My 2day NYC plan any thoughts?

[mattR]

Day one Thur Oct6

9-noon downtown loop bus tour (greyline hop on hop off) without the hopping

12-1230 hotdog lunch

1230-2 Ripleys Belive it or not

2-4 uptown loop get off at Metro mus of art

4-415 walk to Museum of Nat Hist via 79th st

415-530 museum

530-6 walk to FAO Swarts via the park

6-7 FAO Swarts

7-715 walk through the Plaza

715 supper

 

Day two Fri Oct 7

840 walk by Chrysler bldg

850 walk past Grand Central Term

900 walk past Library

915- 1045 Empire statebuilding and NYC Skyride

1045-1145 Macys shopping area

1145-1230 taxi/subway to WTC memorial

1230-130 WTC memorial

130 pizza slice lunch

145 walk past NYSE

2-215 walk to point in Battery Park to look at Statue of liberty

230 walk past City hall

230-345 walk over the Brooklyn Bridge

345-415 subway/taxi back to Garment/theater district

415-7 shopping/times sq / supper

730 radio city

8 Zarkana

 

Day 3 Saturday Oct 8

10am Central park Zoo or Carriage ride

1230 leave for cruise terminal

[donaldsc]

Day one Thur Oct6

9-noon downtown loop bus tour (greyline hop on hop off) without the hopping

12-1230 hotdog lunch

1230-2 Ripleys Belive it or not

2-4 uptown loop get off at Metro mus of art

4-415 walk to Museum of Nat Hist via 79th st

415-530 museum

530-6 walk to FAO Swarts via the park

6-7 FAO Swarts

7-715 walk through the Plaza

715 supper

 

Day two Fri Oct 7

840 walk by Chrysler bldg

850 walk past Grand Central Term

900 walk past Library

915- 1045 Empire statebuilding and NYC Skyride

1045-1145 Macys shopping area

1145-1230 taxi/subway to WTC memorial

1230-130 WTC memorial

130 pizza slice lunch

145 walk past NYSE

2-215 walk to point in Battery Park to look at Statue of liberty

230 walk past City hall

230-345 walk over the Brooklyn Bridge

345-415 subway/taxi back to Garment/theater district

415-7 shopping/times sq / supper

730 radio city

8 Zarkana

 

Day 3 Saturday Oct 8

10am Central park Zoo or Carriage ride

1230 leave for cruise terminal

 

I am tired just reading your list of things to do. Also, I see no scheduled bathroom breaks. If you have to use the loo a few times during the day, you will mess up your entire schedule.

 

Seriously, you are trying to do way too much. For example, a whole 1 hour and 15 minutes at the Museum of Natural History. 15 minutes for a pizza lunch - does that include time for the bathroom break. 1 hour and 15 minutes to walk the Brooklyn Bridge - does this include time to stop and actually watch the boats go by.

 

Need I continue? Eliminate half your stuff; pick a few things that you are really interested in; and figure that you can always come back to NYC sometime.

 

DON

[138east]

I agree - it's an overwhelmingly busy plan that will leave you stressed and exhausted. Aside from the bathroom break issue, I think many of your timings are overly optimistic. How many people are involved in this?

 

How much are you spending on various bus tour, Ripley's, Empire State, Museum of Natural History, and other tickets? It sounds like you will be spending a small fortune running all over the place and not really being satisfied with the experience. You will also be spending a lot of time on a tour bus, possibly in traffic. That will get old fast.

 

I'd restructure your plans to skip the first morning's downtown loop tour and concentrate on what you want to see and do in midtown - do the Friday morning activities on Thursday. Then I'd spend the next day doing things in lower Manhattan leaving some time at the end to perhaps revisit some places. I saw your post about subway questions - you can take the #4 or #5 train from 59th St. and be downtown in less than 1/2 hour.

[smeyer418]

The Museum of Natural History deserves at least half a day. You are doing way too much in two days. Sometimes you just need to sit down and watch the crowds go by. As for bathroom breaks, department stores have public bathrooms that are clean and available. there is NO bathroom available at the 9-11 memorial-they tell you that on the ticket/pass and they aren't kidding, when I told my wife she isn't going(both a pun and intended)...

The E trains goes right to the WTC.

[Andee]

Unless you really love sitting on a bus in traffic, I think the HOHO buses are a mistake in NYC. Walking is a better way to see things, and the subway is better for getting around.

 

Ripley's--don't bother; spend your time seeing genuine NYC things.

 

I'd rethink the logistics: on Thurs, your current plan has you getting off a bus at 5th Ave & 82nd St, going through the park to the Mus of Nat Hist, then back through the park to 5th Ave & 58 St. On Sat, you're planning to go back to Central Park, where you've been on Thursday.

[madelinerose]

I am tired just reading your list of things to do. Seriously, you are trying to do way too much. DON

 

I agree - it's an overwhelmingly busy plan that will leave you stressed and exhausted. You will also be spending a lot of time on a tour bus, possibly in traffic. That will get old fast.

 

The Museum of Natural History deserves at least half a day. You are doing way too much in two days. Sometimes you just need to sit down and watch the crowds go by.

 

Amen! I need a nap now. :D

 

Waaay too much going on and having every moment planned isn't going to be pleasurable, imo. Pick 2 or 3 things you must do and perhaps be more spontaneous.

 

Once you start walking in Manhattan, you'll find a myriad of things that you will be interested in checking out just a little further, blowing your minute-by-minute itinerary out of the water.

 

Take some time to relax on a bench in Central Park or Bryant Park, people watch and exhale. ;)

[greatam]

I wrote this a few years ago. Still do the same tour with new employees to get them acclimated to NYC. A pretty complete day that hits the highlights with time to just stop and smell the roses. Your second day you can use to go to museums and Central Park.

 

 

"Here is a rundown of the tour that I do with my employees I posted on another thread. Gives you an idea of what you can do if you want to.

 

 

"UNLESS they have changed the "tour" significantly, it really is a "do it yourself tour" with all the pieces put together by Grayline. You get the Lady of the Harbor cruise tickets, ESB tickets and a ho-ho pass. The downtown "loop" takes approximately 2 hours IF you do not get off the bus (but you can and I always do). The ESB takes as long as you want to look around.

 

I always take my employees on the HoHo bus first. We generally get off the bus in Greenwich Village and wander around, catch the bus again for Chinatown/Little Italy, get off, wander around and at that point, you can either get back on the HoHo bus to the WTC area OR take the subway/bus/taxi down to the WTC/Battery Park area Lots of history around that area. You can get off around Wall Street (if this interests you), or see the WTC and end up in Battery Park. You really need to get a good tourist map of NYC to see where all these places are and what interests you. And also the schedule for the HoHo bus (on the Grayline website or it was)

 

Then we go on the Lady of the Harbor cruise (I haven't had anyone state they didn't like it and I have some grumpy employees). We hit the ESB on the way back uptown, with a couple of extra stops. You can either get the HoHo bus back uptown (pass is good for 24 hours), but we generally take the subway since so many of my employees have never been on anything other than a bus.

 

I always stop at the basketball courts on West 4th St just north of Houston off Ave of the Americas (6th Ave). Some of the best streetball in the US is played on those courts and you never can tell who might show up to play (NBA stars are frequent visitors). My employees always have a good time watching. Then we make our way North to the ESB (try to time it so we get there about dusk-I just think the ESB is more "magical" at night). An hour there oh'ing and ah'ing and everyone is tired and ready for dinner and bed. We then walk down to Tad's Steakhouse and have the cliche CHEAP NY steak. To bed we go.

 

Hope this helps. The "tour" is very good and the price is right-the HoHo bus downtown loop alone I think is $39.00.

[138east]

Andee - you make some excellent points that I also agree with. I'd never go to Ripley's, but I did once get dragged by kids to Madame Tussaud's in London, which sounds very much like Ripley's. It would never have been my personal choice.

 

The logistics are really important - the times allowed for getting across Central Park and back are unrealistic.

 

Mattr - I'm sure folks can come up with some good suggestions if you can identify your "must do's".

[mjkacmom]

The Museum of Natural History always goes hand in hand with Central Park/Central Park Zoo for us - and they can fill an entire day! Forget the carriage ride - those animals are mistreated. How about renting bikes? Central Park is enormous.

[trophy_23]

Day one Thur Oct6

9-noon downtown loop bus tour (greyline hop on hop off) without the hopping

12-1230 hotdog lunch

1230-2 Ripleys Belive it or not

2-4 uptown loop get off at Metro mus of art

4-415 walk to Museum of Nat Hist via 79th st

415-530 museum

530-6 walk to FAO Swarts via the park

6-7 FAO Swarts

7-715 walk through the Plaza

715 supper

 

Day two Fri Oct 7

840 walk by Chrysler bldg

850 walk past Grand Central Term

900 walk past Library

915- 1045 Empire statebuilding and NYC Skyride

1045-1145 Macys shopping area

1145-1230 taxi/subway to WTC memorial

1230-130 WTC memorial

130 pizza slice lunch

145 walk past NYSE

2-215 walk to point in Battery Park to look at Statue of liberty

230 walk past City hall

230-345 walk over the Brooklyn Bridge

345-415 subway/taxi back to Garment/theater district

415-7 shopping/times sq / supper

730 radio city

8 Zarkana

 

Day 3 Saturday Oct 8

10am Central park Zoo or Carriage ride

1230 leave for cruise terminal

 

Having just been a tourist in NYC a couple weeks ago pre-cruise, I also think you may be trying to cram in too much stuff. We had 3 full days and didn't do all of that. The way we approached our plans is to 'do neighborhoods'.

 

Day 1: Took the subway to WTC and walked all over that area, then trained back to 5th/53rd. From here we walked around that general area, where we were staying top get our bearings.

 

Day 2: We did a little shopping, walked to Central park, did a carriage ride, walked thru FAO Shwarz (took 10min, was disappointing), and walked down to times square, even stopped for a piece of world famous NY Cheesecake. That evening we went to Jersey Boys (which was amazing!!) , then went to Times Square to see it in the dark.

 

Day 3: Took the subway to Penn station area, transferred onto the PATH train and went to Hoboken. We walked around there, got a pastry at Carlo's Bakeshop and sat in the park with beautiful views of Manhattan. When we got back, we walked around Macy's, saw the Empire State building and Madison Square Garden. Then headed back towards the hotel. We chose to go up to the 'Top of the Rock' (near sunset to get day and night views) as we had heard the lineups are crazy at the Empire and didn't want to 'wast time in line', plus from the Rock you get a wonderful view that includes the Empire State building.

 

As for the Statue of Liberty, we didn't bother going to see it from Manhattan because we knew we'd have an excellent view of it from the ship as you depart! The only cabs we took were from LGA to Hotel and Hotel to cruise terminal ($7). We also condidered the Hoho busses initially, but saw many caught up in traffic. The subway and walking are way cheaper and quicker.

 

The morning we joined the ship, we chose to just sleep in and relax. One of the members of our group went to the Intrepid (next to the pier) to kill a few hours after check-in. Don't try and overdue it, you will be exhausted by the time you get on the ship. If you don't cover everything, it gives you all the more reason to come back to NYC. Hope this helps a bit from the point of view of another tourist that was just there.

[trish1c]

I agree with a lot of what's been said.

At a minimum, take out Ripley's. It's a rip off. Spend more time in the museum. It will be well worth it.

There's no need to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. Take some photo's. You will be fine.

Zoo over carriage ride any day.

[Got2Cruise]

Wait, there is a Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum on 42nd Street. It is a different place than Ripley's. If you are going with kids, the kids love it. You can take all kinds of pictures posing next to the statues to show your friends, and they look REAL. That said, it is expensive, but you might be able to find coupons online. But, in the lobby, there is always at least one statue where you can pose with that statue. The last time I looked it was Beyonce.

If you keep in the wax museum, I think you are going to need to keep walking over the Brooklyn Bridge until next time.

Andee - you make some excellent points that I also agree with. I'd never go to Ripley's, but I did once get dragged by kids to Madame Tussaud's in London, which sounds very much like Ripley's. It would never have been my personal choice.

 

The logistics are really important - the times allowed for getting across Central Park and back are unrealistic.

 

Mattr - I'm sure folks can come up with some good suggestions if you can identify your "must do's".

[mattR]

Ok thanks for the suggestions will thin it out:) It looked like there was a well located subway stop on the Brooklyn side of the Brooklyn bridge so thought rather then walk half way out we would continue all the way? Do they rent bikes near the bridge? can you ride a bike on the walking path or do you have to go with the cars? Ripleys I got a good deal on tickets and have paid for them already so maybe we will only spend 30-45min there. Thanks for the suggestion on the harbour cruise but since we will be leaving on a cruise ship we will get a half a harbour cruise during our sailaway.

[smeyer418]

Ok thanks for the suggestions will thin it out:) It looked like there was a well located subway stop on the Brooklyn side of the Brooklyn bridge so thought rather then walk half way out we would continue all the way? Do they rent bikes near the bridge? can you ride a bike on the walking path or do you have to go with the cars? Ripleys I got a good deal on tickets and have paid for them already so maybe we will only spend 30-45min there. Thanks for the suggestion on the harbour cruise but since we will be leaving on a cruise ship we will get a half a harbour cruise during our sailaway.

 

 

they rent bikes at the foot of Fulton Street in Brooklyn by Fulton Ferry in brooklyn Bridge Park....I've used their bikes to learn on...

[mattR]

they rent bikes at the foot of Fulton Street in Brooklyn by Fulton Ferry in brooklyn Bridge Park....I've used their bikes to learn on...

 

Do they rent them on the Manhattan side?

[Milaandra]

First things first...is this adults or are there kids, too?

 

If I recall correctly, the HOHO buses offer a special package that includes a bunch of loops the same day and the harbour tour another day. One loop goes over the Brooklyn Bridge, and lets you take photos of the Manhattan skyline at night from the park. So, you could spend a solid part of the first day like we did our first time...see all the sights from the top of a bus. That eliminates your "walk bys" and gives you an overview and a chance to acclimatise.

 

However, get off at the library for a half hour. Movies don't do that building justice, and you can't beat the admission price. :)

 

The buses sort of start at Times Square, so that's done too. Gray's Papaya might be a choice for your hot dog lunch. They're iconic, although not quite what I expected. (I didn't get what the big deal was and the heartburn wasn't worth it)

 

The harbour tour, which you can take another day, lets you see Liberty up close, but if you are a cruiser, you'll get plenty of time to see her. The harbour tour was a nice break and quite informative, but I wouldn't bother again.

 

Where are you staying?

 

Central Park is amazing. Every day in NYC we get breakfast from a nearby deli, find a beautiful corner and just drink it in with our morning joe. On our first trip, that's when we would go exploring. It took us three intense mornings to see most of what's there. As your itinery takes you from west to east, look at the park map and take a new path through it so you can see some of the many beautiful surprises within. Don't miss the castle!

 

FAO Schwartz wasn't as much fun as we thought it would be. There's very little that is unique. If this is added on for kids I think I would arrange a kids day differently. Transportation to Nat. History...spend the morning there while the kids are fresh. (Love the dinosaur area!) Get deli sandwiches and head into the park. Walk down to the zoo through the park, stopping along the way for your lunch. After the zoo, walk through the park to the east side and over to Schwartz. By this time, kids are tired and miserable, but they'll walk their legs down to stumps if there is a toy store at the end of the trip. Let them explore, buy them a toy, then transportation back to the hotel.

 

If it's for the big kid in you (we don't have kids, but we've been!) then skip it for another trip. It's not worth the time, really, when there is so much more to see.

 

Me, I wouldn't eat from a street vendor, but the delis are wonderful and economical, and there are a lot of cheap but good food options in NYC.

[smeyer418]

First things first...is this adults or are there kids, too?

 

If I recall correctly, the HOHO buses offer a special package that includes a bunch of loops the same day and the harbour tour another day. One loop goes over the Brooklyn Bridge, and lets you take photos of the Manhattan skyline at night from the park. So, you could spend a solid part of the first day like we did our first time...see all the sights from the top of a bus. That eliminates your "walk bys" and gives you an overview and a chance to acclimatise.

 

However, get off at the library for a half hour. Movies don't do that building justice, and you can't beat the admission price. :)

 

The buses sort of start at Times Square, so that's done too. Gray's Papaya might be a choice for your hot dog lunch. They're iconic, although not quite what I expected. (I didn't get what the big deal was and the heartburn wasn't worth it)

 

The harbour tour, which you can take another day, lets you see Liberty up close, but if you are a cruiser, you'll get plenty of time to see her. The harbour tour was a nice break and quite informative, but I wouldn't bother again.

 

Where are you staying?

 

Central Park is amazing. Every day in NYC we get breakfast from a nearby deli, find a beautiful corner and just drink it in with our morning joe. On our first trip, that's when we would go exploring. It took us three intense mornings to see most of what's there. As your itinery takes you from west to east, look at the park map and take a new path through it so you can see some of the many beautiful surprises within. Don't miss the castle!

 

FAO Schwartz wasn't as much fun as we thought it would be. There's very little that is unique. If this is added on for kids I think I would arrange a kids day differently. Transportation to Nat. History...spend the morning there while the kids are fresh. (Love the dinosaur area!) Get deli sandwiches and head into the park. Walk down to the zoo through the park, stopping along the way for your lunch. After the zoo, walk through the park to the east side and over to Schwartz. By this time, kids are tired and miserable, but they'll walk their legs down to stumps if there is a toy store at the end of the trip. Let them explore, buy them a toy, then transportation back to the hotel.

 

If it's for the big kid in you (we don't have kids, but we've been!) then skip it for another trip. It's not worth the time, really, when there is so much more to see.

 

Me, I wouldn't eat from a street vendor, but the delis are wonderful and economical, and there are a lot of cheap but good food options in NYC.

 

 

No buses go over the Brooklyn Bridge. Its illegal and someone is SURE to report it and there are special police on the bridge..its an expensive ticket and could get the bus companies license pulled. They go over the Manhattan bridge next door which isn't as nice or as historic....

[smeyer418]

Do they rent them on the Manhattan side?

 

http://www.blazingsaddles.com/new-york.aspx

 

I am not sure where the pick up and drop off is...

all but pictures 2 and 4 are in Brooklyn.

Number 1 is in Red Hook on the other side of Fairway(by the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal

I am not sure of 2 actually the last two pictures are in Brooklyn Bridge Park and the Brooklyn Promenade.

[Got2Cruise]

Don't give up on the hot dog from the street vendor. Try a pretzel too.:)

[donaldsc]

[quote name=Milaandra;30800563

 

Me' date=' I wouldn't eat from a street vendor, but the delis are wonderful and economical, and there are a lot of cheap but good food options in NYC.[/quote]

 

No argument that there are some great delis in NYC. However, there is no reason not to eat from a street vendor. New Yorkers do it all the time.

 

DON

[smeyer418]

the New York City Department of health inspects the street vendors and is pretty tough on them. In fact one national study found NY's found to be among the cleanest in the country and that includes the street vendors.

 

http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/rii/mobile-new.shtml

[greatam]

Eating street food in NYC is one of the joys of the City. Have none of you seen the show "Food Truck" or the "Great Food Truck Race"? All shows glorifying street food.

 

Street food of today is far different from street food of 10 years ago. Gourmet, vegan, exotic menus. A far greater variety of foods. Here is a list of what the NY Times considers the 25 best food trucks in NYC.

 

http://nymag.com/restaurants/cheapeats/2010/67139/

 

Los Angeles has gotten heavy into the gourmet food truck business-crepes, sushi, Creole, down home Southern cooking and gourmet, 100% organic ice cream made with chocolate from a very expensive chocolatier (no Hershey syrup for this place). And one that has every variety of grilled cheese sandwiches you could ever imagine. They all have Twitter accounts to let everyone know where they are on any given day-street fairs, concerts, beach happenings, etc. etc. http://www.findlafoodtrucks.com/

 

As smeyer418 posted, NYC has a reputation to uphold as far as street food. Wouldn't think twice about eating from the food trucks.

 

And just to throw in a plug for what I think is the BEST deli in Manhattan-Sunrise Deli. 575 7th Ave- East side of 7th. http://menupages.com/restaurants/sunrise-delicatessen/

Certainly not the fanciest, pretty small but the epitome of a NYC deli. Their grilled cheese and tomato plus a super good NYC type kosher pickle can't be found at that quality anyplace in the USA.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Get a lot of rest before.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Have a plain BBB if it rains....

[mattR]

Day one Thur Oct6

9-noon downtown loop bus tour (greyline hop on hop off) without the hopping

12-1230 hotdog lunch

1230-2 Ripleys Belive it or not

2-4 uptown loop get off at Metro mus of art

4-415 walk to Museum of Nat Hist via 79th st

415-530 museum

530-6 walk to FAO Swarts via the park

6-7 FAO Swarts

7-715 walk through the Plaza

715 supper

 

Day two Fri Oct 7

840 walk by Chrysler bldg

850 walk past Grand Central Term

900 walk past Library

915- 1045 Empire statebuilding and NYC Skyride

1045-1145 Macys shopping area

1145-1230 taxi/subway to WTC memorial

1230-130 WTC memorial

130 pizza slice lunch

145 walk past NYSE

2-215 walk to point in Battery Park to look at Statue of liberty

230 walk past City hall

230-345 walk over the Brooklyn Bridge

345-415 subway/taxi back to Garment/theater district

415-7 shopping/times sq / supper

730 radio city

8 Zarkana

 

Day 3 Saturday Oct 8

10am Central park Zoo or Carriage ride

1230 leave for cruise terminal

 

We were actually able to get most everything done on our list would have liked another couple hours for Central Park but will have to do that next time:) Thanks