i was planning to head to new york between 6/9 to 6/11 for my wife's B-day, any suggestions as to where, what to do and stay, i guess i'm thinking somewhere by timesquare?.... i'm pretty sure theres' alot of things do and go but any suggestions?

 

My fav place to go.

We always stay at the Sofitel, right in midtown, 2 blocks from times square and good cheap breakfast 200ft down the street.

 

post up in the NELOC forum and you should get plenty hits

 

can a mod move this for me. thanks.

 

If you are planning to be in NYC for only two days, you really won't have time to see everything. However, the best thing to do is check out all the touristy spots and get it done and over with as early as possible. Get an idea on how big Manhattan is and where everything is located, and how taxis and the subway work. You'll realize that everything is divided by neighborhoods (Upper East Side, SoHo, Chinatown, etc) and you'll want to ask for things by neighborhood (best place to eat near Times Square, best club near the East Village, etc.).

Here are my recommendations for a first time NYC visitor:

--Get tickets for the Empire State Building online. Then go as early as possible to beat the crowds. Lines in the afternoon can take up to two hours just to get to the top of the building.

--Get tickets for a Broadway show online. Shows and TKTS may be sold out depending on the day, and in the summer, tickets go fast. An evening show is best to relax your feet after a day of running around.

--Get passes for Webster Hall online. For the price of a ticket at the club, you can get six free passes, five CDs, and a t-shirt. This is a good club to go to because it's not too exclusive or expensive or meat-market-ish. Just go and dance the night away.

--If I have to choose a favorite restaurant, check out The Union Square Cafe. There is a wine shop less than 300 ft away, and you can buy a bottle there, and the corkage fee at the USC is $20. Save yourself some cash on a very good bottle of wine. Try their homemade cookies, and get some to go for the road. Another good touristy restaurant is La Mela in Little Italy. No menus: they just keep feeding you until you say stop. If you pull the ***** Lamp, legend says you'll return to NYC in the future. You can't miss it; it's painted neon green and orange.

--Skip the Statue of Liberty. Check it out from Lower Manhattan near Ground Zero, but don't take the ferry. With the wait times and the boat ride and island stay, the Statue of Liberty is a half-day affair; you won't have time for this.

--One great walk is on Fifth Ave. Start at the NY Public Library and walk north. You'll pass by Rockefeller Center, St Patrick's Cathederal, a ton of shopping, the Plaza, then take a taxi (or an expensive horse carriage ride) up 30 blocks to the Met Museum. Then explore Central Park.

--Finally, if you want a good place to stay, Times Square is most centralized for the touristy spots. You can probably find some great bargains near Murray Hill or the Financial District on the weekends, but you should spend some extra $$ for a centralized hotel with nearby subway access. Because of your short stay, you want the most convenient hotel by location.


Good luck and have fun. You'll love New York City!!!

 

wow... very good gameplan

Yeah 2 days is a short time but you can also add south street seaport if you head to ground zero it pretty much walking distance. City Hall is also there.

Since it is your wife's birthday you may want to head up to central park south (59th street) and maybe take her on a horse carriage ride through central park. Just a thought.

Plus we may be having one of our infamous CL BBQ's...LMAO... you may wanna drop by

 

If you stay in / around Times Square, take your wife for drinks at the W-Hotel - very nice.

Also, if you plan on seeing a show, I recommend Wicked - it was surprisingly entertaining.

 

depends on what your interest is.
massive amounts of great restuarants to check out. 2 days is definately NOT enough to explore NYC.
great nightlife any day of the week depending on your style.
Let us know what your interest is and we'll let you know.
shopping? food? tourist traps? clubs? bars? tata bars? etc.

 

I was a New Yorker for 18 years. Since you have only a couple of days, here's what I recommend:

Stay at the Marriott in Times Square. Yes, it's a bit expensive, but it's nice and convenient. You don't want a tiny smelly room, which is typical of most hotels in NYC.

First day (midtown): The Empire State building, Fifth Avenue (between 47th & 59th Street), United Nations, Central Park / Lincoln Center, Times Square / Broadway shows at night.

Second day (downtown): Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island (board the ferry at Battery Park), New York Stock Exchange, Wall Street, Ground Zero, Chinatown / Little Italy, South Street Seaport.

While it's possible to walk to all the attractions, you may choose to take Taxi instead to save time and energy. Take the Subway to/from downtown. Don't skip Statue of Liberty, it's the symbol of New York (and America.) It's too far away to see it well from lower Manhattan.

New York City is actually very safe, especially at the tourist attractions with lots of police presence. Do practice the usual precautions.

Have a great time!

 

Check out Rockafeller Plaza as well. The Today show on NBC is there every morning. Get your self on tv and hold a big sign lol. While your there, you can check out the NBC Experience Store. That store is intereactive. You can even play Al Roker and be a weather man all for free

 

[QUOTE=HarrierAWD]
Stay at the Marriott in Times Square. Yes, it's a bit expensive, but it's nice and convenient. You don't want a tiny smelly room, which is typical of most hotels in NYC.
QUOTE]
ive been at the marriot marquis multiple times in the suites and the regular rooms, and i think its not worth it. personally the W is my favorite

 

its funny how tourists go visit more places in NYC than most new yorkers that live here haha

likeme!

 

Here are some tips from a New Yorker:

1) Wear comfortable shoes. You will be walking alot. Similar to traffic, the right lane is for the slow. I have no problem with bumping you out of the way.
2) When you stop to look at something, get out of the way of the pedestrian traffic. Do not just stand in the middle of the sidewalk. I will knock you over.
3) When walking down stairs ie. the subway, do not bend over in the middle of stairs to tie your shoes. I will knock you over like I almost did to the Japanese tourist yesterday.
4) The cart guys usually only sell hot dogs, pretzels, and peanuts. Know what you are going to order before you get to the front of the line.
5) Remember, NYC isn't just a tourist spot. Many of us have somewhere to be.
6) If you are waiting on that god awful line in front of the Empire State building, I can almost guarantee most local New Yorkers will think you are a sucker for waiting on line to ride a glorified elevator.

All of the above is said in jest but with a hint of truth. Enjoy your stay. Keep your eyes open and I have no doubt you will see something new and interesting.

Here are some of my favorites spots:
1) Evenings in Union Square watching and hoping the skateboarders fall.
2) Bryant Park. Nat Sherman's cigar store is on the corner. Grab a cigar and chill in the park. Free wireless internet too.
3) Times Square: the black Jewish guy who is telling everyone God is going to come back and kill all the white people. You can't miss this guy. He's on a giant podium. Don't bother watching this guy but watch the local NYPD as they grimmace and wish they could shoot this guy. I admire the NYPD for not having shot this guy yet.

 

TOTALLY AGREE!!!!!
Follow those tips and you're golden.
I also would like to add
1-Leave the Oakley sunglasses at home
2-Don't dress like a tourist. (college team sweatshirts, jcrew, bright ski clothing etc)
3-Stop staring at us like we're criminals
4-Move quickly on our sidewalk expressways. Its just Bolex and Prava

 

thanks guys for all your input. i assume JFK is the airport closest to time square area?