6 days in New York - help me with an itinerary please

[BigSandyBalls2015]

We're going for Easter next year with two teenage DDs (mid-teens).

I haven't been for 25 years. Most of our holidays involve getting up late and chilling by a pool/the beach with a few watersports or a mooch round a village after lunch, so this is very different and I don't want to waste it, so I'm thinking an itinerary would be good.

Can you give me some ideas of 'must do's' re: sightsteeing etc and also where to eat. It's DH birthday whilst we're there so a plan for that would be good.

Watching with interest we are doing 5 days in February with a 10 and 7 year old so hoping to nick some ideas.

We've had a few amazing hols booked through this company.... might be worth a look as their itineraries are usually pretty goo.... you could pick and chose the bits you like x

www.northamericatravelservice.co.uk/usa/new-york-state/?tab=experience&node=13081

Walk the Highline and get down Chelsea Market and eat all the things. ALL OF THEM. I would say avoid 'The Ride' unless you're into street theatre. I'm not and thought it was shite.
If you like Mexican food done vvv well, eat at Salvation Taco (found in Pod 39 hotel). It's just sublime. Good cocktails too and the best guacamole I ever ate I've eaten a lot of it. They have a rooftop bar there too with awesome views over Manhattan.
I was totally unmoved by Ground Zero.
Have a Reuben at Katz Deli. Share a sandwich or starve yourselves before going.
Walk as much as you can. It's an amazing place architecturally.
Then you've got SOL, Rockerfeller centre observation deck (book ahead!), all the other sights that you've heard of - they should be done! So much more - Central Park etc. Enjoy! It's a fabulous place.

Take a Circle Line boat ride around the island of Manhattan (used to depart on the West Side, maybe 45/46th Street?

Don't waste your time waiting in Empire State Building queues. Go the 'Top of the Rock' at Rockefeller Plaza instead.

Lots of good shopping around there that your dd should like also.
Also, close by is the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA). You must go there. Be sure to check out their gift shop - it is across the street from the entrance - for lovely souvenirs.

Definitely go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art - fabulous impressionist collection, and also don't miss the Temple of Dendur section. They used to have a gorgeous rooftop section there - see if it is still open. The museum is open late some nights, and I always found it less crowded at those times.

Walk through Central Park. The zoo isn't massive, but is lovely, and worth a visit.

Natural History museum is great. If your lot is interested in space, they have a good planetarium.

I'd also try to see a play or two.

I think that is enough to fill up your time. Do you know where you'll be staying?

Tenement museum - fascinating for all ages, especially the one where an actress plays the part of an immigrant who actually lived in one of the flats.

Art on the Subway tour - is what it says and is very cool

HiLine Park.

Water tours around Manhattan. There are loads and well worth it. Some focus on architecture and serve a glass of vino.

Obviously the Met, the Natural History Museum and MOMA are truly spectacular. The Gugenheim is def worth walking past just to see the building - Frank Loyd Wright. The Cooper Hewitt museum is around there as well and often has very interesting fashion exhibits. It is an interesting museum and you can have cocktails on a Friday night and play ping pong in the garden.

Down time playing with boats in Central Park on the Stuart Little pond. Fishing in the meer in Central Park near Harlem.

Cheeky follow, dp and I are going in October and haven't made any plans - thanks for the thread op and thanks for the suggestions everyone!

I'm going in 2 weeks, can't wait! You will have a fabulous time.

Agree with PP, do Top of the Rock instead of the Empire State Building, 100%.

I found ground zero and the 9/11 memorial museum fascinating and very moving, maybe have a think about whether your teen DDs would like to see it or not?

We did a helicopter tour too with Heli NY. Expensive but worth it.

A walk across Brooklyn Bridge is a must, (with a stop at Juliana's pizza once you get to the other side)!

In terms of food, Pershing Square opposite Grand Central is great for an authentic 'NY breakfast' experience.

This time, we're doing a good tour around Greenwich Village which could be a good idea if you're foodies!

That should read food tour, but I'm sure it'll be good too!

I just came on to say walk the Highline (and use it to get from AtoB and Chelsea Market and the area around it.

Go on a boat around the Statue of Liberty at dusk and look at the lights of NYC.

Walk over Brooklyn Bridge and explore the area on the other side. Before you go read "A tree grows in Brooklyn" fabulous novel.

Even if you can't face the 9/11 exhibition (I couldn't) visit ground zero as the memorial has been beautifully done with every name inscribed.

NYC is very walkable and I have felt safe alone though at night we get taxis.

Great city! Enjoy!

The first morning you are up at the crack of dawn usually with jet lag so we went for early breakfast at a diner and then headed up top of the rock for opening, it's much quieter therefore it's a good time to go. You can also get a day and night pass for top of the rock for not much more money and it allows you to go up in the evening after sunset, I don't think it needs to be the same day either. The option for the first early morning is 911 museum as it was more than an hour wait to get through security in the afternoon and it would be good to avoid this.

Also, if you plan to go to the Statue of Liberty, the view from the crown was amazing and worth it but there is limited tickets and are usually on sale 3-4 months before. If you don't plan to climb to the crown, using the free ferry to sail past is just as good, I don't think I would have paid to just set foot on the island. I would highly recommend the crown ticket though, it is a hard climb up the stairs but one if the most memorable things about our trip. Tickets can be booked at statue cruises, you need to visit willcall but this is the genuine ticket site
www.statuecruises.com/#/

If taking in a show do it towards the end of the week when you've adjusted to the time zone. We went early in our trip and struggled to keep our eyes open, particularly after walking all day.

Ellis Island is fascinating, I would have liked longer there.

Have a look at what's on at Madison Square Garden when you're there - great venue!

Stealing these ideas!

As has been mentioned, do Top of the Rock. It's much more than just a tall building. It's beautifully decorated at Easter.

Go to Grand Central and stand in the middle and take it all in. There are some good food outlets in there too.

If budget allows, do a helicopter ride. When we were there they started from around $30 pp.

Ground Zero is a must. It's a bit love/hate but you don't know if you don't go.

Ellen's Stardust Diner is fun and dcs love it.

Placemark

I live in New York.

My recommendations for touristy stuff are walking the High Line followed by food at Chelsea market, getting the free Staten Island Ferry to see the Statue of Liberty, Top of the Rock, Central Parkark on a weekday so it's not so busy and doing at least one museum.

I live in Brooklyn and definitely recommend you come and check it out. The Brooklyn museum is great for kids and near the beautiful Prospect Park (smaller than Central Park but less crowded, a little wilder and generally more fun). A short walk away is one of the best ice cream shops in New York- Ample Hills. Even if the weather isn't good, please go! It's fantastic.

If you want to do any shopping, I would recommend you take a short bus from Port Authority Bus Station to Jersey Gardens outlet mall- it's brands from standard American high Street to designer but not a bargain bin. We go there seasonally and always find great stuff sorry for the essay!

Ooh other stuff that's good for teens- the Samsung store in Chelsea always has really cool virtual reality stuff, Koreatown near Herald Square for shops and amazing Korean BBQ and escape rooms. There are two great ones in Williamsburg and Chinatown. And if you or your teens like vintage clothes at decent prices- bring them to Bushwick and Williamsburg.

Love some of these ideas!

Fabulous ideas here thanks so much.
Keep them coming

Watching with interest as we are going on Christmas Day for 6 days

Carmines- fab restaurant off Time square. Italian and huge portions!

Amazing jazz club- Birdland. Everyone I recommended it to has loved it.

Jealous!

Spend some time in Brooklyn! Get off the subway at Carrol Street and wander through the neighbourhoods up to Dumbo (and get serious life envy). My favourite times in NYC are in Brooklyn. Go to Dumbo (the tiny beach) for the sunset too and watch the lights come on over Manhattan - amazing atmosphere.

Bigsandy, if you are going without children, forget 'Top of the Rock'
and go to Bar SixtyFive. It's also in the Rockefeller building and the same level as the viewing deck. Entry is free but should probably get a reservation - we reserved a table for sunset and it was ours for the night, you can leave your table to go out onto the viewing platform. We used the money saved from what would have been the TOTR entry fee to buy dinner and wine there. 100% recommend.

Come on to also recommend the High Line and Ellis Island. It's amazing learning the history of immigration into the USA and when I went they had re-enactments and stuff.

Also recommend when you are down at Battery Park walking the length of Broadway all the way up to midtown. It wends its way past all sorts of interesting buildings and points of reference.

Central Park is good to mooch around -watching the baseball matches is fun and the Sunday morning crowd is chilled.

All the biggies are not to be missed:
High Line - brilliant
Grand central station
Rockefeller centre
Little Italy
Chinatown
Times Square
Wall Street
9/11 monument (its massive- take tissues)

We downloaded some walks itineraries that pointed out the little things you'd normally miss (statues, restaurants, buildings, film locations) and had some great meals in diners (you have to!).

Hell's Kitchen is not worth a visit.