NYC / Manhatten - 1st Time Visitor Needs Advice
 

Fellow Fodorites:

I just found out that I will be traveling to New York City next week (November 12-18) for business. I'll be there alone and I don't know a single soul in NYC (except for those in the office, of course). So I need your advice. I will be working every weekday, but will have evenings and the weekend to myself. I would like to see one or two Broadway shows (my company is putting me up at the Millenium Broadway), but man are they expensive. I can also be the ultimate tourist. I love good museums (art or science). So, what is your advice to make the most of this time in New York? Oh, and any places of interest within walking distance of my hotel would be especially useful, as I don't have an unlimited taxi budget. Thanks in advance for your help!

You can get discounted theater tickets at the TKTS booth at 47th St. and 7th Ave. They're either 25% or 50% off, plus a small service charge. The newest, hottest shows are not available, but lots of wonderful theater is.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim and the Frick are three of my favorite art museums.

In NY, you can easily use buses and subways instead of cabs to keep down the price of getting around.

Personally I'd forget the ticket booth. Rather than waste your precious time off there, I'd go on line at www.theatremania.com or www.playbill.com
and prebook good seats (you can see seating charts and not take the tickets if they aren't good). You can still get up to 40% off on a lot of shows that way. You can click to pick those up at willcall since it is getting close to your arrival time.

Don't limit yourself to the area immediately around your hotel. NYC has some of the best public transportation in the country. Buy a 7 day unlimited Metrocard.

Actually, the line at the TKTS booth is usually short or non-existant after 5 p.m. Incidentally, it's only a very short walk from your hotel. And, especially early in the week, you're likely to have a decent choice of shows.

As GoTravel pointed out, a 7-day MetroPass is your best bet for transportation. Get a map of the bus & subway routes, or talk to your concierge once you arrive at the hotel. For $21 (IIRC) you'll get unlimited rides wherever you want all week.

Taxis in NY are not that expensive. Most rides are about $5.00 Since you'll be working during the day, I'm not sure you'd get maximum advantage out of a 1 week pass. I would get a metrocard but maybe not the $21. Don't limit yourself to just Broadway theater though-off Broadway can also be fun & less expensive.

I'm sure some co-workers may suggest an evening or 2 out. Restaurant Row is on 46th st between 8th & 9th where there are lots of good places to eat. The Met, the Frick, the museum of Natural History & the newly done Planetarium right next door are good picks. Some, if not all of these are open late on Fri and/or Sat night. Both the Met & the Frick have live music on Fri night. Go to their websites to double check. I'd do theater during the week when tickets are cheaper.

You might want to do the Grayline downtown bus tour on Sat. While you're down there, go shopping at Century 21, a great discount clothing place.

Well, it turns out we will be in NY for business almost the same exact days next week (I'm praying it doesn't rain too much) and staying in the same vacinity. I haven't tried the TKTS booth, but the discount sites others mentioned are wonderful. I have used Playbill and also recently used www.broadway.box to purchase a good seat at a show. If you are into music, you could take a look to see what is playing around town. Choices range from jazz to opera. You can actually get orchestra or opera tickets at a fairly cheap price, but admittedly, most of the seats are through the roof (or either virtually on it - ha ha). I would take advantage of the evening hours at some of the museums. Besides the Met. Museum (a must), the Frick, and the Guggenheim, the International Center for Photography is also open late on Fridays and is right next to Times Square (www.icp.org).

I would take advantage of nights to do museums and shows and leave the weekend free for other sightseeing, especially since daylight is so short right now. You can also shop at least into the early evening hours. Souvenir shops around Times Square are open late. Other good evening sightseeing includes the Empire State Building, Grand Central Station, and boat rides (for example, the Staten Island Ferry). I didn't find the taxis very expensive either and used them several times for just a few bucks (used the subway most of the time). I assume from others' responses that your hotel is near Times Square (and of course from the hotel name), so you have very convenient subway stations at 42nd Street and Rockefeller Center. Sometimes the NY subway can be pretty confusing, but just ask others if you have questions. It is generally pretty easy to get around.

Just wondering if the taxis in NYC charge flat rates or if they charge a per person rate on top of the ride cost?

I just want to say that I can't imagine staying in a hotel almost next to where I was working all week, having evenings only free, seeing a play or two on Broadway within walking distance, and still doing 11 trips on the subway or busses in 6 days -- what it would take to break even on the metro pass. You could buy a pass to get one free ride in ten or something like that, but you're more likely not to use the minimum on that. I'd simply buy tickets if you find you use the subway at all -- or at least more than a time or two.

On the weekend I would advise taking a Grayline double decker bus tour to get a good overview of the City. When you purchase the Grayline tickets you also can buy tickets for the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island tour and the Empire State Building as well. If you go to Ellis Island, plan on about 2 or 3 hours there. I would not recommend etting off the boat at Liberty Island since the Statue is closed to visitors.

I agree with signing up at playbill.com for theater tickets. The TKTS booth at the South Street Seaport typically has shorter lines than the one in Times Square, although the selection of plays may not be as good as what thee is at the Times Square booth.

Have a great trip.

http://graylinenewyork.com/

http://www.nycvisit.com/home/index.cfm

libelilly there is no per person charge on taxis. The cost is for the ride. Typically you can squeeze 3 people (in the back). Sometimes a driver will allow a 4th to sit up front. The ride cost is dependent on the length/distance of the ride.

Marie, I agree with Patrick on the metrocard issue which is why I was suggesting not buying the weekly card. You can buy a pay as you go card. They are good on buses & subway. Get info here

http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us/metrocard/mcgtreng.htm#top

Hotel is on W.44th about 300 feet east of Times Square. There is also an entrance on W. 45th. All of the following are within walking distance, if you don't mind walking.
Times Square - 300 feet
Rockefeller Center and 5th Ave. about a 10 minute walk
Central Park - about 3/4's of a mile (14 blocks north)
Empire State - 1/2 a mile south
Most theaters - a five to 10 minute walk
Macy's - 10 blocks (1/2 mile) south
Bryant Park - great for people watching on a nice day (less than 5 minute walk
Metropolitan Museum - 2 miles north. Half the distance can be walking through Central Park
When you enter a taxi there is an immediate $2 charge. Then fare is $1.50 a mile. Hotel to Met would cost $5 to $6 plus a tip. Public transportation would cost $2.

Within walking distance:

5th Avenue shopping, Rockefeller Center skating rink.

Perhaps you can sneak in whatever free live performance outside of NBC's Today studio. I caught Sarah McLachlan Friday morning.

Soup Nazi - 55th and 8th?

International Center of Photography - 6th and 43rd?

Julliard free lunchtime concert.

Like music or pianos? Steinway Hall on 57th. Carnegie Hall, which has a free museum, on 57th.

Central Park.

If I were a tourist I'd have the following itinerary:

Carnegie Hall
Broadway Show
Village Vanguard
The Met or Guggenheim or MOMA
Empire State Building
The Met Opera
Planetarium/Natural History Museum
Central Park

I mis-typed the Web address above. It is www.broadwaybox.com.