Going to New York City for the 1st time w/ kids. Better to take the doubledecker bus tour or ride the subway?

Question

Going in July w/ wife and 3 kids.

Answer 1

Most likely you will end up doing both.

If you like bus tours I would take one at the beginning of the trip so that you can get an overview of Manhattan. After wards you can revisit any parts of the city you especially liked.

Take the subway when you have some long trips to make. Keep in mind that there will be more trains running week days during the morning and evening commutes and business hours than late nights or week ends. Don't forget - the subway is a viable means of transportation for a decent price. There are many maps and the system is not hard to figure out. If you just have a short trip - with that many people it would be cheaper for you to take a cab. But if you have a long trip to make - use the subway. It will be cheaper and often faster because you won't be fighting the traffic above ground.

Answer 2

You have gotten a lot of good info on here so I'll keep it brief: the Double Decker buses are pretty cool and offer what looks like a great view of the city, especially the tall buildings uptown. However, once you get downtown and the streets and buildings are smaller, life really happens on the street. In New York, you definitely miss something when you don't have your feet on the sidewalk. That is where the heart of New York is, along with the subway.

New York has tons of great tourist stuff to do, and for a short vacation it's easy to fill your time with those things. However if you want to get a taste of the REAL New York, take the subway and walk the streets. The bus is fun, but the subway is practical for getting from A to B, it's WAY cheaper, and it's the real 'slice of life' that makes NY great.

Answer 3

http://www.coachusa.com/newyorksightseeing/
The Gray Line Bus costs about $40 each for a two-day ticket. The subways and buses are $2 with a free transfer (so you can take the train and transfer to the bus or take two buses, within two hours). In order to get the benefit of the tour bus, you have to sit on top (you would get as a good a view from the regular City bus as you would if you sit in the lower level of the bus (City buses are air conditioned, too). New York can be unbearable in July - hot, humid, sticky - you could get a bad sunburn on top of the bus. Some of the tour guides are wonderful, they love this City and they are very passionate about what they do. To some, it's just a job and they drone on. No telling who's on which bus. There are often long lines waiting for the GrayLline and, often you will not be able to sit together. My suggestion is that you read some tourist books about New York, list what you want to see and take public transportation. Come back here with your questions and let the New Yorkers help you with planning your itinerary. (Note: a lot of people who answer questions here are not from New York, possibly have never been to New York, and copy misinformation from Google often wrong and out of date information). New York has a wonderful public transportation system. There is almost always a bus within three blocks of where you are going. Subway stations are less than ten blocks apart, and are simple to navigate.

Answer 4

The bus will give you a good overview. The subways (and the city buses) are practical for getting around once you've gotten the lay of the land.

When I was a kid, I loved exploring the subways for the 1st time (even accidentally going to Queens was an adventure!), and it was a lot less safe then than now.

Answer 5

With kids you should go with the double decker bus. Not only will it be more fun for THEM, but it will be safer as well. Yes, New York has gotten safer in the subways but they still may see things or be exposed to things that can even make adults cringe. AS far as the NYC subways have come, there are still loads of freaks and wierdos down there.

Answer 6

You won't see the sights on the subway, but you'll get a real feel of NYC. At the same time, a double decker is for tourists, it's not transportation, so although you'll see some parts of the city it's not practical to use to actually get places.

Answer 7

Why not do both. Take the bus tour to find sites where you want to spend more time and then take the subway to get back there.

Answer 8

I'm sure you would see more of the sites of New York from a double decker bus tour than from travelling around in a tunnel.

Answer 9

take the bus because the subways are crazy. trust me. its the same in all the bouroughs everyday in the subway. crazy people. loud mouths. also you get a nice view. you dont want your kids on the subway.