New York: what to see and where to eat

[Nana77]

Well ladies.. My first visit to the USA is just around the corner and I need ALL the good hints what to do, where to eat, the best shopping tips.. .

We are staying at the Time hotel for four days (wednesday-sunday) and planned to spend a day at the Woodbery Premium Outlet, but everything else is still open . Maybe some musical, good food, some cosmopolitans

What is your favourite thing in NY?

[catgoddess]

The Time is in Midtown West, so you'll have plenty of access to food and theatre. There are all types of cuisine there, so it's really whatever you feel like. You'll pay more in this area because it's heavy on the tourists.

As for things to do near your hotel, Times Square, Central Park, The Museum of Modern Art, Radio City Music Hall, The Metropolitan Opera House (you might be able to get last minute discount tickets, too), Top of the Rock @ Rockefeller Center. You're not too far from the Manhattan Cruise terminal if you like big cruise ships, there might be one in port. The Intrepid is also there and is open for tours. If you head a bit north in Central Park, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is a must and so is the American Museum of Natural History.

I'm not a drinker, but I'm sure someone else can point you towards one of the many bars near your hotel. I've not stayed in The Time, but I would be surprised if it didn't have its own bar inside the hotel as well.

Have fun!

[Jengerbread88]

The thing that I, as a tourist, really wanted to be sure I spent time with was Central Park. The first time I went to NY, I didn't get time there at all, so when I went back, I made a point to go. I honestly wish I would have scheduled more than one day there-- there are so many cool things to explore in Central Park, and the best part is walking through the park is free (though, you might want to take some cash for the buskers-- some of them are REALLY awesome).

I did the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island both times I went to New York City. I LOVE Ellis Island and reading all of the history there-- I'd like to go back-- but if I could go back and re-do my trips, I'd skip the Statue and just go to Ellis Island. The statue is basically a long ferry ride to a long line-- not worth the time, in my opinion.

If you want to see a show, ask about tickets to a Broadway open dress rehearsal. If you can get the tickets, it's cheaper than seeing the show normally, and usually it is the EXACT same show (they go through the whole thing just like normal, but they're more likely to forget a line in a rehearsal-- when I've gone, I've usually seen ZERO difference, and it's a cheaper ticket).

A lot of it depends on your interests. If you're a history buff, I'd stop by things like Ellis Island. If you're a shopper, I think M&M world is really cool, and otherwise, there are all of the famous shops in NY that everyone tries to go to when they're in town. If you're really interested in theatre/the arts, you'll be more interested in museums, Broadway, etc...

Oh, and for food, being a tourist and not a native, definitely stop in someplace that looks like a hole in the wall for NY style pizza, and make sure you grab a bagel from a decent deli. Yum.

[Jengerbread88]

Oh, and if you're planning to go someplace touristy (Statue of Liberty, etc), be prepared for a long line.