7 days in NYC? Or 5 days in NYC and 2 nights (1.5 days) in Boston.
I was just in New York last week. My trip was short and since I've been there many times before, I did not do the usual tourist stuff at all. This trip was more about NYC food. I was quite impressed with Brooklyn this trip. One of the highlights was walking across the Brooklyn Bridge to Ground Zero (you can also cycle). The Brooklyn Heights Promenade allows you to get a great view of both the bridge and lower Manhattan.
Best meal of the trip has to be the awesome Cheese Blintzes I had one morning at in Park Slope, Brooklyn - best I've ever had.
Yes, I would also go to Boston, and the train is a great way to get there.
One tip here - Transportation from JFK airport to Manhattan is best done on the Long Island Railroad direct to Penn Station at 34th Street, Manhattan. Take the Airtrain to LIRR from any JFK terminal.
Thanks for the advice. I'll check out Cousin John's
The very cheapest thing you can do in NY is take the Staten Island Ferry - it's free! Brooklyn's Prospect Park (very close to Cousin John's) and Manhattan's Central Park are not to be missed - also free. Otherwise, Manhattan is one of the world's most expensive places! (that damn tipping thing that is more or less required this side of the pond)
This was my while in NYC (Brooklyn) - I recommend it highly, very clean, convenient and friendly too!
(My host at this apartment makes his own beer - I see that you're interested in such things)
[ 01-Nov-2011, at 10:12 by Daawgon ]
I lived in NYC for 10+ years - it's an incredible place as you can imagine, but if this is your first big trip to the states I'd say spreading it out across a couple of cities is a great idea. Another option is the Bolt Bus that runs between northeastern cities for cheap (plus it has wi-fi!).
Boston is close and has an interesting vibe and history of its own, good food and lots of breweries as well. But I'll save the details for a Bostonite and focus on NYC. (DC is kind of fun and close as well, but it's Much more touristy...)
Since I lived in NYC so long I have a sort of standard email I would send people before they came to visit to pick from for the trip. Here it is with a few notes, I hope this is useful to you:
THINGS TO SEE – some of these things may seem obvious but it’s worth mentioning
- Central Park – the entrance near the Plaza Hotel (5th Ave/59th St) is nice to look at because there’s a pond that's beautifully frozen over in the winter and Gapstow Bridge.
- Chinatown/Little Italy – this will be SOOO crowded at all times, you probably won't like this but there is some great food here, see below.
- SoHo is the neighborhood right above these, and it’s good for looking at trendy people and looking at some of the cool street vendors.
- Staten Island Ferry – it’s free and you get a FANTASTIC view of Statue of Liberty. You take it to SI, then get right back in line and take it back, which is fantastic if you don't plan to do a special trip to the statue.
- Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island – also worth seeing, but be sure to go first thing in the AM if you plan to climb her. The museum there is really interesting if you’re into history.
- Highline Park – it’s a concept park on the west side… it’s on a deserted old railroad track, with lots of interesting plant life (and high-end vendys)
- Ground Zero – if you're into that sort of thing, it's really just a construction site.
- Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge – depending on how cold it is, this walk takes about 20 minutes and is really beautiful and fun.
- Times Sq, don't eat here it will be hilariously expensive
- The Strand Bookstore – if you’re into used books, it has an AMAZING selection, it’s by Union Sq, which is also a nice area for walking around
- Rockafeller Center (“top of the rock”) is a great view, you have to buy tickets but people like it more than the Empire State Building view…
THINGS TO DO
- Museum of Modern Art – on Friday between 5-9pm it’s free, but people line up early. Otherwise it’s like $20 but SO worth it, really great museum for modern
- Tenement Museum – again, if you’re into history this place is SO interesting! I used to volunteer there, I love it.
- Met Museum – a must! And don’t be fooled, tickets are ALWAYS pay what you wish, so you can just go and give them a dollar and say “three tickets please”, or whatever you want. They don’t publicize this, but it is always this way!
- Play/musical – the TKTS booth in Times Sq will have discount tickets, you have to line up at like 3pm? Google it to get more details. TKTS will have ½ price tickets to lots of big shows.
- Atlantic Theater Company or St. Anne's Warehouse in DUMBO (1st stop in Brooklyn) - I prefer these smaller theaters - always have great shows going on. St. Anne's is much more on the avant-garde side.
- UCB theater – if you like sort of indie comedy, the tickets are SUPER cheap (like $5) and it’s really fun. On some Sundays people like Amy Poehler come and do improve, you have to reserve a spot ahead.
- Gallery Hopping in Chelsea - low 20s, 8th ave and west of there. My favorite gallery is Jim Kempner
- East Village is my favorite neighborhood to just walk around and grab coffee in Alphabet City, good people watching
- If you're into architecture, Google Paul Goldberger, he does a lot of architecture writing for the New Yorker magazine and will have some good insights.
PLACES TO EAT – Of course there's so many great options, here are a few popular ones I recommend. If it's crowded it'll be good most likely. Also, Menupages.com is a FANTASTIC resource!
- Little Italy – go to La Mela and ask for the “family style dinner” – they will just bring you delicious things, you don’t even have to order. http://www.lamelarestaurant.com/first.htm
- Russ & Daughters – if you’re into NYC style bagels and lox, they have TONS of variety of smoked fish for your bagel. My favorite is the "Super Heebster", it's incredible.
- Snack Greek Restaurant - 2 locations in/around SoHo, small and really delicious (the best Greek food you will find in Astoria, Queens)
- Golden Unicorn – you can get Dim Sum here.
- Grimaldi’s – famous pizza place – It’s a 'famous' brick oven place right by the BK Bridge, so if you do that walk, this could be a fun stop at the end! But like bagels, all the pizza in NYC is pretty solid. Ray’s is my favorite chain if you go that way.
- Frank's a Place to Eat - my favorite restaurant in the city, order the squid ink pasta if it's on special you won't regret it! I haven't had anything bad here. (2nd ave @ 5th St)
- Caracas - very small place with delicious fresh arepas and more. Order the A-10
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