It's been a few months, but I've been busy! Posting this report is my thanks for all the help I received in planning our family's trip. We had a wonderful time in New York, thanks to many of your suggestions. I really wouldn't do anything different; we had excellent meals, saw three terrific musicals, saw lots of sights and stayed at a nice, convenient place. We walked a lot, took the subway (Metro Cards), and also used taxis for shorter trips or at night. I purchased tickets to ESB and our musical tickets before we left - had seats in the Balcony, in the Orchestra, and the Mezzanine. We saw a lot, but each day the sights were clustered in one area so it was easy to see everything. We had a fun, enjoyable visit. Thanks

Day 1
Flew into Newark, arriving around 4 PM
Taxi to New York City, stayed at Blakely New York Hotel, W.55th. (formerly the Gorham)
Dinner at Rink Cafe, Rockefeller Center
Walked to Times Square
Broadway Show: 42nd Street

Day 2
Subway to Battery Park / Castle Clinton
Ferry to Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, tour and film
Taxi to River Cafe for late brunch (2:30 PM reservation)
Walked back across Brooklyn Bridge
Trinity Church, Wall St. / NY Stock Exchange, Federal Hall / George Washington statue, World Trade Center Site, St. Paul's Chapel, Woolworth Building lobby
Chinatown for shopping
Little Italy, Feerrara for cannoli, gelato
Take out pizza at Lombardi's
Staten Island Ferry to see lights of Manhattan

Day 3
Breakfast at Norma's
Fifth Ave: 50th to Central Park - American Girl Place, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Trump Tower, Plaza Hotel lobby
Central Park Carriage Ride
Central Park: The Mall, Bethesda Fountain, row boats, Ramble, Belvedere Castle, Shakespeare Garden, Great Lawn, Dakota, John Lennon Memorial - Strawberry Fields
American Museum of Natural History - Dinosaus, mammals, ocean life
Dinner at Ouest
Empire State Building Observation Deck, at dusk/evening

Day 4
Shopping at H&M store on 5th Ave. (14 and 16 year old girls)
Lunch at Katz's Deli
Lower East Side Tenement Museum, film and tour
Soho, Washington Square Park, Elizabeth St.
Dinner at Lupa
Broadway Show: Lion King

Day 5
Today Show at Rockefeller Plaza
Breakfast from Dean & Deluca
New York City Public Library, Grand Central Terminal, Chrysler Building
United Nations Headquarters, guided tour
Lunch at Delegates Dining Room
Frick Collection, audio guide, film
Treat at Serendipity 3
Dinner at Siam Inn
Broadway Show: Hairspray

Day 6
Taxi to Newark to pick up rental car for two week trip to Mystic, CT, Newport, RI, Cape Cod, Nantucket, Plymouth, Boston, Salem, and Concord, MA.

Wow! What an action packed trip. You did get it all in. Curious to know how the rest of the trip went and what you consider the highlights. Where are you from, BTW?

We're from Portland, Oregon and this trip to the East Coast was a first for our daughters, and since it had been about 20 years for my husband and myself, we wanted to have a thorough visit. Our older daughter is studying US History this year and we saw many of the cities and places she's reading about, so it was good timing. The rest of our trip was terrific. Driving was easy; the longest drive was the last day driving from Concord back to Newark and that only took four hours or so. We had beautiful weather the whole trip except the afternoon it rained on Nantucket while we were on a bike ride to Siasconset. We got soaked, but we won't forget it! One highlight of our trip would be staying three nights at a wonderfully cozy B & B on Nantucket and spending a couple hours finding out about my husband's family's history at the Nantucket Historical Assoc. I also thought it was amazing to see in the Concord Museum one of the lanterns from Boston's Old North Church - "One if by Land..." I thought the historical places were special: walking part of the Road to Revolution between Lexington and Concord, discovering John Adams tomb in Quincy, and goofy things like finding out how many times Mrs. Astor changed her clothes each day in Newport, for the "season" - 8. We all had a good time and lots of good memories, in fact yesterday while looking at Nordstroms my younger daughter said she wished she could be at "that shoe shop on Newbury St in Boston". Me, too!

Of the three Broadway Shows, did the girls have a favorite and why? Sounds like a FULL vacation with great planning.

Our 16 year old liked all three, "all great"; she's a dancer and so "liked the tap dancing in 42nd St, Lion King had an amazing score, and Hairspray was really entertaining". Our 14 year old liked Lion King the best, "best sets and the story was the most interesting". Next came Hairspray, and then 42nd. St. We ordered tickets through Ticketmaster and sat in the center sections. We were on the main floor for Lion King and so could see the animals as they came down the aisle. Hope this helps.

What a treat to come home to this thread. Everyone should copy your NYC itinery. Magic!!! Everything I'd suggest and so much more.

Then you went to Nantucket and more. Such an inspired trip! Nice to see someone do NYC, Nantucket, Concord and Boston proud.......

Well done, you are an inspiration to travel hounds!!!!!!!!!

Hiya! We are planning on staying at The Blakely in Feb. with our son who will be 22 months. Can you give any info on the hotel - what was good and not so good. Thanks!

We're staying at the Blakely over Thanksgiving, and I'm very curious what you liked and didn't like about it, and if you'd recommend it. Any info. before 11/24 would be helpful!

bbj,

We are staying The Blakely in February. Could you e-mail a review after staying there? My e-mail is [email protected] if you have the time after your trip. TIA!