Looking for some advice for a last minute trip to New York

[andrew1968]

Hi All,

I've been a member here for a few years, but I haven't really posted much - I've finally plucked up the courage, as I'm looking for some help!

I've booked a trip to New York, but it's a bit of a last minute thing - I'm going next Tuesday

When we usually go anywhere, we book everything months in advance and it's all planned like a military operation, so I'm panicking a bit as I've only got 4 days to arrange everything for this trip!

There's only the 2 of us travelling - myself and my 18 year old nephew (it's a bit of a late birthday present), we're flying from Heathrow to Newark with United / Continental and staying at the Crowne Plaza in Time Square for 5 days.

Is it easy to get a taxi from Newark to Time Square? How much will it cost?

We're coming back on Sunday, I think the flights at around 7.00pm, how much time should we allow to get to the airport and check-in?

We're planning on doing the Empire State Building, Central Park etc, but if anyone has got any other recommendations of things we should see and do while we're there, it would be appreciated. Also, if anyone can recommend places to eat, that would be great!

I'm looking for any general hints and tips really, on things anyone can recommend to do and see, and also places to eat while we're there.

Thanks in advance for any hints and tips!

And I'll try and post a bit more frequently in the future

Andrew

[Mrs Valentine]

I went with my 19 year old daughter last Sept. and one of the things we loved was the hop-on hop-off buses. We had a three day pass and were on and off them like a fiddlers elbow.
We also went up the Rockafella Center during the day so u could see the Empire State Building at a distance - great photos. Do the Empire at night/eve, queues are much easier and you get the lights etc. There is a restaurant on street level, think it was called Brewers, we had a meal there before going up, it was very good.
Also had a Helicopter ride then went on the 1 hr boat trip, which was great for taking pics of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island etc.
Statan Island Ferry is free and also can get good photos from there.
Just wander around china town/little Italy was also interesting and of coarse Central Park.
Have fun.

[soooexcited!]

You will have a ball its fantastic.We stayed at the Crowne Plaza in 2009. If you are very tired when you get there a great place to grab a meal is the Irish bar right under the hotel you are in.Cant remember the name O something.They do fab cheesecake. Just off Broadway are two amazing places to eat,just google them. They both came highly recommeded by our Big Apple Greeter. Angus McIndoe and Joe Allens. Just avoid eating just before the shows start because they are rammed.Go after 7.30pm. Come out of the hotel and take a left head up to Central park and stop at the Carnegie Deli for breakfast pancakes or the biggest pastrami sandwich ever.The servers are ancient and pretty grumpy but the food is great. Keep your eyes peeled for celebs they are everywhere. Take time to go round Central Park we only scratched the surface its huge. Seek out Dylans candy bar for great treats for people back home. Shopping on 5th Ave is a must, Lord & Taylor is a lovely shop. Grand Central station is also a must do.Grab a coffee and a bagel in Juniors while at the station. We walked most places and came back exhausted but its such good fun. Harlem is a short subway trip away and is safe and very different to the rest of New York. The sunrise sunset ticket for the Top of the Rock is amazing.Breathtaking views of the city sun up and sun set.

[andrew1968]

I'm exhausted just reading all the stuff you both did there - it sounds great though

Mrs Valentine - which bus pass was it you bought, I notice there's 2 or 3 when I googled them - We don't mind walking though, do you think we'd need a pass, or are more things within walking distance?

Thanks very much for the info about the restaurants, I really had no idea about where to eat - at least it won't be macdonalds every day now!

[soooexcited!]

We walked most places including all the way from the Staten Island Ferry back to Times Square and that is some distance.The only thing with the bus if the traffic is at a standstill which it will be on occasions you dont go anywhere.If you use the subway its great but you cant see the sights.Take the subway to Staten island Ferry tho its a long way. Another great thing to do is pop out of the hotel round the corner to the Mariott Marquis take the super fast lift the "The View" revolving restaurant with stunning views of the night Manhattan skyline.We slowly sipped a cocktail for over and hour (its not cheap) but so worth it.One word of warning leave plenty of time to get back to the airport. If the traffic is building it can take forever.We flew in to JFK the cab ride back took much longer then arriving. A walk around ground Zero while you are down at the Staten island ferry is also a very moving quiet sureal experience. When you go up to Central park you are at Columbus Circle just beyond that is the Time Warner centre. You can grab a fab to go picnic in there from the Whole Food shop in the basement and people watch in Central Park. Can you tell I loved it?!
Friends of ours came back last week and they paid about $50 each to do Bike The Big Apple. If you like cycling they said it was a fantastic way to see the sites and the cars just got out of the way for a large group of cyclists.

[BONDY LAD]

we walked as well,much easier, when/if you go to ground zero,10/15 min walk past is battery park where you get the boat to statue of liberty & ellis island, if you do both prob best to do boat first (queues can get very big, as strict security check), then ground zero(buy ticket in advance) meaning do this on the same day, just a tip, bondy.

[andrew1968]

I think we'll try do walk as much as possible, but we might just get a bus ticket for a day?

Should I book a bus pass before I go, or can I do it when I get there.

Would I be best booking as much as I can before I go?

We'll definitely leave plenty of time to get back to Newark - how long does it usually take to get there in a taxi? I saw on the airport website it says to get ther 2 1/2 - 3 hours early on a Sunday, so I'll start out well before that!

Also, my nephew is into video games and computers, can anyone suggest anything that might appeal to him especially?

[Guest]

Originally Posted by andrew1968

I think we'll try do walk as much as possible, but we might just get a bus ticket for a day?

Should I book a bus pass before I go, or can I do it when I get there.

Would I be best booking as much as I can before I go?

We'll definitely leave plenty of time to get back to Newark - how long does it usually take to get there in a taxi? I saw on the airport website it says to get ther 2 1/2 - 3 hours early on a Sunday, so I'll start out well before that!

See more...

NY is such an accessible city from a tourist perspective that I don't think there is too much you would need to have booked in advance.

I think you would probably already need to have booked if you wanted to go up to the top of the Statue of Liberty (overrated anyway imho!) but not sure if it has reopened yet anyway after refurb.

And we did book for the very moving 9/11 Museum, but so much has changed now with the memorial gardens etc opening that it is probably very different now.

Other than that I think you will be ok.

You can get "discount" theatre tickets from the booths on Times Square. Although beware that the discount will only bring them down to a price that I wouldn't be prepared to pay in the West End!

Other tips:
- Depending on the weather than well worth hiring a bike for a cycle around Central Park
- Get subway over to Brooklyn and walk back into Manhattan across the bridge
- I loved the Staten Island Ferry. Great views of NY and... it's free!
- The ferry terminal in Staten Island is very close to a minor league baseball team. I believe it to be well worth a visit if in season...
- We timed our visit to Top of the Rock to later in the day so as to get great views of Central Park and the NY skyline in daylight and darkness. Think the tickets you buy are for a specific timeslot.

Other than that there is just soooooo much to see that I'm sure you would already have on any NY itinerary!

[Guest]

Hi Andrew
As you can see from my countdown, me and dh are off to New York in 3 weeks. We have only booked 2 things in advance - our tickets for Top of the Rock (they are open tickets, not for a specific time so I'm not sure whether I have actually gained anything by doing this!) and also the ferry to visit Ellis Island (via statuecruises) as we can bypass queues for security. The Statue of Liberty is still closed, I think until October this year.
You can get the train from Newark to Penn Station - Karen_UK posted step by step instructions. I'll try and find her post and put a link to it for you.
Edit - here is the link for air train instructions - post number 10 http://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/show...t=newark+train (hope you don't mind Karen
Our rough plan of action is to do Top of the Rock the day we arrive - we land at 12.15 Friday - and we are staying on 6th Avenue within walking distance. We are also going to locate the subway stop to get us to Battery Park and get our subway passes to save time the following morning. Depending on time/tiredness we may have a mooch around Times Square to soak up the atmosphere as well.
We are booked on the 9.00 ferry the next morning for Ellis Island, and whilst we are in that area we are thinking of visiting the World Trade Center Memorial Site, having a look at Wall Street, then getting the subway back to Grand Central Station.
Then at some point, we want to spend some time in Central Park and visit the Empire State Building and the rest we will take as it comes.
We fly home on Monday evening and I haven't yet thought what time we need to be setting off for the airport - I'll put it on my "to do" list.
Cathy

[andrew1968]

You're well organised aren't you

I did think about getting the train from the airport, but I was just a bit worried how easy it would be, as it's my first time going to New York.

Is getting around on the subway easy? Do you just buy a pass at a station?