wow i've always wanted to go there! Well i'd deffinitly avoid the bronx! I'd reccomend staying in a hotel near central park so you get a nice view, DOn't listen to me though cuz I don't really know much :-S

Unfortunately I can't help with the accomodation-side of things, because I have the advantage of having familiy to stay with while I'm over there, but I should be able to help on the things to do front nearer the time, but the obvious things which spring to mind are:-

Take a boat trip around lower Manhattan to see the skyline.
Staue of Liberty
Empire State Building
Chinatown
Times Square (I had a near death experience when I got in the way of several hundred screaming girls who were on the charge to the MTV studios across the street to catch a glimpse of Justin Trousersnake)
Central Park (took me forever to find the Strawberry Fields monument)
United Nations Building
Radio City Music Hall
Maddison Square Garden (which is round)
The Met
Grand Central Station
Ground Zero (might not feel touristy, but you can only get the sense of the sheer scale of it by seeing the size of the hole!)

I've got a really good pocket-sized travel guide which I used when I was last over there. If I can find the bloody thing, I'll try to remember to bring it with me next weekend.


(Edited by gobstopper 05/03/2005 14:58)

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by gobstopper

Take a boat trip around lower Manhattan to see the skyline.
Staue of Liberty
Empire State Building
Chinatown
Times Square (I had a near death experience when I got in the way of several hundred screaming girls who were on the charge to the MTV studios across the street to catch a glimpse of Justin Trousersnake)
Central Park (took me forever to find the Strawberry Fields monument)
United Nations Building
Radio City Music Hall
Maddison Square Garden (which is round)
The Met
Grand Central Station
Ground Zero (might not feel touristy, but you can only get the sense of the sheer scale of it by seeing the size of the hole!)

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All of the above (although we never got around to going to Grand Central Station and MSG).

Also excellent is Ellis Island. Do this at the same time you go to the Statue of Liberty. For those that don't know, Ellis Island is the site where all immigrants going into NY used to land, and is now a huge, very interesting museum. We really enjoyed it.

We were in New York for three weeks, and had a great time just wandering the streets. We did a lot of walking on the Upper West side of Manhattan where we were staying, and we loved the area. Never felt unsafe (NY is actually a very safe city now, so don't worry about it's old crime rep).

We stayed Here at Riverside Tower Hotel, which Teresa reccomended to us. It's not fancy, because it's meant for people on a budget, but the rooms were clean, the service good and it's in an excellent location, in the aforementioned Upper West Side.

If you're budget is a bit bigger, just search google and you'll find a wealth of hotels.

I'm hoping to go in November (although I say that every year!). I had this hotel recommended to me by some people at (my old) work. Location-wise it's right where you want to be apparently

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by Maffrew
Never felt unsafe (NY is actually a very safe city now, so don't worry about it's old crime rep).

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We didn't feel unsafe at all. Even walking round Lower East Side at gone midnight.

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by Maffrew
We stayed Here at Riverside Tower Hotel, which Teresa reccomended to us. It's not fancy, because it's meant for people on a budget, but the rooms were clean, the service good and it's in an excellent location, in the aforementioned Upper West Side.

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It wasn't a bad place. I've stayed in a lot worse. Handy bagel shop on the corner too The only thing I found with it was that it was a little too far up Manhattan. Next time I go I'm thinking about this place: www.hotel41.com You don't really need to splash out on an expensive room 'cos you'll hardly be in it.

Getting around is easy. The subway is easy to navigate as are the buses. Yellow cabs are a LOT cheaper than UK cabs too. We giggled like kids the first time we hailed one but by the end of the weekend it was second nature.

Everything Gobstopper suggested is a must do. Ground Zero is a very sobering place and I'm not ashamed to say it bought a lump to my throat. We also went on one of the horse carriage rides round Central Park and that was great. We almost did a helicopter tour thing but the queue was stupid so we didn't bother (Phew!). Things like this will need to be booked in advance. Comfy shoes are a must too.

Lucky Chengs planetluckychengs.com was a fun night out too. Notice the famous singer on photo number 4.

We also did a 'Sex and The City' bus tour (Hey! We *were* tourists, lol) which was pretty good if you're a fan of the show.

I can guarentee you'll never forget your first glimpse of Manhattan as you travel from the airport.

I never wanted to go to New York but we booked after a drunk night It's in the top three of my favourite cities (just behind Honolulu and L.A.)

(Edited by Teresa 06/03/2005 20:48)

oo, and the air, sea and space museum on board the USS Intrepid aircraft carrier is pretty cool, lots of stuff to see... though my auntie has yet to forgive me for dragging her through the submarine they have there....

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by Kelspook
oo, and the air, sea and space museum on board the USS Intrepid aircraft carrier is pretty cool, lots of stuff to see... though my auntie has yet to forgive me for dragging her through the submarine they have there....

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Definitely! We did that, dunno why i forgot to mention it. I enjoyed the submarine tour, but they're not made for tall people

Edit: I also forgot the natural history museum, which is not only a really nice building, but is full of excellent displays. If you have some kind of student card you can get a discount. If not, tickets aren't cheap, but they're worth it.

We also did Madam Tussauds, which is much, much better than the one in London.

(Edited by Maffrew 07/03/2005 11:17)

I live just outside NYC, so couldn't resist. Good suggestions above, but I'll add my two cents.

For great views of the New York skyline and the harbor, ride the Staten Island Ferry across the bay from the southern tip of Manhattan to Staten Island and back.

Walk around lower Manhattan, from Wall Street south to the Battery(Manhattan's southern tip).It's the oldest part of the city, where the Dutch started the New Amsterdam settlement in 1625. Narrow streets and interesting historical landmarks such as Fraunces Tavern, Federal Hall, and Trinity Church. The New York Stock Exchange is there, as is the National Museum of the American Indian. You can get the Staten Island Ferry down there, and boats to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge (another NYC landmark) to Brooklyn Heights. There's a promenade on the Brooklyn side with incredible views of Manhattan. Plus, Brookly Heights is a nice walking neighborhood with good eats and shops.

The Greenwich Village area of Manhattan is also great. Used to be the really artsy part of town. Lots of restaurants, small shops and theaters, galleries, places to hear good music. NO skyscrapers. A good number of narrow tree-lined streets with brownstones. Nice area to explore.

Central Park is wonderful. When you're in the center, the city disappears. There are some guided nature walks that seem like fun.

Check out the Cloisters, a museum in northern Manhattan that holds the medieval collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The museum sits in Fort Tryon Park and Inwood Park, at the forest-covered northern tip of Manhattan. Incredibly beautiful views to the north up the Hudson River and across the river to the dark volcanic cliffs called the Palisades.

If you're in NYC in summer, you've got to go to a baseball game at Yankee Stadium. Lots of fun. Also up in the Bronx are the Bronx Zoo and the New York Botanical Garden.

You can see a Broadway play on the cheap if you go to TKTS in Times Square. Broadway shows send their unsold tickets over each day, and if you line up in the morning you can get Broadway tickets at a pretty good discount.

Chinatown and Little Italy. Two neighborhoods next to each other. Also, check out Harlem. Interesting landmarks such as the Apollo Theater (still has live entertainment). There are a couple of well-known restaurants--Sylvia's and Copeland's--that specialize in African-American food. Sunday brunch at Sylvia's is mighty tasty.

You can get tickets to a TV show. They're free. You just write in advance and specify a date. Some of the shows that tape daily in NYC are David Letterman, Conan O'Brian, The View, Tony Danza, Live with Regis and Kelly, and The Daily Show. There's also a tour of NBC's TV studios at Rockefeller Center. I have no idea what they show you.

Wander the Upper West Side area, along Broadway and Columbus avenus. Great shops and restaurants. Also, check out Fifth Avenue just below Central Park. If you have lots of dough, you'll find lots of expensive shops along Fifth Avenue to take your money: Tiffany, Steuben (also a museum), Bergdorf Goodman, the shops at Trump Tower, and on and on. Way out of my price range.

NYC also has a lot of wonderful museums: American Museum of Natural History and the Hayden Planetarium, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the Cooper-Hewitt, the Whitney, the Guggenheim, the Museum of American Folk Art, and on and on.

If you want to get outside the city and have the time, you can easily take a side trip to Washington or Boston. Washington is about four hours south on the train (Metroliner). You can be in Washington in early morning, spend the day, then return the same evening. Or you can stay over a night. Boston is about five hours north. Lots to do and see in both cities. If you're that close, why not visit at least one of them?

If yo have any specific questions you'd like answered, I'd be happy to answer them if I can. Hope you do come. Enjoy your trip!

Woah, didn't realise there was so much to do! The only problems now are a) finding somewhere to stay and b) getting cheap flights!

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by Miss Corrupt
b) getting cheap flights!

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Tell me about it!

I've found that you save *a lot* by travelling from places like Amsterdam, Paris and Brussels. Even if the flights connect in London (bizarrely). If you're close to Stansted/Luton then it's certainly quick and cheap to get to Amsterdam

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by DJ Billy
(quotes)

Tell me about it!

I've found that you save *a lot* by travelling from places like Amsterdam, Paris and Brussels. Even if the flights connect in London (bizarrely). If you're close to Stansted/Luton then it's certainly quick and cheap to get to Amsterdam

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We saved £400 flying from Amsterdam to Hawaii rather than London to Hawaii. Got cheap flights to Amsterdam with Easy Jet and a cheap room when we got there.

Manny's and the 48th street guitar shops.

I'm shocked

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by Teresa

Lucky Chengs planetluckychengs.com was a fun night out too. Notice the famous singer on photo number 4.

(Edited by Teresa 06/03/2005 20:48)

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Didn't recognise the person?? I did see Jennifer Love Hewitt though...

With America, you need to be aware of tipping. This is such an important issue. There can be up to 25% tip added on (especially in the touristy type restaurants in NYC) so I'd be careful if you're paying by cash. You must leave a tip or basically you're blacklisted!

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by lizzieslayer
Didn't recognise the person??

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Sat between the 'lady' in the white cap and her little sister who really shouldn't have been in the place at her age

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by lizzieslayer
(quotes)

With America, you need to be aware of tipping. This is such an important issue. There can be up to 25% tip added on (especially in the touristy type restaurants in NYC) so I'd be careful if you're paying by cash. You must leave a tip or basically you're blacklisted!

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About a 20% tip is considered standard for good service. But you don't have to tip that much (or at all) if the service wasn't good. I tip based on the service and never feel compelled to give additional money that's not earned.

There are some places where the tip is included in the bill, but most places I've been to don't include it. Maybe your're right and it's more of a practice in "touristy" places. If that's the case, it's a pretty disgusting practice and it should be stopped.

I thought 25% was a bit much. When we were in NY I think we generally tipped 15 - 20% in restaurants (except to the crackhead waiter at one diner who got nothing), bar staff $1 per drink (which I really don't get, but still do it, lol), cabs 20% and a couple of $s to the driver taking us to and from the airport on the minibus.

I remember in LA we doubled the tax and then rounded it up in restaurants. This might be wrong 'cos I can't remember how much the tax was in LA. Maybe 7%?

On tax, worth mentioning that most prices are advertised without the tax included - from meals, to jeans, to a pastry stall in the airport. This means if you add up your purchases and take it to the counter, only to be told your purchase is slightly more than you make it - they're not conning you, just adding on the tax.

that one nearly got me into a lot of trouble the first time I flew out there...

Also, buy a metro card for multiple journeys on the underground - you WILL use this alot to get round Manhatten, and buying in advance will save you time and money. And don't make the mistake of thinking the underground is just as it was in 80s movies. It's safer and cleaner than the tube, in my experience, and that includes after dark.

I loved it when Florida had tax free shopping days in the summer. I got some brilliant bargains...

We paid 20-25% in a lot of restaurants, but then again they were very expensive posh places