Must sees in New York?

[Eevie]

But, for the sake of other readers:

Central Park Zoo
NY Public Library (the one with the lion statues in front)
Museum of Natural History
Macy's Herald Square (7th & 8th floors...the ones with the wooden escalators!)

That's my list, and I haven't been to the "city" in over 20 years.

No, I actually leave next week. So you're fine! I REALLY want to see the library, that where they filmed the beginning of Ghostbusters, one of my favorite movies! The museum would be neat too!

[Greenday]

John's Pizzeria on 44th is my favorite pizza place in the city. Delicious brick oven pizza. The place used to be a church before it was turned into a pizza place. Haven't been around the city in years and I miss it so much. These days I only go for Yankees games.

I'm not big on touristy stuff. I've just hung out a bunch of times in the city since my uncle used to work on the ferry. Don't give out change to bums. Don't acknowledge the bums. Don't buy anything from sidewalk vendors and expect it to be genuine. Don't leave a wallet just hanging out. Fair chance it gets snatched. If you even think you might have to go to the bathroom and you have the opportunity to do so, take it. God knows when you'll be near a place with a public restroom again.

[thansal]

God knows when you'll be near a place with a public restroom again.

There are very nice public restrooms every few blocks, they hang out these misleading sign that say Starbucks or Barns and Noble, but don't let them fool you!


Seriously, B&N and Starbucks are generally perfect places to hit if you need to use the restroom, and B&Ns have places to sit in most of them, making them excellent pit stops.

Oh, and if you haven't seen it:
How you gonna call?

[Amanita]

Oh I just love NYC! I miss it like crazy!
Do walk the Brooklyn Bridge, it lives up to the hype, it's such a handsome old structure. I've got a picture of myself playfully wrapping my fingers around one of its vertical suspender ropes. And on the way back over to Manhattan, walk over the Manhattan Bridge, Brooklyn's under-appreciated neighbor, the one with the pretty blue paintjob. There's so much pretty detailing in the steelwork when you're up close, like the steel version of victorian gingerbread. Sadly taggers like to mess with this bridge, but she's still a beauty. Also, getting off the Manhattan Bridge lands you right in Chinatown, which is cool.

Aside from the Dakota there are some gorgeous older apartment towers along Central Park West, including the San Remo and El Dorado. If you take in a Skyscraper rooftop, I heartily recommend Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center. The lines are shorter than at the Empire State, there's places to sit down if you're tired (nowhere to sit at the ESB), and you get a nice view of the Empire State too, as well as Central Park. Top of the Rock is best done during the day, ESB is good at night, although I went up there twice on my last trip- once in the morning, and later at night.
If you have the time, the Circle Line cruise is fun- it's a three hour boatride around Manhattan. There will be some periods of downtime during the tour, and that's okay with me- if you're hanging out with friends, you can chat among yourselves until the tour guide resumes his speech.

[Jester]

If you are a book fan, hit Strand's on Broadway. One of the two best bookstores in the country, in my experience rivaled only by Powell's in Portland, Oregon.

Clothing shopping in NYC is wild. You can drop thousands of dollars, but you can also get some serious deals at various shops if you remember the #1 rule: "You can always walk away." I've gotten some of my best ties for amazingly cheap in NYC. But always buy from a shop, and not on the street. (See below.)

If you are a fan of magic, head to Tannen's. It is one of the oldest and best magic shops in the country. Worth a stop. Hell, you might even learn and/or buy something! (I did.) Even if you don't, they can let you know about various magic shows and performances going around in NYC during your stay. I learned one of the most audacious moves I've ever seen (though never actually used) while hanging out at a local coffee shop with some staff I met at Tannen's. Still in awe of that move, and would love to improve on it and work it into my repertoire.

The view from the observation deck near the top of the Empire State Building is virtually unrivaled in this country, or in the world. I don't use superlatives lightly, either.

FOOD. There is so much to eat in the city now, PLEASE don't go to any chain restaurants.

Going to a chain restaurant in NYC for anything other than a bathroom should be a crime punishable by death. The food capital of the world! If you get a chance, try some good old-fashioned NYC Italian, or hit Chinatown, or get some soul food in Harlem, or....well, it would literally take YEARS to eat at every worthwhile restaurant in NYC, so just ignore the chains and check out some of the better places, "better" of course depending upon your budget. (If you're a student, you're not likely to be dining at Breakfast at Tiffany's, for example, but that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of awesome places in NYC for your budget!)

By the way, there is so much good food in NYC, just about any style or cuisine you like will be represented. So feel free to hunt down restaurants that represent your favorite foods, as the better ones will elevate what you have already had of that variety.

By the way, if you like bagels, you have to have one in NYC, preferably from a dedicated bagel shop or Jewish deli. It will probably change your life, or at the very least your view on bagels. Because a good NY Jewish bagel is something to be treasured. And something few others around the country have been able to duplicate or even approach.

Nothing good ever came from Times Square.

I disagree. I had a great beer at Times Square Brewery years ago, and I would hope they are still great. Also had one of the best margaritas I've ever had, oddly for an Arizonan, right there in Times Square. But it is very hit or miss, emphasis on the miss. Times Square is weird. Great place, and you can get some great food/drinks, but it's very much a crap shoot on that. And the odds are not in your favor. Be advised. But definitely worth the gamble, if for nothing else than for the experience.

Katz's
Arguably the most famous deli there is. Their Pastrami is seriously amazing. That said, they are crazy expensive.

If they are half as good as their branch in Houston (and my guess is they're much, much better), this is the ultimate sandwich shop/deli. The tongue sandwich? To die for.

I would also suggest a trip through either The Metropolitan Museum of Art or The American Museum of Natural History.

Absolutely! If you're a museum person, hit these places. I'm NOT a museum person, and I have fond memories of both.

I'll chime in on the NYC hot dog thing:
Hot dog carts are one of my least favorite things about NYC

Hell no. But then, it's a matter of taste. People either love or hate the "dirty water dogs" that are staples of NYC hot dog carts. If you're looking for anything fancy, these are not your places. But if you just want a dog with mustard, kraut, and/or onions, some of these carts simply shine.

And, while NYers will argue endlessly over where to get the best slice, I think there is something to be said for just stopping at a random pizzeria (if it has "Ray's" in the name, all the better), grabbing a plain slice, folding it in half and walking along as you munch it, more as an experience thing then the fact that the pizza is particularly good (Because it isn't).

It's not gourmet, but it IS good. It's an honest slice of NYC thin crust pizza, and sometimes honest and simple is better than fancy and gourmet. NYC thin crust pizza is a perfect example of this. Ray's rocks, but they are not alone.

Don't give out change to bums. Don't acknowledge the bums. Don't buy anything from sidewalk vendors and expect it to be genuine. Don't leave a wallet just hanging out.

Read that again. And again. And again.

And don't be wandering around looking up at all the skyscrapers in awe. You mark yourself as a tourist, and therefore a target. Practice your cool aloofness, wear shades everywhere, and just chill. You'll see more and be less stressed, and less targeted.

And if you're on the subway, by the gods, hold on to a rail or a strap, because if you are not a practiced subway surfer, not holding on will knock you on your ass and mark you as an out of towner REALLY fast.

[Amanita]

And don't be wandering around looking up at all the skyscrapers in awe.

I'm guilty of that one, but I'm a hardcore, dyed in the wool Skyscraper enthusiast. Let's face it, NYC has gorgeous skyscrapers, it would be a sin not to admire them!
Heck, they're the inspiration for some of my cosplay projects.

As for Times Square, it's fun to people watch there. And since one of the skyscrapers on my "I must personify and cosplay this" list is there (One Astor Plaza) I think it would be hilarious to get the costume on and hang out there for a while, see how many tourists do double takes!

[Eevie]

Okay, FINALLY have time to respond! First off, Jester, it's sounds like we have similar taste, I definitely checking out that magic shop!

As for the skyscrapers, I agree with Amanita, I've never seen skyscrapers like in New York before, but I'll admire them when it's appropriate, such as while I'm eating lunch.

As for a purse that I know won't be pick-pocketed, the zipper tab on my purse broke and it's a little tricky to get open while standing still, much less on a busy street. So I think I'm safe in that regard.

And I found out where we're singing. The Intrepid Museum next to Ground Zero. It's for a ceremony and there should be quite a few soldiers in the event as well. We'll be singing this Monday.

[thansal]

Tannen's is an excellent place (I used to be really crazy into magic). I would have also suggested checking out Monday Night Magic (a weekly magic show), however, as you your self are performing on Monday, that's probably a no go :P

As a side note: The Intrepid Museum is not near Ground Zero, it's mid-town west, while ground zero is down on the South end of the island, so some one gave you some faulty info :P

I should check to see if my navy friend is going to be at that event...

[Akasa]

I really enjoyed the Met when I visited NYC.

[Eevie]

As a side note: The Intrepid Museum is not near Ground Zero, it's mid-town west, while ground zero is down on the South end of the island, so some one gave you some faulty info :P

That would be my choir director. Whoops.

[Eevie]

Also I was curious if I should start a new thread for my trip. As in, update it with my experiences and where I go, seeing how I know I'm not going to remember it all to put into a thread at once.

[Misty]

Times Square is a far cry from what it used to be when I was a kid; the porn stores and fake ID shops are long gone, along with most of the drug dealers and hookers; now that it's much more family friendly, it's a great place for a small town girl to visit and people watch, but be prepared for sensory overload!

I'm not even going to get into the "best slice in NY" debate, except to say if you see a sign that says '$1 pizza' just keep walking. As for hot dogs, nothing beats Nathan's, but Coney Island is too far a hike (a shame, because CI itself is an icon worth visiting if you had the time).

You should definitely try a soft pretzel from one of the zillions of pushcarts that sell them (with or without mustard, it's up to you). At this time of year those pushcarts also sell hot chestnuts, so you should give those a chance as well.

Whenever I visit a new city for the first time, I check to see if there are any good walking tours. For NYC I highly recommend Big Onion Walking Tours:

http://www.bigonion.com/

I've been on a few of these tours and they are a blast. It gives you a chance to break away from the usual tourist traps and get a smaller, more intimate glimpse of one of the many, many subcultures that make New York unlike any other city in the world.

[Eevie]

Well, I'm just waiting for the plane at the moment. I'm exhausted with how I've been going since 6 am yesterday to now almost 24 hours later. So sleepy...

[thansal]

WOOOO

Enjoy the hell out of it!


/me looks out the window

Umm, I hope your flight isn't delayed....

[Eevie]

/me looks out the window

Umm, I hope your flight isn't delayed....

It was... Three times... But I'm in my second day of the trip and having a lot of fun! I'll make a full update when I get back home!