NYC Travel Advice

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Tyler

Going there next week. Staying at the Mariott in Times Square. What's the best stuff to do on a 3 day trip that's close by?

By close by you mean in Manhattan or close by the hotel?

In Manhattan there are a ton of things, I'll add some in future posts over the next couple of days and I'm sure others will have great suggestions too.

Close to your hotel there is .... Nothing.

In all seriousness Times Sq. is the best place in NYC to go if you want to be surrounded by people from anywhere but NYC. It's cool to see once, and I like seeing the lights when I look up the avenues but it offers very little substance. There are a few decent restaurants and bars on the edges, but you'll enjoy yourself more if you venture away from Times Sq.

[Kipper is King]

Avoid the restaurants in Times Square. I had the most awful cup of of coffee I have ever had there at one place, and the worst calamari ever at another big Times Square restaurant. Once I got away from the tourist trap area, I did have some of the best meals I've ever had in my life.

If you're looking for just a simple, inexpensive breakfast of good coffee and a bun, Amy's Bread is amazing! I had a slice of brioche french toast, and it was heavenly! Be warned, there are few tables, so you will likely have to go outside somewhere to eat. It's worth it.

If you like great lox bagels, check out Barney Greengrass and/or Russ and Daughters.

If you like Italian food, go check out Eataly. It's an incredible market with several areas to sit down and have a meal. It is a bit pricey, but my folks and I agree we had a couple amazing lunches there. I thoroughly enjoyed having a great charcuterie platter with a perfect pint of Dog Fish Head ale.

Also, for great pastrami sandwich, Katz's Deli and the Carnegie Deli are amazing! Be warned that the food at the Carnegie Deli is huge, and you can certainly share.

The seven day MTA passes as others have mentioned are totally the way to get around.

[Table 5]

Times Square is the West Edmonton Mall of NYC. Go once, and never go back again.

Most of the fun stuff is south of 14th street. Most of the fancy/museum stuff is around the park. Most of Midtown is kind of a bland uneventful hole.

[rd_aaron]

We're also staying by Times Square so that's too bad that it's uber touristy. On the plus side, we're really close to one of the theatres we're going to, and it's pretty central so it should be easy to jump on the subway and get anywhere. Plus, we got a 4 star hotel for 7 nights for $169/night on Hotwire which I thought was pretty awesome, considering that particular hotel is going for $236/night on hotels.com.

Suggestions for getting to Manhattan from Newark airport at 5PM on a Tuesday? It looks like the train/transfers, etc. are going to take an hour or so and cost us around $15 each ($30 total), whereas I could take a Town Car for a flat $60. Is it going to take forever driving into Manhattan during rush hour?

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by rd_aaron

We're also staying by Times Square so that's too bad that it's uber touristy. On the plus side, we're really close to one of the theatres we're going to, and it's pretty central so it should be easy to jump on the subway and get anywhere. Plus, we got a 4 star hotel for 7 nights for $169/night on Hotwire which I thought was pretty awesome, considering that particular hotel is going for $236/night on hotels.com.

The one good thing about Times Square is that its a hub for a lot of the subway lines. So thats a huge plus for getting around. Don't worry about the Times Square hate...that's more to do with long-time NY residents loathing the place. Most visitors do love it the first time....just make sure not to spend your entire time there and think that's what NY is.

Suggestions for getting to Manhattan from Newark airport at 5PM on a Tuesday? It looks like the train/transfers, etc. are going to take an hour or so and cost us around $15 each ($30 total), whereas I could take a Town Car for a flat $60. Is it going to take forever driving into Manhattan during rush hour?

The train is actually pretty easy to take in my experience, but it depends how much luggage you have. The cab is more convenient, but often times it won't get you there any faster....and once you get into the city, traffic cab slow to a crawl during rush hour. If youre lazy and have the money to spend (that 60 will be more like 70 once you figure tip into it), take a cab. If you're ok with lugging it a bit, the train is pretty efficient and that's what I tend to do.

You may want to take a shuttle back to the airport though. They pickup from all the hotels.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by rd_aaron

We're also staying by Times Square so that's too bad that it's uber touristy. On the plus side, we're really close to one of the theatres we're going to, and it's pretty central so it should be easy to jump on the subway and get anywhere. Plus, we got a 4 star hotel for 7 nights for $169/night on Hotwire which I thought was pretty awesome, considering that particular hotel is going for $236/night on hotels.com.

Suggestions for getting to Manhattan from Newark airport at 5PM on a Tuesday? It looks like the train/transfers, etc. are going to take an hour or so and cost us around $15 each ($30 total), whereas I could take a Town Car for a flat $60. Is it going to take forever driving into Manhattan during rush hour?

Staying near Times Sq. isn't a big deal, like you said it's central so it's a good jumping off point.

That's a tricky question on getting in from EWR. The train is pretty easy, but it can be a bit annoying hauling luggage if you have more than a carry on. You'd also have to either grab a cab at Penn Station (should be plenty of cabs that time of day but the line at that cab stand seems to randomly get very long) to go up to your hotel or switch to the subway/walk, which would also be annoying with luggage.

Traffic shouldn't be too heavy going into the city, but you'll be going against the lane reversals so it might be slow, kind of hard to say (and you're at the mercy of accidents etc.). The upside to the car is you're in an air conditioned car and you've paid a flat fee (there will be tolls on top of that $60 though, either that or you got a great deal) so it'll be comfortable.

It becomes a question of cost and a bit more certainty on time vs. comfort. If I'm starting a vacation I'm likely going with comfort in that situation.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by rd_aaron

We're also staying by Times Square so that's too bad that it's uber touristy. On the plus side, we're really close to one of the theatres we're going to, and it's pretty central so it should be easy to jump on the subway and get anywhere. Plus, we got a 4 star hotel for 7 nights for $169/night on Hotwire which I thought was pretty awesome, considering that particular hotel is going for $236/night on hotels.com.

Suggestions for getting to Manhattan from Newark airport at 5PM on a Tuesday? It looks like the train/transfers, etc. are going to take an hour or so and cost us around $15 each ($30 total), whereas I could take a Town Car for a flat $60. Is it going to take forever driving into Manhattan during rush hour?

We took a cab from Midtown to the Newark airport in rush hour (only took the cab instead of train because my Wife had an allergic reaction and wasn't feeling well) and it took around an hour. I'd take the train from my perspective but we always use transit when available.

[Table 5]

You guys should consider an airbnb.com apartment next time you go. Lots of great spaces out there for a good price...I pretty much do this exclusively now if I don't have a friend/family member to stay with.

When we had our wedding a couple years ago, I put up my entire family in a brand new condo tower that was being rented out as airbnb rooms until they could sell them. They were brand new, had kitchens (which you don't get in a hotel), and were a lot more affordable.

[agulati]

Rock of Ages is cheesy but a lot of fun, if you want to watch a Broadway show. Go to the TKTS booths on times square to get good discounts for shows on the same evening.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by agulati

Rock of Ages is cheesy but a lot of fun, if you want to watch a Broadway show. Go to the Broadway Box Kiosks on times square to get good discounts for shows on the same evening.

You mean the TKTS booth? The best tip I learned was to go to the South Seaport location downtown. Was absolutely zero line as opposed to the 3 hour wait in Times Square. It closed due to the damage from the hurricane but a temporary location there opened a month ago.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Table 5

You guys should consider an airbnb.com apartment next time you go. Lots of great spaces out there for a good price...I pretty much do this exclusively now if I don't have a friend/family member to stay with.

When we had our wedding a couple years ago, I put up my entire family in a brand new condo tower that was being rented out as airbnb rooms until they could sell them. They were brand new, had kitchens (which you don't get in a hotel), and were a lot more affordable.

Airbnb in NYC is a bit sketchy IMO. It's completely illegal, and the city actually cares that it's illegal and are cracking down. I've never used it, but it seems a bit risky to me.

[troutman]

Searching Sbarro . . .

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthr...klyn+manhattan

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthr...ghlight=sbarro

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by valo403

Airbnb in NYC is a bit sketchy IMO. It's completely illegal, and the city actually cares that it's illegal and are cracking down. I've never used it, but it seems a bit risky to me.

Yeah, but you also thought Brooklyn was sketchy for many years!

You do have to do a little more due diligence and check reviews, but in my experience it's been perfectly fine. Ive done it in many countries around the world now, and NY was no different. In NYC, it seems like the hotel lobby is behind the crackdown....funny, I guess they don't like the idea of not being to charge the crap out of visitors.

And if there's anything sketchy, it's virtually every "affordable hotel" in NY. Ive stayed in much sketchier hotel rooms in NY than I have in airbnb apartments. People seem to care much about their own apartments, than hotels do about their rooms. Also, a much smaller chance of bed bugs!

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Yeah, but you also thought Brooklyn was sketchy for many years!

You do have to do a little more due diligence and check reviews, but in my experience it's been perfectly fine. Ive done it in many countries around the world now, and NY was no different. In NYC, it seems like the hotel lobby is behind the crackdown....funny, I guess they don't like the idea of not being to charge the crap out of visitors.

And if there's anything sketchy, it's virtually every "affordable hotel" in NY. Ive stayed in much sketchier hotel rooms in NY than I have in airbnb apartments. People seem to care much about their own apartments, than hotels do about their rooms. Also, a much smaller chance of bed bugs!

Still do, and most of it still is

I'm not saying it's sketchy in terms of the rooms, but in terms of the chances of showing up to nothing. Seems like going after illegal airbnb operations has become a pretty regular thing in NYC.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by valo403

Still do, and most of it still is .

Bah, if a 60 pound hipster can handle it, so can anyone!

Funnily enough, by the end of my tenure in NY, it seemed like 75% of my friends were living in some part of Brooklyn. Basically the Manhattan holdovers had to come there if they wanted to see us.

Definitely lots of scary parts of Brooklyn left though if you go east...but those are easy enough to avoid.

[Tyler]

Is Brooklyn a 'must-see' if you're only in NYC for 3 days? Or is it more of a second or 3rd trip type of place?

Trying to decide if I should devote time out of the itinerary to head over there.

[agulati]

Originally Posted by topfiverecords

You mean the TKTS booth? The best tip I learned was to go to the South Seaport location downtown. Was absolutely zero line as opposed to the 3 hour wait in Times Square. It closed due to the damage from the hurricane but a temporary location there opened a month ago.

Yeah, we used to get there at 2.50 and line up. But the lines move fast, the times I have been there and we still get good seats. Tough to find shows like The Lion King, but I have bought Phantom of the Opera and Rock of Ages at 50% and 33% off.

Plan to maybe go for a Broadway on a weekday if you can. Less crowds = better seats.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Tyler

Is Brooklyn a 'must-see' if you're only in NYC for 3 days? Or is it more of a second or 3rd trip type of place?

No its not. Stick to Manhattan if this is your first time.

Although you can get a small taste of it if you go to Grimaldis (you'll walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, and be right by DUMBO).

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by rd_aaron

I've heard the Grimaldi's suggestion a few times so we'll definitely hit that up. Big line ups? What kind of pizza should we get?

I went to Grimaldi's at 4:30 on a weekday and got in within 10 minutes. Pep & mushroom pizza was delicious I concur, prob best pizza I've ever had.

[Tyler]

Grimaldi's is all I had on my Brooklyn tour (aside from walking across the bridge back to Manhattan) so that's good to know