Having taken a lot of good tips from this forum before our trip I thought it only right that I post a short (?) report to share our experience of the NY.
We arrived into JFK from London at around 11:00 am in the morning. I have to say I was surprised at how old and in need of renovation the airport was. In my mind I expected it to be a modern pristine place. Note, this is just an observation and in is in no way a minus point. The queues through immigration were long but we were so excited to be in NY we weren’t really all that bothered.
Although most of the advice on this forum is to take a taxi into Manhattan we decided to brave the shuttle bus. We are glad we did. The ground transportation desk was very helpful and we had a shuttle within a matter of minutes. The journey cost $35 in total for two us, including tip. Our driver was very knowledgeable and gave us an insight into the city whilst we were travelling as well as tips on good places to eat etc. We were the second drop off at the Shelburne Murray Hill Hotel but we would not have been bothered if it had taken longer as we were early anyway and enjoyed the ride around. Unless you are in a big hurry I would recommend the shuttle - strange I know!
Our Hotel room was not ready so we just dumped our luggage and went exploring. We arrived on the 1st September and stayed until Labour Day and the weather was just glorious the whole time. We immediately went to the ESB which was just a few blocks away from our hotel but the lines were out of the building so we just took pictures and continued walking. Although lots of people on here had itineraries we did not have one and our plan was just to “end up where we ended up”. I would agree that the best way to see the city is on foot. On that first afternoon we walked all the way up to 60th street (whilst criss crossing Madison, Park and Lexington and fifth) and didn’t even realise how far we had gone. We went in and out of the shops, visited the Rockafeller Centre and marvelled at the traffic carnage on Broadway. New York traffic is just sooo nuts some days we had to laugh at the driving and the braveness of the pedestrians. The strange thing is after a few days you find yourself doing it too – just stepping out into the road even if the little man isn’t flashing white! Talking about Broadway, we noticed that the line for cheap tickets was huge everyday (and I mean really long down the street) so if you intend to take advantage I would recommend you get there early. For those of you who need to check you mail/surf the net whilst you are in NY the Times Square visitor centre has five or six terminals sponsored by Yahoo. You can get ten minutes free surf time which is handy.
We wondered back to the hotel and checked into our room and after a quick freshen up hit the streets again. This time we took a wondered along 33rd street all the way to Broadway. We checked out a few of the electrical shops and the Manhattan Mall. We also had a browse around Macy’s. Not far away is the Toys R Us store. Have to admit we spent a 20 minutes or so in there just looking at the big ferris wheel and toys. The store is huge and a definite stop if you have kids. Times Square is also great for souvenirs and T Shirts etc. Our best bargain was 7 T shirts for $10 and 3 baseball caps for $10. Hunt up and down the shops before you buy though – the next one always has something cheaper. Took a walk up 42nd Street and was pleased to see Samuel L Jackson hanging around outside Madame Tussauds. Not the real one unfortunately, but it was worth a picture anyway.
We again strolled back to our hotel and passed Bryant Park which was still busy with people chatting, relaxing and generally enjoying the summer evening. It was just nice to soak up the atmosphere. Another thing we noticed was how the city has chairs and benches in public places for people to just sit down and relax. For example, outside the public library. We loved this and took the opportunity every now and then just to sit and absorb.
As we got closer to our hotel we got hungry and so we stopped off at The Old Bridge Deli on the corner of 41st and Lexington. If there is one thing I will miss about NY it’s the great food at the Deli’s. That night I had a Cajun chicken sandwich and my husband had a bacon cheeseburger with the works. It all cost less than $10 and I was so full I thought I would never eat again. However, we went back a few more times over our stay for fresh fruit, bagels and salads – yummy!
The next day we had pre-booked tickets for the 2 hour circle line tour. We left the hotel at around 9:00 and walked all the way down 42nd Street to Pier 83. It didn’t take very long and on the walk we mingled in with the tourists and normal New Yorkers getting breakfast and going to work. Before I forget I should say now, for all of you who are worried about walking around the city we felt very safe at all times. Of course, exercise common sense but really the whole time we were there we felt very safe and had no qualms about walking around even after dark. Police are in abundance and are very friendly enough to let you take pictures of them (I saw other tourists doing this).
We arrived at the Pier at around 9:45 but as the tour wasn’t until 11:30 we walked a little way back up 42nd street to have breakfast at a little place called the Broadway diner. It seemed to be family run and we had a filling breakfast with great service for less than $10. A tip for those of you wanting to take the Circle Line Tour: The two hour tour runs twice a day 11:30 and 3:30. If you want to get the 11:30 I would suggest you get there early as it gets pretty full up quickly and if you miss out you then have to wait until 3:30. There isn’t much to do around Pier 83 so you would have to leave and come all the way back later.
The Tour was great. The sun was beating down and we had excellent views of the financial district, the Statue of Liberty, The Bridges and the East Side. Our guide was very informative and we found it a good way to obtain lots of information about the city with no effort required on our part – just sit and enjoy.
It was far too hot to walk anywhere when we got off the boat so we took the M42 cross town bus all the way from Pier 83 to the United Nations building on 1st Avenue. It only cost $2 for the trip – a bargain for air conditioned comfort and a different view of 42nd street. You will be surprised at the different things you see from bus rather than foot level. We took pictures around the UN building before strolling back to our hotel via the Chrysler building and a Deli for a container full of fresh fruit.
After a short rest we hit the road again. We stopped off at the Bank of America to change some travellers cheques. I know there have been various discussions here regarding whether T/Cheques are okay. We certainly had no problems at all using them in shops and Bank of America changed them free of charge. My only gripe would be that service in the banks seems to be really slow (we were in there for at least 20 minutes). We walked up to Bloomingdales taking in other shops along the way, criss crossed to Park Avenue and fifth to visit stores there and take pictures and also went into St Patrick’s Cathedral. What a fantastic place. We stayed in there for ages just admiring the detail. It was very calming and peaceful.
We walked back south to the ESB and entered just as the sun was setting. I would definitely recommend going at this time as the lines are nowhere near as long. It took about 45 minutes to enter the first floor, buy our ticket and then get to the top. It was quite busy when we got up there and you have to fight for a spot to take pictures but it was worth it for the view. Tip – it is quite breezy up there so take a sweater.
Had another encounter with the Old Bridge Deli before calling it a night.
Saturday was shopping day. The plan was to go to Filene’s basement and Century 21. We bought a day pass at Grand Central (cheap and easy) and then took the bus down to 14th street. On the way to Filene’s we stumbled on a street fair which ran down third avenue from 14th to 8th street. We had a lovely time just browsing the stalls, taking in the lovely food smells and sampling the fresh lemonade. We even bought a few quirky jewellery items.
We found Filene’s a couple of blocks up on Union Square and my husband had a great time buying cheap Nike and Reebok sportswear. We can definitely recommend a trip here. After Filene’s and a few other bargain shops in the area we sat in Union Square park to plot our next move. Here we got a good feel for the friendliness of New Yorkers. Dog owners talked to other dog owners, strangers talked to each other on park benches and others just chilled in the sunshine. It was fab!
Our first trip on the subway was the yellow line down to Cortland Street to go to Century 21. What the maps don’t tell you is that the station is closed so we had to get off at the next one, Rectory. Not a major problem as Rectory is only a few blocks down but you should know just in case you plan to visit.
You cannot go to Century 21 without paying respects to ground zero and so we stopped off there first. It is certainly a place for thought and reflection and we are glad that we went.
Century 21 is a total madhouse. It is not for the weak hearted and not for those who are impatient and have a short fuse. The hoards of people will drive you nuts. Having said that, if you look hard you will walk out with a bargain or two.
After Century 21 we walked down Broadway to City Hall and then over to the Courthouse. The Chambers subway was closed and so the plan was to walk to the next stop. On our way we managed to stumble upon China Town. Wow – a total throng of restaurants, tacky shops, foody smells, people, tourists, electrical shops. Loved it and would recommend a visit just to take in the atmosphere.
We caught the 6 train back up to our hotel and had a little rest before coming out later on to experience Times Square on a Saturday night. Total Mayhem, but in a good way. Most restaurants were very busy so we walked back to the Murray Hill area and ate at a thai restaurant on 34th and Lexington called the Lemongrass Grill. Reasonable prices and great food.
On Sunday the plan was to get a huge lunch Deli lunch and take it Central Park for a picnic. On the way we got caught up in a huge brazilian street fair on the streets around Times Square. It was fantastic. Lots of bright colours, scantily clad girls (my husband’s favourite bit!) food stalls and loads and loads of handbag stalls. I was like a kid in a sweetie shop and got some great bargain handbags.
We did make it to Central Park and had a lovely picnic in the sunshine. Again, we were taken in by the friendliness of the locals and the whole relaxed Sunday afternoon atmosphere.
We left on Labour Day and took a taxi to La Guardia airport for our next stop in Chicago. Cost including tip was $32.
If you are going to New York take your most comfortable walking shoes. It really is the best way to see the city. If walking is not your thing do use the buses and subway. They are not as complicated as the maps look! As you can see we are not really Museum type people (shopping and sightseeing more our thing) but we did enjoy viewing the glorious buildings and hunting out the different spots so that we could say that we had been there. Try and pack in as much as you can because time goes so quickly in New York. In one blink it is all over.
We will return and thank everybody who contributes to this forum for their tips and advice.
We just loved NYC....and would return.
Enjoyed reading your report, glad that it all worked out for you!
We just loved NYC....and would return.
the buses are really a very nice way to see more of the city if you have the time
glad you had a great time!
I usually just wing it when I go to NYC, my favourite city, but have learned so much on this forum that I will never get through all my notes next time I go. Soooo many new places to see and eat. You sound like you had the time of your lives. Great report.
Great report thank you, i really enjoyed reading how you stumbled upon most places, very relaxing i thought.
Great report..I too have used the shuttle bus from the airport on one visit and when you%26#39;re coming into the city I think it%26#39;s fine, your time schedule isn%26#39;t so tight. Looks as though you had a great time just doing what you wanted..although you walked for miles, it sounded really relaxed!
Brilliant report. Thank you! 2 weeks tomorrow til I go! Woo-Hoo!!!! :o)
Nice report. You really did a lot of serious walking, and you%26#39;re right, it%26#39;s the best way to explore. I like the buses too, except when I%26#39;m stuck in traffic.
You were lucky with the Super Shuttle. And smart not to rely on them to get you to LGA on time.
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