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.

Thanks Becky

Thanks!
That's brilliant news, I was going to have to start taking notes otherwise

Madison Square Park, it has a Shake Shack in it where you can get a burger, dessert, wine and sit in the park under the Flat Iron building. Open till about 10pm.

Hello there - can I resurrect this thread please?!

We've decided to go at Easter for 7 nights. We'll be staying in the Lower East Side with myself, DP and DD 10 and DS 14. Can't wait!! We'll probably be there the same time as @BigSandyBalls2015 so thanks for starting this thread it's been really useful.

Just wondered if anyone else had stuff to add? We only decided 4 days ago to do this so am in early stages of research. My DP and I went to New York together 23 years ago and had a great time. We stayed in a friend's apartment on Orchard Street right in the heart of the Lower East Side round the corner from Katz's diner. We stumbled in there within hours of arriving unaware of its fame. Sadly our friend has passed and we didn't think it would be so long till we visited again.

Our visit last time involved a lot of hanging round cool bars and enjoying the Independent's Day celebrations. Slightly terrifying moments when people were throwing fireworks around off the top of buildings and lots of Jack and Cokes. Loved little Italy and Coney Island but think they will have changed a lot since 1995. No one has mentioned Coney Island, has it changed much? Worth a visit?

In two minds about getting one of those passes. Someone further up on the thread said it led to a lot of pressure to dash about. Anyone got any thoughts on their worth?

I definitely want to go to the Guggenheim, and Top of the Rock, have a look at Trump Tower and the trip over to Roosevelt Island looks good. 9/11 site will be visited (the last time we were there we had drinks in the Windows on the World cafe at the top of one of the towers . )Will see how my DD is with going to the visitor centre/exhibition especially as I know I will be in tears and my DD will no doubt follow suit.

Brooklyn Bridge and a visit over there looks good and maybe a boat ride over to Ellis Island. Don't think we will bother going up the Statue of Liberty, just take it in from below.

Another thing I love (not so much the kids) is a good flea market. Any suggestions on this?

Am beyond excited and we are going to spring it as a suprise on the kids. Need to start watching lots of films that feature NYC!

The high line is great. You know that you have to make rude hand signals at trump tower don’t you?

Last time we went we broke it down into districts and walked our feet off!

There are sites that have walking routes mapped out with loads of interesting facts like this one: www.freetoursbyfoot.com/new-york-tours/#walk

Thanks Fekko and yes, the Trump Tower will be given the reverence it deserves by the whole family

The High Line is something I am going to look into because I don't have a clue what it is but everyone seems to have it down as a 'must see'.

Will look into the link you provided and am making sure we have comfortable walking shoes with us!

It’s an old rail track but it’s high up so you get a great view- it’s planted up, and they do activities there - its a good walk. Watch out for flashers at the big hotel that straddles it though! 😊

Film locations / tv locations tour.

Ellen's Stardust Diner - singing waitresses/ waiters. Very close to Radio City Music Hall.

Central Park Boathouse.

We are just back from NYC with a 7 and 10 year old so thought I'd let you know what the big hits were.

Brooklyn Nets Basketball game was a really good experience even if your not dead into sport. Lots of pre game entertainment from the dancers/cheerleaders. Music is played all through the game to match the action. The kids loved when the camera went into the crowd and joined in all the dances etc trying to get on the big screen. Really easy to get to on the Subway and while you are over there the views Manhattan from Brooklyn are amazing.

Ice skating on the Wollman rink was amazing and a proper bucket list moment. It is quite expensive but a really good family moment.

Top of the Rock was great for views and photo ops. We got a sun and moon tickets so went in daylight and after dark which was well worth it.

A 7 day unlimited ride subway card is $33 and we got our money's worth after only a few days. Very easy to navigate once you get the hang of the avenues/street number system.

Staten Island Ferry amazing views of Manhattan and Statue of Liberty. Stand out the back on the right on the way out and on the front on the left on the way back.

Andrews coffee shop on 7th (street number 400 and something). Proper diner!

Thanks all!

Ineedamoreadultieadult glad you had a great time and will look into the basketball idea. We're really not into sports as a family but it sounds quite an experience and I do want to visit Brooklyn. Tips on where to stand on Staten Island ferry also gratefully received.

Central park boathouse also added to list to explore and am liking the idea of the High Line... and a damn fine coffee at Andrew's

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_advice_tips/3124317-Does-anyone-think-my-New-York-itinerary-is-missing-anything

Another great thread here.

Thanks ChippyMinton for the link to the ineedmoreadultieradult thread - am taking it all in!

Following this

I’m staying in Brooklyn with my teens during the Easter holidays.
For those that went to TOTR, did you buy tickets before you went to NY?

Is it a good idea to reserve a table at bar65 so we can eat as well as enjoy the view?
My teens will be 14 & 17.

I’d like to know the answer to that too ihatethecold. We’re also going at Easter 😊 Just taken the plunge and bought a 10 attraction Flex Sightseeing Pass for us all. Be interesting to see if that works out well or not. Next thing we need to sort is our phones. We’ve all got IPhones on Giffgaff Gaff so no contract. I really want to use my phone on the move to look at maps and check out allergy info for restaurants, diners etc. Will obv. use WiFi when available but not sure whether to buy a SIM when we get there or sort something out this end? Can anyone offer advice on this?

Ihatecold Bar 65 is over 21 only (most are in the evenings and bar 65 only opens at 5 anyway) The outside terrace is closed for winter.
longhaullaura Little Italy in Manhattan is very different from the 1990s. The real Little Italy is around Arthur Avenue in the Bronx and that is fantastic and well worth a visit, it is walking distance to the botanical gardens and the zoo, so you could make a whole day of it. (Free on Wednesdays)

Thanks Lolita.

Bumping! Easter is nearly here and I am besides myself looking forward to revisiting NYC for the 1st time since 1995! Kids in tow who still don't know we're going ANYWHERE during the Easter Hols. Over the past 2 weeks we've watched Sleepless in Seattle, You've Got Mail, When Harry Met Sally, Mr Popper's Penguins...

Not sure when we are going to do the reveal - at the airport? Anyway for anyone who is remotely interested we've bought a Sightseeing Pass and I am now quietly cacking myself because of the weather forecast. SNOW FGS!!! What if we miss our connection, what if flights are cancelled from Heathrow?! Hadn't anticipated that weather would be an issue at Easter, air traffic control strikes possibly, but not fecking SNOW!

Anyone else going at Easter? You all ready? Any final tips?! (Other than to not be up at what is now 3am because of the clocks going forward?!)

Hi Longhaul.
We are taking our teens on the 11th. We went in 2001 but the kids haven’t been before.
We have booked a food tour on one day but I haven’t booked anything else.
We are staying by a very good food market in Brooklyn. It has fab reviews on trip advisor.
It should save us money eating out being able to pop there to grab something.

@ihatethecold what food tour have you booked? We love a food tour and are taking the DSC in October

Foods of New York

They have a few itineraries. we are doing The Chelsea and the Highline one

I'd love to do a food tour but it would be tedious for my DD as she has a nut allergy. We've found plenty of places that seem to cater for all sorts of allergies so will no doubt have fun sampling a variety of establishments.

Well we’re back and had an absolutely amazing time. Weather started out snowy, then wet, then cold but crisp and sunny. Central Park in the snow was beautiful!! Needed to keep adding layers as the wind could be biting especially down by Brooklyn Bridge and Battery Park.

Loved the spring flowers and Easter decorations outside Rockefeller and Macy’s.

Didn’t use up all 10 attractions on our Flex Sightseeing Pass but still managed to save $2-300 overall. It doesn’t save you any time in the queues and we had to queue for everything (prob cos it was Easter hols) Eating out proved expensive but we had some great meals. Our fave breakfast was at Pershing Square and our best evening meal was at the Grand Central Oyster Bar. Chelsea Market, the Highline, MoMA, the Met, Empire State, Top of the Rock, One World Observatory, Madame Tussaud’s (did this for the kids and they had a ball!), Tenement Museum, the Occulus, Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island, Brooklyn Bridge and Brooklyn Flea all visited. The queues for the Statue of Liberty were horrendous. We arrived at 10.15 and queued for an hour and a half to get tickets and then another 2 hours to get on the boat itself and it was bloody freezing. We felt like giving up several times but stuck at it as it was a sunny day and I really wanted to see Ellis Island.

No real bargains to be had shopping wise except for $30 Levi 501s. My DS loved looking at all the expensive trainers in Kith and wanted to join the queue for the Supreme shop but we drew the line at queuing up for a shop! We also skipped Katz because the queues outside were enormous.

Glad we changed our hotel from the Bowery to one in Midtown as it was less ‘gritty’ and the kids loved being right in amongst the skyscrapers.

Hope everyone who is heading there has a great time too