Regretting booking NYC...

[katiec68]

I have been to NYC 3 times - 2 nights, 6 nights and 7 nights - and are stopping off again for 2 nights after our September cruise.

However we are paying nearly as much for our 2 nights this time as we did for our whole 6 nights (including flights! ) first time around

Its an amazing place - I really think there is something for everyone.

We loved being in lower manhattan - near the staten island ferries.

There are also lots of waterfront areas to visit.

This time our main aim is to walk the brooklyn bridge

You can pretty much walk everywhere and take in all the sights - we never felt unsafe.

IF you MUST have scenery take the train north towards Beacon - you'll go underground for 5 minutes and when you come out the scenery is like comparing central london to the scottish highlands - quite amazing. And the train line goes up the side of the hudson river.
Its just amazing.
(My cousin lives in Beacon).

Katie x x

[mouli1]

maybe avoid times square it is as said tacky and busy and not anything special but the rest of the city is fab , central park , the highline , statten island ferry , all free and all great to do without feeling you are in a city
maybe get a hotel that has breakfast , we had holiday inn express , saves time and money especially for a family

[JellyEllieBean]

My kids were 10 and 13 when we went and absolutely loved it, we did Central Park, the zoo, Natural History Museum, Air,Sea and Space museum, 9/11 memorial and they loved shopping. We had a big breakfast at hotel and then just a snack before dinner in the evening, I didn't think prices were too bad... I didn't really get Times Square either, glad we went though. DS would choose NYC over Orlando!

[neilhd]

Originally Posted by wedinflorida

We have 2 nights in NY this October at Homewood Suites by Hilton in Midtown/Times Square. It cost us approx £600 each for flights with BA, Heathrow to JFK, then JFK to Orlando & then direct flights back from Orlando at the end of our holiday. We also have a 7 Seater Mini Van for our Orlando part and also the hotel in NY. We may have got it slightly cheaper booking seperate but we were happy with the price and we were tied to the dates, which is partly half term, so didn't want them to go up any more. We actually got it a lot cheaper calling BA than the online price, not sure how though.

The hotel we are staying in does provide breakfast, so if on a tight budget then may come in useful, and also the room has a kitchen, so always an option to make sandwiches for Lunch etc.

As we are only there 2 days, we are limiting the sights and using it as more of a taster for the kids. They will be 15, 13 and 6 when we go. We will more than likely do the Empire State Building & Central park. Time allowing we may get the Staten Island ferry to see the SOL, but probably won't get off. Kids will love Natural History Museum or The Zoo, but not sure we'll have time for both, so will see how it goes.

We've not worked out food options yet, but more than likely the kids will want a New York Hot Dog and Pizza, so that will keep the price down a bit.

Could you call BA and see if could quote you a price for the hotel. They may be able to find a suitable one in your price range

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Just a point on the Staten Island ferry - you HAVE to get off at the other end, and then wait for the next one to come back. I think we waited about 30 minutes.

[jas72]

I'm in the minority that liked times square the hop on hop off busses were great as well if you have mobility problems.

I also couldn't find these great deals for hotels that others seem lucky to find despite looking for weeks so it was an expensive trip I could have got two weeks in an orlando villa for the price of 4 nights in a 3* hotel but I loved it and can't wait to go back.

I wouldn't cancel it as it's worth it.

For the ESB I would give it a miss hours queueing despite buying a express pass. Dread to think how long others waited I'd do the Rock instead.

[Guest]

There's loads to do for free or next to nothing in NYC:

thriftynomads/6-tips-to-d...-on-the-cheap/

thrillist/entertainm...s-to-do-in-nyc

timeout/newyork/thin...s-to-do-in-nyc

[jimmymc]

Really interested in this thread as we are going to new York in June for 2 weeks! We are staying at the empire hotel upper West side and it is quite expensive but it does have an outdoor pool which we wanted. As well as the touristy sites we will vusit, we want to explore the real NYC so will be doing lots of walking and discovering the real NYC! Can't wait 😃😃

Maureen

[katiec68]

Originally Posted by jimmymc

Really interested in this thread as we are going to new York in June for 2 weeks! We are staying at the empire hotel upper West side and it is quite expensive but it does have an outdoor pool which we wanted. As well as the touristy sites we will vusit, we want to explore the real NYC so will be doing lots of walking and discovering the real NYC! Can't wait 😃😃

Maureen

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Take a train trip up north - its outstanding. I had NO idea the scenery would be soo dramatic.

You can do it for a day - lots of amazing communities, walking, and arty places.

ITs like being in London and 20 minutes your in the lake district!

Probably not worth it if you only have a couple of nights but if you have 2 weeks then you have plenty of time to do other things.

KAtie x x

[Mibbs]

Originally Posted by mulv2222

I've always wanted to go, but now we are booked for a 2 nights top over on our way to orlando i'm not so sure

We will be staying a Fri/Sat night in Oct and the accommodation is SO expensive. I'm worried the kids (11 & 14) will be bored / fed up of walking, and dh will man about the cost...

Help! I'm tempted to call BA and see if we can change the flights on our flydrive but that would probably cost, or cancel, we'd lose £300...

Will it be worth it?

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Dont Cancel, we visited with our 11 yesr old son at the time and it was fantastic, so much to see without breaking the bank.

[Mortimer Mouse]

Don't cancel. You're doing it the right way round,imo, by doing NY first before Orlando. We went last summer with my teens 12,15 & 17 and they all enjoyed it.

We stayed in the Salisbury Hotel on 57th st, which was by far the cheapest for our family size which was great value. We had a 1 bed suite - 2 queens and a sofa bed in the lounge. The furnishing were dated but it was all spotlessly clean and the staff were lovely.

The kids loved seeing the city as it is already familiar to them after seeing it on TV and in movies. (Home Alone 2, Enchanted, Stuart Little ...)

Book THE RIDE - a highlight for us. Take the kids to the Apple store and Dylans candy bar.
There's a Sprinkle's bakery nearby and an Earl of Sandwich near the TOTR. Plus there's Nintendo World and Sony mega lab.

When you get to Orlando, everything looks so bright and clean and it was lovely arriving as a domestic passenger, without that jet lag feeling.

Go for it !