New York.. any tips?

D

downsouth

Member
Anyone been there? I promised to take my boy (12 years old) a couple of years back then covid happened so I forgot about it, but he didn't.
Now it's on again, but apart from the obvious (Statue of Liberty, Empire State, Central Park etc.) I haven't a clue. Planning on two week with a stay in Philadelphia and possibly a few days by the beach or somewhere quiet between the cities.

Any advice? What to see, where to go? Any tips on being a tourist in the US?
 
I was over in November for thanksgiving and the newly built vessel is worth a look good shops and bars around it as well just along side Maddison Sq garden up
From Macy’s

It was built in lock down. 2E88DAA2-E489-4BC1-B391-C2B29F0FE560.jpeg
 
Get the 2 day bus tickets they include SoL, Empire State, and it's hop on hop off I am pretty sure the last one we had included Maddison Sq Garden.

Make sure you get the underground at least once and get off at Grand Central station.

Remember when you look at a restaurant, any level, the prices exclude tax and tip.

A daft thing to say but just wander, it's a great place. Every Sunday we have been there has been some sort of event, the road side food is out if this world.
 
My other main tip is walk the Brooklyn bridge it’s free as you get that iconic Manhattan skyline you’d get in a helicopter but it’s free.

Bryant park as well near the library.

My advice is to make a list of 5 things snd make sure you do them as you will get side tracked which can Be fun as well.

I’ve been almost 20 times and there’s still loads of stuff I’d like to do.

Amazing city enjoy.
 
Jedi boro said:
My other main tip is walk the Brooklyn bridge it’s free as you get that iconic Manhattan skyline you’d get in a helicopter but it’s free.

Bryant park as well near the library.

My advice is to make a list of 5 things snd make sure you do them as you will get side tracked which can Be fun as well.

I’ve been almost 20 times and there’s still loads of stuff I’d like to do.

Amazing city enjoy.
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Fully agree on Bryant park and the Chinese playing chess.
 
downsouth said:
Any tips on being a tourist in the US?
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The biggest one is always remember to tip as you’ll have a better experience and they’ll react better to you.

As to us Brit’s a tip is a bonus a compliment but in the us it’s part of their wage it’s not a bonus it’s EXPECTED.
 
Maddison Sq Garden, it’s currently the business end of the NBA and Ice Hockey season.

Also Yankee Stadium is impressive

Times Square

911 Memorial
 
We were in Albany, the restaurant we went to the food was worse than bad only equaled by the service. We didn't give a tip, at one point they threatened us with the police. In the end we jumped in a taxi, he asked what was going on, we told him, he laughed and said it was about someone did it.
 
As somebody else touched on, first thing you should do is buy a 3 day bus pass from the lads stood around in times square (perfectly legit).

You can then use those buses to hop on and off wherever you want in the city - you'll never need a taxi. You usually get a few coupons for things when you buy the pass too.

On a side note, i'm very jealous - can't put into words how much I love new york.
 
DON'T go up the Empire State building, hideous experience. I naively thought I'd get there a bit early to catch the sunset, na! Completely missed it, still thought I'd get some great pics of the Chrysler building at night. Na! Completely blacked out! About an hour later when the bus I took back to Jersey came out the tunnel, there it was lit up. Good points away from obvious, took the Statton Island Ferry middle of the day, nice bit of peace and quiet. Best day, I walked the Brooklyn Bridge which was stunning, but be warned it's still quite a hike to get off on the other side. Then after a restorative beer, headed out to Coney Island which was a day well spent.
 
Same_as_before said:
We were in Albany, the restaurant we went to the food was worse than bad only equaled by the service. We didn't give a tip, at one point they threatened us with the police. In the end we jumped in a taxi, he asked what was going on, we told him, he laughed and said it was about someone did it.
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Your first mistake was been in Albany
 
Squarewheelbike said:
DON'T go up the Empire State building, hideous experience. I naively thought I'd get there a bit early to catch the sunset, na! Completely missed it, still thought I'd get some great pics of the Chrysler building at night. Na! Completely blacked out! About an hour later when the bus I took back to Jersey came out the tunnel, there it was lit up. Good points away from obvious, took the Statton Island Ferry middle of the day, nice bit of peace and quiet. Best day, I walked the Brooklyn Bridge which was stunning, but be warned it's still quite a hike to get off on the other side. Then after a restorative beer, headed out to Coney Island which was a day well spent.
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In wouldn’t agree with that, sounds like you were unlucky. I live here and I’ve been up the ESB loads
Of times. Went a few months back and they were selling cans of really decent NYC brewed beer from the viewing platform.A9B798FA-02CC-44EA-BB11-B4E2E1656F1E.jpeg
 
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I don't think you do NYC for peace and quiet. I never thought of going to Coney Island, I was put off by The Warriers.

The bus ticket gets you up Empire State without the ticket queues.
 
Not sure if anyone has mentioned it, but first time you go, get the New York pass, which will cover most of the big attractions.

Biggest tip though, take walking boots, and no, that doesn't mean some casual comfy trainers, not for most of the day anyway. Take actual walking boots, and thank me later.

You'll end up doing 30,000+ steps a day or around 15-20 miles, trying to cram everything in.

If you're going to go up WTC, ESB, Rockerfeller maybe do WTC very early in the morning, as soon as it opens and do one or the other two late at night. Going up during the middle of the day or at sunset is extremely busy.

We did rockerfeller about 10pm one time, and there was zero queue and we were practically the only ones up there, it was great.
 
Don't know when you're going, but in April you can get '4 seasons in a day'.

Also try the subway once but also make use of buses. Actually I'd say the same about London.
 
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