First timers visit NYC Lots of ????? About This Page:

[chezp]

What great information from everyone - I'm finding this so useful for our flying visit in October.

[coasties]

Thank you all so much! This has definitely given me more than enough info to do research and plan a great trip! I really appreciate all the info, tips, and time you took to point me in the right direction! Off to research and plan!

[JoanW]

If you go to Rockefeller Center, look at their website © Rockefeller Center 2003-2006 for a listing of the restaraunts in the basement and the tours available. Buy before you go, and you get a specified time. Not bad and not too expensive. We did the NBC tour, and got to see the Saturday Night Live set and my kids got to do the weather with the "invisibility cloak".

We've done Empire State Building, and again, but your tickets ahead of time. No waiting in line to buy them, just waiting in line to go through.

Research, plan and keep notes. I bought a laminated map of NYC that I kept in my purse in case we weren't sure where we were supposed to go next, and it was helpful.

The South Street Seaport is something I did not know about. I had no idea it was there, so that' something we plan on doing next time.

You'll have to do a TR and let us know about the Navy Lodge in Staten Island. My Dsis will want to do that too!

[Sandra Bostwick]

Originally Posted by scottjs

Sandy, wasn't Windows.......at the top of the World Trade Center? I am going to watch next weekend I hope about a famous tight rope walker!! When the WTC first opened he walked between the two towers. The movie is amazing because it talks about him and how him and his crew snuck up their equipment piece by piece and hide it at the top of the center!!! Can you picture people way down on the sidewalk looking up at the two towers and seeing somebody walking between them??? He was arrested after the stunt but didn't spend much time in jail. I am trying to remember his name.

Yes, Scott, that is where it was. Living in NJ and going to school/working in NYC, the World Trade Center was as special to me as the apple tree in my own back yard. I could see them when I used to hand out on the roof of a big apt. building I lived in before I moved to the burbs.

I remember that guy. What a FUN prank to pull!

[Sandra Bostwick]

Originally Posted by Dave Marx

I've always had a fondness for the Middle Eastern food cart vendors - big, messy falafel, gyro, and shwarma sandwiches, for example.
?

MMMMMM, FALAFEL!! There was the best falafel place near the Christopher Street subway. I have not seen such good falafel since!

[LBAK]

My DD's loved ElLen's Startdust Diner in the theater district. Prices weren't bad at all for NY. The Hard Rock was also fun for my 13year old. Take them down to Canal St. for some shopping and then hit Chinatown and Little Italy for lunch and dessert. Look for the Naked cowboy in Times Square, my 13 year old cracks up at him. The wax museun is great. Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center is beautiful at night. Especially sunset. The 7 year old will love what everyone already said. The 13 year old will love the gigantic Sephora store. It's make up heaven for that age! The Circle Line is a nice relaxing trip around the island, although the older one might get bored.

[magic mickey]

Do not be scared off by the subway system in NYC. It is very safe and can get you to many places in a quick amount of time.

[mcc0313]

Originally Posted by coasties

Thank you all so much, my list just keeps growing! I know we won't be able to see it ALL but I really apprecite all the info and neat little tips and places to see. I have more ???'s.
My youngest DD just watched Madagascar on the way to WDW and she has stated "she wants to go to that EXACT zoo!" LOL. Is that in Central park? How long to tour the zoo, best time of day to visit, cost?

The Madagascar Exhibit is at the Bronx Zoo and it is a real full day place to be. Best bet get their early (especially if you plan to drive as parking gets filled up especially in the summer months real fast.) The price this year I think was about $30 for the ticket that gives you admission plus the extra exhibits that would normally cost extra. Also if you plan on a Wendesday there is discounted pricing.

The zoo in Central Park is nice as well but if you are going to hit one I would definitely chose the Bronx Zoo.

Also, we plan on having breakfast at the room and wanted to eat lunch CHEAP so we can splurge on some dinners. What is CHEAP lunch in NYC (places and approx.$$), Will we have time to grab something to eat while on the bus tour? Any must do's for dinner in the Big Apple? Any treats or special things we should sample while there?

You can always grab a slice of pizza (great cheap lunch) or stop at a deli and have a sandwich but as others have said a cheap lunch is not that cheap. I usually bring lunch to work everyday but if I don't even a slice of pizza and a soda is about $6.00 so figure it could cost you around $30 bucks to eat but it is definitely cheaper then doing an Applebee's or TGIF (which I will warn you are priced much higher in Manhattan then in the other boroughs).

I must also note Janice mentioned Carmine's - great food. Family style - we do our hoilday lunch there every year and it is a great atmosphere. You might want to call ahead and make some reservations though becuase it is always crowded.

There are also a great amount of small restuarants in the theatre district that are wonderful and not known that much...if you let me know what kind of food your family enjoys I can send you a list of some in the area.

And lastly we want to go to Coney Island. How much should we budget for this? Family of four two DD's 13 and 7. What time of day should we go? How would we get there, do we have to drive? Is parking expensive?

As others have mentioned there is a good chance that Coney Island (the Amusement area) will not be opened next year. It actually closed tonight (a month earlier then usual) as they did not come to an extended lease agreement . This is so sad as I grew up here and during the summer this is where we go with the kids...it is such a landmark (if only the developers thought so). However, Nathans will still be there and the Cyclone has been made a landmark so it will be open...

There is always a chance for a last minute deal (but I really have a feeling this is it) however, you can always take a trip down...ride the coaster, eat a hot dog and just wander the Boardwalk and the pier. During summer season it will be busy and it is such a great diverse cultural experience. People are playing live music, you have people selling traditional treats...and you can always go to the Aquarium and then catch a minor league Brooklyn Cyclones game so even without the parks you can really enjoy yourself...

And again thank you so much for helping me plan!! I am so excited already!

If you have any other questions feel free to PM me and I can get you whatever information you need...

[bradk]

honestly i wouldn't bother with the new york aquarium or coney island. the aquarium honestly isn't all that spectacular compared to many other metropolitan aquariums (sad, but true) and coney island is very run down. it's only really alive during the summers (well, before astroland closed anyway) and it's overrun by gypsies.

the bronx zoo on the other hand is world class except that it will essentially be an all day trek.

FAO used to be a great store. then it closed and re-opened and most of its charm was taken away. it has some interesting setups in way of harry potter, lego and barbie (you can 'design your own' - same with matchbox), but it's not what it once was.

but just a side note, it's grand central terminal, not grand central station. a terminal is where railway lines start and stop (terminate) which it does for metronorth. a station is between terminals.

[disney]

Originally Posted by bradk

honestly i wouldn't bother with the new york aquarium or coney island. the aquarium honestly isn't all that spectacular compared to many other metropolitan aquariums (sad, but true) and coney island is very run down. it's only really alive during the summers (well, before astroland closed anyway) and it's overrun by gypsies.

the bronx zoo on the other hand is world class except that it will essentially be an all day trek.

FAO used to be a great store. then it closed and re-opened and most of its charm was taken away. it has some interesting setups in way of harry potter, lego and barbie (you can 'design your own' - same with matchbox), but it's not what it once was.

but just a side note, it's grand central terminal, not grand central station. a terminal is where railway lines start and stop (terminate) which it does for metronorth. a station is between terminals.

brad i'm going to the world of disney on oct 9th . and FAO schwarts is around the corner . i have not been there since i was a kid is it honestly not worth going too.
i'mcurious because if i can save time by not going there it would help me.
thank you .

[bradk]

it's not really the same store. there's no harm in going, but a lot of the whimsy of the original was removed. there's still a lot of unique stuff in there (and a giant piano keyboard - 'not from big') but a lot of it isn't all that exciting. a good chunk of the lower floor is some 50s style soda fountain they built in it.

fao used to be a place where you could go and just play with all the toys. i'm not really sure it is that way anymore.

[disney]

Originally Posted by bradk

it's not really the same store. there's no harm in going, but a lot of the whimsy of the original was removed. there's still a lot of unique stuff in there (and a giant piano keyboard - 'not from big') but a lot of it isn't all that exciting. a good chunk of the lower floor is some 50s style soda fountain they built in it.

fao used to be a place where you could go and just play with all the toys. i'm not really sure it is that way anymore.

brad just one more question do they still have the robot elevator ?
wow i feel so sad it was a place we went to when i was in 6th grade then we went to radio city to see pete's dragon .

[coasties]

Thank you all again for the info. I am ammassing all these tips, to see and do's into one document and then i will subdivide as needed.
MORE QUESTIONS!!!!
Does anyone know how far it will be to drive from Staten island to the Bronx Zoo? Can we take the subway? We are not scared off by public transportation at all ( we are fans of the DC metro) so if we can just ride the subway that would be wonderful.
Do they utilize any type of trip card for fare? Like a debit card you can re-load onto at kiosks?
How much for a typical day of touring?
TIA!

[disney]

Originally Posted by coasties

Thank you all again for the info. I am ammassing all these tips, to see and do's into one document and then i will subdivide as needed.
MORE QUESTIONS!!!!
Does anyone know how far it will be to drive from Staten island to the Bronx Zoo? Can we take the subway? We are not scared off by public transportation at all ( we are fans of the DC metro) so if we can just ride the subway that would be wonderful.
Do they utilize any type of trip card for fare? Like a debit card you can re-load onto at kiosks?
How much for a typical day of touring?
TIA!

yes you can use the subway but i do not know how to get there .
yes there is the metro card go onto MTA.com this will help you .

[bradk]

there is no subway in SI. the subway only covers the other 4 boros (some better than others). the Bronx Zoo is well within walking distance of the subway station (pelham parkway i believe), but not sure how you get from SI. there's a ferry that comes into battery park which would get you right on the 5 which in theory goes to the zoo.

but otherwise the subway and bus system (and the airtran from JFK) uses the metrocard. it's $2 per trip with free transfers between subways and buses but there are unlimited trip options. MTA Home Page - it features a trip planner too which might help from SI.

and no, FAO no longer has the robot elevator or the clock that sings 'welcome to our world'