"Secret" NYC
 

I am taking my first trip to NYC; I will be there 8 days and 7 nights September 17-24. I like more "culture attractions" than "landmark attractions."

What are the best "off-the-beaten-path" things to do in NY?

I will be staying Midtown, but would like to spend a day in each major section of Manhattan (and maybe one day in Brooklyn.)

No offense, but if this is your first trip there why wouldn't you want to do the best things and the things New York is famous for. What would make you want to to only the minor attractions, that are off the beaten path?

I would certainly suggest things like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, its related Cloisters, Museum of Modern Art, even the Guggenheim as much for the building as the collections, the Frick. Set up a backstage tour of the Metropolitan Museum. See (hear) a concert with the New York Philharmonic or something at Carnegie Hall. In Brooklyn go to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens and maybe the museum adjacent. (I haven't been there, but recently posed the question and got directions and suggestions for that day in Brooklyn -- do a search here for Brooklyn Botanical Gardens and check that information out.

You might also enjoy the Tenement Museum in the lower east side. Stroll the many galleries of Soho.

None of these things are the least bit off the beaten path, but I think they are much better ideas of what to see for a first trip than the things that are.

Patrick - this is the stuff I was talking about - all excellent ideas that I appreciate.

What I meant by off the beaten path was: I don't necessarily want to be packed like a sardine in the Empire State Building, etc.

I definitely am going to the Guggenheim, MoMA, etc., but I had not heard of the Tenement Museum.

I want to hit the cultural highlights, but mix in stuff that isn't necessarily "Top 20 things to do in NYC."

I hope that clarifies.

I think Patrick meant the backstage tour at the Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center, not the museum. The tour is definitely worth your time.

I second the backstage tour at the Met. I was taken there for my birthday and it was wonderful. And then there's the great gift shop.

The Brooklyn Museum is very cool and currently has an amazing Basquiat exhibit. I just returned and am going to post my trip report; alas, we mostly were packed like sardines in places like the subway and Empire State Building. But the Brooklyn Museum was a real gem; right across from the subway stop too.

sfamylou, where else were packed like sardines? those are the places I would like to avoid. And which ones are worth it?

You might also want to make a brief stop at the newly reopened FAO Schwarz on 5th Avenue and 58th Street. Two talented young employees put on a delightful show at 15 and 45 minutes past each hour on the second floor, utilizing a step-on piano like the one used in the movie Big.

You should do the Immigration Museum at Ellis Island - yes a lot of tourists go - but NYCers too. It's truly unique and helps demonstrate how/why NYC esp is so diverse.

You night also want to try the Museum of the City of New York - and the exhibits at the main brnach of the Public Library - often fascinating - as is the reading room.

You might also want to check out St Patrick's and St. John the Divine (upper west side near Columbia). And take that as an opportunity to tour a typical residential neighborhood.

You should also do some of the galleries downtown and check out the lower east side - NYC at its trendiest.

Tifa, if you want to avoid crowded places, avoid Times Square. I live in NYC and I only go there when I have to. It is *always* crowded and hard to move around down there.

You can do both the Brooklyn Museum and the Brooklyn Botanical Garden in a day, since one of the garden's entrances is right near the museum.

Another thing you can do is go wander around Brooklyn Heights. There's a promenade that overlooks the East River with great views of the city.

If you're feeling adventurous, go check out DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges). It's a neighborhood next to Brooklyn Heights. It's very trendy and has old cobblestoned streets, and it has a waterfront park with views of Manhattan.
http://www.dumbo-newyork.com/

Sardine situations: Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty (really mostly the ferry and security areas), the Met, Moma on Saturday morning, West 44th Street (really most of Times Square) on Saturday.

Not so Bad: Soho including firefighter museum, Ground Zero, Natural History, Brooklyn Museum, Central Park including zoo, Lower East Side.

A correction on sfamylou's sardine list. The Met and MoMA are most crowded on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, not mornings. If you have to go on a weekend, definitely pick the morning.

HowardR; we thought mornings would be better too; but at Moma on Saturday morning the ticket line wrapped around the building and I didn't see it change much over the day (we checked). I think it would be best to go to museums/attractions early on weekdays (watch out for closures) and leave Central Park and general wandering/shopping for the weekends.

sfamylou, how long ago was your crowded experience at MOMA?

If you're big on the museums, consider the citypass.com which gives you entry into MOMA, the Guggenheim, the Mus. of Natural History, the Intrepid and also a Circle Line Cruise and ESB. It's my understanding it also allows you to skip lines at all these places. MOMA is now $20 so I think doing 2-3 of things pays for itself.

There's a new exhibit called Ashes and Snow downtown

ashesandsnow.com

For theater, do you know about the discount codes on broadwaybox.com? Don't miss some off Broadway.

There are some other smaller museums that are worth a look. The Neue is Viennese and near the Met. The Forbes Museum is free on lower Fifth Ave. The Daheesh sometimes has a small gem of a show on Madison Ave.

Final thought for now ;) don't miss the Conservatory gardens in Central Park at Fifth Ave. & 104 st.

Tifa - I asked a similar sort of question last year - got loads of really helpful and offbeat replies. Search for "MagicRat" - the thread was called The Best of New York

Enjoy...

Alan

It's seeing posts like this that make me sooo thankful to be a New Yorker!! :D

You might also want to check out the Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum at 5th & 91st. http://ndm.si.edu

Hi Howard, we were at Moma last Saturday, the 9th.
And my trip there made me wish I were a New Yorker. I came home to Orange County CA and felt culturally deprived.

sfamylou, I amazed that MOMA was that crowded on a Saturday morning. I'll have to change my thinking when recommending when to go to that museum.

I was amazed too, and mad I didn't get a CIty Pass or buy my tickets ahead of time. The lines were for tickets; I'm sure inside, that early at opening about 10:30, it would have been OK.

Tons of awesome info! Keep it coming....

I will be there literally when summer turns to fall in mid-late September. Anything special then or specific to that time of year?

NoLiTa: Elizabeth, Mott, Mulberry Streets, walk south from Houston to Spring Street.

Merchants House Museum on East 4th Street.

If you're in NYC mid-September, you've GOT TO go to the San Generero Feast in Little Italy (but I'm not sure of the exact dates). Go hungry and just eat your way through all the yummy Italian food. And be sure to sit at one of the little outdoor cafes and drink some overpriced espresso and just people watch!! It's well worth the price.

Two of my favorites have alrady been mentioned: The Museum of the City of New York and the Conservatory Gardens in Central Park -- virtually acoss the street from each other in the low 100s.

Another favorite is the Mount Vernon Hotel Museum and Garden at 421 E 61, just 3 blocks from Bloomingdale's -- a miraculously preserved 18-th century stone barn, one of the oldest buildings in NYC.

Mount Vernon's web site is

http://www.mvhm.org/

I would also like to go a High Tea. Can anyone recommend a good high tea service?

The Pierre Hotel and the St. Regis both do a nice job. I gather the St. Regis food offerings are plentiful. It's in the King Cole bar with the famous Maxwell Parish mural. The setting at the Pierre in the Rotunda area somehow feels more of a NY secret ;) Lady Mendl's tea salon in the Inn on Irving Place is also famous for tea. Here's some more ideas

http://gonyc.about.com/od/restaurants/tp/tearooms.htm

If they serve tea at the Mandarin Oriental, either in the lobby or in their restaurant Asiate, that would be lovely with the view from the 35 floor.

We were not at all 'packed like sardines' at the Empire State Building last week, on a Wednesday Morning. Bought tickets in advance, and walked right through to the elevators, with maybe 5 min. wait for security check. The same at the Intrepid, and the American Museum of Natural History.
The church opposite the WTC site has a very moving exhibition. No crowds there either.
Not at all off the beaten track, but don't stay away from places that might interest you because you think they will be crowded; they might not be.

A week ago Tuesday you could barely move at the Empire State Building on the observation deck, and even with tickets the security line was around the block outside. Maybe because last Tuesday was the first clear day in a long, long time? With rain in the forecast? In any case, get your ticket ahead of time.

I think a visit to Grand Central Station is worth it. They have completed the restoration of the magnificent ceiling and the architecture is a reminder that buildings didn't always have to be ugly to be functional. You could have something to eat at the Oyster Bar, or have a drink at the Campbell Apartment, the recently restored luxury apartment of a Manhattan tycoon.

sfamylou, yes, I would imagine that the long line the day you were at the ESB was because it was the first clear day we've had in a while. It seemed like it was cold and rainy here for a month!

Anonymous, thanks for posting the info about Mount Vernon. I grew up here and I've never heard of that place! I'll have to go check it out.

In "route " to the museum of city of New York, try to make a visit to "Spanish harlem" and to look for the mural fresque of a portorican artist,
De La Vega(between park, 3rd end 100/115):his store is Lexington and 105.
If you are in NY a sunday, the jazz sesion to Marjorie in Harlem, at 4 p.m. is not to miss...The website :
parlorentertainment.com
And a jazz club not so "turistic" : smoke on Broadway and #105 : website :
Smokejazz.com
Erik

I would also say check out Dizzy's Club Coca Cola at the Time Warner Building near Columbus Circle for some great jazz. It's a very happening spot right now and the facility is fantastic.

No one mentioned two landmarks up in the Bronx, the New York Botanical Garden (which definitely trumps the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in my own humble opinion) and the Bronx Zoo, perhaps the finest zoo in the country. Both are very accessible via metro north, which you can get to from Grand Central Station.

I would also say definitely go to the Angelika theater downtown to see smaller independent films, and general atmosphere, which is not very touristy.

Also, The Juilliard School presents several performances a week that are mostly free, the Juilliard School is located in Lincoln Center and might be worth a visit.

Hey, I just thought I'd mention that I went to the Mount Vernon museum today. It was interesting, but I just wanted to warn people, they make you do a guided tour/lecture that is more geared towards school children than adults. It drove me nuts, quite frankly. :) It was only supposed to be half an hour and it turned out to be more than an hour. It was certainly informative, but ouch! The gardens out back were pretty small, too. No surprise there given the development in the area.

Anyway, for those who were wondering, I'd say the Mount Vernon museum is worth a look from the outside, but if you're short on time, this place might not be the best idea. ;) I don't mean to be negative; I just hate being lectured at for an hour when I didn't ask for it.

I also checked out the Conservatory Gardens in Central Park today. Now THAT was fun, and I bet it's even nicer when everything is in bloom.

Hope this helps some people!

Wow, sunny, sorry to hear that. When I toured Mt. V, the guide was most informative, one of the better docents I've come across. They do a lof of tours for school groups; I guess your guide was on the wrong speed!