[Helen1512]

Firstly thank you to the Dibbers who commented on my questions and helped with my planning.
This was our first ever trip to New York. We travelled with BA from Heathrow to JFK. This was a flight and hotel package costing us a little over £600 each for direct flights and 4 nights in The Hotel Edison just off Times Square.

Highs
Statue of Liberty - she is beautiful! We had crown tickets which we purchased in advance, you can’t buy them on the day. Was well worth the climb up a very narrow, windy staircase. We were the only people up there at the time which was quite special. Great views of the Manhattan skyline on the ferry over there.
911 memorial museum - a very moving and humbling experience.
One world observatory - amazing views and an amazing reveal of the views.
Empire State Building - beautiful building but thought the views from the Rockefeller centre were better.
Rockefeller centre - another beautiful building and more impressive uninterrupted open air views.
Grand Central Station - stunning building.
Pod parking at Heathrow - a bit of an expense but very easy to find, park and straight to the terminal.
Carmines - thank you for the recommendations on here and reassurances to try it even though the portions were huge. We had just the meatballs and spaghetti, which comes with an Italian bread basket. Managed between the two of us all of the meatballs and about half of the spaghetti. It was delicious though and a lovely atmosphere.
Sightseeing pass - bought 6 attractions, got a voucher and used to upgrade one of the attractions to Empire State Building which they don’t normally list now. All worked absolutely fine and was a really good saving on individual tickets.

In the middles
Edison hotel - it was ok. If we went again I don’t think I’d need to stay quite as close to Times Square. There were sirens and noise all the time. I slept ok but DH had to wear earplugs. There were also a couple of school groups in the hotel, well behaved though. Room was a bit chilly and didn’t seem to warm up much but it was -6 one night we were there.
Food - in general very good, but just expensive to what we’re used to paying in Florida.
Hop on hop off bus - was busy and to get the best views you had to sit up top in the cold. Very cold in February. We had one ok guide, one fab funny guide and no guide on the uptown tour. You do get to see quite a lot, but if you’re using it as a way of getting from place to place the subway is much more efficient. Subway was only $3 a journey and really easy to navigate.
Yellow taxis - we used these to and from the airport. Good journey from JFK to the hotel, took just 50 mins. Much busier getting back to the airport but it was Friday evening, took an hour and 40mins.

Lows - well no real lows, but just not quite so goods
BA flight out. According to the flight attendant we had the oldest plane in the fleet! A 747 that had not been refurbished and due to be retired this summer. It was red hot when we got on, the ife didn’t work at first, then it was only in a loop. They turned the whole planes ife off and reset it, took about half an hour, then eventually it did work.
Flight back - a newer plane and working ife. We haven’t ever flown ba long haul, have done Virgin and AA. The seats on BA just felt more cramped. Having researched it, apparently the seat pitch is the same as Virgin, but definitely felt more cramped. Was quite uncomfortable on the way back. Maybe I’m getting to the age where I need to pay a bit more for PE!

Anyway all in all a fabulous trip to New York. It was busy and we walked loads. We had 4 full days and packed a lot in. Would love to go back in the summer time and spend sometime in Central Park.
Better start saving!