Possible NYC Itinerary......
Aug 10th, 2005, 03:21 PM
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Possible NYC Itinerary......
Hi to all,
My husband and I are making our first trip to New York later this month (August). I have spent h-o-u-r-s reading this board and think it is wonderful. But....I'm afraid I'm to the point of confusing myself. So much to see, so little time!
I'm realizing there are SO many ways to see NYC and that I must stop reading and start writing a plan. So....here is what I've come up with so far, any suggestions or comments will be greatly appreciated!
We have decided that in addition to seeing some of the attractions that makes New York - New York, we would like to walk/wander/explore the different neighborhoods.
We arrive 11:44am Sunday at LaGuardia. We will be staying at the Lucerne for 4 nights, and will be leaving Thursday night at 8:30pm.
SUNDAY:
-Since we arrive at LaGuardia at 11:44am, hopefully we'll make it to the Lucerne to drop off our luggage by 2pm?? (I need to call amd make sure we can indeed drop off the luggage.)
-then Central Park. That's high on hubby's list and from the board I think it's going to be a fun Sunday afternoon. The last walking tour scheduled is at 2pm and I just don't know if we'll be able to make it, but I may call and ask. Also, Shakespeare in Central Park (Two Gentlemen of Verona) is that night but I'm thinking the tickets will be gone by the time we make it there. Anyone think differently?? Since the above possibilities are slim, I guess getting a good map of the park and touring ourselves is what we'll do.
-Around dark I guess the park action pretty much slows down?? So....for the evening maybe China Town (is that too far to go), a Village club for music, or Stomp, or I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change. ....I'd like to do something fun. And, we haven't even eaten yet! Maybe just walk Amsterdam Ave and eat?
MONDAY:
-Water Taxi to South Street Seaport and following WaterTaxi site's walking tour - Broad ST to Stock Exchange, Trinity Church, Bowling Green, Battery Park
-Tenement Museum - 2:30 (have tickets on hold)
-walk Brooklyn Bridge
-Brooklyn Heights
-Grimaldi's
-Brooklyn Heights
-end the day in the Village
TUESDAY:
-Met in the morning
-Cloisters in the afternoon
-Soho, TriBeCa, Chelsea
WEDNESDAY:
-we have tickets to The Producers at 2
-before the show, walk by Carnegie Hall, Radio City, Rockefeller Center
-after the show, eat see the lights on Times Square then see Bryant Park, St. Patrick's, and walk to Empire State Building
-There is a free outdoor showing of Zorba the Greek in Socrates Sculpture Park on Wednesday night but it's in Long Island City. I found LICity on the map but have no idea if it's somewhere for a 'visitor' to be going to and from at night?
THURSDAY:
-flight leaves LaGuardia at 8:30pm, so assuming hotel will hold our bags, we'll have much of the day
-Riverside Park (is there anything to see)
-St. John the Divine
-places we missed or would like to pay a return visit
-leave for airport by 6pm ? for an 8:30 flight
Many thanks in advance to anyone taking the time to read this. I realize I haven't mentioned places to eat. I'm sorting those out as we 'speak.' I'm thinking we'll be able to grab a bite close to the hotel for breakfast and find an interesting (within reason) spot for lunch. I guess I need to give supper more thought.
My husband and I are making our first trip to New York later this month (August). I have spent h-o-u-r-s reading this board and think it is wonderful. But....I'm afraid I'm to the point of confusing myself. So much to see, so little time!
I'm realizing there are SO many ways to see NYC and that I must stop reading and start writing a plan. So....here is what I've come up with so far, any suggestions or comments will be greatly appreciated!
We have decided that in addition to seeing some of the attractions that makes New York - New York, we would like to walk/wander/explore the different neighborhoods.
We arrive 11:44am Sunday at LaGuardia. We will be staying at the Lucerne for 4 nights, and will be leaving Thursday night at 8:30pm.
SUNDAY:
-Since we arrive at LaGuardia at 11:44am, hopefully we'll make it to the Lucerne to drop off our luggage by 2pm?? (I need to call amd make sure we can indeed drop off the luggage.)
-then Central Park. That's high on hubby's list and from the board I think it's going to be a fun Sunday afternoon. The last walking tour scheduled is at 2pm and I just don't know if we'll be able to make it, but I may call and ask. Also, Shakespeare in Central Park (Two Gentlemen of Verona) is that night but I'm thinking the tickets will be gone by the time we make it there. Anyone think differently?? Since the above possibilities are slim, I guess getting a good map of the park and touring ourselves is what we'll do.
-Around dark I guess the park action pretty much slows down?? So....for the evening maybe China Town (is that too far to go), a Village club for music, or Stomp, or I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change. ....I'd like to do something fun. And, we haven't even eaten yet! Maybe just walk Amsterdam Ave and eat?
MONDAY:
-Water Taxi to South Street Seaport and following WaterTaxi site's walking tour - Broad ST to Stock Exchange, Trinity Church, Bowling Green, Battery Park
-Tenement Museum - 2:30 (have tickets on hold)
-walk Brooklyn Bridge
-Brooklyn Heights
-Grimaldi's
-Brooklyn Heights
-end the day in the Village
TUESDAY:
-Met in the morning
-Cloisters in the afternoon
-Soho, TriBeCa, Chelsea
WEDNESDAY:
-we have tickets to The Producers at 2
-before the show, walk by Carnegie Hall, Radio City, Rockefeller Center
-after the show, eat see the lights on Times Square then see Bryant Park, St. Patrick's, and walk to Empire State Building
-There is a free outdoor showing of Zorba the Greek in Socrates Sculpture Park on Wednesday night but it's in Long Island City. I found LICity on the map but have no idea if it's somewhere for a 'visitor' to be going to and from at night?
THURSDAY:
-flight leaves LaGuardia at 8:30pm, so assuming hotel will hold our bags, we'll have much of the day
-Riverside Park (is there anything to see)
-St. John the Divine
-places we missed or would like to pay a return visit
-leave for airport by 6pm ? for an 8:30 flight
Many thanks in advance to anyone taking the time to read this. I realize I haven't mentioned places to eat. I'm sorting those out as we 'speak.' I'm thinking we'll be able to grab a bite close to the hotel for breakfast and find an interesting (within reason) spot for lunch. I guess I need to give supper more thought.
Aug 11th, 2005, 12:28 PM
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I agree that you have a pretty workable plan. As long as your flight lands on time (and especially if you have no checked luggage), you should have no problem getting to the Lucerne well before 2 PM. You are right to think that Shakespeare in the Park tickets are likely to be gone by 2, especially on a Sunday. You might try to get in line on Tuesday, after your visit to the Met, if it is something you really wish to do (tickets are given out after 1 PM, but the line gathers earlier. You could eyeball it and make up your mind). You can grab the #4 bus on Madison Avenue, after seeing the Met, to get you up to the Cloisters.
After seeing the park on Sunday, you can certainly take the Subway to Chinatown, if you wish. Long Island City is a bit outside the normal tourist run, but if you have good directions (I know the # 7 train gets there from midtown), it could be safe enough-- I am no expert on the area, but I certainly would encourage any visitor to consider doing something that is beyond the traditional tourist circuit, and the outdoor "Zorba" sounds like a nice thing to do.
If you are visiting St. John the Divine (well worth it), you could head north on Amsterdam Avenue some 4-5 blocks, and make a left onto what was 116th Street, to cut through the heart of Columbia University's beautiful Beaux-Arts campus (look right to admire the Pantheon-inspired Low Library). You would pop out on Broadway. Cross Broadway, go two blocks to Riverside Drive, which flanks Riverside Park. Make a right, go north about 6 blocks or so and you will see the refurbished Grant's Tomb. It is perhaps the most noteworthy site in Riverside Park.
After seeing the park on Sunday, you can certainly take the Subway to Chinatown, if you wish. Long Island City is a bit outside the normal tourist run, but if you have good directions (I know the # 7 train gets there from midtown), it could be safe enough-- I am no expert on the area, but I certainly would encourage any visitor to consider doing something that is beyond the traditional tourist circuit, and the outdoor "Zorba" sounds like a nice thing to do.
If you are visiting St. John the Divine (well worth it), you could head north on Amsterdam Avenue some 4-5 blocks, and make a left onto what was 116th Street, to cut through the heart of Columbia University's beautiful Beaux-Arts campus (look right to admire the Pantheon-inspired Low Library). You would pop out on Broadway. Cross Broadway, go two blocks to Riverside Drive, which flanks Riverside Park. Make a right, go north about 6 blocks or so and you will see the refurbished Grant's Tomb. It is perhaps the most noteworthy site in Riverside Park.
Aug 11th, 2005, 01:02 PM
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Wow. It's ambitious, but doable. Tickets for Shakespeare in the Park are distributed at 1pm at the theater, but the line starts forming at about 8am on weekends (depending on the production, the cast and the reviews). A walking tour of the Park would be interesting, but don't worry about just wandering around yourself - if you get lost (and you will, everyone does) just ask someone walking a dog where you are and how to get where you want to go. Dog owners aren't going to be other tourists and spend a lot of time in the Park - we know every square inch of the place. Restaurants on the Upper West Side are not great, so you would do well to go to the Village or SoHo and find a place for dinner there.
Monday's interaray sounds great to me - I used to live in Brooklyn Heights, and it saddens me to think of how many visitors bypass it entirely. Enjoy the pizza at Grimaldi's and get some ice cream at the place on Fulton Landing up the street (the name escapes me at the moment).
Tuesday - I could spend a week at the Met and another few days at the Cloisters. Enjoy.
Wednesday - I don't know about LIC, I have friends who live in that area and it can be a haul from the UWS.
Thursday - Riverside Park is a beautiful park to walk through and St John the Unfinished (when you see it, you will know what I mean) is spectacular. I'd be concerned about waiting until 6 to try and catch an 8:30 flight out of LGA. It will be rush hour and in August, for many people, the weekend starts on Thursday, so traffic heading to Long Island (and going right past LGA) starts early and keeps going late.
Have a wonderful time.
Monday's interaray sounds great to me - I used to live in Brooklyn Heights, and it saddens me to think of how many visitors bypass it entirely. Enjoy the pizza at Grimaldi's and get some ice cream at the place on Fulton Landing up the street (the name escapes me at the moment).
Tuesday - I could spend a week at the Met and another few days at the Cloisters. Enjoy.
Wednesday - I don't know about LIC, I have friends who live in that area and it can be a haul from the UWS.
Thursday - Riverside Park is a beautiful park to walk through and St John the Unfinished (when you see it, you will know what I mean) is spectacular. I'd be concerned about waiting until 6 to try and catch an 8:30 flight out of LGA. It will be rush hour and in August, for many people, the weekend starts on Thursday, so traffic heading to Long Island (and going right past LGA) starts early and keeps going late.
Have a wonderful time.
Aug 11th, 2005, 02:50 PM
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Agreed, you don't necessarily need a walking tour of the Park - and also agreed, since you're here for just a short time, skip the restaurants on Amsterdam and the Upper West Side, and try for something downtown. Shakespeare in the Park tix will most likely not be available, so enjoy the day and night just poking around.
Monday, agreed, a great itinerary.
Tuesday might not be completely doable. If you're doing the Met and Cloisters, you won't have time to do downtown very thoroughly. Maybe pick one of the downtown areas - all can be reached through the A or C subway lines, which are also near the Cloisters -- or else if you don't end up staying at the Cloisters too late and the Cathedral of St. John is still open, take the train there afterwards. Then save Thursday for Chelsea, Soho or Tribeca.
Wed: Much as I love all NYC neighborhoods, I'd skip Long Island City this time and instead pick another Manhattan neighborhood that's hopping at night and walk around: Upper West Side, Village, Soho, Chelsea.
I'd skip Riverside Park this trip too, and focus your last day on exploring a neighborhood you didn't have time to see or someplace you wanted to return.
Monday, agreed, a great itinerary.
Tuesday might not be completely doable. If you're doing the Met and Cloisters, you won't have time to do downtown very thoroughly. Maybe pick one of the downtown areas - all can be reached through the A or C subway lines, which are also near the Cloisters -- or else if you don't end up staying at the Cloisters too late and the Cathedral of St. John is still open, take the train there afterwards. Then save Thursday for Chelsea, Soho or Tribeca.
Wed: Much as I love all NYC neighborhoods, I'd skip Long Island City this time and instead pick another Manhattan neighborhood that's hopping at night and walk around: Upper West Side, Village, Soho, Chelsea.
I'd skip Riverside Park this trip too, and focus your last day on exploring a neighborhood you didn't have time to see or someplace you wanted to return.
Aug 11th, 2005, 06:52 PM
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Thanks everybody!
ellenem, thanks for 'bumpin' me up.'
GoTravel and atilla, I'm glad to hear my plan is do-able. Getting my hands on a GOOD map has helped.
LouNJ, Thanks for the #4 bus info. And I didn't think about Columbia - I think we'd enjoy that.
bgans, Thanks! I'll be on the lookout for someone walking a dog when I get lost. ....I'm very good at getting lost. I think we'll forget about LIC. Also, I told my husband we should head for the airport earlier than 6, NOW I have some back-up.
budzilla, I love your Tues. and Thurs. suggestions. Thanks! I just ordered "All Shook Up" tickets for Tues. night, so the Cathedral of St. John might be a good fit. The Cloisters may be pushing it. I guess it depends on how much time we spend at the Met.
Now to find some good shoes and go do some of this stuff I've been reading about. I can't wait!
ellenem, thanks for 'bumpin' me up.'
GoTravel and atilla, I'm glad to hear my plan is do-able. Getting my hands on a GOOD map has helped.
LouNJ, Thanks for the #4 bus info. And I didn't think about Columbia - I think we'd enjoy that.
bgans, Thanks! I'll be on the lookout for someone walking a dog when I get lost. ....I'm very good at getting lost. I think we'll forget about LIC. Also, I told my husband we should head for the airport earlier than 6, NOW I have some back-up.
budzilla, I love your Tues. and Thurs. suggestions. Thanks! I just ordered "All Shook Up" tickets for Tues. night, so the Cathedral of St. John might be a good fit. The Cloisters may be pushing it. I guess it depends on how much time we spend at the Met.
Now to find some good shoes and go do some of this stuff I've been reading about. I can't wait!
Aug 11th, 2005, 07:25 PM
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cacy, the name of the ice cream place is the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory- a definite must-visit! I love that area, and you could even consider bringing your ice cream up to the Brooklyn Heights Promenade (a few blocks walk) and leisurely enjoying the view.
On your Tuesday itinerary, I would consider adding in St. John the Divine on your way back downtown from the Cloisters. You can transfer from the A to the 1 at Washington Heights. I would then swap your downtown neighborhoods for Thursday morning. Just my two cents, thinking geographically!
If you decide Zorba the Greek is too far for you, but still want to enjoy an outdoor movie (one of my favorite NYC summer activities!) you might consider the Riverside Park film series. It just happens to be on Wednesday nights as well, so it would stay with your plan, and give you an excuse to visit the park.
I'm not sure of your taste, or when you'll be here, but on the 17th they're showing "Sweet Charity," and on the 24th is "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang." Here is a link to other Riverside Park activities, since you'll be staying nearby:
http://www.riversideparkfund.org/Calendar.htm
Have fun!
On your Tuesday itinerary, I would consider adding in St. John the Divine on your way back downtown from the Cloisters. You can transfer from the A to the 1 at Washington Heights. I would then swap your downtown neighborhoods for Thursday morning. Just my two cents, thinking geographically!
If you decide Zorba the Greek is too far for you, but still want to enjoy an outdoor movie (one of my favorite NYC summer activities!) you might consider the Riverside Park film series. It just happens to be on Wednesday nights as well, so it would stay with your plan, and give you an excuse to visit the park.
I'm not sure of your taste, or when you'll be here, but on the 17th they're showing "Sweet Charity," and on the 24th is "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang." Here is a link to other Riverside Park activities, since you'll be staying nearby:
http://www.riversideparkfund.org/Calendar.htm
Have fun!
Aug 12th, 2005, 05:13 PM
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TarheelsInNj, Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory has now been added to my notes (and highlighted). I cannot wait to enjoy the ice cream while walking and enjoying the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. Thanks for mentioning it.
Also, I've made the Tuesday/Thursday adjustments. And thank you for the travel info. ....That's the kind of thing that confuses me the most.
Yes, I think "Zorba" is a bit far this time. Thanks for the Riverside Park link, unfortunately, yoga is on tap for the Wednesday we'll be there. Umm..wonder what hubby would say to that?!?
Again, thanks much! Ice cream suggestions and transportation info - what more could one ask for?
I cannot wait to enjoy the ice cream while walking and enjoying the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. Thanks for mentioning it.Also, I've made the Tuesday/Thursday adjustments. And thank you for the travel info. ....That's the kind of thing that confuses me the most.
Yes, I think "Zorba" is a bit far this time. Thanks for the Riverside Park link, unfortunately, yoga is on tap for the Wednesday we'll be there. Umm..wonder what hubby would say to that?!?
Again, thanks much! Ice cream suggestions and transportation info - what more could one ask for?
