New York City help

[DopeyDame]

We stayed at the Hotel Mela Times Square a few months ago and it was perfect for our needs: http://www.hotelmela.com/

It's not fancy and doesn't have a big lobby, but for the price it was great. Very clean, friendly helpful staff, and normal hotel room sizes (which is big by NYC standards). It's a quick walk to Times Square, but on a side road so it doesn't feel too crazy.

 

[OhDannyBoy]

We stayed here: https://ameritanianyc.com/

It was ok for the price. Nothing special. Right next to where they film the Colbert Report

 

[antmaril]

I like The Marriott Marquis in NYC. Perfect location in Times Square.

 

[Dread Pirate]

We are small town IN also, and just went in early October for a couple days before heading to Maine. We stayed on Staten Island, with a friend, and took the ferry across, which fit our plans really well. We didn't want to do the SOL unless we went to the Crown, so we just enjoyed the view from the ferry. If we had known that we were going to go to NYC more than a couple days in advance, we would have booked Crown tickets. (It was a last minute fall trip for my daughter and I, so we didn't plan ahead at all. We just hopped in the car and took off to the Maine, and decided to stop in NYC for a couple days on the drive.) We also didn't see any broadway shows, but we see the traveling companies when they come to IU, Louisville, or Cincinnati, so we were OK with missing those on Broadway.

We bought double decker bus passes for Manhattan, so we were able to see the highlights, getting on-and-off as we pleased.

 

[SydandPaige'sMom]

I live 20 minutes from NYC. We have seen and done so many things there over the years. I have seen almost every Broadway show running currently and have tips on scoring cheap tickets. Do you guys have any idea what you want to see?

When you see Ellis Island you can also go see the Statue of Liberty. They are a short ferry ride away from each other.

I would look into getting tickets for a tour bus that is "hop on and hop off". You can ride the cool two-story tour bus and just get off where ever you want. Get off in Time Square and walk around and when you are ready to go somewhere new you just wait for the bus and ride it again.

You can also go to the top of the Empire State building. St. Patrick's Cathedral is also beautiful to walk through.

Hi! I hope you don’t mind me quoting you
Planning on taking my 16 year old and 2 friends in March (1-5) and hoping to take them to wicked. Any ideas on ways to get cheaper tickets?

Also going in March should we still plan for Central Park? Coming from Canada so no stranger to cold temps and snow, but just wondering if it was still something recommended in the winter.

Thank you in advance!

 

[K and K's Mommy]

end of June 2019). We are from small town Indiana with Indianapolis being our "big city."

I live in Indianapolis. You will be happy to know that NYC is easier to navigate. If you can count, you can figure it out. We stayed about 15 minutes from Times Square and did three Broadway shows. We always found it easily. Trip Advisor has an active NYC forum where the locals give advice.

 

[BrinkofSunshine]

Hi! I hope you don’t mind me quoting you
Planning on taking my 16 year old and 2 friends in March (1-5) and hoping to take them to wicked. Any ideas on ways to get cheaper tickets?

Also going in March should we still plan for Central Park? Coming from Canada so no stranger to cold temps and snow, but just wondering if it was still something recommended in the winter.

Thank you in advance!

You can try the TKTS booth, or check here for various different ticket offerings (lottery, rush info, etc): http://www.playbill.com/article/broadway-rush-lottery-and-standing-room-only-policies-com-116003

I would still go to Central Park; it’s beautiful to me every time of the year. There are a bunch of architectural things that are stunning no matter when you go.

 

[skyblue17]

Definitely still go to Central Park in March! One of my favorite memories as a New Yorker was going to Central Park right after it snowed. It was beautiful! Just a little treacherous, haha. If it's not pouring rain, you will still enjoy what the park has to offer.

 

[jerseygal]

If you enjoy Italian Food, visit Little Italy. SO many great, reasonable restaurants, a real fun vibe and nice place to walk around! Paesanos is my fav; haven’t been there in over 12 years, went early November, still the same, good solid Italian food, reasonably priced, hadn’t changed! Enjoy your trip!

 

[mjkacmom]

Hi! I hope you don’t mind me quoting you
Planning on taking my 16 year old and 2 friends in March (1-5) and hoping to take them to wicked. Any ideas on ways to get cheaper tickets?

Also going in March should we still plan for Central Park? Coming from Canada so no stranger to cold temps and snow, but just wondering if it was still something recommended in the winter.

Thank you in advance!

Get your tickets ahead of time, no real discounts, never offered at TKTS.

 

[ReneeA]

https://www.sightseeingpass.com/en/new-york

We've used this pass in New Orleans & Vegas and it's saved us lots of money on both trips. It's super easy to use and every venue we went to recognized it immediately. It may worth for you in NYC too. Be aware that at least on the NOLA one, they offered at least 15%off the passes a few days a month or so.

 

[skyblue17]

One other tip, after finding myself in Tourist Central (6th Avenue near Rockefeller Center and Radio City) this weekend due to circumstance. Please DON'T just make a to-do list and do things that don't truly interest you just to check things off. As I watched people be herded down 6th Avenue, so crowded that side-streets were closed, I couldn't imagine that this was the holiday NYC experience they were dreaming of. It took me nearly ten minutes to locate and then get to my parents and I was only a block away from them!

Yes, some of the big tourist spots are unique and special and you should absolutely visit them. But New York is a HUGE city with SO much to do and see and experience. As I walked past nearly 100 people standing outside of Black Tap, a place famous for milkshakes that a lot of restaurants are now offering, I had to wonder if they were doing it because they really wanted to or so that they can say they did. If that's how some people tour, all the best to them but if you have the time and interest to plan, I definitely recommend finding some unique and fresh experiences as well.

 

[mjkacmom]

One other tip, after finding myself in Tourist Central (6th Avenue near Rockefeller Center and Radio City) this weekend due to circumstance. Please DON'T just make a to-do list and do things that don't truly interest you just to check things off. As I watched people be herded down 6th Avenue, so crowded that side-streets were closed, I couldn't imagine that this was the holiday NYC experience they were dreaming of. It took me nearly ten minutes to locate and then get to my parents and I was only a block away from them!

Yes, some of the big tourist spots are unique and special and you should absolutely visit them. But New York is a HUGE city with SO much to do and see and experience. As I walked past nearly 100 people standing outside of Black Tap, a place famous for milkshakes that a lot of restaurants are now offering, I had to wonder if they were doing it because they really wanted to or so that they can say they did. If that's how some people tour, all the best to them but if you have the time and interest to plan, I definitely recommend finding some unique and fresh experiences as well.

Lol my girls like ve black tap, but they’re teens. On a mom group text I’m on, my friend asked if she should gather her family and drive I to the city to see the tree being lit. We are said NO! Trying to get through the tunnel at 6:30 and find parking, with street closures galore, freezing cold? Relatively close but very stressful.

 

[Hopscotch]

I’ve taken my kids twice, last time they were 8, 12, and 13, and these were their highlights:

Top of the Rock (instead of the Empire State Building...much shorter line and still a great view)

M & M store near Times Square (loved the Toys R Us there but sadly it’s gone now)

Jekyll & Hyde Club, it’s a restaurant in Times Square, not a club. Touristy but fun and food was good.

Climbing the rocks in Central Park and walking all over the park. Never made it to the zoo but that might be fun.

NYC library. Kids really liked this for some reason....it’s a really beautiful building.

911 Memorial. All of us were really moved by this and we spent more time here than I expected. We didn’t do the museum.

SOL. We went inside but didn’t get crown tickets which my kids were bummed about. But they loved going in it and really liked the museum (and they’re not really museum lovers at all). Boat ride was fun too.

Stardust Diner- very touristy but fun.

Nintendo world

Eating lots of pizza

We saw Wicked as well as the Lion King. We all preferred Wicked.

 

[jerseygal]

If your son likes sports and likes basketball, The NBA Store is very cool, 5th Ave.

 

[jaiminee krikit]

I agree about the 9/11 museum to a certain extent....you really have to have a need to see it to appreciate it. I was down at Vesey and West Streets then and still have vivid memories of the day and it's aftermath. Took DGD down there when she was 11 or 12 with the man because we felt it was important for her to see but refused to enter the place myself; still a mental process I need to work through but OP's son is 13 and probably old enough to visit the museum.

I am the same way about the 9/11 museum. It was on my list of things to do this summer, and I just couldn't. I told DH and he didn't understand why I couldn't do it. It's reassuring to know it's not just me feeling this way.


I went to NYC last summer. DD got to participate in the Radio City Rockettes Summer Intensive and that was amazing, but it also meant I was alone all day every day I had a ton of stuff I wanted to do, but I was scared of the subway for the first 4 days I was there - it is very intimidating! But where she performed was over 2 miles from our hotel, so we had to find a way to get there and back (after 8+ hours in heeled dancing shoes, she really did not want to walk). The day before her performance, I got brave and tried out the subway. The night before, I looked up how to get around on the subway. The biggest help for me, and this may seem like common sense but it wasn't - uptown is north, and downtown is south. To me downtown has always just been the main stretch of a town, so the idea of up being north and down being south never hit me. That helped subway transportation make sense. I think if I hadn't read that article I'd still be wandering around NYC. There is a website and maybe even an app that will tell you exactly what train you need to get on and where you need to get off, it really was easy and I'm still kicking myself for not trying it out sooner. The stop will be on the wall of the station, so if you can't hear what is coming across the intercom, make sure you can see the signs. IME though, New Yorkers are actually very willing to help you out if you can't figure something out.

Be warned - NYC stinks. Seriously, it's terrible. I was warned before we went, but nothing prepared me for the mix of trash, urine, and vomit that lingered everywhere.
You will learn to ignore people everywhere you go, because so many people are begging, you just have to keep walking.
Don't let your son take anything from anyone.
I loved the Disney Store in Times Square, DD loved the M&M's store, we both loved the Hershey store. There is a lot going on there, if you want to enjoy the shops go during the day, at night they are so packed full of people. But it is a sight to be seen at night.

 

[skyblue17]

The subway can be intidimidating but there IS a method to the madness and once you get an idea of what that is, you will be fine! If you are in Manhattan, chances are you already somewhat close to a subway station. Each line/color tends to have a station at the same #'d streets in Manhattan (14th, 23rd, 34th, 42nd, etc.) and each main avenue tends to have a line on it (8th, 7th, 6th, Broadway, etc.). Once you leave the numbered areas, things can be more complicated but there is always a subway near in downtown Manhattan also! Google Maps definitely has made this all a bit easier to manage. And yes, uptown meaning NORTH (or street numbers increasing) is helpful, as is vice versa, but it's important to remember that once the subways veer into the boroughs, that stops being as accurate (uptown trains can go to the Bronx or Queens, downtown to Brooklyn).

The upside of NYC bad smells is that they usually only last a moment and you can get a good one to waft in and take its place! Also, yes, ignore people. Especially the CD guys and the people in nasty fake character costumes.

 

[MomRN]

Currently on our way back from our trip now. Stayed at Residence Inn next to Bryant Park. It served our needs. The rooms was big, it was close to everything, and had a free breakfast.

The first night we got lost and stopped by a CD hawker (why didnt I catch that before?) But it helped orient us for the future days.

The subway wasn't as intimidating as I thought it would be, and I was assisting people with reading the map towards the end.

My husband wanted to throw in Coney Island to the mix while we there. Anyone referring back to this thread... don't do it. It was a waste of time, although I did enjoy the hot dogs and can say "we did that."

We did this for my son's 13 birthday. The broadway show we went to was Beetlejuice and we went to the LOL comedy club. Both were great, although most parents probably would save the comedy club for older teens.

We are at Juniors, Stardust, Joe's Pizza, and McDonalds... that first night. We were exhausted.

It was a great trip. There were places I saw during our walk I wish we would have went into... St Patrick's Cathedral, the library, other places... but never got back around to it.

 

[Simba's Mom]

If you're in Times Square, you could always stop into the Blue Fin, and visit my son, who's bartending. He's always up for some WDW conversation. Actually I think there's a hotel attached.
If you're willing to venture out to Brooklyn one day, I hear Ample Hills Creamery has a factory there and they give free tours.

 

[mrodgers]

We are at Juniors, Stardust, Joe's Pizza, and McDonalds... that first night. We were exhausted.

Couple weekends ago we went to NYC, only for 2 days. Also ate at Junior's and Joe's Pizza.

I had low expectations for Junior's cheesecake. Have to say, I don't know how I will ever eat another piece of cheesecake. It was absolutely AMAZING!

As for Joe's Pizza, we were looking for the NY slice of pizza. I had high expectations for the pizza and was very disappointed. Not so much that it was bad, but it wasn't any different than the pizza I get in every mall in western PA. Not that I don't like mall pizza, it's my favorite but I expected it to blow my mind in NY and it didn't.

If you can stand there at the 9/11 memorial still retaining the ability to talk to your family, there's something wrong with you. It was so emotional just standing there. And dang it if I didn't pull up Youtube the following day I got home for a new video a motorcycle vlogger and veteran supporter I watch posted a new video and he was at the memorial the same day we were.

We stayed in North Bergen or something in NJ and took a shuttle over. Spent 5 hours the first day after arriving at 2 pm and walked 7 freakin miles! Second day we had a late start because I don't sleep and my girls sleep forever, maybe 7 hours and we walked 12 miles, LOL.

There was so much to see it seems we didn't see much. I plan to go back again to see more. I'm a country boy and hate people, crowds, and cities, but it was a blast of a trip. I had "City Mapper" app and using the Subway was so easy. The subway was one thing my youngest wanted to do. Since my phone is a cheap phone and takes forever to load apps, she was our navigator. That ole country girl did great getting us around the city on the subway and on foot.