Visiting New York City for a week.?

Question

Here are some questions I have. Any help is greatly appreciated!
To save money, I booked a in Elizabeth, New Jersey right by the Newark Airport. What is the easiest way to commute from the hotel to NYC?

Is getting a rental car a smart idea or should I just stick with public transportation?

I'm going on this trip alone, I'm a 25 year old guy, what are some things that you think I would enjoy doing while in the city.

About how much money do you think I'll need for a week of stay, counting food and tourist stuff i.e. Statue of Libert, Empire State Building etc.

What clubs/bars do you recommend?

Do you have any other useful info that you think I'll need?

Thanks again! I'm a New York City newbie so any help is appreciated!

Answer 1

The easiest way to commute is to take the train to Newark Penn Station then either get on the Northeast Corridor Line or the Path train into the city.

Getting a rental car is a bad idea if you're going to spend most of your time in NYC unless you don't mind navigating the streets and dealing with the traffic on weekend nights (AND ITS BAAAAD)

How much money will you spend? Ahh it all depends on what food you eat. There are cheap options. And it all depends on what you're interested in. When I lived in NYC I hung out more in the East Village (CBGB's when it was open, St. Mark's Place, etc.. never paying more than $10-15 for a meal).

You want to check out Gray's Papaya on the corner of 8th St and Avenue of the Americas - about $2.75 for 2 hot dogs and a drink. Best dogs in the city.

Veselka Diner on 9th Street and I think 2nd Avenue is an amazing 24 hour diner with the best chicken noodle soup and pierogies ever...

Bars? Oh so many. If you want to meet some stand-up comics while getting your drink on (and possibly bump into some famous ones like Chris Rock or Robin Williams) hop over to The Olive Tree Cafe above the Comedy Cellar on MacDougal street between Bleecker and Third.... Not only is their mediterranean food menu outstanding, but the drinks are awesome (GET A NUTTY MONK!)

On the ooooother side, back over towards the east.. on 14th between B &C there's this awesome Tiki bar called Otto's Shrunken Head.. they get all kinds of bands playing there, punk, reggae, etc... but they make the best drinks I've ever had...

There are too many good bars.. You might have to e-mail me haha. DON'T EVER FOLLOW A CITY GUIDE FOR YOUR BAR TIPS!!!!! They are never ever right! You need to ask a real human being who has been to the bars... I've been smashed many a night in new york when I lived in Manhattan and when I lived in Brooklyn. Best years of my life!

Tourist site prices can be found on http://www.nycvisit.com

Total money spent... it all depends on how you want to save your dough on your trip. You can avoid spending extra money on cab rides by taking the subway and becoming friendly with a subway map - also you can walk. Walking in NYC isn't like walking anywhere else.. because there's always something around you so it doesn't feel like you're walking in the desert or something. Walking can be fun and totally free!

If you think... you eat breakfast, lunch and dinner - spending $15 at the most.. that's $45 a day... times 7 - That's $315 on food. If you want to do the subway, you can buy yourself an Unlimited Ride 7-day metrocard for $24 (which automatically saves you money after you've gone on 12 subway rides...)

Drinks? Well I don't know how much you drink, so you can calculate that... but NYC can either be expensive or cheap... strong or weak (although I wouldn't send anyone to a place that makes weak drinks)

Answer 2

1. The easiest way to get to the City is by train.
2. Don't bother renting a car. Most of the fun is walking the streets of New York. Also, finding parking is difficult and very expensive. Get all-day Metro tix for subways and trains.
3. Sight-seeing is the best thing to do. Here are some must-see spots: Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building (at night), Times Square (at night), Central Park, SoHo, Chinatown, Little Italy, a Broadway show (Spamalot is my favorite!), all the museums, etc.
4. A week in NYC can be very expensive; I'd recommend $500-$1,000. Be thrifty and smart about your money.
5. There are clubs and bars for all tastes, so you need to find one that's right for you. Here's a link to help you:
http://www.nyc.com/bars_clubs_music/
6. Stay away from Taxis on rainy days; they're impossible to find. Stick to the subway. Also, don't be shy to ask locals for their recommendations on restaurants, etc. They're used to it and they know NYC better than anyone else! Try a helicopter ride over the city; it's spectacular! Have fun!