Need help planning first time in NYC

[Got2Cruise]

The Circle Line goes completely around Manhattan. Just want to clarify that.

[sophbro]

Some will say it's a "tourist trap", but Becco http://becco-nyc.com/ is a celebrity chef-owned restaurant in the Theater District with reasonable (for Manhattan) prices and a pretty good reputation.

 

I haven't been there myself...I'm just going by what I've heard and read.

 

been to Becco--it is great. Sometimes gets busy. The street where Becco is has tons of good restaurants. Right around the theaters are lots of chain restaurants. I usually aim for Restaurant Row--Restaurant Row is the name used for West 46th Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues in the Theater District of Manhattan in New York City. tons of good restaurants with menus on the outside.

[sophbro]

Aloha :D

 

Our highlights for this trip are Katz's Delicatessen on 9/9 (can't believe we haven't eaten there yet) and the 9/11 Memorial Museum on 9/19 (taking frugal daughter or she'll never it on her own, she just doesn't want to be around me when I want to eat) (We've never made it to the top of the ESB or the TOR either). We don't fly out until 9/21, but she hasn't decided what I want to see/do yet. We're staying at 35th & 6th (close to Macy's) so there's lots to see & do. I'll add John's on 44th to my list. (Hey! I can eat as much pizza as I can hold). I like listening to NYers argue about where the BEST Italian, deli, pizza can be found in Manhattan.

 

Aloha :D

 

I love Katz's but it is a little out of the way unless you are going down to the Lower East side area near Houston ST. It is often very crowded there but the food is great--love their pastrami --can also get half sandwich pastrami and other half something else. If you do not have the time to go down there and want some good deli --near your hotel is Ben's deli which is very well known.

Some also like the Second Ave. Deli(but that is not so close to you) Juniors is in Times Sq. but if you are looking for deli--the other two I think are better.

[sophbro]

For Broadway gets tickets at

https://www.tdf.org/nyc/7/TKTS-ticket-booths

50 percent off

 

TKTS is great for 50% off plays that are available. Sometimes you have to wait in line or can not get tickets to evening plays until 3 pm or it starts at 10:30am for matinees. While the price is good, it can interrupt you day to go and get tickets when you are all the way over in another part of town.

 

You can get tickets ahead of time at a few sites like Theatermania(they usually will give you a code and you call on your own. The discount varies and you often have to pay extra service fees. Often you can use the code that day at the ticket window of the theater. I sometimes have sat in the cheaper seats for 25-30% off and pay less than I do for the TKTS seats which often are in a better location and the base price is a lot higher. I just don't enjoy gearing my day around getting the half price tickets and would rather get a smaller discount and have the tickets so I can go about my touring and then just got to the theater to see the play.

 

I am a member of TDF--if you live far enough away from NYC you can join(if you meet their criteria) for $12. They often have decent tickets for about $49(musical) and $37 regular play. However some plays are only available a few days before and sometimes the choice is limited.

[ZandZ]

So sorry if this has been said but SOL ferry could easily be a 2.5 hour line..

 

Also cabs are hard to get at certain times a day.. friday night. ... fuhgettaboutit!

 

I am not a fan of Katz, not for many years now.... but i dont have an alternative to offer...

Any nyc pizza will be miles better than what you have access to locally..

 

Enjoy your stay.. and try to remember.. we are not rude. We are just living at a pace that is not sustainable. Lol.

 

 

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[mjkacmom]

So sorry if this has been said but SOL ferry could easily be a 2.5 hour line..

 

Also cabs are hard to get at certain times a day.. friday night. ... fuhgettaboutit!

 

I am not a fan of Katz, not for many years now.... but i dont have an alternative to offer...

Any nyc pizza will be miles better than what you have access to locally..

 

Enjoy your stay.. and try to remember.. we are not rude. We are just living at a pace that is not sustainable. Lol.

 

 

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If they are staying in NJ, perhaps they could take the ferry from Liberty State Park (with much shorter lines), and take the ferry going back to NYC after the SOL and Ellis Island.

[ZandZ]

I think the OP mentioned that they are staying in NYC.. honestly i have not been to the DOL since a class trip... one of my kids has asked that i take him there.. multiple times... i am waiting for a class trip to save me. The line, esp in August, for someone who cannot handle the humidity, could be bad... also i would hate to only have two days to visit a place and spend 2 hours of it in a line... having said that if this is a must do item, i would suggest bringing a light folding chair and making the best of it. There is really good ice cream and local beer for sale in that park so if one can sneak away for a refresher it might not seem so bad... lol.

 

While you are there.... maybe consid taking the staten island ferry. Its free and it offers a wonderful view of NYC, the VZ and the SOL...

 

 

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[mjkacmom]

I think the OP mentioned that they are staying in NYC.. honestly i have not been to the DOL since a class trip... one of my kids has asked that i take him there.. multiple times... i am waiting for a class trip to save me. The line, esp in August, for someone who cannot handle the humidity, could be bad... also i would hate to only have two days to visit a place and spend 2 hours of it in a line... having said that if this is a must do item, i would suggest bringing a light folding chair and making the best of it. There is really good ice cream and local beer for sale in that park so if one can sneak away for a refresher it might not seem so bad... lol.

 

While you are there.... maybe consid taking the staten island ferry. Its free and it offers a wonderful view of NYC, the VZ and the SOL...

 

 

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Oops. Another poster on tbis page mentioned going to the SOL, and taking the PATH from NJ to get there. Didn't realize it wasn't the OP. We get there from NJ, and notice the lines to get on the NJ ferries are much shorter than the NY ones.

[ZandZ]

Oops. Another poster on tbis page mentioned going to the SOL, and taking the PATH from NJ to get there. Didn't realize it wasn't the OP. We get there from NJ, and notice the lines to get on the NJ ferries are much shorter than the NY ones.

Oh, I didn't know that - that is very possible. However, the OP said that using the subway is not an option - so I assume this would also apply to the path train....

[138east]

Oops. Another poster on tbis page mentioned going to the SOL, and taking the PATH from NJ to get there. Didn't realize it wasn't the OP. We get there from NJ, and notice the lines to get on the NJ ferries are much shorter than the NY ones.

 

I agree about the lines from NJ. If you have a car, you can easily take advantage of going from NJ - parking is $7. You can go by ferry from the SOL to lower Manhattan, explore the downtown, and then for $5/pp with SOL ticket stubs take Liberty Landing ferry from near World Trade back to your car at Liberty State Park.

 

Going by public transit from the Newark area of NJ to Liberty State Park is more time consuming, complicated, and/or expensive. The Liberty State Park light rail stop is a very long walk from the SOL ferry. You would want to get off the light rail at Essex, walk several blocks to the Liberty Landing ferry, and cross the channel to Liberty State Park.