New York, New York

[everton]

Off to New York this weekend for work.

Having travelled through JFK numerous times, but never having ventured downtown, I'd be grateful for any pointers to;

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Must see sights
Good eating establishments
Dens of ill repute and iniquity etc, etc
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I do not intend to waste the little free time I have shopping :mad:

[antonye]

Theres a fantastic brunch place on Broadway downtown, right down the bottom end, called ODEON. They do fantastic pancakes, but anything off the menu is superb and the eggs benedict are superb too.

http://www.10best.com/New_York/Restaurants/Brunch/?businessID=11866

[mercer]

Must see sights----Chrysler building, Grand central station, has great cocktail bar , visit Empire state on a clear day and try for a table at Carmines,a superb italian restaurant [uptown]

[Ozz]

Empire State, Central Park and a Broadway show?

[JPM]

Sony building is good if you like gadgets, the obvious Empire state, get a free trip over to statten island (night is good, as you see the skyline all illuminated), Statue of liberty, as others have said Chrysler building, grand central station etc etc, if you like aircraft carriers there's one in the harbour you can look around.

Food - Virgil's BBQ and steak house, just off times square, something like 44th or 45th street, that's a real fest!

Enjoy

[antonye]

If it was me...

Get up early and get a cab to the Empire State building on 5th Ave. It's a top tip for the Empire State Building - go *early* before the tourists get there and you won't be waiting in line for hours! It's a great view and definitely get the audio tour as it's $5 and really worth the money.

Then walk north on 5th from the Empire State Building a couple of blocks and on the other side is the Chrysler building, just by Grand Central Station. Stop for a coffee in the small market at the station and then go into the ticket hall and check out the decor. Beats Kings Cross any day!

Outside you can marvel at the Chrysler, then get back onto 5th and carry on North to 45th and then turn left (west) and head down to Times Square. There's not much there except shops, but it's the amazing array of bill-boards and adverts that you go for.

I would then head back onto 5th and carry on walking North up to Central Park, and go into there and have a coffee in the park cafe, by the Zoo. You can look outside over the lake and marvel at how green and quiet it is in the park compared to where you have just been. Look up at the skyline above the trees and the amazing tall buildings that line the park - it really is an amazing sight.

This sounds like a lot of walking, and to be honest it is, but you see so much more than sitting in a cab!

[chicken]

Wifey is from NY so we know it well.

Don't go above 40th street unless you have to go shopping in the big department stores or natural history museum.

Best places for a visit:
Snug Harbour on Staten Island (free ferry from the southern tip of Manhattan). Ideally need a couple of hours min to get the best out of it.
Natural History Museum - midtown
Museum of Modern Art

Best places to eat:
Chinese - Oriental Palace (edge of chinatown)
Steak - Smith & Wollensky (midtown east-side)
brunch - 7A and others on the lower east side

Let me know if you need more. Have fun!

[chicken]

oh, and another place for food.

Bubba Gump Shrimp Co in Times Square for Seafood. Don't let the touristy veneer fool you - the food is great!

[rcgbob44]

Go to Ellis Island, well worth a visit.

IMHO I think New York is a hole!

[Ian]

What time are you arriving? - The best introduction to Manhattan is from the New Jersey shore at dusk, as the lights come on. There are quite a few boat clubs with open bars where you can get a beer and just watch Manhattan come alive.

Pete's Tavern is well worth a visit, - seems funny to go to NY to see a bar based on an English pub but it is a great place.

http://newyork.citysearch.com/profile/7087411/

You need to walk all of the villages, Chinatown, Little Italy etc. Perhaps see the Flat Iron building, - you also need to go downtown on a working day, see the financial district, (wall street is small) best time Friday night 5pm as the bars fill with NY's shrugging off the working week. It's loud. The "it" places vary week on week, you need to hook up with somebody living on the island to know where the action is, - often around new bars opening. NY's always seem to want to be the latest place.

Use the tubes to get a feel for the NY atmosphere, - don't rule out all shops, - Paragon by Union Square is an enormous sports shop.

Museum's - MOMA and The Metropolitan are great, not everybody’s cup of tea.

Ellis Island is good, gives the whole place a sense of perspective. Statue of Liberty, you need to see it but it's a big statue, - it is the view back of Manhattan that is amazing.

[Brogins]

Point C - ...after 1 am.... go to the "LIFE" down in the village.. !!!!

[kwikbitch]

Do the Empire...early! Get there for about 9.15 it opens at 9.30, once in you will queue to get down!!! saves the long queue up.
Get a yellow taxi (They are manic) down to catch the statten island ferry which is free. Get ther at dusk as the sun goes down and catch it back as she is all lit up!

Maxies just off times square is a great place to eat...share tho, the plates are HUGE and the cocktails are to die for. Bubba's is good too...You dont have to eat sea food either.

Please visit the site of the world trade centre...it is breath taking and moving all at the same time.

If you are a BIG KID then you must go skating in Central Park or Bryant Park!...DONT DO MASEY'S! Its just House of fraser with an american accent.
You have to see the Rockerfeller centre...Not on a Saturday/sunday coz it's open only weekdays.

You MUST do the subway...You cant travel in NY without having a go...it's not as seedy as you are told.

it's very London... but they love a british accent which will get you decent service;)

[Edited on 12-11-2005 by kwikbitch]

[YMFB]

Empire State is a deffo.

I liked the helicopter tour from the east side I think

So many places to eat try the steak, prime rib is my favourite and if your there for sunday find out who does the best brunch we went to a hotel, may have been a trump one fooking excellent

Have a good time