New York

[Blade]

So who's been to New York and what would you recommend seeing.

Just booked a trip for all the family for 5 days / 4 nights so was looking for some tips, advice, recommendations on what to see, how to get about, avoid queues etc.... basically anything helpful or useful for a familt in the big apple would be great.

[Kwacky]

I've flown over it. Is that any good to you?

[Blade]

Tbh not really mate, although I am considering a helicopter tour so if you know where all the land marks are then maybe.

[kingfixer]

ive been twice and both in the winter time, I spent new years eve there at the top of the rockefella centre a few years ago. never been with kids in tow, but the hop on/off tour bus is an easy way to get round !!! Ground zero being the most popular destination !

[Blade]

Cheers Kingfixer did you do the aircraft carrier intrepid which has the space shuttle on the flight deck by any chance ?

Were staying midtown very close tongrand central station and time square I guess you can get the hop on bus there or close by.

[Frankie]

Some years back I went over to see some pals who were working there at the time. Did not really do the tourist spots, this was a trip where I got to see the real NY. Did go to the Statue of Liberty though.
Stayed in Jamaica Queens NY... Was an eye opener I have to say, watched a robbery of a handbag thief trying to snatch a woman's handbag as she was leaving the bank, caught the Jamaican bus to the subway station... that was fun and scary all at the same time. Great van where the driver had a switch which opened the sliding door to let you on/off. one Dollar 10c I think it cost.
Lost a bit of cash to street con artists ha ha... Doh! got drunk in a few Irish bars... Played football in central park against a family of puerto ricans all afternoon, also skate boarded through parts of central park at stupid oclock in the morning pi55ed!!! As well as visiting West Chester and up into New Jersey. Got asked to speak and repeat lots in all the shops i went into... Great for the ladies
Visiting a shop which looked like a sweet shop, but sold no sweets, just nickle bags lol.... the days of being young and daft ha ha ha

The rest of the time driving around NY going over all the bridges in an old dodge type van... Oh what fun it was, but stupidly humid, I mean really humid, you would shower, dry off and by the time you were outside you were dripping - so plenty of this
Did that help

[Blade]

Sounds great Frankie, what an amazing trip

Obviously not one I could follow with the kids unfortunately even though my youngest would probably love too the eldest would be telling us off all the time for drinking dirt beers and being silly

[Si.]

Been twice mate, in 2010 and 2012, hopefully going again this oct.

We love the place, I'm not one for cities, but NYC is something else! Kids love it too....

First time, it was just em and me, so went off the tourist bit, and went downtown, Harlem, Latin quarter and Central Park, all at night time. Only because I wanted to take pics of boys in the hood. Em was truly shitting herself. I was looking for a deli in Harlem that I seen on man vs food, and was approached by 5 black dudes, baseball hats on, asking what I was looking for. I told them I was looking for a certain deli, so they sai, " follow me man, well take you" so they took us down all these dodgy back streets, vapour coming from the roads...all the batman type shit. After about 20 mins and them asking if I knew some dj ( can't remember his name) I did start typo get a tad worried. Anyway, they pointed" they you go maaaan, enjoy your meal"! Top stuff and proper NYC!

Ask the locals where the best places to eat are, they'll sort you out, and are glad to tell you.

Go out at 2 am for a slice of pizza and a drink for a dollar, there's some right sights to see at 3 am lol.

and If your going, get the hop on hop off bus, well worth it, we used it like taxis.
Don't go to empire state, it's overrated and a rip off. Top of the Rock is waaay better.

Harlem is great too. Food ace, and cheap...beer and wine expensive.....

NYC on a carriage ride around Central Park is a must do,(100 dollar for an hour) as is the tenement museum, china town, little Italy, Greenwich village..all of it.

Street food is fab, you can get anything.lll try the philli cheese steaks! Nom Nom! Cheap too.

Tip a minimum of 10% in restaurants. Youl get a bill and a tip is either 10, 15 or 20%.
If you don't tip, you'll know about it!

Natural history museum ( where night at the museum was filmed) is great. Takes a whole day though.

Go to Bryant park.... It changes every season. First year I went, it was a baseball field, second time it was an outside mall with chess players and hot chocolate stores.

Go to central library ( ghostbusters was filmed there)


Deffo go to grand central station. Well worth it.

5th ave is worth a visit....the money there is unreal..... Go to tiffanys.

Don't go to Macy's, it's shit. Just another department store.

Try a chilli dog

Visit a proper NYC deli for brekkie ( hotels rarely have breakfast available) you'll be stunned at the choice, and will get into the NYC vibe.


Times Square is ok for the bright lights, but it's slightly tacky.. Worth a visit though.

Walk down broadway.

Get pics with the NYPD, they love it! ( really, they do!)



Get some comfy shoes, your feet will ache.

I used to get up around 4am after going to bed at 2 am (i know, but i never sleep when i'm away..LOL) to take pics. It's very safe as there are cops everywhere. Very welcoming, and as Frankie says, the chicks love the accent... LOL.

Central Park zoo is great, as is the Bronx Zoo.

It really is a city that never sleeps, wipe em the apple store is open 24hrs!

Go to century 21 (by the freedom tower)... Designer gear at cheap prices! Your missus will love you! Visit a bar just up the road while you leave her in there....,,


Visit van cleef and arpels on 5th ave, I got a coffe and biskwits on a silver tray while staff bought me samples of the perfumes.... Hahar...mustard mate, pure mustard. Only went in for a browse.

Everyone thinks your Australian. Weird but true.

Deffo take a stroll around Central Park, some great bands and you see lots of weddings. It's a fabulous park, and huuuuuge!


First time was in Nov, second time October. It was still warm in the City, but on the river...its cold. so take warm clothes and clothes for warm days, depending on time of year.

TBH, 5 days you will be just scratching the surface....there's loads to see and do, places to visit etc....

Take a camera, there's lots to take pics of.... Some unreal things that you see and think WTF!



any more advice, just pm me dude.

P.s, you're gonna love it!!!!! Well jell!

Some pics to whet the appetite! (taken at 3 or 4am in the morning!)

[rocket]

I have seen it tv a few times don't go to Harlem in your pants with a racist message on a sandwich board round your neck. This could lead you to having a very bad day.


A place I would love to go so take pics and post up what you thought .

[Frankie]

Great info and photos Si, makes me want to go back, this time with a camera... and a more of a straight head lol

[beermonster]

Cheers Kingfixer did you do the aircraft carrier intrepid which has the space shuttle on the flight deck by any chance ?

Were staying midtown very close tongrand central station and time square I guess you can get the hop on bus there or close by.

I visited the Intrepid back in the late 90s and it was brilliant then. But then I'm a plane geek!

I know more the New Joisey side of the Hudson - the Jersey shore is nice and there's some lovely lakes out to the west which is an easy drive.

[bb41]

I went with my 25 years old daughter January 2013.

She loved it and i hated it. The best part for me was the plane journey home.

I compared it to London,, (I hate London as well) and we do it oh so much better IMO.

We had the helicopter trip which was great and the best part . Food was good, beer was rank

Having said all the above I'm glad i went but it's somewhere i'd never go back to.


What I will give them credit for is their underground system, very cheap and very clean in comparison. Easy to navigate .

Take some comfy shoes as we walked miles.

Ground Zero was interesting and a very reflective morning I had there.

I hope you enjoy the trip as it has to be seen and would be interesting to hear your opinions on your return

[Si.]

Just goes to show, we are all different bb41.

I'm going to London for 3 days and I hate the place, ever since I worked there in early 90's. Kids love it though.

[bb41]

Just goes to show, we are all different bb41.

I'm going to London for 3 days and I hate the place, ever since I worked there in early 90's. Kids love it though.

I like London for a day, I find it exciting but then that's enough.

I think it's being bought up with fields that does it. it's not so much hate, that was the wrong word. I felt out of my comfort zone, but then I'm mostly found in my wellys most of the time, and no not Hunters

[Kwacky]

+1 about London. I can't stand the place.

[Bratty]

The wife goes to London 3 or 4 times a year on shopping trips but thankfully she leaves me at home.

[Deegee]

PThe oldest lad was in NY with his other half a while back and he loved it, best bits as I recall were having a cab take them to the Brooklyn Bridge and walking it back and eating at Bubba Gump's, there was a load of other stuff, but those are the two stand outs. He slated the Empire State Building as well fwiw, not enough time and too touristy was his opinion.

+1 about London. I can't stand the place.

+2 However a handful of places like the Science Museum, The Albert Hall, Shakespeare's Globe etc are great, it's just a shame they're in a dump like London.

[Blade]

Awesome post Si you have got me really excited reading that and can't wait now. No way I can do everything you said but some really great advice which is much appreciated, cheers pal and thanks everyone else too for all the input.

We go London a lot maybe 3 or 4 times a year and will be their in October for a weekend funnily enough which is one month before we go to NY so will be good to compare them. We all love London so I m sure we will love NYC too.