New York City

Ronstar

Ronstar

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I'm not a city guy, but when I was asked by a Hilton Rewards rep where I'd like to go from a list of 4 cities, I chose New York. I've never been there.

We're going for 4 days, 3 nights. We can go anytime in the next year. I was thinking either early this November or next April. I haven't nailed down where we will be staying, but at some Hilton property.

I would like your thoughts as to what attractions we should take in. I'm thinking Statue of Liberty, Empire Sate Building, 911 memorial for sure. After that I'm clueless.

What else do you recommend? And when?
 
There are hop on-hop off double decked buses that can take you all over. They have different routes. We enjoyed a carriage ride through Central Park.
 
Central Park--daytime only
 
You may want to avoid the weekend of Nov 7, the NYC Marathon. Maybe NY is so big that an event like this doesn't really impact other things (besides the closed roads on race day) but it might. Seemed really busy when I was there.

I like the museums. Pick the type you like and go to the best one there.
 
If you went in April, you could see a Yankees game.

The 9/11 site and museum, Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, a ride on the Statin Island Ferry out and back (good views of the Statue of Liberty), Museum of Natural History, Central Park, Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall, stand outside the Today Show (if people still do that), Empire State Building, Broadway show, Times Square
 
See a broadway show. It will most likely be quite an experience. Take a ride on the subway if you haven't experienced that mode of transportation yet.
Definitely the 911 memorial.
Experience one of the many great high end restaurants.
Visit SOHO for the interior designer stores.
Various museums like Natural History/Modern Art.
Wall Street area during the week.
Chinatown/Little Italy.
Side trip to visit sections of Brooklyn.
The absolute best Cannolis can be found at Palermo's. Trust me.
Times Square.
 
Things that have not been mentioned yet. Museum of Comic & Cartoon Art. Tenement Museum. Apollo Theater. I would also go to at least one show. I assume the 1/2 price ticket sales are still happening. I would also try a variety of ethnic restaurants. You could research choices from home.

When we visited NY while living in CT, we would walk most everywhere. The subway is pretty easy but you may want to become familiar with it before arriving. Finally, I see you live in N. Ill, if you happen to be a Packer vs Bear fan, there is a great Packer bar in the city. But you got to get there early (Noon for a 1PM game) as they max out capacity.
 
I'd add to your list: riding the subway and walking thru central park (both on weekdays and during the daytime.) Seeing Times Square is cool too and maybe a drive through the Lincoln tunnel. Take a cab ride at some point, that's a ride I'll never forget but it may have just been my driver at the time. And of course a quick stop to see Wall Street.
 
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Use Today Tix for Broadway shows. Telecharge website also has deals periodically.

If you're in to Air and Space, you must go to the Intrepid museum. Go to intrepidmuseum.org and there is a 20% discount there with code VISIT21
 
- First visit, yes hit a broadway show, museums you are interested in, etc. Leave some time to explore. A few other things to consider...
- Get real pizza. (joes pizza on fulton, etc.) This should be a "must do"
- North end of central park, we walked for hours. You can actually forget you are in the city.
- Music. Terrra Blues, Village vanguard/etc for jazz, rockwood music hall for rock. etc.
- Second the tenement museum. Really well done.
- 9/11 museum workshop in chelsea, just off the high line, close to chelsea market. much more 'intimate' than the larger museum.
- Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. We stumbled across a really good pizza place in brooklyn just wandering around.
-DO NOT eat at any chain restaurant. Don't even think about it.
 
The half price tickets are available the day of the show in Duffy Square, a couple of blocks north of Times Square.

If you like old tv and radio shows, the Museum of Broadcasting is very good.
 
As a native NY'er, I would tell you that the best dates I had as a teen was riding the ferry to staten island (it used to cost a nickel but I believe it is free now) and ride it back (i don't think I've actually ever stepped on staten island). The second thing i always did was take my dates to Lincoln Center at night when the fountain was lit up (especially on nights when there was a show with everyone dressed up in gowns and black tie) it was quite magical to my 14 year old self.
 
Love NY, have gone many times. I would wait until Broadway is fully open. Lots to see but shows are a huge attraction.
 
The Highline is great but it is often super-crowded, so pick a time like a weekday morning or afternoon during the workday. (That said, the sunset can be beautiful so a weekday late afternoon or evening is lovely, too, but be prepared for crowds.)

Take the subway from Manhattan to the first stop in Brooklyn on the 2/3 or A/C lines, and then walk over the Brooklyn Bridge toward Manhattan. (Then you'll have the view of the Manhattan skyline as you walk across.)

If you are there in the spring or fall and are interested in nature, connect with the Wild Bird Fund (a wildlife rehab centre near Central Park, where I used to volunteer). They have great programming, featuring events in Central Park like bird watching, photography tours, plant life etc. And the small fees you pay for the events support their rescue efforts.

My three favourite museums are the Frick on the Upper East Side, the Tenement Museum (Lower East Side) and the Morgan Library and Museum (Midtown). A character in a novel said the Frick has "one perfect example of everything"; it's a small museum in a mansion with a focus on fine art from the Middle Ages to the late 1900s primarily. The Tenement Museum enables you to learn more about the life of the poor and working class in New York in the late 1900s through mid-20th century, with some interesting immersive exhibitions. The Morgan Library has exhibitions focused on books and related materials.
 
Lots of great ideas here. I love the Staten Island Ferry and this could be done along with the 9/11 museum.

One of my favorite restaurants is linked below. Delicious food and a convenient midtown location.

https://www.trattoriadellarte.com
 
This is a great thread. Y'all are giving me ideas too, about my first trip to NYC, hopefully next year. Thank you!
 
It's been many years now but DW and I used to go up the NYC at least once a year. Our favorite thing was to just walk around various neighborhoods, sometimes taking a subway to get to a new one. We wrapped our visits around restaurant reservations for dinner and the occasional Broadway show. There is a water taxi system that goes around the island that is fun to ride just to get a view from the water. We caught it over near the Brooklyn Bridge and hopped off somewhere near midtown on the west side.
 
While at the 9/11 Memorial take the lift up to the World Trade Center Observatory, quite the view. Get use to everything costing twice what you're use to paying.
 
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