Trip to New York City......?

Question

Does anyone have any original ideas what to do in New York City. I'm looking for something different not the usual tourist things like the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Empiror State Building, Plays etc.I was thinking about the Tonight Show how to get tickets. Also where to eat low or moderate price. Also a hotel looking for something inexpensive but clean it's for 2 people. And what about Jekyll and Hides is it somewhere to go if you don't drink.

Answer 1

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, is indeed filmed in Burbank, CA. David Letterman is filmed in NYC Mon-Thur (Fri show is filmed on Thur also) and it is very hard to get tickets. Rachel Ray is taping her talk show here. While I live 2 doors down from the studio, I don't know about tickets. I think they start taping 9/18. Try the New York Convention & Visitors Bureau (www.nycvb.org) for that and any other shows (Try for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart - that's fun!).

I would not eat at any chain restaurant that you have back home. DO NOT go to Jeckyll and Hyde. Especially if you don't want to do the usual tourist things. The food there is awful and highly overpriced - plus they charge an extra "entertainment fee" per person. Total rip off. If you have to go - go to the "normal" one on Seventh Avenue just south of Christopher St. in Greenwich Village or to their sister location, The Slaughtered Lamb on Christopher St., though I am not a fan of that place.

To decide where to go other than the "usual" destinations, get a copy of Time Out New York or check out their website. Also try CitySearch for restaurants. You really almost can't go wrong winging it, as long as you stay away from chains and even pubs.

I do recommend Central Park if the weather is good. Get a Central Park map and go from there. Sail remote control sailboats on the boat pond or get free tickets to Shakespeare in the Park - go on a rowboat... Those are "local" things. Rent a bike and ride around Riverside Park. Take the subway to the New York (Bronx) or Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. Take the bus to City Island.

I highly recommend the Grey Line Bus Tour to get
an overview of the city - you can decide which neighborhoods you want to see more in depth from there. St. John the Divine is an excellent choice, but you still can't do the extremely awesome vertical tour (up the many stairways) since the fire a few years ago. It's the largest cathedral in North America. The Transit Museum in Brooklyn is cool. Take a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge from City Hall and go have pizza at Patsy Grimaldi's, then ice cream at the Brooklyn Ice Creamery - best view of the city. Take the water taxi back. Go to the Brooklyn Brewery for tastings and a tour.

On Saturday - go to Union Square to the Greenmarket. That's cool and fun and there's always something going on. Food wise, Zen Palate (vegetarian) is cheap and good, as is Republic Noodles, Chat & Chew and The Coffee Shop. Go to ABC Carpet & Home while you are there too - expensive but fun to check out! The wine store (near Republic) there has great free tastings (as does The Astor Place wine store). Also try Irving Place a few blocks away. Great architecture, a private park and some good food places. Pete's Tavern is a local's mainstay (as are McSorley's in the East Village and Chumley's and the White Horse Tavern in Greenwich Village - also check out the Magnolia Bakery). You are also just blocks from Washington Square Park and NYU - great sights there. Anything near West 4th Street and the East Village nearby will be reasonably priced. Go to Rocco's on Bleeker St. for the best Canoli and Italian baked goods in NY - it is the old Little Italy - pre-Mulberry St. Chinatown has cheap food. I love Lyn's Dumpling House for Chinese and Pho Viet Huong for Vietnamese (the U.N. ambassadors eat there). Chinatown Ice Creamery has unique ice cream like Almond Cookie (my favorite), Green Tea and Lychee. Look for some designer knockoff purses while you are there.

Try checking out the Chelsea Market, which is 8th Ave and 17th St. It's cool - there are good cheap eats there. The nearby Meat Packing district is expensive. There is nothing to see at the WTC site. Just a big hole. If you really want to see it, take the subway down to the World Financial Center (American Express and Merrill Lynch buildings) and go the Winter Garden, which has rows of palm trees in a giant atrium. You can look through the atrium glass for the best view of the site. Then go outside to see all the expensive boats in the marina as well as views of Jersey City, the Statue of Libery and Ellis Island. Best way to see the Statue of Liberty is to take the Staten Island Ferry for free. It is about 1 hour round trip - but an enjoyable free ride versus paying to go to Liberty Island which is boring and the statue is very hot inside.

As far as hotels, try the Holiday Inn on W 57th St. I would also check out Hotels.com - you can read the reviews at least. Rooms can be very small here. I and my family and friends who have stayed in hotels here were always here on a corporate account, so I only know: Soho Grand, Millenium Times Square, NY Hilton, Hilton Times Square, Paramount (small), Sofitel, Marriott Marquis, W on Lexington, Fitzpatrick, Crown Plaza UN, NY Helmsley, Club Quarters and the Alexander. You might want to try the DoubleTree Times Square - that looked reasonable. Also - try the Vanderbilt YMCA on East 47th St. I know it's clean and cheap.

I live here and I have always loved the view from the Empire State Building - I've been up there 3 times and am overdue to go again. If you want something different go to the Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center. If you love crowds, go see the Today Show taping.

FAO Schwartz did reopen after the new (Japanese owner) remodeled it. The Toys R Us Times Square overshadows it now greatly.

Take the subway up to Fort Tryon Park (which is gorgeous) and go to The Cloisters (part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art) to see medieval art in a reproduction of a monastery.

Whew.... HAVE FUN!!!!

Answer 2

There Are Loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooots Of Taxis At New York City,New York.

Answer 3

Well the Tonight Show is in California. Letterman is in NY and there is a waiting list.

This is an excellent guide to look at http://www.ny.com/

And Jekyll and Hydes is at 91 Seventh Ave S, New York City, NY 10014-3415

There is a ton to do. Just go to the village and walk around and find a cool cafe or bar or restaurant. Anything below 14th around Houston and Hudson Street or Greenwhich Ave.

Answer 4

The Tonight Show is in LA!!!!! LOL!!!!

But if you want a good hotel check out:
The West Park Hotel on Columbus Circle and West Park. 212 246 6440

Have fun!

Answer 5

If you've never been before you should go up to The Cathedral of St. John the Divine... even if you aren't religious this is one impressive church. Its just north of the park (Central) Also the Natural History Museum is a must see, the Hayden Planetarium is right next door. If you like aircraft there's the U.S.S. Intrepid, an old aircraft carrier converted into a museum. The late show with David Letterman is at the old Ed Sullivan theater in midtown, its pretty cool even just to be outside in the crowd. FAO Schwartz is the coolest toy store I've ever seen, its at the south east corner of central park.... there's cool stuff in the park too: Belvedere castle is neat, there's an Elizabethan garden which is impressive, the Bethesda fountain and of course Strawberry Fields is right across from The Dakota where John Lennon was killed. There are literally hundreds of cool sights to see in NYC, If I were you I would travel downtown to see the WTC site as well. Its a part of history now.

Answer 6

If you want inexpensive, I suggest not visiting NYC. Museums there are good though. There's always shows on Broadway. The shows and stuff...meh...

Answer 7

im from new york city.. {{broolkynn}}..their is no such thing as a cheap hotel in manhattan. Jekyll and hide is a really ill restaurant and they put on a shwo for you it's a family restaurant you don't have to go there to drink. Also their is mars 2112 which puts on a show is a family orientated restaurant & the waiters have alien costumes. But the food sucks. Your better off just going to fridays or olive garden in times square. A fun thing i do in the city is go downtown on the C subway to china town [[canal st.]] their are good restaurants there too and you can buy knock-off jewelery and bags..sometimes they take you down into basements & through doors that look like walls. Its freaky.but fun. Also going to central park and just walking around is fun you can go to the lake in the middle of the park and see the little boats people race or you can go to the central park zoo. I'd reccomend the bronx zoo though it's better..more animals. Also their is little italy if you go there the right day they might be having a festival..they have them often their zeppoles are amazing..hmm theres so much to do i can go on forever..you can go to the ships and tour the war boats. .you can go to a concert or basketball game at madison square graden..see whats going on there.you can ride a horse & buggy in central park ..no matter what you do there it will be your favorite city by the time you see everything . . .have funnnn!!

Answer 8

Go to china town!! there are always deals there remember Canal st. and you will have no problems finding it!!

Answer 9

I love NYC! Here are some ideas of what you can do while in NYC. First, get a good tour map. Then I recommend you take the BIG APPLE double decker tour bus for an overview of the city. There are several different neighborhoods so I'll highlight these and what to see:
Upper East Side: Metropolitan Museum of Art, Guggenheim, Whitney Museum. Walk up and down Madison Avenue for awesome shops and boutiques 96th - 57th st. Walk Park Avenue for architecture all the way to Grand Central Terminal and see the treasures located within. Walk along 5th Avenue to see/go in and out of Central Park - go for a run, go to the Central Park Zoo, go to the Carousel, go for a gondola ride at the boat house.
UPPER WEST SIDE:
Museum of Natural History -a must! on Central Park West,
Walk along Columbus Avenue. Visit the West side of Central Park and pay respects to John Lennon's Strawberry Fields.
MIDTOWN:
Shopping - 57th St (Chanel and the gang), Fifth Avenue - must see Henri Bendel, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks and FAO Schwartz - many other fun stores.
St. Patrick's Cathedral
Museum of Modern Art
Sony Bldg
Rockefeller Center
Go west to awesome new Time Warner center and visit the new Mandarin Hotel bar/restaurant for awesome view and treats!
Oh, Bloomingdale's is on 59th St and Lexington.
Empire State Bldg.
The Intrepid Aircraft Museum is fascinating and on the West side...worth the visit even if you have no kids.

CHELSEA:
Walk around the blooming area sprouting awesome restaurants and shops. Chelsea Pier is fun.

WALL ST:
Pay respects to the 9/11 victims and heroes at the WTC site., Walk Wall St., visit the Chase Hdqtrs, Federal Reserve. Seaport area is great to see.

THE VILLAGE:
Funky shops in the West Village. Walk through the NYU Washington Square Park. The East Village has some shops from new artists and designers

SOHO:
Great galleries and shops on n off West Broadway. Walk thru to Little Italy for awesome meals and desserts...walk through Chinatown. CANAL STREET has stall after stall of Designer "copies"...bring cash and bargain and watch your purse!

These should put an awesome smile on your face. Bring your camera and takes lots of photos to remember your trip. You'll have a blast! OH...BUY this weekly magazine: TIMEOUT NEW YORK on any newstand to see what's going on each week/day. :)

Answer 10

http://qq.nycvp.com/s_newwiz/