Free Time in NYC

[The Benniest]

During Spring Break '08, I'll be heading to NY City and wanted some tips on what do to when I'm not with my tour group. I'll be with my mom, since she's going to, and so I don't get lost. :p I'm sure that the time we'll have for "free" will be short so if there are any fun, short things to do, please list them!

While in the city, I'll be staying at the Embassy Suites, so is there anything around that area? Anything would be appreciated!

Thanks,
Ben

[BrooklynRider]

What time of year is your Spring Break?

[The Benniest]

Around the March 24th area. I'll be there for four days.

[BrooklynRider]

Are you on a set itinerary?

Also, do you know what you will definitely be visiting with your Mom? Are you looking for places to go or are you looking for great places to take some interesting photographs?

Finally, will you be heading out on these occasions alone or with someone else?

[NoyokA]

Since you love photography and this will be one of your first trips to NYC I would suggest just walking till you drop. Find a good book before-hand ie. The Architectural Guidebook to NYC and plan walking tours. Be sure to time it so that you hit either a sunrise or a sunset, if not both.

[The Benniest]

Are you on a set itinerary?

Also, do you know what you will definitely be visiting with your Mom? Are you looking for places to go or are you looking for great places to take some interesting photographs?

Finally, will you be heading out on these occasions alone or with someone else?
Well, the entire trip is set on an itinerary. Can you imagine 30 people going to NY City on no itinerary for four days? :confused: Although, I'm sure more people than that do it everyday. Lol.

I'm not sure where during this time I'll want to go. My mom knows how much I love New York City, so I'm sure she'll agree to do anything that I pull up. I know for a fact that stuff we will be doing with our group are things like: Empire State Building, Lady Liberty, maybe Ellis Island, maybe Coney Island, and of course ... Times Square (but not every part of the area). And yes, places to take awesome photographs would be amazing! I'd love to get ideas for my photography as well. :)

Lastly, I'll most likely be going to these places with either my mom or with some friends. What are good times to go out, when the lines are short, etc? Or, does that ever happen in New York?

If Easter Sunday happens to be one of the days that you and your Mom will be in New York, definitely look at (and maybe post to) these topics:

Easter 2007 - Wired New York Forum (http://wirednewyork.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11418)

NYC in Easter - Wired New York Forum (http://wirednewyork.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15494)

In this topic, the member took down his beautiful pictures, (which would make your photos even more in demand:)):

NYC Easter 2005 - Wired New York Forum (http://wirednewyork.com/forum/showthread.php?p=130559)
Thank you for the links Punzie. I'll take a look. :cool:

Since you love photography and this will be one of your first trips to NYC I would suggest just walking till you drop. Find a good book before-hand ie. The Architectural Guidebook to NYC and plan walking tours. Be sure to time it so that you hit either a sunrise or a sunset, if not both.
Finding a architectural/tourist book before going sounds like a good idea. My family did it before we took off for Europe in 2005, and it definitely saved a lot of stress time, and more fun time. I'll be sure and do that. Thank you Stern! And yes, I can't wait to see the city sunset/sunrise.

Thank you all for your replies! This will definitely help!
Ben

[BrooklynRider]

Empire State Building is always fun, but you might consider going to "Top of the Rock." This is the GE Building (formerly the RCA Building.) It is the tallest building in Rockefeller center and arguably has the best observation deck in the city. From here, you'll also get great shots of the Empire State Building (which of course you won't get from the top of the Empire State. Also, Top of the Rock offers timed tickets, so you can choose your time (such as "sunset") and just show up at the appointed time. It lets you run around during the day without worrying about lines. The Empire State can have atrocious lines.

Statue of Liberty is best visited early in the morning (in my opinion.) Lines can grow quite large as the day goes on and getting there early gets you there ahead of school and tour grops.

The ferry to the Statue of Liberty runs in a triangluar route: Battery Park to Statue of Liberty to Ellis Island and back to Battery Park. You can plan on both of those national mounments for one morning.

Go to Wall Street to see Federal Hall, which is the site of the first capital of the U.S. You can get some classic photos at Federal Hall as well as pis of Trinity Church through the Wall Street canyon.

St. Paul's Chapel on Broadway, next to the World Trade Center Site, is the only remaining colonial era building in lower Manhattan and has preserved the church pew where George Washington attended Sunday Services. It also has an excellent permanent exhibit on the recovery from 9/11.

You absolutely must walk cross the Brooklyn Bridge. You will get fantastic views of both the lower Manhattan skyline and the mid-town Skyline. Try to go on the clearest possible day. Great views in the day. A totally different picture at night, when crowns of NYC's most iconic buildings are lit in a dazzling display of light. This you mustn't miss. At the foot of the Bridge, on the Manhattan side, is city Hall. A beautiful early 19th Century building.

I would suggest a visit to Grand Central Terminal, which also puts you in the neighborhood of the United Nations. The U.N. will be closing for renovations, but check their website to see if tours will still be available durung your visit. The decor there is a bit dated, but it is still a very interesting tour and it is still a bit awe-inspiring to step into the Security Council chamber or General Assembly to see where so much global history has unfolded.

Times Square. You should set aside and evening to go to the theater and see Times Square. You can find discounted tickets to shows at www.PlayBill.com (http://www.PlayBill.com). Register as a member (for free) and then click on discounts. You can come back to the forum to get show recommendations, but for $60 - $80 per person, you can have one fantastic night out - and see Times Square in all its glory as theaters let out and crowds spill into the square.

You can go to the Upper West Side and see General Grant's Tomb (a national monument), climb the tower at Riverside Church for wonderful views of the city from the north, and take a walk through the Columbia University campus over to The Cathrdral of St. John The Divine (the largest gothic cathdral in the world.) The Cathedral remains unfinished, but it is still incredible. You could lay the Washington Monunment down inside the church from door to altar and still have room for a tennis court. It's huge.

In Midtown, you can see Rockefeller Center, the ice skating rink, statue, and get a tour of Radio City Musical Hall, if you are inclined. A block north east is St. Patrick's Cathedral, which is always interesting for its role in NYC politics. The architecture is less interesting. This puts you footsteps away from Museum of Modern Art (MoMA.) This is an architectural gem and competes with the more vast Metropolitian Museum for "Best Art Museum in NYC" top spot.

If you go to the Metropolitan Museum, you can then walk across Central Park toward West 72nd Street and see Strawberry Field and the "imagine" mosaic. This is the monoument to John Lennon, just steps away from where he ws assassinated. From here you can walk up to 81st Street to visit the Museum of Natural History or the super modern (and great photo op) Rose Space Center. The space center is on the north side of the museum.

If it is all too much museuming for you, you can instead head over to Broadway at 66th Street and see Lincoln Center. It is a very iconinc grouping of arts buildings - a great photo op - and the metropolitan opera offers really interesting back stage tours.

Being a huge Coney Island Fan, with a deep family history in the neighborghood, I'd have to recommend that you skip this area. There are proposals to reinvent the amusement area, but it just is not worth the trip.

There are a couple of books you might want to read prior to coming that will make the sites you see even more rich. "Island at the Center of the World" is the best book about the city when it was "New Amsterdam" and it is from this era that the city's true personality was born. I'd also recommend "Time and Again" and "From Time to Time" by Jack Finney. These are remarkable books that take a central character back and forth between modern NYC and 18th and 19th Century NYC. "The Alienist" by Caleb Carr is another great book about NYC at the turn on the 19th to 20th century.

A Walk through Central Park - at least to the Bethesda Fountain - should included.

Circle line offeres a great cruise (day and evening) around half the island. It leaves from West 42nd Street (Pier 84) and it goes down the Hudson River with New York City to the left and Jersey City and then Brooklyn to the Right. You'll get great shot of the city and have a more leisurely day on the water.

The red double decker buseses offer "Uptown Loops", "Downtown Loops" and "evening bus tours."

We ought to try to firm up your itinerary. If I'm around, I'll be glad to guide you on a weekend to places that interest you and get you to some restaurants worthy of your time (with out emptying your back account.)

The worst is seeing visitors eating at Ruby Tuesdays, Olive Garden, Red Lobster, and Applebees. It is soooooooo unnecessary.

Think about these. Let's see where they shake out and we can build more scenarios.

[Landwatch.com]

Do visit McSorley's Ale House, which is the oldest pub in NY, also for some great Salsa there is nothing like Copacabana.

[The Benniest]

Oh my -- massive reply!! Thank you so much BrooklynRider. I really appreciate all the information you put into your post. I'm sure this will help me while I'm in the city, and will help my mom to. :p

Because I don't like anywhere near New York, I had to Google (image) a lot of these places. From what I see, the Top of the Rock looks ... incredible, and has an amazing view. Thank you for the group tips on Lady Liberty. I'll be sure and tell the group leader that this is something that a true New Yorker mentioned. ;) .. and for the info. on the ferry..

About Wall Street and the stock area, is this[url] Wall Street? I know that wall street is an actual street in NY, but is that building where the stocks go down? :confused: Also, in that picture I linked to, what is that statue? Would that also be an area for a good photo op? What's behind it that you can't see in the picture? Also, what's Wall Street canyon? I googled it, but could not find anything that I thought looked good.

Like you said, areas like the World Trade Center site will be visited by the tour group most definitely. I'm not sure if we're going to see St. Paul's Chapel, but I'll be sure and mention that to our tour leader.

Brooklyn Brider? Definitely! I'll walk across it myself if no one else wants to go with, but that is definitely something I'm going to do. Always wanted to: 1) see it, and 2) walk acrossed it. How old is the bridge? Looks ancient. :p

Like the World Trader Center site, Grand Central Terminal is something I'm sure we're going to go see. Is GCT in ... Midtown? That right? Times Square is what is going attract me like a magnet to the entire time. I love it!


Unfortunately, my open campus time at my high school is over now and have to go back to class ... :confused: When I get home, I'll be sure and post more to this post. Sorry... Thanks for the reply!

-ben


Empire State Building is always fun, but you might consider going to "Top of the Rock." This is the GE Building (formerly the RCA Building.) It is the tallest building in Rockefeller center and arguably has the best observation deck in the city. From here, you'll also get great shots of the Empire State Building (which of course you won't get from the top of the Empire State. Also, Top of the Rock offers timed tickets, so you can choose your time (such as "sunset") and just show up at the appointed time. It lets you run around during the day without worrying about lines. The Empire State can have atrocious lines.

Statue of Liberty is best visited early in the morning (in my opinion.) Lines can grow quite large as the day goes on and getting there early gets you there ahead of school and tour groups.

The ferry to the Statue of Liberty runs in a triangluar route: Battery Park to Statue of Liberty to Ellis Island and back to Battery Park. You can plan on both of those national mounments for one morning.

Go to Wall Street to see Federal Hall, which is the site of the first capital of the U.S. You can get some classic photos at Federal Hall as well as pis of Trinity Church through the Wall Street canyon.

St. Paul's Chapel on Broadway, next to the World Trade Center Site, is the only remaining colonial era building in lower Manhattan and has preserved the church pew where George Washington attended Sunday Services. It also has an excellent permanent exhibit on the recovery from 9/11.

You absolutely must walk cross the Brooklyn Bridge. You will get fantastic views of both the lower Manhattan skyline and the mid-town Skyline. Try to go on the clearest possible day. Great views in the day. A totally different picture at night, when crowns of NYC's most iconic buildings are lit in a dazzling display of light. This you mustn't miss. At the foot of the Bridge, on the Manhattan side, is city Hall. A beautiful early 19th Century building.

I would suggest a visit to Grand Central Terminal, which also puts you in the neighborhood of the United Nations. The U.N. will be closing for renovations, but check their website to see if tours will still be available durung your visit. The decor there is a bit dated, but it is still a very interesting tour and it is still a bit awe-inspiring to step into the Security Council chamber or General Assembly to see where so much global history has unfolded.

Times Square. You should set aside and evening to go to the theater and see Times Square. You can find discounted tickets to shows at [URL="http://www.PlayBill.com"]www.PlayBill.com (http://meltaylor.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/wall_street.jpg). Register as a member (for free) and then click on discounts. You can come back to the forum to get show recommendations, but for $60 - $80 per person, you can have one fantastic night out - and see Times Square in all its glory as theaters let out and crowds spill into the square.

You can go to the Upper West Side and see General Grant's Tomb (a national monument), climb the tower at Riverside Church for wonderful views of the city from the north, and take a walk through the Columbia University campus over to The Cathrdral of St. John The Divine (the largest gothic cathdral in the world.) The Cathedral remains unfinished, but it is still incredible. You could lay the Washington Monunment down inside the church from door to altar and still have room for a tennis court. It's huge.

In Midtown, you can see Rockefeller Center, the ice skating rink, statue, and get a tour of Radio City Musical Hall, if you are inclined. A block north east is St. Patrick's Cathedral, which is always interesting for its role in NYC politics. The architecture is less interesting. This puts you footsteps away from Museum of Modern Art (MoMA.) This is an architectural gem and competes with the more vast Metropolitian Museum for "Best Art Museum in NYC" top spot.

If you go to the Metropolitan Museum, you can then walk across Central Park toward West 72nd Street and see Strawberry Field and the "imagine" mosaic. This is the monoument to John Lennon, just steps away from where he ws assassinated. From here you can walk up to 81st Street to visit the Museum of Natural History or the super modern (and great photo op) Rose Space Center. The space center is on the north side of the museum.

If it is all too much museuming for you, you can instead head over to Broadway at 66th Street and see Lincoln Center. It is a very iconinc grouping of arts buildings - a great photo op - and the metropolitan opera offers really interesting back stage tours.

Being a huge Coney Island Fan, with a deep family history in the neighborghood, I'd have to recommend that you skip this area. There are proposals to reinvent the amusement area, but it just is not worth the trip.

There are a couple of books you might want to read prior to coming that will make the sites you see even more rich. "Island at the Center of the World" is the best book about the city when it was "New Amsterdam" and it is from this era that the city's true personality was born. I'd also recommend "Time and Again" and "From Time to Time" by Jack Finney. These are remarkable books that take a central character back and forth between modern NYC and 18th and 19th Century NYC. "The Alienist" by Caleb Carr is another great book about NYC at the turn on the 19th to 20th century.

A Walk through Central Park - at least to the Bethesda Fountain - should included.

Circle line offeres a great cruise (day and evening) around half the island. It leaves from West 42nd Street (Pier 84) and it goes down the Hudson River with New York City to the left and Jersey City and then Brooklyn to the Right. You'll get great shot of the city and have a more leisurely day on the water.

The red double decker buseses offer "Uptown Loops", "Downtown Loops" and "evening bus tours."

We ought to try to firm up your itinerary. If I'm around, I'll be glad to guide you on a weekend to places that interest you and get you to some restaurants worthy of your time (with out emptying your back account.)

The worst is seeing visitors eating at Ruby Tuesdays, Olive Garden, Red Lobster, and Applebees. It is soooooooo unnecessary.

Think about these. Let's see where they shake out and we can build more scenarios.

[BrooklynRider]

...From what I see, the Top of the Rock looks ... incredible, and has an amazing view.

Like I said, you can buy your tickets for the group in advance and pick the time you want to be up there. It is much more friendly for photographers than the Empire State.

www.topoftherocknyc.com (http://www.topoftherocknyc.com/)


...Thank you for the group tips on Lady Liberty. I'll be sure and tell the group leader that this is something that a true New Yorker mentioned. .. and for the info. on the ferry...

http://www.nps.gov/stli/ (http://www.nps.gov/stli/)
http://www.endex.com/gf/buildings/liberty/libertyfacts.htm (http://www.endex.com/gf/buildings/liberty/libertyfacts.htm)


...About Wall Street and the stock area, is this[url] Wall Street? I know that wall street is an actual street in NY, but is that building where the stocks go down? Also, in that picture I linked to, what is that statue? Would that also be an area for a good photo op? What's behind it that you can't see in the picture? Also, what's Wall Street canyon? I googled it, but could not find anything that I thought looked good.

Okay... The picture is taken from Federal Hall (where the first Capital of the United States was located. The statue is of George Washington and stands on the site where he took the oath of office for President. This is also the site of the historic Peter Zenger trial, where freedom of the press was established early in this country's history.

It is a favorite picture spot for many and the statue has stairs on either side leading up to Federal Hall. It is a gorgeous building. If you are a lover of architecture, go inside to view the dome. It is considered an architectural treasure and just had a complete restoration.

[URL="http://www.nps.gov/feha"]http://www.nps.gov/feha (http://meltaylor.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/wall_street.jpg)
http://www.nyc-architecture.com/LM/LM050-FEDERALHALL.htm (http://www.nyc-architecture.com/LM/LM050-FEDERALHALL.htm)

The building across the way from the statue and the focus of the photo is the NYSE. It is arguably the center of the financial world. What happens in this building can make or break the U.S. economy and certainly affects economies around the world. Tours are no longer offered, but when the TV news talks about “trading on Wall Street” or “Wall Street news” they are typically talking about the activity in this building.

Wall Street itself used to be the home to every major US bank. The “canyon” is Wall Street itself, which is lined with super-tall skyscrapers (classics) that each represented the biggest bank names in finance. You can get great views of these buildings from the Brooklyn Bridge.

The street was once the northern boundary of the New Amsterdam/New York colony settlement. A stockade wall was erected there to keep out invaders and “savages.” Thus, “Wall” street.

Classic buildings on this street include: 1 Wall Street (gorgeous red & gold mosaic walls & ceiling in lobby), 16 Wall Street (with it’s Pyramid crown), 40 Wall Street, 70 Pine Street, and 20 Exchange Place. Two other buildings of note are Trinity Church (which stands at the head of Wall Street), and the Merchant’s Exchange at 55 Wall Street (with two levels of massive columns.) Alexander Hamilton ($10 bill) and Robert Fulton (steam engine inventor) are buried in the cemetery of Trinity Church.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity_Church,_New_York

[BrooklynRider]

...Like you said, areas like the World Trade Center site will be visited by the tour group most definitely. I'm not sure if we're going to see St. Paul's Chapel, but I'll be sure and mention that to our tour leader.

If you go to the World Trade Center site (not many New Yorker’s on this forum appreciate the “Ground Zero” nickname), you will definitely see St. Paul’s Chapel. There’s not much to see at the WTC site. You can look at 7 World Trade Center (it is the new glass building north of the site) and know that the Towers of the WTC were double the height of that building.

As for St. Paul’s…

It is so tied into 9/11 that, for me, it is THE 9/11 memorial. Their website below has a slideshow under the “Unwavering Hope” banner. It shows what the church was like during those days when the rescue workers used it as a base. It also shows the incredible outpouring New York received from around the world and country. I think it is still emotional to see things like the picture of the fence and banners that hung on it. Washington prayed here when he was president and his pew and the presidential seal from the early government are preserved inside.

http://www.saintpaulschapel.org/pyv/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Paul's_Chapel


Brooklyn Bridge? Definitely! I'll walk across it myself if no one else wants to go with, but that is definitely something I'm going to do. Always wanted to: 1) see it, and 2) walk across it. How old is the bridge? Looks ancient.

It was started in 1870 and completed in 1883. Definitely bring your camera. I can promise with certainty that, on a clear day, you will take more pictures of the bridge and of the views from it, than anywhere else on your trip.

http://wirednewyork.com/bridges/brooklyn_bridge/


Like the World Trader Center site, Grand Central Terminal is something I'm sure we're going to go see. Is GCT in ... Midtown? That right? Times Square is what is going attract me like a magnet to the entire time. I love it!

Aha! You are learning the layout already. Yes, both are in Midtown.

Getting oriented is easy. Plus, you are on an island. If you get near water, you know you are at the edge. You can’t lose yourself too far.

Regarding GCT, it is in Midtown. United Nations is an easy walk from there if you want to snap some photos of it from the street or take a tour. I strongly encourage you to go to Times Square after dark.

http://www.nyc-architecture.com/MID/MID031.htm

[BrooklynRider]

Ben-

You should go to a book store like Barnes & Noble or Borders and buy yourself a NYC pop-up map. It folds up neatly into pocket size. Always good to have.

Just for your info to orient yourself to the city.

NYC Street Orientation (from Frommers Guide)

The city comprises five boroughs: Manhattan, where most of the visitor action is; the Bronx, the only borough connected to the mainland United States; Queens, where Kennedy and LaGuardia airports are located and which borders the Atlantic Ocean and occupies part of Long Island; Brooklyn, south of Queens, which is also on Long Island and is famed for its attitude, accent, and Atlantic-front Coney Island; and Staten Island, the least populous borough, bordering Upper New York Bay on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other.

When most visitors envision New York, they think of Manhattan, the long finger-shaped island pointing southwest off the mainland -- surrounded by the Harlem River to the north, the Hudson River to the west, the East River (really an estuary) to the east, and the fabulous expanse of Upper New York Bay to the south.

Despite the fact that it's the city's smallest borough (14 miles long, 2 1/4 miles wide, 22 sq. miles), Manhattan contains the city's most famous attractions, buildings, and cultural institutions.

In most of Manhattan, finding your way around is a snap because of the logical, well-executed grid system by which the streets are numbered. If you can discern uptown and downtown, and East Side and West Side, you can find your way around pretty easily. In real terms, uptown means north of where you happen to be, and downtown means south, although sometimes these labels have vague psychographic meanings (generally speaking, "uptown" chic vs. "downtown" bohemianism).

Avenues run north-south (uptown and downtown). Most are numbered. Fifth Avenue divides the East Side from the West Side of town, and serves as the eastern border of Central Park north of 59th Street. First Avenue is all the way east and Twelfth Avenue is all the way west. The three most important unnumbered avenues on the East Side you should know are between Third and Fifth avenues: Madison (east of Fifth), Park (east of Madison), and Lexington (east of Park, just west of Third). Important unnumbered avenues on the West Side are Avenue of the Americas, which all New Yorkers call Sixth Avenue; Central Park West, which is what Eighth Avenue north of 59th Street is called as it borders Central Park on the west (hence the name); Columbus Avenue, which is what Ninth Avenue is called north of 59th Street; and Amsterdam Avenue, or Tenth Avenue north of 59th.

Broadway is the exception to the rule -- it's the only major avenue that doesn't run uptown-downtown. It cuts a diagonal path across the island, from the northwest tip down to the southeast corner. As it crosses most major avenues, it creates squares (Times Sq., Herald Sq., Madison Sq., and Union Sq., for example).
Streets run east-west (crosstown) and are numbered consecutively as they proceed uptown from Houston (pronounced House-ton) Street. So to go uptown, simply walk north of, or to a higher-numbered street than, where you are.

Downtown is south of (or a lower-numbered street than) your current location.
As I've already mentioned, Fifth Avenue is the dividing line between the East Side and West Side of town (except below Washington Sq., where Broadway serves that function). On the East Side of Fifth Avenue, streets are numbered with the distinction "East"; on the West Side of that avenue they are numbered "West." East 51st Street, for example, begins at Fifth Avenue and runs east to the East River, while West 51st Street begins at Fifth Avenue and runs west to the Hudson River.

If you're looking for a particular address, remember that even-numbered street addresses are on the south side of streets and odd-numbered addresses are on the north. Street addresses increase by about 50 per block starting at Fifth Avenue. For example, nos. 1 to 50 East are just about between Fifth and Madison avenues, while nos. 1 to 50 West are just about between Fifth and Sixth avenues.

Traffic generally runs east on even-numbered streets and west on odd-numbered streets, with a few exceptions, such as the major east-west thoroughfares -- 14th, 23rd, 34th, 42nd, 57th, 72nd, 79th, 86th, and so on -- which have two-way traffic. Therefore, 28 W. 23rd St. is a short walk west of Fifth Avenue; 325 E. 35th St. would be a few blocks east of Fifth.

Avenue addresses are irregular. For example, 994 Second Ave. is at East 51st Street, but so is 320 Park Ave. Thus, it's helpful to know a building's cross street to find it easily.

Unfortunately, the rules don't apply to neighborhoods in Lower Manhattan, south of 14th Street -- such as Wall Street, Chinatown, SoHo, TriBeCa, and the Village -- since they sprang up before engineers devised this brilliant grid scheme. A good map is essential when exploring these areas.

When you give a taxi driver an address, always try to specify the cross streets. New Yorkers, even most cab drivers, probably wouldn't know where to find 994 Second Ave., but they do know where to find 51st and Second. If you're heading to the restaurant Aquavit, for example, tell them that it's on 55th Street between Madison and Park avenues. The exact number (in this case, no. 65) is given only for further precision.

[The Benniest]

Wow, been a while since any postings have gone on in this thread.

We got our itinerary for our trip tonight at a group meeting and I must say I'm surprised at all the changes that were made from the first meeting. Broadway shows we are going to see include: Chicago (tuesday night), The Little Mermaid (wednesday night), and Spamalot (thursday night). Anyone seen these musicals? They any good? :)

I also found out that I will be having "mucho" free time in a lot of the boroughs so I'll get to do and experience some of the things that BrooklynRider mentioned. I'm excited! :D

The hotel we are staying at is the Marriot Hotel at the Brooklyn Bridge in of course, Brooklyn. Anyone heard any reviews about this hotel? From the website and pictures I've seen, this is definitely one of those one-in-a-lifetime hotels .. at least for me. :p

Thanks guys!
Ben

[BrooklynRider]

I hurt my hand, so can't type much. Not sure about Little Mermaid (I see it Thurs.). I'll let you know. Other 2 should be a good time.

That hotel is fine. Walking Brooklyn Bridge & the Promenade will be eat & you are near all subways. It's a Marriott, so it will be better than most.

[The Benniest]

Oh, I'm sorry to hear that you hurt your hand. :confused:

Here are some of things that you mentioned that are on the actual itinerary sitting in front of me here:

Grand Central Station
Empire State Building
Times Square
Broadway shows
Statue of Liberty
Ellis Island
Ferry ride
World Trade Center site
Trinity Church
Wall Street
Chinatown / Little Italy
Rockefeller Center
Radio City Music Hall
NBC Studios (Today Show)
Fifth Avenue walk
Metropolitan Art Museum (is this referred to as the Met?)These are just a few of the many things we will be doing and below are a few questions out of many more I will have I'm sure! :D Thanks for putting up with me...

Anyone ever at at the Celeste Diner. It says in our packet that we will be eating breakfast there. Any suggestions? Is this in Brooklyn?
The Roxy Deli. I'm guessing this is in Times Square, and it seems right because we are eating dinner there Tuesday night before Chicago. Is this place good? Again, any suggestions?
What is the Amish Market in Battery Park? We're scheduled to again, have breakfast there for $7 one morning and was curious as to what it was. Thanks.
Another morning, before we see the Today Show in Rockefeller Plaza, we're going to eat at Bocca. Any suggestions?
Last but not least ... MARS, for dinner. Again, I'm guessing this restaurant is in Times Square or close too.Thanks guys!
Ben

[BrooklynRider]

Anyone ever at at the Celeste Diner. It says in our packet that we will be eating breakfast there. Any suggestions? Is this in Brooklyn?

This is at the very foot of the Brooklyn Bridge ramp. It should be fine (with lots of selections and reasonable pricing.)

www.celestediner.com (http://www.celestediner.com)


The Roxy Deli. I'm guessing this is in Times Square, and it seems right because we are eating dinner there Tuesday night before Chicago. Is this place good? Again, any suggestions?

This is classic New York Deli along the lines of the Carnegie Deli or Katz's Delicatessen. Quintissential New York dining. Suggestions: Pastrami on rye bread with mustard. Corned Beef on rye bread with mustard. Be prepared for a $15.00 sandwich, but it should be 6 inches tall.


What is the Amish Market in Battery Park? We're scheduled to again, have breakfast there for $7 one morning and was curious as to what it was. Thanks.

I know the Amish Market over on Greenwich Street. It has a wide array of salad bars and steam tables (hot buffet style food.) It also has sandwiches, hot meals, pizza, and a bakery. You should be able to grab a ham, 2 eggs & cheese on a roll with juice & coffee for $7.00 - easy.


Another morning, before we see the Today Show in Rockefeller Plaza, we're going to eat at Bocca. Any suggestions?

They ought to have standard breakfast fare. Go for your personal typical breakfast.

http://www.boccatogo.com/


Last but not least ... MARS, for dinner. Again, I'm guessing this restaurant is in Times Square or close too.

I'm guessing that this one is Mars 2112. It is a Mars-themed restaurant. You enter through a launch pad and get in a flying saucer to travel to Mars. A minute or two of shake, rattle & roll and you are on Mars. Haven't been there in years. They have aliens walking around and they used to have a water fall of white goo that rolled down in a gooey river running through the place. The bar area was kind of cool too. The food was Asian-American, meaning it was food you are probably familiar with prepared in an Asian-style. The food was pretty good when I was there. I just remember it being very loud in the restaurant. Be adventurous in ordering.

www.mars2112.com (http://www.mars2112.com)

Sounds like you are going to have a great time. The tour also seems to be sensitive to the expenses of New York. The breakfast selections are not fancy places, but they are rather practical. Sounds like you are with a good tour. Feel free to keep asking questions. Remember to pack your camera!

[The Benniest]

Thanks for your input on the above restaurants BrooklynRider. This definitely helped. I'm sure I'll be back with more questions soon.

Thanks guys!
Ben :D

[The Benniest]

During dinner last night, my mom and I were talking constantly about our trip and I was telling about Wired New York and how I was getting amazing tips and help. Sooo..we were both wondering this: Is there something more valuable that people get in NYC besides a t-shirt that says I <3 NY on it. (or a keychain).

Any suggestions or ideas are appreciated. Thanks!
Ben

[BrooklynRider]

As a New Yorker, I personally own a mini Statue of Liberty (high quality resin) and an Empire State Building (crystal).

[The Benniest]

Ooh. Thanks BrooklynRider. Any idea on a price range of either of those?

[BrooklynRider]

You'll see Statue of Liberty statues from $10.00 up. The higher the cost the higher the quality (or size). I think mine is six or seven inches of very high quality.

The crystal was over $100, but there are variations all over the city for different ranges.

[The Benniest]

You'll see Statue of Liberty statues from $10.00 up. The higher the cost the higher the quality (or size). I think mine is six or seven inches of very high quality.

The crystal was over $100, but there are variations all over the city for different ranges.
Okay. Thank you BR. I'll probably have to go with the small statue of Lady Liberty for $10, because I don't think I'll have $100 to just spend on a souvenir. Especially if I'm going to be back in June or July (so I hope).

Sorry, the I <3 Punzie t-shirts are out-of-stock right now.
LOL. Shoot. I guess I'll try back. ;)

[BrooklynRider]

Your enthusiasm is contagious. I'm excited for you to come to NY.:)

[The Benniest]

Thank you so much BR. I try and have a really good attitude and have a little bit of fun when talking about New York City. Which is why I love this forum ... because you have serious conversations about NYC (skyscrapers/architecture), you have a QA forum, which if you can't tell, is probably my favorite. And I can't get enough of the Anything Goes and Social Club forums.

All around fun! :)
Ben

[The Benniest]

Hmm... I might just have to do that. And pictures with them of course! :eek:

That'd be cool to get a picture with Roxy at Chicago. :)

[The Benniest]

Ben-

You should go to a book store like Barnes & Noble or Borders and buy yourself a NYC pop-up map. It folds up neatly into pocket size. Always good to have.
Got it. Went to Barnes & Noble today and picked up a map of Manhattan. Do you think that will be good enough, or should I get one for all boroughs? There was another one, and the cover said: NYC: 5 Borough Map. Should I go back and get that one?

Thanks,
ben

[BrooklynRider]

Since you're staying in Brooklyn, you ought to have a map that covers the area where you are staying. Look at the lower Manhattan portion and see if it shows the Brrooklyn Bridge and any subway stations in Brooklyn. You don't need all of Brooklyn, but your home base for the trip should be on the map for your own orientation.

If you don't have it on there, it isn't a huge issue. Make sure you get a local subway map from the concierge at your hotel.

You local stops for your hotel are:

A,C,F Trains (Jay Street - Borough Hall station)
2,3,4 Trains (Borough Hall station)
M,R Trains (Lawrence Street)

I have no doubt you'll get the hang of it very quick. Don't let the subways intimidate you. If you end up in the wrong place, you just get back on and retrace your steps in the other direction.

When are you in town?

[The Benniest]

I'll be in town March 24, early/late afternoon. It all depends on the flights. I will be very disappointed if something goes wrong with the flights and we get delayed a day. But I'm sure that won't be a problem... *knocks on wood*

I don't think the subway (stations) will be that big of a problem for me. I've been to Europe (Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, Munich) and used the subway system in each of those cities. I just googled a subway map of New York and it seems as if there are tons more trains than in those cities, so that could be the only disadvantage. Yes, I will definitely get a map.

I just checked out the map and it has a small portion of Brooklyn. I know that the hotel we're staying in (Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge) is almost right off the bridge (hence the name) so it might even be included on the map, along with a few subway station(s).

Thanks for the advice BR! :)
Ben

[The Benniest]

Get that one, too.
Alrighty. Will do. :)

[BrooklynRider]

Hi Ben-

Check you Private Messages.

[The Benniest]

Read the maps whenever you have "down" time. (Doesn't just apply for NYC maps, it's a good general rule of thumb.)
Will do.


Hi Ben-

Check you Private Messages.
I have. And replied. ;)

[eastvillageblog]

I see that you're visiting the outer boroughs and that makes me think Red Hook might be in order if you're up for a rugged experience.

Red Hook is a bit industrial though it has a rep for the next frontier of real estate development - there's a great Fairway Market near the Red Hook Water Taxi landing and an Ikea is about to open (not sure that's a good thing - I prefer industrial red hook).

Regardless, there's a nice park on the water - Louis J Valentino Park & Pier
http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_your_park/historical_signs/hs_historical_sign.php?id=13125

Or how about great key lime pie from Steve's Authentic:
http://www.stevesauthentic.com/localavail.html

I liked the key lime pie on a stick:
http://www.eastvillagepodcasts.com/2007/05/28/key-lime-pie-steves-authentic-red-hook/

Red Hook Bait & Tackle is a nice local bar where you can chill out from your hiking:
http://www.redhookbaitandtackle.com/

Here's the Columbia Street Esplanade - it's a bit closer to the city and Brooklyn Heights:
http://www.wirednewyork.com/brooklyn/red_hook/columbia_street_esplanade/columbia_street_esplanade_red_hook_14june03.jpg

In May (I realize you're coming in March - next time!), you can visit the Waterfront Museum - it's right near Fairway and the water taxi.
http://www.waterfrontmuseum.org/

One other idea.. take the water taxi from South Street Seaport to Red Hook and back. It's only $5 each way for adult (tell them you're going to Fairway) - at least it was last summer. This service may be suspended because of "winter".

http://www.nywatertaxi.com/hop/