A trip to New York - first time

[funkyol]

Looking to take the o/h to NY in December for a surprise Christmas break. Looking to go for about 4-5 nights over a weekend.

What i'd like to know is:

What's the best way to book - through a tour operator, or do it all separately e.g. flights, hotel etc.

What's the best stuff to do - day and night (I don't mind shopping but don't want to spend the whole time there doing that)

Thanks in advance!

[Matt_N]

Ill tag into this thread aswel, Im being nagged to take her indoors.

Told her I really dont fancy going there, so Im thinking of booking it as a surprise.

[eltax91]

My wife and I were there 3 weeks ago, finishe our honeymoon in NY. The obvious big-hitters are to climb the empire state & top of the rock. Our hotel was just off broadway, so we caught a show too. The boating lake in central park is good - but maybe December it will be a little cold!

Friday morning the today program has a free music act on outside the rockerfeller centre, if you are prepared to get up at 5am. The one thing we did that was out of the normal was to queue for tickets to be in the audience of the David Letterman show (Ed Sullivan theatre, just up from times square)! That was really good to be fair!

[mattviatura]

If you can do it a helicopter tour is fantastic, we did one at night and it was absolutely amazing.

The helicopter was flying at a lower height than the top of the World Trade Center towers (as were).

I took a load of photographs but unfortunately only of my arm as I forgot the flash would bounce off the perspex.

[GTIR]

You should try and do your NY american accent to as many locals as you can, they love it! "cawfee" "poark" etc
it's all very original to them and they will love you even more for it.

Honest.

[a boardman]

I am going for first time on 30th August, my friend who is a travel agent managed to get me into

Affinia Dumont
Fitness-oriented hotel in New York's Murray Hill with a suite
which has been voted tripadvisors 2009
Best Luxury - United States, Best Luxury - World
and has a review average of 4.9/5.0

http://www.affinia.com/New-York-City-Hotel.aspx?na...

Expedia price for this trip: £1,278.30 my friends price was £1090 that is for a single person ( to give you an idea of the supplements expida price for 2 people was £1788 so i am paying about £400 extra to go by myself ) and this is for 5 nights travelling on 30th august (my 40th is 31st)

also booked a city pass for 50 attractions.

[anonymous-user]

To do:
Empire State - get there early otherwise you will have to QUEUE!! Suggest first day there as you'll be up early with jet lag anyway.
Statten island ferry - FoC and you get great views of Statue of Liberty
Helicopter ride or a boat ride around Manhatten Island
Walk accross Brooklyn Bridge for wonderfull views, stop off at South St Seaport at the Manhatten End.
Shop/drink/meander in Soho/Greenwich
Visit Grand Central Stn (better still enjoy a cocktail in one of bars looking down onto the concourse)
Ice Skating at the Rockefeller Centre - then jump accross into Trump Tower to see what the definition of 'naff' is
MoMa, Guggenheim and Metropolitan Musuem/Galleries
Check if anything is on in Madison Sq gardens
Visit Harlem, Little Italy, Chinatown
Intrepid Air Museum (an old aircraft carrier - as seen in I am Legend)

To Eat/Drink (there are thousands of places, but a few 'New York experience' type places;
Katz's Deli on Houston (from When Harry met Sally)- try the Pastrami on Rye
Lombardi's in Little Italy for Clam Pie (pizza)
Balthazar Brasserie for Oysters and seafood and good wine
Carnegies' deli
Chumleys in Greenwich - if you can find the door!

Hope that helps?

[b2dan]

Went last november with the gf (suprise gettaway) I booked through expedia and stopped in tbd new yorker (just opposite Penn st. Station)

Brooklyn Bridge is a must, (from Brooklyn to Manhatten)
top of the rock (find outsun down times and go just before to watch the city light up. It's amazing).
Juniors Cheesecake (there's an outlet in Grand Central Station) is the best cheesecake ever.
Broadway shows, in times square (and other places) there is a TKTS boothwere you can get upto 50% off show tickets.
Ellens Stardust Diner - just off Broadway. Food is reasonable but adoring broadway stars sing all the popular show tunes while you eat! Though they do do superb ice cream shakes :-)
Central Park in December will have ice skating, as will Bryant Park (off 5th Ave) and Bryant Park has a Christmas Market.

Take a thick coat, hat & gloves. We went during a cold snap and it was freezing (apparently the weekend before everyone were in shorts!)

plan your days as well i.e the north of the island one day, mid town the next etc... Youll see more that way.

b2

[theaxe]

a boardman said:

I am going for first time on 30th August, my friend who is a travel agent managed to get me into Affinia Dumont

It's a nice hotel, very large rooms for Manhatten. No restaurant though, just a cafe next door.

[AdeTuono]

Don't try to cram too much in. Take your time. You WILL want to go back again and again.
Ellis Island is a 'must do'. I resisted for a couple of years, as I didn't fancy it, but gave in to Mrs. Tuono last December. Very moving experience.
You can now book tickets to go up to the Crown of the Statue of Liberty. It re-opened a few weeks ago.
Central Park in December is fantastic. Some cracking buskers around. We sat there for hours soaking up the atmosphere.
You can easily spend a day each in the Met and the Natural History Museum.
Bryant Park is good in December, with skating and much shopping.
Spend some time in Greenwich Village. The bars are fantastic. You feel like a local after a few beers. Spent all one afternoon watching College Football. Much as I hate the game over here, you get carried away with the the atmosphere. We ended up staying in that bar for around 12 hours.
Find a back street Italian restaurant. Imagine you're in Carlito's Way. You feel part of 'the family'.
Where else can you buy a Xmas Tree in the street at 04.00? May have trouble getting it on the plane though. Damn impulse purchases!

See you there; we're off on the 3rd December.

[Matt..]

Go and watch an NHL or NBA game at Madison Square Garden. It really is a great thing to see!