NYC travel tips

[DevO]

I'm driving to NYC with a van-load of people in late March to attend this conference. (And hopefully to see Dave Brubeck). I've only been to NYC once before, for the New Years when Phish came back from the hiatus. We were unprepared and under-resourced and it went a lot like Levon Helm describes in The Last Waltz:

“New York is an adult portion. You go there the first time and you get your ass kicked, so you take off till it heals up, then back you go again.â€

Round Two!

I imagine that parking is expensive and difficult in NYC, and was wondering how people usually go about this.. Would you recommend parking the car somewhere outside Manhattan for a few days and taking public transport into the city?

Can anyone recommend a hostel or cheap hotel? The conference is at Colombia, so closer to that will be ideal.

Any other NYC tips or ancient secrets would be most appreciated. Thanks!

[phishtaper]

Would you recommend parking the car somewhere outside Manhattan for a few days and taking public transport into the city?

If you are going to be staying in Manhattan, then no. Unless the van is oversized, you can get parking in most lots for $25 to $30 / day with no in/out privileges. Whenever I drive into NYC, I plan on unloading, parking the car for the whole period, and using cabs everywhere.

It's New York City. It's going to be expensive. Don't spoil your time there by worrying about spending more than you think you should.

As for recommendations, Im sure you already have a list of things / places you'd want to see but I'd say check out Greenwich Village during the day, Times Square at night, the Letterman Theater, Chinatown, and lower Central Park (Strawberry Fields is at 72nd (?) and Central Park West). All quite touristy, but musts.

[Big Wooly Mammoth]

I’ve stayed in Secaucus a few times. I highly recommend staying there. It’s a 15 minute bus ride from Port Authority, which is centrally located and can easily get you on the NY subway which is a good system, and safe these days. The buses to/from are very convenient and frequent. I was there last August and booked the hotel through Priceline. Stayed at the Hyatt Place for approx $80 a night. I highly recommend going through Priceline. There’s a bunch of hotels near each other in Secaucus, all convenient to the bus stops (like within a couple of blocks at most). The area is called Harmon Meadows IIRC. Hotels in NYC are crazy expensive. The buses back to NJ run until at least midnight daily. You can check the Port Authority schedule for more details. There are some topics around here about Priceline. Can add more info later if you need it.

[bradm]

Any other NYC tips or ancient secrets would be most appreciated.

Be careful when you go into the subway, as they have different entrances for different trains and different trains' directions, and you often can't easily change platforms if you go in the wrong entrance (as you can on the TTC, for example, which allows you go to from one direction's platform to the other direction's platform without having to exit and re-enter the station).

Aloha,

Brad

[The D Funk]

one word: Mcsorleys!! you have to hit it up, olderst bar in the city and never dissapoints!! only 2 types of beer light and dark! also Kev i am heading to live in south korea in 10 days on a 12 month teaching contract do u have any tips, secrets or advice for me??

[AD]

some friends of mine stayed at the Pod Hotel somewhere downtown NYC two weeks ago and came back with some lovely bedbugs. I would stay away from there at all costs.

[Davey Boy 2.0]

I'd park in jersey and take public transport into the city, you avoid traffic and it's cheaper

[Velvet]

Les Paul plays every Monday night at the Iridium in Times Square for about $40.

The Paul Reed Smith Band plays every Tuesday night at the Hard Rock Cafe. That's free.

[RobL]

I was just in NYC two weekends ago. priceline.com is great for good deals on hotels. you can place bids etc. we stayed at the st james on 45th and 7th. www.hotelstjames.net

time square was right their... was it the nicest hotel.. meh!! clean room. elevator was slow. but we were right in the middle of the action and it was 119 bucks a night for right downtown time sqaure so i am not complaining. lot's of good eats on 9th ave. my gf is quite the organizer thank goodness haha so she made this list of attractions we attended with times etc.

RCMUSIC HALL tour

Hours:

Monday through Sunday:

11:00am - 3:00pm

Prices:

$17 regular

$14 for senior citizens

$10 for children 12 years & under

Daily Tour tickets are sold at the Radio City Avenue Store. Advanced Tour tickets for

future dates are sold through Ticketmaster and the Box Office only.

Alex Gray Cosm

Cosm and microcosm gallery open Tuesday-Saturday 11-6pm admission is $5

212-564-4253

Chapel of Sacred Mirrors, 542 West 27th Street, 4th Floor ,

NY NY 10001 212 564 4253

status of liberty

Getting There

The nearest subway stops to the Statue of Liberty are Bowling Green on the

4/5 line; Whitehall Street on the N/R line; and South Ferry on the 1

(make sure to be in the first 5 cars of the subway to exit at South Ferry

station). Exit the station and follow the signs to Castle Clinton where you

can purchase tickets to the ferry to the Statue of Liberty.

Although there is no admission to Liberty State Park, you will have to purchase

a ferry ticket to get there. Ticket prices for the ferry are as follows:

Adults: $11.50

Senior Citizens (62 and over): $9.50

Children 4-12: $4.50

Children Under 4: Free

Ferry to Liberty Island

Ferries to Liberty Island run from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. The island closes at

6:00 pm and the last ferry returns to Battery Park around 6:30 pm. Ferry

schedules are often changed so be sure to look at the official ferry schedule.

Statue of Liberty Tours

Once you get to Liberty Island you will be able to walk around freely. If you

would like to have someone explain the area to you, the Observatory and

Promenade Tours are both led my park rangers. The Promenade Tour takes you

through the Statue of Liberty Museum, where you can see the original torch.

It also takes you to Fort Wood and gives you plenty of time to take pictures.

The Observatory Tour includes everything in the Promenade Tour plus a trip to

the observation balcony, where you can see the internal structure of the statue

and experience the amazing views of NY Harbor.

There is also a self-guided audio tour for people that want to experience the

statue and its history at their own pace.

BODIES - Exhibit (which was pritty freeky)

EXHIBIT INFORMATION

South Street Seaport Exhibition Centre

11 Fulton Street,New York, NY, 10038

(at the corner of Front Street)

Adult $26.50 $27.50 (day/wkend)

by subway - Take 2, 3, 4, 5, J, Z, or M to Fulton Street; A and C to Broadway-Nassau.

Walk east on Fulton Street to Water Street

by bus - Take M15 (South Ferry-bound) down Second Ave. to Fulton Street

Empire state bldg - Location: Fifth Avenue at 34th Street

86th Floor Observatory:

The 86th floor Observatory, 1,050 feet (320 meters), reached by high speed,

automatic elevators, has both a glass-enclosed area, which is heated in winter

and cooled in summer, and spacious outdoor promenades on all four sides of the

Building. High powered binoculars are available on the promenades for the

convenience of visitors at a minimal cost. Souvenir counters are also located

in the 86th floor observatory. The 86th floor observatory is handicap accessible.

102nd Floor Observatory:

The 102nd floor Observatory has reopened as of November 1, 2005.

Admission tickets are sold at the Observatory ticket office located on

the 2nd floor of the building and also on the 86th Floor at a cost of $15.00

in addition to regular admission tickets.

Observatory Hours:

Open daily 365 days a year.

8:00am to 2:00am 7 days a week. Last elevators go up at 1:15am.

Admission Prices at the Building:

ESB Express Pass $41.52 (+$3.48 Tx)

Adults (18-61) $17.61 (+$1.39 Tx)

ESB Audio Tour $6.46 (+$.54 Tx)

MOMA

The Museum is open during the following hours:

Hours*

Friday 9:30 a.m.–9:00 p.m.

Saturday 9:30 a.m.–9:00 p.m.

Sunday 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

Monday Closed

Tuesday 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

Wednesday 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

Thursday 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

Admissions

Includes Museum galleries, all special exhibitions, guided tours,

gallery talks, family programs, and same-day visit to The Cloisters

Suggested

Adult $20

Senior (65 and older) $15

Student $10

Directions to Main Building

By Subway/Bus

From The Cloisters: Take the M4 bus directly to 82nd Street and Fifth Avenue.

From East Side of Manhattan: Take the train to 86th Street and walk three

blocks west to Fifth Avenue; or take the M1, M2, M3, or M4 bus along Fifth

Avenue (from uptown locations) to 82nd Street or along Madison Avenue (from

downtown locations) to 83rd Street.

From West Side of Manhattan: Take the train to 86th Street, then the M86

crosstown bus across Central Park to Fifth Avenue.

From Penn Station: Take the M4 bus to 83rd Street and Madison Avenue.

See the MTA website for bus and subway maps.

Museum of Natural History

The American Museum of Natural History is located at Central Park West

and 79th Street in New York City.

The Museum is open daily, 10:00 a.m.—5:45 p.m.

The Rose Center remains remains open until 8:45 p.m. on the first Friday

of every month.

The Museum is closed Thanksgiving and Christmas.

suggested museum price !!

Adults: $15.00

Children (2-12): $8.50

Senior/Student with ID: $11.00

Main Entrance (79th St. at Central Park West): Every day from 10 a.m. – 5:45 p.m.

Subway Entrance (Lower Level): Every day from 10 a.m. – 5:45 p.m.

Rose Center Entrance (81st St. between C.P.W. and Columbus Ave.):

Sunday – Thursday, 10 a.m. – 5:45 p.m.; Friday 10 a.m. – 8:45 p.m.

The 77th St. Entrance (between C.P.W. and Columbus Ave.) is not currently open

to the public. The 77th St. Entrance is open for special events and education

programs only.

The Weston Pavilion Entrance (Columbus Ave. and 79th St.) will be open both

weekdays and weekends from July 1 through Labor Day.

Central Park

Wander around neighbournoods.

Wander around South Street Seaport;

stroll along the Hudson River greenways;

cross the Brooklyn Bridge by foot;

walk around the Battery in Lower Manhattan and

take the free Staten Island Ferry for great views of the Statue of Liberty;

enjoy the gorgeous Grand Central Terminal and its cheap eats as well;

schedule a tour at the Federal Reserve Bank; visit Ground Zero.

TKTS BOOTHS for broadway plays

1. The Times Square Booth sells day-of-performance tickets only.

2. The South Street Seaport Booth sells tickets to evening performances

on the day of the performance, and matinee tickets the day before.

TKTS accepts only cash, travelers checks or TKTS Gift Certificates. Both

locations sell tickets at 50%, 35%, and 25% off full-price

(plus a $4.00 per ticket service charge, which helps support other TDF

services and programs). Availability and ticket inventory change throughout

the day and at the discretion of individual productions.

Times Square

Temporary location at the Marriott Marquis Hotel during the renovation of

Duffy Square: West 46th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue

Hours:

For evening performances:

Monday - Saturday: 3pm - 8pm

Sundays: 3pm until one-half hour before the latest curtain time being sold

For matinee performances: Wednesdays and Saturdays: 10am - 2pm Please note: no evening tickets are sold from 10am to 2 pm at Times Square.

Sundays: 11am - 3pm

Public Transportation:

By subway:

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, N, R,W, A ,C to Times Square

SOUTH STREET SEAPORT - At the corner of Front and John Streets, near the rear of the

Resnick/ Prudential Building at 199 Water Street.

Hours:

For evening performances: Monday - Saturday: 11am - 6pm

Sundays: CLOSED UNTIL SPRING

PLEASE NOTE: Matinee tickets are sold the day before at South Street Seaport:

Wednesday Matinee on Tuesday

Saturday Matinee on Friday

Sunday Matinee on Saturday

Tickets are sold on Sunday for evening performances only.

Saturday operating hours are 11am to 6pm and tickets are sold for Saturday

evening and Sunday matinee performances.

Friday operating hours are 11am to 6pm and tickets are sold for Friday

evening and Saturday matinee performances.

Public Transportation:

By subway:

J,M,Z,2,3,4,5 to Fulton Street A,C to Broadway-Nassau

By bus from Midtown:

M15 downtown on 2nd Avenue to South Street Seaport.

STRAWBERRY FIELDS

Strawberry Fields is located at Central Park, New York City.

(Entrance is on the corner of 72nd Street, Central Park West,

just accross from Dakota Apartment.)

How to get there >>

Subway:1, 2, 3 72nd Street & Broadway OR B(Weekdays 6am-10:30pm only),

C(Except 11:30pm-5:30am) 72nd Street & Central Park West

David Letterman - online form to aply or apply in person - contact by phone !

http://www.freenyc.net/

http://nymag.com/urban/guides/nyonthecheap/

time out mag NYC

Edited February 25, 2008 by Guest

[Jakis]

The st. james hotel is great. Its right in times square at 45th and 6th. Rob.debob stayed there recently. Its a good price also at around 120 I believe.

[Velvet]

Status Of Liberty. I like that a lot.

[bradm]

Status Of Liberty. I like that a lot.

I could see that being worked into a campaign speech..."My opponents are concerned with symbols, but let me tell you: I'm more concerned about the status of liberty in this country than the Statue of Liberty."

Aloha,

Brad

[DevO]

Holy smokes, thanks everyone! Unfortunately we won't have much time for tourist attractions this time 'round but we will have a few nights out and time to get some good meals into us. Maybe we'll track down the soup nazi or somethin. Anyone have any experience with NYC hoStels? There are enough of us that we'll probably be trying to book out a dorm room at a hostel (around 10 beds).

[AD]

i think the soup place is closed....

edt - yup

Edited February 25, 2008 by Guest
SOUP!

[RobL]

www.bigapplehostel.com which is two addresses down from st james.. right downtown time square.. has a deck in the back to chill aswell.. i stayed their two new years ago. great price and great local.

[Blurry]

Nice thread KevO!

Mud and I will be heading there in 2 weekends (Thurs night, Fri, Sat and Sun) - I'd be happy to hear any other suggestions.

[jaybone]

I'm going to be in NYC that same weekend for a friend's wedding. That list of attractions and prices/times will come in handy for what little down time we have to explore the city. Thanks Debob!

[Biggest Fan]

There are places right across the river in Jersey City NJ (very nice and clean) which are very affordable w/ free parking. There are twenty-four hour a day trains that takes you to the World Trade Center area among other stops. I was there last year I believe the the rooms were suites. 'Candlewood Suites' are about 130 a night.

Edited February 25, 2008 by Guest

[jaybone]

I have some friends who are renting apartments for that weekend. That might not be a bad option for a van load of people on a budget. I think fluffhead77 is looking in to that option.

[Jaimoe]

Les Paul plays every Monday night at the Iridium in Times Square for about $40.

I think Les will make 100, but catch him if you have the chance. No words of praise are good enough.

Also, check out The Blue Note in Greenwich Village - one hell of a jazz club. Just explore Greenwich Village. I could live there.

[bradm]

Also, check out The Blue Note in Greenwich Village - one hell of a jazz club. Just explore Greenwich Village. I could live there.

The Village Vanguard should also be checked out. I was NYC for a couple of days in 2003, and (after seeing an ad for the show in Tower Records) caught Bill Frisell Trio there.

Aloha,

Brad

[phishtaper]

and dont forget to eat a black and white cookie.

[Jaimoe]

Does anyone know if the CBGB building is still there, with the signs still intact? If so, get down and check out this iconic club before it meets the wrecking-ball. It's also a few blocks from Greenwich Village, so you can head over to explore some fine bars and clubs afterwards.

[M]

Here is the show listings I use for when I'm in NYC:

www.ohmyrockness.com

[deranger]

you can park in in NYC, no problem, even a van. Every time I go, parking is never a problem. Certain residential streets have daily restriction, like no parking Tues. and Fri. or Mon. and Thurs. For sure between 70th and 85th. I parked my rental car in the same spot for 3 days and 2 nights - Fri. afternoon till Sunday afternoon NO PROBLEM in front of a bunch of brownstones and no breaking in.

It may take a few laps around the block but patience will be rewarded.