New York

[Greedyfly]

Hello Guys

We are planning a trip to New York - first time. I was wondering if anyone knew a good site to download an itinerary for the typical tourist areas. A plan that will direct you on the best places to go and what order to save time etc. Want to spend a couple days of typical touristy stuff then we will do our own thing.

Thanks

[cathfromsaron]

i have been and thoroughly enjoyed!

i booked virgin flights, my room-only 3* hotel and transfers with 'the big blue taxi' (cheaper minibus from the airport) through expedia! very big savings and worthwhile!

our best tip was a 24hr open top bus ticket! they show you everything and you can hop off/on anytime, or go right round and go back, like we did!

try to stay in 'midtown', so you are a less than 10 min walk to/from central park and time square, and a short taxi ride/nice walk to liberty! the ferry is free and subsided by the subway! go early to liberty to get orange tickets (taking you inside the head etc!)

take lots of small denominations for tips!

expect to tip in restaurants and cafes! they are low paid! also a paper is given out by the unemployed, so tip them too!

you can go up to the observation deck in the empire state, but buy your mementos from the shops NOT from there!

also trump towers has a FREE observation deck and a starbucks! lol!

DON'T GO in july or august! it's not nice weather, but a smelly and dirty kind of heat!

expedia and last minute will give you the cheaper and cooler times to go!

cath x

[Greedyfly]

thanks for your answer. Unfortunately July is exactly when we are going. It's my 30th birthday and I hate the heat. Hopefully I get used to it. Anyone have a site for a good downloadable itinerary? Thanks

[spudqueen]

Just do your own! Buy a good guide book and make a list of all the things YOU want to do and places you want to visit. Divide into 'areas' and do an area a day.
For example, when I went the itinerary went something like
day one (the day we got there), Times Square and Macys
day two, Staten Island ferry, Wall Street, Ground Zero, helicopter trip over Manhatten, then walked through little Italy, Greenwich Village and China Town.
day three, 5th Avenue, including Grand Central Station and Chrylser building. Empire State Building (at night)
day four, Central Park and Metropolitan Museum of Art, Broadway Show (at night)
day five (day we were going home) Rockefeller Center and Top of The Rock

But you might have different priorities eg Brooklyn Bridge, other museums and/or art galleries, Liberty Island, Ellis Island etc etc

[Eve]

I've posted what I did previously on here, will try to find it.

I went end of August (round Labour Day weekend) and we were warned about the weather (but it was cheaper!) and have to say, yes it was hot, though the locals said not as much as it can be, was around 90 degrees, but NY has a lot of tall buildings so you're not walking in direct sunlight a lot of the time in the main built up city and most places have good aircon.

I'm not a sunworshipper at all, don't like it or really hot weather but I was ok and we did a LOT of walking and a load of bus tours on the top deck - I kept a hat on though I do that over here in the sun :) I flagged a bit (bearing in mind I have arthritis too though) on a really long walk we did one day, from near Time Square right down to the Staten Island Ferry via lots of places on the way though people thought we were mad doing that anyway (don't know why, you see loads!). Crossing the Brooklyn Bridge was pretty hot though...it's a long bridge!

[Eve]

Ah ha!
http://www.theanswerb.../Question1077423.html

Definitely get a good grasp of the tipping culture (and lots of small change as if you give larger it's awkward to ask back) do you don't get done for more than you should be - we had tips upfront demanded for help in hotels and told our generous (we thought) taxi tip wasn't enough!

Tips are expected (hence can be demanded!) so automatically adding them onto you bill where you're expected to tip when you calculate is a good habit.

Water is very widely available though - I loved how you often get given a glass of water with meals (inc breakfast) for free automatically and loads of street vendors selling water and soft drinks on street all over main touristy areas.

[solvitquick]

I agree with spudqueen, you do not need someone to plan your itinary there is so much depending on your taste and time available. What about: Start in Toronto (Canada) at air port hotel. Next day join hotel bus trip to Niagra Falls and travel under Falls on Maid Of The Mist boat. Next day fly to NY. Pre-book hotel e.g Geenwich Village or one in 50-55 St street. But when you land at La Guardia check at desk for "cheap" hotel offers. I recommend St Moritz not flashy but overlooks Central Park and is short stroll to 5th Avenue (Tiffanys etc). Best shop Blumentals. Go to South Street by bus. Others as earlier notably Staten Island Ferry, just immediate return to see Stat o' Lib. Beware of dresing too touristy or showing cameras etc. Prepare for culture shock: Very many blacks but friendly and cab drivers hardly speak English - mainly Puerto Ricans. July/August very humid. Visit Empire State Building in day-time (a bit scruffy on entry). Twin Towers a great view point lost, notably of East/Hudson Rivers and Brooklyn Bridge. Don't go to Brooklyn, Lower East or West Side.

[solvitquick]

Be ready for MASSIVE meals. Suggest go old English breakfast and then evening meal. Oh forgot MUST visit "Lindies" (Lindemans or summit spelt like it) cheese cake parlour. Its where Damon Runyan hung out, listening. Wrote Fairy of New York - made into Guys and Dolls. Enjoy your hol. Forget old stories of dangerous city - it's the friendliest place in the world if you stick to populous places.

[Greedyfly]

Thanks guys for your answers will take it all on board. I wanted a pre done itinerary because I already have so much planning to do - was being lazy

[Greedyfly]

Will defo look up all the places listed though = thanks =)

[237SJ]

A good trip to do in July is the Circle Line Tour. It`s a boat tour that goes around Manhattan. It`s reasonably priced, well run and gets you out of the city and the July heat. The Empire State Building is good to visit in the evening at that time of year (it`s cooler) and the city views after dark are more impressive than during daytime. New York hotel concierges are usually very on the ball as far as giving you any info that you need and playing it by ear is a good way to go in NY as far a sightseeing is concerned.

[pastafreak]

I don't quite understand the advice not to go to Brooklyn,or the lower East or West sides. Brooklyn Heights-just across the Brooklyn Bridge-is small,quaint and full of lovely old Victorian brownstones...and the view from the Promenade is one of the best of downtown NYC.

http://www.southbrooklyn.net/b_heights.html

There is also the area near the Williamsburg bridge...where one of NY's oldest steakhouses-Peter Luger-is situated -along with lots of trendy galleries.

http://brooklyn.about...iamsburg-Brooklyn.htm

On the Lower East side,is the Tenement Museum-a testament to the immigrants who made NYC -

http://www.tenement.org/

Finally-on the West side-there is the HighLine-an elevated park built over disused railway lines-which I hope to see next time I visit NYC -

http://www.thehighlin...bout/park-information

[heathfield]

You'll get a better view from the ''Top of the Rock'' (Rockerfeller Centre) than the Empire State Building as it includes the Statue of Liberty. That said, the Empire State building is great towards dusk - go when it's light enough to take photos, and linger till the lights come on in all the skyscrapers. Tip - by law, all hotels in New York must give the public free access to their toilets on request!

[Greedyfly]

Thanks Guys

Pasta I will definitely check out the Highline!

[pastafreak]

Whatever you do-enjoy it all-I'm sure you will. And let me know what you think of the Highline....my brother loves it. ;-)

[spudqueen]

You'll have plenty of time on the plane to work out your itinerary! Just take your guide book on the plane with you.

[solvitquick]

The lower Eastside is a scary place. When we were heading for South Park by bus, there was a queue about 100 people outside a pawnshop, just poor or drug addicts? It is one of the places to avoid. Sorry about anti-Brooklyn advice just know it's poorer than most of Manhattan. Lower West Side..see West Side Story..like to go there? In any city in the world there are safe and friendly places to go and places to avoid. Stick to tourist guideline-book and advice from hotel concierge.

[dawndevil]

Look up tripadvisor and virtual tourist website for tips and places to visit enjoy! you'll want to go back as soon as you've been! :)