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A weekend in NYC is in the offing. So, what are your tips?
Culture?
Bike shops?
Bars?
Food?
Etc?
Already got a few of my own, but always nice to know what else people can recommend.
Staton Island ferry, great views of Statue of liberty. Fab views of the bridges on way.
Moma
Don't mess about up town with big shops. All the fab little independant shops and restaurants are down town.
Pretty much all the family run pizza places are awesome.
Walk from metropolitan to central park zoo is nice.
Main tip, head downtown. Get a good guide book.
Look up some of the diners off Man v Food.
Haven't been for a few years so can't be more specific.
TBH I hated it - rude, brash, busy. Thought Macey's was like a big jumble sale. 9/11 sight was the subject of land dispute and just looked like a big building site.
Sights were good as you see them in so many films, and the piano on the floor in Big, with Tom Hanks is at FAO Schwartz.
When are you going exactly?
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Mexican food as you've never had it before.
Lower east side, the Bowery, the new museum.
Shack shack for burgers, there's one now in grand central near the apple store but got to the one in the park if the weathers good.
+1 for the ferry, it's free!
Carnigie Deli
Grand Central
Staten Island ferry
Red bus tours are a surprisingly good way of getting around the city and some of the guides are very amusing. Get a 2 day pass, found it cheaper than cabs and did a deal with the ticket seller that got us 3 days for the price of 2.
Oh and Katz diner for a gut busting pastrami on rye. It's where Sally had her orgasm.
Tip: Don't call room service and complain that the TV reception is bad. They come up to the room to apologise and explain that the TV transmitter used to be on the North Tower. I don't think my ex gf had ever been so embarrassed of complaining before, which is saying something...
Rachel
Walk everywhere, get Time Out's book of new york walks, and walk to Brooklyn. Also check out The [url= http://www.thehighline.org/galleries/images/high-line-park-photos ]High Line[/url] , and while you're in the corner of town get round the galleries in Chelsea (Aim for Gagosian, 555 West 24th St) it and all the galleries around it can be stunning as much for the building interiors as their contents. Inside their are super chic, outside it still looks like the kind of streets where Starsky and Hutch used to crash into cardboard boxes
breakfast at the cosmic cafe, south end of central park
top tips
food:
+1 for Katzs delicatessen
Mulberry St (little italy)
shopping:
century 21
south side docklands
culture:
have a walk around china town, 😯 interesting offers
culture is easy in New York
Cheap beers:
between 80th street an 84th on Amsterdam - cheap deals everyday. $1 beers (kinda student area but good fun).
Get Levis and Carharrt stuff at Dave's (Avenue of the Americas), incredibly good and v cheap (check his website,
http://www.davesnewyork.com/ ).
Walk around Central Park - Moma and it's shop.
Dean and Deluca Deli for coffee/lunch
Ultimate NY Deli - search Zabars.
Up the Rockefeller Centre for the fab view (go earlier for less people)
Look around and go "Wow - we saw this in …movie"!
Tiffany's and Apple store for another wow..
…and have a coffee and a donut from a street cart and feel like a local.
Have fun!
TBH I hated it - rude, brash, busy.
Thought the same - coming from living in BC in Canada for 6 months I was just shocked by how unfriendly/rude everyone was, starting with the customs/immigrations people.
I find the customs/immigration people dreadfully rude and aggressive.It almost makes me want to get back on the plane. The politest and most charming experience I've had of immigration and customs was last August in El Salvador. Much more civilised.
I did Guggenheim, Empire State, UN, Staten Island ferry, and wandered/metro'd. All good.
When you order food, expect it to a bit larger in portion size then you are use to..., therefore order less.
And +1 for walking - its a bit like London in that its usually nicer/easier/quicker when you don't know somewhere to walk than use the Tube/Metro.
And everyone expects a tip for anything - and if you do get crap service, use the dollar tip method.
There was a tour that did all the famous buildings Empire state, Flatiron, hearst, Woolworths that was really intersting. Ice skating at the Rockfeller is romantic if your going with gf.
loads of famous shops, loads of delis. Loved it
Agreed on the portion size!Jackson hole for a nice eat in burger, pizza somewhere is a must do. Staten island ferry, bus tours and boat tours are all good, do them at the start to help get your bearings.
Personally I found general wandering to be enjoyable, central park zoo was quite nice.
These two places are close to each other - Souths for chatting/drinking with friendly locals and Chrrascaria for dining with De Niro
[url= http://www.southsnyc.com/s/ ]Souths Bar[/url]
[url= http://churrascariatribeca.com/ ]Churrascaria in Tribeca[/url]
Apart from the usual buildings to tick off I enjoyed going around the Intrepid, was surprised how small the SR-71 is IRL...
For breakfast I'd find a small diner somewhere rather than a touristy one (first morning we had breakfast at a touristy place by the ESB and it cost a fortune and was very average.
For an evening meal I had the best porterhouse steak I've ever eaten at Rothmann's steakhouse/grill, was a few years ago now though so not sure what they're like these days (wasn't cheap either but well worth worth it...)
Thanks, folks. Some different stuff to add to the list here, much appreciated.
oh, and the Flat Iron building is worth a look, especially in good 'light'
Island Burgers and Shakes, and the first plane/train/bus/boat out of there.
[i] TBH I hated it - rude, brash, busy. [/i] Agreed. Hideous place, massively over-rated.
Off there in Sept before heading to see friends who live in Bermuda, is a week to long to stay in ny? Is there any thing interesting to visit within driving distance?
My tip is when someone offers to and get a taxi for you just say 'No thanks' politely otherwise it may be a pricey taxi ride.
And use your very best English accent [unless you're with the GF/wife] and wonderful things will happen 🙂
Both of these tips mainly come from my 6 month stay in Rhode Island (via NY) many many years ago. Very happy time of my life!
is a week to long to stay in ny?
For me it really really would be but I don't like cities and there's a ton of much better places to see.
Sharkbait, I always turn on the plummy accent when I'm in the US. They lap it up! 😉
They lap it up!
In more ways than one 😯
See Times Square especially at night. Folk expect a tip of around 15%, service is normally very good, although watch out for them adding it to your bill automatically.
Macy's department store is a must if you want to shop. Cheap designer gear. Head to the Cust Serv Desk with your passport for a 15% discount card (you'll pay a few dollars for it, but well worth it if spending a lot).
+1 for walking, take a comfy pair of trainers. Although Midtown (Times Square) to the financial district (Wall Street / Staten Island Ferry) is a long long way. On the return leg, I got fed up at China Town & got a taxi back 😆
If heading up the Empire State Building, go around noon. I headed up at 9am with everyone else in Manhattan, ended up in a queue for over an hour. Came down around 12 & the queue was empty. Don't waste your money on the 102nd floor, stick with the more popular 86th floor (the one in the movies).
In the finance district you could head to Ground Zero, if so you must check out St Pauls Cathedral beside it...very moving experience. You could get the Staten Island Ferry return journey which takes you past the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island...it also costs nowt. Wall Street is also down there, but all you'll get is pictures of armed NYPD cops & some nice buildings. Unfortunately, you're no longer allowed into the stock exchange (or wasn't when I was there in 2007).
Eating out is one of the best bits (I was real chubby then). The portions are huge, generally no need to order side dishes. +1 for Carnegie Deli - great for b/fast. My most memorobale place was the Oyster Bar in Grand Central Station http://www.oysterbarny.com/ It's fine dining at one end & filled with tourists & commuters at the other. They do a daily menu, and there is no need to book a table if you're just sitting in at the benches. The seafood is fantastic. It also gives you a reason to explore that wonderful iconic place.
I can't wait to go back and don't understand the haters. You don't go there for piece & quiet....it's hussle & bussle....it's like a permanent rush hour, even at 2 in the morning. Enjoy!
Stardust Diner, right up on Broadway & 50th(?)(maybe 51st?)
Very cheesy but great US diner food with all the Broadway wannabe's working as performing waiters/waitresses, singing on the tables et al.
I went in a grump as I was convinced I wouldn't enjoy it, had the meal of my life there instead.
Great atmosphere. Plus, its near all the shows.
We also visited a Titanic exhibition which was amazing, but it may have moved on by now.
Dakota Building/Strawberry Fields worth a look if your visiting Central Park. Loads of buskers and young musicians playing.
Take a Pedicab ride through CP.
Oh, /\ he's right, the buzz of the city is just amazing. Trully 24hr.
I'm not really a big city fan but I spent the whole trip there thinking I was in my own movie. It's got an atmosphere like I never experienced.
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There's a 9/11 museum next to Ground Zero - I found it very moving, highly recommended.
[url= http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4118/5445879406_e9e178ebd7_b.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/5445879406/ ]Window from one of the planes which struck the twin towers[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr
http://www.onboardnewyorktours.com/ Best tour in the city. Not that cheap but an excellent day.
UN is also well worth it.
Footflaps, that is on the list already. Haven't been to NY for years and have never been to that museum. I think I should.
Crouisk, the UN is already on my agenda!
We tried to visit the UN building but couldn't get in - very secure. I assume you need to arrange a tour or something. Wanted to see where they filmed the bits from North by Northwest!
Rockaway Beach is meant to be cool now, just fun getting out there and wandering about.
You can walk accross the Brooklyn bridge, meant to be amazing.
You can walk accross the Brooklyn bridge, meant to be amazing.
It is - if you bear right at the other end theres a really nice cafe and coffee stop too, that bit of brooklyn is very pleasant too, quite village like compared to the high rise you've just walked from