Is it worth taking the NYC double decker Grey Line tour in February? Will it prob. be too cold to sit up top?

Question

I've never been to New York City before. I heard from somewhere it's worth it taking the double decker bus tour once all around the city. I'm from somewhere warm and I hear the only way to really see anything much is to sit on the upper level. I'm wondering: if I will freeze, is it better to go or to skip this tour anyway for some other reason, is there a better alternative to this tour that you would suggest or should I stick with this? I really want to get a good idea of and to see the city and I'm only visiting for 3 days.

Answer 1

February is our coldest month and it will probably be extremely uncomfortable to sit on top for more than a few minutes at a time. The tour bus is costly - I think it's about $45 for a two day pass. You can get an unlimited City subway and bus card for $7. Buy a New York travel book and plan your own route. Get on a bus and ride - the Fifth Avenue bus route is interesting and passes landmarks like Rockefeller Center, St Patrick's Cathedral, Central Park, Washington Square Park. The Fifth Avenue bus rides downtown, so you would get to see entirely different things on the bus you take uptown. Get off where you like, walk, and then get back on a bus or train. Also, there is at least a half hour wait between buses on the Greyline. The city buses run about every ten minutes during the day - some more frequently. And the subways are out of the cold. New York has a really good public transportation system. Plan your own trip, or come back here after you know what you would like to see and ask specific travel and tour questions.

Answer 2

If you are in NYC in February, you are going to be cold either way... especially if you are used to the warm weather. It's naturally more humid there since it's near water and it makes it BITTERLY cold sometimes. I lived there for 17 years and I moved back from a warm area and it was very cold. A double-decker bus won't change that at all. I hear those double decker bus tours can be pricey. There is their central location which is right next to the Burger King and a Brazillian Grill on 9th Avenue and 49th Street. You can go in and see the prices, see what kind of tours they offer (because I am sure they have different areas to be toured) -- and then you can see if it's worth it at all.

A lot of people I've known who go to NYC for the first time were scared before going but realized it's a lot more fun to be on foot. It's such a large city that traveling by train or by foot provides a lot more flexibility for your adventure there. Don't limit yourself by any means. There is life beyond the tour bus in NYC. Have fun! Let the city guide you naturally.

Answer 3

I was in NYC in January of last year and it was 70 degrees, warmer than So. Cal.where I live; so you never know. You can always dress warm, you can always move down below if you can't stand it.