Spending a week in NYC

[Riffraff]

Hi everyone,

I know there a several posters from NYC around here, whom I'd like to ask for some advice.

I'm attending a wedding this weekend on Long Island, after which I have around a week to spend in NY. I have the feeling the town is awesome enough to simply wander around more or less aimlessly for a week, but perhaps some pointers could make my experience even better. I'm on a sort of medium budget and will be staying in a hostel on amsterdam ave / 87th street.

I'll definately be wanting to do some of the standards like MoMA, Chinatown, visiting a (off)-broadway show. I think I'll be avoiding stuff like the Empire State or the Statue of Liberty, as I'm not a huge fan of queues.

So, what stuff should I definately not miss? Is there something special on from the 14-18th, some awesome concert in an edgy neighborhood for instance ? Any pitfalls you want to warn me of?

Thanks in advance guys

 

[warpus]

If you're staying in a hostel in the U.S., get a lock and lock up all your important stuff in a locker.. Most hostels should have them, or at least the better ones.. Are you staying in a Hostelling International hostel? Those are usually really good.

I'm not singling the U.S. out here; from my experience you should lock up your stuff in a hostel everywhere in the world, except New Zealand

 

[NovaKart]

Just walking around Rockefeller Center and Times Square is fun and Broadway at night. You can look up and still not really see the top of the buildings and it gives you the feeling like you're at the center of civilization.

If you're at all interested in museums, the Metropolitan Museum is one of the best in the world. A whole Egyptian temple was reconstructed there after it was removed from the Aswan Dam. You might also have fun visiting around Battery Park, Ground Zero and Wall Street in south Manhattan.

 

[Formaldehyde]

The best thing to do is to simply walk around. (And be sure to use the subway system to get from one area to another. That is an experience in and of itself. You should also make a point of taking at least one cab and one bus.)

Here is a walking tour of areas I think you must see starting from your hostel:

Walk east to Broadway then south to 72nd Street. East on 72nd Street to Central Park. The building on the north side of the street is The Dakota where John Lennon was killed and was the location for the filming of Rosemary's Baby. His memorial is just inside the park on the north side of the street.

Enter the park and check out the Sheep Meadow area, Head south to Central Park South. This is best done on the weekends but it is probably already getting to be a bit cold to get the real flavor of it. Even so, it is still worthwhile. Notice how there is no street noise once you get inside.

Go south on 5th Avenue from Central Park South to at least the low 50s. Check our Rockefeller Center and 30 Rock when you pass by. Be sure to go inside the 30 Rock lobby and check out the interior and murals.

Walk east to Park Avenue and head south to Grand Central Station. Be sure to go inside. I would also suggest going inside the Chrysler Building lobby which is nearby. If you are a Superman fan, also check out the lobby of the Daily News building on 42nd Street.

Check out Times Square - You can take the shuttle from Grand Central Station to get there or just walk west on 42nd Street past the public library. If you do decide to walk, check out the park behind the library. Walk up Broadway to the high 40s.

Get on the 7th Avenue subway (1,2,3) and go to Greenwich Village. Head east to Washington Square Park. Walk south to Soho. Head southeast to Little Italy then south to Chinatown. Head west to Broadway and walk down it to Wall Street.

Walk down Wall Street. Check out the NYSE and Liberty Hall. Head south and check out Battery Park and the backside of the Statue of Liberty. if you have a spare 40 minutes or so, taking the Staten Island Ferry to Staten Island and back is a cheap, fast, and fun trip that will give you great views of the skyline. I think it is far more fun and less tedious than taking the ferry to the Statue of Liberty.

Besides MoMA, I agree with NovaKart. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is also a must-see. They have an incredible collection of impressionist art. The Museum of Natural History is also pretty cool. They have an incredible planetarium.

You will probably end up spending much of your time in midtown wandering around. Checking out the UN and the upper East Side is also quite worthwhile. In particular, you may also enjoy the East Village and Alphabet City. It is a younger neighborhood with a lot of street life.

And if the line isn't too long, going up to the top of the Empire State Building is worthwhile. This is best done during the week to avoid the crowds. I would have recommended the WTC instead, but sadly that is no longer an option...

If you are into shopping, check out Bloomingdales and Macy's.

I would highly recommend picking up the Michelin NYC guide and the Zagat's guide for restaurants. There is a lot of great cheap food to be had if you know where to find it. Checking out at least one fancy restaurant is also very worthwhile.

 

[Ajidica]

I heartily endorse trying to get to the top of the Empire State Building, especialy at night. One of my favorite memories from my trip there is going to the top of the Empire State Building at night and watching a thunderstorm roll in across the Hudson.

 

[Formaldehyde]

Sunset is another great time to be at the top of any Manhattan skyscraper. The bar at the top of 666 6th Avenue is another good place to be at that time.

 

[Riffraff]

Ok guys, thanks for the fast responses!

@warpus: I'll be staying at one of the Jazz-Hostels. I checked out HI aswell, but there were no more vacancies. I'll definately be keeping my stuff locked up, spent around three months this year in hostels

@NovaKart: Yeah, times Square and Broadway will definately be on my list aswell. The metropolitan museum really does look awesome, I'll make that my second museum I visit.

@Formaldehyde: Wow, thanks alot for that complete tour!! I'll see that I get a decent map of New York before heading there and mark all the places you mentioned. I am really looking forward to wandering through the city, gonna be a lot to take in.

@Ajidica: That sounds very cool - I'll definately pass by the empire state at one point so I'll check out how long it takes to get to the top.

 

[BvBPL]

Canal Street is kind of a cool flea market type thing. I happen to like Mulberry Street / Little Italy too. I'd say go to Coney Island, but maybe not in November (although it shouldn't be too bad).

If you like books, the Strand is brilliant. Forbidden Planet is a must see if you like comic books.

If you're with at least one other person and you feel safe, people watching on St. Mark's at night is a real sight.

If you want a good idea of what else to do, you can pick up a copy of the New Yorker and Time Out. If you like art, there's always a lot of gallery shows in the New Yorker.

If you want to save on shows, and don't mind waiting, there's a same day ticket vendor in Times Square that sells cheap tix.

 

[aronnax]

Go to a Comedy Club. Find some friends for the night, visit a club near times square, laugh your heart out.

 

[Supr49er]

See the Guggenheim.
See who's performing at Carnegie Hall.

 

[jtb1127]

Occupy wall street.

 

[NetGear]

Goto china town and get some good food. Though anything without queue alrready is probably not worth it, so ur sol.

 

[Dreadnought]

If I had to recommend something, bring a lot of money for food; you should spend a few meals in some of the excellent restaurants in NY. Also, get a pizza from the Bronx. Ah, so delicious!

 

[NovaKart]

I've heard some of the restaurants in Chinatown don't even have English menus.

Anyway, the best Japanese food I've had was in Manhattan, really wonderful eel.

 

[Narz]

Chinatown's got a lot of character. I like Greenwich village alot also.

Really depends what you're into. Hopefully you'll get some good weather.

By the way, if you feel like playing any chess in NYC I wrote a blog-type post on that.

 

[NovaKart]

I second taking the subway, it's part of the NY experience, plus taxis can be a bit expensive. Although taking a NY cab is also part of the NY experience. I love how the NY subway is so grimey, it's like, **** the rest of the world, we don't have to impress you by making a nice looking subway system, we're NY damn it.

Another thing that often impresses visitors to NY, the manholes actually do have steam coming out of them sometimes. It's not just in the movies.

 

[CELTICEMPIRE]

Too bad Dommy isn't here, he lives in Long Island (I think) and he absolutely hates it.

 

[Riffraff]

Nice ideas coming in, thanks again

@BvBLP: Turns out I do like books, will definately be passing by that area. What happens at St. Mark's at night?

@annorax: comedy sounds good, I'll keep it in mind as an alternative to a theater show.

@jtb: lol nice idea, but I think for demonstrations I have better locations closer by

@Supr49er: I'll check it out, Guggenheim is supposed to be great from outside as well.

@ NetGear,Dreadnought, NovaKart: Ok so I'll go for lots of international cuisine, though I think that's where I'll try saving some cash..

@Narz: Yeah, am also really hoping for many non-rainy days. I'm not sure I'm up to actually getting my ass handed to me at chess, but I'm sure to stroll through some parks and I'll watch out for the places you wrote. You still very active in chess?

 

[peter grimes]

Staten Island Ferry - A must. It's free, you'll already by down in Lower Manhattan for one thing or another anyway, and there are really cool posters about what to do in case of a russian nuclear attack. Priceless!

Subway - It's the best cheapest way to get around in the weather. If it's not raining, though, I'd suggest getting a bike. You can probably pick one up for less than $50 on Craigslist (that's $20 more than an unlimited subway pass for one week) You will, however, need a lock.

B&H Photo (34th st & 9th ave)This is a camera store like no other I've ever been to. They have tons of stuff and a very neat system. But they operate on Orthodox hours, so make sure to check that they're open first. If you're doing Macy's, this is in the same area. Then you could walk up 9th Ave, where there are lots of decent bars and restaurants. Don't be scared by the Port Authority Bus Terminal - but don't bother going in unless you have a reason. It will suck the soul out of you.

Food:

Our hands-down favorite restaurant is Marlow & Sons in Brooklyn. It's easily accessible from Manhattan via the Water Taxi from South Street Seaport... which is also somewhere that you might like to see while you're in Lower Manhattan. If you're interested in checking out Williamsburg Brooklyn, this is a good place to start. Then head North to get a sense of why people in NYC love to hate the hipsters. Then you can take the train back to the East Village or Union Square area.

For cheap chinese, we like Joe's Shanghai. There are a few locations - 1 in chinatown, 1 in midtown, and one in Flushing (the *other* Chinatown).

Pizza:
Our favorite is in Hunter's Point Queens: Bella Via. It's not NY style, it's better. 10 minutes on the 7 train from Times Square.

Picnic:
Go to Eataly and get some grub to go, have a picnic lunch in Madison Square Park. It's lovely in the Autumn.

Entertainment:
Depends on what you like - picking up a copy of Time Out NY is a good idea. Broadway shows are a spectacle, to be sure, but they may not be what you're looking for. There are always interesting shows happening all over the city. Look for Off-Off Broadway for the edgier stuff. Ars Nova has a very good reputation.

If you're into military stuff, check out The Intrepid Air and Space Museum. It's an aircraft carrier docked in the Hudson off the west side.

Walk Brooklyn Bridge. Yes, it's cliche. But there's a reason everybody says to do it.

The High Line. An old elevated freight train line winding through a formerly industrial area has been converted to open space parkland. Haven't been yet, but my friends who visit say it's great.


Some things to consider if the weather isn't great:
Go to a TV show taping. Several TV shows have live studio audiences for their shows. The Daily Show & The Colbert Report are satirical news shows. There's are several others, listed here:
http://www.nycgo.com/articles/tv-show-tapings

Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum. Not as well known, but still very good.

Museum of the Moving Image. Currently running a really good show on Jim Henson of 'Sesame Street' and 'Muppets' fame.

 

[Boundless]

I am too jealous. When I actually do go to NY, I will be sure to take all these tips myself