Hi There,
Please help us plan our first trip to New York City. We will be there Easter Weekend (Thurs-Mon). The first couple of days will be just my 18 yr old daughter and me, so we're hoping to get the shopping out of the way then. (More pleasant for all

THURS: Arrive @ LGA at 11 am. Have car service take us to our Times Square Hotel. Thinking about going to TKTS booth and see if we can get tix for a Thursday night show. Would that be possible this late in the day? Head over to 5th Avenue and do some window shopping. Hit H & M , Macy's,etc. See a show, and afterwards hit Ellen's Stardust Diner.

FRIDAY: Perhaps go to Chinatown, shop and eat (suggestions?). Any other little areas we should walk around? Soho? We like pretty much all shopping. Thought about going to Central Park, but not sure what to do there. (Not really into Ice Skating). Any ideas?

SATURDAY: Here are the things we'd like to do. Not sure of the timing, and if it's possible to do these all in one day? Help,please
*Tenement Museum
*Walk the Brooklyn Bridge and get
pizza nearby (can't recall name of the place)& go to Neighborhoodies.
*Top of the Rock
*Grand Central

SUNDAY: 9 am Easter Service @ Brooklyn Tabernacle (if we catch an 8 am taxi, should that give us plenty of time?)

Noon Brunch @ Good Restaurant

3 pm WICKED

After show dinner at Trattoria?

MONDAY: Our flight leaves at 4:30. Planning to leave our luggage at the hotel and looking for ideas of what to do. Ground Zero? Isn't there a little church over there that houses some of the items from 9-11?

I know this is vague and wandering.I am really just open to any suggestions, and trying to figure out how much time everything takes. And we want to squeeze everything in

Thank you sooo much!

Also, does anyone know of Joe's Pizza on Carmine Street? Good or no?

I wouldn't mind trying nicer restaurants, but have found that my daughter is just as happy (happier) with the not so fancy places, so I may as well save the cash.

Again, my thanks.
Tammy
*

Just a couple of things to start with.

The TKTS booth is open until 8 p.m., so yes, you can go later in the day and see what's still available. I'm not sure what you mean by "this late in the day" -- the booth doesn't even open until 3:00, although the line will form earlier.

The Tenement Museum tours are only about an hour long. You will absolutely need reservations on a holiday weekend, so visit their website and pick the tour you want to go on. Go early, so you have plenty of time for other things that day. Figure out public transportation to Brooklyn from the Tenement Museum. The pizza place is "Grimaldi's" -- its very good, but not "to die for" in my opinion. If I were going to the Tenement Museum that day, I'd eat at Katz' Deli (a New York institution) instead.

If it's cold out, have a hot chocolate at Jacques Torres (around the corner from Grimaldi's) - now, THAT'S "to die for".

Make reservations for Top of the Rock for a little before sunset, and plan around that.

Grand Central - either after dinner, or save it for another day!

Macy's isn't on 5th Ave. It is at 34 St and 6th, not near the famous stores of 5th Ave like Saks, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany's, Cartier, Gucci, etc.

The H/M on 5th across from St. Patrick's (and up a little) is the best H/M in Manhattan. The H/M on 34th between 5th and 6th Ave near Macy's isn't as well stocked. Get to H/M early to get the best selection.

If you want discount shoes, head to the DSW in Union Square. You can also walk around the Green Market.

I think the Tenement Museum tour is boring. I would much rather go to the Frick or the MoMA.

It is hard for me to critique your itin. or give you suggestions because we have different tastes. (I would never eat at Ellen's SD Diner unless I was with a 10-year-old.)

NYC will be PACKED on Easter Weekend. Good luck walking in Midtown. LOL LOL!

Thin

Although I agree w/ Thin about many things, The Tenement Museum is NOT one of them - I think it's great and an integral part of understanding the experiences of the ancestors of most of the people in this country. And as one of the first museums to tell the stories of people who usually don't get to TELL their stories, it's a terrific, compelling way to see the world.

I agree with the positive reviews of the Tenement Museum. What made it particularly compelling to me is that it is in the actual tenement building, so that what you see and hear really comes alive.

Go for it at Ellen's. My teenage daughter and her friends love going there. Recognize that the singing staff are all aspiring Broadway performers, and some make it onto shows. This is the reality of a working actor -- you have to sing for your supper, quite literally sometimes! So, yes, while it's touristy, it still is fun.

Thank you all so much! My daughter loves a good diner (is that any oxymoron?) so Ellen's looked good to her.

Thanks for the heads up on the reservations for the Tenement museum. Going to do that now

The little church by ground zero where most of the items and such were displayed would be St. Paul's Chapel. It's on Broadway by Vesey Street. I have not been in the Chapel in a few years so I'm not sure if they still display any of the items from that time anymore.

Just did a quick search. Here is the website for St. Paul's:

http://www.saintpaulschapel.org/

It does still house things from the 9/11 attacks.

tamtot-Make sure you buy your tickets to TOTR earlier than when you want to go up! We had tickets for 3:15 and made it up right before the sun started to set! It's a stunning view of the city! We also bought them the day before we wanted to go as the lines are very long!

Grimaldi's in Brooklyn has really good pizza! The best i've ever had!They open at 11:30, so try to arrive around 11 so you don't have a long wait outside!Even though it's worth it!!!

We were there the week between Christmas and New Years! And Wow was it crowded! Be prepared for long lines everywhere!

Have a great time
Tam

Well - eveyone has their own focus - but I could never visit the citywithout doing at least a couple of the major museums.

The Met is without doubt the greatest cultural institution in the western hemosphere. And while the Tenement Museum is interesting IMHO Ellis Island is way more fascinating.

I would drop some of the shopping - you can buy stuff anywhere - for things that are unique to NYC.

The trip from Times Square to Brooklyn Tabernacle should take about half an hour, unless there's some awful traffic snafu. It's location is also very convenient to a most subway lines.

However, on such a popular day for people to attend church and at such a famous venue, I'd want to be there 30 minutes ahead for the "early" worship to ensure getting a seat, even more for the later one. Check their website as you trip approaches or even call them and ask their recommendations for how early to arrive. I know that on Easter at my Manhattan church the sanctuary can filled filled to capacity 30 minutes before the start time.

Hello. I’ve been to the Tenement Museum as well because I have an interest in immigrant life of the late 19th/early 20th century, particularly in NYC. If you want to read more about this, there are several books on the subject, some of which are recommended on the Tenement Museum website, which may be available from your library that may enhance your experience there. You can also sign up for a newsletter which might be interesting to you.

http://www.tenement.org/

That I can think of off hand I read:
How the Other Half Lives -- Jacob Riis
Streets: A Memoir of the Lower East Side -- Bella Spewack

Oh, you guys are so helpful!
I just looked into a tour, and I think that might be a better use of our time on Saturday, it hits 10-12 different places over a six hour time span. I know there is SO much to see, and I'm sure a tour guide would be a huge help!

Also, I'm very interested to read about the Tenement Museum,etc. I will look into those books, thanks for the tip. Looks like they are only booking tours through February, so I will keep an eye on that.

As for crowds, well, I hope it will be part of the excitement, and not completely overwhelm us! It's just the only time we could get away.

Again, my thanks!

I agree that you can shop anywhere but the OP specifically mentioned shopping so I gave suggestions.

I am not against the Tenement Museum, but it should not be called a museum. It is really a tour of a "retro-fitted" apartment building.

Thin

I know you guys are right about the shopping, so perhaps we'll cut it down some.

I also want to make this a special trip for my daughter, who doesn't love museums and such. This is her Spring Break/Senior trip, and her grand hurrah before she heads off to College. Hence, the shopping

Also, I changed my mind on Neighborhoodies. Not sure what I was expecting, but I think we can pass on that one.

Thanks again, you guys are awesome.

who doesn't love museums and such.

Well, then, good thing the Tenement Museum isn't really a "museum" in the traditional art museum sense. More like a living diorama!

She does have interest in the Tenement museum, apparently she studied it last year. I'm completely excited about the whole thing!

Note that the Tenement Museum (and Katz's Deli and Little Italy) could easily be combined with your Chinatown visit. And/or you could walk a few blocks downtown from Chinatown and you'd be at the Brooklyn Bridge. OR, instead, you can walk toward Soho, or by Cooper Union to the East Village.

Anyway, it seems like you potentially will be hopping around town a lot and could combine some things--like just have one trip to Brooklyn, on Easter Sunday, then walk across the Bridge and go to Ground Zero (if you really want to see it). Top of the Rock and Grand Central are convenient to your hotel, so fit those in accordingly--both are open later. Fifth Ave is convenient to your hotel, but Macy's not so much. Get a map and mark on it the various things you've mentioned and you'll see how you might be able to group things better.

If the weather's decent, I wouldn't miss Central Park. By Easter it's not about ice skating. Bethesda Fountain/the Lake/Bow Bridge/the Boathouse are all together and are the parts of the Park you've seen a million times in movies. From there walk by the Conservatory Water and up to the Met.

On your last day I'd try to stick to mid-town/Central Park/Upper West Side, rather than going way downtown and then having to come back for your luggage.

Fifth Ave is convenient to your hotel, but Macy's not so much.

I don't recall the OP saying where she's staying, other than "Times Square". If so, Macy's is very convenient - just an 8-block walk from 42nd St. to 34th St., which is nothing in NY. It's also 8 blocks to 50th Street, which is where Rock Ctr. is, so "six of one...."

I guess my point is that other than the Empire State Bldg there are not a lot of other tourist destinations near Macy's, whereas you could head from Times Square down 42nd to Fifth Ave, past Bryant Park and the Library, then up Fifth and you'll see a lot of famous stores, Rock Center, St. Patrick's, then the Plaza and the Park. Or you could slide over from Fifth Ave to Park Ave. and see the Waldorf and Grand Central.