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Going to NYC - Help!

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Ok, this has all come about a bit on the hop this evening but it seems that Anita and Me are off to New York in July. All because Joe is off for a few days cruise on the QM2 :lol:

 

So, I think I can manage to book the flights, but where to stay and what should we see. We're planning two days there and it's over a weekend in July.

 

Really excited as I've wanted to go to New York for years - and it's sort of going to happen :shock:

 

Any ideas?

 

A

xx

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Oh you will LOVE it! :lol: I went in December 2005, so it was a bit different ... my top tip is to buy one of the bus tour tickets, and go on a tour round the island, they will point out lots of sights and you can get your bearings. We did this, and I almost got hypothermia ... it should be a bit better in July!

 

Go to the south end (on the bus) and get the ferry out to Ellis Island. Tickets for the Statue of Liberty sell out really quickly, and we didn't go up it but tbh it's actually better to see it, than go up it, I understand. You can get some fab pictures of the New York skyline and the statue. Be prepared for long queues, security was heavier than it was for getting on the plane.

 

Go to Central Park - not sure I'd recommend the expensive buggy ride, but it is fun if you have got time. There's a fantastic toyshop there - name escapes me ... is it Schwarz? ... anyway they have amazing displays of stuffed toys - they had an almost-real-sized giraffe, and just every toy you can think of. Go to Macy's department store - even if you don't buy anything, it's a real experience just going round.

 

Loads of things to do, this is just off the top of my head but I'm sure other people will come up with suggestions! Be prepared for a lot of walking. I am very :mrgreen: , I'd love to go back!

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We went last March and it is fantastic. I would have gone back there straight away.

We stayed at a hotel called the Belvedere which was close to Times Square and reasonably priced.

I loved Macys and Bloomingdales for shopping, everything is so much cheaper over there, make sure you leave enough room in your case!

We didn't take the ferry to the statue of liberty as the queues were really long. We weren't that bothered about actually going onto the island so we got the free Staten Island ferry which goes past the statue and you get a good view of it.

It's worth paying the extra to go right to the top of the Empire State Building, rather than just to the observatory.

Greenwich Village is nice to walk round and the bars there are good for going out in the evening.

I would recommend a bus tour too - it helps you get your bearings. You can just jump on and off all day.

There is just so much to do - you will have a brilliant time!

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You will love NYC.............We went last year in June and the weather was just starting to get hot so take your sun block.

 

We stayed in Battery park at the Embassy Suites which was great for us with teenage son and young daughter, but it would be too far out for a weekend I would say you will be better staying in the centre, the cheaper hotels arn't very plush but you will probably be out most of the time. The more expensive hotels usually have views of Central park but cost a small fortune.

 

Things to do, Central Park is lovely so a walk through on sunday afternoon is a must, we visited The Museum of Natural History in the morning them grabbed a hot dog and ate it while we walked through the park. The Empire State building is good but a bit over rated, the views are great but not a lot else and very expensive. Ellis Island and The statue of Liberty was an interesting day but Emily was a little bored so we only spent a few hours doing that. To aviod the queues try to be up early we found that if you arrived before 10am you didn't have to queue, so you can fit more into your day. If you like shopping then Times Suare is good but very busy and a little bit tacky, for better shops and good bargains on designer labels head for Soho and "Ooops, word censored!"o we spent a whole day shopping and got some real bargains, also lots of cheap places to eat in Soho and great food better then Times Square.

 

And last but not least you really must see a show on Broadway, use the taxis to get around they are very cheap and pack as much in as you can and sleep through the flight on the way home........................You will have a great time........ :)

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ooooh shopping is my fave NYC pastime! Nuff said there - if you want shopping tips let me know!

 

Take the helecoptor tour to do nearly all the sightseeing in one go - even the Statue of Liberty. If you go up the Empire State Building get Express Tickets and then you jump the queue - they cost about $20 more so a snip at a tenner each!!! For breakfast make sure you get "home fries" with it - I love them and would go to NYC just because its the only place I@ve ever managed to get them.

 

Oh and Joe isn't on the QM2 when I am is he - I'm going out and back in August 13th I think is the outward. The QM2 is AMAZING - make sure to wander around the WHOLE ship one day and see all the places you wouldn't normally go - the smoking room is fantastic like a proper gentlemens club. Oh and DON'T MISS martini Mixology - but beware its an afternoon class and will FLOOR you for dinner that evening. The Blackjack tournement was also terrific fun and I got into the final last year. Oh and for something differet at dinner, ask for the vegitarian menue there is a pastry and mushroom dish that is to die for.. ooooh I'm thinking about food again.

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Along with everyone else I'm sure you will have a wonderful time in NY. My daughter and I went in November 2007 for 5 days and had a wonderful time. Depending on your budget there are lots of good places to stay, we stayed at the Radio City Appartments, just around the corner from Times Square. The location was brilliant for just about everything. We booked it ourselves online. Another great place for information is tripadvisor.com, any question just ask and someone will soon provide the answer. You could also book an Big Apple Greeter - NY inhabitants who will meet you and show you around, very useful for learning how to use the subway.

Finally invest in a good guide book and study it before you go. We made an itinerary and although it did change once we were there it gave us a good guide to maximising our time - there's so much to see and do.

 

Sue

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It's wonderful! I was in Newtown, New Jersey for a couple of months, but popped into NYC quite a few times on the bus! It's a bit of a blur to me, as these weren't happy times for me. Hmmm, you have to go in a yellow taxi - just for the hell of it. Central park is wonderful - a park in a city is just wierd! The empire estate building is brilliant for taking photos, as were the twin towers (that are no more) :cry: Times square, dunkin donuts! Yummy

Erm - China town is lovely (or is that Montreal)? I told you it's a blur.

Go & see a show if you can! Avoid Brooklyn and the Bronx at night. Brooklyn is worse than the Bronx these days! Just watch your pockets too, best with a bag across your body!

Shopping, shopping & more shopping! Bloomingdales, Macy's!

You'll love it, but a weekend is enough for anyone with erm Americans! :roll:

 

Emma.x

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Another great place for information is tripadvisor.com, any question just ask and someone will soon provide the answer

 

Sue

 

Trip advisor is fab Ive been registered on there for many years. Just type in NYC and search for hotels and it will find all the hotels you need - ranked in order of the best to the worst - with genuine reviews of the hotels/areas.

 

Theres a forum on there also - so ask any questions to proper new yorkers! :wink:

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No offence xray lady, but everything is SO Big & portion sizes are enough to feed 3 or 4! I had a few too many have a nice days too - probably all said especially for us tourists. It's just that everything was a bit over the top & fantasyland for me! New Jersey & Maine were very very nice & I do know that not all Americans carry the same stereotype - perhaps it's just the New Yorkers? The National parks are beautiful as are the racoons & baby black bears on the highway! :shock: Not too keen on the skunks.

I prefer this sort of America to the City life!

 

Emma.x

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Thanks for all your thoughts so far - knew I could rely on forum friends for help on this one.

 

I'm just realising tho, how expensive this trip could turn out to be and it's worrying me a bit. Cheapest flights I've found so far are £550 and that's without looking at hotels - it has to be somewhere nice :wink:

 

If it gets too expensive we may have to take a rain-check on it for now - got to do some serious looking around to find the best price to make it viable.

 

It's frustrating not earning what I used to so having to think about what I pay :cry:

 

A

xx

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OH & I booked our trip there through Expedia and found a great hotel - Le Parker Meridien (V swish) with flights - very reasonable too.

 

Also if no-one has suggested it so far, take the A train over to Brooklyn and get off at the first stop over the river then walk back over to Manhattan the view is amazing as the city grows before your eyes as you walk closer and closer back into NYC 8)

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All this talk of New York :( - We were all booked up to go for my 40th - suite in the Waldorf, helicopter flight on the morning of my birthday, dinner cruise at night, meal next day at River Cafe - then OH got rushed into hospital. Thankfully he fully recovered after a couple of weeks and we got all the money back.

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I just came from NYC on Monday! I flew with AA for about £280 which I thought was reasonable price.

 

I really liked the shopping. Prices of food, clothes and electronics were generally cheaper, which was obviously great :D . At the restaurant, I suggest to order child portion, since the portions are really bigger then in Europe! The favourite pizza place suggested by my NY friend was Lombardi's pizza which was really fabulous! Don't miss that!

 

Hotels- we slept few nights at Ritz-Carlton at Battery park, which was fantastic however pricey. The rest of the trip we stayed at Amsterdam inn by Central park. It was not luxurious, but fine and we would not hesitate to recommend it to friends who don't want to spend much money.

 

Things to see - don't miss the public library! ..They have free guided tours (I think at 12 and 2pm) which are GREAT fun guided by very enthusiastic guides!! Also, the museum of natural history with a state of art planetarium was fantastic, however reserve about half a day for that :-)

We also went on The Top of Rock for view and on top of Empire state building too. Both were fun.

 

Anyway, enjoy and have a great time. BTW, prepare your self for the shock of dirty and at some places disgusting and spooky subway. But that was the only unpleasant thing in NYC I experienced, the rest was great. Especially the customer service everywhere.

:wink:

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l took hubby for his 40th (surprise :lol: ) even though it was not a place l would of put of my dream places to visit it was awesome we went for a week and for the first couple of days all you do is look up at the height of the buildings (easy way to know who is new in town :wink: ) Times Square was as busy at night as it was by day it's true the city that never sleeps as everybody has said all the good things there is a trip to a shopping centre (sorry can't think of name of it at moment) about 1 hr by bus away full of discount designer shops it was fab also there is Century 21 by the twin towers site. Hope you have a fab time

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