So I WENT To New York (First Time)

[fireb0x]

Where are some places that I HAVE to visit? I was also trying to find out what the best mall in New York is.

UPDATE: Page 4 has my trip experience.

[anjinhamarota]

Where are some places that I HAVE to visit? I was also trying to find out what the best mall in New York is.

I'm jealous. I want to go to New York too.

[teflon]

Where are some places that I HAVE to visit? I was also trying to find out what the best mall in New York is.

Metropolitan Museum of Arts, Modern Museum of Arts, Guggenheim Museum, maybe American Museum of Natural History as well. Of course, I'm just a little biased :P.
Visit Wall street if you're interested in finance/financial history, SoHo and Greenwich if you're interested in culture/architecture.
And APPLE STORE.

[tkidBOSTON]

Where are some places that I HAVE to visit? I was also trying to find out what the best mall in New York is.

You're headed to NYC for the first time and you're looking for the best mall?
Shopping mall?

[prosinader]

You mean, besides the Fifth Ave. store right :-)

http://www.apple.com/retail/fifthavenue/

Actually, I've never been to NYC myself either, but I would love to go, if only to darken its doorstep for a minute or two.

[leekohler]

NYC is a blast! Definitely go to the Apple Store on 5th. Also, Two Boots Pizza is also a must!

[rdowns]

If you want recommendations, you should provide some more details. When are you coming? Where are you staying? Will you have a car?

[silbeej]

When you say New York, you mean the city, or the state. Besides all the cool city stuff, you need to check out Lake Placid and the Adirondacks, Buffalo, you know, all teh cool places. But yeah, the city is cool too.

[cherry su]

tour all the apple stores, Donald Trump buildings, Wall Street, Central Park

[OutThere]

I was also trying to find out what the best mall in New York is.

Hah.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5th_Avenue
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madison_Avenue

Better than any mall you'll ever find...

[evilgEEk]

Ironic. I'm actually leaving for New York tomorrow morning. I've been there a handful of times though.

I'll add a few more points of interest:

1. Empire State Building Observation deck. Commands an incredible view of the city.

2. World Trade Center site. I can't really describe the feeling. A cross between pride, anger and sadness.

3. Statue of Liberty. I think you can actually go inside the podium now. When I took the family a few years back they wouldn't let us inside.

4. Ellis Island

5. Bronx Zoo if you like zoos.

6. USS Intrepid if you're into military and aircraft.

7. Times Square, and maybe catch a show.

These things teamed with the rest of the suggestions should keep you busy for a while. :)

[teflon]

Forgot to mention, catch a broadway show (or two) if you can. You can also take tours inside of a few TV studios for under $30 if you arrange it beforehand. Visit Macy's across from Herald Square. Even if you don't like the store, it's just cool to check out the largest department store in the world.

[wadejc85]

Teany (http://www.teany.com)

Strand (http://www.strandbooks.com/)

Dylan's Candy Bar (http://www.dylanscandybar.com/)

To help you find good places to eat: Menu Pages (http://menupages.com/)

To help you navigate the city: Subway Map (http://www.mta.info/nyct/maps/submap.htm)

Again, to help you navigate the city: HopStop (http://hopstop.com/)

[InvalidUserID]

Kinda general there.

What do you like to do, what are you interests? I would put into your mind that you WON'T see everything you want to as there is just too much. I lived in NY for a few years and I still haven't even seen everything.

As for shopping...pffft, Manhattan is one great big mall.

[fireb0x]

I am going this December the 3rd through 7th.

Me and my wife are mostly interested in seeing interesting things that make New York City what it is. We, for instance, will take the NBC studios tour but we want to visit the museums as listed above and take a walk through central park. We are DEFINITELY going to be hitting up 5th avenue, Dylan's, and for sure the glass cube.

I suppose I am mostly asking about things I should do that normally a tourist wouldn't think to do. Maybe suggest a good restaurant that I might like.

We are staying in a hotel near La Guardia, but it is a free stay so we can't complain.

Having said that, I know it will be a struggle to get into town. What is the best/cheapest way to get into the city where all the action is at?

Thanks for all the good suggestions so far.

[evilgEEk]

What is the best/cheapest way to get into the city where all the action is at?

Granted I don't live there, but I would definitely say the subway. Every time I'm in NYC the subway has been the cheapest and easiest way of getting around.

[teflon]

I am going this December the 3rd through 7th.

Me and my wife are mostly interested in seeing interesting things that make New York City what it is. We, for instance, will take the NBC studios tour but we want to visit the museums as listed above and take a walk through central park. We are DEFINITELY going to be hitting up 5th avenue, Dylan's, and for sure the glass cube.

I suppose I am mostly asking about things I should do that normally a tourist wouldn't think to do. Maybe suggest a good restaurant that I might like.

We are staying in a hotel near La Guardia, but it is a free stay so we can't complain.

Having said that, I know it will be a struggle to get into town. What is the best/cheapest way to get into the city where all the action is at?

Thanks for all the good suggestions so far.

I think the NYC subway doesn't reach there, so you might have to take a bus to a subway station, then go from there. You can use the same fare from bus for subway. NYC subway is quite convenient albeit it can be crowded. NYC cabs are not too expensive (that I remember), but it takes serious skills to be able to get a cab in Manhattan sometimes. And the traffic jams can be horrific sometimes. I've once stood on museum mile for 40 minutes watching a car move like 40 feet.
Assuming that you're not doing anything on the day of arrival and departure that leaves 3 days to explore NYC. I guess you could split it into downtown, midtown and uptown, but that's just Manhattan. I would try to get more than just 3 days for NYC though.

P.S. The NBC studio in Rockefeller has a cool gift shop :).

[kellen]

Cab from La Guardia to manhatten is 20 + 5 for toll, so 30 with tip.

Can go ice skating on Rockefeller. By then it should be nice.

Have fun in NYC, I'll be there at the same time too in Manhatten.

[fireb0x]

Cab from La Guardia to manhatten is 20 + 5 for toll, so 30 with tip.

Can go ice skating on Rockefeller. By then it should be nice.

Have fun in NYC, I'll be there at the same time too in Manhatten.

Thanks for that info, I was wondering how much it would be to take a cab in.

Do they normally charge flat rate or by the mile / time?

Here in San Antonio, cabs are damn near non existant. They are very expensive here because they are rarely used.

[Randman]

I'd recommend taking a bus tour. Locals may look down on such activity but it really is a great way of seeing lots of the city without costing an arm and leg (I'd avoid cabs unless no other option).

Get a double-decker tour in Broadway around Times Square. The dayside ones can hit all many of the major stops and you can get out and explore. The night bus tours are also quite fun.

Using the Subway is another option once you start to get the feel of things.

Central Park in the day, Empire State Building. Times Square/Broadway in the evening.

[tjcampbell]

The Comedy Cellar

Central Park

Ray's Pizza

The Forbes Museum Gallery

Red Rock West

Conan O'Brien

South Street Seaport

Grays Papaya

The Intrepid

The Bitter End

Down The Hatch

The Slaughtered Lamb

Tao

The Dakota Building

[nadyne]

Don't forget to take in a Broadway show! When I'm in Manhattan, I usually go to the TKTS booth (on 47th, between Broadway and 7th) and see what kind of half-price shows they've got for that night. It's a great way to pick up inexpensive theatre tickets, and often to some of the best shows in town.

[juanster]

hey i would also take a look into a city pass, theya re i think 74 bucks, (i went there a montha go) and it was the best 74 bucks spent.. you get admissions to most well known museums, the empire state building and the manhattan cruise,, ... you really must at least look into it... you'll save alot of money and gte too see and travel the city a lot.
what we did, we just went to a different museum everydaya nd subway'ed it there, taking diferent trains all teh time (we were in Queens) so we got to try different restaurant, and all, and after the museum we would just go around to different malls in the city on teh way back home...

[kellen]

Thanks for that info, I was wondering how much it would be to take a cab in.

Do they normally charge flat rate or by the mile / time?

Here in San Antonio, cabs are damn near non existant. They are very expensive here because they are rarely used.

Cabs are cheap and crazy. 10 bucks gets me from 33rd to 5th avenue.

Odd thing is the lights will say off duty, but they are really on duty. They do this because they have to pick up people if they are on duty. So even if they are off duty, try to hail one. They are just avoiding the people going out to Brooklyn and such because there is money staying downtown.

Have fun.

[juanster]

Cabs are cheap and crazy. 10 bucks gets me from 33rd to 5th avenue.

Odd thing is the lights will say off duty, but they are really on duty. They do this because they have to pick up people if they are on duty. So even if they are off duty, try to hail one. They are just avoiding the people going out to Brooklyn and such because there is money staying downtown.

Have fun.

yes, and there are also many many "fishy" cab companies as well, they are not actual registered cab companies and tehyc harge waaaaaaaaaaay less...

[OutThere]

yes, and there are also many many "fishy" cab companies as well, they are not actual registered cab companies and tehyc harge waaaaaaaaaaay less...

Don't take gypsy cabs. Look for the city medallion mounted on the cab.

[juanster]

Don't take gypsy cabs. Look for the city medallion mounted on the cab.

I agree, don't take cabs at all, NYC public transportation is great and very cheap it will get you anywhere(pretty muhc)

[benthewraith]

Where are some places that I HAVE to visit? I was also trying to find out what the best mall in New York is.

I personally made it a habit that I'd go to Ground Zero every time I go to New York.

[pimentoLoaf]

NYC IS a mall. :cool:

That being said...

1- Ed Sullivan Theatre where Dave Letterman has his show
2- Fifth Avenue to Washington Square Park -- walk this
3- Empire State Building
4- Times Square
5- Broadway - walk this, taking pix of all the signs and theatres

Of course, there are tons of other places to visit. Stay a month!

[juanster]

I am goign back to new york in a week as well and i a m planning on doing the Broadway walk...taking many many pix

[fireb0x]

Holy crap, thanks for all the information. Like I said, me and my wife are from San Antonio, where there is no subway and taxi cabs are harder to find than unicorn ****. Because of that, nobody here ever takes cabs, so they are very expensive.

I will definitely be hitting up so many places, thanks for the $75 dollar city pass, that sounds sweet. I noticed a few posts up there was somebody who listed some MUST east restaurants, are there any more?

I really do appreciate all the suggestions, believe me when I say I am writing them down.

I am worried about getting ripped off for cab rides downtown. How much SHOULD these cost?

Also, how can I keep from looking too much like a tourist? I would imagine tourists get taken advantage of... tell me if I am wrong.

[juanster]

no worries man, Also, I don't know how long you are staying for but you can get a Metrocard and load it with a weekly fare, it's unlimited for the whole week and you can use all public transportatio subways and buses and it's just 25 bucks, but then again i don't know if you and your wife would enjoy that, i do, even when i drive to NYC I always take public transportation, I am from Toronto and i don't take public transportation much, but in NY it would kill me not to, you know how many funny crazy people you encounter on the subway lines(i know not nice) and buses it's awesome (no offense to any new yorkian either by the way)...:D

[fireb0x]

no worries man, Also, I don't know how long you are staying for but you can get a Metrocard and load it with a weekly fare, it's unlimited for the whole week and you can use all public transportatio subways and buses and it's just 25 bucks, but then again i don't know if you and your wife would enjoy that, i do, even when i drive to NYC I always take public transportation, I am from Toronto and i don't take public transportation much, but in NY it would kill me not to, you know how many funny crazy people you encounter on the subway lines(i know not nice) and buses it's awesome (no offense to any new yorkian either by the way)...:D

Where do you get metrocards at? We will be there for around 4 days total. How much are individual rides on the subway and city bus?

[juanster]

Where do you get metrocards at? We will be there for around 4 days total. How much are individual rides on the subway and city bus?

At most subway stations there is a booth were you can just ask the operator for an unlimited pass. or there also are machines touchscreen pretty much do it yourself ones and it will give you the card which you'll just swipe every time you go in subway or bus... i believe individual rides are 2.50.. but since I've always used the unlimited ones I am not sure..

[fireb0x]

At most subway stations there is a booth were you can just ask the operator for an unlimited pass. or there also are machines touchscreen pretty much do it yourself ones and it will give you the card which you'll just swipe every time you go in subway or bus... i believe individual rides are 2.50.. but since I've always used the unlimited ones I am not sure..

Sounds like a good deal. Thanks very much for your help, I really do appreciate it!

[juanster]

no worries:)

[neiltc13]

I say skip the Empire State Building. It's busy, cramped at the top and is expensive to get in.

There is a much nicer alternative further north called "Top of the Rock". It's the NBC Studios/General Electric building and the view you get from the top is magnificent. Much better view of Central Park than you get from Empire State and they have glass around the top instead of fences. Hey and as a bonus you can actually see the Empire State Building from the top!

[juanster]

by the way if you end up getting the city pass you get "V.I.P" entrances to all the attractions it entitles you to, meaning you don't have to line up... or if there is a line it's avery very short one,, i went to teh empire state building on a weekend, it was paaaacked, we were up at the top in about 15-20 minutes, mostly slowed down by security and elevators... something to keep in mind too if you get the city pass (geez i sound sliek a city pass salesman now, i should get paid for this....)

[rhett7660]

I personally made it a habit that I'd go to Ground Zero every time I go to New York.

Yup.. very sobering experience. Also there is a fire station right at ground zero that has not been repaired at all. Right next door to it is a memorial that is also very sobering.

Time square, went on a Tuesday night around midnight. The place was packed.... pretty darn cool to see.

Little italy, there are some great places to eat... especially if you like pizza and the such.

Little china (or what ever it is called) great shopping. Stay away on the weekend freaking crowded as hell.

Don't take a cab, waste of money. The rail system their rocks. Takes you pretty much anywhere you want to go.

Battery park, pretty cool. Statue of Liberty is ok..... Empire, is ok. Go during the week in the morning. We found it not to be so crowded, that is if you plan on going up it.

If you are a baseball fan, go see the old yankee stadium. Pretty cool. I don't know if they are still doing the tours or not but it is pretty cool to see even from the outside.

There are so many clubs and restaurants it is tuff to nail them all down.

If you like plays and the like, go to the "Shakespeare in the Park" production. You have to get there pretty early to get a ticket but it is pretty cool.

[corywoolf]

Not sure if this is still true, but when I lived there (2006-2007) the Staten Island Ferry was free and on a nice day you get a heck of a view and go right by the Statue of Liberty for FREE! Don't bother go on Ellis Island if you are there for a short amount of time, just cruise past that area on the Ferry and bring a camera. The Intrepid is pretty cool too, it just got back from a long stay on the dry docks. SoHo is a cool area to walk around. Chinatown is awesome if you want to laugh at the knockoff counterfeits. Check out the restaurant shown in Seinfeld (uptown area). Go into the Marriot Hotel in Times Square and ride the elevators up and down. They are featured in the movie True Lies with Arnold. It is hard to describe the amazing feeling in the glass elevators, just worth the ten minutes it takes. Don't get suckered into all the typical tourist things, there are tons of cheap/ free cool things to do. Most importantly... don't stop and stand in the middle of the sidewalk to look up at the buildings. :D;)

[ezkimo]

If you're at all interested in seeing a broadway play, I recently saw:

August: Osage County (http://augustonbroadway.com/) which was absolutely incredible (but quite dark, course of the language front, and leaves you a little gutted)...not a date play by any means. The writing...just amazing.

Hitchcock's 39 Steps (http://www.39stepsonbroadway.com/). Funny, quite entertaining and inventive. I thought I was going to hate it since it seemed slap sticky but was really very enjoyable.

If you like Indian food Vatan (http://www.vatanny.com/index.htm) is fun. The food is quite good but not amazing. I think they've renovated since I was there last, so it could be a little less...interesting.

Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind (http://www.nyneofuturists.org/site/) is hit or miss, but you're definitely not going to run into a lot of tourists there.

I thoroughly hate Times Square, especially on weekend nights.

If for whatever reason you're interested in art supplies (hey, who knows), Pearl Paint (http://www.pearlpaint.com/) in china town is great.

[Martin C]

Where do you get metrocards at? We will be there for around 4 days total. How much are individual rides on the subway and city bus?
The MTA (NYC public transport) has pretty much laid off all of the attendants at the stations, but they've implemented a ton of straight forward machines that get the job done. Individual rides are $2 for an adult. As someone suggested you might be better off with a weekly card if you will be using the subway often (by far the best way to get around). But, when you use one of the weekly or 30-day unlimited cards you can generally only use them once every fifteen minutes. If you are going with your wife and you have one unlimited card, you would have to wait fifteen minutes before it can be used again and the other of you can go through.

I am worried about getting ripped off for cab rides downtown. How much SHOULD these cost?
The 'yellow' taxi drivers aren't allowed to name whatever price they want, they have a meter that runs at a specific rate:
Standard City Rate (Rate Code 1)
$2.50 upon entry
$0.40 for each additional unit
The unit fare is:

- One-fifth of a mile, when the taxicab is traveling at 6 miles an hour or more; or
- 60 seconds when not in motion or traveling at less than 12 miles per hour.
- Night surcharge of $.50 after 8:00 PM & before 6:00 AM
- Peak hour Weekday Surcharge of $1.00 Monday - Friday after 4:00 PM & before 8:00 PM
I put an emphasis on yellow taxi, because there are other taxi cabs (generally black Lincoln vehicles) who will rip you off.

Also, how can I keep from looking too much like a tourist? I would imagine tourists get taken advantage of... tell me if I am wrong.
I've lived in NYC all my life, and believe me, it isn't that difficult to tell a tourist from a native. I'm not sure what you mean by taken advantage of though.

[corywoolf]

I put an emphasis on yellow taxi, because there are other taxi cabs (generally black Lincoln vehicles) who will rip you off.


You mean the radio cars? From what I understand they are only supposed to pickup people who called the dispatch, you aren't supposed to hail one down.

[firstapple]

I have wanted to visit NY forever! This thread is great as it gives me some ideas on what to do when I actually get my chance.

Keep the ideas/tips coming!

[Martin C]

You mean the radio cars? From what I understand they are only supposed to pickup people who called the dispatch, you aren't supposed to hail one down.
Yes, they aren't "supposed" to, but some of them do for some extra cash on the side I assume.

[fireb0x]

Check out the restaurant shown in Seinfeld (uptown area). Go into the Marriot Hotel in Times Square and ride the elevators up and down. They are featured in the movie True Lies with Arnold. It is hard to describe the amazing feeling in the glass elevators, just worth the ten minutes it takes. Don't get suckered into all the typical tourist things, there are tons of cheap/ free cool things to do. Most importantly... don't stop and stand in the middle of the sidewalk to look up at the buildings. :D;)

Thanks for the advice. Doing those things like visitng famous places from shows/movies is a GREAT idea. Thanks for that.

Yup.. very sobering experience. Also there is a fire station right at ground zero that has not been repaired at all. Right next door to it is a memorial that is also very sobering.

Time square, went on a Tuesday night around midnight. The place was packed.... pretty darn cool to see.

Little italy, there are some great places to eat... especially if you like pizza and the such.

Little china (or what ever it is called) great shopping. Stay away on the weekend freaking crowded as hell.

Don't take a cab, waste of money. The rail system their rocks. Takes you pretty much anywhere you want to go.

Battery park, pretty cool. Statue of Liberty is ok..... Empire, is ok. Go during the week in the morning. We found it not to be so crowded, that is if you plan on going up it.

If you are a baseball fan, go see the old yankee stadium. Pretty cool. I don't know if they are still doing the tours or not but it is pretty cool to see even from the outside.

There are so many clubs and restaurants it is tuff to nail them all down.

If you like plays and the like, go to the "Shakespeare in the Park" production. You have to get there pretty early to get a ticket but it is pretty cool.

Thanks for suggesting all those restaurants. I will most definitely be visiting Yankee stadium. Being from South Texas, I HATE baseball, but I am a sports fan and can recognize how historic and important seeing Yankee stadium will be. My grandma (born in 1909) is a HUGE yankees fan, maybe I can bring her back a souvenir.

I say skip the Empire State Building. It's busy, cramped at the top and is expensive to get in.

There is a much nicer alternative further north called "Top of the Rock". It's the NBC Studios/General Electric building and the view you get from the top is magnificent. Much better view of Central Park than you get from Empire State and they have glass around the top instead of fences. Hey and as a bonus you can actually see the Empire State Building from the top!

I have heard about doing this after the NBC Studios tour. Your suggestion has put me over the edge to make sure and do it.

The MTA (NYC public transport) has pretty much laid off all of the attendants at the stations, but they've implemented a ton of straight forward machines that get the job done. Individual rides are $2 for an adult. As someone suggested you might be better off with a weekly card if you will be using the subway often (by far the best way to get around). But, when you use one of the weekly or 30-day unlimited cards you can generally only use them once every fifteen minutes. If you are going with your wife and you have one unlimited card, you would have to wait fifteen minutes before it can be used again and the other of you can go through.


The 'yellow' taxi drivers aren't allowed to name whatever price they want, they have a meter that runs at a specific rate:

I put an emphasis on yellow taxi, because there are other taxi cabs (generally black Lincoln vehicles) who will rip you off.


I've lived in NYC all my life, and believe me, it isn't that difficult to tell a tourist from a native. I'm not sure what you mean by taken advantage of though.

Thanks for all your advice. Those night/peak hour surcharges, are they per unit or per ride? Like is it all the units added together + 1 dollar? or does it become $1.40 per unit?

I meant being taken advantage of mostly on the end of cab rides and tours. Maybe I am just paranoid.

[evilgEEk]

Check out the restaurant shown in Seinfeld (uptown area).

Ugh. I would avoid actually eating there. Worst food I've ever had in my life. Just disgusting. And horribly overpriced.

Get a picture or two of it, but for the love of all things holy... don't eat there!

[juanster]

hye i just found out im going to NYC this fFridayinstead of a couple weekk niiiiiiiice:)

[Vogue Harper]

I'd recommend taking a bus tour. Locals may look down on such activity but it really is a great way of seeing lots of the city without costing an arm and leg (I'd avoid cabs unless no other option).

Get a double-decker tour in Broadway around Times Square. The dayside ones can hit all many of the major stops and you can get out and explore. The night bus tours are also quite fun.

Agree with this - might be uber touristy but the bus tours are great for orientating and getting your bearings in the city. NYC is generally super easy to get around once you figure out streets and avenues and the subway.

One thing I find is that if you get off the double decker buses, it can be difficult to get back onto them (certainly back onto the top deck) and you have to stand on the lower deck which is not the greatest way to see things.

If it's a nice day, I would also recommend the Circle Line boat tours - the three hour tour which goes all the way around Manhattan Island is a great way to spend a sunny afternoon.

If you're going with significant other, then the Rainbow Room on the 65th floor of the Rockefeller Centre for cocktails is a very romantic spot with views over Manhattan, go on a weekday though as it is difficult to get a table by the window without a lengthy wait on weekends.

[scotthayes]

Holy crap, thanks for all the information. Like I said, me and my wife are from San Antonio, where there is no subway and taxi cabs are harder to find than unicorn ****. Because of that, nobody here ever takes cabs, so they are very expensive.

I will definitely be hitting up so many places, thanks for the $75 dollar city pass, that sounds sweet. I noticed a few posts up there was somebody who listed some MUST east restaurants, are there any more?

I really do appreciate all the suggestions, believe me when I say I am writing them down.

I am worried about getting ripped off for cab rides downtown. How much SHOULD these cost?

Also, how can I keep from looking too much like a tourist? I would imagine tourists get taken advantage of... tell me if I am wrong.

We've just got back from New York. An amazing place.

We had the city pass and they are a great deal, plus you should be able to skip any queues.

Don't worry about looking like a tourist, the place is full of them.

We had no issues with cabs, even with our English accents. They are all metered and pretty cheap and quick. We got one from Wall St to 27th & Broadway and the bill was $15 (excluding tip)

If you really want to impress your wife, book a meal at The View (http://www.marriott.com/hotels/hotel-information/restaurant/nycmq-new-york-marriott-marquis/). Great food and the best view of the city while you eat. We spent around $300 for a meal and all drinks (inc. tip)


The Empire State Building is stunning, go at night when there are no queues.

MoMA has a Van Gogh exhibition on at the moment, well worth seeing. Just make sure you get your free pass for it as soon as you get in there.


And my final tip. Haggle if you buy anything expensive, they are open to offers.

[Mavimao]

I would personally recommend taking a walk around Park Slope if you have the chance. It's a tad bit gentrified, but I love looking at all the brownstones!

[wadejc85]

<snip>

We spent around $300 for a meal and all drinks (inc. tip)

<snip>

Holy spumoni!

I bet Au Bon Pain's wraps are better. Well, considering the wraps are about 2% of the cost at that restaurant, they're better. :p

[fireb0x]

We've just got back from New York. An amazing place.

We had the city pass and they are a great deal, plus you should be able to skip any queues.

Don't worry about looking like a tourist, the place is full of them.

We had no issues with cabs, even with our English accents. They are all metered and pretty cheap and quick. We got one from Wall St to 27th & Broadway and the bill was $15 (excluding tip)

If you really want to impress your wife, book a meal at The View (http://www.marriott.com/hotels/hotel-information/restaurant/nycmq-new-york-marriott-marquis/). Great food and the best view of the city while you eat. We spent around $300 for a meal and all drinks (inc. tip)


The Empire State Building is stunning, go at night when there are no queues.

MoMA has a Van Gogh exhibition on at the moment, well worth seeing. Just make sure you get your free pass for it as soon as you get in there.


And my final tip. Haggle if you buy anything expensive, they are open to offers.

Thanks for the tips. I am definitely becoming more confident that we will have a good time if we just follow the advice you guys are giving. Thanks very much!

[juanster]

hey when are you going again? i just got back last night it was great, and that free ferry ride of south ferry station is totally worth it you must check it out

[thechidz]

Thanks for that info, I was wondering how much it would be to take a cab in.

Do they normally charge flat rate or by the mile / time?

Here in San Antonio, cabs are damn near non existant. They are very expensive here because they are rarely used.
dont waste your money on a cab from laguardia. take the yellow line subway and you'll be in times square in 30 minutes give or take. $2 ride

[nomad01]

Ugh. I would avoid actually eating there. Worst food I've ever had in my life. Just disgusting. And horribly overpriced.

Get a picture or two of it, but for the love of all things holy... don't eat there!

Aside from appearing in Seinfeld, this is also the Tom's Diner featured in Suzanne Vega's song. :-)

Never eaten there though. Just looks like one more diner to me.

[themoonisdown09]

I am going this December the 3rd through 7th.

I'll be in NYC staying in Times Square from December 12-14. One thing that my wife and I are really looking forward to is seeing the The Rockettes (http://www.radiocitychristmas.com/) Christmas performance. We've heard excellent reviews on it.

[dotdotdot]

Thanks for suggesting all those restaurants. I will most definitely be visiting Yankee stadium. Being from South Texas, I HATE baseball, but I am a sports fan and can recognize how historic and important seeing Yankee stadium will be. My grandma (born in 1909) is a HUGE yankees fan, maybe I can bring her back a souvenir.



Yeah... about that. It's currently being demolished, so it will be pretty hard to visit it. (And as a New York Mets fan, seeing Shea Stadium's demolition is not really fun as much as it is sad, so I assume visiting Yankee Stadium while it's being torn apart and running towards the white light isn't too thrilling either).

--------------

Now, here's what you need to do in the city:

- Time Square: Even though I've seen it a thousand times, seeing the lights at night is one of the most amazing things in the world. It's pretty spectacular in the day, too.
- Shopping Scene: 5th Avenue, Madison Avenue, tons of luxury boutiques and NYC-only shops. Apple Store Cube obviously, as this is a Mac forum, but it's also pretty cool (again, at night. Make use of it's 24/7 attribute because it's crowded during the day). Window shopping is very cool and popular in the city.
- EATING! They say that it's impossible to eat at every single restaurant in NYC in one lifetime. It's got the best food in the world, though sometimes it comes at a pretty hefty price.
Some famous delis: 2nd Avenue Deli (on 3rd Avenue), Carnegie Deli, Katz Deli, etc. Famous steakhouses: Peter Luger (Brooklyn, but best stakes in the city hands down). Also Sparks, Wolfgangs (worked at Peter Luger and left to form this), and others. Theres so much food to check out!
- Grand Central Terminal: great station, great architecture, and modern and clean trains that aren't too expensive either. Plus, you can get to any subway from there.
- Broadway: See a show, and enjoy!
- Madison Square Garden - I don't know if theres anything going on when you go but its "the most famous arena in the world."

Then there's the historic sites, like the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, The Intrepid, etc.

Plus, it's the holiday season, so many stores (like macys) will have special holiday designs, and there will be festivities all over the city.

There's so much to do in the city, but these are some suggestions.

[Martin C]

Yeah... about that. It's currently being demolished, so it will be pretty hard to visit it.
Nope, it's not being demolished just yet. If we have a bad winter and the new stadium can't be completed they still have the old stadium to play in.

You will just miss the tour as well. Their website says that tours of the 'old' Yankee Stadium will continue until November 23rd.

[fireb0x]

Nope, it's not being demolished just yet. If we have a bad winter and the new stadium can't be completed they still have the old stadium to play in.

You will just miss the tour as well. Their website says that tours of the 'old' Yankee Stadium will continue until November 23rd.

AHHH! That is TERRIBLE news! I thought for sure they would run till at LEAST the beginning of 2009. DAMN! My grandma is 98 years old, and a HUGE yankee fan. I wanted to get her a Yankee Tshirt and Hat from Yanke Stadium since she may not get the chance to visit herself.

That sucks. Maybe I can at least take a picture in front of the stadium for her and give it to her. I can still buy her a shirt and hat or something from a close by shop. DAMN!

[beatzfreak]

I would personally recommend taking a walk around Park Slope if you have the chance. It's a tad bit gentrified, but I love looking at all the brownstones!

Hey, that's my neighborhood.

I haven't read the whole thread, so sorry if these have been mentioned.

Holiday windows are a must: Best are Macys Herald Square, Saks Fifth Ave, Bloomingdales, and Barneys (my favorite).

Shopping, Designer discount stores, Daffy's, there are locations all over the city; and Century 21, right next to Ground Zero.

[anjinhamarota]

I would LOVE to go to New York someday. I'm thinking maybe I should save some money for a trip to New York when I graduate from college. Still I don't know if I have someone who wants to go with me...

[fireb0x]

Hey, that's my neighborhood.

I haven't read the whole thread, so sorry if these have been mentioned.

Holiday windows are a must: Best are Macys Herald Square, Saks Fifth Ave, Bloomingdales, and Barneys (my favorite).

Shopping, Designer discount stores, Daffy's, there are locations all over the city; and Century 21, right next to Ground Zero.

Thanks for the tips! I am headed to Ground Zero for sure.

I would LOVE to go to New York someday. I'm thinking maybe I should save some money for a trip to New York when I graduate from college. Still I don't know if I have someone who wants to go with me...

I never though I would be going to New York this year, but here I am. You never know when you are going to have a reason to go! I suppose that is what makes it even better, because you never know!

[fireb0x]

By the way, do you guys think there will be snow around that time? Being from South Texas, I have never touched or seen snow in person EVER! I think it would be nice.

[juanster]

By the way, do you guys think there will be snow around that time? Being from South Texas, I have never touched or seen snow in person EVER! I think it would be nice.

it was pretty cold last week, and it was snowing up in buffalo, so yeah you may catch a day of snow...

wait when are you gogin again?

[wadejc85]

By the way, do you guys think there will be snow around that time? Being from South Texas, I have never touched or seen snow in person EVER! I think it would be nice.

it was pretty cold last week, and it was snowing up in buffalo, so yeah you may catch a day of snow...

wait when are you gogin again?

It might snow. I know we got some lake effect snow here in South Central PA, so NYC could see some snow.

[Tenorsaw]

If you are going to the Apple store, definitely go to Stage Deli for a sandwich. Their cheapest is $12 and it goes up to about $30, but order one and you'll see why.

It's located at 834 7th Avenue between West 53rd and West 54th.

[rs7]

It might snow. I know we got some lake effect snow here in South Central PA, so NYC could see some snow.

LOL I live right outside of the city. We don't get lake-effect snow! The eastern portions of New York where the lake is gets lake-effect snow. The plateaus/mountains of the area make the effect even larger. But not in NYC :)

[networkr]

Stick to the tourist destinations,be careful not to get lost in places like Jamaica.Check out all the tourist destinations,try all the foods (we have just about every culture's food here) and have fun.

[networkr]

LOL I live right outside of the city. We don't get lake-effect snow! The eastern portions of New York where the lake is gets lake-effect snow. The plateaus/mountains of the area make the effect even larger. But not in NYC :)

That's right! The last time we had any major snow fall was years ago.Now we're lucky if we see flurries.

[wadejc85]

LOL I live right outside of the city. We don't get lake-effect snow! The eastern portions of New York where the lake is gets lake-effect snow. The plateaus/mountains of the area make the effect even larger. But not in NYC :)

That's right! The last time we had any major snow fall was years ago.Now we're lucky if we see flurries.

Shooting down the hopes and dreams of a tourist. :p

I've been in NYC several times during the winter season for the past few years. I've seen it snowing. Maybe you two like discounting the few times it does snow compared to what it used to be like years ago. I remember that two years ago I had to cut my trip short (by several hours) because the snowfall was so bad.

[beatzfreak]

Shooting down the hopes and dreams of a tourist. :p

I've been in NYC several times during the winter season for the past few years. I've seen it snowing. Maybe you two like discounting the few times it does snow compared to what it used to be like years ago. I remember that two years ago I had to cut my trip short (by several hours) because the snowfall was so bad.

The OP is coming at the beginning of December. It doesn't normally snow in NYC until January. Two years ago, we had NO snow in December in the city.

Having said that, it's unusually cold in NYC right now, if this continues, we may see some snow early this year.

[rs7]

That's right! The last time we had any major snow fall was years ago.Now we're lucky if we see flurries.

I'm in high school. I haven't had a snow day in 4 years! :( But I do remember coming back into Kennedy last year and it was snowing at 2AM. I think it may have been enough to close school...I don't remember...but it wasn't enough to delay our flight. It was during February break though, so we already had no school.

[wadejc85]

The OP is coming at the beginning of December. It doesn't normally snow in NYC until January. Two years ago, we had NO snow in December in the city.

Having said that, it's unusually cold in NYC right now, if this continues, we may see some snow early this year.

We normally don't see snow until January, either, but we have had snow on the ground for the past several days.. :eek:

I'm just saying, it *is* possible.

[fireb0x]

We normally don't see snow until January, either, but we have had snow on the ground for the past several days.. :eek:

I'm just saying, it *is* possible.

*tear* Thanks for keeping my dreams alive! *tear*

Seriously though, even flurries is more than I have ever seen in my life. The closest thing to snow I have ever experienced is hail... and hail hurts :(

[fireb0x]

I'd like to post my impressions and experience and how everything went during the few days that I was there. So here goes...

1. Times Square at night is... magical. My wife and I took the subway into Times Square (walked off the train around 7:30) and as we walked through the subway tunnels toward the Times Square exit, we could hear the cars and people buzzing about. It built an epic amount of anticipation and emotion inside of us as we walk with the cool air hitting our face. Then, stepping up off the last step onto the sidewalk and seeing the lights all around was just breath taking. The feeling that coursed through my body was just electric and exhilarating. There exists nothing like Times Square anywhere else in the United States, and it is obvious why. The excitement is inside of EVERYONE there and it constantly felt like something amazing was about to happen. Do yourself a favor, and the first time you visit Times Square, take the Subway in and walk out of a tunnel at night, it is electrifying.

2. THANK GOD FOR MY iPhone/Google Maps/KickMap (http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=285668269&mt=8). I don't know how I would have made it around Manhattan without constantly looking up what subways and buses to take to get to the different stores. The 24 Hour KickMap APP from the appstore is probably one of the best tools for anybody about to visit NYC. I found it very helpful in being able to see when and where each subway line was going and what intersects it to get me to other places. KickMap + Google Maps on iPhone = WIN! I would have made it nowhere without it!

3. Thanks to everybody on restaurant and sight seeing suggestions. I didn't have time to do everything I wanted to, and in some cases I avoided things all together based on you guys suggestions from the original thread. Probably the best thing I did was visit Rockafeller Plaza/Tower and take a trip to the Top of the ROCK + NBC Studio tour. I got to see John Malkovich, Amy Poehler, Seth Meyers and Darrell Hammond rehearsing during the NBC studios tour. The top of the rock definitely gives an awe inspiring view of Manhattan and it was just fantastic seeing the Rockafeller Christmas Tree. That entire plaza is just BUZZING with people and excitement.

4. If you are going to be near Ground Zero, eat at the Essex World Cafe! I found this gem of a restaurant by accident while searching for places near Ground Zero to eat breakfast. They serve you an INSANE amount of food for very very cheap and it is all packed onto a Dixie plate, which gives it a real hearty breakfast kinda feel. They also have on hand the BIG boxes of orange juice, not the tiny little kind that you find in a kiddie lunch. This made the breakfast all the better. Much Food + Much Drink = AWESOME Breakfast. Definitely eat there if you have the chance.

5. NEVER take a taxi to/from La Guardia. All I have to say is $70. I was warned on here, but it was real cold, my wife was very tired (and pregnant) and we were both desperately hungry.

6. Take the subways/buses everywhere. It is so cheap to buy an MTA card that works for both buses and subways, you use them all day long most of the time and honestly, unless you plan on walking the skin off your feet, you HAVE to take the subways/buses to get a decent amount done during the day.

----------

Final Thoughts:

Would I ever want to MOVE to NYC?

I would have to say no. Living in San Antonio and having a vehicle to drive has spoiled me. What took me all day long to do in New York, I could have done in 3 or 4 hours in San Antonio. The reason why is because everything in NYC is PACKED into Manhattan and there isn't anywhere to park a vehicle (except for the extremely expensive and hard to get into/out of parking garages).

In San Antonio, I can drive and park in front of any store in the city and there are several malls that have stores around that that are very easy to access. In addition to this, we spent so much time on the Subway and Buses that it took a very long time to get to/from "home" (our hotel room). I guess this is a result of us staying in an apartment in East Elmhearst (near La Guardia), but it seems like many people live outside of Manhattan (at least from what I could tell). Almost no matter where you live out of Manhattan, it would take you at LEAST 30 mins to 90 mins to get home. I can get to and from anywhere in San Antonio in 45 minutes MAX in my vehicle, and that is with TERRIBLE traffic (which there isn't alot of here). Most points of interest can be accessed in less than 15 minutes.

I know this is just San Antonio, but this is ME we are talking about here.

It WAS good to "be with the people," though. Growing up, I took the city bus everywhere, and being on the Subways in NYC gave me that feeling back, and it is a good feeling being with the people.

The TAXI drivers are CRAZY, the pretzels are cold, and I heard more honks in my first 5 minutes in NYC than I have ever heard in my life (Seriously! Nobody ever honks here in Texas [except Houston and the crazy parts of Dallas]).

Let me stress this: THE PRETZELS ARE COLD! The corner stands say "Hot Pretzels," but they give you the ones that have been sitting out in the cold for lord knows how long and if you try and argue with them they don't give a crap.

Ground Zero is an emotionally confusing place. It is imperative that you see the tribute center across the street from ground zero (2 or 3 shops down from the Essex World Cafe) and almost more imperative to take one of the tours that they offer. They do a really good job of telling the story and showing you the things that you would have missed otherwise.

I say it is emotionally confusing because unless you are hearing one of these first hand accounts from the tour guides, the entire place looks just like a huge construction site (which, incidentally, it is). The emotion is lost if you don't know the significance of the buildings around it, what has been rebuilt, why certain buildings are covered in plastic, why a memorial was built in this specific place, etc. I would say the tours that the tribute center offer are great because you get all the emotion from the tour guides (who all have a first hand account of 9/11), and you get taken to the important places to visit.

I don't hesitate to say that the best view of the Statue of Liberty is from Battery Park. You get a 100% unobstructed view of Lady Liberty from across the bay and it is majestic. Seeing the water glimmer and the statue there in all its glory is fantastic. The view from across the bay is unmatched, even if you go onto the island where the statue sits. Take some pictures from across the bay, you won't regret it.

Also, quick note for people in the other thread. It did in fact FLURRY on the final night I was there, which many though it would not do. I was happy to at least see the flurries. I got to see plenty of snow during my 15 minute stop at Chicago's O'Hare Airport. It was 8 degrees Fahrenheit on our way back to San Antonio.

Anyway, there is a lot that I forgot, but I just thought I would let some of the people who contributed to my original thread know that I made it and I had fun and I thank them for their input.

PLEASE ask questions, I love answering questions.

[InvalidUserID]

Glad to hear you enjoyed New York. I would suggest to anyone that hasn't visited yet, to do so. I think you hit on some good points for people to see (Times Square, Ground Zero, State of Liberty, etc.)

- Did you get a chance to skate at Rockefeller Center?
- Did you visit the Apple Store (5th & 59th)?
- Did you see the characters of Times Square (Naked cowlady & the drunk crossdresser guy in a dress)?
- Did you see any shows?

I LOL'd when I read the part about honking. When I moved out to NY after growing up in the Bay Area, the first thing I noticed was how quick New Yorkers are to honk after a stop light turns green. Funny part is when I moved back to CA, I noticed how quiet it was.

And yes, Times Square is magical. I spent four years in NY and when I go back to visit, I still look around like its my first time.

[kfordham281]

I went to NY in 2000, had a good time. But the trip sure did start with a bang, literally.

We were saying in a Hostel somewhere near Central Park. This was our second Hostel choice, as a few of us refused to stay at the first one when we saw the street it was on. We walked across the street that night to go to the liquor store. We were in there for a few minutes when we heard gun shots outside the door somewhere. 10 minutes later the ambulances were carting off a few folks. We left the next day and stayed somewhere near the financial district where the hotel was more expensive but MUCH safer. I'll never forget that trip though!

[donga]

random q: do you think it'd be alright to take a dslr out to the places mentioned above?

i think there'd be a lot of great shots out there for someone who has never been to n.y.: you notice things that other people have gotten used to/taken for granted.

[fireb0x]

Glad to hear you enjoyed New York. I would suggest to anyone that hasn't visited yet, to do so. I think you hit on some good points for people to see (Times Square, Ground Zero, State of Liberty, etc.)

- Did you get a chance to skate at Rockefeller Center?
- Did you visit the Apple Store (5th & 59th)?
- Did you see the characters of Times Square (Naked cowlady & the drunk crossdresser guy in a dress)?
- Did you see any shows?

I LOL'd when I read the part about honking. When I moved out to NY after growing up in the Bay Area, the first thing I noticed was how quick New Yorkers are to honk after a stop light turns green. Funny part is when I moved back to CA, I noticed how quiet it was.

And yes, Times Square is magical. I spent four years in NY and when I go back to visit, I still look around like its my first time.


We didn't skate in the rink because my wife is pregnant and she didn't want to fall. We saw what we think was the naked cowboy except he wasn't wearing the USA underwear he was wearing something else. Didn't see the crossdressing dude. I assure you we saw plenty of "characters" I'm general haha. I did make it a point to visit the apple cube store. It was even more awesome than I had imagined. I wanted to visit the one on 14th and 9th but didn't have the chance. We didn't have the chance to see a show though, which I kinda regret but we did have an awesome dinner at the ESPN zone during the Florida Alabama and OU mizzou gAmes. They required we spend 10 bucks for every hour we were there but the raucous atmosphere was worth every penny. Not to mention I had some awesome ribs.

I still can't get over the honking thing. My wife and I still look at eachoter and laugh the very few times we have heard people honk here at home. It's just hilarious. I'm still pissed I wasted 6 bucks on cold pretzels though haha.

[fireb0x]

random q: do you think it'd be alright to take a dslr out to the places mentioned above?

i think there'd be a lot of great shots out there for someone who has never been to n.y.: you notice things that other people have gotten used to/taken for granted.

Yeah man there was a tom of people with dslr's out there. I really wish I had one to take some shots of lady liberty from across the bay. I can imagine how beautiful a shot that would be. I wish I could have had a nice dslr to shoot down broadway and catch all the lights in one shot. I have some pictures I am gonna upload to my MobileMe that I can share with you all.

But yeah take an slr if you have one just keep it around your neck at all times.

[djellison]

I'd like to post my impressions and experience and how everything went during the few days that I was there. So here goes...

1. Times Square at night is...

2. THANK GOD FOR MY iPhone/Google

6. Take the subways/buses everywhere.

Don't want to put a downer on your experience or anything, but..

My other half and I had 6 days in NYC in June (we live in the UK), and while she (and you it appears ) loved Time Square - I just don't get it. We arrived in the way you described, and I didn't really see what the fuss about two large streets, a lot of people, and some large TV's. It would not be in my must-visit list for NYC next time around.

Believe it or not, people managed to navigate NYC quite well before/without iPhone. We did - very well. We had some maps, and if in doubt, we just asked people and without fail, they were brilliantly helpfull - from the lovely young lady on the subway station near the AMNH who had a kitten in a basket she was taking home from the Vet, to the huge intimidating guy next to us waiting for the subway back from the Yankees stadium. I'd much much rather have had that experience, than known exactly where I was going with my head in a cell-phone half the time.

I agree with the bus/subway. We got a week long card - it paid for itself by mid-week.

Anyway -glad you had a good time. Highlight from our visit was a circle-line sunset boat trip, and the Empire State at Night. It's an amazing city - we've got a short re-visit already in the planning.

[fireb0x]

I'd much much rather have had that experience, than known exactly where I was going with my head in a cell-phone half the time.

The point was that I didn't need to have my head buried in the phone. I look at the kickmap, and it showed me where the nearest station was, we walked there and I just followed the numbers. It wasn't a long, arduous process where I had to search and dig and prod for information. I looked at where we wanted to be, found the nearest number around it on the map, look where we currently were, found the nearest number and connected the dots. I am just saying that it made it easy for me to find my way.

I suppose some people would find the "being lost" feeling as part of the experience. Or at least the "asking the people" feeling as part of the experience. But I found I was personally more satisfied being able to find our way around on our own. I never had to ask anyone for anything except the occasional subway station teller guy, to ask him if we were on the correct side of the street to go in the direction we wanted. I could find any store, anytime, anywhere, using only the GPS on my phone and the built in google maps. I don't feel like I was ever "buried" in my phone, but I can understand what you mean.

I just feel like my phone was way more useful to me as a tourist than was any tourist map, tourist guide, or tourist website that I could find. It is all customized to me and as long as I knew how to use it properly and to its fullest potential, I was never bogged down by trying to find things. I found it to be very efficient.

Like I said, I can understand your point of view though.

I wanted to so badly take a circle line tour also, but it was so damn cold, I didn't know if my wife would have made it. Especially since it is right on the water. Maybe next time, there is plenty that we didn't get to do.

[themoonisdown09]

5. NEVER take a taxi to/from La Guardia. All I have to say is $70. I was warned on here, but it was real cold, my wife was very tired (and pregnant) and we were both desperately hungry.

I was in New York City from Friday until Monday. I took a taxi ride from our hotel (located at Broadway and 47th street) to La Gaurdia airport and our taxi fair was a flat $40. The guy at the hotel said it's usually between $40 and $45. I think you got screwed on it.


Believe it or not, people managed to navigate NYC quite well before/without iPhone. We did - very well. We had some maps, and if in doubt, we just asked people and without fail, they were brilliantly helpfull - from the lovely young lady on the subway station near the AMNH who had a kitten in a basket she was taking home from the Vet, to the huge intimidating guy next to us waiting for the subway back from the Yankees stadium. I'd much much rather have had that experience, than known exactly where I was going with my head in a cell-phone half the time.

I don't have an iPhone and we got around NYC very well. My wife printed out many maps and circled all the places we wanted to visit. I guess the iPhone would help if you had no clue what you wanted to do.

[DanRoizman]

cool

[neiltc13]

I am glad to hear someone liked my Top of the Rock suggestion - it was great when we visited (in the middle of a big heatwave in September). The views from the top are amazing, and it's a much nicer environment than the Empire State thanks to glass rather than fencing and fewer people. It's also cheaper I believe.

Recommended to all.

If there was one thing which I wish I could do the next time I visit it would be to conquer my jetlag - while I was there I felt immensely tired the whole time thanks to the -5 hour difference and it was a very strange experience for me as it was the furthest I had ever travelled.

[themoonisdown09]

I am glad to hear someone liked my Top of the Rock suggestion - it was great when we visited (in the middle of a big heatwave in September). The views from the top are amazing, and it's a much nicer environment than the Empire State thanks to glass rather than fencing and fewer people. It's also cheaper I believe.

Recommended to all.

We went to the Top of the Rock and it was amazing! I like it because you can see the Empire State building. You can also get amazing pictures of Central Park. I think that was one of our favorite things we did on our trip.

[fireb0x]

I am glad to hear someone liked my Top of the Rock suggestion - it was great when we visited (in the middle of a big heatwave in September). The views from the top are amazing, and it's a much nicer environment than the Empire State thanks to glass rather than fencing and fewer people. It's also cheaper I believe.

Definitely was one of the best things we did. I had heard that it was better to go up there than it is to the top of the empire state building. I am a firm believer that this is true. You are right that the glass rather than fence makes a huge difference and it is just an amazing view. Probably the best of NYC.

Thanks for the suggestion, it was fantastic.

I was in New York City from Friday until Monday. I took a taxi ride from our hotel (located at Broadway and 47th street) to La Gaurdia airport and our taxi fair was a flat $40. The guy at the hotel said it's usually between $40 and $45. I think you got screwed on it.

I don't have an iPhone and we got around NYC very well. My wife printed out many maps and circled all the places we wanted to visit. I guess the iPhone would help if you had no clue what you wanted to do.

Maybe I overdid the "I COULDNT LIVE WITHOUT MY PHONE," thing, when in reality I meant "WOW MY PHONE MADE THINGS REAL EASY." I say this from the perspective that I didn't have to carry anything around with me except my phone, which had everything I needed. Instead of maps of subways and of new york and tourist destinations and bus routes and times of this and that. I just had my phone. Sure it might not be a big deal to some to carry all those things around, but why carry them around when you don't have to? It made things easy to me and I suppose you are right on the end of "we didn't know what we wanted to do." We went with specific things to do, but there was still alot of time between, before, and after those things that were open for doing things we hadn't planned on. I shouldn't have made it seem like I couldn't have made it without my phone, and made it more about how easy my phone made it for me to get around because of the apps and the GPS and everything all in my pocket. I created a google map with all the locations we wanted to visit (the equivalent of circling things on a map) and then just used that the whole time. I mapped a route from one destination to the next (well, google did it for me) and we were good to go. It took damn near no effort on my part, which was cool.

[JBenz07]

I'm really glad you had a very good time here, I've been a brooklyn native (18 years) and Manhattan is my second home. It truly is an awesome place to stroll around and relax (yeah it sounds crazy but I find the buzz relaxing). If only you had been here way back when the WTC was still erect (RIP). The sight from there and the Empire State are amazing on a cloudless day.

[fireb0x]

I'm really glad you had a very good time here, I've been a brooklyn native (18 years) and Manhattan is my second home. It truly is an awesome place to stroll around and relax (yeah it sounds crazy but I find the buzz relaxing). If only you had been here way back when the WTC was still erect (RIP). The sight from there and the Empire State are amazing on a cloudless day.

Standing at Ground Zero really did make me wish that I had had the chance to go up way to the top and look down on manhattan. I can't wait for the new ones to be finished, I will be visiting as soon as they are done.