Tours
 

Hi, I am traveling to NYC May 1st for my birthday (Oh No 60th) with my 2 adult daughters for 4 days..
We have been before but were interested in taking one of the Hop on Hop Off Tours. Is one better than another? I was looking at the1 Day Tour w/admission to Top of the Rock(have never been there). Our idea was to use this to see alot of NYC plus to stop to shop and eat during the day and still have transportation. Any ideas? We are not intereted in addmission to any other places...cruises or S. of Liberty.
Also, we were thinking of walking in Central Park on Sunday morning and ending up
at the Boathouse for Brunch/Lunch. Can anyone rate this place and also since we will be in our workout/tennis shoes is the appropriate dress? If not any ideas for a fun /nice Sunday Brunch?
Thanks in advance for any advice!

In my opinion, all of the hop-on/hop-off tours are the same. They follow almost identical routes and are a huge rip-off. For a fraction of the money, you can take city buses that travel the same routes on more convenient schedules and see more of the city, especially if you throw in a couple of subway rides to cover longer stretches. If you want to see some of the more quaint, atmospheric streets like Bedford St. in the Village, the best thing is to WALK. A one-day unlimited subway/bus pass costs $7.50. The hop-on bus about $25 for transportation alone. You do the math.

When tourist season heats up, the buses do get very crowded, and you can't always get on. I've seen many a frustrated tourist waiting at a bus stop for a bus with room to come by.

Now that tourism is down, the companies are cutting back on the number of buses ... not a lot right now, but a few runs every day.

Sneakers should be fine for the Boathouse for brunch (you'll see people dressed many different ways there), and it's the best tourist restaurant in Central Park. Not great, mind you (and overpriced), but the best option in Central Park by a mile. Check the opening time. It's probably 11.

Do not use the hop-on-hop-off bus as a method of transportation; it's a tour. For getting from one place to another, just walk, or use the buses and subway. With 4 people you cold even economically just all hop into a taxi.

If you want to use the subway and buses, there are choices of passes, depending on your anticipated use. In addition to the daily pass that offers unlimited rides for $7.50, or a $25 pas that's good for unlimited rides for a week, there are pay-as-you-go passes that have the advantage that they can be used by multiple travelers. The basic fare is $2, but multi-ride passes offer a 15% bonus.

Agree Hop On/Off buses are no way useful as transit. They run 30 or more minutes apart - verus about 5 for city buses - and in summer are foten too crowded to get on - and apparently not even runnng so often now. A Metro pass is a much better option - or cab for short distances since there are 3 of you. (Also be aware there are a lot of areas the Hop On/Off can't cover, since many residential streets in the city ban bus traffic.

I have heard the CitySights blue buses are not as plentiful as the red Grayline buses so you wait longer, but I agree with those who say these are not a good way to get around. If you want a tour, I'd use onboardtours.com which have better guides and stay with you and then use a metrocard or taxis to get from point a to point b. Top of the Rock is great. You can usually find some sort of discount. They also offer some combination tickets with other things

The Boat House is a very pretty spot but certainly not the best food you can find.

In my opinion, the Grey Line HOHO is a great way to get an overview of the city, then decide waht you want to see more of on your own.

Thank's everyone! I see your point about the tours....I guess bus and subway and even taxi would be cheaper for the 3 of us than paying the tour prices. Now all we have to do is be able to understand which bus to get on!
And thenks, we will look for coupons for Top of the Rock.
Has anyone seen 9 to 5 yet? This is one of the plays we are working on getting tickets for. This was 3rd on our list, understand Wicked and Jersey Boys are sold out.

Check again; I'm pretty sure that Wicked isn't sold out. And last year even when it officially was, we went to the info center in Times Square on a Friday afternoon and bought tickets for Saturday night.

hopstop.com is one way to get directions for using bus or subway and will even estimate cost and time of a taxi.

Buses are actually pretty easy in NYC. They go up and down the big avenues, rarely deviating much from the course. The bus that goes down Second Avenue makes a jog to the east at Houston Street and heads south again on Allen, I believe (this is the bus that mimics the downtown route of the double-decker and takes you near the doughnut factory on Grand Street and the Essex Street Market.

There's also a bus that goes all the way down Broadway.

There are also crosstown buses on the major streets, and these buses are named after their street: M23 for 23rd Street, M14 for 14th Street, M50 for 50th Street (this is the bus that goes to the Intrepid, though it does so on 49th Street going west, returning on 50th going east). It's a little more complex once you get out of Manhattan, and the buses going downtown below 14th Street tend to deviate more because the streets aren't laid out in a strict grid, but they are pretty easy to navigate, and the bus driver will tell you if he/she is stopping where you want to go.

I think the hop-on/hop-off tours are great for getting an overall feel for where things are located. Was first-time visitor in Oct for GF trip, one of whom lives on Long Island. She suggested the Grayline tour for our first day and we did both loops and it was great!! We then used the next three days to go back to various sites. No, it's not for transportation but great way to see a lot of the city. I'm going back in May with family and we will do the Grayline the first day. I know my husband and adult daughter (first timers) will love it.

Doug, about the bus route--is the donut factory the same as Donut Planet?

Happy BD, traveling on!! How nice to celebrate with your daughters. Have a great trip!

Yes, sorry about that. It's the "Doughnut Plant".

texasjo -- Get up early! On Sat, Sun , Mon and Tues I will probably be the guide on the 8:30 uptown. On Friday, If you take the 9AM express you will probably find me.

Oh, SueNYC, we'll just miss you! We get there Tues PM and plan to do the bus tour on Wed. Maybe Travelingon's schedule will fit yours. What is the express? Grayline?

On Grayline at 8 8:30 and 9 (and I think 10:30) they run a bus that goes downtown via the hudson to the Battery Park stop and I think it'll also drop people at SS Seaport - no other stops

The 8:30 uptowns are the best time to go to just get an overview and have a nice ride. The Met is the only museum open when we get there

Thanks again for all the info.
Another question......Any suggestions for the 3 of us
(my 2 adult daughters) can go to dinner to celebrate
my BIG 60th? Dinner at 21 was suggested, but I don't know anything about it. THis would probably be a Sat or Sun nite dinner.

Re - those hop on hop off tour buses: we have visited just about every major city in the world and have never used this feature. A little research before the trip will give you info on places of interest you will want to visit and in NYC - public transportation is easily available and the cheapest and best way to go. And for speed - use the subway system. You'll also be traveling with locals and get a feel of local culture. With map in hand it is easy enough to figure how to get wherever.
21's reputation was made as an old time saloon during prohibition times catering to a kind of "in" social set and continued to cater to that set after prohibition. Never known for top cuisine but as a place to be "seen". I'd suggest Capsuoto Freres in Tribeca - great food (order souffle for dessert), lovely setting, and right for a special celebration. Located at Washington and Watts St - take a taxi -- and reservations - a must.

21 is an old-fashioned place much populated by business types and has decent but not great food. Not a place, IMHO, for 3 women for a birthday dinner. If you give us a budget and what types of food you like/dislike people can make recos.

rivercafe.com
bateauxnewyork.com

are some celebratory ideas for a dinner.

Thanks mclaurie, I have read about River Cafe.

We're open for steak, Italian, Chinese, good old American, or any tex-mex.