NYC- Ideas for 4 1/2 day Itenarary?

Question

I will be visiting New York for the very first time with my boyfriend and 4 year old. I really want to plan ahead so we can make the most of our vacation. We will be going the last week of December, between Christmas and NEw Years. Any one have suggestions for an itenarary?

Answer 1

Rockefeller Center, ice skate/shop there, walk around, from there and along 5th avenue, very beautiful
Bryant Park, ice skate/shops
Ellis Island/Statue of Liberty
New York Stock Exchange
Central Park
Central Park zoo
Times Square, walk around, get 1/2 price tickets to shows on and off/Broadway at Duffy Square area or at the Marriott (Duffy Square is undergoing renovation and may be completed by the time you go)
Bronx zoo
Metropolitan Museum of Art
MOMA (Museum of Modern Art)
Cooper Hewitt Museum of Design
Natural History Museum (the Darwin exhibit might still be there)
Rose Planetarium (next door to the Natural History Museum, recently underwent expensive renovation)
Brooklyn Botanical Gardens
Chinatown, dim sum at 20 Mott
Little Italy
Vienneros at 11th and 1st, best iced cappucino w/gelato, Italian desserts
eat some New York pizza!

Answer 2

NYC is like Alice's restaurant, you can get anything you want.
My suggestions:
bring money, it's an expensive city, and warm clothing.
one day for the metropolitan museum
one morning strolling down 5th avenue, the Christmas windows will still be in full bloom for the tot. stop at Rockefeller Plaza and watch the skaters, see the tree, have a nice glass of wine at Morrell's.
have tea at the Plaza and then take a hansom cab through Central Park to Tavern of the Green, walk back.
visit the New York Stock Exchange (I think you now need to call ahead for reservations), go to Fraunces tavern for lunch or just a pint (where Washington bade his generals farewell on becoming President), walk over to battery park and see Lady Liberty, then to the So.St. Seaport to see the sailing ships, have another pint.
go see a play.

Answer 3

lucy pretty much nailed all the cultural places to go during the day. during that time, there will also be lots of window displays at macy's on 34th street between 7th ave and broadway. also go to Bloomindales, Saks and Barney's. But these are all stores that exist outside of nyc so not that big a deal.

now, the food. you gotta eat when you visit the city so here's a few ideas.

- Lombardis Pizza (first pizza shop in the city)
- Carmines (great family style italian)
- Lugers (steak. it's in Brooklyn, but it's top quality)
- Wolfgangs (if you don't want to go all the way to brooklyn for a ny steak, you can go here instead)
- The Cupping Room in soho is a great spot for brunch
- if you like japanese. morimotos is great

i also don't know what you budget will be so i also recommend you check out www.menupages.com. it's nyc listing of restaurants with user reviews and the actual menus of the restaurants by neighborhood.

have fun.

Answer 4

Go see David Letterman's show live. It's free, but order you tickets off the Late Show's website. Its right on Broadway so you can see those shows too. Have fun and be careful, it is NYC.

Answer 5

Tix to Beauty and the Beast on B'way, ice skating, American Girl tea party (fun but expensive), window shop.