HOHO in New York

[heron45]

We will be in New York on the Veendam on Oct. !7. Has anyone used the Hop on Hop off there? If so, what did you think of it...easy to use, short/long wait times? In one part of the tour description it says it is 4 hrs. In another part it says it is good for all day. Anyone know which it is? Any other ideas for excursions would be appreciated.

[mfanderso]

We bought tickets ahead of time for the 9/11 museum and took a taxi there and back. It was very moving and we could do this at our own pace. Depending on how long you are in port, you could go do the 9/11 museum early and then buy your ticket on the spot for the HOHO. New York is very easy to do on your own.

[RMLincoln]

I think if you stay on it's 4 hrs for the circuit, but the ticket is good for all day. m--

[RuthC]

I think if you stay on it's 4 hrs for the circuit, but the ticket is good for all day. m--

That's what I read it to mean.

 

Wow, that's a long circuit! I usually like to ride around twice---the first time straight through, and the second time to get off (if there's a place I want to stop at), or just sit on the other side of the bus.

Amazing what you see the second time around that you missed the first time.

[Boytjie]

Wow, that's a long circuit!

 

It's a YUGE city! :D

[CruiserBruce]

The better place for info would be the East Coast Departures board.

 

When we did the Ho-Ho bus, the tickets were actually for 48 hours. There were two routes, each take about 2 hours. This was Gray Line. A quick look at their website, here:

 

http://www.grayline.com/things-to-do/united-states/new-york-city/

 

gives you tons of info.

 

They can be crowded...very crowded, at certain times. I would suggest starting as early in the day as you can.

Edited June 17, 2016 by CruiserBruce

[just_cruising_along]

Although HOHOs are usually a good way to quickly see a city, in New York, the traffic is terrible and it makes it hard for the buses to move through town.

 

You may find you are better off walking, taking cabs or the subway to specific destinations. (If you walk the High Line, you walk on the now-defunct elevated train tracks above the streets.)

 

We were on a NYC HOHO that just stopped moving because the traffic was so thick in the afternoon through Times Square. We got off and took a taxi to get to where were wanted to go.

[sammiedawg]

NYC is the greatest city in the world and we spend a fair amount of time there as we have family and kids there. The city is so massive. I don't think you could see everything in a lifetime of visits.

I would ride the HOHO if you are first time visitors and time is limited or if you are mobility challenged. The main loop covers midtown and lower Manhattan. We've ridden it a couple times on a rainy day to kill a few hours. You will drive by the famous landmarks and get a feel for the city. Generally the traffic moves along unless streets are closed for a parade, festival or POTUS visit.

If you end up riding the HOHO study the Grayline web site and pick places of interest to get off and visit. By all means research on trip advisor which has voluminous information about the city.

Edited June 17, 2016 by sammiedawg

[Boytjie]

We were on a NYC HOHO that just stopped moving because the traffic was so thick in the afternoon through Times Square. We got off and took a taxi to get to where were wanted to go.

 

If the bus couldn't move due to traffic, how did the taxi get through? :confused:

[take us away]

Another option, if there are specific things you want to see, is to use the subway, which have improved in previous years. Not quite up to European standards but at least now decent. If you just want an overview of the city, the HOHO is an excellent choice.

[sppunk]

I personally think HOHO tours are terrible in NYC and a poor choice for first-timers. You can't see much due to the skyscrapers and traffic is a nightmare.

 

Subway > walk is ideal (it's flat and huge sidewalks so walking isn't bad if you're mobile). I recommend that.

[Boytjie]

As a New Yorker I am unable to make any recommendations re. HOHO; we don't do that! :D

 

It's similar when people ask which hotels to stay in... we don't stay in local hotels. :) I can recommend which areas t stay in but know very little about specific hotels.

[summersigh]

Check a site called viator dot com and choose NYC

The site will show you tours that are available in that city. They have translator earphones for foreign travelers if needed. (we used them in Paris)

 

They're well known and very reliable. We've used them to pre-purchase HOHO tours in NYC, Vancouver, Edinburgh, London and Paris. We've been very satisfied and have never had a problem. We also booked a Lights of Paris / Moulin Rouge tour and St Andrews and Fife Small Group Day Trip from Edinburgh.

 

Even if you don't book with them you can get details on the different tours and we even printed maps of the HOHO route before we left on our various trips.

[RMLincoln]

I second using Viator as a resource and or booking through them. I grew up in NYC but since collage days I'm not as familiar. But it's a grand city to visit. Most people want to tour Manhattan. Consider the Circle Cruise if mobility is an issue, or even if it isn't. It departs very near the cruise piers. The Staten Island ferry gives you great views of the Statue of Liberty but it does not stop there. (Alas, its grand art deco terminal burned down many years ago). Ellis Island is amazing if you've had any immigrants in your family line. There is no bad pizza in NYC!

 

It's a big city but Manhattan is compact. Traffic can be an issue but not as bad as Rome IMO. Focus on areas... downtown, midtown or uptown so you don't have to cross the island unnecessarily. One of my favorite hole in the wall places rich in American History is Fraunces Tavern in the downtown area (southern tip). It's where George Washington gave his farewell to his officers. Upstairs is a small restored museum and the docent's are amazing at bringing it to life. I'm sure the HOHO would stop near there, the downtown area is small and there's lots of see. m--

[heron45]

Thanks to all for the information. You've given me lots to think about and research. Unfortunately it's just one day.

[just_cruising_along]

If the bus couldn't move due to traffic, how did the taxi get through? :confused:

 

Our HOHO was going south through Times Square and it completely stopped. We got off the bus and walked several blocks to caught a taxi going north.

We had to go in the opposite direction (back to where we started.) The traffic was bad because "zillions" of people were leaving the island to go home.

 

Yes it seems illogical, but, somehow taxi drivers in NYC can make it work.

However, there are several places even taxi cab drivers don't go during rush hour. They drop you off wherever they can. With all this said, NYC is a great place with a lot to do! Cannot wait to go back.

[zookiebird]

JMHO, but for a one day visit to New York I think the best idea is to start early and choose a few Manhattan highlights. The traffic in the City makes it very hard for a hoho to give a good overview of the City. For that, I strongly suggest the One World Observatory at the new Freedom Tower. It's incredible!!

[summersigh]

Having limited time is where the Viator list of stops on the HOHO route helped immensely. We picked the stops where we wanted to get off/on ahead of time and at least got to see the sights/neighborhoods and hear the commentary of places we weren't stopping at.

 

I was with family who wanted to go to the top of the Empire State Building (WTC wasn't open yet). If we'd known the lines would take so long we'd have skipped it. It was cool but took over 2 hours of our one day. We were off the bus before 4pm and didn't run into the stand-still traffic on the bus some others mention. We were up on the top deck of the bus and enjoyed the views even if we were stopped at a traffic light. It was great for taking pictures:D

 

Here's a link I found for the Big Bus

http://eng.bigbustours.com/UploadedFiles/New_York_Map_May_2016_201605270715.pdf

Edited June 17, 2016 by summersigh

[Loujul]

We will be in New York on the Veendam on Oct. !7. Has anyone used the Hop on Hop off there? If so, what did you think of it...easy to use, short/long wait times? In one part of the tour description it says it is 4 hrs. In another part it says it is good for all day. Anyone know which it is? Any other ideas for excursions would be appreciated.

 

HOHO is a great way to see the city. We love doing it and we're locals. Try to find a Groupon that will cut the price considerably!!

[take us away]

Check a site called viator dot com and choose NYC

The site will show you tours that are available in that city. They have translator earphones for foreign travelers if needed. (we used them in Paris)

 

They're well known and very reliable. We've used them to pre-purchase HOHO tours in NYC, Vancouver, Edinburgh, London and Paris. We've been very satisfied and have never had a problem. We also booked a Lights of Paris / Moulin Rouge tour and St Andrews and Fife Small Group Day Trip from Edinburgh.

 

Even if you don't book with them you can get details on the different tours and we even printed maps of the HOHO route before we left on our various trips.

 

You can also book directly with City Sightseeing or Big Bus (whichever is in that town or you decide to use) and often you save a few $$ on each ticket by going direct, plus an added discount if you purchase > 1 city. Have done this very successfully several times in many parts of the world including Asia, Europe, Africa and the US. I usually bring a print-out of the stops and the route map so I can decide where I want to hop off or the order of the lines to take before I go.

Edited June 17, 2016 by take us away