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Hello All,
Ok, my kids have broken my heart and have chosen New York over Disney World. So I am lost on where to begin. I will list the facts below, any advice would be greatly appreciated.
-Kids 6 and 16
-Must see the Statue of Liberty inside or is the boat trip better?
-Husband does not want to drive around New York City
I have read you can stay outside of New York and take buses or trains, but where?
Thank you
You may want to look into staying in Jersey City and using PATH or the Staten Island Ferry to access NYC. I have also found good hotel deals via the Hotels website (Don't want to link here in case it is a violation of Intercot TOS) for places near Grand Central Station. Staying near a transit hub will mean that you don't have to drive in the city.
The boat ride from Liberty State Park (in Jersey City) is a lot of fun, and a good way to access the Statue of Liberty.
Our favorite things to visit in NYC are the Museum of Natural History, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Central Park.
If your kids have a sweet tooth, most children love The Sugar Factory, Dylan's Candy Bar, and much more off the beaten path - Economy Candy.
Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center or the Empire State Building give amazing views. I'd look into getting tickets in advance.
Times Square is the tourist Mecca, but it's among the priciest places to eat (and the food is mediocre at best). There are loads and loads of dining options everywhere in Manhattan. Off the beaten path is your best bet.
On our trips to NYC we have stayed right in Times Square. As far as the Statue of Liberty you have to get the Ferry over to it. We have also gotten the NY Pass because that will allow you entrance into many of the tourist spots, such as the Statute of Liberty, Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, 9/11 Memorial etc. On one of our trips we also walked the Brooklyn Bridge. And if you do the hop on/hop off or city sightseeing bus you won't have to worry about driving in NYC.
There is so much to do and see, you'll have a great time.
You don't have to drive in NYC. It's easy to learn to use the subway or call an uber, or grab a cab, and plenty is easily walkable. You can find affordable accommodations in the city, though I prefer to stay out of the craziness of Times Square. I like the New York Hilton on 6th Ave. You can usually find deals for that or the Westin. The double decker touristy bus tours are actually a good way to get around and learn the lay of the land. And do check websites and get NY Pass and book what you can in advance because it will save you time. South Street Seaport offers boat trips around Manhattan and ferries to the Statue of Liberty (count on that to take up half a day at least). You can stand in line at the TKTS booth and get tickets for a Broadway show at a discounted rate, or book ahead and save more time. There's a website for Broadway Discounts that offers a mailing list. Research and planning ahead will help, as it does for Disney World.
Thank you everyone! All this information is helping out!
We like parking at a train station in Westchester or Rockland County, or at my brother-in-law's in NJ and taking the train in for the weekend. We stay in the mid 40's on the West side, it's still central enough to walk or take a cheap Uber to where you want to go. One of my favorite places to find affordable good food is in Hell's Kitchen - 8th Avenue in the lower to mid 40's is known as Restaurant Row. It's a block away from the theatre district (maybe a 8-10 minute walk from Times Square, city blocks are long!) and has such a wide variety! 9th Ave also has lots of great places to eat as well, a great breakfast and bakery spot is Amy's Bread on 9th and 47th - there are other Amy's Bread locations but this one is my favorite. The 9/11 Memorial is definitely worth the trip. The Memorial is free but the museum there involves an admission fee. Over 15 years later and it's still an emotional place, but worth it if you've never been.
If you get lost or need help, ASK! New Yorkers get a reputation for being mean or unfriendly but I have not found that to be the case. They are used to tourists and will do their best to help you if they can. The cabbies and Uber drivers are also really knowledgeable, if you feel comfortable striking up a conversation ask them their favorite places to go or catch a bite to eat.
You will have a great time!
I highly recommend staying in Manhattan rather than outside the city. It will save you lots of time and there are plenty of good prices to be found on hotels in the city. If you are not "city" people--meaning you don't like crowds I would suggest avoiding the hotels around Times Square. If you are arriving by car, to make things easiest, confirm that your hotel offers valet parking and does not require you to drive elsewhere to a garage.
For a trip with kids, I highly recommend the Museum of Natural History, the Central Park Zoo, Ellis Island (on the way there you'll see the Statue of Liberty--I personally do not think actually seeing the inside is a must), and either the Empire State Building or Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center. I would suggest choosing 1 art museum: the Met, the Guggenheim, or MOMA depending on your family's tastes.
As others have said, the Hop On Hop Off bus is a great way to get to see a lot of the city easily.
I visit NYC at least once a year, there is so much to see and do! Enjoy!
Oh, also, for Statue of Liberty. if you go, you can go up to the base and look around there or opt to actually climb up inside. If you choose to make the climb, know that it's a long way up a narrow spiral staircase with no real option to go back down until you reach the crown. (To my recollection, I haven't done this in thirty years). There are something like 370-380 steps, with warnings to be in good physical condition and not to attempt it if you have claustrophobia, agoraphobia, heart conditions, etc. And you're limited as to what you can carry with you, but they have locker rentals for the rest of your things. I believe you now need advance reservations to go up to the crown. Again, it pays to check websites and plan ahead.
This could be a first. A Brit giving advice on NYC
We've been to NYC twice, 1999 and just after Christmas last year. For us the sights are:
- Empire State
- Top of the Rock (Book online for 45 mins prior to sunset)
- Statue of Liberty
- Ellis Island
- 9/11 Memorial - never seen so many people so quiet. Didn't make it inside the museum
- Grand Central Station - still think of the flash mob in "The Fisher King"
- Subway line A or C to High St, Brooklyn then walk back over the Brooklyn Bridge
- Central Park
- Museum of Natural History
- Lobby of the Waldorf Astoria (if it's still open. The Hotel is due to close to be downsized and converted to condominiums :sad:)
- USS Intrepid Air, Sea & Space Museum (Concorde, Space Shuttle "Enterprise" which was named after Start Trek)
We don't mind walking so walked from from Central Park along 7th Ave, through Time Sq, to the 9/11 memorial. It only took 90 minutes!
In Grand Central, if you face the stairs to the Park Ave exit look at the ceiling in the upper right corner. You might see a dark patch of ceiling and wall which was the colour of age, smoke and neglect prior to the restoration in the 1980s
In December we stayed at both the Hilton on 6th Ave/53rd St and Waldorf Astoria (2 hotels because there was a NCL Christmas cruise in between). Going back we'd probably stay at the Hilton again.
If you use the subway, be aware that there are both fast (major stations) and slow (all stations) trains that share lines. We got caught out once but luckily got off to change before the stop that we wanted.
Pizza Tour! we make our own (but are comfortable with taxis', uber, subway and walking NYC), but there are some tours you can sign up for if you google.
Nanc