New York New York, I have saved for years please help me make this a great trip

[womanintrousers]

I have saved for 3 years to take lovely DS to NYC when he finishes his GCSEs . I am so excited.

He will be 16, he is very academically minded and loves reading, science, good food etc. I need my own bed (lots of the hotels seem to have 1 small double and DS is very tall and I have arthritis and throw myself around a lot at night). Any ideas very much appreciated.

He has wanted to go since he was 5 and has NO IDEA I have saved up.

I am so excited. Can anyone help? I have travelled extensively but never been to NY, it's all new to me.

Any advice

He's a very enthusiastic and helpful person in general. I will def let him do a lot of planning. I think booking up a few things from your recommendations and then letting him chose the other stuff will be best.

He will def want to mooch and soak it all up. I take him to stay at a premier inn in London for 4 nights every summer (we've been doing it since he was 3) and he LOVES it. He doesn't ask for much and is very happy as long as he can have a couple of exciting meals/trips.

I dont know how I'll tell him. Probably when he hits GCSE stress point, as a motivator :)

He has been saving up his wages so he can go when he is 18, he has £400 saved already. Imagine his face when I tell him I am paying!!

Sorry I am being so ott, I had to tell someone and have got over excited.

I didn’t think Times Square was crap. It is “what you see what you get “ but you don’t have to stay directly in it. But you cannot stand there and not go “Wooo Im in New York!”

I am ridiculously excited as a complete stranger!

Times Sq isn't really a destination - just somewhere you walk through!

Fruit from the fruit barrows--cheap and delicious.

Absolute Bagel on Broadway and 108th.

One of the beaches at the arse end of Brooklyn, because it's properly the ocean, which is exciting. Also funnel cake.

Even in NYC things are cheaper than in U.K., like a £20 pair of shoes is $20 there, which is a bit of a bargain.

The NYPL is a good thing. And Grand Central Station. Just to walk around a bit.

Nothing useful to add, but this is just the loveliest thread, you and your son sound fabulous.

We will def walk thru Times Square and the park and we must go to the Toy Shop and have photos on the BIG piano and OMG OMG OMG

Ok, calm down.

Hotels - did anyone find somewhere that can provide twin beds or a rollaway? It seems they are all tiny, of course :)

I cannot share a bed with that gangly monster for his sake.

The MTA website has a bit about all the art you can find in the subway system, and some of it is really pretty great, so check that out and plan journeys with a bit of extra time to look at all the things there.

Ways to tell him...

Hunt down the biggest apple you can find and put a sticker on it saying guess what?
Give him the coordinates to a significant NY landmark
Tell him you have planned a special trip to York... string him along for a couple of minutes and then say “ Oh did I say York? I meant....”

thanks to pp who suggested BA - they have some fantastic deals :)

We stayed in a hotel on Times Square and absolutely loved it - the buzz was amazing. You’ll have a great time. We’ve promised to go back for ds’s 21st and dd’s 18th.

We did Top of the Rock at dusk, as that's what our 15-year old son wanted to do, and you do get amazing views of the city.

We loved the Hi Line park. I think its now one of my favourite things in NY. One year we did the Statue of Liberty but I wouldn't bother with that.

The last time we went to NY we stayed in Hells Kitchen which was great.

Times Square is really tacky bit you can do it in a few minutes and I think.its obligatory if this is your first visit to NY!

Our sons really like Grand Central Station food hall. And hanging out in Central Park. The last time we went they were 15 and 17 and they really liked MOMA.

It's a great city. Enjoy

But Times Square is an iconic symbol for NY. Great photo opportunity at least.

They are brilliant!

I esp like the idea of mentioning "York" because we went there for a weekend for his 12th birthday and had a great time. Maybe
"Why don't you choose a really nice place to go for dinner for your birthday"
then drip feed.

He knows my tricks thou - he'll prob ask why we're watching such an odd selection of films haha "Ghostbusters last night and Goodfellas today, what's mum up to"

Especially if you feed him hot dogs every night too...

Go to Brooklyn for a mooch - he'll love it. My teen loved this place www.buffaloexchange.com/locations/new-york-city/brooklyn-williamsburg/. Then go and get something to eat here frankelsdelicatessen.com/.

Go to Katz's deli and/or go to Barney Greengrass on the Upper West Side and get something to eat in Central Park. I love the UWS to wander round and look in the thrift shops there. Loads of films set there.

You could book now with ba.com flight and hotel then you only need to pay a deposit and pay the rest off over next months.
Maybe it's same with virgin
Apply for a big Apple greeter to show you round
Agree just a aim for one attraction per day as you will walk loads and need time to mooch around

Also booked through BA and got a great deal on flight and hotel. We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn Times Square which is actually a few blocks from Times Square but well located for the subway, Central Park and midtown.

Would highly recommend the Natural History Museum if he likes science. Intrepid is also good and had the space shuttle while we were there. I loved Ellis Island - would recommend booking a very early tour before the queues get bad though.

If your son likes food, he might enjoy smorgasburg- it’s lots of different food stalls/trucks. We got the subway there and then walked back over the Brooklyn Bridge.

Food wise- we also enjoyed the Spotted Pig, Chelsea Market and Mighty Quinn.

There’s lots of interesting walking tours available - we did the Lower East Side History Project Mafia Tour which was fascinating and gave us a good intro to Little Italy.

Hot dogs and pretzels. And I'll sit next to him slurping a comedically large martini

The MAFIA TOUR?! what a world we live in!

I took my DS when he was 11.

Stayed in Pod51 which was excellent value for money, we liked the cool bar area where we played table tennis and chess after a hard day's sightseeing.

He loved top of the rock, the natural history museum, the Apple store (?), going into trump tower (seeing the armed guards and vile bling), grand central station, ferry to Statue of Liberty, Times Square, Empire State Building but mostly just walking round and soaking it all in!

I'm too excited. I'm actually going to have to go and have a drink of cold water.

What a silly woman

We found BA good for hotel/package deals. And upgraded to premium as that was reasonable too.

Seconding booking tickets to go up into the Statue of Liberty. They limit the number of tickets they sell so it’s one to book before you go.

We also walked over the Brooklyn bridge and arrived just as the Brooklyn pizza places started getting busy for lunch (not planned, total fluke!) and had great pizza at Grimaldi’s. They was a huge queue when we came out so I think we did well!

What sort of food does he like? There’s some great restaurants around. Also, a good diner breakfast will set you up for a day of walking, particularly on the first day when jet lag will probably mean you’re up before anything is open!

I’m so excited for him (and you!)

You're not silly, it was my best ever holiday, just me and DS (don't tell my DH or DS2!)

Most places have happy hour between 5 and 6 or 6 and 7 for your martini !
Pizzarte had great cocktails!