New York, New York

So these photos and this info are covering a few different trips we’ve made out to NYC.  This is one place I will never get sick of.  I will keep going back as often as I can!

Things To Do

• It’s amazing how you’ll go from one section of the city to the next, from China to Italy to Sodo for example, and the city just changes constantly.  Almost suddenly.

 

• Must Do’s:  9/11 memorial, Times Square, Central Park, at least one Italian meal, the Met and a Broadway show.  You could try to be an audience member of a talk show or SNL if you’re interested.  Check out nbc.com for some of those options.
• The Broadway show I would recommend to you is called Once. Expensive but worth it. We also saw newsies which is a classic and my favorite musical of all time and it was spectacular. It is the biggest dancing musical on Broadway so I was a huge fan but Brandon… not so much… Check out TKTS in Times Square if you want tickets for a musical – look at the website first and then when you go to get tickets, plan on waiting.  You can’t miss TKTS – just head straight to the center of Times Square.

 

• Looking at the view from the top of the rock is a good experience but honestly the Empire State building is way way higher and therefore a better view in my opinion and it’s the same price. I would do the rock if it was way less expensive but it is not. The good thing about the rock is apparently going at night it’s a really great view but I just think it’s worth seeing and Empire State building because it is such a significant monument and a higher point. Buy a ticket from a guy outside the building and you can pass a few steps. I think you have to pay on cash to get those advance tickets.   Beware that the closer you get to the building, the more annoying vendors there are crowding the street begging you to buy a ticket from them.  It reminds me of  the overly attentive bartenders on a cruise.

  

• If your hotel is somewhere near times square where most are, spend a lot of time walking around there first. There are plenty of neat shops like the M&M store. Then I would go see the NBC building & Rockefeller Center.

      

• After seeing everything there is to see on Broadway (the street not theatre), take a walk down fifth Avenue to all the stores. Even if you’re not planning on buying anything, it is worth window shopping at places like Tiffany and Company and the Apple store that is underground. Angelo’s (my favorite pizza) is close to Tiffany’s. Then you could make it over to the Central Park. There is a zoo that would be a great family activity but I would not say it’s worth it for adults to go to.  There is so much more to see!  I haven’t been since I was little.  You could choose to ice skate but I think the rinks are all way too small to be enjoyable.

         

 

• From there you can take a bus to the Met but that is a lot to do in one day so you may want to do the park and museum on a separate day. From the park to the met it is way too long of a walk if you have kids in my opinion. It was even too long of a walk for us both ways so we walked there and took a bus back.

• Yankee Stadium does tours so that would be fun as well.
• Macy’s off 34th and the New York public library are worth a trip as well, especially if you are already over by the Empire State building.

 

• Madame Tussaud’s is fun but WAY not worth the money.  Only do it if you’re there for a long trip and need something else unique to do.  If you’re there on a short trip, don’t waste your time!
• Christmas is by far my favorite time to go to NYC!  It is always a great time… but go during November/December at some point!!

    

• And usually I would recommend Bryant Park but there isn’t anything open there during the summer months so I don’t think that would be worth it.

This is Bryant Park in the winter:

 

And this is during the spring:

   

Tips

• Bring cash! You’ll most likely need it quite a few times.
• Honestly we spend most of our time there walking around looking at the city. Wear comfortable walking shoes and if it’s before April or After September, bring gloves and something with a hood around with you just in case!  The wind between buildings walking for long periods can be brutal.
• During the cold weather months, take coffee breaks! There are quite a few original coffee shops and goodness gracious… there is a Starbucks at every block!  Just avoid the one in Times Square – it’s such a gip.  It’s worth looking at because it is a mini tourist attractions but their menu items are all bumped up like $1+ each!  Little Fox Cafe in Little Italy was really yummy.

Transportation

• We walked everywhere and then took the subway if absolutely necessary.

• If you are coming from the airport to your hotel, there are bus services that will take you directly to Port Authority and then you can walk from there to your hotel if you’re anywhere by Times Square. I would call your hotel and ask them what they recommend . we ended up finding something cheaper on our own on the Internet. We didn’t pay more than $20 one-way.