New York Eat, See & Do Recommendations Please

[johnboy9876]

Hi,

I have got a four day trip to New York next month with my girlfriend and wondered if any of you could help with up to date recommendations on where best to eat and the best to see/do.

We are staying near Times Square, but happy to move around and hope to see as much as possible in the time that we have.

Already we have the 'big' sights in mInd (Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Times square). Bu t I would like to hear from anyone who has visited recently and if they have any top tips

Food wise, we are loking for a great Pizza place, a steak restaurant, both mid-range price wise, but all suggestions welcome

Thanks in advance
John

[badger1]

There’s a thread from last year with some great suggestions. I went with my wife last year. Be prepared to walk, it’s the best way. I would recommend the 911 museum, very emotional.

Some highlights for me
The Highline
Katz’s deli
subway to Brooklyn, then walk across the Brooklyn bridge, best at dusk, the view is amazing
nice restaurant/bar at the bottom of the Rockefeller
Walk around Central Park - there’s a nice bar near the entrance (Times Sq end) can’t remember the name but great for people watching

will probably think more later but it’s the best place!

[thieuster]

The Boat House in the middle of Central Park is a nice spot for a lunch; most Eataly restaurants are good for a proper pizza. The Oyster Bar at Grand Central is supposed to be good (I am allergic to shellfish so I don't go there).

Visit-wise: Moma, Guggenheim, Intrepid carrier + Space Shuttle, Roosevelt Island in the East River, the High Line (former Metro line, now botanic garden), Battery Park and the 911 Memorial. Be sure to order tickets as early as possible and be prepared for tight security.

When the weather is bad: all major museums are great.

[demonloop]

Famous Famiglios for pizza slices, loads in that area.

If you want a great breakfast, there's a diner near Empire State, across from MSG on the corner - the Tock tock / Ticktocker

For steak Peter Luger in Brooklyn, but if you don't want to venture that far, Wolfgang's downtown is great

[Allwatches]

Heading there myself end of month so am interested in this thread. One reminder - book the tickets to statue of liberty early - already did so myself last month!

[David_D]

Staten Island ferry is free and great views of Statue of Liberty and the tip of Manhattan.

Only thing I wouldn't do again is the boat trip (half way) round Manhattan. Hop on/off bus tour is probably a much better bet.

If you can fit in a sport event, that should be good. Not sure what's in season but baseball is a great experience (if a strangely unengaging game).

If you like proper football, New York City (part of the Manchester City group) play at the Yankee (baseball) stadium in the Bronx.

Have a great time!

[Ventura]

Just out of interest and not thread hijacking, how do people who have been to New York find the people there? I've never been to the US and had my own prejudices of the loud mouth, brash and rude American, but apparently the non New Yorkers are really nice, but the NYs are those brash, in your face sort of people.

[demonloop]

Just out of interest and not thread hijacking, how do people who have been to New York find the people there? I've never been to the US and had my own prejudices of the loud mouth, brash and rude American, but apparently the non New Yorkers are really nice, but the NYs are those brash, in your face sort of people.

NY folk are always in a hurry, but I found them great (been 3 times)

The other coast though is much better IMO.

SF people are the best, chilled out (if you can be chilled out in a huge city) and much more likely to strike up a conversation with you.

[reecie]

Tbh just find the previous thread as it is all in there

But my high lights were:-

MOMA
The Highline
Getting Rush tickets for a Broadway show
Food at Grand Central
Katz Diner - though the wife hated it
Walking in Central Park
911 Memorial
Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty - though last time these were shut due to the hurricane damage
Walking around the meat packing district and Greenwich
B&H camera store - the most amazing in store delivery system
Top of the Rock - did the day and night ticket rather than the Empire State which was rammed

Be prepared for a lot of walking.

To answer the question about the people I found them all perfectly fine.

[tommyboy]

Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty - though last time these were shit due to the hurricane damage

Bit harsh... ;-)

[reecie]

Bit harsh... ;-)

Ooops lol

[davie0146]

staten island ferry
walk the brooklyn bridge
take a walk in Central Park
visit McSorleys ale bar for a light or dark!!
stay away from times square !-)
dont use taxi's use the bus and tube

[doctorj]

Agree with Katz's, but Ray's Pizza was the best the last time I was there. Though the last time I was there we had a fog canceled helicopter trip around the two towers.

[Clem]

There is a little church right on the edge of ground zero where the emergency service guys rested up during the chaos of what was 9/11 it's well worth looking in and feeling the emotion.

As others have said, the High Line is a nice walk with a great story attached.

Central Park and Strawberry Fields, 5th Ave....... the list is endless in Manhattan.

Steak has to be a NY strip steak with a Waldorf Salad......... at the Waldorf, obvi 😉

Over the Brooklyn bridge into Williamsburg and back across the Williamsburg bridge into Little Italy for Pizza is a tidy jaunt.

I Like to go and have a pint at the boozer where Dylan Thomas used to hang out when he was stateside, in Greenwich Village, but maybe not for everyone. The White Heart or White Horse, I forget now!

Again as others have stated, take some good walking shoes and look into buying the US subway version of the Oyster card.

Have fun! Great place 👍🏼

[T1ckT0ck]

Try to book tickets upto the liberty crown, very short notice for such a major attraction but well worth it. Knowing you looked out of the top of such an iconic movie monument is priceless, ot was pouring with rain on the day we visited it but was sure simply awesome!

[T1ckT0ck]

Also....

Highline is a great walk from the normal.
Interpid (comcorde) is fun but maybe not a top ten
Feinstiens 54 below was a great find, great speakeasy atmosphere and entertainment... bit random but highly recommendable

[robcuk]

How to get around:

• Advice on Metro tickets from: http://web.mta.info/metrocard/
• Advice on Taxis: http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Travel-...ntal.Cars.html
• Advice on Car Services: http://gonyc.about.com/od/gettingaro...ar_service.htm
• Transfers from/to JFK: http://gonyc.about.com/cs/airlinesai.../getto_jfk.htm
• Transfers from/to Newark:http://gonyc.about.com/cs/airlinesai.../getto_ewr.htm

Places to eat:

• Balthazar, an American steakhouse run by a Brit: http://www.balthzarnyc.com/
• Beechers Handmade Cheese, grilled cheese sandwiches and Mac & cheese: http://www.beechershandmadecheese.com
• Dirt Candy (Veggie):http://www.dirtcandynyc.com
• Eataly, eat, drink & shop Italian: http://www.eataly.com
• Gramercy Tavern, possibly the best restaurant in NYC:http://www.gramercytavern.com
• Katz's Delicatessen, have what Sally had!:http://katzsdelicatessen.com
• Norma's at Le Parker Meridian, the biggest (and possibly most expensive) breakfast in NYC: http://www.parkermeridien.com/
• Russ & Daughters, an new take on the old style Jewish Deli:http://www.russanddaughters.com
• The View, revolving restaurant with views over Manhattan from Times Square, buffet service, good for brunch: http://www.theviewnyc.com/

Places to Stay:

• Yotel Times Square:http://www.yotel.com/newyork
• The Jewel Facing Rockefeller: http://www.thejewelny.com/

Things to do/see:

• Brooklyn Flea Markets, where the locals go to shop & eat at weekends: http://brooklynflea.com/
• Chelsea Market, trendy place to eat & shop near the highline:http://www.chelseamarket.com/
• The Highline, the elevated park along the west side of Manhattan: http://www.thehighline.org/visit
• Museum of Modern Art, free after 16.00 on Fridays, with a great Museum shop: http://www.moma.org
• New York Pass, this pass not only includes entry to 80 NYC attractions it also gets you to the front of the line at many of them: https://www.newyorkpass.com/
• Roosevelt Island Tramway, a cable car ride for the price of a subway ticket: http://rioc.ny.gov/tramtransportation.htm
• Tenement Museum, see how New Yorkers used to live: www.tenement.org
• Walk over Brooklyn Bridge (get the Metro to Brooklyn and walk back to Manhattan for the best views: http://brooklyn.about.com/od/brookly...-Manhattan.htm

• World Trade Centre Observatory,the newest, highest thing in NYC: www.oneworldobservatory.com

Useful Info:

• Get a US SIM card with unlimited calls & texts to UK & US numbers, 5GB Data, and a UK number to divert your UK mobile number to from; www.telaway.co.uk
• Weekly events guide: http://www.timeout.com/newyork
• Alternative weekly events guide: http://www.offoffoff.com
• Official NYC Site: http://www.nycgo.com

Apps for your phone:

• Citymapper Travel planner (can be used offline once a route is saved)
• CityMaps2Go offline map app
• Tripadvisor City Guide app to access Tripadvisor sites and personal saves, can be used offline too.

[luckywatch]

Staten Island ferry, happy days.

I also did central park after midnight but I went with some locals, recommended, if your young.

[Tatschris81]

Would definitely recommend going to the plaza,also Loeb boat house in central park.

Stardust diner is good for novelty around Times square/Broadway.

Carve unique sandwich also by Time Square(47th and 8) is good for pizzas.

Enjoy!!

Sent from my [device_name] using TZ-UK mobile app

[P ELLIS]

Also....

Highline is a great walk from the normal.
Interpid (comcorde) is fun but maybe not a top ten
Feinstiens 54 below was a great find, great speakeasy atmosphere and entertainment... bit random but highly recommendable

We did the intrepid museum a year after 9/11 .. Was very good
Statue of Liberty guff
Subway
Times sq
Central Park
Empire State Building was interesting but tedious
We stayed at Battery Park

[Matt London]

In2014 my Son and I did this pizza tour https://www.asliceofbrooklyn.com/ after a recommendation on here. It was a great way to spend a rainy November day while the Missus was resting up before the Marathon.

As a family we really enjoyed breakfast at Sarabeth's near Central Park and an evening meal at Rosa Mexicano (great for table side prepared Guacamole and also Margaritas) near Columbus. Both of these were recommended by an Expat.

I knew nothing about the High Line before this trip and it was a great surprise to just happen upon it.

As an aside, the first time we went was when The Missus was supposed to run the 2012 Marathon. Hurricane Sandy intervened, we were on one of the first flights in to JFK. As a Londoner it was very odd to enter a big city that was half shut down and had Police on near enough every corner.

[johnboy9876]

Thank you to everyone for taking the time to reply and sharing your own experiences in New York, invaluable advice!

Your recommendations have been great and we will be spending this weekend planning out our days as we want to do as much as possible.

I'll post something when we return to help anyone else planning a trip in the near future

Regards
John

[johnboy9876]

There’s a thread from last year with some great suggestions. I went with my wife last year. Be prepared to walk, it’s the best way. I would recommend the 911 museum, very emotional.

Some highlights for me
The Highline
Katz’s deli
subway to Brooklyn, then walk across the Brooklyn bridge, best at dusk, the view is amazing
nice restaurant/bar at the bottom of the Rockefeller
Walk around Central Park - there’s a nice bar near the entrance (Times Sq end) can’t remember the name but great for people watching

will probably think more later but it’s the best place!

Thanks for the tip on the Subway to Brooklyn and walk back over the brooklyn bridge Badger, noe a definete for us!

[johnboy9876]

Try to book tickets upto the liberty crown, very short notice for such a major attraction but well worth it. Knowing you looked out of the top of such an iconic movie monument is priceless, ot was pouring with rain on the day we visited it but was sure simply awesome!

Hi Tok Tock. Thanks for the tip on Liberty. i tried to book 'Crown' tickets as soon as I read your teply. However they are already booked up for the duration of our stay (and for the whole month of April!), so you were spot on with how busy they get. I think we will still go to the island or at the very least take the Staten Island ferry to get some good views of the Icon.

[Riley]

Hells Kitchen has some nice eateries and a bit cheaper than those around Times Sq.
Talking of Tick Tock, the Tick Tock diner in The New Yorker is good for breakfast.
Ride the subway in the day instead of taking cabs.
Hire a bike and ride around Central Park if the weather is good.

[badger1]

If you’re flying into JFK then get the Airtrain into Manhattan - we stupidly got a taxi and we thought getting the train would be a pain but how wrong we were. Landed Friday afternoon, 2 hrs in a taxi and we made it to our hotel!! We thought by taking a taxi we’d see all the iconic buildings etc. We just got more and more frustrated.

So get the Aitrain!!

[johnboy9876]

If you’re flying into JFK then get the Airtrain into Manhattan - we stupidly got a taxi and we thought getting the train would be a pain but how wrong we were. Landed Friday afternoon, 2 hrs in a taxi and we made it to our hotel!! We thought by taking a taxi we’d see all the iconic buildings etc. We just got more and more frustrated.

So get the Aitrain!!

Thanks Badger, another great bit of advice, cheers

[reecie]

If you’re flying into JFK then get the Airtrain into Manhattan - we stupidly got a taxi and we thought getting the train would be a pain but how wrong we were. Landed Friday afternoon, 2 hrs in a taxi and we made it to our hotel!! We thought by taking a taxi we’d see all the iconic buildings etc. We just got more and more frustrated.

So get the Aitrain!!

Plus for 2 people it is $7.75 each ($5 Airtrain + $2.75 subway) as opposed to $52 flat fee for cab plus tolls. Consider getting the subway pass at that point to maximize the use of it. It is dead easy to do the journey anyway. Just check if you are best served going via Sutphin Blvd or Howard Beach for where you are staying in Manhatten. The Airtrain is just a short transit connecting you to the main subway rather than a direct line into Manhatten.

I forget the one other thing I wanted to do in NY (and it was too cold in the Feb I went to think about it) and that was to go to Coney Island inspired by my love of "The Warriors".

[thieuster]

Airtrain is a great idea. Same sort of transport from Newark into the heart of NY: Penn Station. Some airlines prefer Newark. Trip back to Newark is perhaps worth a taxi-trip: part of Tony Soprano's trip during the opening credits.

[coredriller]

When we were there we did a couple of walking tours with a company called The Big Onion Tours. They "peel away the layers" and give a great insight into the history and culture of New York. Also a great way to meet people.
Would agree with everything mentioned in previous posts.
Keen's Chophouse is well worth a visit as long as you are not vegetarian.
So much to do and see, like being on a movie set.

[Tony]

Coney Island

I wouldn't dream of a trip to New York without visiting Coney Island and having a few in Ruby's.

[johnboy9876]

Hi All,

Back from my trip to New York and thought I would update the thread with my thoughts.

Thanks again to everyone for their advice/tips. We took some on board, but had a pretty full agenda by the time we left, so may have missed some out.

1st thing, as we were flying out of Heathrow terminal 3 (and i nkow that it is overcrowded and pretty poor to wait around in, we booked to go into one of the lounges, (I am on
Virgin's frequent flyer program, but never seem to manage to get enough points to to get free lounge access). However, we booked the No1 lounge through the Virgin site and it was £25 each. I thought
very good value, considering it is quite plush, free breakfast buffet, hot meals and drinks, very relaxing!!

In New York, we tried to walk almost everywhere. I was particularily impressed with Rockerfeller tower (and restaurants below), 911 memorial & Museum, walking the Brooklyn Bridge. The Staten island ferrry (it's free what's not to like??), the 'Tevern on the Green' in Central Park. We saw the musical Kinky Boots on broadway and it was excellent!!

Our weather was mixed, but it gradually got warmer and sunnier through the week, so we have nothing to complain about there.

Restauarant wise, our hotel included breakfast (unusual for the US) and it was very good, however we did go to the Murray Hill diner for some atmosphere and that was great also. We ate in an Italian called Vezzo. Very nice food, staff and atmospere, thoroughly recommend. Also we ate at Bills beneath the Rockerfeller (excellent Burgers). We searched out a few pizza places, but just looking at the tired, dry looking slices of pizza put us off!.

lastly, although I do think that we were lucky in that most of the attractions didn't have long queues, I would still have been dissapointed if I had paid the extra VIP prices and really seen no benefit.

I hope this helps anyone going in the near future a little, if you have any specific questions, I'd be happy to answer them

John

[Albellisimo]

Been to New York abut 20 times but I think most have covered the important stuff.

I'd add:
The MET has got to be visited - something for everyone there be it modern art or old armour! Sunday morning is best as soon as it opens - it gets mad after 12 ish

Ken's Broome Street in SoHo - best bar in New York period. Old skool and great food

Greenwich village is good for a stroll and has more and more nice small indie bars and eateries

Chelsea food market is good for a bite before the Highline - or try Bubbies for a top brunch (it'a at the start of the Highline

If you're a fan of dive bars that are open late with good burgers/bar food and decent music Belle Reve in TriBeca is top

HAVE FUN - it's impossible not to, just got back and going again soon

[badger1]

Glad you had a great time. I now want to go back to see more of the ‘non touristy’ stuff and have a more relaxed time - more time for eating and drinking and less walking!!!

- - - Updated - - -

Glad you had a great time. I now want to go back to see more of the ‘non touristy’ stuff and have a more relaxed time - more time for eating and drinking and less walking!!!