Reply With QuoteKatz deli
Bus tour
Walk Brooklyn Bridge
Empire state
Statue of Liberty
Going to New York with my wife for the very first time for a weekend. Trying to avoid the stress of seeing too much with too little time.
Staying in Times Square. What's your top 5 recommended things to see/do/eat in NYC?
(No museums or shows!)
Katz deli
Bus tour
Walk Brooklyn Bridge
Empire state
Statue of Liberty
Wander around shops/ cafes/markets in Nolita/ Tribeca/ Soho. One of the parts of NY with real character as well as the brands.
Also some Brits avoid Central Park (just another park) but parts really are beautiful and the backdrop is always stunning - don't miss the John Lennon memorial.
Chelsea and Soho for nighttime.
Go out somewhere for breakfast, not your hotel (very common thing to do there and load of places).
Get on a boat at some point for a tour as well.
Just personal choices, fantastic city and I hope you both have a great time.
High Line walk and drinks on route
MOMA always worth a visit
Pizza at Lombardis and drinks
Boat House in Central Park for late lunch and drinks
Top of the Rock Observation Deck.
oh and drinks
- - - Updated - - -
agreeOriginally Posted by alfat33
Reading all this I'm wanting to go back myself.
Top of the Rock is great.
Also if you're doing liberty island, get there as early as possible. I second going out for breakfast as much as you can. Erm, go out at night, there's some great bars (Craft beers), restaurants etc. Central park is great, and MASSIVE so take your walking boots. On a hot day there's all sorts going on, bands playing, etc.
Last edited by jimmbob; 1st September 2015 at 15:15.
My five...
ellis island/statue of liberty
helicopter ride
top of the rock
central park/history museum
broadway
(peanut butter company shop - if you like peanut butter that is!)
Take a evening boat trip. Did this on our last visit, lovely meal with jazz band.....Excellent...
The World Trade Center - the view from the top of the building is amazing (you look down on the Empire State). Must pre-book tickets: https://oneworldobservatory.com/?launch=accesso
The free Staten Island Ferry for a great view of the Statue of Liberty.
Times Square - just for the sheer ridiculousness of it all
A good Jewish deli to taste a real bagel
I'd highly recommend The River Cafe for dinner. It's in Brooklyn, looking at Manhattan. The food is excellent, and the views are simply amazing. Try to arrive just before dusk so you can see the view by day and by night.
Vendors selling Liverpool memorabilia (like Stevie G stuff) made me chuckle.
Have a walk around Central Park, it's a full day of a diversion if you don't rush it. That was the best and one of the cheapest days we had while over there.
Get to Brick Lane curry house and have a Phall. Certificate and a spot on their website if you manage it.
3, 4 and 5 involve the toilet, post Phall.
Top of the Rock I'm guessing is the Rockerfeller?
Yup. Well worth a visit, the view is great.
See also: New York - 'must sees' in 2 days.
Mmm - Done some, but not others
1.There's a Stationmaster's apartment bar in one of the railway Stations which is a great place for a drink, but I can't remember which one!!!! Anyone care to remind me?
2. Statten Island Ferry to see the Statue of Liberty
3. Aircraft carrier museum (Maybe that's just me) - http://www.intrepidmuseum.org/
4. Central Park
5. See the Empire State building & Chrysler building at night - some recommendations for a good location below/above...
M
Was going to recommend no. 3 but brief was no museums - very good though!Mmm - Done some, but not others
1.There's a Stationmaster's apartment bar in one of the railway Stations which is a great place for a drink, but I can't remember which one!!!! Anyone care to remind me?
2. Statten Island Ferry to see the Statue of Liberty
3. Aircraft carrier museum (Maybe that's just me
4. Central Park
5. See the Empire State building & Chrysler building at night - some recommendations for a good location below/above...
M
I thought Grand Central Station is worth a visit- Statten Island Ferry was good
Try to get an open top bus tour and hop on and off where you fancy( we got a cracking Groupon)
Good point, ok then Aircraft Carrier viewpoint on the river then
M
Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
Walk as much as possible, there's so much missed when traveling on the tube.
1. Boat trip from south street sea port to see Liberty and other sights from the water. (I think the boat I went on was called the Zeplin).
2. Top of the Rock
3. If the weather's good, chill out in Central park, buy a hotdog and watch some baseball, people watch, and listen to some live music.
4. Have night out on away from Manhattan, I met some true New Yorkers in bars in Hoboken.
5. Eat in Little Italy and Chinatown
Big Onion walking tours- a great insight into the history of NY
Top of the Rock
Helicopter trip over Manhattan
Keens Steakhouse
Ground Zero Memorial
Boat tour
The whole city is like being on a film set.
Awesome thanks everyone
One World Observatory
Barnaby Greengrass for breakfast (traditional Jewish Fare)
Walk around Greenwich Village and have dinner at http://www.palmanyc.com/mobile-landing/
Breakfast in https://www.clarksdiner.com/store80/restaurant.php and walk back over Brooklyn bridge
For a bit of fun http://www.ridethebeast.com
Once again for a bit of fun http://theridenyc.com
The Highline and Chelsea Market
http://www.foodsofny.com- great fun, we have done Greenwich Village and China Town
Last edited by craig1912; 1st September 2015 at 18:21.
You can't beat a rooftop bar, eg.
http://www.230-fifth.com
+1 for:
Boat trip round Manhattan
Top of the Rock - need to go early as it gets very busy
Empire State Building (book before you go and pay extra for the express elevator). We booked for 0800 when it opens on our 1st day as the time difference means you'll be up early and then you're at the top first!
Go for a subway ride!
Wall St - with 9/11 memorial nearby.
Last edited by afcneal; 2nd September 2015 at 08:12.
I would say
Empire during the day
Top of the rock at night
Helicopter tour
Dinning on a river boat as you cruise down and stop in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty
Central Park
While on the way to or from these you can do most of the other little bits, like Grand central, high line, wall St etc
We went up the Empire State Building about 45mins before Sunset and stayed up there while the sun went down. It was fantastic to see the city change from day to night from above.
Go down to battery park and get the Staten Island ferry ( think its free if I remember rightly). Goes pretty close to the Statue of Liberty and great view of New York skyline.
Ride the subway
Go to Central Park
Great place new york
How to get around:
Advice on Metro tickets from:*http://web.mta.info/metrocard/
Advice on Taxis: http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Travel-...ntal.Cars.html
Advice on Car Services:*http://gonyc.about.com/od/gettingaro...ar_service.htm
Transfers from/to JFK:*http://gonyc.about.com/cs/airlinesai.../getto_jfk.htm
Transfers from/to Newark:http://gonyc.about.com/cs/airlinesai.../getto_ewr.htm
Places to eat:
Balthazar, an American steakhouse run by a Brit:*http://www.balthzarnyc.com/
Beechers Handmade Cheese, grilled cheese sandwiches and Mac & cheese:*http://www.beechershandmadecheese.com
Dirt Candy (Veggie):http://www.dirtcandynyc.com
Eataly, eat, drink & shop Italian:*http://www.eataly.com
Gramercy Tavern, possibly the best restaurant in NYC:http://www.gramercytavern.com
Katz's Delicatessen, have what Sally had!:http://katzsdelicatessen.com
Norma's at Le Parker Meridian, the biggest (and possibly most expensive) breakfast in NYC:*http://www.parkermeridien.com/
Russ & Daughters, an new take on the old style Jewish Deli:http://www.russanddaughters.com
The View, revolving restaurant with views over Manhattan from Times Square, buffet service, good for brunch:*http://www.theviewnyc.com/
Places to Stay:
Yotel Times Square:http://www.yotel.com/newyork
The Jewel Facing Rockefeller:*http://www.thejewelny.com/
Things to do/see:
Brooklyn Flea Markets, where the locals go to shop & eat at weekends:*http://brooklynflea.com/
Chelsea Market, trendy place to eat& shop near the highline:http://www.chelseamarket.com/
The Highline, the elevated park along the west side of Manhattan:*http://www.thehighline.org/visit
Museum of Modern Art, free after 16.00 on Fridays, with a great Museum shop:*http://www.moma.org
New York Pass, this pass not only includes entry to 80 NYC attractions it also gets you to the front of the line at many of them: https://www.newyorkpass.com/
Roosevelt Island Tramway, a cable car ride for the price of a subway ticket:*http://rioc.ny.gov/tramtransportation.htm
Tenement Museum, see how New Yorkers used to live:*www.tenement.org
Walk over Brooklyn Bridge (get the Metro to Brooklyn and walk back to Manhattan for the best views: http://brooklyn.about.com/od/brookly...Manhattan.htm*
World Trade Centre Observatory,the newest, highest thing in NYC: www.oneworldobservatory.com
Useful Info:
Get a US SIM card with unlimited calls & texts to UK & US numbers, 5GB Data, and a UK number to divert your UK mobile number to from; www.telaway.co.uk
Weekly events guide:*http://www.timeout.com/newyork
Alternative weekly events guide: http://www.offoffoff.com
Official NYC Site: http://www.nycgo.com
Apps for your phone:
Citymapper Travel planner (can be used offline once a route is saved)
CityMaps2Go offline map app*
Tripadvisor City Guide app to access Tripadvisor sites and personal saves, can be used offline too.
Pretty much all I could recommend has already been done. But I can concur with:-
Walking the Highline
Central Park
Statue of Liberty/ Ellis Island
Katz - though it is a bit of a dive and my wife hated it!
MOMA
Time Square and the TRUS there
Walking around Meat packing district amd Greenwich village
Grand Central and having a meal in the oyster bar
Ground Zero Memorial
B&H camera store which is an amazing place. Reminds me of Gringots from Harry Potter but with electronics and Jewish staff. Who by the way are incredibly helpful.
Flat Iron building just for the obligatory photo
A show on broadway as you can generally get on the day tickets cheap from the theatres
Just generally walking around
1. Walk the high line
2. Grab a burger at Minetta tavern
3. Wander around Central Park
4. See Woody Allen playing with his band at Carlyle
5. Watch a game at Madisson square garden (depends when you're going).
Last edited by Marios; 1st September 2015 at 23:47.
Oh, and another shout for Balthazar. Excellent food and atmosphere.
Forgot about Grand Central Station - fascinating place (yes, really!). The on-duty Transit Cop gave us a quick walking tour!!
If you get the chance a baseball game - it is brilliant fun (& I don't like sport) and easy to get to on the subway.
Ellen's Stardust diner is fun for a meal - the waiters & waitresses are all broadway singers and sing songs while you eat - not quiet but very enjoyable & different.
As others have said, Times Square, Top of the Rock etc.
We did a bicycle tour which was a good way of seeing the sights, Central Park etc.
Open top Bus trip around New York
Central park
Statue of Liberty
Empire State
Greenwich Village & Little Italy
All of the above, but you must do a crawl of the bars in Bleeker St in the evening.
Louis place in the Bronx
:)
It's perfect for us. A small family place, good food. Everyone minds his business. Perfect. They've got an old-fashioned toilet. You know, the box and the chain thing. We might be able to tape the gun behind it."
―Salvatore Tessio[src]
Agree with the recommendations for Rockefeller centre - you can pre-book and not have to queue. At Empire State, you always end up queueing...
My fave breakfast was Ess-A-Bagel. Go early to beat the queue - but it moves pretty fast.
If you've got kids, Dylan's Candy Bar is a must visit. to be fair, my wife ate more of their stuff than the kids. If you have girls, American Girl Place (opposite Saks) is well worth a visit.
For statue of liberty, we did the liberty cruise which provides great views over an hours ride.
Oh - and don't forget to take a thick skin with you! We had barely exited JFK when a very large woman randomly started yelling at us :)
I showed this list to my wife. She works in NY every 5 wks for 5 days. Her comment: "Well that sums it up then. Not much to add. Perhaps a few things: Roosevelt Island itself is worth a visit as well when you like the idea of a village inside a large city." And: "Near Roosevelt island, on the south west side of Central Park you can visit the air craft carrier Intrepid. It's in the Hudson River." She never visited it, not her thing, but just to add a nice landmark.
Menno
Wow..thanks guys.This is epic.
Great list Menno. Much appreciated
Keens Streakhouse for food (make sure you have the Mutton Chops)
McSorleys for beer (make sure you sit at a table and have the cheese & crackers)
Ok I haven't read all the posts since it would make me book a flight right now... However my tuppence is below:
If into photography got to B&H photo near Penn station. Epic store!
Shop in Times square in the small hours in the city that never sleeps
Ground zero, a special place really
Cup the balls of the Wall Street bull (if you can get past the other people/fences
Top of the rock is a must I would say
Find Alice in central Park, maybe take a packed lunch from a local deli.
Too many things that I could list. It's my favourite place in the world and there are so many great things to do.
I cannot believe no one has mentioned the Circle Line Tour - Boat trip and a ride on the Subway.
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
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