New York

[Misty77]

We are going to New York at the end of November for my 30th Birthday. We're staying 5 nights, but there's so much to see and do, I'm really stuck ! One thing I want to do is go on a boat trip past the State of Liberty, but everything else - I really don't know ! Is there anything I really MUST do ?

[spudqueen]

First of all buy yourself a good guide book. The one I use is A Brits Guide to New York.
The places I went to were:
Staten Island Ferry
Walking across Brooklyn Bridge
Ground Zero
Greenwich Village
Empire State Building
Top of the Rock (Top of the Rockefeller Centre)
Grand Central Station (A MUST!)
Shopping on 5th Avenue
Macys
Times Square
A show on Broadway
Central Park
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Natural History Museum (the one in the film A Night At The Museum)
Sunday Brunch in the revolving restaurant in Times Square

I'm sure that most peoples list will include many of the above, plus other places I haven't done like Ellis Island. The thing is, decide what YOU want to do, everyone will have different priorities. But my MUST place would be Grand Central - fantastic!
Have a brilliant time.

[loonytunes]

Grand Central is a definate. At that time of year Macy's have probably dressed their windows for Christmas and they really are worth going to see - animated figures and music. Then go to the basement for lunch. Best value and quality in NY.

[spudqueen]

loonytunes - yes, I've eaten in the basement of Macys a couple of times - excellent food.

[jno]

for Broadway shows get a half-price ticket on the day at the TKTS booths - a busy one in Times Sq, a less busy one at South St Seaport; we got tickets for The Producers on the spot. Depends what's available, of course.

Amen to everything Spudqueen says, though I have yet to walk to Brooklyn. If you've got 3 hours or so to spare, a cruise round Manhattan is great.

[spudqueen]

jno - don't walk to Brooklyn - get the subway to Brooklyn and walk back to Manhatten - that way you are looking at all the wonderful views on the way across the bridge!

[society]

You will be crazy to walk back to Manhattan.

[almcd007]

I would add to the list with Liberty Helicopter Tours - they are brilliant.

Empire State is alright very busy and great to say you've been up it but go for the top of the Rockefeller because you get The Empire State in your Skyline Photo.

Also at the top of the Marriott Hotel there is a revolving restaurant with un beatable views of Manhattan. We're going again in December. You might find that xmas is not set up until Thanksgiving is over and done with - but central Park in Winter is excellant too.

[BenDToy]

To sail past the Statue of Liberty, catch the Statten Island Ferry. Free (or at least it used to be free) boat trip with an excellent view of the statue. Don't bother getting off at Statten Island though. Stay on and come straight back.

[spudqueen]

almcd007 - that's the restaurant we had Sunday brunch in - the food was absolutely fantastic and we had a great laugh when we went to get our starters, spent ages choosing then turned round to find our table had moved and we didn't know where it was!

[anderlee]

Hi misty77

I have been to NYC twice and going again in april. Everything in the first list is about right. We walked back over brooklyn bridge to manhattan and its fab. Grand Central is beautiful and cosmopolitan,also loved all the little villages and EATING!!
One thing we did which was unusual was go to the Law Courts, near Wall St i think. Ask to sit in the gallery. A security guard was very helpful asd told us to go and watch the Mafia member on trial for murder and lots of other things. That was great and surreal!! Central park is lovely too. Have a fab time you will want to go back again and again

[MagsE]

If you are fit and the weather is OK - walking over Brooklyn Bridge is amazing! The Staten Island ferry was still free last year - but you have to get off and back on again on the other side, security reasons I think.

We visited the Public Library last time we were there - wow! and wow! again. (And it's free). Washington Square is always interesting - there's usually quirky, but fun, entertainment. Central Park is a truly great oasis of tranquility in a huge and dynamic city. Very interesting at the weekend when New Yorkers go there to relax.

The Top of the Rock is good - especially for a great view north of the whole of Central Park and beyond (go before dark) but I preferred the good old ESB - you have better views of the most iconic NY buildings, plus you can see the gridlines of the road much better. We found it wasn't worth paying the extra to go up the last few floors of the ESB. We thought the lift man had died he was so ancient and it is very claustraphobic up there. The ordinary viewing area is excellent.

Have a great time!