I'm not particularly well-traveled girl and this will be my first visit to New York, the US even. I have a full week there, but besides the obvious sights and locations I don't really know what I would do and where I would go...
What would YOU do if you were to visit New York? What would you see and where would you go? Any especially awesome stores and resturants I should check out? Also, how does someone who is used to vast empty mountains and valleys, small towns and farms cope with one of the biggest and densest cities in the world? Anything I should look out for? I'll actually be staying on Manhattan Island btw.
Can't help much, seeing as I usually only travel with some kind of specific goal in mind, and then just do whatever happens to pop up in my free time on vacation.
Hi! Native New Yorker here! Firstly, you kinda picked a bad time to come here. The weather's turning cold & windy again.
Second, as you could probably guess, everything in Manhattan is going to be expensive.
Third, be very wary of food street vendors. Most don't have a licence, and as such, aren't kept in check by the health department.
As for things to check out, there isn't much outside of the obvious I can suggest, and since I don't go to Manhattan often, what I can suggest is very limited. But, I'll try.
Times Square - Very obvious, but for good reason. There's a whole lot to check out there or close by. Some things include the Toys R Us, Madame Tussauds (wax sculpture museum), Ripley's Believe it or Not!, and a place that on Sundays during brunch has a Beatles tribute band play (sorry, can't remember the name or where it is, just remember that it's somewhere kinda by a McDonald's).
World Trade Center - This one I don't know if I can really recommend, as it's kinda hard to be there, in more ways than one. Outside of the sad/depressing reasons, it's a bit hard to get around due to all the people there and the construction, and there'll be a lot of people trying to sell you 9/11 related things (mostly picture books of some sort). Also, since the cold weather is back, there's the danger of massive icicles forming and falling from 1 World Trade (aka the Freedom Tower).
55 Central Park West - It's Spook Central! Nearby may also be Tavern on the Green (the restaurant Luis Tully runs to when being chased by the 'dog'), but they closed down a few years back. Dunno if the building is still there, or if it was torn down and replaced with something else.
Strawberry Fields Memorial - Also along Central Park West is he memorial for John Lennon, which is right across his former place of residence, the Dakota.
Central Park - If you can tolerate the weather (or if it manages to turn nice by the time you are here), this is a place you have to check out. Be sure to check out the zoo, Bethesda Fountain, the carousel, and an area that is either called the mall or the runway. Whatever it's called, it's this very nice large paved path that is lined with statues and massive trees that shade the path.
American Museum of Natural History - All sorts of awesome. Dino bones, stuffed animals, the planetarium (maybe you'll see Neil deGrasse Tyson while there), and it's right on/by Central Park.
The Strand - While I have never been there myself, it's a massive bookstore that boasts 18 miles worth of books.
I've been to New York. Been on a helicopter tour, seen Wicked on Broadway, visited most of the museums, strolled through Central Park, been on top of the Empire State and the Rockefeller Center, some other stuff. (If you think I'm showing off, you'd be right.)
One thing I recommend though... don't bother with the Statue of Liberty. The boat tour I was on was close enough to it for me. Being next to it will take you an entire day, since the visiting line is so damn enormous.
Can't help much, seeing as I usually only travel with some kind of specific goal in mind, and then just do whatever happens to pop up in my free time on vacation.
Now, you're in New York, so pizza ain't gonna be hard to find. Good pizza isn't gonna be hard to find either, but you can easily find yourself at a crap pizza place. Things to know/keep in mind:
- If it doesn't have Pizza/Pizzeria prominent in its name, don't bother with the place.
- If pizza isn't the place's main focus, don't bother.
- If it doesn't look like a pizza place, don't bother.
- If they sport a wine list/menu, don't bother.
- If the place is right by a subway station, be wary. The pizza could be crap even if it follows the needed above, and it may only be doing good due to the location.
Back to things to see/do, maybe ask MiracleOfSound [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view/MiracleOfSound]? He's been here a few times, so he might be a bit better to go to for tourist-y things to do.
I would check out this page [http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/new-york-city/travel-tips-and-articles/76493], but skip everything in the top half of the article and go straight to the text-only list at the bottom.
Its stinks and a lot of people who live there are almost as full of themselves about their city as Texans about their home state.
Still if you have the money to pay for the taxis and its over priced housing its a nice place to visit. Lots of top notch shops and entertainment in the area.
As someone who lives in New York you'll be doing a lot of walking so I cannot stress this enough GET A REALLY GOOD PAIR OF WALKING SHOES. No flat tops or anything, you will be in massive agony after several hours without a good pair of supportive shoes. I walked around the city for a day once in flat tops and was basically crippled for a couple days. Second it is freezing cold here right now and winds are whipping pretty hard so bring a scarf or something to cover your face. Also seriously do not eat from the food carts and don't let anyone hustle you out of your money. If you see anyone playing cards and they ask you to play, DO NOT. Unless you like being scammed out of money. Other than that I haven't really been to Manhattan that much so not sure what you can do there aside from what has been posted above. Foods good, plenty of stores to browse in and I'm sure you'll find plenty to do. Oh and one last tip the subway system can be confusing as hell but the goods news is is that usually a lot of stores are down in the subway so ask someone if you need to, New Yorkers mostly aren't the A holes were made out to be.
Oh and it can be pretty overwhelming at first, the first time I was in the city I could hardly believe it was so massive and intimidating. Oh and make sure your out of the road before the light turns because people in the city do not care if your in the road. If the light is green, they are going.
First there's the food. The best way you can go about it is check out as many ethnic food restaurants as possible. Thai, Chinese, Mexican, Indian, Italian, etc. There's also Tom's Diner up on 112th ST W, which doubled as the Seinfeld diner in the 90s, Katz's Delicatessen in 205 Houston (from When Harry Met Sally) and any Italian restaurant you wanna check out in Mulberry St.
Go to The Strand, the best bookstore in the world. The sidewalk is lined with used books you can buy cheap, the inside of the store looks like a shopping mall made of books and the third floor is solely dedicated to "rare books", whether it's because they're first editions, or out of print, or signed by the authors, etc. You should also check out the New York City Public Library (i.e. Ghostbusters!).
Go through Central Park whenever you can. It's gorgeous and you'll never finish getting to know it. There're several bike shops surrounding it, you'd do well in renting a bike for an hour or two. If you take it easy you can go completely around the park a couple of times before turning in. It's gorgeous. Also you should reserve a bike the day before. It'll be cheaper that way.
Going to the Statue of Liberty is NOT recommended, it's pricy as hell and you can get more or less the same experience by taking the Staten Island Ferry, which is free of charge and comes and goes every 30 minutes. Plus you could spend a day or an afternoon walking around Staten Island. There's now a whole lot to see or do there unless you go deeper into the historical part of the burough though.
The Empire State Building can be pricy to climb. They even charge more or less depending how far up you go. Amazing view and high photo value but I wouldn't - and didn't - do it again.
You should totally go watch a a play/musical in or off Broadway. If you get up early and don't mind waiting a little, you can get student tickets or rush tickets for like $30. This applies to EVERYTHING. The catch is maybe you'll be seated way in the back or way in the front or on a balcony. But for $30 each I saw Will Ferrell's George Bush stand-up act and Philip Seymour Hoffman in Death of a Salesman and Jesus Christ Superstar and Chicago.
For museums you should definitely spend at the very least half a day inside the Guggenheim Museum, the Museum of Natural History and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, all of which surround Central Park. While the latter 2 have fixed ticket prices, you can simply ask to "pay what you will", whether you wanna pay half price or 10 cents. There's also the Museum of Moden Art, aka MOMA, which I believe is free of charge every Friday.
Other obvious must-visit locations: Battery Park, Manhattan Bridge, Chinatown, Little Italy, Soho, Greenwhich Village, Wall Street...
[HEADING=1]Videogames[/HEADING]
Check out the following videogame stores when you're there:
J & L Game Trading Inc. is located in Chinatown and specializes in Japanese imports you won't otherwise see anywhere.
Videogames New York, located in Greenwhich Village, also has an impressive selection of old hard-to-get games.
...
I'm probably forgetting stuff I did and didn't do. But you wanna plan your trip like hell, there's too much stuff to do and probably so little time.
[HEADING=3]Advice[/HEADING]
Don't take taxis. They're expensive as hell. The metro system works just fine. You should get a Metro Card as soon as you get there. You can buy limitless Metro Cards good for 7 days for about $30. Bear in mind it takes about 30 minutes for you to be able to use the card again, so it's not like you can swipe for two people.
For easy, quick lunches you can get away with cart food. Hotdogs, kebabs, whatever. You should be able to coast on $5 to $10 a meal if you're trying to save up on money.
I was in New York a couple of months ago, only had one day in the city but still had an amazing time with it.
As people have said, a good pair of shoes are a must. You'd be amazed how interesting the city is just wandering through the streets, it's like being inside an urban grand canyon.
I don't really have too much by way of local knowledge. I guess my one worthwhile tourist tip would be to skip the Statue of Liberty - go on the Statten Island Ferry instead, it's free and fast, and you can just get right back on once it reaches the island. You'll get a great view of lady liberty on it, which is all you need really, plus the city looks incredible from the water.
I'd also say the empire state building is a lot of fun, the friend I was with said the queues really vary but when I went there was pretty much nobody there. Just don't pay extra for the going a few floors higher option, you'll have an amazing view with the 'standard' package.
I live in a town that is pretty famous for being battered by rain, wind and cold all year around, so that sounds just like home to me! How cold is it anyway? Is there even a lot of snow, I imagine that it must melt away fairly quickly beneath so many feet.
soren7550 said:
Third, be very wary of food street vendors. Most don't have a licence, and as such, aren't kept in check by the health department.
Also seriously do not eat from the food carts and don't let anyone hustle you out of your money. If you see anyone playing cards and they ask you to play, DO NOT. Unless you like being scammed out of money.
Do you have any particular places you would recommend? I have been wondering where I would go to get something good. I was trying to find out what would be a uniquely 'American' food, but I guess American food is just all the food from around the world. Nation of immigrants and all that =p. Well, the American-style pizza i suppose.
Johnny Novgorod said:
Videogames New York, located in Greenwhich Village, also has an impressive selection of old hard-to-get games.
I can't believe nobody's mentioned Union Square and Forbidden Planet, a huge comic book & merch store located very nearby the aforementioned Strand bookstore. There's also Midtown Comics near Times Square.
If you happen to catch the city on a less-chilly day, the Bronx Zoo and Central Park ARE worth visiting and are great places to walk around and explore. (The aforementioned American Museum of Natural History is right by Central Park if you get cold, and frankly the AMNH is worth at least three days' of visits as there's no way to see even that one whole museum in one go.)
Also by Central Park is a Shake Shack, which is a New York chain of burgers and milkshakes (and concretes) that's well worth checking out-- if you can beat the enormous lines that tend to form at peak meal hours.
The best New York pizza really seems to be whatever Mom-and-Pop little neighborhood place is near you, so you might want to ask around. New Yorkers are famously in a hurry, but we're pretty good about giving directions if you can catch us.
Also, if you're going to Times Square or anywhere with so many people, keep your money somewhere secure-- under a zipped coat is great-- and be wary of pickpockets. The same goes for storing your phone someplace inaccessible when you're packed into a crowded train or bus. I live here and I once had my phone pickpocketed (although I was lucky enough to catch the guy and get it back).
I live in a town that is pretty famous for being battered by rain, wind and cold all year around, so that sounds just like home to me! How cold is it anyway? Is there even a lot of snow, I imagine that it must melt away fairly quickly beneath so many feet.
Well, no snow and ice (lord, I hope there won't be any. Real sick of that stuff), but last I checked, we'll be around the 40s (Fahrenheit) and probably windy, so it'll probably feel colder.
As for the snow melting beneath so many feet... yeah, that doesn't happen. If you're lucky, enough will be shoveled away so that the sidewalks will be clear (can't say the same for the streets and street corners). Often enough though, the snow gets trampled into slush or ice, making it very difficult to get anywhere.
I can't believe nobody's mentioned Union Square and Forbidden Planet, a huge comic book & merch store located very nearby the aforementioned Strand bookstore. There's also Midtown Comics near Times Square.
Do you have any particular places you would recommend? I have been wondering where I would go to get something good. I was trying to find out what would be a uniquely 'American' food, but I guess American food is just all the food from around the world. Nation of immigrants and all that =p. Well, the American-style pizza i suppose.
Johnny Novgorod said:
Videogames New York, located in Greenwhich Village, also has an impressive selection of old hard-to-get games.
It's hard to say about the food. I don't think I ever ate at the same place twice and I mostly made it up as I went. I seem to remember more bakeries and coffee stores than lunch places. Crumbs, Paine Quotidien, etc. Greenwhich Village is a popular spot for ethnic food as far as I remember. There're a lot of Italian restaurants in Mulberry St., which comprise all of Little Italy in a measly 4 or 5 blocks. I think that was the fanciest dinner I had and didn't cost all that much. I'm sorry to say I couldn't be able to name any particular spot though.
J & L isn't exclusively/i] about Japanese games. They specialize in it but it's worth checking out all the same. It's deep inside Chinatown too so you might as well make it part of the sightseeing.
There're a bunch of GameStops as well all over Manhattan, I forgot to mention those, but those are everywhere in the US. I just fancied them because we don't have those back in Argentina.
I can't believe nobody's mentioned Union Square and Forbidden Planet, a huge comic book & merch store located very nearby the aforementioned Strand bookstore. There's also Midtown Comics near Times Square.
There's also a Midtown Comics not too far from the World Trade Center, and a third I don't remember where in Manhattan.
Also by Central Park is a Shake Shack, which is a New York chain of burgers and milkshakes (and concretes) that's well worth checking out-- if you can beat the enormous lines that tend to form at peak meal hours.
There's also one by Times Square that I tried to go a few years back but was never able to get into, so I can't speak of the quality (boyfriend isn't fond of it as he likes telling me).
Johnny Novgorod said:
Katz's Delicatessen in 205 Houston (from When Harry Met Sally)
Aw man, how could I forget about them?! Yes, if you can, go to Katz. Amazing food that'll make you feel all sorts of good, plus they've been around for over 125 years, so they know what they're doing.
While on food places, I remember Kool Bloo being really good (granted, I only had them once several year ago). It's in the Village somewhere, don't really remember where (aren't I helpful?).
You should also check out the New York City Public Library (i.e. Ghostbusters!).
Yeah, you should try to put together a Ghostbusters tour. The firehouse that was used for the exterior shots is Hook and Ladder #8 and is somewhere in Tribeca, if you're interested.
Take a bike-ride across the Brooklyn Bridge. It's a wonderful experience.
You'll have to yell at every schmuck in the bike lane though, so you'll hate tourists as much as we do.
Then you will become one of us, and never leave.
I went there last year for just a couple of days...this is what I saw.
1. Times Square...it was 1am by the time I got to my hotel (which was a minute's walk from Times Square) but it was still full of loads of people.
2. American Museum of Natural History. Very awesome! Although we didn't have enough time to see everything there. The place is HUGE!
3. Metropolitan Museum of Art. This was a massive art museum! Some very cool pieces of art if you're into that sort of stuff.
4. Boat cruise around Liberty Island. I was over there in the middle of winter so it was extremely cold but I did get some nice pics of the statue.
5. 9/11 Memorial. It wasn't on our planned list of places to see but we ended up getting out of the train station right next to the memorial so we visited it anyway. It was worth it. The two pools where the world trade centres once stood are quite spectacular.
6. Central Park. We just walked through and around Central Park (didn't go to the zoo). It is very big and because it was winter there were lots of snow (I am Australian...we have very little snow here) so it was pretty cool (pun not intended).
Take a bike-ride across the Brooklyn Bridge. It's a wonderful experience.
You'll have to yell at every schmuck in the bike lane though, so you'll hate tourists as much as we do.
Then you will become one of us, and never leave.
Is that how NYC keeps growing? Not birthrates but tourist assimilation?
OT: I've never been there myself but it is one of the Jazz capitals of the world. I'd make sure to see a show there because I know there are amazing musicians who make New York their home.
Take a bike-ride across the Brooklyn Bridge. It's a wonderful experience.
You'll have to yell at every schmuck in the bike lane though, so you'll hate tourists as much as we do.
Then you will become one of us, and never leave.
Sort of actually.
A lot of people move here from other places, and our birth-rate's relatively low due to small houses and left-leaning politics.
Many companies are based here, and lots of outlanders end up with jobs here.
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