NYC - Please comment on itinerary
 

My mom and I are visiting next weekend - Thursday through Sunday, staying at the Sofitel. We are still trying to sort out when to do what. You all have been very helpful in advising on certain parts of the trip, but now it needs to all come together! This is what we have scheduled so far:

Thursday - dinner at Jean Georges (they have a $50/pp special!)

Friday - dinner at Roberto Passon - Jersey Boys

Saturday - dinner at Modern Bar Room or db bistro Moderne (thoughts?) and Wicked

Sunday - Lower East Side, Katz's Deli, Tenement Museum

Considering the time they take plus location, I'd appreciate your thoughts on how many of these we can expect to see and when each would fit in best with the itinerary: Circle Line Cruise, Ellis Island, TOTR, Met, Museum of Natural History, some shopping and neighborhood exploring, Grand Central, Public Library

We will get in at the airport at 8 a.m. on Thursday and will depart on Sunday evening at 9 p.m.

Thanks so much!

Lisa

The things that are the most time consuming or hard to fit into an itinerary would be Ellis Island and the Circle Line cruise. They can certainly be done, but all the other things you list could more easily be fit into the plans on several different days.

On the days you are going to the theater you still have at least 6 hours to fit in one of the biggies--like Ellis Island.
Assume that will take about 4-5 hours including getting to the ferry, security, the trip on the ferry (which stops at the Statue of Liberty first),trip to Ellis Island, visiting there, trip back, from ferry back to midtown.

Circle Line cruise (which one?)--add up to 2 hours to the length of the cruise itself to get back and forth, board etc.

Museums: all are easy to get to from midtown, so depending on how much time you want to spend at each...
My suggestion would be to go to the Natural History on a weekday. It does get some school groups then, but weekend can be overrrun with local kids, especially in bad weather.
Grand Central and the Library I would do on a Saturday. It's a crazy busy active terminal Mon-Friday.
The Met is much quieter on weekedays too
Shopping will fit in anywhere, various neighborhoods near the museums, restaurants--what are you looking for?

You can do all of it if you rush but I don't think you can do shopping and neighborhood exploring and see all these things. You have to set some priorities. I think either Circle Line or Ellis Island but not both. You can do highlights of both museums or explore more fully one or the other. What kind of shopping did you want to do and how important is that?

Shopping is not very important. And, we don't really want to rush through everything and not enjoy anything. Of these things, what would you chuck?

For two adult women, I could do without the Circle Line Cruise and Museum of Natural History (it's great, but I think the Met might be more "appropriate"). Ellis Island is well worth it, but maybe not on a short trip. Personally, I'd want time to get down to Soho and the Village, Central Park, Fifth Avenue, and even a walk through Hell's Kitchen.

I too, could have lived happily without the circle line cruise. It was almost interesting for an hour but after that I wanted to swim to the shore.

Grand Central. Not to be missed, and lots nearby. For example:

the NY Public Library - always a great, free, exhibit & wonderful gift shop. Bryant Park is right behind the Library.

The Morgan.

Empire St. Bldg.

I take the train into Grand Central often, can easily spend a day in walking distance with no trouble finding cool & interesting things to do!

If this is your first time here, you might consider doing an overview tour which will take you to (or past) all of the things you mention. onboardtours.com has good guides and comfortable buses. You could get their 10 am tour on the day you arrive. They also take you on the Staten Island ferry to see the Statue of Liberty. If you have relatives that came through Ellis Island, I would make time for that trip maybe first thing on Sat. morning. (I think you'll be very tired on Fri. morning).

On Friday you can have a leisurely morning, walk over to Public Library which is close to the hotel on 42 st., then head north on Fifth ave. to Rockefeller Center and go up to TOTR. Then maybe do some shopping along Fifth Ave., have lunch and if you're not too tired, spend a few hrs. at the Met.

On Sat. Ellis Island if you want and then you could walk around Soho/Greenwich village OR go up to the Mus. of Nat. History.

McLaurie -

If we arrive at LGA at 8 a.m., would it be safe to book a 10 a.m. tour that morning? I would be afraid we would be cutting it close.

I think the Jean Georges special costs $58 per person and is only offered before 6pm or from 10-11pm----you may know this but I thought I would double check! Enjoy!!

Our reservation is just slightly before 6 - which is great, because we will be extremely tired by then - we'll need to get up by 3:30 to get to the airport on time! I spoke to them on the phone and thought they said $50 per person, but if it is $58, that is not an issue. Thanks!

One more question - is it reasonable to expect to walk back from the theatres to our hotel (W. 44th between 5th and 6th)? I am planning to wear Dansko clogs with jeans during the day but would like to dress nicer at night for dinners and shows. I don't really have nice, comfortable flat shoes. But would walking that distance in heels be torture? It is hard for me to conceive what kind of walk that is, even though I know we are relatively close to Times Square and Broadway shows.

If your flight is scheduled to arrive at 8 am, it might or might not be 8am when you arrive, LaGuardia has many delays. On a good day, a taxi into midtown takes about 30 minuets, but since rush hour in New York actually last several hours, it could take much longer. In other words, I wouldn't count on making a 10 am tour.

About your hotel's location --it is right IN the theater district so you might have to walk only a block or 2 to the theater--or it might be up to 8 blocks (assuming you're talking about "Broadway" shows--off Bdwy and off-off Bdwy shows can be anywhere in the city).
Look up the exact location of your show, and gauge your own tolerance for walking in heels.

If your flight arrives on time you could make the 10 am tour but you're probably best booking the later tour if you want to do it. They have a 12:30 option.

Use maps.google.com to see distances. Your hotel is about a 15 min. walk to both shows. I wouldn't wear spike heels. Roberto Passon is not dressy so you really don't have to dress up that night. You might want to invest in a nice pair of shoes that are comfortable for walking. I wouldn't depend on just the Dansko's anyway. You should have 2 pair to change off.

Do heed mclaurie's advice; esp if you are not used to
pavement walking. Trust me there is nothing worse than
touring w/achy tootsies.
Re attire: Unfortunately, casual dress is the norm; not the
exception which you will see at both theatres & restaurants.

As far as shoes are concerned you need to make sur eyou have something sturdy, comfy and waterproof in case you run into bad weather. (We're expecting 10+ inches of snow tonight and then cold weather for a good part of the week. Don;t forget this is winter in NYC.)
And I would never attempt those walks in spike heels unless you're used to it. Get some flat shoes or cute flattish booties to keep you feet warm,