Enterprise Car Rental

I live in Long Beach, NY and am thinking of renting a car from Enterprise for a three-day trip. I am not willing to put 600 miles on my 19-year old classic car.

Query: Does Enterprise really pick you up and how reliable are their cars?

We have a few locations near me but whenever I pass, I see only a few cars in their lot.

Anybody have any experience renting from them on Long Island?

Enterprise Car Rental

I%26#39;ve rented from them in the Hamptons. They do pick you up, but you then have to go to their location to sign contracts and pick up the car. They don%26#39;t bring the car you%26#39;ll use to you. I would imagine these may be franchised, so not sure if they%26#39;re all ';equal.'; Have you checked to see if any of the car dealers do rentals?

The other thing to consider is heading toward your destination (where are you planning on going?) by train and renting closer to where you want to be. You%26#39;d save gas and maybe get a cheaper rental.

Enterprise Car Rental

Thanks for your quick response. No, actually, I need to start from Long Beach. Am heading up to Penn State for a Board meeting and don%26#39;t want to put some 600 miles on my 1990 classic right now. Trying to baby it.

You have a good thought about checking the local offices as they may indeed be franchises.

My point was, maybe you should consider going part way by train if you don%26#39;t need to stop along the way. What about taking the train to Philadelphia or Princeton and then drive from there? Less driving for you, less gas, maybe cheaper rental.

Restaurant near Port Authority?

I am looking for a restaurant in the high W. 30s/low W. 40s for pre-theatre dinner on Friday night. (Show is on W. 42 Street.) I checked zagat, but nothing is looking great. Good food, nice looking, moderately priced. Any inside tips for the Garment District? Thanks in advance.

Restaurant near Port Authority?

Chez Josephine: French, Bistro. 414 W 42nd St. btwn 9th %26amp; 10th Aves. Reservation required. www.chezjosephine.com

Metro Marche: French, Bistro. 625 8th Ave. at 41st Street (in Port Authority). Weird location, but decent for that area. www.metromarche.com

Restaurant near Port Authority?

Both great recos above. I%26#39;ll add West Bank Cafe.

Top 3 Italian Restaurants & Top 3 Steakhouses

What are your three favorite Italian Restaurants and three favorite steakhouses?

Top 3 Italian Restaurants %26amp; Top 3 Steakhouses

Don%26#39;t get to eat much Italian, but I do love Carmine%26#39;s. Family style (aka LARGE portions) and good hearty fare. Can%26#39;t go wrong in this Time Square icon.

Steakhouses, you would start an argument here. I personally prefer Peter Luger%26#39;s (Brooklyn location for authenticity). Megu has good Kobe beef and the Palm is pretty good as well. I%26#39;d stay away from the chains (Morton%26#39;s, Ruth%26#39;s Chris).

Top 3 Italian Restaurants %26amp; Top 3 Steakhouses

The thing about Italian food in NYC is, IMHO, that now we have 3 or 4 ';styles'; that are very popular here:

1. Big, ';family style'; pasta orgies, with giant plates, giant personalities and giant tourist appeal. Carmine%26#39;s is an example.

2. Famous chefs and artisinal places where every yummy basil leaf and vine-ripened tomato probably arrived from a farm in Italy that morning. Not as pretentious as you think. Many are totally worth the wait, some are not.

3. ';Red sauce'; joints with red and white checkered table cloths, chianti and limited menus. The few that are left are mostly in Brooklyn and The Bronx. Might be a little dusty in the corners, but grandma%26#39;s recipes never fail.

4. Average places where you can%26#39;t go wrong. Not fancy, not pretentious, not famous and not outstanding. Just good ol%26#39; reliable places.

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60763-i5-k1302326鈥?/a> Best_Italian_restaurants_A_collection_of_threads-

Would you have any preferences?

Prefer either of these two types:

2. Famous chefs and artisinal places where every yummy basil leaf and vine-ripened tomato probably arrived from a farm in Italy that morning. Not as pretentious as you think. Many are totally worth the wait, some are not.

3. ';Red sauce'; joints with red and white checkered table cloths, chianti and limited menus. The few that are left are mostly in Brooklyn and The Bronx. Might be a little dusty in the corners, but grandma%26#39;s recipes never fail.

Sorry to bombard you with more info, but, hey, these things matter in NYC!!

I had a fantastic all-around steak experience at BLT STeak a few months ago. Really outstanding. From the popovers to the brussels sprouts (yes!) to teh desserts, everything was delectable. The service was lovely.

As was said, Peter Luger%26#39;s is a NYC steak institution, but you should be prepared. Cash only, and the 100-year-old building looks it. The gruff-but-lovable waiters serve you efficiently, but don%26#39;t want to be your friend. If you order anything but the steak as your main course, you might be mocked publicly. But the steaks certainly are amazing.

If you don%26#39;t want to ';put up with the hassle'; of old-school Luger%26#39;s attitude (which some people simply can not stand but, personally, has never bothered me at all), try one of Luger%26#39;s spin-offs:

Wolfgang%26#39;s (VERY NOISY due to beautiful low ceilings)

Ben %26amp; Jack%26#39;s (not our fave.)

...Um, any others survived? I know Blair Perrone closed...

The other famous NYC steakhouses are Keen%26#39;s (which has a bar menu), Del Frisco%26#39;, Craftsteak, Quality Meats, STK, Old Homestead...sheesh, there%26#39;s quite a herd.

menupages.com/restaurants.asp鈥?/a>

ha ha there%26#39;s quite a ';herd'; - cute.

The Palm is a chain, too.

The ';go-to'; red-sauce Italian restaurant that gets recommended here is Bamonte%26#39;s.

Honestly, I%26#39;m not familiar with the newer places, but here are two excellent threads with great recos on Italian restaurants:

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60763-i5-k720005-鈥?/a> -Best_Italian_Place_in_NYC-

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60763-i5-k748524-鈥?/a>

I really like Po on Cornelia Street, and BLT Steak. Another great Italian, especially if you need something theater district is Baldoria.

Recently went to Porter House (steak) in the Time Warner Center - excellent. Pretty expensive. For more moderate in Time Warner Center - Landmarc is great! I%26#39;m happy there at the bar with a terrine of foie gras and a great glass of wine from their exhaustive selection.

Havent been yet, but Scarletti is the new hot Italian. The chef was formerly at 2 of my favorite Italian rests - Alto and L%26#39;Impero. Everything including just simple spaghetti with red sauce was amazing - and the reviews of Scarletti rave about this as well. Alto is still there and good, but L%26#39;Impero has a new name and I dont remember it.

%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;The Palm is a chain, too.

Yea, but I feel like it%26#39;s not as ';bad'; as the others?

Evening means Scarpetta I think.

meet people in

Visitors looking for something to do

While in NY, you might want to check out some of the free concerts going on.

nydailynews.com/lifestyle/travel/2008/06/22/鈥?/a>

Girls weekend in NYC

A couple of VT moms are heading to NYC this weekend for food, shopping and drinks. I am looking for some input on the best Indian food, Sushi, Italian and clubs. And of course shopping!!!

Thanks for your help!

Girls weekend in NYC

Hi, milphil. There are loads of Indian restaurants depending on where you are and what kind of place you want. Tabla and Tamarind are more trendy places (and you%26#39;d want to have a reservation). Then there are more traditional Indian places from casual to fancy. Do you know the website

menupages.com

It will help a lot. As to clubs, I think it depends on your age and what kind of clubs you want.

hipguide.com

list the trendier clubs, but they may not be good for VT. Moms. ;)

As for shopping, again what kind? Here%26#39;s a link to a shopping guide from NY magazine.

nymag.com/visitorsguide/shopping/index.htm

There%26#39;s a whole section on shopping in the FAQ on the forum here

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60763-i5-k1948627鈥?/a>

Girls weekend in NYC

For Indian Food go to K lounge in midtown if i remember. I have been there once and the food is just AWESOME !!!!

scars

What to do with kids?

Hi,

I am traveling with my husband and kids to Old Forge for 3 days in 2 weeks. We have 3 girls ages 7, 4, and 2. I plan to visit Enchanted Forest and browse in some of the shops. Other than that are there any activities that we could all enjoy together? I don%26#39;t mind a little bit of drive...half an hour or so.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Lisa

What to do with kids?

Take them on a boat ride..The Cruise Boats run from the docks across from Water Safari/Enchanted Forest.

The Adirondack Railroad runs a daily train down the old line along the Moose River..Old Trains, kids love it. Take a ride up to Inlet via the South Shore Road...you will probably see deer and sometimes other critters. Inlet beach has a nice playgound lakeside at the free public beach..Fourth Lake is quite clean for swimming. If the two year old isn%26#39;t too difficult, there is a short hike up Eagle Cliff..it is really fairly easy, and has a super view. It is located in Eagle Bay, just north of Old Forge. just park at the grocery store, cross the Big Moose road and follow Eagle Trail road..there is a trail marker, or a walk around beautiful Moss Lake on the Big Moose Road, There is Mini Golf in the center of Old Forge.

You will loose an entire day at the ';Forest';, especially if its a hot day...the water is great, and so are the rides!

Have fun!

What to do with kids?

Also, the chairlift up McCauley mountain. Take a picnic lunch and enjoy the view.

Hi, I returned from my trip and just wanted to say thanks for the great ideas. We had more than enough to do...many things that are left on our list for next time.

We of course hit Enchanted Forest (it was a little too chilly for the Water Safari). We tried to do the hike up Eagle Cliff. Unfortunately, the folks in the grocery store in Eagle Bay told us that they have temporarily closed that trail due to some bear encounters. We tried the walk around Moss Lake instead. It is a nice hike, but in retrospect it was a bit too much for our kids. They were bored and cranky. Oh well! :)

We are already looking forward to going back next year!

--Lisa

Glad you had fun! Come back soon.

Ideal Gift for True Mets Fans

The New York Mets and the City of New York are giving Full Season, Weekday Plan %26amp; Combo Plan Holders opportunity to purchase actual pairs of seats for $869 per pair plus applicable state sales tax (8.375% for NY residents and 6.5% for FL residents). Seat pairs will be available to the general public on August 25th @ 9 a.m. Anyone going to buy a pair?

鈥lb.com/nym/ballpark/save_a_piece.jsp

Ideal Gift for True Mets Fans

I saw this on the news. I think it%26#39;s a good idea but the price is a bit over the tip, n%26#39;est-ce pas?

Restaurant Reco's Near Cafe Wha?

We are arriving in Manhattan this Sunday, August 10th with our 15 yr. old son and am looking for dinner ideas in the general area of Cafe Wha? (on MacDougal between Bleecker and W. 3rd St.). We are open to walking so it doesn%26#39;t need to be that close. Looking for Italian, Chinese, Seafood, or American in the $20. entree range.

I had a look at menu pages but was overwhelmed! I came up with Da Andrea or Inoteca as possibilities.

Please help me with more ideas! Can%26#39;t wait for our trip!

Thanks.

Restaurant Reco's Near Cafe Wha?

I know you didn%26#39;t say ';Middle Eastern';, but right above Cafe Wha? is The Olive Vine, which also serves to Cafe Wha? patrons during shows.

Their kebabs and salads are really good and very affordable, so I wouldn%26#39;t rule it out.

Other choices that come to mind nearby (or short walk away):

Acme Grill (American Southern comfort food, but you%26#39;ll probably scoff at it.)

Il Mulino

La Lanterna

Chinatown Brasserie

Fiddlesticks (pub, American)

John%26#39;s of Bleecker Street (Pizza. REALLY GOOD pizza.)

Restaurant Reco's Near Cafe Wha?

For Chinese try Suzie%26#39;s on Bleecker Street, reasonable %26amp; good, a couple of blocks from Cafe Wha.

www.menupages.com/restaurantdetails.asp鈥?/a>

Thank you both for the ideas. I%26#39;ll put the vote up to the family and see where we end up!

Da Andrea %26amp; Inoteca are both very good but not as close to Cafe Wha as these other options.

Thanks for the info., Whiz. I%26#39;m thinking approx. a 15 minute walk which would be fine.

learn and study bible

EWR to cruise ship

I researched this topic and it is so confusing I need help.

I want to take PATH or Airport Bus Svc from EWR to the docks in lower Manhattan to catch a cruise ship.

Anyone out there who can simplify this trip for me?

I need to now the specifics of where to catch the train or bus at EWR and where to transfer is needed and where to get off. I would like to get off as close to the ship (NCL-Jewel) as possible but realize I may have to take a cab on the last leg.

Does the Airport Shuttle and Path allow small carryon/roll aboard bags?

EWR to cruise ship

No one can simplify this for you because no cruise ships leave from docks in lower Manhattan.

Cruise ships leave either from the Passenger Ship Terminal on the West Side, about five miles north of ';lower Manhattan';, or from Red Hook in Brooklyn or Bayonee in New Jersey, both of which are across the harbor from lower Manhattan.

If you do not know the correct location of where you will be departing form, no one can tell you how to get there!!!

EWR to cruise ship

It%26#39;s the Passenger Terminal/West Side (Manhattan...not Brooklyn).

Arriving EWR the day before and will stay overnight at a EWR hotel. I have lots of time the next day to get to the ship.

you can either take the shuttle bus from the airport to Port Authority Bus Terminal and then a cab to the Piers (should be under $7.00) or you can take Path to Herald Square and a cab from there(a couple of dollars more than Port Authority)....it is possible to take a crosstown bus to 12th Avenue (both the 34th St Crosstown and the M42 go over there) but it won%26#39;t take you right to your ship and i think you are better off with a cab for the last leg

Also, you should have the exact Pier # plus the Street it is on for the cab driver

The Passenger Ship Terminal is on the Hudson River (called the ';North River'; for maritime purposes), extending westward into the water from Twelfth Avenue, which runs along the water%26#39;s edge. Unfortunately for you, no train (either railroad or subway) travels in that part of Manhattan any further west than Eighth Avenue. Eighth Avenue and Twelfth Avenue are about 2/3 of a mile (or one kilometer) apart, and with luggage you will obviously need transportation. There are buses, but luggage on a city bus is not a happy prospect; you are better off using a taxi.

I think your best options for getting into Manhattan are either the Airport Bus Service coach to the Port Authority Bus Terminal, or else the AirTrain to the NJ Transit Newark Airport train station, and then the NJ Transit train to Penn Station New York (and NOT the similarly named Penn Station Newark). From the bus terminal or Penn Station, walk outside to Eighth Avenue (you can also walk to Seventh Avenue from Penn, but you don%26#39;t want to) and get in one of the taxis which you will find at the taxi queue. Tell the driver that you are going to Pier ___ at the Passenger Ship Terminal, at Twelfth Avenue and ___ Street.

You may think ';Well, I know the pier number, but not the street!%26#39;, but actually knowing one will tell you the other: subtract 40 from the Pier number, and you have the street number. For example, Pier 90 is at 50th Street, Pier 91 is at 51st, and so on.

Unless you%26#39;re arriving very late at night, staying in Manhattan would be much nicer. Take the Airport Express bus (if you%26#39;re 1 or 2 people) to Port Authority bus terminal. There%26#39;s not much out at the airport, especially if you have all day the next day. Why not stay in Manhattan and then take a taxi to the pier. The Travel Inn is a budget hotel in Manhattan that%26#39;s not that far from the pier.

weather for upcoming weekend Sat-Tues

Anyone see the forcast?

weather for upcoming weekend Sat-Tues

It looks pretty decent so far, mostly in the 70s, but the weather%26#39;s been pretty unpredictable lately -- scattered showers and storms have been popping up intermittently for weeks now (so I%26#39;d say bring an umbrella, just in case).

My NYC plans - any thoughts?

Leaving in 4 weeks - i think our plans are pretty much finalised - any suggestions would be welcome - do you all think it sounds ok??

Sunday: Brunch at Penelope%26#39;s (ten - 15 minutes from where we are staying, The Ivy Terrace B%26amp;B).

Have applied for a greeter for this day, but haven%26#39;t heard anything yet. Would like to see some of Central Park, maybe the zoo, and just spend the day walking around aqainting ourselves with the city.

Maybe the ESB and some shopping at Macy%26#39;s - my BF wants to buy a nice suit.

Dinner/drinks and dancing at Swing 46 with friends.

Monday: Upper west side - meeting another friend who is going to take us around this part of town, including the top part of the park and the Dakota building.

Head back down to Frick Museum this afternoon.

Dinner at Spice Market with friend of ours - would like to kick on at a bar around the same area - any suggestions?

Tuesday - we have a private walking tour organised for this day. We will be covering Battery park and the financial district, Greenwich village, Gramercy Park and Union Square. These were area%26#39;s of specific interest to us, which is why we went the private tour option, to get greater insight into the areas.

Dinner at River Cafe, just me and the BF.

Wednesday: Brooklyn - doing a morning walking tour with a company called A Tour Grows in Brooklyn - have heard good things.

Visit to Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory before heading back over the bridge. Explore Little Italy/Chinatown if we have time this afternoon.

No dinner plans, but we want to try and see a show this night - Ave Q or Lion King are preferences.

Thursday: Out on the morning ferry...happy to see the Statue of Liberty from the water. Actually not sure which ferry does this.

Would like to lunch somewhere nice - i was thinking Prune.

Tickets to Conan O%26#39;Brien for 4.00pm.

Top of the Rock when we come out.

Maybe another show tonight, otherwise dinner at La Lanterna.

Friday: Breakfast at Norma%26#39;s

Make our way backwards, seeing NYC public library, 5th Ave (Tiffany%26#39;s!), St Patricks Cathedral. Subway to SoHo if we have time to check it out.

Serendipity for afternoon sundaes!

Dinner at Cafe De Artistes - it looks super pretty, despite not having heard great things about the food. The atmosphere looks so lovely and romantic (which is what i was after). Would like to go to a bar after this, but not sure where.

Yikes, that was long. Any thoughts?

Thanks for your help!

My NYC plans - any thoughts?

If you%26#39;re happy to see the SOL from the water use the Staten Island ferry it%26#39;s free and has great views, and you can have a beer or two onboard! Looks like you%26#39;ve put allot of planning in-guided tour of Union square etc sounds great, these are some of my favourite areas. I also love the River Caf茅, if you don鈥檛 already plan to walk back over the Brooklyn bridge walking towards the Manhattan skyline is fantastic!

My NYC plans - any thoughts?

Your itenary looks good. I just saw Prune on the Travel Channel last night. I had never heard of this restaurant. It looked fantastic!!! :o) A romantic bar we liked when we were there was Flute. It%26#39;s fabulous if you like champagne. We went to the midtown location and loved it. I hope you have a great trip!!! :o)

http://www.flutebar.com/en/

Thanks :) I am really looking forward to being in NYC, it feels like i%26#39;ve spent so much time planning and looking forward to it, and i%26#39;ll bet that our time there will pass in the blink of an eye and all of a sudden it will be over! :) So there%26#39;s sort of a sweetness in the waiting, if that makes sense.

Flute looks like the sort of place i%26#39;d like...definately writing it down to try. We were considering a drink at 21 Club also, but not sure what that%26#39;s like foro just a drink.

Cheers!

Maybe you could think of another place for Cafe des Artistes. I haven%26#39;t come around to go there but someone suggested to me to go there only for drinks and to have dinner elsewhere because the food is supposed to be ordinary for the price.

I went to the bar room of the Modern in the MOMA and had such a great dinner that I recommend it to everyone now! Everything there is perfect..from the food, decor and service. You come out feeling special!

I think you will need a vacation after the vacation you have planned!!

LOL, i know right? It%26#39;s going to be a packed week, but fun i hope - luckily this is the first week in a 5 weeks vacation travelling across the USA, and it%26#39;s definately the busiest one, so hopefully there will be more time to relax in the weeks after NYC! :D

Penelope is further than 10 mins. from Ivy Terrace. Not, imo, worth the trip. Grab a bagel some place. If you go to the park, have lunch/brunch at the Boat House in the park. If you get a greeter, have them suggest a place.

For a suit, instead of Macy%26#39;s, you might check out Sym%26#39;s. There%26#39;s one at 54 st. b/w Park %26amp; Madison. They also do alterations.

Cafe des Artistes will be dissapointing for food and I think is becoming a place for older patrons (sorry if I%26#39;m offending anyone. I don%26#39;t exclude myself from that group these days ;( ) Go for lunch or brunch or a drink if you want to see the place.

If you want to see Lion King, you%26#39;ll have to get tickets in advance. Ave Q is easier on spur of the moment.

Rest looks good!

Serendipity is not what it once was, and having a sundae in the afternoon will likely kill your dinner.

PS, the Frick is CLOSED on Mondays.

http://frickmuseum.org/

Hmmm, I had dinner at Cafe des Artistes for the first time last year, and I remember the food I ate there as being pretty good.

Thanks for all these suggestions - good to know the Frick is closed on Mondays too. Funny you mention the Lion King needs advanced tickets, i just had a look today on the TKTS website to see what was selling last week, and noticed it wasn%26#39;t there. Ave Q was though, so may go with that, and possibly Hairspray or Mamma Mia for a 2nd one if we want to go again. Even The Little Mermaid was on there, which i really want to see.

Might do Cafe Des Artistes for lunch perhaps, or a drink...wanted to have a really nice romantic dinner on our last night in NYC, so might have to look around for something else.

Thanks SO much for all of this help!

scars

Suggestions for one nighter on way to cape Cod

Hi all, we%26#39;ll be travelling with 2 young children (7%26amp;8) to Cape Cod from Toronto, and are planning to stop in Albany overnight. Suggestions for where to stay that%26#39;s easy on/off the highway? We%26#39;d like to visit the Howe Caverns before we continue on, does anyone have an idea how far this is away?

thank you,

R.

Suggestions for one nighter on way to cape Cod

Howe Caverns isn%26#39;t all that far from Albany, and it%26#39;s definitely on the way, not too much of a jaunt off the Thruway (I-90). There are also plenty of hotels in Albany, many of them near I-90 (I was at the Clarion the other day and noted that that has particularly handy access to I-90, though I didn%26#39;t actually stay there, so I can%26#39;t speak to the quality of the rooms).

Suggestions for one nighter on way to cape Cod

I presume that you will be traveling on I-90. Be aware that I-90 breaks off from the NYS Thruway at Exit 24 and continues for a time as a free road until it reconnects with the Thruway%26#39;s Berkshire Spur. Here are some places to consider that are right off the highway after the Exit 24 toll plaza:

-- The Hilton Garden Inn Albany/SUNY Area, Marriott Courtyard or the Fairfield Inn are on Washington Ave. right near Exit 2. For these, get off I-90 at Exit 2, then turn left at the light. All hotels will be on your left. A family member stayed at the HGI earlier this year and raved about it. Another family member stayed at the Fairfield Inn and said it was fine. All have pools for the kids and whirlpools for the parents. The next morning, you can get right back on I-90.

-- At Exit 9 in East Greenbush, there%26#39;s a Holiday Inn Express and Fairfield Inn. Both are well regarded. The next morning, the I-90 entrance is right there.

Howe Caverns is about 45 minutes from Albany -- a tad out of the way but worth it if you have time. To go there, get off I-90 at Exit 25A, then take I-88 west to the Howe Caverns exit. Plan on spending a couple of hours there, as it%26#39;s a popular attraction. And note that the caves stay at 52 degrees F year-round, so bring jackets or sweatshirts.

What to do in Harlem?

Im in the process of planning my 5 day trip to NY. Im deciding on whether to visit Harlem. Was thinking of grabbing some food at Silvias and then some drinks in the Lenox Lounge as these seem to be the most famous venues.

Would anyone recommend anything else to see in this area?

And, sorry if this is an ignorant question, but is it relatively safe up this area (for an 2 indian guys)?

What to do in Harlem?

It%26#39;s safe unless you%26#39;re deathly terrified of black people. Is that what you%26#39;re asking?

What to do in Harlem?

Also, what would be the best night for Lenox Lounge? Im thinking of giving this a miss on the weekend and heading there on a Monday night (Im there from Thursday and travel back on Tuesday evening)

Apologies, I think the reputation of the area is the reason I asked this question. Which days would you recommend. Im thinking if I go on Monday, I may miss the rush.

It is relatively safe. Just execute the same caution you would as a tourist anywhere else in the world.

I would think that the main draw of most tourists sites is the abundance of people?

Im staying in Soho from Thurs - Sat and then closer to Central Park on Sunday and Monday. I suppose I can make other plans for the other nights of the week. I guess what Im asking is whether Lenox Lounge is good on a Sunday or Monday night for a relaxing drink and some good jazz?

And whether there is any other venues in that area you may suggest.

Hey last summer I went with some former TA posters to a a free Jazz concert held by Marjorie Elliot in the Morris Jummel House park that was ..... jammy.

http://www.morrisjumel.org/

So ';another completely unique experience would be to stop by Marjorie Elliott%26#39;s apartment in Harlem on Sunday at 4PM. Marjorie%26#39;s living room springs to life every Sunday with live jazz. Every performance is free (tips are accepted but not expected...by Marjorie at least. I expect you to tip a minimum of $20 per person...and you%26#39;ll want to after you see the show), and Marjorie serves cookies. Check out the website and send an email. Marjorie will reserve seats for you. Be sure to tell her how far you%26#39;ve come to see her show.';

http://www.parlorentertainment.com/ (I lifted this above quote from AllenZachary)

There%26#39;s a lot more to see in Harlem than just jazz ..... like the gospel choirs, St. John the Divine, City College, Striver%26#39;s Row, ect.

Monday is I think Latin night @ Lenox Lounge. You can check their website for current schedule. Sylvia%26#39;s/Lenox are within a few blocks of one another, it%26#39;s a busy area, there%26#39;s a subway station #s2%26amp;3 trains -- even a Starbucks -- in between, so walking in that area is generally okay. Harlem Meer (Central Park/5th Avenue near 110th Street) has free jazz concerts Sunday aternoons; the Central Park Conservancy website will have details. Studio Museum of Harlem (125th %26amp; 7th/Adam Clayton Powell Blvd) has a great current exhibit -- admission is free on Sundays (thanks, Target); Schomburg Center (135th %26amp; Lenox). Also shops along 125th; on 135th/7th is the Denim Library, terrific selection of men%26#39;s jeans %26amp; accessories.

I highly recommend going to Marjories on Sunday at 4PM. This is a fantastic experience and well worth the trip. You won%26#39;t regret it.

low cost web hosting

need urgent shopping advice please

HI all

Hard to believe but we have had TWO house fires in 8 months and the second one wiped out our walk in so we are left with no winter clothes! decided to go to U.S.

- we live in Ireland - and have been to Woodbury Common and to Prime Outlets in Orlando which I adored - Prime in Orlando is so %26#39;together%26#39; and feels safe and relaxed.

as I am looking for winter clothing etc etc I would be v grateful if somebody could advise or give me any tips. flights to NYC are a little cheaper and shorter than Florida. anywhere else worth checking out?

THANKS ALL!

Wanderingirl

need urgent shopping advice please

So sorry to hear about your fires. I happened to find your post by accident. I would guess this Woodbury forum is not very active and suggest you post on the NYC forum. Title your thread Outlet Shopping advice and explain you%26#39;re willing to fly to places other than NYC but using the NYC forum since it%26#39;s busier.

My 2 penneth, I think a northern location like NYC will have more choices for winter clothes at this time of year (when are you planning on coming?) than Orlando. The other outlet malls I know of are not near a major city. In addition to Woodbury Commons there%26#39;s also Jersey Gardens in New Jersey (still a flight to NYC) and there%26#39;s Tanger Outlet on Long Island (still fly into JFK) but you might want to stay out near the mall for a night or two. There%26#39;s a newish Holiday Inn Express right there but you really need a car imo for Long Island.

need urgent shopping advice please

thank you so much for your kind advice and help. Just today, we got a great deal on flight to orlando

and having checked the web the prime and premium outlets appear to have lots of winter apparel and other items we need to replace and for some reason (other than the dollar..sorry!) the prices are pretty amazing so we will go for four days - two of us will do the necessary in two days.

I really appreciate your help - sincere thanks!

wanderingirl

Need Hotel for Yankees Game

I will be arriving at La Guardia for an overnight stay, to attend a Yankees game. Should I stay near the airport? Should I stay near the stadium? I think it is in Brooklyn -- any advice would be appreciated!

Need Hotel for Yankees Game

You definitely do not want to stay near LaGuardia, which is not close to the subway.

The baseball team that played in Brooklyn was the Brooklyn Dodgers. The stadium in which the Bronx Bombers play is located in -- aha!! -- the Bronx.

There are absolutely no hotel in the Bronx that you would want to stay at.

Your best choice is to stay in Manhattan and take the D or the #4 trains to the stadium. As the 4 runs on the east side, and the D on the west, you can stay just about anywhere.

Need Hotel for Yankees Game

LOL, ok you really need to get acquainted with Hopstop and a guide book or tourism map.

www.hopstop.com

As was said, the vast majority of fans take the subway to the game, so a hotel like the Grand Hyatt (at the #4, 5 line) or one of the Hiltons (at the D line) would be good.

But, since you mentioned ';hotel near LGA';, I%26#39;m guessing you have a very, very low hotel budget.

What is your lodging budget, to be precise? And how much can you increase it? Do you know about:

www.travelzoo.com

www.kayak.com

www.quickbook.com

www.hotels.com

etc, etc.

brunch in nyc

I am taking my boyfriend%26#39;s grandparents out to brunch. They prefer proper/elegant places. I am looking for suggestions in the west 40%26#39;s - 60%26#39;s. Also any places near the park. Thanks

brunch in nyc

The Boat House IN Central Park is a lovely spot for brunch. Food is not outstanding but the setting is. Asiate in the Mandarin Oriental in the Time Warner building is also lovely with nice view and fancy service. Eleven Madison Park is not in the area you mention, but another upscale lovely spot.

brunch in nyc

thanks.. anyone else have suggestions?

David Burke %26amp; Donatella - tres chic, they will love it. It%26#39;s on E 61 close to the park.

it%26#39;s not in the west 40-60 s but we had brunch at The River Cafe last sunday.The views from under the Brooklyn bridge were stunning and the food and waiter service was incredible.

Perhaps Petrossian at West 58th %26amp; 7th Avenue. Very close to the park and proper/elegant. petrossian.com/restaurant-New-York-Restauran鈥?/a>

Thank you NYWHIZ !!! I was looking for a good place to take my boyfriend for our last week end together. I passed by those places and they look very elegant and classy !!! Are not they too expensive ?

I was answering someone who asked for proper/elegant places. You may be looking for something else and should start your own questions. ;)

menupages.com

or the restaurants%26#39; own websites will give you an idea of prices.

Nice Matin on the Upper West Side has a very nice brunch. Reservations needed. A few blocks from the park

The Essex House on Central Park South has great views

and an excellent brunch.

hotels??

I%26#39;m looking for a hotel that%26#39;s not too much $$ out of New York. I%26#39;m Going to a Yankee game and would like to train it in.

hotels??

The best way to get to the stadium is by subway. The easiest way to get the subway is from Manhattan. When are you going and what is your hotel budget?

hotels??

going to the game sept. 15th. looking for something about 150-175 but safe with parking

I%26#39;m golfing Bethpage on Sunday and would like to try to golf Monday before the game. That%26#39;s why I thought it would be better to stay out of the city because of traffic and tolls and time.please help.

Along the same topic...we are moving our daughter into her apartment in Chelsea on Sat Aug 23, would like a hotel to stay in outside of Manahattan for Friday night after our drive from Ohio. Which cities in NJ should we look at? For safety and price?

scars

Getting from New Jersey to NYC?

Would appreciate suggestions on the best ways (cost-wise, convenience, etc.) of getting from New Jersey to the main places of interest in NYC - such as Broadway, Central Park, Empire State Building, Statue of Libery and so on.

Thanks.

Getting from New Jersey to NYC?

New Jersey is more than 100 miles from end to end, so the answer is quite different depending on where in NJ. Where in NJ? Jersey City, Paramus, Morristown, Trenton, Cape May?

Getting from New Jersey to NYC?

Agree with the above. New Jersey is a state, not a city. Where you are in New Jersey will make a big difference as to which (if any) public transportation options make sense. Remember most people who live in New Jersey own a car to get around in New Jersey. Unless you chose a hotel carefully that%26#39;s very close to transportation, you could have a problem.

njtransit.com

has a trip planner you can use if you have the exact address of where you%26#39;ll be staying.

Sorry, I wasnt too sure abt where I%26#39;d be staying earlier but it will most probably be somewhere near to Newark Airport. The address I have is Spring Street, Elizabeth, NJ 7201.

On the other hand, would you advise staying in NJ or say, somewhere in Flushing NY 11354?

Thanks.

Staying in Newark near the airport is a terrible idea. It%26#39;s far to travel, it will be expensive and it may not be very safe. Flushing, if it%26#39;s near a subway station (very important) will be infinitely better, cheaper and easier.

I would take Flushing over Elizabeth in a heart beat. Flushing is part of Queens which is part of New York City which means that there is subway service (how well a particular area is served by a subway is another story). Look into a place like the La Quinta Inn in Long Island City (really Sunnyside), The Pan American. Staying in Elizabeth to visit NYC is just a bad move, a really bad move.

What is the purpose of your visit? Business - pleasure etc?

For visiting NYC and sightseeing at the sights listed I would suggest staying in Manhattan.

Poppa

That%26#39;s otherwise known as US Route 1%26amp;9. I%26#39;ve stayed at an airport hotel on that road - it%26#39;s a highway that doesn%26#39;t even have any sidewalks along part of the route. I have walked in the dusty shoulder to get to a crappy bar in Elizabeth because I was hungry and the hotel had nothing to eat. Awful choice for coming to NYC.

Staying in Flushing by the 7 train would be a much better idea, but once again, you have to be in a hotel by the subway, not out in the middle of nowhere (as some ';Flushing'; hotels are) where you can%26#39;t get to the subway. What hotels are you specifically looking at?

The hotels in Flushing that have the zip code 11354 will almost certainly be near Main Street and its subway station. You will also find that they are in a vibrant, bustling Asian (largely Chinese and Korean) community.

If you think you have identified a hotel, whether in Flushing or in any other part of Queens, ask here first before you make your reservation and we can tell you whether or not it is close to rapid transit.

I would sty in Downtown Newark or Jersey City.

Ditto from everyone here, so far. Staying in New Jersey, I feel is not the best idea, and especially at the Airport. In my opinion, staying at the airport only provides somewhat of a close ride to Newark. Since you%26#39;re coming in from Malaysia, I assume that you%26#39;re going to take Malaysian Air? In any regards, save yourself the hassle, and definitely money, by staying somewhere in Queens. Broadway, Central Park, and ESB are all a 7 train ride away. Statue of Liberty, a bit south of all three but easily do-able with a transfer to the W train at Queensboro Plaza.

pentoolonphotoshopcs2

Activity suggestions

We plan to go to Lake George for the Adirondack Balloon Festival in September. Can someone offer other suggestions such as scenery, restaurants, or other things we may enjoy as well. Thanks.

Subway Fares?

I have heard a seven day metrocard is the best deal for traveling by subway. I will be landing at JFK, where is the best place to purchase a card?

Subway Fares?

If you%26#39;re planning on using the subway to get into Manhattan, wherever you pick up the subway (there are 2 options from JFK after you take the AirTrain, Jamaica or Howard Beach, depending on where you%26#39;re going). I don%26#39;t recommend the subway from JFK unless you don%26#39;t have much luggage. In any case, buy the pass in the subway station when you take your first ride.

Subway Fares?

There is no single ';best deal';. The ';best deal'; depends entirely on how many times a day you will be using buses and subways, and over how long a period.

MetroCards are available from the machines found on the walls of all subway stations.

Metrocards make using the buses and subways very convenient. You can buy the card at various subway stations and perhaps at JFK. If you are using a travel agent, they can get one in advance for you and have it available at your hotel.

I would like to thank everyone for your comments.

Finger lakes and Catskills

My husband, 12 yr. old son and I will be in the ithaca area for just 2 days after we are finished looking for fossils around Syracuse. We will then head back to Boston. Any ideas for things

to do and places to stay? I was thinking of breaking the trip up

by stopping in the Catskills or any interesting place along 90 or 88 or on the way home. Thanks

New York mother son trip - he's 11..help!

Greetings! I am from Canada, and I%26#39;m going to New York City for just 4 days with my 11 year old son for a special trip. Any advice on things to do? I%26#39;m overwhelmed...

NDR

New York mother son trip - he's 11..help!

What are his interests? You could take a bike ride through Central Park, walk the Brooklyn Bridge, take the Staten Island ferry and see the SOL from a distance, visit the American Natural History Museum to see the dinosaurs or the Metropolitan Museum to see the Super Heroes exhibit, see a show, ride the subway, shop. The options are endless. Ask him for a top four and do one each day. Make sure that he is involved in the planning and it will make it all more exciting.

New York mother son trip - he's 11..help!

I think your 11 year old will enjoy the Museum of Natural History and the Planetarium show.

Other things you could do:

Lion King - although getting tickets on such short notice might be tough/expensive.

Blue Man Group - great visual/acoustic experience.

Madame Tussaud%26#39;s Wax Museum.

The Bodies Exhibit at The Seaport.

The NY Mets at Shea - again, tickets would be tough to get but would be available for a price on stubhub.com (Yankees are out of town).

My 11 year old, stuck in the body of a 42 year old, loved the Natural History Museum, I couldn%26#39;t get him away from t-rex :-)

Take a deep breath Darlena. ;) You%26#39;ll have a great time. There%26#39;s some good general info on this page

tripadvisor.com/Travel-g60763-c1128/New-York鈥?/a>

with lots of links on the right hand side. If you tell us where you%26#39;re staying, what your son likes and anything in particular you want to do, we can help. If you plan on going to Empire state building, Statue of Liberty or a show, I%26#39;d recommend getting tickets now online before you arrive. For a show, go to

broadwaybox.com

and look for discounts on the left hand side. Shows your son might like include

on Broadway

Spamalot

Hairspray

off Broadway

Blue Man Group

Stomp

Dont forget a trip to FAO swartz(?) and Toys R us :)

My 11 year old son loved Top of the Rock, The Museum of Natural History, Biking through Central Park, Central Park Zoo, Times Square at night (Dave %26amp; Busters), the off broadway show Stomp, and eating at Jekyll and Hyde in the Village. Relax I%26#39;m sure you guys will have a great time!!! :o)

How wonderful for both of you! Here are some of my son%26#39;s favorites in NYC (he is 12 years old).

1. Spamalot: plenty of bodily function humor to make a boy howl!

2. National Comedy Theatre: Like the tv show ';Whose line is it anyway?'; Great improv and appropriate content.

3. Central Park: Climb on the rocks at the playground near 6th and Central Park South, ride the carousel, rent remote control boats on the Conservatory Pond, rent row boats on the Lake near Bethesda Fountain, have a coke (you should have wine) at the cafe at the Boathouse restaurant.

4. Metropolitan Museum of Art: Stick with the Egyptian Exhibit and the Arms and Armor exhibit. Huge hit with kids.

5. Top of the Rock: Great views of Central Park and the Empire State Building.

6. Nintendo Center: Located behind the Today Show set at Rockefeller Center. If your son has a Nintendo DS or a Wii, this is the place to try out all the latest games and gadgets.

7. NBA Store on 5th Avenue: Indoor basketball court that is good for some shots.

8. Toys R Us in Times Square: Ride the ferris wheel!

9. ESPN Zone: Great video and arcade games.

10. PIZZA: Lombardi%26#39;s is my son%26#39;s favorite (Soho). His sisters favor Grimaldi%26#39;s in Brooklyn. John%26#39;s Pizzeria on 44th near Times Square is great pre or post Spamalot as it is located directly across the street from the theatre.

11. Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge from Brooklyn to Manhattan preferably at sunset (and following dinner at Grimaldi%26#39;s) My son loves to see the bridge up close and to see how it was made. The view is not his thing but mine!

12. Hershey%26#39;s store and M %26amp; M Stores because he likes chocolate.

13. Dessert at Ellen%26#39;s Stardust Diner for the singing waitstaff and the tasty sundaes.

That%26#39;s all I can think of now! Have a great time! I took my son to Paris this past winter for a special trip. We had a great time and he loved being the center of attention without his sisters! I will always cherish the memories of that time together. Enjoy! Moms

...all of the above,plus the Sony Wonderlab,Fireman%26#39;s Museum,Policemans%26#39;Museum....

my girls loved Spamalot,Stomp,Blue Man Group;Am.Museum of Nat%26#39;.History a big favorite..Central Park;Battery Park;boatrides/ferry to Gov.Island is free;Roosevelt Is.Tram..whew,I can see how you are overwhelmed..make a list from all posts%26#39; suggestions,look them up online..see what your son sounds most interested in..plot out travel time to see which can be done..then,plan to return!have fun!

Here was a recent day with two moms, one older teen and three 12-year-olds. One boy was a visitor from overseas and we had one day to show him Manhattan.

9 a.m. Walked around Rockefeller Center, saw some of TODAY show. Grabbed bagels for breakfast.

10 a.m. Shop near Times Sq (cool skateboard stores)

Also went to Box Office for ';Cirque Jungle Dreams'; and bought 6 tickets at $26.50 each! (Many shows have cheaper seats than they advertise...but you have to go to the Box Office to get them.)

11:30 a.m. Back to hotel (drop off packages)

12 p.m. Walk along west walkways in Central Park

1 p.m. Lunch at Dallas BBQ on 72nd

2 p.m. Walk to Museum of Natural History (Could have spend MUCH longer here!)

4:30 p.m. C train down to Canal Street; switched to E train to WTC (subway not as crowded as we thought)

5:00 p.m. Quick views of WTC; walked to SI Ferry

5:30 p.m. Rode Ferry for views of Statue of Liberty

6:00 p.m. Walked through Ferry terminal and caught ';return'; boat to Manhattan.

6:45 p.m. Rode 1 train to 50th Street.

7:20 p.m. Fast stop for pizza.

8 p.m. Saw ';Cirque Jungle Dreams'; at theatre near 53rd %26amp; Broadway.

We did spend a lot of time on the subway, but we were catering to our guest%26#39;s requests to see certain things. And it did provide some good rest time for our tired feet!

Hope you and your son have a great time!

beating the tiredness.....

being 5 hours ahead in the uk and thinking back to my last nyc trip i recall waking at stupid-o-clock and falling asleep when the night was still young....just wondered if anyone has any tips on getting my bodyclock adjusted for my forthcoming trip (2 weeks and 2 days....not that i%26#39;m counting!) so i can make the most of my time in the big apple?

beating the tiredness.....

I think the best thing you can do is stay up and awake as long as you can the day you arrive, if you can make it to a reasonable bed time local time you should be OK. Easier said than done but it defiantly helps. Also easier said than done is not to try and plan too much the day you arrive.

beating the tiredness.....

fallen at the 1st hurdle!!

we leave home at 4.30am and arrive nyc 2pm which is the same as last time, this time we have planned a relaxing 1st evening after unpacking (drinks at the met with live music followed by dinner at candle 79 at 9.30pm then bed!), however the next day is action packed which i%26#39;m now thinking may be a bad idea.

i just remember the awful tiredness last time (jetlag on top of pounding the streets all day) and not being able to do everything we wanted to do. nights out were virtually non-existant as we collapsed into a heap around 9pm!

Ouch!! We live a good bit from any airport so tend to stay over night at the airport to be a bit fresher than we would be otherwise. I鈥檓 not one for getting sleep on the plane either. Think we arrived at 12pm local last time so about 2ish by time we got to our hotel. I think it was about the third day when we were pretty much dying on our feet!

first time we went we fell asleep early then woke at stupid o clock too! second time we tried to sleep as much as poss on plane (i know! easier said than done what with been on plane/excitementetc!)then when we arrived we tried to go by local time so ate at local tea time went to bed at local bed time! we found going to times square woke us up that place always does! we then coped far better rest of the week, thats my tip anyway! so jealous-enjoy!

Try and have a short nap on the plane on the way out.

Try and stay up till about 11pm local time the night you arrive.

Aim to be up by 8.30 the following morning ( you should have no trouble slleping 8 hours having been up for 24 )

I find this works fine and I have no big tirdness issues until returning... assuming you are leaving NYC evening time, arriving 0900 ish BST, stay awake as far as possible til 8.30-10pm( I cannot manage more than an hour on most flights) ( its hard I know)

then go to bed and sleep( make sure you have minimal distractions). I make sure I sleep no later than 10am, even if I feel I can.

No afternoon naps from here on in, just return to your normal bed/wake times.

Some people claim you can start changing your body time clock before you leave by going to bed earlier by an hour, then two, then three until the last night you%26#39;re going to bed 5 hrs. earlier, but that%26#39;s not usuaally practical for most people. Simple things to try:

Change your watch to NYC time when you first get on the plane and start thinking that%26#39;s the time. Try to avoid alcohol or coffee on the plane. Nap if you can and drink lots of water.

As someone else said, stay awake until a reasonable time the first night in NYC. Try for 10 pm.

Assume you%26#39;ll wake up very early the first day, plan what you%26#39;ll do that morning and try to allow for an afternoon nap. Do NOT plan to see a show the second night you%26#39;re here.

Since you%26#39;re coming at what could be a hot time, don%26#39;t overdo. If you want a night life, don%26#39;t pack your days so full. It%26#39;s a VACATION, not a marathon. ;)

thanks guys.

i%26#39;d heard something about going to bed earlier before you leave, going to give that a try...mind you with the excitement and last minute panic buying/packing it%26#39;ll probably not happen!

last time we were in bed by about 11.30pm 1st night but (me being someone who can sleep on a washing line!) i woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed at 5am...not good!

whiz....you know what, you%26#39;re right!!! i have spent months planning this next trip, trying to cram everything possible in to every free minute...and when i think back to last time the best bits were those relaxing, unplanned, unexpected moments...

oh and fitbloke (nice name!!) we are leaving 10.30pm, get back to newcastle 12.30pm the following day....urgh!!

BB27 which airport you flying out of? Take it you%26#39;re getting another connection out of the Uk-if onlyNewcastle would start flying direct! Couldn%26#39;t agree more with you about relaxing times and unexpected things being the best!

we fly to heathrow then on to jfk.

if only!....last time we went in 2006 we were actually booked on the american airlines direct flight from newcastle to jfk...which then got pulled about 2 months beforehand...boo!

scars

hair do

Electric sunglasses and Flip shirts

hi

we will be visiting New York in a few weeks , very exciting ...we are from Australia, and on my sons shopping list are Electric sunglasses and Flip shirts .... so we dont have to go all over the City looking .. any suggestions as to where we should look ???

Electric sunglasses and Flip shirts

no idea what either of these are

Electric sunglasses and Flip shirts

http://www.electricvisual.com/home.htm

See dealer locator on above website.

http://www.flipclothing.com/

This seems to be an Irish brand. Not sure if you%26#39;ll find it here.

According to Electric%26#39;s website, they are sold at Paragon Sports:

paragonsports.com/webapp/鈥?/a>

You might check to see if Flip shirts are sold at Pipe Dreams:

http://www.newyorkpipedreams.com/index.html

I could be wrong, but I think you%26#39;re going to have a hard time finding either of these brands in NYC. I see both on online websites or in stores elsewhere in the US, but not in NYC.

Wow - we used to shop at Flip in London in 1980! Had no idea they were still around....

There is a flip clothing store in Derry, N.Ireland. I never realised its a big chain

thanks everybody for the info

Trip Report: Itinerary vs. Reality

Hi, everyone! Just got back home from NYC this morning at 2am. I wanted to write my first ever trip report since the entire time I was there I kept thinking, “I should write on TA about this…” =D But before I get started I want to assure all that I had a good time (not as good as I was hoping, but that will be explained during the course of this thread) and am looking forward to going back and doing everything I missed out on. It is amazing how much NYC has to offer. I loved it and I can wear my “I (heart) NY” t-shirt with sincerity! Thanks to everyone who contributes to the NYC forum, and I mean everyone, not just the regulars. Even the most random of posts helped. Hopefully my report will be just as helpful!

I thought the above theme would be fun. During my time on this forum I’ve read many a thread re itineraries and whether or not they were too ambitious. Well, I knew my itinerary was ambitious so I never posted it for criticism but I thought others might be interested to see how one vacation was planned and how it actually turned out especially since the plan and myself weren’t the only variables. My companions on this trip were two of my best friends Jose and Darlene, my mother (63yrs), and 10 yr old son, Aden. I should note that I bought the New York Pass and that the itinerary was highly influenced by it. Here it is completely unedited:

THURSDAY

6am- arrive at JFK

7:30am- drop off luggage at B%26amp;B

Breakfast- Oxford Café. 375 5th Ave, New York btw 35th %26amp; 36th St. (212)889-7757

8:30am-9:30am The Empire State Building. 350 Fifth Avenue (between 33rd/34th Streets)

-New York Skyride, Empire State Building

10am-11:30a NBC Studio Tour. 30 Rockefeller Plaza at West 49th Street (between 5th/6th Avenues) (212)664-3700

Lunch? Street vendor?

Any extra time- go to B%26amp;H Photo 420 9th Avenue between 33rd and 34th streets. 212.444.6615

12:30p-3:30p Circle Line 3 hour Cruise. Pier 83, West 42nd Street at 12th Avenue (212)563-3200

4:45p- dinner reservations at Peter Luger’s. 178 Broadway, Brooklyn (718) 387-7400

8pm- Wicked

11:30p- Serendipity3, midnight snack. 225 East 60th Street. (212)838-3531

FRIDAY

Breakfast- B%26amp;B

8am-1pm- Liberty Island/Ellis Island

Lunch- Grimaldi’s, 19 Old Fulton St. under the Brooklyn Bridge, (718)858-4300

-Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory, 1 Water St., (718)246-3963

2:30p-3:30p Walk Brooklyn Bridge

4pm-5pm- Bodies...The Exhibition. South Street Seaport Exhibition Centre, 11 Fulton St. (646)837-0300

6pm-6:30p- The Beast, Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises. Pier 83, West 42nd Street at 12th Avenue, (212)563-3200

Dinner- Mars 2112. 1633 Broadway at 51 Street. (212) 582-2112. closes at 9pm

-Madame Tussaud’s. 234 West 42nd Street (between 7th/ 8th Avenues). sells lest tix at 10pm

-Dylan’s Candy Bar, 1011 Third Avenue. (646) 735-0078. closes at 11pm

SATURDAY

Breakfast- B%26amp;B

10a-11:30am- Central Park Zoo. 830 Fifth Avenue (at 64th Street) enter at 60th St. 212 861-6030

12noon-2pm- Central Park Movie Tour. Meet the tour guide holding the blue flag at the entrance of the N/R subway entrance on 59th Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues

Lunch- The Boathouse

3pm-6pm- The Met. 1000 Fifth Avenue, New York City, NY

7pm-9pm- Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises: Harbor Lights Cruise. Pier 83, West 42nd Street at 12th Avenue, New York, NY 10036. (212)563-3200

Dinner- Junior’s, Grand Central Terminal, closes at 10pm

SUNDAY

Breakfast- B%26amp;B

8am-10am- Grand Central Terminal, Chrysler Building

10:30am- Yankee Stadium for 1:05pm A’s vs. Yankees Game

SuperMac. 348 7th Avenue (in between 29th and 30th). (212)760.1900

6pm- Coney Island

Dinner- Nathan’s

GET BACK ON THE SUBWAY BY 10:30PM!

MONDAY

Breakfast- B%26amp;B

-attempt to get Yankee Stadium tour tickets

11am- The Peanut Butter %26amp; Co. Sandwich Shop. 240 Sullivan Street.

-Cones. 272 Bleecker St. 212-414-1795

Lunch- Shake Shack

7:30p- Top of the Rock, sunset viewing.

Dinner- Oyster Bar %26amp; Restaurant

TUESDAY

Breakfast- hotel

8:30a- Zabar’s to pick up a picnic

Central Park

-Bethesda Terrace

-Bow Bridge

-rent boat

-Alice in Wonderland, Hans Christian Andersen

-Belvedere Castle

-Strawberry Fields

Sony Wonder Lab

Lunch- Burger Joint Le Parker Meridien Hotel 118 W 57th St at Sixth Ave 212-245-5000

Re-visit The Met, Times Square, South Street Seaport

Trip Report: Itinerary vs. Reality

WEDNESDAY

i woke up this morning and the first thing i do is roll over to turn my bedside laptop back on. actually, for weeks now, my days have started and ended with me online- trip advisor and hopstop in particular. as i skim my itinerary i wonder how possible it is for us to make it to b%26amp;h on thursday. my point and shoot digital camera has literally fallen apart. luckily, it still works but its replacement is overdue and i really want that canon a650. what to do? should i make b%26amp;h a priority? rush through esb? skip the nbc tour? the reviews weren%26#39;t that great anyway. maybe we should go on the 2hr cruise instead of the 3... hhhmmm. I wonder if...

jose should be in manhattan right now. this nyc trip was jose%26#39;s idea. these past two years we%26#39;ve planned trips specifically to watch our team, the oakland athletics, play in different parks. we just came back from phoenix and watched the a%26#39;s whoop on the diamondbacks. last year we watched them in houston. the year before that we went to denver and san diego. this year was our last chance to see the a%26#39;s play in yankee stadium. we had to go see the house that ruth built. its a classic! its historic! i still can%26#39;t believe that they%26#39;re tearing it down. so for months the plan was to go see one of these games and for months jose waited for the yankees to release tickets. yankee tickets are relatively expensive, btw! and that%26#39;s just not stubhub. in general, seats in yankee stadium are pretty pricey to comparable seats in other stadiums. we opted to be a bit frugal and go for some of the cheaper seats for the july 20th game, a sunday. and then jose bought tickets to watch wicked for thursday, the 17th. i booked a week at the colonial house inn, a b%26amp;b at $160/nt, the best value i could find in manhattan. and just as our trip was taking shape, jose gets a call. apparently, he obligated himself and his restaurant to some community event last year and now they were confirming the date… saturday, july 19th, in the middle of our week in nyc! so now the biggest baseball fan amongst us is forced to miss the yankee game, the main purpose of the trip. in an effort to salavage anything of our plans, jose decides to arrive one day ahead of us on wednesday to take in some sights, enjoy our planned thursday and wicked, and depart friday morning.

so that%26#39;s why my best friend is wandering manhattan alone right now... with his phone off?! pick up your phone! i want to know how new york is! What are you doing? where are you? what have you done? do you love it, is it hot??? ... can you stop by b%26amp;h and pick up a camera for me...? hehehe

finally, jose turns on his phone and yes, he has no problem stopping by b%26amp;h. after 4 phone calls to b%26amp;h with 2 salespeople and 2 customer service reps, i%26#39;m finally allowed to purchase my camera over the phone with a credit card for jose to pick up in person in a couple of hours. i tell jose not to forget to show them the new york pass. they give a free gift after a $50 purchase with the new york pass but they give the same offer on one of those leaflets that you find in your hotel. you know, in that big diplay that all the tourist attractions have all their leaflets in? you%26#39;ll also find discounts to places like totr in there. jose calls back. do i want a camera bag or disposable camera? camera bag!

i do a little bit of last minute shopping at our premium outlets and costco before coming back home to pack. my plan is to use the airtrain and subway to get from jfk to the b%26amp;b so i want to pack light and make travel easier on us. one carry-on piece for both aden and myself. i%26#39;ll have a tote and aden can bring his backpack.

i%26#39;m printing all my confirmation emails. our air, hotel for our last night, our new york passes... new york passes. when i bought the passes online last month i opted to pick them up in nyc. i thought that would be easier. stupid me! i didn%26#39;t account for this in my itinerary! i read over the confirmation/voucher...i can pick them up at the planet hollywood in times square at... 10am...?! 10am?! we%26#39;re supposed to use those cards to get onto the empire stae building at 8:30am! omg... i%26#39;ve completely compromised our entire thursday and consequently our entire week! i%26#39;m panicking. i call planet hollywood. they open at 9am and i can pick them up then. better but not good enough. can i have a friend pick them up for me? sure, she says, does he have all my information? like what, i ask. my name? confirmation number? yeah, i can give that to him! what%26#39;s my friend%26#39;s name? jose (my hero, my savior). she%26#39;ll be there all night, they close at midnight, she%26#39;ll keep an eye out for him. thank you, thank you!

i call jose. where are you? having a drink with nick at a tavern on broadway? great! you%26#39;re not far from times square, right? i messed up! i should have had them mail me my passes like you did. you%26#39;re smart, i%26#39;m dumb. can you pick them up for me? you can? sweet! i love you!

whew! crisis averted.

as i%26#39;m copying and pasting hopstop directions to follow our itinerary, my phone rings. its jose. the lady assumed jose would have my printed voucher. she can%26#39;t give him the passes without the voucher. crap! do they have a computer so he can print it out, i ask. she directs him to a kinko%26#39;s two blocks away. he%26#39;ll go find it and call me back. God bless him!

he calls back. he can%26#39;t find kinko%26#39;s. dang it. this is more trouble than i wanted for him. i%26#39;m sorry! i%26#39;m so sorry! he%26#39;ll keep looking and call back.

he found it! yay! he starts to type in their new york pass web address but no, its in my email. you know my screen name, write down my password, it was sent on june 14. i gotta finish packing, call me if you have any other problems. thank you! love you! bye!

my itinerary with directions is 15 pages long. its a schedule with detailed subway, bus, and walking directions including distance and travel time, a complete how-to for from-here-to-there. i%26#39;m both proud and ashamed of myself. lol while this is printing, i%26#39;m scrambling to get all our bags together. its almost 7pm and we need to get to the airport for our 9:10pm red-eye.

when my husband drops us off, he%26#39;s able to pull up right to the curb- no familiar airport congestion with taxis dropping off fares in the middle of the street and causing more traffic. we%26#39;re not checking any bags so i print our boarding passes from one of those kiosks but none of that mattered since there was barely anyone waiting in line for the counters. no lines for security either. we were at our gate in 10 minutes flat. we should fly red-eyes more often!

this was our first time flying jetblue and aden was thoroughly impressed. he kept saying, ';i love this plane!'; he loved the big leather seats and his personal tv screen. but what impressed him the most was that he could watch satellite tv the entire flight. i tell him just an hour and that he needs to get to sleep. he asks why and i tell him that once we get off the plane, we%26#39;re not resting. we%26#39;re going out into the city and we%26#39;ll be out all day. when the time comes he lays his head on my lap and falls right to sleep. i, on the other hand, had the most uncomfortable night i%26#39;ve had on a plane in a really long time. i don%26#39;t know what it was but i tried my best to get some good sleep.

Trip Report: Itinerary vs. Reality

We could all use a Jose in our lives-- talk about being there for you, quite literally!

I very rarely comment on itineraries as I%26#39;m a take it as it comes traveller for the most part, it%26#39;ll be interesting to see how you managed with yours, especially the timings.

Really enjoyed this first part, rest up and give us the next.

%26gt;%26gt;my itinerary with directions is 15 pages long. its a schedule with detailed subway, bus, and walking directions including distance and travel time, a complete how-to for from-here-to-there.

i%26#39;m both proud and ashamed of myself.%26lt;%26lt;

This is hilarious...and oh so true.

«my itinerary with directions is 15 pages long. its a schedule with detailed subway, bus, and walking directions including distance and travel time, a complete how-to for from-here-to-there. i%26#39;m both proud and ashamed of myself. lol»

lol I%26#39;m a firm believer in planning, too. It saves time and money. And there will always be surprises and discoveries, especially in a city like New York.

';The best laid plans of mice and men ....'; The knowledge that itinerary and reality will clash has me almost paralyzed. I fear I haven%26#39;t done ENOUGH planning. Post the next part while I go check my notes.

Hilarious!

Too Too funny!! You are definitely a lucky girl to have Jose in your life. I am glad that I was browsing this forum today as I have never read a PRE trip report like this one.

thanks, everyone. yes, i am really, really lucky to have jose! i realize that more than ever now! and when it comes to an itinerary like this one, he would be my ideal travel buddy.

wow, my posts are long! i%26#39;ll see if i can keep the next ones a bit shorter but i probably won%26#39;t get back to it until after work tonight- back to the grind =(

thanks for taking the time to read!!!

no need to shorten your posts, they are entertaining... looking forward to the next chapter...

love and light...

You itinerary was one of the more ambitious I%26#39;ve seen on the forum so I%26#39;m very pleased you%26#39;ve adopted this approach to a TR - can%26#39;t wait to see how it turned out!

syracuse finger lakes

My husband, 12 yr. old son and I will be in the ithaca area for just 2 days after we are finished looking for fossils around Syracuse. We will then head back to Boston. Any ideas for things

to do and places to stay? I was thinking of breaking the trip up

by stopping in the Catskills or any interesting place along 90 or 88 or on the way home. Thanks

syracuse finger lakes

If you%26#39;re taking Rt 90 (NYS Thruway) and you like fossils you%26#39;ll probably enjoy the Herkimer Diamond Mines (herkimerdiamond.com). It%26#39;s a really cool place in Herkimer, NY where you can dig for quartz crystals. You basically go out and split rocks and see what you find inside. I believe it%26#39;s pretty inexpensive and you get to keep everything you find. Just go back up to Syracuse and pick up Rt 90 East; it%26#39;s between Utica and Albany. The Erie Canal also runs along the Thruway. There are trails and museums to see. You can also rent boats, kayaks etc to paddle portions of the canal. If you%26#39;re into sports there%26#39;s always the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY (just south of Herkimer) and the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA

Trattoria Dell'Arte, Trattoria Trecolori or Domenico

NY Experts,

In your opinion which is the better of these three?

I%26#39;ve looked into lots of different places for a dinner after my wedding %26amp; as these offer private rooms they are the favourites.

Many Thanks

SJ

Trattoria Dell'Arte, Trattoria Trecolori or Domenico

I don%26#39;t know Domenico but b/w the other 2, Trattoria Dell%26#39;Arte imo is a better restaurant with very pretty private rooms. I don%26#39;t know what the private rooms at Trecolori look like but I%26#39;ve been to parties at Dell %26#39;Arte and they do a very nice job. You can see the party rooms on the Dell %26#39;Arte website but I don%26#39;t see them on the other ones.

many questions

visiting New York December 19 for 3 nights with 4 teenagers looking for

a- Good quality hotel in a good location with rooms that can have 3 people in each

b- suggestions for must see sites or tours including shopping suggetions ( 3 daughters)

c- eating advise

d- best way to get from JFK to the city for 6 people 6 suitcases and 2 sets of golf clubs (flying onto Naples from Guardia after New York)

many questions

BillMac,

What is your budget per night for your hotel? Remember to add 15% tax on top of this to get a better idea of the cost. Location is not all that important but being close to a subway is, Times Square is pricey and IMO not the place to stay. You should be able to get somewhere with connecting rooms if you wanted that? I鈥檇 recommend getting a car service from the airport it will be cheaper than 2 taxis- try Carmel or dial7. There are so many places to eat so again it depends on your family鈥檚 preferences and budget-there is someone for every taste and every budget in NY. If you post some more details you鈥檒l get some good responses with recommendations but without a budget for your hotel it鈥檚 hard to start suggesting places. Area wise maybe Midtown would be good as it鈥檚 close to Macys and other large stores.

many questions

I was thinking of 400 to 500 dollars per room per night including tax, as we are there a short time we would like to be close to the action say 15 mins walk to times square any idea how much the car service is

That鈥檚 a realistic budget, but I鈥檝e never been in December where rates will be high. I鈥檝e only ever travelled with my partner so can鈥檛 rhyme off a list of hotels in that budget that will sleep three per room-although some of the NY experts will be able to. I stayed at the Affinia Dumont last time I was in NY and they have connecting rooms and full kitchen. And the rooms are very large and you can get awesome views. It鈥檚 a 5 minute walk to the Empire State Building and Macy鈥檚. I鈥檝e just checked the rates and its $348 via quick book.

Affinia Manhattan is $306 a night on quick book

Michelangelo is $362-this seems a good price as it was much higher when I was looking for September and looks very nice.

If you go to Quickbook.com there are loads for %26lt;$500 a night so I鈥檇 have a look on there and see what you like then check out the hotels reviews.

A point to make is TS is not where all the action is, first timers (myself included) think it is the best location but it isn鈥檛 unless you want to see a lot of theatre/shows. It鈥檚 also expensive, and the places to eat and drink are tourist trap type places where the food isn鈥檛 as good or cheap if you ventured out a bit.

Benjii, you%26#39;ve become a real expert! You%26#39;ve gotten great advice billmac. I%26#39;ll add

a- Any of the affinia.com hotels (all suite hotels) will work for you. You may not even need 2 rooms/suites. For example, the Affinia Dumont has a 1 bedroom suite with 2 queen beds and a sofabed that would sleep 6, but you would all have to share beds and only have 1 bathroom, so that might not be ideal with 3 daughters. ;)

There%26#39;s shopping all over the city so it won%26#39;t be hard to be near it. The Kimberly is not far from Bloomingdales and Rockefeller Center and I see a price of $295/night (plus tax) on quikbook for a room with 2 double beds. They also have suites.

The Essex House is in a pretty glamorous location on Central Park South (across from the park) and they have an executive suite for 3 people on quikbook for $319/night. I%26#39;d find that appealing. Both of these are also fully cancelable with no prepayment

b- If the girls are Sex and the city fans, they might want to take that tour. Otherwise, I don%26#39;t think I%26#39;d take a bus tour at that time of year (too much traffic) unless you wanted to do a city lights tour at night. There%26#39;s an area of Brooklyn that has over the top lights if that appeals to you.

http://asliceofbrooklyn.com/christmas.html

I would absolutely get tickets to the Radio City Xmas Spectacular (there%26#39;s a discount on broadwaybox.com but not sure it will be good for your dates). If you want to see any shows, I%26#39;d buy those in advance.

Here%26#39;s a shopping guide from NY Magazine that you can pass along to the girls. Just make sure the info is up to date (stores close/change)

nymag.com/visitorsguide/shopping/index.htm

Here%26#39;s a link to the FAQ from the forum with LOTS of other info including a link to a holiday guide and lots of threads on eating.

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60763-i5-k1948627鈥?/a>

If you want more eating advice, I%26#39;d start a new thread with very specific requests once you have an idea of your itinerary (ie good sushi near xyz etc.)

For transportation, I would contact

strusserslimousineservice.com

and get a quote for both trips. The airport is LA Guardia (code LGA) and is much closer to Manhattan than JFK.

social so po

were to stay????

hey there, was just wondering could anybody give me the name of a hotel/guesthouse in centre of new york or around that area, was looking to go for 3 nights in november, just somewere basic to sleep and wash and that? thanks

were to stay????

Hi ABS,

There isn鈥檛 really a 鈥榗entre鈥?as such as you鈥檙e never going to be close to everything. Some people make the mistake that Times Square is the best location or centre of Manhattan when in reality it is over priced, and the places to eat and drink around the area are the usual tourist traps. Locals avoid Times Square like the plague too and would only recommend it if you planned on going to see allot of shows.

What is your budget for your three nights and who will you be travelling with? Manhattan is expensive but there are also low cost options some with shared bathroom facilities and some hostels too at the lower end of budgets. Depending on what you want to on your stay it鈥檚 hard to recommend an exact location as there are so many offering different things-I鈥檇 say as long as you鈥檙e close to a subway station (which is just about everywhere) location isn鈥檛 hugely important. Hotels near Central Park especially those with views are pricey. Chelsea is residential and has some lower priced hotels-the Chelsea lodge is highly rated on TA. Upper east side is nice but I think it has less subway access than other areas,. Greenwich Village is also residential and one of my favourite areas. There are fewer hotels there than some other areas but plenty of bars and restaurants to suit all budgets. Then there鈥檚 midtown which has large chain hotels, shopping, and some residential areas so it offers dining too.

Hope this gives you some info to think about. I鈥檇 recommend that you decide on a budget per night (remember to add 15% tax) then you should be able to get some good recommendations for you budget.

were to stay????

thanks a mill, some good info there.i see what you mean about having the metro and that so close which is very handy. im heading with my partner and as for budget well staying 3 to 4 nights for a double room id pay $80/$100 dollars a night, i dont know if thats resonable or not, a hotel id like to stay in, what is that chelsea lodge place like is it in a good location? the flights are working out exspensive so trying so save money on the hotel.

thanks

I think including taxes that鈥檚 going to be a struggle to be honest. Chelsea lodge http://www.chelsealodge.com/Rates.htm has rates of $129 excluding tax per night. Big Apple Hostel has rooms at $49 per person per night but these are rooms that sleep 4 and shared with other people. There rates for private rooms are $149. The going rate for hostel shared rooms seems to be about $30-$50 a night. You could always stay outside of Manhattan where accommodation will be cheaper but you鈥檒l have to be prepared to travel allot more, because you鈥檙e there for 3 days I wouldn鈥檛 recommend this. Realistically for your budget it looks like a shared hostel room. Have you booked your flights yet? I would say anything close to 拢300 is cheap anything over 拢400 expensive. If you are flexible on your dates you may be able to get cheaper flights to ramp up your budget?

yea i wonder are those rates based on 2 sharing though, i lookes up the chelsea lodge there and it seems to be ok and in an ok location, kind of flexible with dates, flights are a killer though.

thanks

Those are per room per night. What prices are you gettting for flights?

I think your budget is a bit unreasonable. You can find decent places for ~ $130/night with shared bathroom. Chelsea Lodge is good because you get your own shower and sink and just have to share the toilet in the hall which everyone says is no problem and very clean.

Larchmonthotel.com

is another option in Greenwich Village.

scars

help only 2 days in new york what to do in the time?

hello !

we are travelling in oct to new york for 2 days to get hitched then join the QM2 heading back to uk.... what is best to do in those precious couple of days, we want to fit in the marriage licence and back for the wedding next day... any help very greatly appreciated!! thanks all

help only 2 days in new york what to do in the time?

How long is a piece of string? ;) It depends on what you%26#39;d like to see/do and whether you%26#39;ve been here before and when you%26#39;re coming. You will need a money order for the license and that could take some time. After that, if it%26#39;s decent weather, perhaps a boat tour? Or just do the Staten Island ferry roundtrip. Maybe a walk through Central Park. A visit to Top of the Rock. Maybe get some theater tickets for the evening or go to a nice dinner and then a comedy club.

help only 2 days in new york what to do in the time?

hi

we want to fit in some shopping too, we arrive tue 12 pm and leave approx 4 pm on thus, hope o get money order on the tue and take it from there, never been before.

thanks!!!

Dolly,

We got married in New York at City Hall and it takes no time really to get the postal order from the post office (really near the City Hall) and then get the licence. You have to leave 24 hours before getting married from the time of applying for the licence. If you need to take the licence out of the US (which you must if you are from Scotland!) you have to have the form notarised before you go home (again walking distance from City Hall.

The staten island ferry is a good way of seeing a great view of New York - I would recommend that.

We had dinner at the Mariott revolving restaurant which was also good.

Cocktails at the Ritz was great!

Empire State if you can time it at dusk. We saw the sun go down and the lights come up - it was gorgeous.

Hope that helps.

booking the esb

hi all,

which company do you recommend to buy tickets of for the esb at night please?

booking the esb

Mom89,

You can get them direct via https://www.esbnyc.com/tickets/

They%26#39;re open 8am till 2am. You can buy them on the day at the ESB tehn you%26#39;re not tied to a particular time/day as the pre-bought tickets aren%26#39;t refundable form what I know.

booking the esb

benjii,

thanks for tour help.

mom89

No problem. One thing I left out (which you%26#39;ll see on the webiste) is the normal ticket and queue jumper ticket. You still have to queue with the jumper ticket at certain points of the building. We went on a Saturday afternoon and it wasn%26#39;t mentally busy so didn%26#39;t see the poit in paying the extra-it%26#39;s allot more especially if you%26#39;re paying for more than 2.

benjii,

was just wondering about that, you must be a mind reader!

thanks a lot.

mom 89

mom89 - just a friendly reminder - you posted this query @6:00 AM US time and again 50 minutes later. Instead of re posting you could have ';bumped%26#39; it up - you have to realize the time difference, 5 hours or thereabouts; most US posters are not on line until 8:00 AM (1300 hours or so UK time)

Also - you were given the ESB website information yesterday - this gives all the infromation about tickets etc... was this not helpful?

Plus you have been given some personal experiences - good luck.

Can we walk to . . . .

We are coming in on a Friday for only one night. Staying at the Crowne Plaza. Can we expect to be able to park at Crowne Plaza and walk to the falls, Maid of the Mist, Cave of Winds %26amp; visitors center from there and not have to use our car and worry about finding parking? Our hope was also to be able to walk back to the falls after dinner to watch the Friday night fireworks show. Is it a ';short stroll'; or a ';major hike'; to get there?

Can we walk to . . . .

If %26#39;short stroll%26#39; means 2-3 blocks to everything, then it%26#39;s the perfect description.

Can we walk to . . . .

We stayed at the Crowne Plaza last year. It was easy to get to all the visitor sights - we only used our car to travel across to Canada. Took about 10 mins. to walk to the falls.

Thanks for the quick repsonses. Sounds like we%26#39;ve made the right choice as far as ';ease'; of location.

UKTouristScotland - how did you like the Crowne Plaza?

We like the Crowne Plaza very much. The rooms were freshly decorated and of a good size - ours overlooked the Casino which was good fun - something different for us, coming from a Scottish village! The pool was lovely and warm, although I guess if you%26#39;re only staying one night you probably won%26#39;t have time to use it. We ate breakfast there - the food was good, but the breakfast room was a little hectic. It%26#39;s a big hotel and busy, but a good choice, I think. Remember to get your parking ticket validated at the hotel desk - that way you won%26#39;t have to pay for parking when you exit the parking lot.

UKTouristScotland - Thank you for your info on the hotel. Because we are only staying for two days and one night, I want to plan a few ';touristy'; things as efficiently as possible, and still allow a little leisure time for just wandering around. Thanks so much for your help. Hope your stay in the U.S. was all enjoyable.

Visiting NYC first week in September - need help planning

im planning a trip to new york for 7 nights at the beginning of Sept. I was wondering if its wise getting a 3 day pass as opposed to 7 day one?

just thought if i do my sight seeing over 3 days, i could probably use the other days shopping - any places recommended for vintage clothes? or bargain shopping? heard you can get some really great deals on branded stuff? ( obviously i%26#39;ll visit the likes of macy%26#39;s etc)

also i want to go out clubbing and was wondering where i could find some nice spots. names of certain recommended places would also help?

i could also take a drive to a neighbbouring state or place of interest - again, is there any places worth a day visit to?

and lastly any places recommended for cheap %26amp; cheerful breakfasts, as my evening meals will be nice proper meals.

any help with my planning would be great! thank you.

Visiting NYC first week in September - need help planning

Don%26#39;t know what passes you%26#39;re referring to or why you think a 3-day one might be better. Shopping is found all over the city, so if it%26#39;s a subway pass you%26#39;re referring to, you%26#39;ll want it for the whole time you%26#39;re here.

Some of the more popular nightspots right now include Sanots Party House, Cielo, GoldBar, 1Oak, Tenjune, Temple Bar, 205 Club, The Box, Death and Company, Cain, the Pink Elephant, PM, Hiro, and Guesthouse. Some of those are lounges and some are dance clubs, so be sure to read reviews on www.yelp.com beforehand.

Here%26#39;s a thread about visiting the Hudson River Valley, which you could do as a day trip:

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60763-i5-k1909258鈥?/a>

There are good places for breakfast all over the city, so we%26#39;ll need to know more about your plans to recommend specific spots.

Visiting NYC first week in September - need help planning

';Sanots Party House'; = Santos Party House :)

Century 21 is good for deals on designer stuff. It is right beside Ground Zero.

thanks for the help. I was referring to the NYC Pass, which apparently gives you access to the city%26#39;s main tourist attractions (no queues). the reason i thought the 3 day pass may be better was because if i covered the sights i want to see in 3 days, then i could spend the remaining days like shopping, and perhaps a day trip, etc. So a 7 day pass seemed like maybe (as much as i%26#39;d like to see more), i may be pushing it cos I will do other things as well?

I%26#39;ll definitely read up some reviews for the clubbing - thank you for the link.

and it sounds like i%26#39;ll be visiting century 21 defo.

i%26#39;m staying central in a brill hotel, so hopefully travelling wise i can use public transport if need be.

i went to ccntury 21 the last time i went to nyc i am going back in oct. century 21 is deffetaly on my list but this time i am giving my self at least 3-4 hours to shop there..it has everyname brand that u want at least half price. make it a POINT to go GREAT buys.

I%26#39;m not convinced any of the sightseeing passes make sense for most people. Make a list of the places you absolutely want to go, figure out how much they%26#39;ll cost. I will almost guarantee it will be less than buying the pass. Invest instead in a 7 day unlimited metrocard for using subways and buses.

http://www.mta.info/metrocard/mcgtreng.htm

Here%26#39;s a link to the FAQ in which you will find lots of info on shopping- a whole section-including discount shopping and outlet malls.

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60763-i5-k1948627鈥?/a>

There should also be info on vintage/thrift shops there. If not, do a text search. There are certainly many posts on the subject.

You%26#39;ll also find info on daytrips. Rather than driving, you might want to consider a train trip. Kykuit, the Rockefeller Estate is lively. DIA Beacon is another nice trip north of Manhattan. The train goes along the Hudson River.

http://www.mta.info/mnr/html/outbound.htm

I%26#39;ll also mention that Brimfield antique show, perhaps the largest antique show in the US will take place while you%26#39;re visiting. It%26#39;s about a 3-4 hr. drive but here%26#39;s info

brimfield.com/html/brimfieldfaqvisitors.htm

You might also consider a day trip to the Hamptons. Out of the Closet is one of several vintage clothing shops on the east end. It%26#39;s on Main st. in Bridgehampton not far from where you%26#39;d get off the Hampton Jitney.

Hamptonjitney.com

Thanks - I%26#39;ll be sure to dedicate some time to Century 21 then, if the shopping is that good!

i went to the link %26amp; did a search by text and didnt quite get recent results of any vintage or thrift shops :( But I shall try find %26#39;Out of the Closet%26#39; and I%26#39;m sure I%26#39;ll pass a few along the way. fingers crossed.

the train trip to rockefeller estate has got me intrigued, so i may look into that. Hamptons - you aren%26#39;t referring to the famous one they keep referring to in Sex %26amp; the City surely? If so, then that sounds like a must! Any extra info will be great.

Thanks again to all for contibuting with the fab tips for my trip.

Yes, the Hamptons I was referring to is the ';famous'; one. You can take a train or the Hamptonjitney.com to Bridgehampton and the store Out of the Closet is a 2 minute walk from either on Main st. in Bridgehampton. I%26#39;d phone ahead though and make sure they%26#39;ll be open on the day you want to come. They may not be open every day in Sept. I think they open at noon and usually stay open late. Here%26#39;s an article about the shop

danshamptons.com/content/鈥?8.html

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