I'm headed up to NJ on business May 4-8 and I figured it would be a good time to take the g/f to New York for both our first time. I'll be in the big apple May 8-11. I've already got a nice hotel booked. Now, I just need suggestions on things to do. I know there are a million, and I'm sure we will do the usual. But, what would you suggest is either:
1) A Absolute Don't MISS
or
2) Off the beaten path. Something I may not have heard of.
Thanks for the input.

The Transportation Museum in Brooklyn is pretty neat. It gives the history of the NY subway system.

Since you are there during the week. Lines might not be too long for the Statue and Ellis Island...more for Ellis Island.

The Cloisters is a nice place outside of the city if you want to take the train that far up.

Also, go up either Empire or Rockefeller Center for the views. Rockefeller is better in my opinion.

Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Natural History sre don't miss places and you're right next to Central Park.

For an out of the way place for tourists, take a train to the New York Botanical Gardens and then walk over to The Bronx Zoo. Or go to Prospect Park in Brooklyn.

If you like art, see The Frick Collection.

not that it matters much, but the cloisters are still in manhattan...just WAAAAY north, just south of Inwood Park.

Take the subway to the Brooklyn side of the Brooklyn bridge, then walk back across the bridge to Manhattan for cool views and a great experience.

I was there last summer and took a day to enjoy Brooklyn. It was great. I started the morning walking across the Brooklyn Bridge and then did a recommended walk through Brooklyn out of the Lonely Planet: NYC book. It was something different that many tourist don't do.

I loved the ferry to the Statue of Liberty and taking most of a day in Central Park is amazing.

Sort of off the beaten path is the oldest continously operating bar in the US, McSorelys. Walking in there was liking walking through a time warp. It was a great experience.

McSorleys

I hope you used priceline for your room. If not, you might want to cancel it and book with priceline.

You can get a 4* room in midtown or times square for $110 - $130.

http://www.betterbidding.com/

Agree with walking the Brooklyn Bridge and checking out the views from atop Rockefeller Center. (Crowds aren't as big and wait isn't as long as ESB and you get great 360 degree views - unobstructed views of Central Park on one side and then downtown on the other, including a great view of the ESB itself which you obviously can't get when you're on its deck)

Get away from the touristy areas and walk through some neighborhoods to get a truer "New York" feel.

Don't be intimidated by the Subway, it's easy to figure out, safe, and really economical.

Plenty of "touristy" things to do that are must-do's. That's why they are "touristy".

- Take the Circle Line boat ride around the island
- See a show and have a post-show dinner in the Broadway district
- Walk the Brooklyn Bridge
- Find a great neighborhood restaurant to grab lunch
- Picnic at Central Park
- Museums, etc.

Alright Aggie00, I see you correcting and dissaproving, and I frequent the H&F board, so I know you live in NY. SO, how bout you give me some REAL advice. My g/f and I are both very physically active. We both would like to run around central park a couple of times. Besides that, do you have any good suggestions? Nice place to grab a couple drinks? sights off the beaten path...

Wessimo- I did one better, I got a 4* for $100 a night. It's not in times square, but its close.

[This message has been edited by SanAngeloAg16 (edited 4/3/2009 12:50p).]

If you want another place to go for a run in Manhattan after Central Park, I would check out Riverside Park. Beautiful and less busy than Central Park.

If you want some good views of the city you can take the Roosevelt Island tram. Brooklyn has a lot to offer and a lot of areas to explore. Brooklyn Heights and the Bay Ridge near the Verrazzano Bridge have some good stuff to look at. I took my parents into a Russian area of Brooklyn, Brighton Beach and they really enjoyed that. It is the last subway stop and right near the Brooklyn Aquarium and Coney Island. You can also see Queens and a lot of cool areas with different cultures by getting on the 7 train.

I have a lot of other suggestions, those were just some of the ones that weren't mentioned and are a little more off the beaten path.

San Angelo: I'm guessing once you get to your hotel and venture to Times Square you'll be glad you're not staying in the midst of that. Unless you like really brightly lit chain restaurants.

Wapa's comment on taking the 7 into Queens is a pretty neat suggestion. We stayed in Flushing once and taking the 7 back into town really gives you a taste of how multicultural New York ,and Queens in particular, is.

If you area active, I'd suggest waiting till after dark and then running over the Brooklyn Bridge. If you want a pretty good/tough run (I love it at night) the BMW run is good (Brooklyn-Manhattan-Williamsburg bridges). I can map it out if you are at all interested. The city looks amazing from the bridges at night.

I second the suggestion of Riverside Park. Just stay below 125th st. While up there you can check out Riverside Church and Grant's Tomb.

The loop in Prospect Park is also nice (Brooklyn). Van Cortlandt Park is THE place to run XC in NYC. Many, many famous runners have pounded the trails out there.

We have a saturday run out of Niketown (57th btwn 5th & Madison) that leaves at 9:30 am. It'll be an organized run through central park. I'm only in charge of the weekday runs, but the store organizes the saturday runs. They have bag check, shoe trials, & post run refreshments.

as far as bars, its tough to make suggestions b/c I don't know what you like. I tend to end up at lounges and dive bars. I hate clubs and trendy type places.

i do like this place: http://www.bar89.com/. Coolest bathrooms in NYC. Decent food, cool place. I'd suggest making reservations.

My favorite restaurant in the city is http://www.kumainn.com/. Get the Edamame. Get the garlic rice. The baby octopus is good as well. You'll need reservations. They are closed on mondays. You'll miss the place if you don't know its there....its upstairs and TINY It's byob, so grab a bottle of wine.

If you like live music, stop in Rockwood Music Hall on Allen btwn Houston and Stanton after dinner at kuma inn. Tiny little place that has amazing sound. Artists like Ryan Adams, The Killers, Norah Jones, etc have stopped in and played surprise sets. If whoever is playing isn't that great, move to the back room and sit in the movie theater seats at the table by the window and people watch.

I'm not sure when Luna Park (in Union Square) opens back up, but if its open, its a great place to have drinks outside. Also, check out the boat basin for outside drinks.

I'm a sucker for the Bronx Zoo. Worth a trip up there if you have the time.

Coney Island is kind of crappy, but can still be fun. Although it would be a little early in the season for that.

The Staten Island Ferry is free and will get you close enough to the statue of liberty if you don't want to wait in line for hours for the tour boats. Just get right back on the ferry b/c there isn't anything on SI worth staying for.

that's a start...give me more info on what you like to do and what kind of places you would typically hang out at and I can probably give you more info.

[This message has been edited by AggieOO (edited 4/3/2009 3:21p).]

Thumbs up for Aggie00. Thats the kind of review I'm talking about.

I'll get on later tonight and try to give you a better idea of what I like to do, etc. but for the record, I'm not a big club goer either. My favorite place in CS was Obannon's. Live bands are good too, Catching Ryan Adams would be amazing.

quote:

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Catching Ryan Adams would be amazing.

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it'd be REALLY amazing now since he "retired" from music.

ttt