NYC Sightseeing - Saturday vs. Monday?

[rafro]

We've never been to NYC and want to tour a little before and/or after our cruise out of Brooklyn Sat June 5 - Monday June 14. We fly in late on June 4 and will stay near LGA; fly out 6pm on June 14 from LGA. Which day might be easier for sightseeing? Is Monday traffic horrific in Manhatten? Any recommendations for a driver/guide for 4-6 hrs? We'd like to walk out onto the Brooklyn Bridge if possible, and then see the usual tourist highlights around Manhatten. Wish we had more time to spend in NYC...

 

Thanks to all you NYC fans for your help!

[138east]

Have you made a final commitment to a hotel at LGA? If not, I might look at staying in downtown Brooklyn. This would allow you to easily do the Brooklyn Bridge first thing on Saturday morning while leaving your luggage at the hotel. When you return from the cruise, I might take a cab to Manhattan, leave my luggage at Schwartz Travel, take the Hoho bus for a quick tour of Manhattan, and be off to LGA by cab by 3 pm.

[Love the beach]

You will certainly have less traffic in Manhattan on a Saturday than you will on a Monday.:) Also think you should stay in either Brooklyn or Manhattan . There is a Marriott in Brooklyn within a few blocks of the Brooklyn Bridge.

[madelinerose]

I agree. Staying near LGA will limit your sightseeing time tremendously.

[cruiserking]

Hi Rafro,

 

I agree with 138east and Love the Beach, you are much better off staying in New York City. There's no point spending $70 in cabs schlepping back and forth to LaGuardia ($35 each way) when you can find a great hotel in the city and really get a feel for the vibe and excitement of Manhattan.

 

You mention arriving in New York late on Friday. Is there any chance of getting an earlier flight. This way you can check into a Manhattan Hotel and have the afternoon to do some touring around. If you come in late there aren't very many tours except for the hop on hop off buses that leave from the Times Square area. If you opt to tour the Monday of your return you'll have to haul your luggage with you all around town, that would be a nuissance.

 

There are two reasonably priced hotels on the upper west side, the Lucerne on 79th Street and the Hotel Beacon on 74th street. Both are in residential neighborhoods, walking distance to the Museum of Natural History, Lincoln Center, Columbus Circle, Central Park and a variety of shops and great restaurants. Also, you can easily catch a subway down to the Empire State Building or Lower Manhattan.

 

Both of these hotels are reasonable at around $260 a night which is very affordable for New York City, you can get this rate if you book online.

I think you are much better off on a Saturday, the traffic if much lighter and it's a lot easier to get around by cab.

 

A cab to Brooklyn from the upper west side will run about $25 to $30 depending on traffic in Brooklyn. We live around here and it was a very quick ride right down the West Side Highway. Try researching hotels in midtown area and see if you get any better rates.

 

Jonathan

[138east]

The reason I suggested Brooklyn for this OP is because they want to walk the Brooklyn Bridge - this would be easy for them to do before going to the cruise terminal if they stayed in Brooklyn after what I imagine is a late night arrival at LGA. However, Manhattan would work as well.

 

Hiring a tour guide with a car doesn't really seem to be a popular sightseeing technique in NYC.

[cruiserking]

You're much better off trying to do a walking tour with a professional New York City Tour Guide instead of with a driver. This way you will see much more and learn the history of the area and the famous landmarks. Or else pick one specific region and explore that, either Lower Manhattan and the New York Stock Exchange, the Fifth Avenue shops, Greenwich Village, Times Square or any of the other major highlights.

 

Jonathan

[madelinerose]

As I've said a hundred times, if you want to see Manhattan, stay in Manhattan. This is especially relevant to this thread where there's very little time to spend sightseeing. ;)

[RHefley228]

Hiring a tour guide with a car doesn't really seem to be a popular sightseeing technique in NYC.

 

This is such a vertical city, unless the guide has a convertible the only way you're going to see anything is to hang out the windows. Also, the traffic being what it is (traffic laws are often treated as mere suggestions), I would prefer that the driver do nothing but drive; take the HoHo bus.

[rafro]

Thanks for all the information. Great suggestions! I'm going to try to change to a Manhatten hotel so we can do a walking tour Saturday am. We'd like to see either the Times Square area or the financial district. Several companies pop up when I search walking tours of NYC. Can you recommend any specific companies based on personal experience?

 

After nine days on a cruise, we'll need to walk off some calories when we return. Is there a company that specializes in walking tours of Brooklyn? Or the Brooklyn Bridge in particular?

 

I understand about "vertical" views. We live in the Colorado Rockies, and you can't appreciate some of the canyons or the peaks if you don't get out of your car!

[cruiserking]

Thanks for all the information. Great suggestions! I'm going to try to change to a Manhatten hotel so we can do a walking tour Saturday am. We'd like to see either the Times Square area or the financial district. Several companies pop up when I search walking tours of NYC. Can you recommend any specific companies based on personal experience?

 

After nine days on a cruise, we'll need to walk off some calories when we return. Is there a company that specializes in walking tours of Brooklyn? Or the Brooklyn Bridge in particular?

 

I understand about "vertical" views. We live in the Colorado Rockies, and you can't appreciate some of the canyons or the peaks if you don't get out of your car!

 

Since you have an interest in the Brooklyn Bridge a good tour would be the financial district in lower Manhattan and the South Street Seaport. Once you are finished exploring you could easily make your way to the pier from this area.

 

Jonathan

[138east]

Don't forget the logistics of the luggage. It's no problem pre-cruise - just leave it at your hotel. But post cruise you have to find a place for it - Schwartz Travel comes to mind.

 

Don't be hasty in selecting a hotel. Figure out your touring schedule first so you don't end up running all over the place.

 

What makes sense to me is to find a hotel in downtown Brooklyn (Marriott??) or downtown NY. Do the walking tour of the Brooklyn Bridge Saturday morning, leaving your luggage at the hotel. Then take a cab to the pier. When you disembark, take a cab to Schwartz Travel on 36th St and leave your luggage. Spend the day touring the midtown area, pick up your luggage and take a cab to LGA.

[rafro]

Since you have an interest in the Brooklyn Bridge a good tour would be the financial district in lower Manhattan and the South Street Seaport. Once you are finished exploring you could easily make your way to the pier from this area.

 

Jonathan

Luggage logistics are kind of sticky - Schwartz sounds like a good option (or a friendly bellhop at a hotel who will hold them for us for a good tip...) I think we'll see lower Manhatten and the South Street Seaport on Sat, and then see mid-town after we disembark. Thanks for the great ideas.

[cruiserking]

Luggage logistics are kind of sticky - Schwartz sounds like a good option (or a friendly bellhop at a hotel who will hold them for us for a good tip...) I think we'll see lower Manhatten and the South Street Seaport on Sat, and then see mid-town after we disembark. Thanks for the great ideas.

 

Rafro,

 

I think your best bet is to book a hotel in Lower Manhattan, so you can leave your bags there the next morning while you tour the financial district, south street seaport and the Brooklyn Bridge.

 

I don't think a bell hop will hold your luggage if you're not staying in the hotel. There are many security measures that have been taken since 9/11 and I tend to doubt that a bell hop would accept bags from someone not in the hotel.

 

There are some very good hotels right in the heart of the financial district. The Marriott at 85 West Street has standard rooms starting at $229, The Millenium Hilton at Fulton/Dey Streets is very convenient and just a couple blocks from Wall Street, $219 for a standard room.

 

If you really want to splurge The Ritz Carlton has a gorgeous hotel right in Battery Park, with incredible views of the Hudson River. You can actually watch your ship sail into port from the hotel. A standard room here is $315.

 

If this is the area you want to explore you can easily accomplish a lot the morning before you board. A cab from any of these hotels to the Brooklyn pier will take 10 to 15 minutes or less. It's mainly a question of the traffic near the pier entrance, but you should get there very quickly.

 

Jonathan

[rafro]

Thanks, Cruiserking. Security is always a concern, and I hadn't thought about that with the bags. We can't splurge at the Ritz, but the Hilton or Marriott sound great.