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      10-28-2013, 11:57 AM   #23
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LOL! I reckon the OP's going to come home 10st heavier!
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      10-28-2013, 12:06 PM   #24
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It's a shame you decided to go mid-November instead holding another week or so for Thanksgiving. The Thanksgiving Day parade is fun and Black Friday Events are epic.

+1 on visiting Virgil's BBQ restaurant; great food and reasonable prices.

P.S. If you the considering upgrading you car audio, you need to head to Canal Street. There are quite a few car audio stores where you can pick up a bargain.
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      10-28-2013, 12:10 PM   #25
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Hm Staten Island Aquarium & bronx zoo are cool attractions. There is highline park on the lower west side which is an above ground freight rail track converted into a park. I'm not sure how much time I'd spend in brooklyn or queens. Manhattan seems to be where the touristy things mostly are.
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      10-28-2013, 01:00 PM   #26
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Loads of great ideas already given but a few things come to mind.

Don't just assume the metro is the best way to get around. The buses are as simple as the city with all routes either going up and down or side to side. We got the same all day ride tickets but hardly used the metro preferring to stay above ground and see the city

If you like urban, check out the High Line http://www.thehighline.org/

Cheap shopping? Woodbury Common! Just Google it

And finally, if you like your food in huge quantities and BBQ then don't forget Famous Daves just off Times Square. The food is served on a dustbin lid and whilst there may be better BBQ in the city and whilst it is not high class dining, you will leave feeling stuffed and with a big smile on your face. If you are a vegetarian though, do not go there.



Enjoy
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      10-28-2013, 01:05 PM   #27
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If you're into basketball, I would recommend a visit to Madison Square Garden, Barclays Center and the infamous Rucker Park.

Also, buy a Yankees hat so it'll be easier to blend in with everyone else
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      10-28-2013, 01:18 PM   #28
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Don't forget all the street food! The Halal Guys on 53rd Street and 6th Ave! Or anyone of those Halal Chicken over Rice stands.
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      10-28-2013, 01:45 PM   #29
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Some very good posts!....makes me wana go now!
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      10-28-2013, 01:46 PM   #30
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Fantastic suggestions guys, really appreciate it. I saw the highline attraction earlier, definitely going to check that out. In light of everyone's comments and actually pinpointing the places I want to go to the itinerary is filling out more in the manhattan/Brooklyn area. So queens and the Bronx will be a no go for now.

Also heard of these halal guys, will check it out!

Thanks!
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      10-28-2013, 02:49 PM   #31
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If you wanted, since you are far up-town, you could take the sub-way to Brooklyn (the first stop in Brooklyn), get out and walk over the Brooklyn Bridge to come into lower Manhatten. Go left a bit as you come off the bridge and you are heading towards Ground Zero. There may be a ticket section for visits. If November is a bit like March you may get lucky in that there may be small queues (same applied to Empire State).

After your visit to Ground Zero, stroll left heading towards Battery Park, next to which is the Staten Island Ferry terminal. Take the boat, and get a good view of the Statue - for free - but I wouldn't spend a precious day on Staten Island. Look around for an hour if you like, come back and take the subway uptown where you could stop at Greenwich Village, or the National History Museum (on 81st street). Up to this point, the day has cost you about £3 on transport - not at all shabby!

Check out the ticket offices at the back of the bleechers in Times Square for the best prices for available on and off Broadway shows (I wouldn't buy any before you go - not if price is important.)

Note. If you smoke, take your own with you, it's about $18 for a packet.
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      10-29-2013, 03:47 AM   #32
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I cant see that anyone else has mentioned this, but if they have I apologise.

I would suggest one of the tourist buses that move around the city, you buy a day pass and can hop on and hop off at pretty much all the major destinations around NY. They pass pretty much every major spot, so you get a feel for the city as well.
It goes up to Harlem, and there is a separate bus that goes over the bridge to Brooklyn/Queens. As its November though, you'll want to wrap up warm to sit on the top to see everything.

As other have suggested, Rockafella is a better option than the Empire State.

Its also worth going to see a show whilst your there, Ive seen a couple when Ive been over there at different times, but last year saw Jersey Boys and was highly recommended.
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      10-29-2013, 07:43 AM   #33
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You do get a better view of downtown from the empire state though. The architecture is pretty cool too. Worth going up both imo.
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      10-29-2013, 08:16 AM   #34
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Go to the Empire State Building as early as possible. We went at 8am and it was almost empty.

By the time we came back down the queue was massive and people were told they would be waiting for over an hour. Its even worse in the evenings.

We found 30 Rock much quicker to go up in the evenings.

We found the best way to travel was the Metro also, especially in the bad weather!

If your Mrs is petite in clothes size she will love it, as loads and loads of places with proper petite clothing. My Mrs went a bit crazy with my credit card on clothes!
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      10-29-2013, 11:12 AM   #35
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Really appreciate your comments guys - it's been SO helpful. I marked a number of places on the map just to gauge what things are close together.



That's mainly for attractions.. need to put some more food places on there.

Quite handy seeing it like this though!
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      10-29-2013, 03:53 PM   #36
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The Wall Street Finance tour is also very interesting
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      11-02-2013, 09:56 AM   #37
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Check out a place called 5 pointz. The whole area is full of cool graffiti street art. Didn't end up going in the evening but it is supposed to have a nice atmosphere.

Also iirc, try the food at the chicken over rice stand at the corner of broadway and 29th street in Astoria. Supposed to be one of the best!
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      11-02-2013, 11:35 AM   #38
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Do you need visa's?
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      11-04-2013, 10:23 AM   #39
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jak_ir View Post
Check out a place called 5 pointz. The whole area is full of cool graffiti street art. Didn't end up going in the evening but it is supposed to have a nice atmosphere.

Also iirc, try the food at the chicken over rice stand at the corner of broadway and 29th street in Astoria. Supposed to be one of the best!
Hi Mate - Yeah I already had 5 pointz down to see but apparently they charge $30 to view all the graffiti?! Crazy!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Yoro35i View Post
Do you need visa's?
Yes, applied for the US waiver ESTA things. That was the main Pain the in the a55 seeing that I had to do my girlfriends without her knowing!
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      11-04-2013, 07:53 PM   #40
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just returned from there myself early Oct - and unseasonably warm it was there too - 29 & 30 deg C!!
my 3rd time there in 13 months, 7th visit now - love the place, just chilling-out and soaking-up the madness that is NYC.

Someone has already mentioned it, but I hadn't heard of the Highline until my last visit. Pleased I sought it out - fantastic what they've done.
You can do Brooklyn Bridge, Staten Island Ferry and financial district/wall st, battery park etc same day - you did need to pre-book to visit Ground Zero memorial back in Aug 12 & Mar 13 when I was there, but just this Aug seemed no pre-booking NECESSARY, although I HAD pre-booked and we seemed to whizz through much quicker.

Go take a look at Grand Central Terminal - absolutely fabulous.
Empire Hotel (just off the bottom-corner of Central Park, Columbus & 63rd St i think, has a roof-top bar, as does the Peninsula Hotel, corner of 5th Ave & 55th st, although November, will be chilly up there! It was cold in March, but mercifully very bright, dry and no wind. Worth heading up to either roof-top bar just for the experience.

You might not be fussed about Apple products, but the Apple store on 5th ave, just across from the south-east corner of central park is worth going to see - it's the one which is basically a glass cube above ground, with the store - open 24/7, below ground.

USS Intrepid Air/Space museum was great - went in 2002, but again just this Oct and so much more to see/more exhibitions, and of course they've got a Concorde and now the Space Shuttle pavilion.

Can recommend SaraBeths for breakfast or a brunch (Park South - at the bottom of c/park over towards 5th ave), but the queues can be long - especially for brunch on sat & sun - food (and service) worth it though.

Faces & Names bar on 54th st, beside the London NYC hotel was pretty-good, and the Longroom bar - can't remember where (you lose track!!) good too.
Sadly, most of SouthSt Seaport area, inc bars & restaurants, is still closed due to damage caused by hurricane Sandy last year. Heartland Brewery down there not reopening, but their site in the Empire State Building - corner 34th St & 5th ave, IS open and was ok for food, great beer-hall down in the basement - not at all as seedy as it sounds!!

Bowery Bar, Balphazar (think that's how spelt) all good.
If you're up upper west side at all, can recommend Citrus restaurant & bar for evening meal, and not sure if the Odeon bar / restaurant still open - food & atmosphere was good but going-back to '03...

Again, as others have said, get yourself up "The Top of the Rock" - Rockerfeller Centre - MUCH bigger area to walk around and enjoy the views - a less interrupted view north of Central Park, and to the south, you'll get to SEE the Empire State. However, I would also do the Empire State building if you can.

Subway and buses are simple, flat rate fare but if you're there, buy a Metrocard either fixed sum or fixed duration. Think rides are $2.25 a pop now.

I've only ever flown into/from JFK, but all yellow-cabs have a flat/fixed fee from the airports to anywhere in Manhattan - think it was $56 in Oct. Just make sure when you exit the airport building to head to one of the authorised yellow-cab stands - there'll be a guy on duty hollering/blowing a whistle to call the cabs, and probably a queue: very easy to emerge from the airport building looking like a tourist and be picked-off by one of the many taxis/private cars touting for business, nothing wrong with that, but they don't have the same flat fare guarantee. For the return to the airport, get your hotel to book a lincoln town-car company or something, or their own service if they have one - only another $10-$20 on top of regular yellow cab fare (which is NOT the same flat fare as coming in from airport, but then not THAT much more in any case).

I'm not into museums, but Nat History museum IS good - if you go, it's actually free, but there's a well-worded/shown SUGGESTED donation/entry fee. It's up to you what you pay. Good small zoo in Central Park, but not sure if it will be closed for Mid Nov. Never yet got to Guggenheim or MOMA.

Loads of top designer shops on 5th ave. Go into Armani and take a look at the amazing, self-supporting concrete sculpted staircase!
If you're intending to go to Macy's (34th St), go straight to their visitors centre on the mezzanine with your passport and use the self-service touchscreen kiosk to obtain a visitors' discount slip - think it's worth 10 or 15% of all purchases whilst you're there in Macys (i.e. over several days), but sometimes if they've got items on sale the sale discount will be more - and they usually don't offer both.

Enjoy it, and don't worry about trying to fit it all in on your first visit - you'll be going back!!!
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      11-06-2013, 08:08 AM   #41
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Thanks very much Wingco!
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      11-06-2013, 08:51 AM   #42
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Curious on why no one mentioned Chinatown.
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