V-Flyer

Wondering if I can pick the brains of those who have been there, done that & probably got a 'I ❤ NY' Fridge Magnet

My Trip Starts in Boston, Not there for long, so will just be the city stuff & to watch a baseball game at Fenway.
Next up is Niagara Falls for one day. Ive booked tickets for the american side (despite booking a hotel the canada side - as I want to do the Cave of Winds.
Following that, it's 2 days is in Washington. I'm probably going to just rent a segeway tour - They layout of the city seems tourist friendly & I wont be getting off the beaten track.
I follow that up with a trip to Philly for 1 1/2 days. Not really sure what to do here except run up the rocky steps & see the liberty bell.

Then the fun starts in New York. I arrive Sunday afternoon & leave Friday Evening.

My intern is currently as follow :-
Sun Evening
Pick up 'New York Pass' - a lot of my intern is based on taking full use of the pass.
See Times Square at night
Go look around Grand Central Station

Monday
AM - Central Park & Museum of Modern Art
PM CircleLine42 Sightseeing Cruise & Intrepid Air & Sea Museum (I want to see the Space Shuttle)
Evening is Free-ish - not decided on the cruise yet, as they do daytime & night time.

Tuesday
Wall St, Charging Bull, 911 Memorial, 911 Tribute Centre,
One World Observatory, shopping in 21 Century.
Evening - Otto's Pizzeria wine tasting (at 18:30)
Empire State Building (at night for city photos)

Wed
Top of the Rock & Rockafella Tour
Radio City Music Hall
Times Square & Madame Tussauds
Evening - Broadway Show

Thursday
Ellis Island
Little Italy & Chinatown
maybe Ghostbusters HQ
Evening is Blank & last evening in NY - so maybe a slap up meal somewhere.

Friday
Museum of Natural History
JFK Clubhouse

I need to squeeze in Brooklyn Bridge & Metropolitain Museum of Art somehow (I am intrigued by Faberge Eggs after seeing the one's in Moscow.)

For me no trip to NYC is complete unless I visit Katz's Deli.

If you like music and musicals I can recommend brandy's piano bar on the upper east side. Man playing a piano all night and the whole bar sings along...I had a scream there with the ballet guys from abt!

ultreen1 wrote:If you like music and musicals I can recommend brandy's piano bar on the upper east side. Man playing a piano all night and the whole bar sings along...I had a scream there with the ballet guys from abt!

Im staying in the upper west side, so wont be venturing that far for a night out.
I was looking for help with my itinerary rather than places to eat & drink.
That will be for a return trip. I just want to knock off all the tourist trap things as this is a sightseeing holiday.

Same as food... Ill be trying street foods & BBQ pits - though I might take a look at Katz deli in the hunt for the perfect Rueben. Im not staying to far from Arties - but reviews there are hit & miss.

Sorry if that comes across rude. I dont mean it to.

I would reccomend the full island cruise on circle line (i did this last year and thought it was really interesting with a local guide an commentary all the way round the island of Manhattan.)

Make sure you go all the way up to the 101st floor of the Empire State just to say you have done it. (There are two observation floors 86th and 101st)

And add a walk through Central Park.

Sparks steakhouse for a gangster steak !!

I think views from Top of the Rock are great, better than ESB, as you can see the ESB from there, giving a more iconic view.

Another TOTR vote. We did in early Thanks Giving morning and were the only 2 people up there. Quite special.

Another vote for TOTR. Also I love the Highline - high level garden walkway from the Meatpacking District certainly to 30th and they are working to take it round to the Hudson. It's maybe easier to do a search and see details than for me to try to explain it.

If you're interested in the immigrant experience - and visiting Ellis Island suggests you may be - then think about taking in one of the tours at the Tenement Museum. It's just under a 10 minute walk from Katz's.

Another vote for the High Line, especially if the weather is nice.

If you are visiting Grand Central in the evening, you may want to check out the bar called Campbell Apartment which is very atmospheric.

I would also say that don't have too high an expectation for Century 21 - I was a bit disappointed but YMMV.

Ellis Island - the park rangers tours are well worth doing. Very informative.

For your last evening on Thursday, if you are already around Little Italy/China town way, you could check to see what's on at the Mercury lounge. A few years ago we tried our luck and saw an NYC band called Gangstagrass and they were fantastic. Great live music venue.

As this thread has proven, in just a handful of posts, NYC is an amazing place... with loads of things to do and see... and everyone likes different things... and NYC can cater for all.

You will have a great time whatever you do.

This is helping me plan my Christmas trip. I'm thinking Christmas Eve harbour lights cruise on circle line, Rockettes / Radio City Christmas spectacular on Christmas Day, followed by TOTR at night. Some walking around in the parks, a bit of shopping and maybe 911 memorial or Ellis Island if there's time, could slot one in on Christmas Eve and one Boxing Day.

Although I don't want to rush so that might be enough, or even too much. I've got to eat too and find time to just chill out.

Thanks to the OP for this timely thread.

New York

The High Line - just do it. You'll see excellent and different views. The Whitney museum has also literally just reopened in new premises at the southern end of the high line.

I'd do the Met over MOMA but you probably should be able to fit both in.

Remember to check closing days as many of the museums close one day a week depending on the season (not sure when you are going but don't want you to get caught out). They also usually have at least one day with late night opening.

If you are doing Ellis Island then you really should stop off on Liberty Island even if just to walk around the statue. The boats leave on a regular basis for Ellis Island.

Madame Tussauds - I only went because it was on the New York Pass and had an hour to fill. It was just awful. And Dire. And did I mention it was awfully dire?

A shop on every level, the same person featured multiple times on the different levels. If I had paid proper money I would have demanded a refund.


As for shows check www.playbill.com for schedules (some don't play mid week in favour of weekend opening) and the Theatre Development Fund (Tkts) booth in Times Square will get you discounts for many shows too - check the website for current offerings.


Washington

Check the Smithsonian website to get a complete list of all their museums - many of the well known ones are part of the Smithsonian 'system'. Then check the individual websites as there is building work going on in several of them and various exhibits closed.

You can also do a tour of Congress - book it in advance. The visitors centre is open without doing the tour but either way be prepared for heavy security

Philadelphia

Not been yet but the liberty bell is, I'm told, worth a visit.

As is the museum of art better known as you say as the Rocky Steps. Perhaps you should go in rather than box!

Boston

Museum of Fine Arts - Arts of the Americas Wing is worth a visit.

The Isabella Gardner Museum is interesting as it is laid out as it is when she died - it is a stipulation of her will that nothing be changed. As they were her things there are actually very few labels as she knew every object. There was a famous robbery here years ago and they have just left the frames of the stolen pictures in place.

JFK Library also worth a visit.

The freedom trail may be over hyped but it is still a good, interesting walk. Get a map and do it at your own pace and skip the bits that don't interest you.

Bretty wrote:This is helping me plan my Christmas trip. I'm thinking Christmas Eve harbour lights cruise on circle line, Rockettes / Radio City Christmas spectacular on Christmas Day, followed by TOTR at night. Some walking around in the parks, a bit of shopping and maybe 911 memorial or Ellis Island if there's time, could slot one in on Christmas Eve and one Boxing Day.

Although I don't want to rush so that might be enough, or even too much. I've got to eat too and find time to just chill out.

Thanks to the OP for this timely thread.

If you enjoy a bit of fine dining, I'd highly recommend Juni, Bouley and also the Modern at MoMa (if you are visiting that anyway). Really excited that you've managed to convince your OH's to go to NYC! You will both love it

mrsw wrote:

Bretty wrote:This is helping me plan my Christmas trip. I'm thinking Christmas Eve harbour lights cruise on circle line, Rockettes / Radio City Christmas spectacular on Christmas Day, followed by TOTR at night. Some walking around in the parks, a bit of shopping and maybe 911 memorial or Ellis Island if there's time, could slot one in on Christmas Eve and one Boxing Day.

Although I don't want to rush so that might be enough, or even too much. I've got to eat too and find time to just chill out.

Thanks to the OP for this timely thread.

If you enjoy a bit of fine dining, I'd highly recommend Juni, Bouley and also the Modern at MoMa (if you are visiting that anyway). Really excited that you've managed to convince your OH's to go to NYC! You will both love it

Thanks for those recommendations mrsw, Bouley looks great and with a good choice for my OH whose palate isn't quite as developed as mine

I agree with Tonty Madame tussards is dire and when I visited absolutely packed!

Thanks for all the input.
Forgot to say I am staying in the Belleclaire Hotel.

I only put Tussauds on my list as its part of the new york pass list & I have never been. It is one of those I will scratch if I can't fit other things in.

This is a list of attractions on NY Pass - my plan is ESB at night for night time shots & TOTR for daytime + to get a good photo of ESB.

https://www.newyorkpass.com/En/new-york-attractions/
As you can see cruise is incluced as well as a whole day water taxi pass, which I plan to use for Brooklyn (ferry port is near Intrepid Museum)

I am going to do the One Viewing Deck as it has just opened.

One thing I am annoyed about is that I could not get tickets to go into the SoL Head. They had all sold out for my dates. Because of that I will avoid Liberty Island for a future trip.

Re ESB/TOR - that's the best way to do them!


Re SOL - tickets for the crown are bookable 3 months in advance and because numbers are limited they sell out quickly.

Just because you can't get to the crown should nots stop you visiting Liberty Island and then Ellis Island. You can still access the museum and the pedestal.

Re Tussards - there are other things on the pass that are available. Is the NY Discovery Centre still on it (not checked yet for my trip). They usually have something interesting on.

Re the Circle Line cruise options - their main base is right next door to the Intrepid so factor that in to your decisions. I've done the 3 hour circle tour and it was fascinating to see the difference between the lower half of the island and the top half.

tontybear wrote:Re ESB/TOR - that's the best way to do them!


Re SOL - tickets for the crown are bookable 3 months in advance and because numbers are limited they sell out quickly.

Just because you can't get to the crown should nots stop you visiting Liberty Island and then Ellis Island. You can still access the museum and the pedestal.

Re Tussards - there are other things on the pass that are available. Is the NY Discovery Centre still on it (not checked yet for my trip). They usually have something interesting on.

Re the Circle Line cruise options - their main base is right next door to the Intrepid so factor that in to your decisions. I've done the 3 hour circle tour and it was fascinating to see the difference between the lower half of the island and the top half.

Thanks, I think I'll keep SoL as something I can drop if im tight on time. When I checked for Crown tickets, They had sold out upto 2 weeks after the dates I am in NY. Im really disappointed about it.
As you say the circle line cruise is by the intrepid. Also the water taxi is on one of the other piers, where I get a one day pass. Planning on using that to get a taxi to Dumbo & then do the bike ride (after some pizza) over Brooklyn Bridge.

Discovery is still on the list, however it has the body pulse exhibition & my other half dont fancy seeing skinned bodies of dead people.

I'd not got as far as seeing what was on there. Body Pulse don't appeal to me either!

Eggtastico wrote:my other half dont fancy seeing skinned bodies of dead people.

Really? How odd!!

Question about Empire State Building & Top of the Rock:
I'm thinking of putting both into my Xmas trip, daytime / nighttime - which one for which attraction, any opinions?

Ta

TOTR day

ESB night

Of the two, I preferred TOTR looking over Central Park.

There were huge chunks of ice falling off the ESB when we were last there, rather dangerous, so watch out if it is icy when you visit!

Maximus wrote:TOTR day

ESB night

Of the two, I preferred TOTR looking over Central Park.

There were huge chunks of ice falling off the ESB when we were last there, rather dangerous, so watch out if it is icy when you visit!

Cheers bud

Might do TOTR before going to see the Rockettes in Xmas day then ESB Xmas night.