Going to New York

[Samson]

I am going to New York for a few days as a tourist (from Thursday probably), and would appreciate some advice. Any general points welcome, the particular questions I have are:

• What are the primary tourist attractions? I am into history, museums etc. I guess at least one skyscrapper with a veiw has to be done.
• I really want to appericiate the NY nightlife. Any recomendations for places to go would be grerat. I will be on my own and I am no longer young.
• What is a reasnoble tip in bars? Is one dollar a drink OK here?

Any advice greatly appreciated.

 

[GoodEnoughForMe]

For what it's worth the best view in the city from a skyscraper is probably the Rockefeller Building. MoMA is a cool museum if you're into modern art.

As for nightlife... how old is "no longer young?" There's a bartender in Union Pool that I want somebody to punch if you're up for it, but that place is like <27 and has some hipsters so probably not the place to go.

$1 a drink will not be enough in most cases as drinks are pretty expensive in NYC. 15-20% will make sure the bartender likes you. If you can find a place with $3-4 dollar drinks where a one dollar tip is alright then my hat's off to you.

 

[Samson]

For what it's worth the best view in the city from a skyscraper is probably the Rockefeller Building. MoMA is a cool museum if you're into modern art.

As for nightlife... how old is "no longer young?" There's a bartender in Union Pool that I want somebody to punch if you're up for it, but that place is like <27 and has some hipsters so probably not the place to go.

$1 a drink will not be enough in most cases as drinks are pretty expensive in NYC. 15-20% will make sure the bartender likes you. If you can find a place with $3-4 dollar drinks where a one dollar tip is alright then my hat's off to you.

I am in my early forties, and certainly not up for punching anyone. I usually drink beer, and I have kind of got the impression for trips to San Francisco that less than 20% is OK for beer as they do less to pour it than say a cocktail, but if more is the usual then I definitely will pay more, I do want to give the right impression.

 

[Narz]

• What are the primary tourist attractions? I am into history, museums etc. I guess at least one skyscrapper with a veiw has to be done.

• 
  Bronx Zoo! Botanical Gardens. As for Manhattan's main to famous ones I much prefer the Natural History Museum to MoMA but it's a matter of taste. Maybe the Gungenhim is almost as famous but its so ugly on the outside I never ventured inside.
  
  A girl took me to the Rubin Museum recently which I thought was a neat place (and they have a bar downstairs so you can kill two birds with one stone ).
  
  

  [*]I really want to appericiate the NY nightlife. Any recomendations for places to go would be grerat. I will be on my own and I am no longer young.

  Can't offer much assistance there, I usually just goto house parties or private parties my friends (mostly one friend who parties alot) sends me invites to.
  
  Actually, one place I sometimes go is called Fat Cat, they have pool, table tennis (I think) and various table games (chess, scrable), maybe some other games too. Its super crowded though (but then again so are most bars which is why I don't usually go).
  
  

  [*]What is a reasnoble tip in bars? Is one dollar a drink OK here?

  I just give a dollar a drink in the off chance I go out for a drink.
  
  

  Any advice greatly appreciated.

  

 

[EgonSpengler]

Eat breakfast or lunch in Chelsea Market, then go for a stroll on The High Line.

 

[Birdjaguar]

Go visit Central park. Its big and beautiful.

Ride the subway.

The museum of natural History is wonderful.

Count how many Starbucks you see as you walk around.

 

[EgonSpengler]

If you like Asian food, go scout out Koreatown for me. I keep meaning to go, and keep failing.

 

[peter grimes]

• What are the primary tourist attractions? I am into history, museums etc. I guess at least one skyscrapper with a veiw has to be done.
• I really want to appericiate the NY nightlife. Any recomendations for places to go would be grerat. I will be on my own and I am no longer young.
• What is a reasnoble tip in bars? Is one dollar a drink OK here?

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Top of the Rock is a better all around experience than the Empire State Building. That's my recommendation for a skyscraper view.

Definitely take a walk in Central Park. It's walkable for a reasonably healthy person from Rockefeller Center (Top of the Rock). There's something really cool about a green place surrounded by skyscrapers.

The USS Intrepid is neat if you like military hardware. Plus they have a Space Shuttle!

Chelsea Market is good, so's Eataly.

Dollar a beer tip is totally adequate. Expect to pay 7-8 per beer MidTown and points south. East Village you might find some places that are 6-7. If a beer is 6.50 or 7.50, I still just tip a dollar. If I get a buy-back after 3 or 4 then I tip an extra 2 or 3.

The LES Tenement Museum is a great window into the history of immigrant lives in NYC. Also, the Museum of the City Of New York, the New York Historical Society, and the Museum of the American Indian. All good places for history.

What sort of nightlife are you looking for? A good resource would be a copy of TimeOut, of the VillageVoice.

What neighborhood are you staying in?

 

[Samson]

What sort of nightlife are you looking for? A good resource would be a copy of TimeOut, of the VillageVoice.

What neighborhood are you staying in?

The nightlife I am interested in is either general bars where you can get to chat to strangers, or music venues with dancing, either harder electronic music or live music (where I will accept just about anything). The only thing that really puts me off is people who look down on people who are not beautiful, if you know what I mean.

I have not actually got a place yet. I am using airbnb and it is being far less smooth than other times I have used it. It is looking like brooklyn or queens.

I have another question. Someone mentioned that you do not turn right on red in New York. Is that true?

 

[peter grimes]

No right on red in New York City. Other New York places it's OK.

That's the easiest way to spot out-of-towners

I don't know any places to recommend off the top of my head for the night life stuff, but there are a lot of venues on Bleecker Street and W4th street. You could practically just walk in off the street and see several live shows.

NYC is trying to crack down on AirBnB, that may be a factor in your troubles. You could also try Craigslist - look for 1 week rentals / sublets. If you have to go with a hotel, there are a lot of new ones around Queens Plaza that are super close to the subway and MidTown. You could be down in West Village or East Village in 30 minutes from there. Brooklyn - specifically Williamsburg near the L train, is even quicker, but costs more.

In fact, it kind of sounds like Williamsburg might be a good target for you, but it will be filled with bearded people who are pretty full of themselves, but also lots of pretty things with too much money...

Check out TimeOut for your nightlife needs - it's probably a better place to start than talking to me or Narz


EDIT TO ADD: I think you'll be in town for the Brooklyn Museum's First Saturday event! You should definitely check that out.