New York help wanted please.

[Tez3]

Now I know there's plenty of online info and tourist offices etc but I want info please from people who actually know because you can't beat local knowledge! My daughter wants to take her partner to New York for a few days possibly in July for his birthday though more likely september as they want to watch the Knicks play and they aren't until then seemingly.
Please can you tell us the best reasonable priced places to stay or where to look for them? Also for me, the safest places for them to go, for them the cheapest and best lol, anything they shouldn't miss or really should avoid? Will they get ripped off by taxis or can they use buses? (tourist guides never get you correct info about that sort of thing!) for my daughter of course, the best places to shop, shop and shop!
Thanks alot! :cheers:

 

[terryl965]

Use the transut system, Taxi are a ripp off. As far as Hotel are you looking in the city itself and what doe you consider reasonable.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Now I know there's plenty of online info and tourist offices etc but I want info please from people who actually know because you can't beat local knowledge! My daughter wants to take her partner to New York for a few days possibly in July for his birthday though more likely september as they want to watch the Knicks play and they aren't until then seemingly.
Please can you tell us the best reasonable priced places to stay or where to look for them? Also for me, the safest places for them to go, for them the cheapest and best lol, anything they shouldn't miss or really should avoid? Will they get ripped off by taxis or can they use buses? (tourist guides never get you correct info about that sort of thing!) for my daughter of course, the best places to shop, shop and shop!
Thanks alot! :cheers:

Tez

Contact the New York State Department of Economic Development. They are also the department of Tourism and a call center that can answer a lot of your questions. I will have to get the number and PM you, of the top of my head I only know the area code.

BUt as a note, in NYC cheap hotel/motel does not always equate to safe.

I generally only go there for a day and I go to Chinatown when I go but other than that I never have stayed in the city. The closest I got was I stayed on Long Island, which to be honest if you stay in the right place you can catch a train in to NYC fairly easily.

XS

 

[MBuzzy]

Tez - My wife lived in NYC for 4 years and while she and I were living in New Jersey we spent about 1-2 weekends per month in NYC. So, we've stayed in the city MANY times. I'd be happy to help with anything you need.

In terms of reasonably priced Hotels, it really depends - as Terry said - what you consider to be reasonable. The last time that we stayed there, we paid about $120 per night. The hotel was nice and there were no problems with the neighborhood - but the rooms are TINY. But then, that's standard for just about any hotel in NYC under $300.

Stay FAR away from the bus system in NYC. If you live there, it can be navigated pretty easily, but for one time visitors, it isn't easy. The subway system is pretty easy though. I highly recommend something called NYC Unfolds. It is a pocket sized map that unfolds to show all of NYC including the subways, stops, and seriously EVERY tourist attraction you could ever want. It is made by vanDam, check out www.vandam.com . Zagat's is also worth at least taking a look at, but its pricey and I wouldn't recommend a non resident actually buying one. Zagat's guide is basically a list of EVERYTHING to do.

As for stuff to NOT MISS:

The Metropolitan Museum of Art - "The Met" This is by far one of the greatest art museums in the country. Their collection is massive and the museum is amazing. There is a listed "price" to get in, but TRUST ME ON THIS ONE, because no one ever believes you. That is a donation suggestion, its in the fine print. Just give the lady a dollar and you'll get in. DO NOT PAY FULL PRICE AT THE MET.

The Rose Center/Museum of Natural History - Also a great museum, but the best part is that it is attached to the Rose Center, awesome planetarium....the building is incredible and the show is stunning. It is actually in Spiderman 2 if you've seen the movie.

Empire State Building - nuff said. One note, from the street, it looks like every other building. The first time I went there, I walked past it a bunch of times and never knew it. You have to know the address and look for signs.

Statue of Liberty - ALSO nuff said. You need to take a ferry though and the lines are HORRIBLE. Honestly, you can see it from Battery Park, so really....the trip over to the island isn't that great. You can also get to Ellis Island from Battery park, but same deal.

St. Patrick's cathedral - even if you're not religious.....its worth a quick stop.

Times Square - honestly, I hate it there. BUT, if you get one shot at NYC...you have to go through and walk down 34th st. BE CAREFUL THERE - it is PACKED with tourists basically 22 hours a day and that means it is also packed with people trying to get your money one way or another, through fliers or pickpockets. Now...it really isn't that bad, but it is bad enough that you need to be careful and watch yourself. If you LOOK like a tourist, you're a target. Targ...err...tourists do things like take cash out in public, stare at maps, stare UP, take lots of pictures......but then, these are things that travelers should just know anyway.

Penn Station - another one worth a quick stop, it is kind of out of the way, but its cool to see. There's also a cool mall in there and Macy's is real close.

In the summer....Ride the BEAST! It is a speed boat tour up and down the hudson, SO much fun! The guys that run it are are really funny and the trip is just all around cool.

Broadway show - seriously, if you're going there, you HAVE to see a show. It can be expensive, but there are ways around that. There are shows for everyone too. Avenue Q, Wicked, I love you you're perfect now change, Blue Man Group, STOMP, and on and on and on. For cheap tickets, TKTS is a MUST, they sell half priced and less tickets day of and day before. There are two booths in the city, one in Times Square where the lines are horrible and tickets are tough to come by. BUT, the little known secret, there's a booth at South Street Sea Port, and NO ONE IS EVER THERE. You can walk right up and get your cheap show tickets no problem. Plus, going on a weekday will save you money.

I could honestly go on forever, I love the city and spent as much time as I could there. Please let me know any other questions you may have - I also have LOTS more suggestions and my own little things that I loved to do. Including restaurants, little known sites, bars, etc. One of my favorite things was the Beatles tour....being that you're British, that one might be of interest.

 

[MBuzzy]

Tez

Contact the New York State Department of Economic Development. They are also the department of Tourism and a call center that can answer a lot of your questions. I will have to get the number and PM you, of the top of my head I only know the area code.

BUt as a note, in NYC cheap hotel/motel does not always equate to safe.

I generally only go there for a day and I go to Chinatown when I go but other than that I never have stayed in the city. The closest I got was I stayed on Long Island, which to be honest if you stay in the right place you can catch a train in to NYC fairly easily.

XS

That is a GREAT point, staying in New Jersey is a much cheaper bet and you can ride the train in every day with no problem...its just a pain and you really need a car. Its worth the extra $30 a day to stay in the city to me. The boroughs can be good, but same deal and you do get rough neighborhood problems there. So you have to be careful. Again, Xue is right, Cheap is not equal to safe. There are LOTS of cheap places.....but if you value your money and life, pay the extra.

I've really never talked to the Tourism department though, I always thought it was fun to explore on my own, plus I was afraid of just getting the tourist party line.....which would NEVER get you to go to an AWESOME BAR like the Slaughtered Lamb!

 

[MBuzzy]

Sorry - I keep seeing and thinking of more stuff.......

Taxis - WAY WAY WAY more expensive than the subway, but at times can be worth it. It is totally situational. Depends where you're going, sometimes the Subway money's worth it. Going cross town is an example. If you're in a hurry. If you need to get from south to north quick and have an extra $20. Stuff like that. Generally the cabbies will take you there fast and not rip you off by going long ways and stuff, they really just want new fares. There's no reason for them to do it because cabs are always full. Finding them can be rough sometimes but they are expensive. Oh yeah.....and slightly crazy. Kind of like a rollercoaster...with a drive that doesn't speak english....

And shopping......Well, you're in the heart of the universe for shopping.

Park Avenue - Expensive stuff, that's where all the designers are. I forget what cross streets the shopping goes from, but its around the Met.

Filene's Basement - women's clothing.....I don't know, my wife said to go there. apparently its popular.

Macy's - big place, good shopping I guess. Another Wife suggestion.

I liked to go to South street seaport. Really cool mall kind of place, plus there's a cool boat outside of it.

Grand Central Station - not just a train station, also a cool mall. A good stop too, I should have put that in the other post.

more stuff that I forgot to mention.....real quick, then I'll stop, I promise!

UN Building, Washington Square Park, Flat Iron Building, Ground Zero (9/11 memorial), Central Park (during the day only)(has a zoo, lots of cool ponds, monuments and shakepeare in the park), Post Office, NYC Public Library, Gugenheim Museum(only if you like modern art and want to pay $40 to get in).

If you do even a quarter of that stuff, you will have seen more than some New Yorkers.....

 

[Tez3]

Wow thanks for all the info, I'll copy it and let her have it. The pair of them were all set to work in Florida for six months a while back but Katrina stopped that as the New York racing stables who move down there to overwinter didn't go. Paul's worked for six months in Kentucky a few years ago though and they both really want to visit New York. Last winter the. pair of them spent in Dubai. I'd hope they don't meet any muggers or the like though, Katie may only be five foot but she does kickboxing, MMA and is a blonde terror lol! she cracked a Brazilian pro-MMA fighters (Jean Silva) ribs a while back when he was in her guard, thinking he could show off to her, he had tears rolling down his cheeks, we did too but from laughter!
Thanks again, nothing like info from the people who know properly!

 

[morph4me]

If you do even a quarter of that stuff, you will have seen more than some New Yorkers.....

He's right, I've lived just north of NYC my entire life, and haven't seen alot of what he's talking about, and most of what I have seen is because we went with friends from out of town.

 

[MBuzzy]

yeah....the only reasion I ever saw most of that stuff was because I took family and friends.

 

[jks9199]

yeah....the only reasion I ever saw most of that stuff was because I took family and friends.

It's a shame how many of us find ourselves saying that about where we live.

Let me toss a challenge out to everyone: Once a month, for the rest of the year, get out there and see some of the sights that you usually "save" for tourists... Go to the Smithsonian, if you're in DC, or Empire State Building if you're in NY, or whatever it is for where you are. Don't wait for a tourist or a reason; set a day aside, and do it.

 

[MBuzzy]

Ok, so what do you do if you're in Dayton, OH???

 

[jks9199]

Ok, so what do you do if you're in Dayton, OH???

Don't ask me... YOU'RE the guy who lives there! But Seaworld ain't far, I don't think. And there's gotta be some Wright Brothers stuff...

 

[Drac]

Ok, so what do you do if you're in Dayton, OH???

Drink..