New York, New York

[ajax_andy 0]

Avoid Times Square unless you want to pay huge money. You can get decent hotels in even some of the trendier parts of Manhattan, like the Upper West Side, without forking over the big bucks, but not in Times Square. It's not even that great. Brooklyn, by and large, is a shithole, and the places that aren't (like Williamsburg) are so yuppie-fied you probably won't stomach them. The Bronx is pretty bad too, much as I love it. Queens has nice parts.

 

More paragraphs than a Lee Ryder article here, but nontheless:-

 

The above is good advice indeed. Took me a while to find one that could accomodate us as we had an awkward number of people, but there were loads of hotels that were relatively cheap and still in decent places.

 

We ended up in one on West 80th St. (Upper West Side, obviously!) that had a Subway stop 2 minutes away on Broadway, took no time at all to get anywhere from there. It wasn't mind blowing but the rooms locked, the staff were cushty, the beds were comfy, the shower worked and the area was mint.

 

The Subway is a piece of piss to use by the way, just get a card from the machine and top it up. Not that expensive either. Map is easy enough to suss out fairly quickly aswell. We used it a fair bit but also did loads of walking as you would expect. The only thing that you need to watch for is late night trains that don't stop everywhere, but for that theres always a taxi.

 

Speaking of walking, if you get the chance, get the Subway up to the top of Central Park and walk all the way through it to the bottom. Great way to sort yourself out after a late night.

 

As for tourusty stuff, we did most of the usual. Loads of people will tell you to do the Top of the Rock thing because it's cheaper, the queues are shorter and the view is better. That may be but personally I've wanted to go up the Empire State since I was a kid, so that's what I did. Queuing can be a pain but America insist on making you feel like you're less in a queue, more being entertained before the main event. Being English however, you will probably see through it and get bored quickly!

 

We didn't go to Liberty Island, we just looked at it from Battery Park. As previously mentioned you can get the Staten Island ferry for nowt and it goes past the statue anyway. It was pissing it down though so we went to the pub.

 

We basically spent all day sightseeing and all night wandering around from bar to bar in different areas each night. It was fucking superb.

 

Sounds like you had a cracking time mate, and the Hotel sounds pretty much what we'd be looking for tbh.

 

I'd probably have to look in to which building to go up, I always thought the Empire State Building was the one everyone did so not familiar with the Rockafeller one.

 

I think we'll do lots of walking tbh and take the subway too, taxi's would be good but I think I'd probs miss some of the culture that way (although yellow cabs are part of the culture admittedly!).

 

How far in advance did you book your hotel? We're really skint at the moment, but I'm imagining there's plenty of hotel rooms available all year round and as it's probably November next year until we go we've got plenty of time to worry about that?

[DEADMAN 0]

i personally wouldnt go to america at all its violent full of idiots who dont like brits and they always solve problems with guns

Lots of blacks there as well.

 

 

im not raciest i dont just like america is full of crime comitting idiots lol

[ewerk 31589]

Anyone got any advice on whether to get the New York pass for attractions? Looks like a bit of a time saver but not overly cheap.

[DEADMAN 0]

americas bleeding exspensive id go to austrailia good day mate hehe

[WubbleUC 0]

How far in advance did you book your hotel? We're really skint at the moment, but I'm imagining there's plenty of hotel rooms available all year round and as it's probably November next year until we go we've got plenty of time to worry about that?

 

We had originally booked an apartment in December 2010 for April 2011, but the owner was being a titbag so I had to find a hotel with about a month and a half to spare!

 

Obviously I wouldn't leave it that late, but there did seem to be rooms available most of the time. Mind, I don't know if this is true but I had been told Spring was one of the quieter times to go, it might be different on the run up to Christmas like!

[Gemmill 47073]

americas bleeding exspensive id go to austrailia good day mate hehe

 

Good day.

[DEADMAN 0]

hahaha austrailias full of good day mates lol

[Dr Gloom 22518]

one of the best things i did last time i was there was hang out in the meat packing district. loads of cool bars, restaurants, pop art galleries etc. go for a walk up the high line too - http://www.thehighline.org/

 

for shopping, try soho then go for a booze crawl or out for dinner in the village.

 

all the things listed in this thread are worth doing as well, there are a list of must see tourist attractions, but there is a less touristy, less obvious side to the big apple. it's a cool as fuck city to hang out in. i'd go for 5-7 days so you get to see the whole thing.

[Renton 22402]

I'm going in two weeks for 5 nights, then Barbados for 5 nights, then flying directly back to London. Booked this through Virgin and they seem to have cocked up nearly every aspect of the travel documentation. And they've changed our direct flight to Barbados to one that stops for 3 hours in Miami, basically writing off a whole day off the break. Not happy about that. Plus they use an Indian call centre who are utter cunterheads to talk to.

 

Anyway, somewhat apprehensive of what damage Mrs Rents will do to the bank balance shopping on the New York leg.

[Renton 22402]

one of the best things i did last time i was there was hang out in the meat packing district. loads of cool bars, restaurants, pop art galleries etc. go for a walk up the high line too - http://www.thehighline.org/

 

for shopping, try soho then go for a booze crawl or out for dinner in the village.

 

all the things listed in this thread are worth doing as well, there are a list of must see tourist attractions, but there is a less touristy, less obvious side to the big apple. it's a cool as fuck city to hang out in. i'd go for 5-7 days so you get to see the whole thing.

 

I fancy walking the high line.

 

I'm a bit ambivalent about NYC. I agree it is cool and utterly amazing to look at, but I've never felt at ease there like I have in most European cities. This is my first trip since the towers fell so I'm canny excited about seeing it again though.

[Meenzer 15863]

I've never felt at ease there like I have in most European cities.

 

Same here. Don't find it as easy to casually bar-/restaurant-hop like you might over here, for example (or elsewhere in the States, for that matter - Nashville was brilliant for that). But it might be a question of knowing the right areas - you can easily have a massively shit time in London if you don't know where to go, say.

[Ally 0]

americas bleeding exspensive id go to austrailia good day mate hehe

 

Good day.

 

good day to you chap.

[Ally 0]

Slightly off topic, we're going on our honeymoon next year travelling East to West coast for 3 weeks. Should be amazing, anyone done anything similar to recommend / advise against certain things?

[Howmanheyman 34434]

I've never felt at ease there like I have in most European cities.

 

Same here. Don't find it as easy to casually bar-/restaurant-hop like you might over here, for example (or elsewhere in the States, for that matter - Nashville was brilliant for that). But it might be a question of knowing the right areas - you can easily have a massively shit time in London if you don't know where to go, say.

That must be where I come in. The times I've been there I've never seen what the fuss is about and in actual fact I can't stand the place.

[Kid Dynamite 7312]

Snap

[Gemmill 47073]

Slightly off topic, we're going on our honeymoon next year travelling East to West coast for 3 weeks. Should be amazing, anyone done anything similar to recommend / advise against certain things?

 

Ally, there was an article in the Sunday Times travel section about road tripping in America. Let me know if you're interested - will c&p it for you or something.

[Ally 0]

Yeh that would be smashing, thanks mate.

[ajax_andy 0]

How far in advance did you book your hotel? We're really skint at the moment, but I'm imagining there's plenty of hotel rooms available all year round and as it's probably November next year until we go we've got plenty of time to worry about that?

 

We had originally booked an apartment in December 2010 for April 2011, but the owner was being a titbag so I had to find a hotel with about a month and a half to spare!

 

Obviously I wouldn't leave it that late, but there did seem to be rooms available most of the time. Mind, I don't know if this is true but I had been told Spring was one of the quieter times to go, it might be different on the run up to Christmas like!

 

Good point about it being the run up to xmas, might be a good idea to book the accomodation fairly early and then save up for the flights and buy them nearer the time (although not too near due to availability and also prices going up nearer the departure date).

 

I was considering an apartment rather than a hotel but it would depend on the cost, we usually do this when we go away for a long weekend to somewhere in Eastern Europe or Edinburgh and prefer it to staying in a hotel.

[ajax_andy 0]

How far in advance did you book your hotel? We're really skint at the moment, but I'm imagining there's plenty of hotel rooms available all year round and as it's probably November next year until we go we've got plenty of time to worry about that?

 

We had originally booked an apartment in December 2010 for April 2011, but the owner was being a titbag so I had to find a hotel with about a month and a half to spare!

 

Obviously I wouldn't leave it that late, but there did seem to be rooms available most of the time. Mind, I don't know if this is true but I had been told Spring was one of the quieter times to go, it might be different on the run up to Christmas like!

 

Good point about it being the run up to xmas, might be a good idea to book the accomodation fairly early and then save up for the flights and buy them nearer the time (although not too near due to availability and also prices going up nearer the departure date).

 

I was considering an apartment rather than a hotel but it would depend on the cost, we usually do this when we go away for a long weekend to somewhere in Eastern Europe or Edinburgh and prefer it to staying in a hotel.

[Barney 0]

Thanksgiving is in November too.

 

That's generally around the time that I've gone over.

[Gemmill 47073]

I would imagine renting an apartment in Manhattan would be seriously expensive.

[ajax_andy 0]

I would imagine renting an apartment in Manhattan would be seriously expensive.

 

Haha yeah more than likely in all fairness, i'll check it out tho just in case but imagine it'll be a cheap hotel we'll end up going with

[Asprilla 96]

I've been twice, once in 1993 and again about a month ago. I absolutely love the place, easily my favourite city. The whole place is like a film set, everywhere you go there are landmarks. It seemed a lot safer this time although there are several reasons for that.

 

First time I went I stayed in hostel cause I was 21 and had fuck all money. I went for a week with a girlfriend who was going out to be an au pair for a year. The first 2 or 3 nights we stayed in a posh hotel in Central Park cause her au pair scheme paid for it. That was fucking cool. Then she went off to be with her new family and I had to stay in a hostel in Harlem which for a Cornish lad was a bit of a culture shock.

 

This time I had a bit more money and stayed in Times Square for a week with Mrs Asprilla. It was less than £100 a night for a really nice hotel. I booked it all though http://www.roundtheworldexperts.co.uk/ and they can get good prices on packages without you having to do all the work.

 

I do think the city's been cleaned up a lot crime wise. It stank though.

 

Going for a big breakfast at a diner (Tick Tock Diner was my favourite) then walking it off all day was what we did. It was about $25 for us both and you don't need to eat again until the evening. I thought Williamsburg was cool although it was full of twats.

 

Go for it man, I'm already seeing if I can justify going again ASAP.

[ajax_andy 0]

I've been twice, once in 1993 and again about a month ago. I absolutely love the place, easily my favourite city. The whole place is like a film set, everywhere you go there are landmarks. It seemed a lot safer this time although there are several reasons for that.

 

First time I went I stayed in hostel cause I was 21 and had fuck all money. I went for a week with a girlfriend who was going out to be an au pair for a year. The first 2 or 3 nights we stayed in a posh hotel in Central Park cause her au pair scheme paid for it. That was fucking cool. Then she went off to be with her new family and I had to stay in a hostel in Harlem which for a Cornish lad was a bit of a culture shock.

 

This time I had a bit more money and stayed in Times Square for a week with Mrs Asprilla. It was less than £100 a night for a really nice hotel. I booked it all though http://www.roundtheworldexperts.co.uk/ and they can get good prices on packages without you having to do all the work.

 

I do think the city's been cleaned up a lot crime wise. It stank though.

 

Going for a big breakfast at a diner (Tick Tock Diner was my favourite) then walking it off all day was what we did. It was about $25 for us both and you don't need to eat again until the evening. I thought Williamsburg was cool although it was full of twats.

 

Go for it man, I'm already seeing if I can justify going again ASAP.

 

 

Cheers mate, i'll bookmark that link.

 

Yeah i think i'd just walk around in awe for the whole week as it'll be like being in a film as I've seen it that many times on the TV and in the Cinema.

 

£700 for a week is much cheaper than I was expecting for a hotel too so thats good.

 

I heard Jet 2 were doing cheap flights to NYC so I need to look in to that, but not sure I could handle such a long flight in a horrible cramped little plane

[Asprilla 96]

I've been twice, once in 1993 and again about a month ago. I absolutely love the place, easily my favourite city. The whole place is like a film set, everywhere you go there are landmarks. It seemed a lot safer this time although there are several reasons for that.

 

First time I went I stayed in hostel cause I was 21 and had fuck all money. I went for a week with a girlfriend who was going out to be an au pair for a year. The first 2 or 3 nights we stayed in a posh hotel in Central Park cause her au pair scheme paid for it. That was fucking cool. Then she went off to be with her new family and I had to stay in a hostel in Harlem which for a Cornish lad was a bit of a culture shock.

 

This time I had a bit more money and stayed in Times Square for a week with Mrs Asprilla. It was less than £100 a night for a really nice hotel. I booked it all though http://www.roundtheworldexperts.co.uk/ and they can get good prices on packages without you having to do all the work.

 

I do think the city's been cleaned up a lot crime wise. It stank though.

 

Going for a big breakfast at a diner (Tick Tock Diner was my favourite) then walking it off all day was what we did. It was about $25 for us both and you don't need to eat again until the evening. I thought Williamsburg was cool although it was full of twats.

 

Go for it man, I'm already seeing if I can justify going again ASAP.

 

 

Cheers mate, i'll bookmark that link.

 

Yeah i think i'd just walk around in awe for the whole week as it'll be like being in a film as I've seen it that many times on the TV and in the Cinema.

 

£700 for a week is much cheaper than I was expecting for a hotel too so thats good.

 

I heard Jet 2 were doing cheap flights to NYC so I need to look in to that, but not sure I could handle such a long flight in a horrible cramped little plane

 

You're welcome.

 

It was called The Four Points (Times Square). There's a few Four Points in New York I think.

 

The flight's about 8 hours and it does get a bit boring. I don't know what Jet2 is like, I went with Virgin which has pretty decent entertainment. Watched Hannah and the remake of Arthur with Russell Brand (). If you can get a leg room upgrade it's worth it I reckon.