Planning a weekend getaway to New York City, suggestions

[allisonv7]

any hotels guys? We want a hotel that is in a good area close to all the good attractions and we don't want to spend much under 250 a night.

I'd definitely recommend the Broadway Plaza Hotel. It's by the Flatiron building, so it's not like you're in the middle of Times Square with a ton of stuff right out the door, but it's a great location within walking distance to many attractions and there is a subway stop half a block away.

You said you're foodies, so that would put you right by Eataly and Shake Shack too!

I've stayed at this place three times since discovering it a couple years ago and will be staying there on any future trips, in fact my parents are going for a long weekend this week and will be staying there.

If I remember right it's going to be right around $200-250/night depending on your room size and nights:
http://www.broadwayplazahotel.com/index.php

 

[iJohnHenry]

Pod Hotel NYC for under 180 per night when I was there last time

Check with Kramer. Maybe he has a drawer available?

 

[d4rkc4sm]

guggeheim and moma free admission on saturdays/donation
subway 7-day pass unlimited rides $29/person
highline is nice
standard bar, excellent benedict eggs
staten island ferry, free but view of statue of liberty kinda small 45 min each way
hotel carter is half block from times square, super cheap rates. owner passed away a week ago.
broadway shows are boring and overrated.
chelsea market is nice

 

[rhett7660]

Pod Hotel NYC for under 180 per night when I was there last time

This place correct:

http://www.thepodhotel.com/

yup stayed there also. Small rooms and paid a little extra to get our own bathroom but then again we were not really in it that much. Nice hotel though.

 

[phas3]

11 days till departure, I'm still compiling a list. Keep them coming guys, thank you for your replies!

 

[allisonv7]

If you're really wanting to go to a Broadway show check out the TKTS booths. There's one in Times Square and one at the South Street Seaport. I've bought tickets at the Seaport location a few times and it's turned out well. I go down the morning we're looking to go to a show. When I've been there I haven't had to wait in a line, but I've seen lines at the Times Square location. Half off, great seats, you can't beat it.

http://www.tdf.org/TDF_ServicePage.aspx?id=56

 

[acidfast7]

This place correct:

http://www.thepodhotel.com/

yup stayed there also. Small rooms and paid a little extra to get our own bathroom but then again we were not really in it that much. Nice hotel though.

Yup.

I find that staying in boutique/design hotels is the way to go. Usually, they're designed well but tend to be a little smaller and slightly more expensive.

It was OK for what it was (the cost was reasonable as well.)

 

[Dr McKay]

If you're looking for somewhere to eat, I recommend the Jekyl and Hyde club. It's done up like a Horror House, it's rediculously cheesy, but it's worth it!

 

[rhett7660]

Yup.

I find that staying in boutique/design hotels is the way to go. Usually, they're designed well but tend to be a little smaller and slightly more expensive.

It was OK for what it was (the cost was reasonable as well.)

I agree.... My last time in NY there were six of us so we rented a unit for the week. Worked out to be about the same price with more room!

 

[phas3]

Can you guys help me make and itinerary?

This is our list so far of things we want to do, our plane lands at JFK around 10am saturday on the 26th. We leave new york on the 28th at 9pm so we have almost 3 days there.

We'll be staying at either the Sheraton or the Hilton near time square.

Museum of Modern Art
Central Park
Soho
Top of the Rock
South Street Seaport to a take a boat around the city
Rockafeller Center
Broadway Show
Time Square
Fifth Avenue
Coney Island
Grand Central
Hells Kitchen
Battery Park
Apple Store
Subway

I wan't to maximize our stay there and be able to go to all things on my list.

I was thinking:

Day 1: Land at JK around 10:00am, take a taxi to the hotel once we are checked in go to one of the time square ticket booths and buy broadway tickets for the evening.

Seeing that we start at time square what on that list can we do in the mean time while waiting for the broadway show?

Day 2?

Day 3?

 

[iJohnHenry]

Get on over to Google Maps, and enter all the addresses.

Rearrange them for the most effective pattern.

That should help you save precious steps, and time.

 

[phas3]

How much do broadway tickets go for if we get that at the stands in time square?

 

[allisonv7]

How much do broadway tickets go for if we get that at the stands in time square?

I've bought them a few times and they've always been 40%-50% off, with the different price levels available. They have an App you can download to see what is currently on sale.

I saw Addams Family last year and it was really good (Nathan Lane was in it at the time). My parents are going to The Best Man this weekend, I can let you know what they think of it.

Overbook yourself a little with things to do, it's a lot easier to get around than you may think. If you end up with extra time, it's nice to have a few things to see/do so you're not just walking around aimlessly - though that's fun too!

 

[phas3]

so in the tkts app are the prices shown already with the discount or are those the regular prices without the discount yet applied?

 

[phas3]

Is the NewYork 2 day pass worth it? I was looking at it and it seems like a good deal

 

[allisonv7]

so in the tkts app are the prices shown already with the discount or are those the regular prices without the discount yet applied?

Not sure... I don't have the app on my phone right now. Maybe check out a couple shows you're interested in and see how much regular price tickets are then compare with the price the app has.

Is the NewYork 2 day pass worth it? I was looking at it and it seems like a good deal

Not sure what that is....

 

[Kendo]

Consider staying at a hotel in Brooklyn. It is cheaper and only 15 minutes into the city. And everywhere in NYC is easily accessible due to the subway so it is worth saving $100 and spending 15 more minutes on the subway to get to a hotel in Brooklyn rather than Manhattan.

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/nycbk-new-york-marriott-at-the-brooklyn-bridge/

For steak, Peter Luger will be hard to get reservations on such short notice but Ben and Jacks or Wolfgang's Steakhouse are both owned by ex-waiters of Luger so the food is EXACTLY the same.

Club A Steakhouse is a great alternative and they currently have a special on Living Social.

http://www.livingsocial.com/cities/...eals/348566-three-course-steak-dinner-for-two

Also check out the legendary halal cart on 53rd and 6th and be careful of the imposter carts!

http://www.yelp.com/biz/53rd-and-6th-halal-cart-new-york

Shake Shack has some of the best burgers and make an affordable lunch.

 

[Don't panic]

one of the evenings, take her to PDT, in St. Marks Street in the East Village.

DO NOT tell her where you are going, just get in the area (it's full of pubs and clubs), then when you get in front of a seedy-looking hotdog place (Crif Dogs) on your left, either pretend to be lost or that you want to eat an hot dog and walk in.
once in, with an excuse direct her into the old-fashioned phone boot on the left.
pick up the phone and follow the instructions.

that will open a 'secret' door into a speakeasy, where they serve a lot of quite interesting drinks.

remember that you HAVE to reserve it, or they won't let you in, so the whole thing must be planned in advance if you want to get the maximum effect (without the reservation is a long wait, but then the surprise is lost)
call them the same afternoon around 3. it's a small place and it fills up quickly.

it's a bit gimmicky, and the drinks are not cheap, but if you pull it off properly, she'll never forget

oh, and about 'Jackyll and Hyde' someone mentioned above: no.

 

[einmusiker]

so in the tkts app are the prices shown already with the discount or are those the regular prices without the discount yet applied?

The prices on the app are the discounted prices. Broadway is spendy

 

[phas3]

one of the evenings, take her to PDT, in St. Marks Street in the East Village.

DO NOT tell her where you are going, just get in the area (it's full of pubs and clubs), then when you get in front of a seedy-looking hotdog place (Crif Dogs) on your left, either pretend to be lost or that you want to eat an hot dog and walk in.
once in, with an excuse direct her into the old-fashioned phone boot on the left.
pick up the phone and follow the instructions.

that will open a 'secret' door into a speakeasy, where they serve a lot of quite interesting drinks.

remember that you HAVE to reserve it, or they won't let you in, so the whole thing must be planned in advance if you want to get the maximum effect (without the reservation is a long wait, but then the surprise is lost)
call them the same afternoon around 3. it's a small place and it fills up quickly.

it's a bit gimmicky, and the drinks are not cheap, but if you pull it off properly, she'll never forget

oh, and about 'Jackyll and Hyde' someone mentioned above: no.

omg wtf haha that sounds awesome!

 

[InvalidUserID]

I lived in NY during my college years. I still go back every year or so and just got back last week.

- I'm surprised nobody mentioned Katz's Deli. You'll want to get there a little early for lunch as they get PACKED. When you go in, they'll hand you a ticket per person DO NOT LOSE IT. There are separate lines for sandwiches, fries and drinks. When you go to sit, avoid the tables against the walls as those are for waiter service only and you'll get grief from the staff. Best pastrami sandwiches ever!

- $45 flat fee from JFK to Manhattan hotels. You could do a private car service like Carmel or a shuttle service but the shuttle service will pack the van so you'd likely have to spend an hour or so picking others up if you're one of the first ones in the van.

- I like Hotel Belvedere. It's about 2-3 blocks from Times Square, near a lot of restaurants and is relatively nice. It'll put you a few stations away within most places in Manhattan. I've stayed there 4-5 times and never had any complaints.

- I generally like hole in the wall places but if you want to impress your girlfriend, take her to The Gordon Ramsey @ The London. Make sure it's The Gordon Ramsey and not his lesser & casual "Maze" restaurant. I've seen a few Yankees and NBA players there. If you're looking for an elegant and impressive place, take her here.

- And as mentioned, the 53rd & 6th halal cart food is AWESOME. They're open from early dinner to past 3am. Just look for the long line or a lot of people sitting with a plate lunch chowing down. Chicken, lamb or combo on top of rice, salad with pita strips with the white/red sauce...drool!

- The museum will take you a good 3-4 hours to take in, even if you're going quickly. Try to do that one when they first open so you can have the afternoon to do something like Central Park and then get ready for either a nice dinner or a show.

- Unless they've changed, the TKTS booth only takes cash.

- Apple Store is open 24 hours. I'd hit that up at off-hours as they are CRAZY busy. If you are going to hit that up during the day, you could add that before/after your central park trip.

- Coney Island, daytime only.

- I would try to walk the Brooklyn Bridge. The first time is always amazing. Just be mindful of joggers and bicyclists as they can be unfriendly at times.

If you have any specific questions, shot me a PM and I'll try to help.

 

['Bmac]

When walking along the street keep your iPhone out of sight. There have been a lot of iPhone thefts lately. Just heard on the 6pm news tonight that iPhone thefts are UP 45% this past year. Sad as it is, its a fact of life in NYC.

 

[InvalidUserID]

When walking along the street keep your iPhone out of sight. There have been a lot of iPhone thefts lately. Just heard on the 6pm news tonight that iPhone thefts are UP 45% this past year. Sad as it is, its a fact of life in NYC.

Not only that but when walking around Manhattan, you need to be paying attention and NOT on your phone. If you need to use your phone for maps, check email or something else, pull into a Starbucks or move over to the side.

 

[einmusiker]

I lived in NY during my college years. I still go back every year or so and just got back last week.

- I'm surprised nobody mentioned Katz's Deli. You'll want to get there a little early for lunch as they get PACKED. When you go in, they'll hand you a ticket per person DO NOT LOSE IT. There are separate lines for sandwiches, fries and drinks. When you go to sit, avoid the tables against the walls as those are for waiter service only and you'll get grief from the staff. Best pastrami sandwiches ever!

- $45 flat fee from JFK to Manhattan hotels. You could do a private car service like Carmel or a shuttle service but the shuttle service will pack the van so you'd likely have to spend an hour or so picking others up if you're one of the first ones in the van.

- I like Hotel Belvedere. It's about 2-3 blocks from Times Square, near a lot of restaurants and is relatively nice. It'll put you a few stations away within most places in Manhattan. I've stayed there 4-5 times and never had any complaints.

- I generally like hole in the wall places but if you want to impress your girlfriend, take her to The Gordon Ramsey @ The London. Make sure it's The Gordon Ramsey and not his lesser & casual "Maze" restaurant. I've seen a few Yankees and NBA players there. If you're looking for an elegant and impressive place, take her here.

- And as mentioned, the 53rd & 6th halal cart food is AWESOME. They're open from early dinner to past 3am. Just look for the long line or a lot of people sitting with a plate lunch chowing down. Chicken, lamb or combo on top of rice, salad with pita strips with the white/red sauce...drool!

- The museum will take you a good 3-4 hours to take in, even if you're going quickly. Try to do that one when they first open so you can have the afternoon to do something like Central Park and then get ready for either a nice dinner or a show.

- Unless they've changed, the TKTS booth only takes cash.

- Apple Store is open 24 hours. I'd hit that up at off-hours as they are CRAZY busy. If you are going to hit that up during the day, you could add that before/after your central park trip.

- Coney Island, daytime only.

- I would try to walk the Brooklyn Bridge. The first time is always amazing. Just be mindful of joggers and bicyclists as they can be unfriendly at times.

If you have any specific questions, shot me a PM and I'll try to help.

This is a very good post. My only disagreement is dont even bother with coney island, its depressing. And take the subway from jfk, it's only about $7 and is a good introduction to the subway system

 

[mobsky]

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