Page 5 | New York - give me your Highlight// must do/ don’t bother…

Fishfriendly · 2022-04-25T16:58:35+00:00

We are off to NYC this summer, with 2 older teens. There’s obviously heaps to do and see so I’m narrowing it down. Can those who have been give me your highlights or quirky things to do. Also anything that you wouldn’t recommend. We are not foodies so not needing restaurant recommendations, love sightseeing, history, outdoors etc. Thanks!

MissConductUS · 03/05/2022 19:27

> National History Museum - depending on your children you could spend all day in there

I'm assuming you mean The Museum of Natural History.

www.amnh.org/

The planetarium is brilliant. You can buy tickets for both when you enter.

www.amnh.org/research/hayden-planetarium

Abraxan · 03/05/2022 19:49

MissConductUS · 03/05/2022 19:27

> National History Museum - depending on your children you could spend all day in there

I'm assuming you mean The Museum of Natural History.

www.amnh.org/

The planetarium is brilliant. You can buy tickets for both when you enter.

www.amnh.org/research/hayden-planetarium

Yes, I do. Just managed to mistype - perils of trying to MN and cook dinner at the same time!

FierceMamas · 03/05/2022 20:10

Sorry haven't read the whole thread but my recommendation is the High Line - it's beautiful.

Soffit · 03/05/2022 20:19

Abraxan · 03/05/2022 18:44

We have been a few time previously, but going again in May half term.

Previously:
> Hop On Hop Off bus routes - great way to get your bearings and see the main sites; you can then decide which you want to visit further in more detail later in your trip
> Top of the Rock and Empire State Building - TOTR had the best views imo (including the Empire State Building itself) but ESB was a nicer building. Neither were too busy when we went, we went first thing.
> Guggenheim Museum - inside the building is fab to look up from the centre.
> National History Museum - depending on your children you could spend all day in there
> Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island boat trip - we enjoyed this; Ellis Island was particularly interesting, more so than Statue of Liberty (you couldn't go up the Statue of Liberty when we have been before)
> Central Park and all its sites - so much to see and down, we always have picnic there getting food from a nearby deli
> Big piano; was in FAO Schwarz but that has closed down. I think it is now in Macy's

This time we are trying to avoid doing just the same things we have done before., though we do plan to picnic in Central Park again and we still visit the sites such as Times Square, etc.
Other thoughts so far include:
> Statten Island Ferry
> Coney Island for the afternoon/evening (beach/boardwalk, see the Zoltar machine from Big and try and ride Cyclone)
> World One observatory and 911 tribute museum
> Highline
> Katz Deli (been before but DD wants to go again)
> Ellen's Stardust Diner
> eat traditional New York bagels somewhere - need to research where to go for that yet
> Broadway show if we can get last minute tickets to see something
> possibly a baseball game, not sure on that yet though

In the past we have used the Subway a lot and plan to do the same again this time. It is $33 for an unlimited 7 day pass if I remember rightly. Otherwise there is a LOT of walking and I don't want to wreck my joints/feet doing too much of that again!

Will be reading through the other posts now to see what we might add to our ever growing list of ideas!

Absolute Bagels in UWS is reliable but I really liked the bagel shop just inside the entrance of Chelsea Market (conveniently close to the start of the Highline).

Huff13Puff · 03/05/2022 20:24

We did the hard times tour but it looks different to the one advertised now. It’s hot in there but makes it more authentic. You must go to Katz Deli before or after, its v close by.

QuantumWeatherButterfly · 04/05/2022 08:42

Two things I did that were unexpectedly good (although this was a fair few years ago now!):

Radio City Music Hall tour
Madison Square Garden tour

Peaseblossum22 · 04/05/2022 08:45

Tenement Museum www.tenement.org absolutely fascinating and a great area to explore . Also the High Line and we went to see the Brooklyn Nets play at the Barclays Stadium which was great

ivykaty44 · 04/05/2022 13:40

I really disliked the 9/11 museum, I wouldn't recommend this museum at all.

Yes to visit the grounds and walk round, but not to go inside that museum

I would recommend walking in little Italy, getting breakfast there and just enjoying the atmosphere of the city
I loved the Empire State Building and the statin island ferry

also my top tip if you want a cheap breakfast go to whole foods and buy a coffee and muffin pastry - really good quality (think Selfridges/harrods) and not expensive and no tipping required. Same for lunch on the go, or a picnic lunch in the park, they do glorious salads etc

User0610134049 · 04/05/2022 13:42

Only had a long weekend and had 15mos dd so were limited but tenement museum, Empire State Building; Staten Island ferry (past Statue of Liberty), Central Park and Times Square at night all really stayed with me
oh and the ceiling of grand central station

MrsFezziwig · 04/05/2022 14:13

So many tourists were taking the piss and paying nothing that they had to end the policy for tourists.

Like tourists do in the UK then?

TizerorFizz · 04/05/2022 14:55

I think once something is potentially free, people take advantage. We had to buy a ticket though and paid a big proportion of the admission price for 1/2 a day.

TizerorFizz · 04/05/2022 14:56

$25 is quite a lot for adult entry.

ACurlyWurly · 04/05/2022 15:25

Roosevelt Island Tramway - the island is lovely moment of quiet and has great great skyline photo ops. Someone on here told me about it and I have recommended it to everyone since

High Line
Central Park
Katz Diner - food but with a real buzz watching people order is an experience
Pershing Square (nr Grand central) for a slightly overpriced but lovely breakfast in great surroundings
Magnolia Bakery for a cupcake
Christopher Park (West Village) for some LGBT+ social history if its your thing

Soffit · 04/05/2022 15:46

TizerorFizz · 04/05/2022 14:55

I think once something is potentially free, people take advantage. We had to buy a ticket though and paid a big proportion of the admission price for 1/2 a day.

Is this about the museum? We paid on a day when all the other visitors were going in for free. This was because DS decided that he absolutely needed to attend a show at the Planetarium (despite not really being interested in our own one). It was not possible to go in free and pay for just the Planetarium. .. or so they said.

TizerorFizz · 04/05/2022 16:45

@Soffit

I was referring to the Met. I don’t object to paying for anything and certainly would not pay $0, but $25 for general admission is quite steep. The cafe is crap too!

Soffit · 04/05/2022 16:58

TizerorFizz · 04/05/2022 16:45

@Soffit

I was referring to the Met. I don’t object to paying for anything and certainly would not pay $0, but $25 for general admission is quite steep. The cafe is crap too!

Ah, i see. I didn't enjoy the Met much either. I was actually talking about the one with the dinosaurs and the planetarium. It was better but probably not worth paying full price. One of the locals was vocally pissed off on my behalf which was an interested, unexpected interaction (always exciting when abroad!)

Soffit · 04/05/2022 16:59

interesting

JennyWreny · 04/05/2022 18:10

Things we enjoyed -

Day 1 - Walking the bridge to Brooklyn - was very hot though and forgot to take any water . . . . we walked back too (which is nice because of the skyline views)
Takeaway pizza from Grimaldi's. Ate it in Dumbo park.
Time out market in Brooklyn
Show on Broadway
Empire State Building - after Broadway show - not really any queue at night

Day 2 - Statue of Liberty - tickets to the crown - had to book these months in advance - booked early as we could to avoid the queues which seemed to work.
Ellis Island
9/11 memorial
Harbour lights boat tour in the evening - nice sunset/views

Day 3 - The Ride - this was good
Shake Shack
Chelsea Market
High Line
The Vessel - had to book this in advance although the tickets were free
Subway to Citi Field to watch NY Mets baseball game - we loved this!

Day 4 - Early morning (9am) visit to Top of the Rock - no queues this early
Breakfast at Tiffany's - had to book ages in advance for this
Central Park

Not so much -

Open top bus tour - got stuck in loads of traffic

We used this site to work out which was the best pass to get - www.passcomparison.com

Then we booked it using Quidco on Expedia when it was on special offer. Potentially it's easy to book a pass and it end up being too restrictive or that you aren't able to use it fully due to timings.

MissConductUS · 04/05/2022 18:56

Soffit · 04/05/2022 15:46

Is this about the museum? We paid on a day when all the other visitors were going in for free. This was because DS decided that he absolutely needed to attend a show at the Planetarium (despite not really being interested in our own one). It was not possible to go in free and pay for just the Planetarium. .. or so they said.

Show quote history

To enter the planetarium you have to walk through the museum, so if they let people buy tickets just for the planetarium they would be giving them free admission to everything else.

I'm not sure why you thought everyone else was going in for free unless this was ages ago before they restricted the free access policy to tristate residents. If I want to go in without paying the full admission, I have to show a driving license or some other ID that proves my residency. There are school groups that take care of the ticketing in advance. Perhaps that's what you saw. Or perhaps you just happened to enter at a time when it was just tristate residents who were going in.

When we go, we pay. I think it's important to support local cultural institutions.

MissConductUS · 04/05/2022 18:58

Soffit · 04/05/2022 16:58

Ah, i see. I didn't enjoy the Met much either. I was actually talking about the one with the dinosaurs and the planetarium. It was better but probably not worth paying full price. One of the locals was vocally pissed off on my behalf which was an interested, unexpected interaction (always exciting when abroad!)

Show quote history

Both the Met and the American Museum of Natural History are owned by the City of New York and both have the same admission policies and prices.

BunsyGirl · 04/05/2022 19:08

We went recently with an 8 and 11 year old and their highlights were a basketball game (Brooklyn Nets) and a superhero bus tour. There were people of all ages on the bus tour. It showed us filming locations for Spider-man, Batman, Superman etc. It may be off season for basketball but go see a match if you can. I’m not a sports fan but I thought it was fantastic.

TizerorFizz · 04/05/2022 19:24

@MissConductUS

Just to clarify: when we went to The Met it was around 2016. We had the option to pay what we wished. We paid $20 each. Hope that’s ok with you? We stayed for around 4 hours and did a highlights tour plus quite a few other American art rooms. I’m well aware museums cost a lot. We had no idea we would be offered a reduced entry fee. I’m off to Alaska shortly and intend to pay my way. Fully.

MissConductUS · 04/05/2022 19:33

TizerorFizz · 04/05/2022 19:24

@MissConductUS

Just to clarify: when we went to The Met it was around 2016. We had the option to pay what we wished. We paid $20 each. Hope that’s ok with you? We stayed for around 4 hours and did a highlights tour plus quite a few other American art rooms. I’m well aware museums cost a lot. We had no idea we would be offered a reduced entry fee. I’m off to Alaska shortly and intend to pay my way. Fully.

$20 each is lovely, thanks for supporting the museum. I've just done a quick google and they changed the policy in 2018, so your visit occurred when it was still pay what you want for everyone.

Soffit · 04/05/2022 19:48

My visit was October 2019 on a particular Sunday of the month (cannot recall). It was probably suggested donations but the others seemed to be walking straight in. Anyway, I never agonized over it but since we were there for the Planetarium alone, I felt that it should have been possible to buy a ticket for just that. It was up the staircase visible from the entrance if I remember rightly.

allfurcoatnoknickers · 04/05/2022 19:48

I live in NYC and skim read the thread. The only things I'd add with teens are:

Brooklyn Museum and Botanic Garden. Loads of fun and the museum has an interesting layout and great permenant collection and exhibits. You can get a joint ticket with the Botanic Garden.
Fotografsika - a new museum of photography near Madison Square Park. Added interest because Anna Delvey claimed she was buying the building for her foundation.
Museum of Ice Cream and The Color Factory. Instagram "museums" but they're a lot of fun and you get loads of free ice cream/snacks/swag/ Go right when they first open to avoid crowds.
South Street Seaport - for tall ships, shopping, history, and great bars/restaurants along the pier. You get some beautiful views of Brooklyn from down there. I like Cowgirl Seahorse for brunch. More info here: theseaport.nyc/
Little Island - a brand new park right by the Whitney, it's built on a man-made Island out in the River. Again, you get beautiful views and there's usually something interesting going on, at the very least there will be food trucks and art installations.
Someone mentioned Sleep No More - totally agree this would be amazing with teens. The McKittrick Hotel also has a fun rooftop restaurant and does other plays through the year. Well worth checking out: mckittrickhotel.com/#/?qty=1

Be careful with some of the restaurants mentioned on this thread - I've spotted a few that have closed since Covid :(

Have an amazing time! Happy to answer any more specific questions if you have them.