My NYC itinerary... HELP and if you're an expert now's the time to show off...

[NewYorkFirstTimer]

Looking at maps. I'll try and do block days where I'm kind of in the same area each day. Going for one week next February (I hate hot weather). I'll get a 4 day pass to do the attractions, the other days I'll just be wandering around. Little Italy, shopping and eating, drinking. I've already posted a few things but if anyone can please tell me if I'm thinking on the right lines location wise I'd really appreciate it!

Day 1 (hotel is Wall Street)
9/11 memorial
Statue of liberty ferry cruise

Day 2
Empire State Building
Museum of sex (intrigued)
Madame Tussauds

Day 3
Air and space museum
Museum of natural history

Day 4
St Patrick's Cathedral tour followed by catacombs by candlelight tour underneath
Artechouse (to the left of the island so I know this is further... it's just last on the list)

Thoughts?! I'm excited... but going alone so very nervous!!

It's definitely worth it to go to one of the skyscrapers. The advice I received was, to go on the "Top of the rock" (Rockefeller center) because from there you can see the Empire state building.

I took a cruise around the whole island. It's longer, but I loved it.
I enjoyed the natural history museum, I got Space projection.

I had 3 days and did one paid admission a day (3 entrances City pass), it was enough together with all the places to walk and see (9/11 memorial instead of the museum, highline park, bridge, central park)

Thank you. I'll probably be okay once I'm there it's just a bit daunting, I'm excellent with the London underground, even when I was drunk one time! There's just so many different colours and numbers and letters. How will I know which train is express and which is local? How do I get from JFK to Wall Street because there seems to be several different trains?! This is my main concern. I want to be able to train it to and from the airport not pay for a cab... someone said Penn Street but I need to go a little further than that according to the map.

Central Park for example. Would that be (from Wall Street) the A, C or E train to 86th street? I'll study it all properly of course and try to wrap my head around it. I've probably googled too much today and ended up frazzled!

re the cab, I do think it’s much easier than a subway to downtown. It’s a flat fee from the airport so you won’t get price gouged. iirc to get from airport to wall at, it’s the air train from airport to Jamaica center, and then get the J or Z subway line to wall street. It’s a bit of a ride and some of the areas aren’t great further out by airport so i wouldn’t recommend by yourself at night

re 86th street, it depends on which side of the park you want - if it’s museum side, the closest line is the green one -the 4/5/6. All of these go from wall street / bowling green and stop there, the 4&5 is the express so quicker

express v local - it’s the same color line, different numbers are local and express

ie red line is 1 for local, 2&3 is express (i think!)

Another ferry/boat option. Scrub the Staten Island and get a sightseeing boat from Pier 83. Do the loop that goes around bottom of Manhattan and back, so you'll see SOL, Brooklyn Bridge, UN building, the WTC site and more.

It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I found the UN building tour absolutely fascinating.

Also we thought we'd 'pop in' to the 9/11 museum, but were there for hours. It was captivating.

Have you brought a New York Pass?

New Yorker here. You got good advice on the subway above. Google Maps will also show subway routes when you're in the city.

https://maps.googleblog.com/2009/11/nyc-subway-system-on-google-maps.html#:~:text=To%20turn%20it%20on%2C%20just,%2C%20they%27re%20also%20interactive.

Your itinerary looks good. I'll offer two suggestions.

Radio City Music Hall is an art deco masterpiece right by Rockefeller Center. They offer a fab backstage tour that shows you everything behind the scenes. You even get to chat with a Rockette.

https://www.msg.com/guided-tours/radio-city-music-hall

Try to get a meal at Union Square Cafe. It's lovely, with great food and service and a very nice location by Union Square Park. Book ahead. It may be easier to get seated at lunch vs dinner.

https://www.unionsquarecafe.com/

Enjoy your visit.

If you are used to London Underground the NY subway is fine.

Statue of Liberty and Ellis island (same ticket) is a full day and some (first ferry out last ferry back!) Ellis island is so fascinating.

Air & space museum took us a full day too.

The Top of the Rock at sunset will give you the classic New York skyline with the Empire State Building in. I booked my time slot first thing then went back later.

Natural History Museum is fab and is next to Central Park.

The ticket booth at Times Square can get busy, I seem to remember there’s a booth near where you are if you want Broadway tickets for that night.

If you fancy an evening out I highly recommend the Iridium basement jazz club - we saw Peter Gabriel's drummer plus amazing singer singing interpretations of genesis m, really great evening

We bought passes to one of the bus tours which we found excellent. Our tour guide was an out of work actor ( his words!) and he really brought the tour to life. We saw places that we wouldn't have had time to visit and also a taste of places that we decided to explore further.
I'd recommend going on the Trip Advisor app and looking at the Questions and answers page for NYC. People list their itinerary's which posters critique, a lot of New Yorkers respond. Loads and loads of threads which we found very interesting and helped us plan our trip.

Subway is great by the way, buses fine too, didn't take any cabs

We did that boat trip on our first day and it was great for getting our bearings. Loved Staten Island Ferry too.

I enjoyed the open top bus tours the first time I went. It gave me a good overall impression of Manhattan.
Loved the tenement museum.
If you are at all interested in fabrics, Moods is a three storey emporium of fabric, haberdashery etc. I also make time for a visit each time I visit one of my sons who lives in NY
You will be fine with the subway, and it’s very straightforward getting from Jfk on the train to Penn Station.

I would do Empire State Building or Rockefeller Centre at night. Definitely Central Park too. We did an accompanied bike ride along there and the harbour. Broadway show too is worth seeing.

I can think of nothing better than a week on my own in NY..

I think just be careful not to do too much, give yourself time to wander and soak up the street life. Don’t worry about being on your own in theatres or whatever in the evening - it’s common and you don’t want not to experience some gentle nightlife

some things I like

Chelsea market - great food, looks great

Met Cloisters - so peaceful, schedule towards end of week when you need a rest

Dumbo in Brooklyn - good to get off M island and great for indie shops and a wander. Also Brooklyn flea if you like markets

Ellis Island - very moving - schedule it towards the end, combine with Statue of Liberty

if you like architecture - Chrysler building, flatiron building. The view from top of the rock at the Rockefeller is better than ESB

do a walking tour for sure, Central Park also

Apollo theatre in Harlem - new talent night

show on broadway

music in the Lincoln centre

bluenote if you like jazz

harlem gospel choir - or many others - if you like that

red velvet burlesque

The Little Island - quite new - great view of the Hudson

Go to some good diners for breakfast - to fit in with where you are

Guggenheim obviously.

would slightly question Nat Hist and Air museum as a priority unless you are really into that. Deffo would give MT a miss. And I probably wouldn’t spend too much time on 9/11, personally.

You want to experience NY Italian and Chinese probably so look up the best where you are.

so jealous..

Loved Ellis island and the audio tour you get there describing the immigration process. The boat also stops at Statue of Liberty so chance to go inside and lots of photo opps on the outside

www.statueoflibertytickets.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwldKmBhCCARIsAP-0rfzvj7FoH6lM11TWg7r4Fi0TXGtBcGwa0Rkza6s7jTpQgmVQaPQcP8EaAq0hEALw_wcB

Check out tours and experiences. I've booked for a walking tour in Brooklyn and a thrift shopping in Manhattan.

I wouldn't bother with the high line unless you have to walk that way - it'll all be brown and dormant over winter.
Download an app called todaytix, gives you on the day special offers to Broadway shows. I definitely wouldn't book in advance unless you're rolling in it, most tickets are £150+. Todaytix got us on the day Cats tickets for such a reasonable price and fab seats.
Walk as much as you can and eat all the NYC classics, cheesecake, hot dog from a stand, pizza by the slice, fresh bagel for breakfast! Pastrami on rye at Katz deli.
(fao schwartz closed down a few years ago, FYI)

I went for the first time in March and was blown away.
My biggest piece of advice is to wear your most comfortable trainers, we walked for miles. Thermal hat/gloves/ underwear too in February.

Best tour is this one https://famousfatdave.com/

Ellens star dust diner for breakfast is cheesy but I enjoyed it !

And if you’re going over winter, wrap up. It’s really really cold. We spent Christmas day 2019 there.

It may not be cold in February. We were there this year. Only one cold day which was the day we left and walked the Brooklyn Bridge. We needed our coats and hats that day. The rest of our week was warm. Jeans and a top were fine. DH wore shorts.

You are awesome. Thank you! See this makes sense... The brown J train goes straight to Wall Street. But NOWHERE can I see that on google it just says take the blue A or E train... which only goes to Fulton Station. I really hope I can boss this once I'm there, if I can get straight on the subway and boost my confidence. I refuse to let the cab driver win lol! I will be arriving at just before noon so presumably it will be reasonably safe.

Also can I please ask you about tipping? I understand if I eat in a restaurant the tips are added to the bill is that right? I might treat myself to a fancy meal for one night but I know it will be north of 100 dollars so I'll probably mainly eat in either a diner (the 25 dollars per meal kind) or use street carts. Do casual diners add tips too? Do you tip street carts? Places like Juliana's pizza? Katz? How about places like Chelsea Market do you tip stalls there if I were to buy a pastry or non food such as a candle or something?! Also the hotel... I understand you tip the doorman if there is one. What about reception? The housekeeping etc? Leave a couple of dollars in the room each day?

We are off as well in October. I have been 30 years ago but kids first time.

I would say that I made an itinerary when I booked but I have kept tweaking it over time.

A lot of what we are doing is walking.

Museum wise we have tenement museum on this list and I think that's it. Then SoL and Ellis island. At the moment I'm probably only doing 911 memorial pool and not the museum. I want to see it but I have a just 12yo who may find it upsetting and also isn't the best in museums that aren't interactive and I don't think it's the place for her to start whining about being bored. Then I think we will go for the Edge as an observation deck.

Other than that we are just planning on walking round all the different areas taking everything in. Also looking at what to do Halloween - we are going to skip the big parade I think and have had other more local things recommended.

We are also doing Philly for a day as that's not too far away.

My DD are sooooo excited.