NYC trip advice

UTfball68

UTfball68

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2008
Location
Granite Quarry
Hey fellas...I know some of you have traveled to NYC before, and I plan on heading up with the OL for the week before Christmas. We already booked the hotel at the Wellington on 7th Ave. Plane tickets are from Greensboro to Laguardia. Outside of that, I have no real direction on what's overhyped, what's can't miss, things to do, costs, etc. So I'm hoping for a little advice. I've never been to NYC and neither has the gf, so we plan on doing the tourist thing to the hilt.

To this point, what I have found is a City Pass that has some primary tourist destinations and you can pick 5 of them. The pass is like $80/person. It has things like the Statue of liberty, Empire state, Rockafellar, Gugenheim, etc. It also allows you to bypass some lines and you can upgrade the standard package when you get to the destination. I also figured in a visit to Ground Zero, Gotham Comedy club and maybe even catch the Rockettes. Any other suggestions on things to actually do?????


I was told meals average somewhere between $25-30/person. I was just fine ordering pizza and eating from hot dog carts, but the warden informed me otherwise. Any must-eat eateries (including pizza joints)????


As I mentioned, we're going to be the epitome of tourist, so are there any areas I need to stay away from? We figured NY traffic and wintery weather, that we'll either be walking or taxi where ever we go. I was told the 4 mile trip from the airport to the hotel would cost me $35-40...any cheaper way to travel (I realize cheap and NYC don't fit, but I'm a cheap bastard at heart and only want to pay full price if there's no other way). I was told to carry minimal cash as well, true or not? Any good places to pick up trinkets or other souvenirs???


Any other advice/tips/info would be greatly appreciated.
 
HI,

Born and raised in the Bronx.

That city pass you have covers a fair amount.

NYC has always been lovely during the Christmas Holiday.

NYC has changed a lot, no more hookers on 42nd street, no more peep shows, no more drug dealers..

Hookers can be found by Jacob Javitz Center.

Catch a Play if you can..

Horse and buggy ride through Central Park @ Night and get your freak on in the buggy. That's what we used to do..

Ice Skating in central Park..

Walk central Park, but during the DAY only! Nice ponds and such..

Ground Zero, go take a look..

For your lady, shopping on 34th Street, Conway's , pretty cheap.. You don't want to shop on 5th Ave..

There is no spot to stay away from during the day! Especially in the Winter Time..
 
Went last Christmas and probably will again this year... I think you're more like 10 miles from the airport. We used Super Shuttle. Easy and online..

Here's what we did:

Spiderman <-- awesome but somewhat $$... I'd still say worth it. Try to sit in the balcony down as low as possible.

Hit up the Empire State during the Day (metal cage around the top)

Hit up the Rockefeller Center at Night (Top of the Rock, it's glass).

Buy a subway pass and ride it around

SoHo, Chinatown, Little Italy (touistry but may as well)..

Macy's and the other shops will be amazingly decorated that time.. my wife loved it.

FAO Schwarz - toy store

Times Square at night - if you can even tell it's night

9/11 Memorial

Wall Street


Ride the subway it's easy when you figure it out (ie which side to stand on, uptown/downtown, etc.)... usually some colorful characters on the trains, etc...

Oh yeah if you dont want to look like a tourist get you some nice gray dress pants, button up shirt, wool overcoat and wool cap.. topped off w/ some dress shoes :flipoff2: No really dress warm the wind really howls through there and little warmth from the sun..
 
I stayed @ the Wellington. Great place! Small rooms, but a good deal. Top of the Rock was awesome! Do a NBC tour also. Seeing the SNL stage was cool. Maybe catch a Jimmy Falon show if you can. Little Italy & Soho was cool. MOMA was pretty neat too. I was confused by the subway & what train to get on & what direction it was going.
 
Thanks for the info guys...it really helps alot. This really isn't my idea of a vacation, and actually having a coronary thinking about it...kidding...sorta. But I wanted to experience once, and the gf is seriously jazzed about, so I figured what the hell.


uncc civilengineer said:
Hit up the Empire State during the Day (metal cage around the top)..
Click to expand...

I noticed there was the option for the 86th and/or the 102nd floor observatory. Preference to one or the other or both...I think it was only like $15/person to upgrade to both.

uncc civilengineer said:
Hit up the Rockefeller Center at Night (Top of the Rock, it's glass)...
Click to expand...

Thanks for the night time tip, this was one of the things I was looking forward to on the City Pass.

uncc civilengineer said:
SoHo, Chinatown, Little Italy (touistry but may as well)..
Macy's and the other shops will be amazingly decorated that time.. my wife loved it...
Click to expand...

I've been talking to some folks at work that are from NY, and they say these are only a couple blocks from the hotel.

uncc civilengineer said:
FAO Schwarz - toy store..
Click to expand...

The gf had said something about this and apparently it and some candy store are like right next door to our hotel.

uncc civilengineer said:
9/11 Memorial..
Click to expand...

That was one of my priority destinations.

uncc civilengineer said:
Wall Street..
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reminder, I woulda been pissed had I forgotten about this.


uncc civilengineer said:
Oh yeah if you dont want to look like a tourist get you some nice gray dress pants, button up shirt, wool overcoat and wool cap.. topped off w/ some dress shoes :flipoff2: No really dress warm the wind really howls through there and little warmth from the sun..
Click to expand...


So you're telling me camo hunting jacket/carhartt won't blend in????haha
 
Never been...might not ever go But, I had a good friend that lived there. He told me if I did visit...

Dont look bums in the eye...if you have any heart at all...they'll get something from you.

Dont be staring up at the buildings in awe...hoodlums can tell your a tourist and they'll use it against ya.

Always look in the cab first..dont just hop in blindly. Never know what you might sit on/in.

Dont mess with or try to pet the police horses in the park. Just dont.

Stay away from the park at night.

Dont visit Harlem....He said...Its better than it used to be...but you have no business there...dont go.

He also said ''You southerners waive at everybody...no need to wave at anyone in NYC''

Sounds like alot of scary advice, but he did say it would be the best trip ever and I would be in constant amazement.
 
No need to go to 102nd in the empire state building. you can see all you need from the 86th floor. Try to apply online for letterman tix. You will be put in to a lottery and could possibly see a taping.
 
i used to live in jersey, about 20 min outside the city with traffic...try to catch a show on or off broadway, since you are going in dec.i would pass on the statue of liberty, but you can get a great view of it from battery park. times square still amazes me. you have to go to the carnagie deli for lunch, ice skating at rockefeller center, carriage ride thru central park, and dress very, very warm, you can haggle about price with just about any street vendor, definetly visit the wtc, and you will have the best pizza around in the ny/nj area and you order by the slice(plain slice is cheese and sauce)....nighttime activities you will have plenty of bars/ clubs around....and if you or your girlfriend smoke cigarettes, try to bring them with you, last time i went to the city they were $12 a pack
 
Dylan W. said:
Never been...might not ever go But, I had a good friend that lived there. He told me if I did visit...
Dont look bums in the eye...if you have any heart at all...they'll get something from you.
Dont be staring up at the buildings in awe...hoodlums can tell your a tourist and they'll use it against ya.
Always look in the cab first..dont just hop in blindly. Never know what you might sit on/in.
Dont mess with or try to pet the police horses in the park. Just dont.
Stay away from the park at night.
Dont visit Harlem....He said...Its better than it used to be...but you have no business there...dont go.
He also said ''You southerners waive at everybody...no need to wave at anyone in NYC''
Sounds like alot of scary advice, but he did say it would be the best trip ever and I would be in constant amazement.
Click to expand...

Good sound advice...I should have no issues with that...I'm an @55hole, the gf on the other hand saves the world.

technologyteacher said:
No need to go to 102nd in the empire state building. you can see all you need from the 86th floor. Try to apply online for letterman tix. You will be put in to a lottery and could possibly see a taping.
Click to expand...

Nice...I'll look in to that...thanks.

tommyxj2000 said:
i used to live in jersey, about 20 min outside the city with traffic...try to catch a show on or off broadway, since you are going in dec.i would pass on the statue of liberty, but you can get a great view of it from battery park. times square still amazes me. you have to go to the carnagie deli for lunch, ice skating at rockefeller center, carriage ride thru central park, and dress very, very warm, you can haggle about price with just about any street vendor, definetly visit the wtc, and you will have the best pizza around in the ny/nj area and you order by the slice(plain slice is cheese and sauce)....nighttime activities you will have plenty of bars/ clubs around....and if you or your girlfriend smoke cigarettes, try to bring them with you, last time i went to the city they were $12 a pack
Click to expand...



Thanks for the tips. I had heard that I should bypass the Rockafellar skating...and do it at Bryant Park????


BTW...we're not smokers, but I do like to have a can of Copenhagen around from time to time. I can't bring that through airport security, can I?
 
Last time I got on a plain I had dip and it sets off the metal detector but they let you keep it. It has been 5 years though. You could always out it in checked luggage since it could be hard to find, I know when I got to the airport in anchorage a can of cope was $14.

Sent from my HERO200 using Tapatalk
 
Or take cartons of cigs to sell & offset the price of your trip!

It really is a wonder people still smoke there with those prices!
 
My daughter is a photographer for a studio in Manhattan. Here's her standard list :)

touristy:
circle line boat tour to ellis island and statue of liberty
top of the empire state building
top of the rock (rockefeller center)
world trade center (though there's really not much to look at)
century 21 right across the street from wtc is supposed to be good shopping
fao schwarz
central park carraige ride
bethesda fountain, imagine mosaic, and long meadow in central park
times square, obviously
metropolitan museum
moma
natural history museum
tkts line (stand in line for cheaper broadway tickets in times square)
katz's deli - deli from when harry met sally
brooklyn brewery

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winter:
tree at rockefeller plaza
ice skating at central park, rockefeller center under the tree, or bryant park
santa at macy's
window displays at saks 5th ave

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central park zoo and the bronx zoo are both awesome - central park is
smaller, but closer, so there's a trade off

i love central park - the imagine mosaic, the bethesda fountain, the
castle... you could spend days exploring

mets games are fun if you like baseball - plus they have shake shack
at the stadium... which everyone RAVES about (i didn't love it)

you can also check out shake shack in madison square park by the
flatiron building

walk across the brooklyn bridge if you haven't already. my favorite
view and my favorite bridge. you can eat at grimaldi's (famous pizza
place) on the brooklyn side if you google walking directions and have
time to stand in line

it's great weather for a boat ride - you can catch one that will take
you around the southern tip of manhattan (that's really all you need)
in battery park (or take the boat over to the statue of liberty... but
that'll probably be more packed)

eat at nathan's at coney island

the lego store at rockefeller plaza (and st. patrick's cathedral just
across the street)

there's a 'speakeasy' inside criff dog's in the east village

magnolia bakery (sex in the city hot spot) in the west village - famous cupcakes :) and
apparently the near by Spotted Pig is a good place to eat, but i
haven't been there yet

ps1 in queens is a cool art space - and sometimes they have events
that are supposed to be really cool as well

grand central terminal is a fun place to explore with a friend.
there's a certain passageway intersection where if you whisper in one
side, your friend can hear you clearly on the far side

my favorite place to eat in manhattan is called caracas - costa rican food, get an arepa and a side
 
and if you happen to cross the river into nj...stop benny tudino's in hoboken for a slice and the grease trucks in rutgers for a fat sandwich....and bring some back for me
 
The girl and I just went up there about 2 months ago. Meals can be as cheap as you want them to be.... We ate at a pizza place for a little over 12 bucks. 2 slices of pizza each and a drink each. McDonalds is always an option and then the most we spent on a meal was about 60 bucks for 2 people and that was at a place called Citrus...very good btw. Shakeshack is AWESOME!
Get an unlimited subway pass...we though that we could get around just by walking....NO WAY! after the first day we broke down and bought a metro card. I have always wanted to go at Christmas. Staten Island ferry, Museum of natural history, coolest McDonalds at Columbus circle, Bloomingdales, Macy's, The today show, Southstreet seaport, 911 memorial.
Honestly, there is so much to do there...My least favorite things we did there was Time Square and Chinatown...way to overcrowded and not how I imagined it to be.

Other than that, it was just so much fun to get up early and just be in NYC. Your gonna have a blast no matter what you do and the fact that you are gonna be there during Christmas time.....wow...you have go to go to the plaza!
 
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