Visiting NYC, which things on which day?

Hi all!

We have 3 days in NYC before our cruise, but I don't know which things to do on which days....which things should I group together? We are doing only subway, no cabs. We are hitting Times Square when we get there Sunday evening, the kids want to do Toys R Us, FAO Schwartz, etc. The 3rd day we are splitting up....we were thinking of all of us going to 9/11 in the morning, and then my husband is taking my son to see Yankee Stadium and Madison Square Gardens, and I was going to take my daughter to Central Park and to eat at Alice's Tea Cup, maybe do a tour of Radio City Music Hall and then a Broadway show later that night. So really, it's only 2 days that we have to do the activities below. Can you tell me which things should go on which days? We bought a 3 day New York City Pass. Also, if there are any "don't miss" activities that I haven't listed, feel free to let me know. Thank you soooo much!

Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island (thinking maybe half a day on Monday?)

Met Museum of Art

Museum of Natural History

Empire State Building

St. Patrick's Cathedral

Top of the Rock

New York Public Library

Generally, TOTR is recommended over ESB, and it is often suggested to go at sunset so you can see Central park while it's light and the city lights as it gets dark.

If you plot things on a paper or online map, it will become clear what things are near each other.

The Met and the AMNH are across Central Park from each other, but as each could easily occupy multiple days, I wouldn't plan on doing them together, which could result in major museum overload. If you don't want to spend all day in one of the museums, combine it with Central Park.

Are you planning to just walk by the NYPL (there is an excellent one hour tour) and St Pat's or spend time in them? They're both on 5th Ave, less than a 10 minute walk apart.

Going from the 9/11 Memorial & Museum (get timed tickets in advance for the museum to avoid lines) to MSG and Yankee Stadium or Radio City Music Hall (also near St Pat's) and Central Park is certainly a spread out day.

My first impression is that you are trying to do a lot of things, you might want to reconsider and take a couple off the list or you may get burnt out and not actually enjoy your time.

I would pick either Top of the Rock or Empire State, not both. They are too similar IMO to justify doing both when you have such a short period of time.

I would also consider doing the same with the MET and the Museum of Natural History. Both are very large museums and can easily fill a day (or more with the MET). If you really want to do both museums, then look at their exhibition maps beforehand and decide on what you are going to see ahead of time.

My advice would probably be to do things grouped like this:

Day 1

SOL/Ellis Island

NYPL

St. Patrick's

Top of the Rock

Day 2

MET or Natural History

Central Park - depending on the time of year you are visiting there are different activities. Since you have kids, if you are coming in the fall -the conservatory pool where you can rent remote controlled sailboats might be fun. The Alice in Wonderland statue is nearby and makes for some fun photo ops. Or if you come in winter, there is an ice skating rink.

Anyhow, those are just my thoughts. Whatever you end up doing, enjoy!

Thank you both so much!!

You're right, I am trying to pack a lot in, probably because that pass we bought gives you access to 81 things! :p

That may be a downside to that pass!

If your kids are young and into dinosaurs go to museum of Natural History. If they are a little older and learning about ancient Egypt or Greece the Metropolitan Museum of Art might interest them.

Personally the Toys R Us is just like you have at home. Nothing special. FAO has some unique toys and dolls but the prices sure reflect it. Lol.

My daughter heard they have a ferris wheel inside the Toys R Us....that is holding magical powers for her, LOL

The Toys R Us in Times Square is nothing like the typical suburban shopping mall Toys R Us. (Other than it carries the toys the typical store carries.) It's huge.

Hi,

I am not native of NYC, but I love it !, I have been in the city almost 20 times now, I have planned for friends and I have also conducted tours for friends, family and co-worker. That being said, I love to plan and customize schedule for visitors.

FIRST tip : PLAN...PLAN...PLAN... there is so many thing to see in NYC, and you can be in awe for hours at one place...and you will have to skip other places to makeup for the lost time...plan the time you want to spend at each stop to ensure you will see it all.

SECOND tip: be prepared for the weather, rain or shine !

other tips will be included in this little guide !

Sunday night you plan on Times Square, of course plan visiting Toy's R us at the same time. Huge shop, the young ones will enjoy the ferris wheel. Also if you are a chocolate lover you have Hershey's shop near. Bathroom available at McDonald's ( not the cleanest due to the volume ), also available in the Marriott Marquis at the lobby level ( floor 7 or 9..I can't remember )

Monday you could take the subway "B" or "C" line to exit at the 72nd street. On the corner of 72nd and Central Park West you have the Dakota Building where John Lennon was shot. ( you might see Yoko Ono, she still reside there ). Across the street you enter Central Park and there you have the Strawberry Field memorial for John Lennon. Continue walking on Terrace drive for about 10 minutes and reach the Bethesda Fountain and terrace where many films where made. There are bathroom half way down the stairs leading to the fountain from the drive.

After a few pictures, you can walk south on "The Mall" ( also in many pictures and movies ), after a 10 minute walk you will be in Central Park zoo ( after turning left and right a couple of time ). Walk through the zoo and exit on the corner of 59th and 5th avenue. This should take about 1 hour.

Now you have FAO right there on your left. With the kids, try to avoid the back of the store where they have a gazillion candies... Again plan on how long you want to spend there, split the group if you want and go for what you like the most ( remember the piano in "Big" with Tom Hanks? it's upstairs ). Bathroom also available in the store. Regroup after the time set and walk south on 5th avenue.

Now on 5th, 8 blocks south ( 51th ) you have St-Patrick Cathedral. It is beautiful, IMO it is worth a visit at least once.

After that, across the street and one block south you have the Rockefeller Center. Buy your tickets at the outside booth ( next to the plaza on street level ). IMO it is way better then the Empire State Building...you have the best view OF the ESB for pictures, great view of Central Park and views of NYC on 3 sides at once with clear glass...not a metal fence like on ESB. And the elevator ride is :eek:

Now from your start point to buying the tickets you should have spent about 3 hours. If it is a busy day, you might have a wait time before getting on the elevator...or not. Figure about 1 hour from getting in the building, getting up, looking out and coming out of the building.

By now you should all the hungry...try to find something "fast" on service to maximize your time.

If you continue south on 5th to 42nd street, you will be just behind the New York library and Bryant Park...The Park is superb ! If you visit the Library and are in awe before the amazing architecture of it, take a little walk in the Park, then you will be close to dinner time...I would call it a day, return to the hotel and freshen-up before the night !

Day 2,

TIP 3: Pre-buy your ticket for the Statue of liberty at the earliest time available.

So you get on the subway to reach Battery Park, go through security and hop on the ferry. Your best picture opp will be when the ferry goes in front of the Statue, once on the Island you are too close for good pictures. If you really want to go to the Statue, I really suggest you reach her feet level, take pictures, and DO NOT go up the Statue...this is just MY opinion. You will spend a ton of time climbing up to reach a tiny plateau with a few plastic windows facing the water ( not even Manhattan because she is welcoming immigrants arriving by sea ) and you can't stop on the plateau for pictures, there is a guard keeping the flow going. ( this was just before 9/11, maybe it has changed since...but now when I do a tour, we stay on the ferry and get great pictures )

Next stop is Ellis Island, get out and visit this historical place... Again plan on how much time you want to spend there.

IF you want to make the best of your time, you could do the new 9/11 memorial site right after the Statue of Liberty because it is away from most of the of other "touristic" things.

After the 2 tours, get on the "R" subway and exit at 23rd street and have a look at the famous Flatiron Building. You have Madison Square Park across the street ( and a great Shake Shack for yummy burgers ).

If your day started early, it should be now about mid-afternoon...maybe it would be a good night for a Broadway show ?..or not?

Third day :

Now your day is a little lighter if you did the 9/11 memorial on day 2.

TIP 4 : Choose ONE museum...and plan how long you want to spend there.

Your group : There are 3 location for Alice tea cup, one of them being 1 corner from the Dakota Building of day 1. If you decided on the Metropolitan Museum of Art, there is also a Alice Tea cup on that side of the Park that would save you some time. After that you can go and visit the Radio City Music Hall.

You should have time available to return to one of your favorite location, or visit something you saw on your way...

The other group : THIS IS WHY you should do the 9/11 memorial on day 2 : Yankee Stadium and Madison Square Building are very far away from each other ( about 40 minute each way by transit )...you just might have not enough time for the memorial, the Stadium and the Garden...

Enjoy your time in NYC,

If you have any question, just ask !

If I made some errors...well I am sorry and will try to correct it !

Thanks for the tour advice. And including restroom locations. I always wonder where to find them in NY city. And if it is safe enough.

First year we went to Vegas I planned way too much in advance and it was like we had no free time to enjoy our vacation. We couldn't do anything on a moments notice because I bought too many concert tickets that were so expensive we had to use them. I try not to do that on our cruises with the side trips off the ship.

Hi,

 

I am not native of NYC, but I love it !, I have been in the city almost 20 times now, I have planned for friends and I have also conducted tours for friends, family and co-worker. That being said, I love to plan and customize schedule for visitors.

 

FIRST tip : PLAN...PLAN...PLAN... there is so many thing to see in NYC, and you can be in awe for hours at one place...and you will have to skip other places to makeup for the lost time...plan the time you want to spend at each stop to ensure you will see it all.

 

SECOND tip: be prepared for the weather, rain or shine !

 

other tips will be included in this little guide !

 

Sunday night you plan on Times Square, of course plan visiting Toy's R us at the same time. Huge shop, the young ones will enjoy the ferris wheel. Also if you are a chocolate lover you have Hershey's shop near. Bathroom available at McDonald's ( not the cleanest due to the volume ), also available in the Marriott Marquis at the lobby level ( floor 7 or 9..I can't remember )

 

 

Monday you could take the subway "B" or "C" line to exit at the 72nd street. On the corner of 72nd and Central Park West you have the Dakota Building where John Lennon was shot. ( you might see Yoko Ono, she still reside there ). Across the street you enter Central Park and there you have the Strawberry Field memorial for John Lennon. Continue walking on Terrace drive for about 10 minutes and reach the Bethesda Fountain and terrace where many films where made. There are bathroom half way down the stairs leading to the fountain from the drive.

 

After a few pictures, you can walk south on "The Mall" ( also in many pictures and movies ), after a 10 minute walk you will be in Central Park zoo ( after turning left and right a couple of time ). Walk through the zoo and exit on the corner of 59th and 5th avenue. This should take about 1 hour.

 

Now you have FAO right there on your left. With the kids, try to avoid the back of the store where they have a gazillion candies... Again plan on how long you want to spend there, split the group if you want and go for what you like the most ( remember the piano in "Big" with Tom Hanks? it's upstairs ). Bathroom also available in the store. Regroup after the time set and walk south on 5th avenue.

 

Now on 5th, 8 blocks south ( 51th ) you have St-Patrick Cathedral. It is beautiful, IMO it is worth a visit at least once.

 

After that, across the street and one block south you have the Rockefeller Center. Buy your tickets at the outside booth ( next to the plaza on street level ). IMO it is way better then the Empire State Building...you have the best view OF the ESB for pictures, great view of Central Park and views of NYC on 3 sides at once with clear glass...not a metal fence like on ESB. And the elevator ride is :eek:

 

Now from your start point to buying the tickets you should have spent about 3 hours. If it is a busy day, you might have a wait time before getting on the elevator...or not. Figure about 1 hour from getting in the building, getting up, looking out and coming out of the building.

 

By now you should all the hungry...try to find something "fast" on service to maximize your time.

 

If you continue south on 5th to 42nd street, you will be just behind the New York library and Bryant Park...The Park is superb ! If you visit the Library and are in awe before the amazing architecture of it, take a little walk in the Park, then you will be close to dinner time...I would call it a day, return to the hotel and freshen-up before the night !

 

 

Day 2,

 

TIP 3: Pre-buy your ticket for the Statue of liberty at the earliest time available.

 

So you get on the subway to reach Battery Park, go through security and hop on the ferry. Your best picture opp will be when the ferry goes in front of the Statue, once on the Island you are too close for good pictures. If you really want to go to the Statue, I really suggest you reach her feet level, take pictures, and DO NOT go up the Statue...this is just MY opinion. You will spend a ton of time climbing up to reach a tiny plateau with a few plastic windows facing the water ( not even Manhattan because she is welcoming immigrants arriving by sea ) and you can't stop on the plateau for pictures, there is a guard keeping the flow going. ( this was just before 9/11, maybe it has changed since...but now when I do a tour, we stay on the ferry and get great pictures )

 

Next stop is Ellis Island, get out and visit this historical place... Again plan on how much time you want to spend there.

 

IF you want to make the best of your time, you could do the new 9/11 memorial site right after the Statue of Liberty because it is away from most of the of other "touristic" things.

 

After the 2 tours, get on the "R" subway and exit at 23rd street and have a look at the famous Flatiron Building. You have Madison Square Park across the street ( and a great Shake Shack for yummy burgers ).

 

If your day started early, it should be now about mid-afternoon...maybe it would be a good night for a Broadway show ?..or not?

 

 

Third day :

 

Now your day is a little lighter if you did the 9/11 memorial on day 2.

 

TIP 4 : Choose ONE museum...and plan how long you want to spend there.

 

Your group : There are 3 location for Alice tea cup, one of them being 1 corner from the Dakota Building of day 1. If you decided on the Metropolitan Museum of Art, there is also a Alice Tea cup on that side of the Park that would save you some time. After that you can go and visit the Radio City Music Hall.

 

You should have time available to return to one of your favorite location, or visit something you saw on your way...

 

The other group : THIS IS WHY you should do the 9/11 memorial on day 2 : Yankee Stadium and Madison Square Building are very far away from each other ( about 40 minute each way by transit )...you just might have not enough time for the memorial, the Stadium and the Garden...

 

 

Enjoy your time in NYC,

 

If you have any question, just ask !

 

If I made some errors...well I am sorry and will try to correct it !

Thank you both so much!!

 

You're right, I am trying to pack a lot in, probably because that pass we bought gives you access to 81 things! :p

 

That may be a downside to that pass!

Just an FYI the met is free/ pay as you wish

There is a suggested donation which is an outrageously high donation IMHO and I assure you that my family if 6 has donated only $10 at times to enter versus something like a $100 suggested donation

The amnh is the same I believe but we usually but a package tix as the planetarium the IMAX etc are well worth paying for

Just mho but I personally have no problem with taking these discounts and have always been met with a smile and an if course please pay as you wish from the desk clerks

Others can practice philanthropy or feel embarrassed to ask. Not us.

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luvtheships, if everyone practiced your philosophy, museums would close. It's extremely expensive to run a museum of the caliber of AMNH. I hope that you paid $10 per person and not $10 for the 6 of you.

luvtheships, if everyone practiced your philosophy, museums would close. It's extremely expensive to run a museum of the caliber of AMNH. I hope that you paid $10 per person and not $10 for the 6 of you.

Ok there you go

No $10 for all of us

The met was established on free entry btw

Google it

And there is quite a controversy as many in NYC are quite aware if this fact and want it to remain free to the public as it was established to be

Benefactors can support $1000 a plate dinners

But museums SUCH AS the met are and will remain open to the public free of charge

I DIDN'T say every museum in the world did I? I said the met

And that is the way it should be

Should a low income family be required to pay? If so, then they and their kids would not get the educational value of the museum would they?

So if someone cannot pay or chooses to pay less that the " suggested donation" in your opinion they should not be allowed in the museum?

Sounds politically incorrect IMHO

Yes, I am playing devils advocate here and am by no means a left wing liberal. I am just tired of being expected to pay more than others for the same thing because someone thinks I should pay more for my family of 6 than someone else who chooses or WANTS to pay more

We choose to pay $10 and it will remain that way.

The cloisters which is part of the met is the same way btw

But the truth is you can walk into the met museum free of charge or with a donation amount of your choosing

The desk clerks are very nice when I hand them $10. They wouldnt dare presume I can pay more. As they don't know me, it would be quite insulting if they presumed I could pay more by just looking at me

It would also be quite insulting if they presumed a person was on welfare by just looking at them also. Just sayin how wrong it is to presume anything about anyone's ability to pay based on looking at them and nothing else

Regardless the met is free entry

As it should be

As it was established to be

Open to the public and funded by benefactors. Special exhibits. And philanthropic organizations and foundations

As it should be...

Google it.... But read everything not just the first thing that pops up if you want to understand it fully.

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luvtheships, if everyone practiced your philosophy, museums would close. It's extremely expensive to run a museum of the caliber of AMNH. I hope that you paid $10 per person and not $10 for the 6 of you.

As I said I am not talking about all museums I am talking about the met.

Somehow I feel it will remain open

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As I said I am not talking about all museums I am talking about the met.

 

Somehow I feel it will remain open

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

The suggested donation is based on your ability to pay. The benefactors allow those without financial resources to experience the art. It's often referred to as the honor system.

I too just make a donation based on what I feel I want to pay

If I am alone or it is just me and one other I would give about $5

The entire family $5 or $15

I am comfortable with this and as a previous poster said, I am always warmly welcomed at the front desk.