New York City

The FW and I will be making our first trip to NY. If anyone has been there we are looking for some advice, tips would be appreciated.What to visit, where to stay, where to go, where not to go.

Thanks

Best place to eat-hands down is the Dallas BBQ… ABOSLUTELY amazing

Never go to try and buy something in Chinatown where people have to take you into basements so you can shop….my dad and some others got locked inside a basement for awhile one day

I just enjoyed all the different cultures. We had authentic pizza in little Italy one day. Didn’t eat in Chinatown, but wandered around there. We were there shortly after 911 so listening to the stories from the locals was amazing. We hit a lot of little pubs and such where I’m quite sure we met several mafia members. It was a fun visit, but not some place I care to go back to often, if ever. The locals were surprising friendly. We hit all your typical tourist destinations, Central Park, Train station, Xmas tree/skating rink blah, blah, blah. Took the wife to Tiffany’s and teased her with jewelry she’ll never own.

Look into the New Yorker. It is in the center roughly of Manhattan. You can pretty much walk anywhere from there or it is right above a main line for the subway. If you want to do touristy things like ellis island you should show up early. I don’t believe you can reserve tickets in advance. We went early and got tickets for later in the day. Ground Zero is worth it… if you are up to it. You could also see a show. In Time Square you can wait in line for discounted tickets for that day’s shows or talk with a concierge if you are willing to pay full price. You can save a lot of money if you can figure out the subway. It isn’t too hard. You can buy metro cards at any of the stations.The central park zoo is nice and I think it is either free or relatively cheap. Have a great trip… oh and by the way if someone offers you a rolex our of their coat … they aren’t the real thing.

try not to buy anything in the city you don’t have to, batteries, personal things, whatever.. go find a nice delicatessen and get a pastrami sandwich

if you fly into JFK don’t take the train into the city, it’s kind of sketchy going through the “combat zone”. The taxi ride can suck, sometimes 2-3 hrs in traffic but it beats the subway ride for me. and don’t plan on renting a car either if you can help it, just take the train or cab everywhere. If you go to broadway st don’t bother eating there, you can usually do better.

Do not drive into Manhatten unless you have your “Little Johny” with. No place to park, stop or use a rest room. This I found out the hard way.

How about a place to stay,any recomendations?

I have been staying at St Giles Court/Tuscany. It is an old apartment converted to a hotel. Large rooms for NYC, great location a block from Grand Central Station. It doesnt have much of a lobby, restaurants, bar and such, but if you just want a great room for a cheap price, this place is perfect.

If you want the best Deli sandwich of your life, go to Katz Deli on E. Houston St. I have eaten hundreds of sandwiches from there. I recommend the Pastrami on Rye. Great steaks at Peter Luger’s just over the Williamsburg Bridge in Brooklyn. McCann’s Bar just across the street from MSG. If you want some great places that are off the beaten path, shoot me a pm. I can go on and on. I sure do miss home sometimes. Have a great trip.

PM Sent