mireaux7

I never been to the big apple, but it certainly intrigues me and Ive thought about going many times.

I want to see lady liberty, taste the best hand-tossed pizza there is, and visit Chinatown too.

Times Square, Central Park, it all interests me..and with so much to do in such a small amount of time Ive thought about going with a travel service and a package deal.

I havent exactly decided when I would be going, but since I dont like cold weather that much, it wouldnt be in the wintertime for sure. I think a 4 day/3 night stay should be adequate.

Im pretty much open to any suggestions that would provide me with some of the best things that NYC has to offer.


Outside of what is aforementioned, are there any other recommendations or advice you would offer to me?

nytraveler

There is a sizable destination section here you can look at, literally hundreds of posts about NYC below and a bunch of guide books you can read.

Without knowing more about your interests, who/how many would be coming and what your budget is - it's hard to give specifics.

But- 3 nights won;t begin to touch all there is to see/do in NYC.

trippinkpj

I was just in NYC for 3 days. Not enough time for sure, but we decided to enjoy whatever we could. I'm still excited over the best bagel I've ever had at Ess-a-Bagel. See my post, NYC mini trip report.

Austin

There are hundreds (if not more) posts about NYC. But, I do want to suggest you see the State of Liberty from the water only. In my opinion, it's not worth the time or hassle to get off the boat, wait in a security line for an hour, only to go up part of the way. Not worth it especially if you have a limited time.

TwoFatFeet

Get a guide book, seriously.

nstevey

The best pizza is always debatable, but the usual suspects are Patsy's, Totonno's and Grimaldi's. I probably missed a couple. My favorite is Patsy's. Some have multiple sites and the quality varies. Original site is usually the best.

mireaux7

yeah, ive heard that grimaldi's reigns supreme.

dmlove

We ate at Grimaldi's just yesterday. We thought it was great, but must say it wasn't really what we expected. We were expecting something like the Ray's Pizza of 30 years ago, only better. Instead, it was, well, different. The cheese is sliced, so it doesn't melt the way the typical shredded cheese does. They use less sauce (but very tasty). The crust doesn't droop when you pick up a slice. In Zagat, the food gets a 26 - I'd probably give it a 22 or 23. We loved the ambiance-- it was jumping at 4:00, even though that's when they usually close to clean the ovens. Inside you sit at tables crowded close together. There's nothing on the menu but pizza and toppings, an antipasto "platter" and drinks.

rachelnyc04

I lived in NY for a few years and tended to think that 3-4 days was actually a good start bc the city can be a bit overwhelming (as well as expensive) for a newcomer after that. Just to manage your expectations though, most of the tourist sites have a line a mile long so there will undoubtably some you can't do in one shot. I was never a Chinatown fan, I found it full of busses of tourists who came through the holland tunnel to get a cheap deal on a fake purse - but if you like Peking duck, that is a great place to try so it all depends. I wouldn't miss Union Square, its a manageable but still urban section of the city with lots of restaurants, will give you a sense of downtown without getting you completely lost! For nightlife, my favorite was Meat Packing District...tons of places of every level of trendiness and dressiness you want, dinner, drinks, whatever. Times square and central park are musts for first timers, though I wouldn't choose a hotel in Times square. Very crowded and can prob get better value elsewhere, even in midtown. I always had friends stay at the Hudson Hotel, on the West Side just above Columbus circle area...very small rooms, but can usually get them at reasonable prices (for NY) and its a chic hotel, part of a chain that is also in London and Miami. Great lounges, rooftop lounge as well, very "New Yorky". I went there for drinks even when I lived there. In the summer you will miss the holiday decorations which I loved, but you can rent a canoe on the reservoir in Central Park which is a nice afternoon, right near the museums that line 5th ave. Cabs are cheap and there is always a meter, so while the subway is definitely convenient its not a must to learn in 3 days. If its your first time and you go in warm weather, invest in tickets for one of the river cruise tours or even a helicopter ride. The helicopter is brief and more expensive but cool if you dont want to spend several hours circling the city. Either would give you great photos.

Hope this all helps - if you want more details feel free to ask, have a great time.

gard

Hi

My wife and I went to NYC a couple of years back and we are going back in the end of November for some Christmas shopping Here is my trip report with pictures and links from the last time: http://gardkarlsen.com/new_york_city_trip_report.htm . Maybe that can give you an idea of what to expect.

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

iamq

My first trip to New York City was last year and we stayed for 4 nights. It was the perfect amount of time. We will probably return again next year and stay a night or two longer.

I absolutely loved Rockefeller Center. It you have any interest in design or architecture it is a must see during the day and at night. The Top of the Rock was a great experience as well.

mireaux7

thanks to all for the info thus far, special kudos to rachel.

i think from what ive been readng so far, i would want to stay at least 3 nights,.maybe 4.

although i have never been to nyc, its quite evident that the town is overwhelming.

i would like to know of group tours, i feel this would probably be the best way to see the most in the least amount of time,.instead of me getting lost or trying to hail a cab to go wherever i need to.

i think id like to see chinatown, little italy,.see lady liberty from a distance (as another poster here mentioned that actually going to liberty island is too much of a hassle these days). times square and union are musts as well.

is there anything great about central park? i get this perception that its notoriously known for rampant crime sprees such as muggings and robberies, etc.

SusanSDG

Please, please, please buy a guidebook, or two or 3 (I love Pauline Frommer's)! A group tour will insulate you from any real experience, and New York is incredibly safe and easy to get around.

dmlove

Central Park is a magnificent urban park -- not to be missed.

nytraveler

By taking a bunh of tours you avoid seeing the real NYC - and waste a lot of time looking at locals going about their daily jobs/errands.

You need to find out what you want to see and go there and see/do it.

Don;t do cabs unless you have luggage. The subway is fast, conveneient and cheap.

As for Central Park being unsafe I guess that's why it's surrounded by wall to wall multi-million dollar co-ops on all sides. Your thinking is about 35 years out of date. The Park not only contains the Met - the greatest cultural institution in the western hemisphere, but dozens of other things to see/do (check out the web site for the Central Park Conservancy).

nstevey

Central Park is as safe as you make it to be and is an oasis in a concrete jungle. I personally think alot of us would go crazy if it weren't there.

I think at least a walk around the lower half is well worth it, especially if you want to see a microcosm of how New Yorkers live and relax.

Depending on when you go, there could be a musical event or some other type if event the interests you. I've seen all sorts of musical acts, plays, even a dog frisbee competition.

Sure there is a seedy side to the park and random acts of violence, but this happens everywhere else, but when it happens in CP, the mainstream alarmist media echo chamber makes it seem like you should never take a step in the park again for fear of your life.

BarryK

Contrary to the anti-tour folks, I find it helpful to take a Grayline (or similar, there are several in NYC) hop-on hop-off tour, to get an initial feel for a new city. When you get to a spot you want to see (for example, Chinatown and Little Italy are adjacent and very walkable) get off, do you thing, then pick up another bus later.

SusanSDG

I reccomend New York Party Shuttle for a great orientation to the city-hit all the must see spots in one tour, then go back on your own to spend time in neighborhoods.

rachelnyc04

nytraveler - Central Park IS beautiful, and definitely not to be missed in the daytime. But I used to jog there in the mornings with my fiance when I lived nearby and stopped doing that when I returned home once to read about a baby being held at gunpoint in a stroller while her mother was mugged the same morning. I don't think its nearly as unsafe as people worry about, especially depending on what part you are in, but its a huge space so not the best idea to go it alone.