REALLY fast tour of lower Manhattan
 

My sister who recently returned from a trip to New York feels like my itinerary is overly ambitious. I wonder what some other travelers may think? Here's what I have planned:

Friday

Arrive LGA 10:30 am
Taxi to Grimaldi's Pizza at Brooklyn Bridge

1 pm walk over Bridge to Woolworth bldg

2:30 pm walk to Ground Zero

3:30 continue to EITHER Trinity Church OR Fraunces Tavern Museum

5:30 check-in hotel in Financial District

6:15 proceed to Rise Bar at Ritz Carlton for drinks

8:00 to Chinatown - Grand Sichuan for dinner

10:00 metro uptown to Empire State Building


Saturday

up early, grab breakfast, be at Staten Ferry by 7 am to watch sunrise over the harbor

return to manhattan via ferry by 8:30 am

really want to hit either H&M Soho location at 515 and 558 Broadway. What's the difference? Is one better?

on to business meeting (real reason for NY trip)


Looking for any input from those familiar with this area.

Thanks!
danyellewon

What will you do with your luggage from the airport? Stop at hotel first and leave it there?

I don't see any big problem with Fri. except that you never know how long a wait it will be at Grimaldi's. Are you going alone? Do you realize they only sell whole pies? If the wait is too long, you could always go elsewhere or just eliminate Trinity Church/Fraunces. Don't forget to stop at St. Paul's Chapel across from WTC. Do you know about the visitor's center?
http://www.tributenyc.org/visitors.html

It would help to know what TIME your business meeting is on Sat., whether you have to dres for it (ie go back to hotel) and where the meeting is.

This itinerary is do-able, but it's not for everyone. I admit it's the way I visit a city ("if it's 1:35, this must the Chrysler Building") but some people find it a bit rushed. If you yourself don't mind the rush of visit to a city, I think you can do it.

My only question is about walking over the Brooklyn Bridge and then on to Ground Zero. Do-able? Probably, if you don't mind a fair amount of walking. Again, some people might prefer less walking.

Also, what exactly are you going to do with your business attire and stuff between landing at LaGuardia and checking into your hotel? Carrying around even one suitcase for several hours in NYC is NOT recommended.

You state the location of your hotel but not of your meeting on Saturday.

In any event, I feel you have over-thought your itinerary and that you have given yourself too many chances to be disappointed. (What if it's cloudy and you don't see the sunrise?)

My favorite walk starts in Greenwich Village and continues on to SoHo, Little Italy, Chinatown, the Brooklyn Bridge, and Wall Street. Detours to Broadway (H&M) and Canal Street are two of many possibilities.

Also, I can't go to NYC without visiting Central Park, the Metropolitan Art Museum, and MOMO--to name a few choices from the top of my list.

Thanks for the advice so far. Exactly what I was looking for!

As to my luggage: since i'll only be there overnight, I was actually planning on carrying one bag around (lightly packed).

I won't have to go back to my hotel to dress for the meeting, I'm really just accompanying my husband and it's very informal, over lunch, and I assume somewhere on the East side of Central Park.

As to walking: I love to walk, and plan to wear my walking shoes - and carry the cutest lightest pair of shoes in my bag to change into for Rise, etc.

I didn't know Grimaldi's only sold whole pizzas, thanks for the tip!

And I probably have overthought my trip. Oh well. But I can roll with the punches too. Just like to be prepared and not wandering around aimlessly when I only have a few hours this time.

Definitely skip Grimaldi's - you won't be missing anything. That will give you a little extra time because your 5:30 check in and 6:15 drink might be a little rushed. For your ferry ride you could bring something with you so you don't have to eat before. Maybe a good coffee and pastry from an AuBonPain or the Financier. Sounds like you'll have a nice time.

If I skip Grimaldi's, where can I get a good quick slice of authentic New York pizza on the low end of Manhattan? Or anywhere around the Brooklyn Bridge?

It's probably debatable as to whether it's "new york" pizza, but Adrienne's Pizza Bar on Stone Street is fantastic and in a great historical location. I think you can only get whole pies, but they are smaller (10 inches).

What about street corner pizza? Isn't that supposed to be the real NY pizza?

That is the "real NY pizza", but a lot of places are pretty awful. Think dirty pizza joints with bland pizza sitting under warming lights for hours. My favorite NY-style place downtown is Portobello's on Murray b/t Greenwich and W. Broadway. It would be a quick walk from the WTC site.
I've never eaten at the actual restaurant, but it's our go-to order when we are working late. Kind of like tonight :0

Adrienne's is a bit more artisinal than your average crappy Ray's, but it's really good! Unfortunately your options in the Financial District are somewhat limited.

On the H&M question - the two stores have different selections - their website should list on the store locator which genres each store carries. If I remember correctly, the one at 558 Broadway is more geared toward younger people - lots of trendy clothes and the 515 one is more professional (but still H&M) clothes. The one at 558 is bigger - there's a whole basement yet sometimes seems more crowded (e.g., the women's dressing room almost always has a long line) than the one at 515.

Either way, try to go early as the SOHO stores get really busy during the day.

Thanks lizzie! I think that's exactly the pizza I was looking for. And good H&M tip, you guys rock.

Adrienne's is run by the rudest people on the face of the earth and they only sell full pies. There's a place called Caruso's that has good pizza. Two locations, both on Broadway. One near the City Hall end and one close to the SI Ferry.