What to do in NYC on the first day/afternoon

[Goldia]

Originally Posted by FloridaFairy

Thank you for your reply goldia, it does t sound as if you were too far away from where we are staying.
I've been pouring over maps and such like and it looks pretty easy to navigate by foot ... or am I being optimistically misled lol!

That sounds like a great way to start. which diner did you use that evening? We've heard nyc is expensive for eating out unless you know where to go.

Thanks again

Xx Ff xX

See more...

We like walking and prefer it as we feel we get to see more of a place by walking. I really liked the grid system for navigating and found it pretty easy. I had a map on my phone as well that I'd downloaded.

It can be expensive eating out, but there are cheaper places and we had breakfasts and lunches from the food trucks. $1- $2 for bagels and cream cheese, lovely big bagels too, rolls with eggs, bacon and sausage for a few dollars, hot dogs were only $3-$4, lots of places to buy a slice of pizza too, we had yummy pizza over in Brooklyn for just a couple of dollars a slice, and there were also gyros food trucks but we didn't get round to trying those.

As Kateb78 said Grand Central Terminus is an amazing building. We also ate in the food hall in the basement for lunch one day. If you get a chance to go there do so it was great. Massive choices of all different cuisines and cultures, definitely something to please everyone in your party and was fairly cheap. Lunch for the 4 of us was about $40. We had tacos, DS had pizza and DD had chicken korma, all bought from different places...all really tasty.

We ate out in restaurants every night. We went to Rosie O'Gradys, 7th Avenue opposite our hotel, which was our best meal, we loved it, we had steaks and desserts for four of us with a bottle of wine, it was about $150. Junior's was a close second for the delicious cheesecake, it was about $130 I think, this is for four people and we had mains, desserts and a bottle of wine.

I'd wanted to go to Ellen's Stardust diner for dinner but the queue was way too long so we went back for breakfast which was fabulous, I loved it.

On reflection I don't think the prices were too bad really. Drinks were pricey, and I do like a cocktail, one round in our hotel lounge was $50 (and the kids only had small cokes), ouch! All the food was great and we really enjoyed it.

I hope you have a brilliant holiday

[FloridaFairy]

Originally Posted by kateb78

The "food hall" is amazing! There's loads of choice. We had a burger from shake shack and cheesecake from Juniors. There are higher end options too.

Grand Central itself is also fabulous and obviously iconic so it's well worth a look around.

You'll have a fab time

See more...

Fabby! Just had a look at the menu in the shake shack today... Never really noticed we had one near to us until now !

Defo on my list as is Grand Central too!

Thanks again kateb78

[FloridaFairy]

Originally Posted by DisneyDaffodil

We landed around the same time as you and checked into our hotel around 3pm. We freshened up and went for a walk around Central Park as our hotel was on the edge of the park. We ate food at Ballfield's cafe in the park and enjoyed the atmosphere in the summer sunshine.
In the evening we walked down 5th ave, looked around St Patrick's Cathedral and Rockefeller Centre and booked our time for TOTR for the following evening. It was a lovely relaxing start to the holiday.
Hope you have a great time 😊

See more...

Oh yes it sounds a nice easy way to start the holiday.
St Patrick's is on my list as us Rockefeller Centre especially TOTR. Evening is best? .
I just looked up Ballgields Cafe and it sounds amazing, especially the beers! But I think it may be a bit cold in Oct/Nov!

Xx Ff xX

[floridafan101]

We are due to arrive about 1pm so planning to drop off bags and head to Times Sq for a look around. However I am liking the sound of Central Station for food that evening so may add that into the first day too. Not long now!

[BevS97]

We were in our hotel by 2:20 and went to Ellen's Stardust diner for a late lunch then a walk through Times Square and back to our hotel.
We crashed about 7pm.
bevs97.wordpress/2017/07...the-big-apple/

[FloridaFairy]

Originally Posted by paulap

We didn't land until 4 so it was 7 before we got in the room and sorted ourselves out. We walked to Times Square and had a look round the shop then bought the obligatory hot dog from a vendor in Times Square.

See more...

I think Times Square is going on my list for the first day and those hot dogs have made the list too.
Thanks for the ideas Paulap.

Xx Ff xX

[DisneyDaffodil]

Originally Posted by FloridaFairy

Oh yes it sounds a nice easy way to start the holiday.
St Patrick's is on my list as us Rockefeller Centre especially TOTR. Evening is best? .
I just looked up Ballgields Cafe and it sounds amazing, especially the beers! But I think it may be a bit cold in Oct/Nov!

Xx Ff xX

See more...

We booked TOTR for 8pm and as it was July, we saw the view turn from daylight to sunset. It was beautiful. So worth trying to time your ticket just as dusk falls.
Gorgeous sunny weather when we were in NYC, the beer was very refreshing at Ballfields.

[disney_l81]

we were through immigration quickly after landing around 1.00pm, we got to the hotel around 2.30, we stayed at the Doubletree on Lexington. We dumped the bags in the room which was ready and walked from the hotel to grand central, round to the public library, back out and down to times square had a nosy round the shops, back to the hotel and then out for dinner at the 21 club, we eventually hit the sack around 1.00am and were up again early the next morning.

[FloridaFairy]

Originally Posted by disney_l81

we were through immigration quickly after landing around 1.00pm, we got to the hotel around 2.30, we stayed at the Doubletree on Lexington. We dumped the bags in the room which was ready and walked from the hotel to grand central, round to the public library, back out and down to times square had a nosy round the shops, back to the hotel and then out for dinner at the 21 club, we eventually hit the sack around 1.00am and were up again early the next morning.

See more...

Was the public library worth visiting? Haven't thought of that one.

Looked up 21 club too! Looks very posh. I'm not sure I'll be taking clothes to dress up of an evening
Was it nice there though?

Xx Ff xX

[FloridaFairy]

Originally Posted by BevS97

We were in our hotel by 2:20 and went to Ellen's Stardust diner for a late lunch then a walk through Times Square and back to our hotel.
We crashed about 7pm.
bevs97.wordpress/2017/07...the-big-apple/

See more...

Just had a quick look at your link and was excited to see that you we're staying at the doubletree. We're staying at a doubletree by Hilton but it's in a different street/avenue as Ellen's stardust diner is a little way from us.

Xx Ff xX