance for a 2pm matinee, then enjoy dinner out and catch a late train back to PHL.
Apr 24th, 2006, 03:54 PM
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Sermons? Great idea. Why sermons?Marvelous Manhattan and NY Party Shuttle are 2 other tour options.
kingofnyc.com
nypartyshuttle.com
No hopping on/off, they stay with you. Good way to see a lot. OR...is she a Sex and the City fan? Take one of those tours.
http://www.sceneontv.com/tour.php/satc/
Agree you should buy show tickets ahead of time and avoid wasting time. I cringe at the idea of a matinee, but you gotta do what you gotta do. There's also a TKTS booth downtown near the South Street Seaport where the line is rarely long BUT you can't buy matinee tickets there same day. Must be day before. Do you know about Broadwaybox.com? YOu can buy discounted tickets in advance to some shows. (Not the big hits).
kingofnyc.com
nypartyshuttle.com
No hopping on/off, they stay with you. Good way to see a lot. OR...is she a Sex and the City fan? Take one of those tours.
http://www.sceneontv.com/tour.php/satc/
Agree you should buy show tickets ahead of time and avoid wasting time. I cringe at the idea of a matinee, but you gotta do what you gotta do. There's also a TKTS booth downtown near the South Street Seaport where the line is rarely long BUT you can't buy matinee tickets there same day. Must be day before. Do you know about Broadwaybox.com? YOu can buy discounted tickets in advance to some shows. (Not the big hits).
Apr 24th, 2006, 03:55 PM
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You guys will have a great day here, with all the suggestions you are getting.
I would like to add a few ideas as well.
First when you get here, head downtown to the South St. Seaport for your theatre tickets. There is a second booth on the back of the Prudential Buidling at Water and Fulton St. To get there from Penn Station, take the #2 Subway Downtown and get off at City Hall. Walk a couple of blocks south to Fulton St and walk down Fulton, there are a few shops your dauther will want to stop and see. When you get to the SSS, get your theater tickets. The booth there opens early, 10am and will save you HOURS of waiting inline for tickets. From there hop on the #15 bus up water ST to Chinatown, and walk along Mott St, you should be able to find a fun place to stop for lunch, and get a "Bubble Tea" at Silk Road. My favorite Dim Sum restaurant is right down the street from there on your left, Mandarin Court. Lots of fun shopping on Mott St.
After lunch, continue down Mott St to Canal St for LOTS more shopping, purses, scarves, fun things to bring home. Oh it's also a tradition the fist time you go to Chinatown to buy a pair of slippers, tradition has it that they will bring you luck.
After Canal St, continue walking west, and walk up Broadway. YOur daughter will find LOTS of stores to visit, including Pearl River, Daffy's and Old Navy.
From there when you get past Houston St, you are very close to New York University and Washington Square Park, which will be to your left and to your right is the East Village.
After the theatre you might think about walking around the Times Square area, and getting a bite or go to the Marriott Marquis and sit at the revolving bar on the 7th floor and have a snack.
Have a great time while you are here.
I would like to add a few ideas as well.
First when you get here, head downtown to the South St. Seaport for your theatre tickets. There is a second booth on the back of the Prudential Buidling at Water and Fulton St. To get there from Penn Station, take the #2 Subway Downtown and get off at City Hall. Walk a couple of blocks south to Fulton St and walk down Fulton, there are a few shops your dauther will want to stop and see. When you get to the SSS, get your theater tickets. The booth there opens early, 10am and will save you HOURS of waiting inline for tickets. From there hop on the #15 bus up water ST to Chinatown, and walk along Mott St, you should be able to find a fun place to stop for lunch, and get a "Bubble Tea" at Silk Road. My favorite Dim Sum restaurant is right down the street from there on your left, Mandarin Court. Lots of fun shopping on Mott St.
After lunch, continue down Mott St to Canal St for LOTS more shopping, purses, scarves, fun things to bring home. Oh it's also a tradition the fist time you go to Chinatown to buy a pair of slippers, tradition has it that they will bring you luck.
After Canal St, continue walking west, and walk up Broadway. YOur daughter will find LOTS of stores to visit, including Pearl River, Daffy's and Old Navy.
From there when you get past Houston St, you are very close to New York University and Washington Square Park, which will be to your left and to your right is the East Village.
After the theatre you might think about walking around the Times Square area, and getting a bite or go to the Marriott Marquis and sit at the revolving bar on the 7th floor and have a snack.
Have a great time while you are here.
Apr 24th, 2006, 04:02 PM
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Go to www.Broadwaybox.com and you can get discount tickets for many of the longer-running shows in advance - and not waste time standing on line on your one day in the city.
If you don;t want to do any museums I would do the Staten Island Ferry - free and a great view of the harbor and Statue of Liberty, Top of the Rock, a show in the afternoon and walk one or two of the real neighborhoods (shopping, having lunch or dinner, a drink in a cafe etc). Go for the Village, the lower east side, SoHo or the Upper West Side. All have lots of great different ethnic places to eat and many stores that are open late (some until midnight). (This will be much more entertaining than Canal Street which sells a lot of low-priced stuff and ratty knock-offs that are worth even less than you pay for them.)
Central Park is worth a little while if you have the time - but the Park is enormous - so go to the web site - the Central Park Conservancy - to see what you would like to see/do (Zoo, Carousel,
Strawberry Fields). Or perhaps just even take a carriage ride throgh the Park(the weather should be cool enough for the horses to work in June).
And take the subway and walk - this is the real NYC - not some bus tour that keeps you insulated from the people, the texture and the flavor.
If you don;t want to do any museums I would do the Staten Island Ferry - free and a great view of the harbor and Statue of Liberty, Top of the Rock, a show in the afternoon and walk one or two of the real neighborhoods (shopping, having lunch or dinner, a drink in a cafe etc). Go for the Village, the lower east side, SoHo or the Upper West Side. All have lots of great different ethnic places to eat and many stores that are open late (some until midnight). (This will be much more entertaining than Canal Street which sells a lot of low-priced stuff and ratty knock-offs that are worth even less than you pay for them.)
Central Park is worth a little while if you have the time - but the Park is enormous - so go to the web site - the Central Park Conservancy - to see what you would like to see/do (Zoo, Carousel,
Strawberry Fields). Or perhaps just even take a carriage ride throgh the Park(the weather should be cool enough for the horses to work in June).
And take the subway and walk - this is the real NYC - not some bus tour that keeps you insulated from the people, the texture and the flavor.
Apr 24th, 2006, 04:13 PM
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My advice?
Take the train into Penn Station and go directly to the TKS booth. Once that mission accomplished and you've got your tickets in had, take the subway or a cab to Canal Street. Let your daughter do whatever she wants there, stopping for lunch as needed. Chinatown is a good bet, but so is Little Italy.
Eventually she'll get tired. And want to do something else.
At that point, I would opt for the Circle Line tour, or a bus tour, so you can rest your feet while you see the highlights of the city. That should bring you up to the early dinner/cocktail hour.
Head back to Times Sq. Eat. Drink. See the show.
Since you are skipping museums, you are going to one heck of time finding bathrooms, since you don't have hotel rooms either. Use one whenever you see one -- leaving Penn Station, leaving your lunch spot. Don't think storekeepers or restaurants will let you use theirs if you are not a customer, although Starbucks generally loses track.
Take the train into Penn Station and go directly to the TKS booth. Once that mission accomplished and you've got your tickets in had, take the subway or a cab to Canal Street. Let your daughter do whatever she wants there, stopping for lunch as needed. Chinatown is a good bet, but so is Little Italy.
Eventually she'll get tired. And want to do something else.
At that point, I would opt for the Circle Line tour, or a bus tour, so you can rest your feet while you see the highlights of the city. That should bring you up to the early dinner/cocktail hour.
Head back to Times Sq. Eat. Drink. See the show.
Since you are skipping museums, you are going to one heck of time finding bathrooms, since you don't have hotel rooms either. Use one whenever you see one -- leaving Penn Station, leaving your lunch spot. Don't think storekeepers or restaurants will let you use theirs if you are not a customer, although Starbucks generally loses track.
