New York trip, advice please, booking a 40th birthday girls trip

[SecondhandRose]

Some friends and I are all 40 next year and would love to visit New York for the first time next May on a girls only trip.

Where should we stay?
Where should we not miss?
What should we miss?
Whereabouts is canal street, the mecca of fake designer gear and is it worth going?

Thanks..

Hi! Lucky you! Have been to NY 3 times with girlfriends and loved every minute. For a first time, I would stay as close as possible to Times Square. Although this is the tourist area, it gives you the chance to do all that you should from a good base.
Things you must do:
You have to go up the Empire State Building just to say you have done it!
You must must must have a drink in the revolving restaurant at the top of the Marriott Marquis Hotel (not far from Times Sq.) This must be done at night - the restaurant revolves through the whole panorama of New York City and it is breathtaking - it only costs you the price of a drink and my friend who came to New York for the first time was blown away with it.
You must have breakfast in a deli...
You must go to Trump Towers - so gaudy!!
Do walk up and down Fifth Avenue and go in all the designer shops!
Its great fun to queue at a ticket booth on Times Sq and get a cut price Broadway show ticket (we went to Mamma Mia on the opening night on Broadway - all the New York women were in their furs and diamonds!!)
Depending on how long you are there, if you get a chance, catch the subway to Greenwich Village and go to the great shops there.
If you have enough money (and its not that expensive) its is breathtaking to take a helicoper ride over New York City.
Sorry, have rambled on - as you can guess, I would love to go again!!
As they say in the States ..... ENJOY!

Hi, if you look further down you will see a thread like this already. i got back last week, stayed at www.doubletree.com This is in the heart of times square, you get a free breakfast, cooked, cereals, fruit, muffins etc. The suite is one bedroomed one living room, with two double beds and a double bed settee in the living room. You have got to go to century 21 for bargains, i came back with Tommy Hilfiger hand bag for about £14 and ralf lauren brief case style bag for work for about £45.00. Skating in central park was fab and the kids loved it. Hard rock cafe in times square was good for a meal.

We were thinking of 5 nights, money to be saved each month from now so it will be a bit of a spending spree so whatever you recommend is more than welcome. Will look at the other thread too.

bit off the beaten track, Florent diner on Gansevoort Street in the meatpacking district, fantastic all night food and tranny-watching!

lunch at Nobo (dinners too expensive) to pretend you are in SATC

wish i was going....

I go for work purposes and always stay at The Muse near Times Square. Great rooms, the best beds you'll ever sleep in and really helpful staff. Nice and central too. Wherever you stay in NY, do ask for a room on the upper floors, just to cut down the noise.

you have to do the helicopter ride

Have a look at tripadvisor.com or similar, they have huge forum boards about hotels, activities, restaurants etc and tons of NYC locals spend all day writing on there giving brilliant advice. I took dh last Feb for 4 days and we got all our info on there, its such a good site. They rate all the hotels as well so we found out about ours (The Salisbury Hotel - 1 block from central park and 1 block rfom Tiffanys and 5th Ave from there, for only £70 for a double en-suite with breakfast) Don't pay tons for a fancy hotel, you will NEVER be in your room apart from when you are totally exhausted. Use the metro to go everywhere (get a weeks pass) its easy, safe and very quick.

Canal Street is in Chinatown (lower Manhattan).

If you are planning a hard-core shopping day, I can suggest that you go to Woodbury Commons. It's just outside of NYC but worth the trip because of all the designer outlets! I believe is frequent bus service from NYC to the Commons.
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