Posted on 09/22/2009 6:58:44 PM PDT by mimi from mi
I guess you might consider this a "vanity" post, but didn't know where to post it. Myself and five other gals are going to New York City for five days in Nov. for sight-seeing, shopping, Broadway shows, etc. Has anyone here ever bought/used the New York Pass and/or hop-on hop-off bus pass? None of us have been to New York City before (at least not in the last 30 years) and wonder if this is something we should purchase ahead of time, or is it a big rip-off? Thanks for any help you can offer.
I forgot to add. We would also like to tour the Statue of Liberty, but have “heard” there is a year’s waiting list. Anyway to get around that???
You may want to post your question to the NY message board.
I know we have quite a few NYC freepers, but they may miss your post.
I’ve spent a lot of time there and worked in Jersey City for several years. BE CAREFUL!!!
I doubt there is a waiting list to go to the Statue of Liberty. I went a few months ago with no problem. But this was on a weekday from the Jersey side. If you do go ask for a special ticket to go inside the statue. They allow a limited number of people to go inside each day.
try google and tripadvisor.com
Google is your friend.........
FWIW, I go to the city and stay in mid-town a lot...walking is easy and cabs are cheap (and safe) especially when you have 3 to share the fare.
There are some really great things about New York City. I was born and raised there so I should know.
1. The Statue of Liberty
2. Central Park (but not at night)
3. The great restaurants. (my personal favorite is Papaya King especially if you like great hot dogs and tasty fruit drinks like fresh pineapple juice and coconut drinks)
4. Radio City Music Hall and the Rockettes.
5. The Empire State Building.
6. Madison Square Garden.
7. Mallomars, the best cookie in the world.
Google will never give you the insight a local will give you.
If you’re going to be sightseeing and are going to be using a lot of public transportation, the unlimited metrocard is a great deal. (Well, as great a deal as one can get in NYC, anyway.) The one you want will depend on how long you plan to be there. They have one day, one week, and one month ones if I remember correctly.
No need to buy it in advance. They have them at every subway station.
YES and ABSOLUTELY highly recommend it! We did the 72 hour pass from Grayline.
http://www.grayline.com/Grayline/destinations/us/newyork.go
We almost skipped the night tour, but were so glad we didn't! It was fantastic.
We got off the bus at the Statue of Liberty, and while there was quite a wait and an extensive security check, we had not made reservations in advance. That was in June 2002 so I'm sure it was much worse then than it would be now.
Enjoy your trip! NYC is a great place to visit.
Stay at the Sheraton at 53d street and 7th Ave. You’ll be in the heart of Manhattan.
Google is not a friend to advise from experience.
ML/NJ
If so, we went there and the corned beef was great!
The Hop-On/Hop-Off bus is great! Sit on the top and make sure you hop off at Chinatown.
Thank you i just noticed this was posted in the Bloggers&Personal forum...
Will figure out how to remove Bloggers$Personal from my front page...
If i wanted to read vanities i would spend my time over at DU..
I made a special trip there a couple of years ago to visit Ground Zero and said a prayer over the hallowed ground where so many innocent people died a horrible death. It was a moving experience and I broke down and cried, tears streaming down my cheeks when I saw it. It was something I will never ever forget.
thank you for your response you must be using a handheld device might consider posting from a puter unless none are available then should not post at all just my humble opinion have a great day.
Hi, just looked at your homepage, you have a wonderful page.
You can delete Bloggers and Personal forum by going to your account.
No, you don’t want to go to DU. Your kids are too cute to be exposed to that.
Pick a hotel beforehand and see if they have had any bedbug problems.
I don’t think Mallomars are out yet. I like to put them in the refrigerator so they get crunchy.
Me too.
Me too.
NYC is a great time, and very safe compared to most other large cities (at least in Manhattan). The subway pass is definitely worth it.
I second perfect_rovian_storm on this motion... I found this to be the most convenient way to get around.
Just a few pointers... NYC is a crowded place and people bump into one another. No one means anything by it, it just happens on the subway. That doesn't mean to tolerate unwanted touching - but people do bump into one another. Turn any engagement rings or other "flashy" rings so that the stones will be "in the palm" when you close your hand. This keeps people from scouting a possible "snatch and grab" victim. Carry your purse with the strap not just on your shoulder, but over your shoulder on the opposite side (slipped over your head), and then hold the purse with your arm - don't let it dangle. "Snatch and Grabbers" will use a box cutter to cut the straps on a dangling purse, and will be less likely to try you when you carry your purse in a guarded position. Men should always carry their wallet in the front pants pocket, as a rear pocket or jacket pocket is more easily picked. Now, having said all this, don't let me "scare" you about a trip to NYC. It is a great place to visit and you can have a lot of fun. Just don't let your fun get spoiled by becoming a victim. All of this advice is the same advice I was given when I arrived there, and I found it to be useful. AND I was never a victim...
I lived at 33rd and Lexington, and took the subway everywhere I went. If you can, get a good subway route map before you go, and familiarize yourself with the routes from where you will be staying to your destinations. You also need to remember to plan your reverse routes back to the hotel. Most of the trains run the same schedule all the time, but a few (if I remember correctly) down in lower Manhattan change schedules during the busiest times of the day. You can just make yourself a note regarding your routes. For example, in order to go to work everyday, I used to take the #4 train south until the third stop, then transfer to the #6 train and get off at "Broadway-Nassau." So my note read: "#4, 3rd stop T#6, Broadway-Nassau." I know the lines and numbers have probably changed since I was there, but you get the idea.
Some have listed sights to see here on the thread for you... Might I suggest you go down the the World Trade Center sight and see it in person. I think it is something everyone that visits NYC should do... We all say we will "never forget"... But to visit that sight will bring home the gravity of just how vicious our enemy is. For those of us that worked in the WTC towers (I worked in Tower 2, 44th floor), the idea of the towers no longer being there is still to this day very hard to accept... Every time I see that hole in the ground, I remember how important it is to not only "never forget" but to never give up the fight against those animals that attacked us that day.
Regards,
Raven6
So mimi — are you going to come back and converse with those that have offered help at your request?
Thank you am working on that,when my kid needs political comedy i will direct her towards DU....
Listening to whiny ass children is always good for a laugh...
Hello mimi!
Since you haven’t monitored your own thread, perhaps it is best that you take the suggestions and go to Trip Advisor. com.
bye
How RUDE!
Yes it is.
I was there in December of 2008, did the hop on, hop off. It was great, great guide, great details. We did not go to the Statue of Liberty since we all had been there before but did go to Ellis Island. Glad we did.
My first time during December and it was the best. Four women in one hotel room. Great stories.
I live in NY. You can buy an MTA fun pass for $7. a day to use on any bus or subway. Re the weather, October is a great month here (the only really good month).
I recommend the Circle Line boat trip, if it’s still running. I also recommend the Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim, as well as all the art galleries on 10th Ave in Chelsea. And walking across the Brooklyn Bridge if you’re up for it. The Broadways shows are by and large terrible — there was a good production of “Our Town” playing at a small theater in Greenwich Village — get a copy of Time Out NY & The New Yorker and read the reviews of Off Broadway & Off-Off Broadway plays and go to one of them.
There’s wonderful jazz at Jazz Standard, on 27th St btw Park & Lexington, and they also serve fantastic barbebue (it’s a Danny Meyer Retaurant). You can get good Indian food at a restaurant called Ghandi on Eaast 6th Street & 1st Ave. There’s a gospel brunch in Harlem on Sunday mornings.
One of my favorite restaurants in NY is Rosa Mexicano, on Columbus Ave right near Lincoln Center.
There’s a wonderful farmers’ market in Union Square on Saturdays. I recommend Cafe Dante on Sullivan St in Greenwich Village for an espresso — it’s a classic Village Italian place that’s been there forever. Best pizza is Arturo’s on the corner of Sullivan & Houston.
I have never been to the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State building — NYers don’t go there — Have a wonderful trip.
Katz’ isn’t at Union Square — it’s on the corner of Ludlow Street & E Houston St, way south of there. There is no such place as E Hudson in NY.
If you look up Judy Richheimer (that’s with 2 H’s) she’ll give you a great guided tour. Very knowagaeble, very charming — of course politically like the rest of NY>
Eat at Parma.
Some of my favorites...
E 6th St, Indian curry houses
If doing the natural history museum or anything on the upper west side, Artie’s Delicatessen on broadway between 82nd and 83rd. Or Zabar’s which is diagonally across the street.
‘Little Italy’ no longer exists, but a place across from Ferraras called Il Palazzo has good food. 151 Mulberry St.
Really important — check tripadvisor.com ahead of time and see if the hotel has bedbug problems.
As was mentioned above, the broadway shows are generally horrible, but if you plan on going, the same nyc tourism website has twofer one tickets to shows. Or head to the Tkts booth the day of the show... http://www.tdf.org/TDF_ServicePage.aspx?id=56
If heading to the upper east side, this website is tops for local info... http://www.uppereast.com/
My family used to have an office in Chinatown, however i have no idea what the Chinese joints are called. On mott St, try Amazing 66 and then across the street Big Wong.
ML/NJ
Be sure to check the schedule of our Dear Leader. He, unfortunately, seems to have developed a fondness for NYC and has been tying up sections of the city with his Exalted Presence almost regularly for several weeks now. You'll want to not be anywhere near where his is, probably for a variety of reasons.
ML/NJ
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