Underhill

Although most of our short time next month will be spent in visiting art museums we'd also like to have a short tour of the main city sights. By short I mean about 2 hours in the evening, taking in Rock Center, Fifth Avenue, and so on. My left knee has been acting up and I don't want to do a lot of walking! Any suggestions?

doug_stallings

While I sympathize with you, I'd like to warn you away from this idea. Traffic in December is really atrocious, and you will find yourself paying premium rates to be stuck in traffic for hours if you really do try to do a private tour on city streets. I'd still urge you to take the subway when you can, but if it's not possible, then do as New Yorkers do, and take a city bus, which will get you closer to your destination.

Thus, I would offer two compromises.

First, get a cane to help stabilize you and walk as much as you can manage; that's really the only way to see the crowded areas of the city. You won't, for example, be able really see the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center by car except in the briefest drive-by. You can take a variety of taxis when necessary to get from place to place, but then you really do have to get out and walk. I even did this with my dad when he was here last Christmas, and it worked. We took frequent breaks, did the subway when we could, and took taxis when we couldn't.

If you can, limit your driving around in Midtown to before 8am or after 10pm, when traffic is marginally better. If you don't want to take a regular taxi, you can hire a private car service for about $45 per hour to drive you around as you wish, usually with a 2-hour minimum. I'd do this once just to see the Christmas lights (again, they will be better after dark).

Of course, you can get the same view by riding the regular city bus down 5th Avenue, and that only costs $2.50. You could take the bus up Madison to 96th and then back down 5th to 42nd.

Or take one of the HOHO buses and just stay there for a half-day. You'll get a narration of sorts (not really something I recommend or something that's really good), and it's going to be far cheaper than a private tour, though no less annoying.

There are tour companies in NYC, but I can't recommend any of them, but taking a private van or car tour of the city during the holidays is a huge waste of time and money. I don't want to simply say "suck it up and just push through" because that might seem on the surface callous, but if you plan your days carefully, you can do this without hurting your knees or breaking your bank account.

Underhill

Where do I find a private car service?

BigRuss

So Doug says "taking a private van or car tour of the city during the holidays is a huge waste of time and money."

And you want to know "Where do I find a private car service?"

That is a disconnect.

That said, if you really want one, they're all over the place. The city has a ton - just google new york city car service.

And the traffic will suck. New York is great in December, but that's not a secret to tourists or New Yorkers.

nytraveler

Carmel and Dial 7 are the larges basic car services in the city. The cars are usually black lincoln town cars - no chauffeurs in limos with uniforms and video in the back. We use them often to get to the airport and they are reliable. But do realize that at tht time of year traffic is so heavy that you need to allow extra time for them to tun up.

BUT - these are just drivers - NOT guides. they are just drivers who get you from one place to another - you have to tell them where to go - and realize they can't stop a lot of places to let you out to see things due to amount of traffic and lack of parking on streets in midtown - and except for early am or late night hours (before 8 am and after 11 pm) the sidewalks will be so crowded you will see little from a car - stuck in gridlock.

For instance - to see the best store windows - Saks and L&T - the line is usually at least 30 minutes long to get to the windows - and people are standing 3 deep on the sidewalk to see them - while waiting to get to the front of the line and up close to the actual windows.

Walking may be very difficult - but in a lot of places it is the only option - unless you are going in and out of buildings. Cars can stop for a moment to drop someone - but cannot sit and wait.

doug_stallings

So if you do want to press ahead and do the private car service route, then Dial 7 and Carmel are your two best choices. I'd still urge you (strongly) to do that only one night, fairly late (say from 10 to midnight). Just realize that you will indeed be spending 2 hours in the car. You likely won't be able to stop and get out, though if you have engaged a car for a period of time, you could get the driver's cell phone and call for another pick-up. It's just that this will be particularly difficult during the height of the Christmas tourist season.

On Board Tours does arrange for private guides and transportation, but I don't know the rates, and I can't make a personal recommendation.

Underhill

Okay--I'm sold. We'll try to take taxis from one place to the next or just forget the sightseeing. We're not concerned with getting out, just doing a drive-by. I'd rather not use public transportation; catching a cold before we have to fly home would not be a good thing.

ekscrunchy

Think about hiring a pedicab if you can bundle up. Might be more maneuverable in traffic.

SueNYC

At the risk of Doug removing this post, I am going to suggest another alternative (actually 2). If MOMA is part of your museum going and you are not a member, contact A Guide Named Sue for an early morning midtown walk that includes member hour at MOMA - member hour if the only time you have half a chance of enjoying the Matisse during the holiday season. It's crazy even if you have timed tickets!

If you are including - the Met - take an early morning walk through Central Park with A Guide Named Sue - plenty of benches to rest on and you will arrive at the Met at open time when you should be able to snag a wheelchair to use during your visit.

You don't see the lights or windows well from cars and from taxis all you will do is watch your meter go up.

On last recommendation, make sure to add the International Center for Photography to your museum list. The current exhibit is extraordinary and should be a must for everyone who cares about the future of our world.

After days of museums, you won't have the patience to do an evening tour.

Grandma

Pedicabs are horrendously expensive… and as cab fares go…. I take cabs all the time from the upper east side to midtown (mostly to a dentist on Central Park South).. if I get change from a $20 bill it's a good day. During the holiday season midtown traffic is a nightmare. It can take $5 to $6 to get from one block to the next.

Underhill

Our museum list: the Met, Frick, MOMA, and Guggenheim. We plan to arrive at opening time.

MichelleY

Have lunch at the Loeb Boathouse in Central Park. Not far from the Frick Collection.

Underhill

Thanks; I'll check that out.

mclaurie

While I agree that trying to sightsee in a car in Dec. is a bad idea, Strusserslimousinservice.com does provide that service and will be a lot better than a regular car service.

Caravaggio is a very good option for lunch near the Frick.

mclaurie

http://strusserslimousineservice.com...s-directed.php

Underhill

Caravaggio...hmmmm. Combine art with Italian?

IMDonehere

SueNYC knows her stuff.

Please note that museum walking can be tiring. The Met has one of the finest general collections in the world and MoMA is the best modern art museum in the world. So choose carefully. They also have wheelchairs. When we visit a city like Paris or Madrid with many world class museums, we like to go museums and then something different on alternative days.

nytraveler

Agree if you plan on all these art museums you need to o some work in advance online to determine which parts of the museums you want to see. If you try to see everything in all of them you will be exhausted and go into museum overload. The Met esp is huge - and wit would probably take 2 full days to see even the most important part of the collections.

We go regularly, to re see some favorites and see new exhibitions - but there are portions (the ancient easter pots for example) that I probably have not seen in in more than 10 years.

Also strongly reco to get a wheelchair for the museums - there are few seats and IMHO standing around for long periods is harder than regular walking as a normal pace.

Underhill

We're already researching the museums' various collections and know all too well, from the Louvre, how to pace ourselves.

Standing is indeed harder than walking. My DH has a herniated disk, and standing really makes it painful for him.

That's why we love the Phillips Collection and the Santa Barbara Art Museum: small but cherce, and with wood floors.