New York City Gurus - local information......

[bassman]

Looking for a little (?) local info on a first time visit to New York City.  Four adults flying into New York City (which airport of the three possible would you recommend?) from Detroit in late September.

We’ve looked online at some of the “travel packages” and a little shocked at the room rates and hoping there might be something a little less pricey (less than $300/night??) in a decent location that we might have missed in our search.  Airfare is pretty much a fixed price so the only way to cut costs would be less expensive rooms.  So here is what we are looking at:

2 or 3 nights (advised to avoid Times Square area due to congestion and noise)

Want to see as many of the major sights as possible but at the top of the list - 9/11 Memorial/Museum; Statute of Liberty/Ellis Island

Any tips on a decent but inexpensive hotel and where in the city we should be staying to take advantage of a short visit but try to maximize attractions?

Shuttle recommendations to/from airport?

Any sights highly recommended?

We will not be doing any shows/plays/theater or fancy dinners - strictly sightseeing.

Is is possible to walk the city to see it or are we completely delusional in that regard?

Thinking about the hop on / hop off bus tours - good or bad?

How easy or difficult are the subways  for first timers to navigate the city?

Can we do much in a two night stay or would be be better off with three nights?

Places to eat?  Nothing fancy, just good food at a reasonable price.

As you can, tell we are pretty scattered on this trip planning but ANYTHING you can provide to make this trip easier / more productive would be GREATLY appreciated !

We’ve done 3 nighters in Nashville and New Orleans several times with no problems but I get a strong sense New York City is a much bigger elephant to try and eat !  We have a travel agent working on this but I think I can probably get better info/recommendations from locals who know the city firsthand.

TIA !!

[The emperor has no clothes]

I'm no Guru, more neophyte. But we did NYC in combination with Oss's Columbus Day ride last October. You will have a great time. We stayed at a Holiday Inn near JFK for about $125 a night. Good clean hotel. But you have to take a shuttle and a couple subway routes to get back and forth. Added a little time and money, but not much. 2 recommendations. A City Pass to get in all the places you want to see, and a subway pass. Made things much easier. Oss and G-Man will have better tips. You will have fun. I think the best meal I liked was in Chinatown . Don't get the $10 hotdog by Central Park.

[Oss]

Sometimes, if you want the true experience ya gotta pay to play  

Prices to the airports differ and its your time not mine.  If you are really cheap you can camp at Croton On Hudson right on the Hudson 30 miles north of midtown, for cheap, I mean really cheap  its a mile walk from Croton Station to the campground

I live near Westchester airport so if a price and time work out I fly from there as it always takes 2 hrs to get home from jfk or newark from the time the plane touches down on the runway (makes me nuts)  There are hotels also right near LaGuardia Airport and transportation to midtown is available if you google them.  A cab is not the worst thing in the world but if you are spending 100+ a day on cabs why not just stay where the action is and get a metrocard to ride the subway  Its what I would do.
as I value my time unless riding my motorcycle. Tnen time is irrelevant mostly

If you fly to Westchester airport, most hotels in White Plains or Tarrytown area have a shuttle to the train station either White Plains on the Harlem line of Metro North or Tarrytown on the Hudson river line (Billy Joel sang about it in NY state of mind)  Pricewise Meathead may have the cheapest other than airbnb or camping

[GiG]

Just don't let OSS pick the restaurant!
You'll end up at the only Italian joint in NYC that does not serve bracciole   

[The emperor has no clothes]

As far as the Subway system. It wasn't too hard to figure out. And surprisingly 99% of the locals were friendly and helpful. Also Oss recommended a walk over the Brooklyn Bridge. It was awesome. I don't remember which stations to get on and off of though. To be honest, I didn't really think I would enjoy NYC. But my wife has always wanted to do it. I was dead wrong. I had a great time. If you take a cab though, get the fare up front.

[DirtyDan]

I grew up in NYCs shadow

Really think about this one

Walk the city..... nuts

Subway.......rats

300 $ hotels ...... cheap

Don't trust ANYONE

Best food in the county

Dan

[The emperor has no clothes]

I grew up in NYCs shadow

Really think about this one

Walk the city..... nuts

Subway.......rats

300 $ hotels ...... cheap

Don't trust ANYONE

Best food in the county

Dan

I never encountered one rude person, excluding other tourists. Brenda and I took a cab to a movie theater in Brooklyn. Afterward walked thru the projects to the subway station. Nobody bothered us. I rather enjoyed seeing all the clothes hanging off the balconies and everything barbwired up. This was still daylight, I wouldn't do it after dark. I never felt in danger the whole 4 days there.

[G-Man]

3 days in NYC....... split it up into 3 segments.

I'd fly into LaGuardia and stay at hotel near there.  Very short cab ride into Manhattan from Queens.

Day 1: Downtown.
9/11 Memorial / Freedom Tower, Wall Street, China Town, Little Italy (very little), South Street Seaport, SoHo, Katz's Deli for lunch, China Town for dinner!

Day 2: Village > Midtown.
Greenwhich Village: Washington Square vicintiy, 8th St., Bleeker St., Spin the cube, Ray's Pizza (inside joke), Pink Pussycat, Tribeca, Meatpacking District, Madison Square garden, Empire State Building, Garment District.  

Day 3: Upper Midtown > Uptown:
Grand Central Station, Times Square, Theater District, Restaurant Row, Columbus Circle, Central Park, Rockefeller Center, American Girl (don't ask), St. Patrick's Cathedral. Upper West Side (Seinfeld), JacksonHole Wyoming for great burgers.  Dinosaur BBQ in Harlem.

No matter where you are, there will be food.  On the street, at the counter, in a booth, or at a table, you will always find something to eat.  

[Oss]

You MUST Bring comfortable walking shoes or sneakers as you will walk all day  Yeah Brooklyn Bridge is a must do. you will love it.

Check out a Broadway show either Wed matinee or any day but Monday  Pricey ?  Maybe but you cant get the experience anywhere else  Do your research 1st.    

too bad you dont have time to rent a Wing for a day or 2 as the Hudson Valley is awesome IMHO  You wont believe you can be 40-50  miles from NYC and be all alone on terrific cliff and mountain roads

I think NYC is pretty damn safe  not in the top 50 dangerous cities and manhattan is loaded with cops you can see and cant see  If you are not driving its all good  Subway is the best way around no doubt about it  with a metro card you can triple the stuff you can do and then some

[bassman]

Thank-you gentlemen - EXCELLENT input as always.  Very much appreciated !

Looking at a couple of Holiday Inns - one on Delancey and the other on Water Street.  We want to stay "in the city" and will have to pay the price as mentioned.

Great idea of the Metro cards / passes also.

G-man - are you a travel agent in disguise?  Very thoughtful 3 day itinerary !

Again, thanks very much guys   

[RainMaker]

If you go to a Broadway Play, find TKTS in Times Square for same day, half price tickets.  http://www.nyctourist.com/broadway_tkts.asp


There's also the Statue of Liberty, Battery Park, Ellis Island (great museum) and riding the Staten Island Ferry.

Even me as a Texan found the subway system easy to use and understand.  Get a pass and use the heck out of it.

Using Priceline, you can find 3.5 star hotels in the Broadway district under $200 a night.  With Express deals, found one at $160.  But it depends on when you are going, I'm sure.

I love NYC - great town, things are going on all the time and never felt unsafe.  Folks were friendly, for the most part. 

Warning - once you see a play on Broadway, you'll never be satisfied with one of the traveling shows of the same play. 

RainMaker