Off Topic Request
My 25 yr old son and I will be traveling to New York City on Sept 14-20, 08. We will be attending a baseball game at Yankee Stadium one night. The remainder of the trip we will be sightseeing, being true tourist. Neither of us have ever been to NYC. We live in Texas. My questions are these - Any recommendations on where we should stay? Any sights we can NOT miss? Any places, street vendors, etc that we should try and restaurants we should enjoy? Where can we get the best deal on tickets to shows? Any advise on tours? what to take, what not to take, etc.... I'm wondering if staying at the LaQuinta in Long Island City is too far from all the sightseeing or does the subway run frequently enough that it won't matter. I've been pricing hotels as I knew they would be more expensive then we see here and that's one reason I'm hoping people will give me suggestions. Especially since I know nothing about what area to stay in, if there are any small but great hotels, etc. We'd appreciate any and all advice anyone is willing to take the time to give us. Thanks so very much!
I'm not familiar with the LaQuinta in LIC, but you can plug the address and various sites that you would like to visit into hopstop.com to find pretty accurate travel times. However, be aware that the train schedules are often completely out of whack on weekends due to track work. As I said, I don't know a lot about Queens (I live in Manhattan), but I do know that there are often weekend interruptions on the 7 train, so make sure that line is not your only option.
I usually recommend auction tip sites like betterbidding.com to find out how to get the best hotel deals.
It's hard to say what not to miss without knowing what you are interested in.
The best ticket deals are found at a booth in Times Square called TKTS. It is currently under construction, so check for the location when you get here. You can get tickets at half-price for same-day shows. There are usually a few big shows to choose from.
I'm a geek and love museums. The Museum of Natural History often has amazing temporary exhibits in addition to its fabulous collection of dinosaur fossils. The Metropolitan Museum of Art literally has something for everyone: from weapons and armor to musical instruments to Egyptian artifacts to masterful paintings from the old masters like Van Gogh and Picasso and contemporary art world stars like Jasper Johns. When you are tired of the museum, just walk outside, turn a corner and you are almost in the heart of Central Park. If you are lucky, you will run into someone who can direct you to Bethesda Fountain and the Great Mall walk of elms. ( It's too hard to explain how to get there long distance, sorry!)
We have almost every kind of food in the world, but for a real taste of NYC, I recommend Carnegie Deli (it's a touristy - but still very very good). The Split Knish (hot pastrami and swiss on a potato knish) is one of my favorite meals in the world. And the Rugelach Cheesecake is unforgettable. Bring a hefty wallet, the joint is pricey and cash only.
I must also add that I don't understand the point of going to Ground Zero now. It's just a big construction site. There is no memorial yet and I don't know how anyone who didn't see the Towers before the attacks would have any context for our loss.
Okay, I'll shut up now and let some other New Yorkers make suggestions.
Thanks for the replies. Now another question. Is staying in Jersey City something we should consider? The hotel price is certainly more attractive and PATH runs from there to NYC very often I'm told. Please be honest with me and just say it's not worth it if it isn't. I just thought that since we will be sightseeing all day everyday that it really wouldn't matter so much where we stay. What is the cost to ride PATH? I know I have a million questions but I'm attempting to be informed and make decent decisions.
Thanks for your reply!
Staying in NJ isn't as convenient as staying in the city, but some people don't mind. For example, my husband and I spent Christmas in Paris at an apartment out of the city center and it didn't even cross our minds that we had to get on the metro or a bus to see most sites, we are used to that from living in the city and we saved a TON of money. But if you want to be able to walk to attractions from your hotel or easily stop in for a rest in your hotel room, staying in Jersey may not be for you. My grandmother loves to stay at the Embassy Suites in Secaucus and takes the bus in when she visits. She'd rather have the free breakfast than convenience. Ha!