Must see in New York??

[hog20]

Taking second trip to nyc in three weeks. What is the best food or experience that we must see??

[pigture perfect]

Times Square. Lots of stuff to do there. Great food everywhere and mostly reasonable. We did lots of window shopping.

["Pickled" Pig's Pete]

Taking second trip to nyc in three weeks. What is the best food or experience that we must see??

If you've not see a Broadway show, go do that.  Get discount tickets at the TKTS booth.

Top of the Rock and/or Empire State Building - do one at night.

Freebie - walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.  Eat pizza at Grimaldi's at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge.

[hog20]

Thanks! I really like the idea of Brooklyn bridge. Ate some pizza last year but nothing that stood out. This place pretty good?

[HawgWild]

What did you do/see the first trip? Have you been to the Cloisters? Central Park? NY Public Library? The museums? Chinatown? Little Italy? Yankee Stadium?

The wife and I were in NYC for 10 days and I didn't get a chance to see/do everything on my list.

Enjoy!

["Pickled" Pig's Pete]

Thanks! I really like the idea of Brooklyn bridge. Ate some pizza last year but nothing that stood out. This place pretty good?

It was excellent - very good pizza.

If you've not taken a harbor tour, consider the 90 minute tour that takes you out to the Statue of Liberty and back - great sightseeing and picture opportunities.

Also a must is the 9/11 Memorial. 

Yankee Stadium was great - highly recommend seeing the Yankees if they are in town.

If you haven't been to Little Italy or Chinatown, take some cash and go down there. 

[hog20]

We did Times Square, Central Park, Harber Tour, Yankee Stadium, 911.  Didn't go to China or Little Italy, ran out of time.  Def wanna do that.  Didn't eat any good food hardly at all.  Was real dissapointed in our choices I guess!

[hog20]

Going to hit the Cubs vs. Mets this time.  Nephew places for AAA Cubs team, hoping he makes the leap while they are in NYC this time.

[Jackrabbit Hog]

My advice?  Go to Chicago instead.  Much more fun city than NYC.

[DeltaBoy]

Taking second trip to nyc in three weeks. What is the best food or experience that we must see??

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygZxqVcikRU

[Hogfly]

We did Times Square, Central Park, Harber Tour, Yankee Stadium, 911.  Didn't go to China or Little Italy, ran out of time.  Def wanna do that.  Didn't eat any good food hardly at all.  Was real dissapointed in our choices I guess!

Not sure what you sort of food you like, but I just got back. NYC has too many food options to comprehensively cover, so I'll just name where we ate this trip:

ABC Kitchen (excellent)
Bar Boulud (if you're into French tarrines and pates, it's excellent. If not, skip).
Sfoglia (absolutely fantastic Italian).
The Smith (right next to Bar Boulud).
Ma Peche and Momofuku Milk Bar (both David Chang joints that are fantastic).
The Hudson Common
The Hudson Tequila Park

[McKdaddy]

The wife and I are taking our first NYC trip in October.  We've been gathering recommendations from a lot of people that have gone before -- generally speaking, and for a myriad of reasons, we keep hearing that we would be fine skipping Times Square.  But I figure TS is a location we ought to at least pass thru while there.

[Hogfly]

The wife and I are taking our first NYC trip in October.  We've been gathering recommendations from a lot of people that have gone before -- generally speaking, and for a myriad of reasons, we keep hearing that we would be fine skipping Times Square.  But I figure TS is a location we ought to at least pass thru while there.

Sure. Go see it or pass through it. Don't stay there, though.

[BillyHog53]

Got back from NYC Sunday. Was there for five days. Had a blast. Pizza at Rays was outstanding. Central Park, walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, Empire State Bldg at night, Ameteur night at the Apollo in Harlem but watch out still a lot of crime, Battery Park, ate at a place called Shanghai something or other in China town very good. Subways are cool to ride on. Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Modern Art were neat. Have a great time.

[McKdaddy]

Don't stay there, though.

Thanks. Yes, I've been told that a lot, as well.

[razorbackinthegrove]

If you are looking for Ittlian don't mis Babbo rated best in NYC for a couple of years a few back.  Mario Battali's flagship and hands down the best meal I have ever eaten.  www.babbonyc.com.

[Hogfly]

If you are looking for Ittlian don't mis Babbo rated best in NYC for a couple of years a few back.  Mario Battali's flagship and hands down the best meal I have ever eaten.  www.babbonyc.com.

My wife has eaten at his Del Posto in NYC and Osteria Mozza in LA, and she says both are excellent.

[Tim Harris]

My wife and I are big fans of Lombardi's Pizza.  I've not been to the new Yankee stadium but the old Yankee Stadium was a great place to see a game.  The MET was cool if you are in to museums.  Statue of Liberty is a must see if you didn't do that your first time.

[hog20]

Thanks these are great! Gonna try for several of the restaraunt ideas! Can't go to Chicago instead, my son lives in New York now so big reason for the trip. He has bee there 13 months so I am going once a year until he leaves!

[hogslobber]

My advice?  Go to Chicago instead.  Much more fun city than NYC.

You have to be kidding.

[Jackrabbit Hog]

You have to be kidding.

'Fraid not.  Matter of opinion, I know, but I love going to Chicago about 10x more than NYC.  Have had some unbelievably fun weekends in Chi-town.

[Hawg Balling]

Go to Little Italy. 

Just walk down Mulberry Street and pick whichever awesome Italian restaurant, diner, or pizza joint appeals to you.  Best Italian food I've ever had.

[kaiserhog]

Grimaldi's is great but has been overrun with tourists.  Lombardi's on Spring Street is our fallback.  For steak, go to Keene's on 36th street.

[pigture perfect]

If you pass any little Jewish pastry shops, try the Baklava.

[ArkansasI]

NYC has the best food in the United States.  I am blessed to have a friend from the City that provides me with dining destinations whenever we go.

For chinese food, I recommend Joe's Shanghai in Chinatown.  It's off Canal in an alley.  They'll ask if you would like the dumplings, and you answer "Yes, please."  One entre' will feed two of you, but what's the fun of that?

Manhattan has the best italian food I have ever had.  Just walk in any of them - if it has an antepasta bar, all the better.

I'd encourage you to go to a jewish deli while in the city, too.  Zabar's is an entertaining place to shop - local grocery market.

There are so many things to do... museums (Met, MoMa, Guggenheim, etc.), Broadway shows, Yankees, Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, antique shopping in SoHo...  Take a cab ride!  Enjoy America's greatest city.

[hog20]

Thanks everyone!!

[HognotinMemphis]

Little Italy is one street and Chinatown is a bunch of crap. Avoid both.

Catch lunch at Balthazar's on Spring St. in Soho then shop around there west of Broadway. Very unique. Balthazar's will be the best meal you will get in NYC for the money. And if you are used to high end dining and like dressing appropriately, make a reservation at 21 Club. Nothing like it. But if you are used to wearing jorts, t-shirts and sandals everywhere, never even think about going to 21, just forget about it.

Go to Freedom Tower and memorial park and visit the museum there. Takes no more than 30 min. We were in NYC last week and weekend and visited it...really good experience and park is beautiful.

For museums, if you go to only one, go to one rarely mentioned: Frick Collection. Google it. It is in great location along Central Park and you see paintings by all the masters including several you will recognize instantly. Priceless artwork here and it takes you all of 90 min to see everything. We went through it last week and they have a temporary showing of Cezanne, Lautrec, and others from those eras.

Walk through Times Square. Quite a sight but I would not spend more than 15 min looking around. Nothing to see but the billboards, flashing lights and other goofy people gazing around at all the humanity. And remember, crowds of tourists are just a target for crime.

If you want a good burger or other good food and a good beer at an old bar, don't miss PJ Clarke's, a long-time great in NYC and favorite of Sinatra's. It's on 3rd Ave, at 55th: http://pjclarkes.com. Great restaurant above it called Sidecar, reservations required. We dined at Sidecar last Friday night and sat next to Kevin Bacon, his wife and daughter. Sat 2 feet from Barbara Walters in 21 and next to Matthew Broderick in Bar Centrale on 46th. Most celebs I've seen in NYC in years.

Enjoy.

[HognotinMemphis]

Well, what did you do on your NYC trip in June?

[hog20]

Sorry didnt ever reply. Went to several Cubs vs Mets game as my nephew plays for Cubs. METS have a really nice stadium. Ate at the restaurant recommended in chinatown, joe's i think. Dumplings were wonderful! Lamb gyrro in central park was good as was another food cart can'tremember what it was. Did serrendipity for an ice cream sundae and tons of walking and shopping. Would love to be able to live there 2-3 months a year!

[McKdaddy]

Just got back from our NYC vacation -- my wife's idea for my 40th bday.  What a city!  I was impressed w/ how relatively clean it is kept.  I don't have time now to post what we did over 7 days and give impressions of those items, and the city as a whole.  But I'll say that my feet are sore and battered, ha.

[jacobp]

Heading back up for a week over Christmas. Skipped hotels this time and booked an apartment on the upper west side around 84th and Amsterdam. Will be there the 20th-28th.

[McKdaddy]

booked an apartment on the upper west side

That's an idea.

[jacobp]

That's an idea.

Great apartment, great neighborhood. My wife's cousins live two blocks away so its convenient. And way cheaper than any hotels we looked at for this trip. Will be nice to have a kitchen as well so I can cook if I want...3 squares a day in Manhattan for 8 days can add up quickly.

[HawgWild]

What's an apartment on the upper west side run you, if you don't mind my asking?

[jacobp]

$225 ish a night. Really good deal, considering we'll be there over Christmas.

[McKdaddy]

$225 ish a night. Really good deal, considering we'll be there over Christmas.

Agreed. I'm glad you brought this strategy to my attention. We rent a house when we take the kids to WDW each year, but renting an apt didn't cross my mind for NYC.

[HawgWild]

That is a good deal. Is it close to a subway/train station?

[jacobp]

very close. Actual address is 200 W 80th

From the VRBO listing:
Located in heart of the UWS with tons of restaurants and shops.
2 blocks from Central Park.
1 block from Museum of Natural History, Zabars.
1 Block from subway - 1, B & C trains.

Close to Lincoln Center, Beacon Theater, Columbus Circle, Riverside Park.

[jacobp]

Agreed. I'm glad you brought this strategy to my attention. We rent a house when we take the kids to WDW each year, but renting an apt didn't cross my mind for NYC.

we've started doing it more and more lately. I'm heading to San Diego next Thursday to meet my wife (she'll be there ahead of me for a conference). She'll be in a nice hotel downtown, but its almost $400 a night. We booked a large loft right in the heart of downtown with balcony overlooking the Gaslamp quarter for under $200

[HawgWild]

You can't beat that. Be sure to post a trip report after you get back.

Enjoy!

[McKdaddy]

As first time visitors to NYC, we did much of the typical tourist stuff, with the exception of our meals...we ate only local, non-tourist places.  I felt bloated from all the good food till 3 days after we got back.

We passed thru TS a couple times, which was a sight to see once, but otherwise an avoidable area, as many on here said.

We enjoyed the Broadway experience and the shows watched. Wish we had seen more. Bought through TKTS (the south seaport location), which was a better experience than expected.

Amongst our favorite things, we had a 1-on-1 tour through Real NY Tours. Our guide met us at our hotel at 10am, then proceeded to provide us highlights of nyc till about 5pm. I enjoyed his insight and perspective, as well as some of the off-the-beaten-path knowledge provided and places visited that the average tourist wouldn't see. Most of the tour was walking, with a couple of subway hops. It was a great start to the trip.

The 9/11 Memorial is sobering, peaceful, and well done. I only saw a handful of yardbirds cheesing-it-up for pictures in front of the waterfalls. Most people were relatively somber-looking in pics of themselves at the Memorial.

I ordered an emotional book called Here is New York, which is a collection of donated 9/11-related pics, put together in late '01 by a couple of photogs in soho, with proceeds going to 9/11 children. I guess it is still a valid charity since it is avaible online & in-store at the 9/11 Memorial. But order it online b/c it is about 900 pages, coffee table-sized, and heavy.

The Trinity Church is great-looking inside and out, and holds a neat position when viewed from down the canyon of buidlings that line Wall St.

St Paul's was an emotional visit and displayed quite a few compelling pics from 9/11 & afterwards that had previously escaped me.

So much great architecture in the city. The majority of my pics were of various buildings or structures, such as the grandiose entrance to the nyc city hall and its intricately designed ceiling of the street-level portico that can be walked thru. The walk-thru under the Bethesda Terrace has beautiful tiled ceilings and walls. The Woolworth building and the nearby, relatively-new Gehry building are contrasts to one another, but both great-looking in their own way. Unfortunately, St Pat's Cathedral is under a massive renovation project, w/ the inside and out being covered floor-to-ceiling in scaffolding. You can still walk around much of the church (the area that circles behind the platform/pulpit-area is can't-miss), but some of the grandeur is occluded. Regardless, still a beautiful church. Same could be said of St John's the Divine on the upper west side.

Can't say enough about Central Park. So clean, open, and functional. Plus the leaves were beginning the change. Great to see people relaxing and enjoying themselves there. Several pre-wedding pics occuring on the weekday we were there, which isn't surprising other than to imagine how many more occur there on the weekends. Sheep Meadow is a sight to behold. I didn't want to leave that spot and its view south.

We Seinfeld'ed it up w/ a chocolate babka and some b&w cookies near the Flatiron bldg. The cookies were meh, ha/ha.

I found the subway system convenient and easy to use...an impressive transportation system.

Great views from Top of the Rock. Same for ESB, but Top of the Rock clearly gets the nod over ESB. We bought the express pass for ESB, getting to avoid all lines. I figured it would help us skip the initial line inside the ESB (having no idea of cours, all the various lines that actually exist inside the ESB), but it allows you to skip all the different lines you encounter...the intial line into the building, the 2nd floor security line, the line for the cheesy green-screen pic, the line for the elevator to the 80th floor, the line for the elevator to the 86th floor, the line for the elevator to the 102nd floor, and any lines for all elevators that take you back to the bottom of the ESB. You have an express pass and they wave you to the front of all lines. You always hear suggestions of when to go/not go to the ESB based on times of the day that are busier than others, but w/ the express pass you go whenever you want, regardless of it being a typically busy time of the day.

[Hogfly]

Curious where you ate? That's usually one of our main decisions when we travel, so I'm always interested in other people's choices, especially if they're trying to eat local and non-tourist.

[McKdaddy]

We enjoyed a stroll across the Brooklyn Bridge. In Brooklyn we walked through the brownstones in Columbia Heights, as well as along the Promenade. Very peaceful area. A lot of wedding pics were being taken along the Promenade, as well as by the Prospect Park carousel. Made sure to eat Juliana's Pizza, which is the original owner of Grimaldi's and recently opened in the long-time Grimaldi's location, when Grimaldi's current owner had recurring late-rent issues and was forced to move. So while tourists are waiting in line, 20-30 people deep, to eat Grimaldi's, you walk right into Juliana's for the real deal.
Interesting back-story on this:
http://www.grubstreet.com/2012/10/pizza-legend-patsy-grimaldi-gets-his-good-name-back.html

The wife wanted to do the Today Show thing...yeah, yeah, ratings are poor and few watch anymore, but she's an avid fan -- its what she grew up watching in the mornings, and continues to do so. They do so many camera shots and drops during the show (e.g. "I'm Sally from Georgia, here for my anniversary, WOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!) that everyone gets on tv as some point. It was early and cold as a witch's tit, but neat to see how it comes together.

Carnegie Hall is a fairly non-descript building. I wouldn't recommend the tour. One bummer is that there wasn't a performance during our week there that I just had to see.

Can't say enough about the beauty of the library. Fantastic building. Great place for exploring, and seeing all its ceiling designs and architecture.

Obviously Grand Central is an experience. Try the Apt Bar, just don't wear tennis shoes or a ballcap, ha.

5th Ave from ESB to the Apple store/FAO was as crowded w/ tourists (I assume they were mostly tourists) as anyplace we visited in Manhattan.

Enjoyed getting lost in the West Village area. Very quiet and leafy area to stroll.

Chinatown has really taken over Lil Italy. Enjoyed some of the back-streets of each.

Soho on a Sunday afternoon was very relaxing, strolling w/ a cup of joe amongst all the open-door art galleries and sidewalk exhibitions.

The High Line was a unique experience. I very much appreciate that recommendation on here.

Seeing the pigeon man at Washington Sq was unique....and weird. I tried to take a pic of the chess dudes, but got chastised, ha. "That'll be $5 bucks!!!" I'd like to have sat nearby there for a while and listened to the conversations amongst those players, but there was a guy that obnoxiously badgered anyone walking thru the chess area to play a match for money.

Gotta do some work, but I'll provide more impressions later.

[HawgWild]

Great trip report!

When you going back? 

[McKdaddy]

Great trip report!

When you going back? 

My feet felt bruised a couple of days after arriving home. I exercise strenuously 4-5 times per week, but my feet don't get walking like that.

Shamefully, we didn't hit any of the famous museums or larger galleries. Our next trip would focus on those, as well as seeing more shows.

[McKdaddy]

Curious where you ate? That's usually one of our main decisions when we travel, so I'm always interested in other people's choices, especially if they're trying to eat local and non-tourist.

I don't remember how I stumbled upon most of the places when planning this trip. I wanted to have 2-3 restaurants ready-to-go in each area of the city, so that if we happened to be in Tribeca or financial district or soho, etc, near the lunch or dinner time, then I had some places already picked out. I know I had a couple of recs from locals that are (1) relatives of clients of mine and (2) guys I'm acquaintances with that are in my business up there.

I know I did some researching by reading local reviews, and a review might reference another restaurant as a comparison, so I'd then begin to research that restaurant also. But many, many places get good reviews, so that can get overwhelming, but it gave me a starting point. Sometimes the reviews would make mention if a place gets too "touristed", so I'd mark that place off consideration.

Having said that, we also had our fair share of restaurants chosen spontaneously.

Restaurants I'd happily recommend:
- Marco Forgione was an eclectic restaurant we enjoyed in tribeca.
- Isola Trattoria was an Italian place in soho. It looks like a greenhouse, where you can see the stars above you while dining....just a 1-story building nestled in the middle of taller ones, and frankly looks out of place.
- Maloney & Porcelli and Keen's Steakhouse were 2 places where we enjoyed a little beef. M&P, seemed to have fewer locals than most places we ate, but still didn't seem like many tourists.
- Juliana's Pizza in Brooklyn.
- Fraunces Tavern in the finically district, near the SI Ferry.
- We had an excellent pastrami near the Love sculpture, but I can't recall its name this second.
- the street meat was as good as it smelled.

[McKdaddy]

The SI Ferry was nice. It is free and less crowded than I had anticipated. Of course, we were told to avoid it at the going to & coming from work hours.

We stumbled upon the Love sculpture. That sure is a popular place for pics...I'd go so far to compare its popularity to that of the Bull in the financial district -- if I were simply measuring based upon the numbers in the throng standing around waiting for their turn for a pic.

Battery Park is still under a lot of repair from Sandy. Much of the park is blocked-off from walking thru.

I took a clichéd pic with the bull -- everyone in my biz has taken this pic at one time or another, so my wife deemed I too needed to pose w/ it. I tried to talk my way out, but she would hear none of it, ha. Too many people found it cool to slide under the bull for a pic w/ its balls...but that's just my crotchety 40-yr old opinion, ha/ha.

It was interesting to google some Sandy flood pics for some of the areas we visited to imagine where/how far/how high the water got.

[LSUFan]

If you have kids, China Town Fish Markets are incredible!

The live seafood is incredible.

But beware, you can buy crappie for like $2.99/lb but won't have anyway to get them back home.

[McKdaddy]

If you have kids, China Town Fish Markets are incredible!

The live seafood is incredible.

But beware, you can buy crappie for like $2.99/lb but won't have anyway to get them back home.

It was a great walk-thru without kids (we left them at home).

[twistitup]

http://www.shortysnyc.com/