SallyKate

Help, we are visiting NYC in October. We get there on Friday about 3 or 4 in the afternoon and leave on Tuesday morning, giving us 3.5 days. Here is a rough itinerary so far but was wondering if anybody had any tips to improve it, as it seems a little rough and empty:

Fri PM - arrive at Hilton Towers:
-Rockerfeller Centre
-5th Avenue
-Night: Walk through Times Square & Becco (Italian)

Sat:
- Midtown: Empire State Building to Grand Central Station
- Canal St, Soho, Greenwich
Night: Lombardis for Pizza

Sun:
- TKTS Booth for show that night
- Central Park & Metropolitan Museum
- Night: Carmines for American & show

Mon:
- Battery Park, Staten Island Ferry, Financial District
- Dinner?

This itinerary doesn't seem very full to me....

Thanks

HowardR

In general, it's a good schedule, but note the following:
1. Only 4 Broadway shows currently offer Sunday evening performances--Cabaret, Chicago, Little Shop of Horrors and Mamma Mia. And, it's very possible that these schedules will change when Labor Days and there might not be any Sunday evening performances when you're here. You will, however, have a big choice for Sunday matinee, so you'd have to alter your schedule. Perhaps you could do the Metropolitan on Saturday morning and go to the Empire State Building and Grand Central on Sunday evening.
2. You've perhaps crowded in too much for Saturday afternoon to do justice to all three areas.

sls15

Looks good. One thing to remember if you flip your schedule around to accomodate the broadway schedule, is that the met is not open on mondays...so don't move it to that day or you'll miss it, which would be a shame.
Other suggestions:
While in Rockefeller Center area, be sure to check out St. Patrick's cathedral, it's amazing.
Try the meatball pizza at Lombardis, it's terrific.

A couple of downtown restaurants that I enjoy are Layla--a middle eastern restaurant with bellydancers who wander between the tables...a fun different experience, good food but a little pricey (dinner for two with drinks maybe $80)
Another option is Franklin Station Cafe--a very reasonably priced place with great food, thai influences, (total for two people with drinks, under $50)
Azafran--a spanish tapas restaurant with a great wine list ($80)

Hope this helps a bit. Have a great trip!

Austin

Having just been in NYC, but by no stretch of the imagination an expert - I'd say your schedule is perfect! I think some can try to do too much in NYC when half the experience and fun is walking around and taking in the sights.

The only thing I might suggest is that instead of the ferry, take a Circle Line Cruise tour of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. I may be wrong but even tho the Staten Island Ferry is free, it doesn't go near the Statue or Ellis and it may be worth it to get up close. Was to us!

Tess_Durberville

Another theatre option may be Monday night. Traditionally, Broadway was dark on Mondays; and when I was there last week I saw that there were a few shows that did have performances on Monday nights. In fact I went to see Cabaret at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (fyi, I thought Jon Secada was so-so in the role of the emcee). Rather than buy your tickets at the TKTS booth, you can get discounted tickets ahead of time thru the Playbill website >>> www.playbill.com You'll need to register (it's free) and when you buy tickets they do add on service charges, so you may pay a few dollars more than what you'll pay at the TKTS booth. I thought it was worthwhile not having to wait on line.

As another poster already said, the Metropolitan Museum is CLOSED on Monday; however the American Museum Natural History IS open on Mondays --- I had planned to visit, however time got away from me. It's located at 72nd @ western side of Central Park. ALSO, a fun thing to do while strolling thru Central Park is to watch the toy sailboats by the conservancy (sp?). Or better yet, for $10/hr, you can "sail" one yourself. And on the west side of this pond, you may see a guy with his telescope focused on "Pale Male" --- a hawk has his nest perched on one of the buildings overlooking Central Park.

I LOVED my New York visit; and fortunately left the city on Tuesday, Aug-12th, two days BEFORE the blackout.

rocketdude

Have fun, but with regards to Austin's post - the Staten Island Ferry, though free and quick to use, does not get that close to the Liberty Island or Ellis Island, but you do get a great view of downtown Manhattan, especially at night! The Circle Line (National Park contracted boats) get you there, but you have to get there early if leaving from Ft. Clinton at Battery Park to avoid a long wait and it takes a while to see both. You can't go in the Liberty status yet because of terrorist concerns, but it is very inspiring up close, and you could skip Ellis if pushed for time. With regards to Tess's post - Cabaret in Studio 54 is a great and fun venue, but the headliners just didn't cut it when I saw the show 2 weeks ago (Joe Secada and Melina Kanakaredes), I would NOT recommend it, even if the only show on Monday and at the $45 (1/2 price) you could get the tickets at playbill.com (same price as TKTS). I'd see something else with more spark to it. BTW it's also fun to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge for great view at night. Also, the American Museum of Natural History is terrific (Hall of Oceans, Hall of Biodiversity and Rose Planetarium are best) and a great restaurant nearby this is Gabriella's (Amsterdam and 75th).

4khansen

We just returned from NYC and the Hilton Towers for our first trip! You will have a great time and wish you had more time we were there seven days and by no means saw all that I wanted to see....

I do recommend the Empire State Building in the evening, nice view of the sky coming alive with lights, hopefully it won't be too foggy as it was the night we were there but still great views.

The circle line boat tour in the evening was also very good! Watching the sunset and the lights.

Ask for a corner room at the Hilton if you can, a little bigger than the rest on each floor, unless you all ready have a suite... .

I think your itinerary is plenty full . . . have fun.

4khansen

ohhh one other thing, I hope your flight arrives on time if you are coming in that way. We were to arrive at the hotel around 7:30 p.m. and finally made it at 1 a.m.!!!! delays are common I think at NYC airports....

hillview

Native New Yorker here - just remember to bring very comfortable shoes, 'cause NYC is a walkin' place! Also, take one of those silly double decker touring buses - actually see a lot and you can jump on and off at whim. Can pick it up in front of the Empire State Building. Enjoy!