Reply With QuoteTry NYC.com, which might point you in a good direction
Not sure if its on that website, but kids generally love a visit to the Intrepid Aircraft Carrier Museum
Hi guys need a bit of advice. We are taking the two grandkids to NY next month, I would like to book the usual attractions in a block if possible save messing with individual admissions. It will be the me and the wife’s 4th visit so it’s all about them. We have tickets for Aladdin but would then like to do an Open top bus, Empire State Top of the Rock etc etc. Can anyone point me to the best company to book with.
Try NYC.com, which might point you in a good direction
Not sure if its on that website, but kids generally love a visit to the Intrepid Aircraft Carrier Museum
My wife and I went last October and the 3 things you've highlighted we booked whilst we were there with no sweat at all and absolutely minimal to zero queues.Originally Posted by hilly10
Good to know.
How old are they?
Intrepid was a highlight for my youngest when he went with my wife at the age of 12, 13. A trip to Ellis Island + Statue of Liberty is a good one as well. Ellis Island is really interesting, including computers to look up your relatives that left Europe for the US. The Lego stores are nice as well (age depedendant, I think).
Various museums are nice as well. Google 'museums NY children' for a list you want to have in mind when the weather is bad!
My wife and my youngest watched a lot of movies situated in New York before they went. My son constantly had those 'oh yes!' moments. Man in Black is a good start. There are lists of those spots on the internet as well.
We heard a lot of bad stories about traveling with the metro (rising criminality) so we opted for walking or an Uber. But that was June '22.
One word of warning: NY has become expensive. As in: seriously expensive. Food and drinks bills are something you need to get used to...
Last edited by thieuster; 3rd October 2023 at 20:43.
Top of the Rock is a 100% must as it’s the best view in the city and if they only ever go once they’ll have seen that view. Go to the highest viewing level without the glass, it’s amazing and not as scary as it sounds….honestly.
ESB is an historic building but the view is nowhere near as good as TOTR. Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty will also be great for them.
Then my favourite place in the world; Central Park. And finally, the 911 Memorial and Museum is educational.
My daughter would say The Edge and Bryant Park.
Last edited by TaketheCannoli; 3rd October 2023 at 21:01.
Never had any booking issues, even circle line tours which was amazing - just booked when we were there.
Top of the rock / Empire are rubbish vs the Edge tbh, only the Edge gives you the view with all the skyline buildings you are used to seeing - if you are on the rock, you can't see it in your photos!
Sottocasa pizza in Harlem is a dream if you want something different, and to walk through the Harlem experience, been a few times and always an interesting walk and people watch.
Thanks guys as I said this will be our 4th visit so already done the usual suspects. The kids are 11 so will be interested in the highlights and they have expressed they want to see ground zero. I will leave it till we get there. We are there for a week so we should get the show them a fair bit.
Jump on the Staten Island ferry, great views of lower Manhattan, and it’s free.
We will be doing that, good call. Our first time in NY we stayed on Staten Island so used it every day.
Maybe visit St Paul's chapel. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Paul%27s_Chapel It was used for for over 8 months by the rescue team and has a lot of memorabilia. It is also the oldest surviving church in Manhattan and George Washington attended a service there on the day of his inauguration.
At 11 your grand kids might be a little old but mine really liked Central Park Zoo.
Governor's Island is fun to visit, easy to get tom and usually has something interesting happening.
Last time we went with the kids (they were in their 20’s) did a speed boat ride on the Hudson - went right up to the Statue - great fun
Lucky Grandkids!
My Grandparents used to take me to a caravan in Caister, near Great Yarmouth.
(Still loved it though).
I'd recommend going up to the top of One World Trade centre, amazing views of the city and right there if you're at ground zero...
Expect the smell of weed everywhere and you might encounter people zonked out on fentanyl. My sis was just there, she recommended City Pass, apparently saved her loads. AND food and drink is EXPENSIVE...iirc the City of NY levied an additional 10 per cent on top of existing taxes for the Covid Recovery fund...also tipping´s 20 percent by now I imagine.
Have a good time.
Ooh I forgot to mention the cable car to Roosevelt Island. I can't believe I've been to NYC twice and had never heard of this until recently. I've done some research for next time and the island looks great.
On the subject of prices, I've been recently and yes it's more expensive than in 2018. However, it doesn't have to be expensive. There's loads of great places to eat at reasonable prices, even right in the thick of things. Andrew's Coffee Shop on 7th (not far from Macy's, opposite side of the road) serves incredible food all day Andrews NYC Diner | New York Diner
Liberty Bagels Liberty Bagels – Home to the best old-fashioned, hand-rolled, kettle boiled bagels in New York. is the best bagel place I've ever been to. The 'Lasso' bagel is worth the flight alone - amazing!
As for tipping....I don't play those games. It's not a legal requirement to tip and I'm not responsible for subsidising an employer's wage bill. That may be harsh but that's how I feel about it. You're supposed to tip in a restaurant but not in McDonald's but they both serve you food.
Last edited by TaketheCannoli; 4th October 2023 at 10:20.
We always dine a Andrews
So you'd eat at a diner and you wouldn't tip your waitress, just to be clear...you never heard, ''when in Rome...''
Correct. I'll make my own mind up about whether a tip is appropriate. I'm not doing it just because it's expected. I'll also decide how much that tip is going to be. The 'When in Rome' analogy is ridiculous, sorry.
No need to be sorry.
Thanks guys. St Paul’s is a must again for us and the kids will like that, as they go to a Catholic school.
Different thing altogether.
McDonald's staff will be on a set wage because of no tipping.
People in Jobs with tipping involved can be paid as little a $2 an hour in the US. It's how the cost of meals is planned by the owners.
If no tips prices would go up - simple as that.
I always leave cash on the table so the server gets it.
Personally I'd be embarrassed to leave an eatery in the US without tipping, assuming the service was good.
Cheers,
Neil.
For "Prices would go up if no tips" read "prices would be in line with what they should be when a worker is paid appropriately rather than the customer subsidising the employer". The customer pays twice for the same experience. It's completely wrong.
Fortunately I'm not remotely embarrassed not leaving a tip but I would be embarrassed paying my staff $2 an hour.
I spent 3 days there in 2019 and hated the place, too hot, too busy, too expensive. Wifey insisted on walking all the way round Central Park despite the August heatwave, I have good tolerance for exercise in heat but I ended up feeling dehydrated and not too well.
Best part of the trip for me was visiting the USS Intrepid, moored as a permanent museum on the Hudson River, unfortunately we were short of time but I could've spent a full day there.
Each to his own, I won't be going back. I wasn`t happy about the tipping culture either, food and drink was expensive enough!
I imagine most waiting staff are at the lower end of the earnings scale - even with tips - and I like to think an extra few quid means a lot more in their pocket than mine. So as long as the service has been satisfactory I'm happy to align with local custom when travelling.
Perhaps silly, but I also like to leave a positive impression of my home country and wouldn't want to contribute to other nations' view that the Brits are stingy non-tippers.
Walk back across Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan - another great freebie
Trip to Coney Island
I’m with you there.
Even my local pub, they always slip through the tip screen when paying, almost embarrassed by it. I will always give them £10 cash minimum as see it as a price of a lunch or dinner out.
They seem to appreciate it, as did I when I was young & working in the service industry at their age. I always remember serving a party of 20 for a Christmas party, the tip was £300 and all we all felt we had won the lottery back then!
For the service in NY I never found the food or tips excessive. Bar tenders were on form and engaging with beer choices on tap. Yes weird for us to tip per drink, but it is the way there.
Agree with this one!
Great views at night and during the day.
When doing the Top of the Rock I would recommend late afternoon and watching the city light up - I find it magical.
Grand Central Station is a another good freebie.
For a great atmosphere and food look up Carmine’s.
Bicycle / Tandem hire in Central Park is great too.
For access to common attractions would recommend
https://www.citypass.com/new-york
Good discount and simple to manage esp with a group of you. Will share some other recommendations from our trip last year tomorrow
Well said.
Cheers,
Neil.
Posting Permissions
