Starrs, I think you are right.

Are there different HoHo tours?

Here is one, two days, that includes all the tours, plus the ferry to Ellis Island. What do you think?
http://www.citysightsny.com/tourpage.php?item=SNY

You can take the Staten Island Ferry across for free I think? It goes right past the Statue of Liberty and then get off and take it right back - I did that a few years ago with my girls.

"None of the locals like the HOHO buses."
Starrs, most of us don't ride tour buses in our own city so it's not really a like/dislike issue (except when people complain about the buses clogging streets in their neighborhood)

But many of us point out that the buses are inefficient at getting from point A to point B (some visitors think of them as substitutes for subways/public buses), they move slowly and at this time of the year, sometimes barely move in traffic at all, and the narrators on the buses range from OK/entertaining to outright liars. I have heard some of the tour guides as the buses have passed by me, and I wanted to jump on board and tell the passengers to ignore everything they heard!

No one will forbid a visitor from using these bus tours, but since they're pretty pricey, I think a "buyer beware" is always in order. If we can help people see and do what they want in a usually limited amount of time, more quickly and for less money, why not?

nyer, thank you. I am one of those people who loves hearing the stories of the buildings I am going by, not something you can really get when walking by yourself.

I want to give DD (and myself) the best taste of NYC in the quickest amount of time. I like the Hop On Hop Off because you can do just that - hop off if you find an area that looks appealing. Truthfully, I have such a limited knowledge of NYC. It's hard to know what you don't know, ya' know?

But I am also on a budget so trying to make the best decisions. Any and all input is so appreciated!

>>

It's a fun ride, but it's a fairly distant view of the SOL.

cat, the night you arrive, you should just go for a walk to see all the Xmas windows -- there's many fewer people in front of them late at night than during the day or early evening.

cat, I think the HOHO's are pretty interchangable. I've had great guides on them and pretty crappy guides. The good thing about the HOHO is when you hop back on, you've got another guide

I've not taken this tour but I've added it to my list because the reviews are OUTSTANDING. If you want an overview of the city with a great guide look at -
http://www.zerve.com/KingOfNYC
Marvelous Manhattan tours

They are also offering a holiday lights tour. My mom and I took one (back in the early 90s, from Grayline) and it was FABULOUS. A great way to get around the city and see all the holiday lights.

I also loved the Slice of Brooklyn pizza tour and they've added a holiday lights tour of Brooklyn. It's the first thing I'm doing when I'm back in the city during the holidays. The originator and guide of that company is one of the best guides I've ever had anywhere -

http://asliceofbrooklyn.com/

The Brooklyn tours leave from the Union Square area.

cat111719, New York is a good city for walking tours where you can hear many of the tales of people and places you might like. Some are run by museums(for example the Tenement Museum), some by well respected tour companies (like Big Onion tours), some by non-profit or neighborhood groups (Municipal Art Society, Union Square Partnership)
Most are pretty inexpensive, about $10-$15 per person but some are free http://unionsquarenyc.org/park/walking-tour/255

>>

It's a fun ride, but it's a fairly distant view of the SOL.
---
yes, worked for us It is distant but free and fairly easy Pretty cold I would imagine in the winter.

Cat - here is a link to the photos from our NYC 2008 trip that we took the Ferry across - there are some great photos for the lady so I think it was not too distant? I do not have a good camera but DO have a bad memory...

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...9860504&type=1

Are you able to get off at Ellis Island?

Not from the Staten Island Ferry, cat.

The Staten Island ferry goes from Manhattan to Staten Island and back. When you get to Staten Island, if you're not interested in visiting Staten Island, you get off, make a "u-turn" and get back on.

"Are you able to get off at Ellis Island?"

Not the Staten Island ferry.


You can take the ferry to the Statue of Liberty and get off at Ellis Island.

The Staten Island Ferry is an entirely different ferry that the one for Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island;

http://www.statuecruises.com/

is for the latter.

And you can't just take that ferry to "look, see;" it includes visit to SoL and EI. In other words, you cannot just take a ride on the ferry to the islands and then return [well, you can but you are paying for admission to the buildings.]

Well dang. The MM tour is no longer operating. Sorry.
"Thank you very much for your interest. However, after many years giving fabulous tours of NYC, Marvelous Manhattan Tours is no longer operating."

I think what we would want is to go see SoL and Ellis Island, not just do a drive-by, so to speak. DD is just now studying Ellis Island in HS. I think the timing would be good.

No, to be clear - I was suggesting that you take the Staten Island Ferry to Staten Island - you get off - turn around and come back - you get a view both ways of the Statue of Liberty. You go past the Island.

cat, in that case, you the link above to book tickets. They have a flexible 3 day purchase, so you can decide when you are in the city which day and time you want to go, you don't have to commit to a specific day/time now

Yes, that is why I was leaning towards that option.

It has been lovingly pointed out to me that I sometimes get a little, umm, plan-happy on trips and I'm trying to let things just sort of flow. Dang, that's hard for me!