NYC next week!!! Please give advise on itenarary?
 

I would appreciate any input or advise ya'll can provide!

FRIDAY DECEMBER 26TH

Arrive NYC at 10:30 ---Hotel(Hampton Inn in Soho) by noon(car service)!---Lunch
Times Square area for the rest of the day!
Rockefeller Center-see tree
Top of the Rock
Ice skating??

SATURDAY DECEMBER 27th

China Town
Accomplice Show 2:30
Blue Man Group 7:00

SUNDAY DECEMBER28TH

Museum of Natural History
Central Park/Zoo
Dylan’s Candy Bar
Bloomingdales and Macy’s
Tiffany’s
Empire State Building
See store windows

MONDAY DECEMBER29TH

Ellis Island
Battery Park
Police Museum
Ground Zero
Stomp at 8:00

TUESDAY DECEMBER 30TH

Walk the Brooklyn Bridge
Eat at Grimaldi's
Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum
Circle Line 2 hr Cruise at 4:00??Still unsure about the cruise!

Wednesday Dec 31st

Flight leaves at 4pm-nothing planned for this day yet!

Thanks,
Tammy :)

Some advice:

The noun "advice" is spelled with a c, not an s.

"Itinerary" has two i's, not an i and an e.

On the 29th, plan to budget for some shopping time at Century 21 and/or Syms - both should have great bargains. In addition to the places you've mentioned, there is the small, free and well-curated Museum of the American Indian in the old Customs House building. It's located right at Bowling Green. There is also the Museum of Skyscrapers and the Holocaust Museum in Battery Park.

For your Brooklyn Bridge walk, I recommend that you take the subway to Brooklyn (e.g. Clark St stop in the 2/3) and then walk the bridge from Brooklyn to Manhattan (so that the view of Manhattan is in front of you rather than behind you). You could also consider adding your Brooklyn Bridge walk to the 29th instead of the 30th, since if you walk over the bridge to Manhattan you'll arrive at City Hall, just a few blocks north of Ground Zero.

There are so many more interesting museums than Madame Tussauds. Why not visit the Met, Moma, the Guggenheim, or the Frick instead, to name a few?

Sorry about the typos! My brain is obviously not working as fast as my fingers! :(

Jam packed week. You don't leave any time for down time. At that pace I'd be in bed by 8pm each night, as they all involve a lot of walking.

Sunday itinerary is not doable (or least not practical, IMO). The museum will be packed, and the ESB even worse. While I could spend 2-3 days at the AMNH, I find that I've had my fill after about 3-4hrs visit.

J62-We plan on arriving at the museum when it opens at 10am and the ESB at around 9-10pm!?

I think the better view is from the top of the Rock. You can see the ESB, and all the rest of the skyline. You can purchase timed entry tickets from booths around the skating rink and avoid the horrible ESB lines.

J62-Thanks!

Does anyone know how hard it is to get student rush tickets at the box office? We want to see Wicked or In the Heights!

Just a couple of notes:

26th - I can;t imagine what you will do with most of the day in Times Square. It's worth about 30 minutes at most. And doing a lot of hanging around outdoors is likely to be very chilly.

28th - Bag Empire State Building - between tourists and 1.1 million NYC kids out of school you will be on line for HOURS. And the view is no better than Top of he Rock

As for Central Park and walking the Brooklyn Bridge - you need to see what weather you get. If it;s decent - 40's and sunny - you can enjoy them. But if it's bad - 20's with sleet and snow, you won't want to do so much outdoors.

Also - you haven;t included several of the major museums I can;t imagine seeing NYC without the Met and MoMA at least.

So far, winter has been early, cold, wet - we've already had snow once, will have more tomorrow (up to 12" in the suburbs) and a bigger storm expected Sunday.

Be sure to bring your waterproofed walking boots and a sturdy folding umbrella.

nytraveler, once again, like MOST tourists, I think the poster is using the phrase Times Square in a much broader sense. She is NOT suggesting standing out in the middle of the street gawking at the neon all day. She has already talked about having lunch, seeing Rockfeller Center, Top of the Rock, and ice skating. Like most of the hotel sites, she is including the entire Midtown West area as being "Times Square" and there is PLENTY to do for a full day.

nytraveler-Thanks:)

The kids really are not interested in the museums except for the Natural History one! Maybe when they are older!

My husband insists that we go the ESB, I have explained the lines and he says you can't go to NYC and not go to the ESB! I disagree! But since it's his money paying for the trip, we will go!!

NeoPatrick-Thanks for clarifying that! We NYC virgins need all the advice we can get! ;)

I'm in complete agreement with everyone else. ESB is a horrible experience and will waste many hours. If you really insist on going, buy the tickets in advance online and print them out in advance (I can't overemphasize the importance of having the tickets in advance so you don't have to stand in that line to pick them up). You'll save some time, but it will still way too much time.

But it's a waste of money to do both the ESB and Top of the Rock. The latter is by leaps and bounds the better choice.

I think it is worth repeating that Top of the Rock offers something that the Empire State Building doesn't -- a fantastic view of the Empire State Building!

Definitely can the Empire State Bldg. Tell hubby the 102nd floor observatory is closed and you'll be waiting in huge lines, where as you'll get timed tickets for Top of the Rock (buy them in advance on-line) and that will give you great views.

BTW, Top of the Rock has a higher-priced ticket where you go up at once in the daylight and once at night, that would be pretty cool. Called the Sunrise/Sunset package.

If you want to skate in midtown, the Pond at Bryant Park (off 42nd b/w Times Sq. and Fifth Ave) should be less crowded than Rockefeller Center.

Buy your Reserve Ticket for the Ellis Island ferry in advance but realize you will still be waiting in line, and they will undoubtedly be long. You might consider instead taking the Staten Island Ferry to see the Statue of Liberty and the harbor, and adding a visit to the Lower East Side Tenement Museum to your Chinatown day--its just several blocks from Chinatown, and you can buy tickets online in advance for a specific tour time.

Are you set on seeing two shows on Saturday? That seems like a lot, and it's really breaking up your day.

You don't have any time in your itinerary to explore Soho and the Village, that are within walking distance of your hotel. Maybe that can be your departure day.

On your lower Manhattan day, you could easily add in Trinity Church and Wall Street, as this area is very compact. If the markets are open that day, you could visit the New York Stock Exchange.

Your Sunday list seems very ambitious. My suggestion would be that you change your Friday schedule somewhat--start at Macy's windows (34th and Broadway) then Lord and Taylor (38th and Fifth Ave), then up to Bryant Park, then in whatever order the whole Rockefeller Center (including Saks and St. Patrick's across Fifth), Times Sq. thing. Tiffany's is on Fifth, but Bloomies is I think on Lex, a few blocks off your path.

That way you knock some stuff off of your Sunday schedule. And all of that mid-town stuff is open into the night so you won't miss out on anything.

How old are your kids?

DancingBearMD-the kids are 16 and 11!
The 2 shows on Saturday are not what I would have wanted but The Accomplice Show only runs on Saturdays and I had already bought the Blue Man Group tickets weeks before.

My husband bought the New York Pass, so I am assuming that is why he wants to do the ESB. I think we get to skip ticket lines.However, the security lines will still be long.

I will adjust Sunday's schedule per your suggestion! Thanks:)

As far as exploring Soho and the Village, Saturday morning might be good for that!

Thanks so much for your help!

Just a thought...

At 16 and 11, it would be a shame for your kids to miss the MET. they are certainly at an appropriate age, and it's one of the greatest museums of the world! They have great exhibits your kids might enjoy, including the Egyptian mummies and great Temple of Dendur. they probably even have a section on something your kids have enjoyed studied at school, and i hear they have a gorgeous christmas tree.

have a great trip!
we will actually be there the same time!

My understanding with New York Pass is you only bypass the ticket booth line. You still have the security line and the waiting line for the elevators themselves.

16 and 11 are plenty old enough not to miss one of the great museums of the world.

My parents took us when we were MUCH younger - I remember my 5 year old brohther loved both arms & armor and the Egyptian section. (He even tried to get into a sarcophagus to find his own mummy.)

We went to the Met on a Fifth Grade field trip -- did someone think her kids were too young?

Anyway, my thoughts: 1) convince your husband that it's better to SEE the Empire State Building from TOTR, than to be IN the ESB; 2) I've been to Madame Tussaud's (reluctantly) - way overpriced - I went because my daughter was dying to go; 3) ice skating - Watch the skaters at Rock Ctr, but skate yourselves at Wollman Rink (or Bryant Park); 4) skip the Circle Line Cruise - first of all, you're likely to freeze, but secondly, once you've seen the views from the TOTR, no need to see them again from ground level; 5) add the Tenement Museum; 6) add a walk up Ninth Avenue through the Hells Kitchen neighborhood - fascinating changes from when it really was "Hells" kitchen!

Rearrange some of your sightseeing. You have plenty of time on Day 1 -- after lunch, walk through Times Square, up to Rock Ctr., watch the skaters, pop into St. Pat's, walk up Fifth Avenue this day (including Saks, Bergdorf's, Trump Tower, Tiffany's, FAO Schwarz, the 24-hour Apple store). If you're still energetic, walk back via Bloomingdale's and Grand Central Station. Anything you miss you can do on another day.

On Saturday, I'd go to the Tenement Museum, have lunch at Katz', then go to your shows (where does the Accomplice show start)?

Sunday - first three items on your list, fine, delete Bloomies, Macys and Tiffanys. ESB if you must.

Monday - All okay, add Chinatown on your way back to your hotel before the show.

Tuesday - skip Madame Tussaud's. Leaves you some free time for other stuff downtown. After Grimaldi's, stop at Jacques Torres for a to-die-for hot chocolate.

Wednesday - as someone else said, poke around Soho and Greenwich Village.

I like SF307's suggestions. Particuarly the idea of sticking to Fifth Ave and then a little bit East to Grand Central on Friday, then you can save Times Square to visit on Sunday night or Tuesday night (you definitely want to see Times Sq. after dark). Or instead of going East to Park and Lex Aves if you have the energy and time you can head up Fifth past the Apple Store and FAO Schwartz and into the Southeast corner of the Park (next to The Plaza--this is where all of the horse carriages line up) and to Wollman Rink and the rest of the southernmost part of the Park.

FWIW, last time we were there, we arrived at 9 p.m., had dinner, and still walked up to Rock Ctr, Saks, Grand Central and Lord & Taylor before calling it a night.

I will definitely add the MET to our list! My son likes the idea of the Armor and the Eqyptian Mummies!

Wow, I am so impressed with all the tips! Keep them coming!!

Thank you,
Tammy

The Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory is a little more than a block from Grimaldi's but I'm not sure if it's open during winter. Some people love it, some people think what's the fuss. It's so close, I'd just stop by and take a gander.

All this drubbing ESB is taking. I agree with everyone about the lines, but ESB holds a historical significance to me least, a vestige of the depression era and Art Deco period, survived a bomber crash, and all those movies and timeless photographs of it being built. You walk inside it and realize how antiquated the interior is and how we're used to all new shiny skyscrapers. They don't build buildings like the ESB anymore.

Oh and the Met. I live less than a 10 minute walk and go there frequently and still am not convinced I covered it all. Plus it keeps changing (new wings, rearranging, redesign).

nstevey, I don't think anyone thinks they shouldn't LOOK at the Empire State Building (for all the reasons you stated), but that there's no point in standing in that line for THE VIEW, since you can't see the ESB from the ESB!

I definitely echo what sf7307 said. I admire the ESB greatly. The fact that it's on the site of the original Waldorf-Astoria, the construction at the rate of one story per week during the Depression, the involvement of Al Smith, is an amazing story. By all means go by it on the ground and stop in to see the lobby, and admire it from Top of the Rock and all of the other places around the city where it magically appears as you round a corner, but don't feel compelled to wait in the lines to ride up!

And I didn't even know all that :-)

Do build in some down-time. If it's cold or wet or just plain nasty outdoors, the kids or yourselves will like a break of your very busy schedule.

The 26th Dec has all those Xmas sales and is as crazy as Black Friday. You might not even be in the City and at your hotel by 12N.

The 28th Dec has you west side, east side, midtown... a bit much.

During the entire time, tourists are everywhere, getting thru many streets while on foot takes longer than on normal days.

Use the subway whenever you can.

And another vote: skip the ESB, but if in the neighborhood, check out the lobby.

Good luck!

<i>Do build in some down-time. If it's cold or wet or just plain nasty outdoors, the kids or yourselves will like a break of your very busy schedule.</i>

Even just sitting down in a nice cozy cafe for a late afternoon cup of coffee or tea and a pastry is so rejuvenating, and part of the whole tourism experience.

We definitely don't want to over plan this trip! I want to REALLY enjoy the city! We usually try to take two vacations a year and this will be our biggie for 09(even though it's still 08)! As this will be the most expensive trip we have taken thus far, our summer will be filled with mini trips to the lake!

I want the trip to be a perfect balance of sightseeing and soaking in the city! I already know it's gonna be love at first sight!

Since I want to add the MET to our itinarary, which day should it be added to?

Thanks!!

The Met is basically right across the Park from the Natural History Museum.

I understand. It's too bad tourists can't see the ESB the way some New Yorkers do. I've had many meetings and interviews on many floors and I found the innards just as interesting as the views.

I would consider going to the Met on Tuesday morning. (it would be better for the kids to have the museums on 2 different days). Get there at 10 when they open. Afterwards, you can do the brooklyn bridge. (btw, we're dying to do this too but are worried it might be too cold!!)
And also consider skipping Madame Toussaud's.

dina4-another poster suggested taking the subway to Brooklyn and walking back across the bridge! We are hoping the weather won't bother us to much! We lived in Minnesota for 2 years and know how to bundle up! If it's really really cold I will be the one running across the bridge!!;)

<i>If it's really really cold </i>

That's why I recommended Jacques Torres hot chocolate :-)

It's on my list!!!! I love hot chocolate!!! :)Is it easy to find once we leave Grimaldi's? Is there only one location?

There's only one location in Brooklyn, and there's another Manhattan. The one near Grimaldi's is easy to find - when you exit Grimaldi's, turn left, turn left again at the corner, walk one or two blocks down and turn left on Water Street. Jacques Torres is on that block or the next one.

good idea to to walk BACK towards manhattan on the bridge. better views that way, i imagine.

we're from southern california, so not sure we'll be able to handle the cold!

dina4- Don't stress about the weather or it will put a damper on your trip! As long as you dress properly and wear warm shoes you will be fine!

Ok- I have another question!

Where would you recommend we eat after Ellis Island? Street Vendor, Deli or Diner! Nothing to heavy as we are eating dinner at Pearl Oyster Bar!

Thanks!