New York

[Tartancat]

I’m looking to take my dd to New York in February next year as it’s a big birthday for her and she has had a very tough couple of years due to her siblings medical issues.

Has anyone got any tips? It looks super expensive.

BA are doing flights and hotel (room only) for £1500. She’s a coeliac so we’d have to be a bit cautious eating out.

Book here for a really memorable and lovely meal while you're here:

https://www.unionsquarecafe.com

Reserve a table in advance on the website, as they're always very busy.

Dont forget the City Tax which hotels will charge you for each night of your stay. We booked with Virgin and the tax was included in the price of our booking

Currently sitting in the back of a cab on way to JFK. Will come back to this later but the coeliac aspect makes a huge difference. My daughter is coeliac and while we have always got food, there’s definitely a huge need to be prepared and have a list of places in each location. There’s no cheap pizzas etc as mentioned above and we have spent a small fortune on food.
There is a lot of places with gf but it’s not all coeliac safe. For example, cakes in open containers beside gluten ones and gluten free food in shared fryers.

we have eaten at Friedman’s across the city on a number of times. Book for Gayles Broadway Rose the Edison rather than Ellen’s for the singing waiters and you’ll have a huge choice of food and is fab. Modern Bread and Bagel are excellent. We are at Springbone a few times and also Schnippers in Times Square. Posh Pop is brilliant but expensive. By the Way bakery near the met is smaller but really great. Cafe 82 on the upper west side is fantastic and great value for breakfast. We are at Senza Gluten one night. It’s very highly rated but we found it meh and outrageously costed. Bread basket, lasagne, penne arrabiatta, carbonara, 2 desserts and 2 glasses of wine coast $250 with tax and tip. Our local Italian is just as good and the desserts were not good at all! Having been in Sorrento last year I thought it was overrated, NYC or not!

We took DD for her 21st in September and stayed at the IHG Hudson Yards Crowne Plaza, a stones throw from Penn Station and MSG but walkable to pretty much most sights such as empire state, Times Square, the edge, Central Park etc. We walked miles. Over 40 in 5 days.

But we had the best time ever. We bought a city pass and found it really good value for money and meant we did stuff we maybe wouldn’t have thought about eg bike riding around Central Park, as it was one of the experiences included in the pass.

Have the best time. DD loved it. I’d recommend the rooftop bar 230 fifth, they have hooded robes available to wear if outdoors and in the winter also have igloos. Amazing views of the empire state and if DD not yet 21 the u21’s welcome outside of weekend evenings.