Things to do in NYC

Hi all,

I'm making a trip with my family to New York for the first time this coming November. I am flying in on the Friday and then out on the Monday as we are going to be having a long weekend there.

What I am hoping some of you could possibly help with is to give me a run down of some things to do or go and see that reveal the true heart of the city, i'm looking for things that are off the normal tourist trail.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks

Cheese

Well, if I were going to New York, I'd go to the new Apple store. But that's probably pretty touristy. :black:

Actually it's not that touristy. It's a really nice store. Well laid out. It's also open 24 hours so if it gets too crowded, just head over there later at night!

I bought my Macbook at like 2am!

As for the rest of New York. Here's what I would recommend. Most of New York is rather touristy.
Chinatown's Canal Street (even though you can get all the cheap stuff there) is a trap and you'll end up getting stuck in pedestrian traffic for more than an hour. I'd recommend going, but really just pass through it and up to Little Italy (just above Chinatown) and on to Soho area.

Times Square is also a tourist trap. You'll definitely want to go though, and if you want to go, go at night after dinner so you can see it in all it's glory (lights lights lights).

5th Ave is nice from Times Square upwards (42nd-ish street all the way up to the Apple store at the end). Big sidewalks in the 50s streets to take a nice stroll. Big shops that sell expensive stuff.

Greenwich Village (6-8ave, 9-20st-ish) is a nice area with NO highrise buildings. It's a nice area to walk around. There are a lot of small shops and restaurants and bars and stuff. It's also NYU area, so the crowd is younger.

If you want to shop then Soho is nice but it's also really crowded during the days and weekends. Soho is on Broadway (cross streets are Prince and Spring street) above Canal Street past North Little Italy. I'd recommend going to West Soho on West Broadway, you get a lot of little boutique stores around that area.

Check out the NY Stock Exhange building, it's a nice building. You can also go see the famous Wall Street Bull and head over to Battery Park area to get a good view of the Statue of Liberty without having to ferry it over there.

What else is there.... I'm not really sure what you wanna do there (see sights, or shop, or party, etc). There are a lot of different places to go depending on what you want to do. Since you say it's your first time and all I just listed a few of the places I enjoyed going to while I was there for a summer.

Just some tips for NYC. Even Avenues go North, and even street number go East. That generally applies but not 100% of the time.

WTC, statue of liberty, broadway show (buy tickets ahead of time or at like 7am when the windows open for cheap tickets), times square, china town, lil italy, holochaust museum (in battery park), battery park (during the day), MOMA, history museums, appollo theater

Definitely make it a point to get to the top of the Empire State Building, it was splendiferous.

I also walked around Times Square, went to Virgin MegaStore, and ate at the McDonalds in Times Square. McDonalds isn't a great thing to see, but I've seen it on TV all the time, so I wanted to be able to say "Hey! I ate there!"....

I had a great time, you'll enjoy pretty much whatever you do.

Yes definately go to McDonalds in Times Square. Its McDonalds but still in NYC. Also i went there but didn't go all the way up the Empire State Building. But you need to go it will be a awesome site.(a lot of my cousins told me)

Also remember to land there at night by plane. It is a awesome sight from up high. Lights and lights. Really precious site.

surfwax95 said:

Definitely make it a point to get to the top of the Empire State Building, it was splendiferous. .

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Agreed!

I stayed a few days in NYC a few years back, stayed at a hotel IN Times Square in fact, my room overlooked it.

I'm moving to NYC (Brooklyn) in two and a half weeks! Absolutely love it out there and would add:

Serendipity III for some awesome dessert (just be ready for a long waiting time, it's worth it!).
The Guggenheim or the Met Museum (they're both on the west side of the Central Park).
Don't forget to take the subway wherever you go.

If you're going to be there in November, it'd be worth it to take a stroll through Central Park, hopefully the fall colors will still be on the trees!

Thanks people. I should have specidied that I am not going there to party just to do some sight seeing. Also the family want to try and get some xmas shopping done while we are there. i just want to discover the place.

I'm also quite looking forward to the 'All you can eat for $5' restaurants.

Say_Cheese said:

Thanks people. I should have specidied that I am not going there to party just to do some sight seeing. Also the family want to try and get some xmas shopping done while we are there. i just want to discover the place.

I'm also quite looking forward to the 'All you can eat for $5' restaurants.

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they have a lot of those in NYC? regarding food i must remind you that the NYC are has THE BEST food in the world, hit up some decent or interesting restaurants....i only know of vegan restaurants off the top of my head though
-chris

If you like art?! or want to see some of the most famous paintings in the world (ie:- Dali's Persistence of Memory [you know the one with the melting clocks]) check out the Museum of Modern Art (MoMa) its pretty cool to see a lot of famous art from books. It's one of those place where you just have visit at least once. They have a lot of stuff from Dali to Jackson Pollock and everything in between. You have to pay to get in but if your a student you can get in for around $12, which I think is worth it.

PS:- You have to go to pizza place in NYC they're the best. Just look out for anything food with the Zagat logo which is like a food critic recommendation which means the food is good and so is the service.

If you like deli food check out Roxy Deli in times square, they put a pound of meat on each sandwhich. Great place to eat. Also good they have good cheesecake :headphone

I love times square and central park, you also have to check out grand central station. If your looking for a historic thing check out elis island, the ferry ride takes you right past the statue of liberty.

Metropolitan museum of art (the met) is a 'recommended donation' so give them whatever you want as you walk through the door

you need to go get good bagels too
-chris

if you want some good pics of the stsaue of liberty, but dont want to go to it. take the Staten Island Ferry, its free and goes past it. also another neat place is Ellis Island. One place all my friends seem to want to go to is Grey's Papaya. The hot dogs there are ok juices are that bad either. Your kids, or you for that matter, might like FAO Schwartz.

Bouncnb said:

might like FAO Schwartz.

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dont even bother, FAO went bankrupt a few years back and they only have like 2 stores left, the stores are ran by a different company and is no where near as grand or awesome as the original FAO stores were
-chris

I went to NYC last summer. it was wonderful! we went to Times Square, a few museums, WTC, Soho, Chinatown, 5th Ave... etc! definitely go check those places out.