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Post by JustCallMeMommy on Apr 7, 2018 15:03:40 GMT
DD(15) and I are talking a very short, very impromptu trip to NYC next weekend. I haven’t been since high school, and I had no say in the itinerary then.
The focus of the trip is Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and everything else is a bonus. We have 3 chunks of time available, noted below.
Friday - arrive late and go straight to a midtown hotel
Saturday:
Morning - open
12:00 - pick up Cursed Child tickets at Lyric box office and grab quick lunch nearby (must pick up tickets by 1:00)
2:00-5:30 HPPart1
Grab quick dinner between parts
7:30-10:00 HPPart2
Sunday:
Morning - open
3:00-5:30 - Dear Evan Hansen - Music Box Theatre
Evening - open
Monday - leave early, so straight to airport
We are storing up our sleep reserves this week. How would you fill the open time for a couple of newbies?
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Post by SockMonkey on Apr 7, 2018 17:03:31 GMT
Top of the Rock? Empire State? MOMA? Natural History Museum? The Guggenheim? Statue of Liberty? Brooklyn Bridge? 9/11 Memorial/Museum?
Those are all possibilities...
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Post by kenziekeeper on Apr 7, 2018 17:50:51 GMT
I would do a 2 day ticket for the hop on/hop off bus. You get a good overview that way. Sunday evening, do Top of the Rock. I would do a Central Park walk and hit Zabar's also.
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Post by Sassy Sabrina SWZ on Apr 7, 2018 18:33:45 GMT
Your title asks about being realistic, so I'll advise that I don't think the Saturday morning block of time is very usable. First of all, in my experience, at least, it can take more time to get showered and ready for the day than at home, because the use of the bathroom is sequential, unless accommodations are luxurious. Not sure where you're traveling from, but jetlag could be a factor, too. Also, you'll need to travel from the hotel to the box office, so allow enough time for catching a cab or navigating the subway system. And I wonder whether lines are long at the box office. I would get there as early as possible and then stroll around the neighborhood near the theater and lunch place, if there's extra time.
I'd use Sunday morning and lunchtime for something special, like one of the museums suggested above (personally, I'd choose an art museum), and use the evening time for an observation deck on one of the skyscrapers.
Have fun in NYC!
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Post by yodutchess on Apr 7, 2018 19:40:25 GMT
Do Top of the Rock, then you can see the Empire State Building from your view.
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Post by supersoda on Apr 7, 2018 21:10:25 GMT
With your time limitations, I'd stick close to midtown. I'd spend Friday night or Saturday morning taking in the Times Square spectacle. (You'll likely be pumped to see something when you get there, even if it's late. My first trip we got in around 9:00 pm, wandered Times Square and then went up the Empire State Building at around midnight, which was great because there were no lines!)
I agree with a previous poster you won't have a ton of usable time Saturday morning--especially if you're out late on Friday.
Sunday morning, you could wander up 5th Avenue and check out St. Patrick's Cathedral, a museum, or Central Park. Alternatively, you could check out the High Line and Chelsea Market.
You might consider Ellen's Stardust Diner for dinner on Sunday--my girls love it!
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Post by katlady on Apr 7, 2018 23:34:17 GMT
Moma and Top of the Rock (rockefeller center) are close to each other so you could do that on Sunday AM - early afternoon. There is also a lot of shops and places to eat in the general area.
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Post by JustCallMeMommy on Apr 9, 2018 18:07:16 GMT
Thank you all for the advice! I think I have a general game plan now. There is a lot around our hotel and the theater, so we're going to spend Saturday around there. Sunday, we're going to go out to Liberty Island as early as possible. This wouldn't make my game plan, but it is the only thing DD asked to do besides the plays. Sunday night, we'll go to Top of the Rock and look around that area. I think we can do everything except the Statue of Liberty on foot, so that is an added bonus (you can't walk anywhere here).
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Post by just PEAchy on Apr 9, 2018 18:19:23 GMT
Thank you all for the advice! I think I have a general game plan now. There is a lot around our hotel and the theater, so we're going to spend Saturday around there. Sunday, we're going to go out to Liberty Island as early as possible. This wouldn't make my game plan, but it is the only thing DD asked to do besides the plays. Sunday night, we'll go to Top of the Rock and look around that area. I think we can do everything except the Statue of Liberty on foot, so that is an added bonus (you can't walk anywhere here). You should try to get your Liberty Island tickets now. We went this summer & didnt get our tickets until we got there and tickets were very limited. We had to take the ferry to NJ first and then ferry out to the island. Also, we couldn't get tickets to go inside the Statue, we were just able to walk around the base. We still got some great pictures, though & I'm glad we did it. |
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Post by JustCallMeMommy on Apr 9, 2018 18:23:45 GMT
Thank you all for the advice! I think I have a general game plan now. There is a lot around our hotel and the theater, so we're going to spend Saturday around there. Sunday, we're going to go out to Liberty Island as early as possible. This wouldn't make my game plan, but it is the only thing DD asked to do besides the plays. Sunday night, we'll go to Top of the Rock and look around that area. I think we can do everything except the Statue of Liberty on foot, so that is an added bonus (you can't walk anywhere here). You should try to get your Liberty Island tickets now. We went this summer & didnt get our tickets until we got there and tickets were very limited. We had to take the ferry to NJ first and then ferry out to the island. Also, we couldn't get tickets to go inside the Statue, we were just able to walk around the base. We still got some great pictures, though & I'm glad we did it. I did that this morning! I was able to get Pedestal tickets, which gives us options. There were only 2 open times for the next several weeks, so I got lucky. |
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Julie W
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,209 
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Post by Julie W on Apr 9, 2018 18:30:13 GMT
We did a four day weekend including flying in and flying out in February. Based on your schedule I don't think you can fit the statue of liberty in there unless you can get the earliest departure on Sunday. I wish we had allowed more time for it, it took more time than I thought. There is an hour to go through security and board the ferry, then waiting for the ferry to leave, then getting off the ferry with all the other people. Even if you don't go inside (in which case there is more security and lines) and just walk around, you still have to plan to wait in line for the next ferry etc, and then from SOL it goes to drop people off at Ellis Island etc. We had tickets for inside the pedestal but due to lines and worrying about not getting back to make it for our flight - we skipped it. From entering the line to the security at the terminal to making it back and just walking around took us 4 hours. Doing it again (and I've promised DD we will) I would do the earliest departure and allot 5-6 hours with nothing scheduled after it close.
We really enjoyed Top of the Rock, St Patrick's Cathedral was also close, and that day we also saw Dylan's Candy Bar and Serendipity for Frozen Hot Chocolate.
Good luck!
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janeinbama
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,174
Location: Alabama
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Post by janeinbama on Apr 9, 2018 18:34:23 GMT
Very smart decision on you part - it takes a while to get from point A to point B no matter what mode of transportation you choose. The energy of the city is awesome and hope you guys have a great time.
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AmeliaBloomer
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,842
Location: USA
Jun 26, 2014 5:01:45 GMT
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Post by AmeliaBloomer on Apr 9, 2018 21:15:19 GMT
Thank you all for the advice! I think I have a general game plan now. There is a lot around our hotel and the theater, so we're going to spend Saturday around there. Sunday, we're going to go out to Liberty Island as early as possible. This wouldn't make my game plan, but it is the only thing DD asked to do besides the plays. Sunday night, we'll go to Top of the Rock and look around that area. I think we can do everything except the Statue of Liberty on foot, so that is an added bonus (you can't walk anywhere here). 1. What are you doing Saturday morning? We might have some tips. 2. The Liberty Island excursion could be iffy, timing wise. As mentioned, security wait times can be ridiculous, and then you have to travel uptown for your play. (And you probably paid through the nose for those Evan Hansen tickets, amirite?) The NYC Forum on Trip Adviser is a fantastic resource. It might be worth posting your Sunday plans there and asking for feedback. You can also do a search there for related posts. 3. Yes, New York is very walkable. When you're planning, make sure to factor in that the east-west blocks (between avenues) are muuuuuch longer than the north-south blocks (between streets). And bring umbrellas! |
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Post by JustCallMeMommy on Apr 9, 2018 21:57:25 GMT
Thank you all for the advice! I think I have a general game plan now. There is a lot around our hotel and the theater, so we're going to spend Saturday around there. Sunday, we're going to go out to Liberty Island as early as possible. This wouldn't make my game plan, but it is the only thing DD asked to do besides the plays. Sunday night, we'll go to Top of the Rock and look around that area. I think we can do everything except the Statue of Liberty on foot, so that is an added bonus (you can't walk anywhere here). 1. What are you doing Saturday morning? We might have some tips. 2. The Liberty Island excursion could be iffy, timing wise. As mentioned, security wait times can be ridiculous, and then you have to travel uptown for your play. (And you probably paid through the nose for those Evan Hansen tickets, amirite?) The NYC Forum on Trip Adviser is a fantastic resource. It might be worth posting your Sunday plans there and asking for feedback. You can also do a search there for related posts. 3. Yes, New York is very walkable. When you're planning, make sure to factor in that the east-west blocks (between avenues) are muuuuuch longer than the north-south blocks (between streets). And bring umbrellas! On Saturday, I was thinking about going to Ellen's Stardust Diner for breakfast (as recommended above - and a lot of the reviews for my hotel recommend it for breakfast because it is super close) and then picking up our tickets for the play. I know we'll pass a couple of stores we wouldn't mind visiting, and we want to find somewhere good for lunch. Is there a super good pizza place that we need to try? I figure I can bail on Liberty Island at any point if it looks like we won't be able to make it time wise. What time would you say I need to be back on dry land to make a 3:00 play on W 45th St.? I used Rome2Rio to look at expected walk timings - it is pretty good in other cities, so I figure it is good in NY, too. |
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AmeliaBloomer
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,842
Location: USA
Jun 26, 2014 5:01:45 GMT
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Post by AmeliaBloomer on Apr 9, 2018 22:14:09 GMT
1. What are you doing Saturday morning? We might have some tips. 2. The Liberty Island excursion could be iffy, timing wise. As mentioned, security wait times can be ridiculous, and then you have to travel uptown for your play. (And you probably paid through the nose for those Evan Hansen tickets, amirite?) The NYC Forum on Trip Adviser is a fantastic resource. It might be worth posting your Sunday plans there and asking for feedback. You can also do a search there for related posts. 3. Yes, New York is very walkable. When you're planning, make sure to factor in that the east-west blocks (between avenues) are muuuuuch longer than the north-south blocks (between streets). And bring umbrellas! On Saturday, I was thinking about going to Ellen's Stardust Diner for breakfast (as recommended above - and a lot of the reviews for my hotel recommend it for breakfast because it is super close) and then picking up our tickets for the play. I know we'll pass a couple of stores we wouldn't mind visiting, and we want to find somewhere good for lunch. Is there a super good pizza place that we need to try? I figure I can bail on Liberty Island at any point if it looks like we won't be able to make it time wise. What time would you say I need to be back on dry land to make a 3:00 play on W 45th St.?I used Rome2Rio to look at expected walk timings - it is pretty good in other cities, so I figure it is good in NY, too. -John's Pizza is sit-down waiter service in an old church on 44th Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues. Looks like your theater is on 43rd between Seven and Eighth, so very convenient. John's is a cut above a lot of Times Square area places to eat. (I'm a Times Square hater but will go there.) When you look it up, make sure to pick the right location. And anytime you eat before a play, tell the restaurant staff. It helps. -How are you traveling uptown for the Sunday play? (Note: I'm not a New Yorker, but I've traveled there frequently and always see several plays.) |
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pudgygroundhog
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,643
Location: The Grand Canyon
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Post by pudgygroundhog on Apr 10, 2018 2:48:31 GMT
On Saturday, I was thinking about going to Ellen's Stardust Diner for breakfast (as recommended above - and a lot of the reviews for my hotel recommend it for breakfast because it is super close) and then picking up our tickets for the play. I know we'll pass a couple of stores we wouldn't mind visiting, and we want to find somewhere good for lunch. Is there a super good pizza place that we need to try? I figure I can bail on Liberty Island at any point if it looks like we won't be able to make it time wise. What time would you say I need to be back on dry land to make a 3:00 play on W 45th St.?I used Rome2Rio to look at expected walk timings - it is pretty good in other cities, so I figure it is good in NY, too. -John's Pizza is sit-down waiter service in an old church on 44th Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues. Looks like your theater is on 43rd between Seven and Eighth, so very convenient. John's is a cut above a lot of Times Square area places to eat. (I'm a Times Square hater but will go there.) When you look it up, make sure to pick the right location. And anytime you eat before a play, tell the restaurant staff. It helps. -How are you traveling uptown for the Sunday play? (Note: I'm not a New Yorker, but I've traveled there frequently and always see several plays.) I was going to recommend John's Pizza too if you are looking for pizza. In general, if you are looking for places in that area to eat, search in Hell's Kitchen - much better. I'm another one who thinks you might be cutting it too close with the Liberty Island thing. But that is also my personal thing - I get really anal and antsy when I have tickets to something and hate looking at my watch constantly. If you are around Grand Central and looking for a snack, there are some options in their food court (the line there for Shake Shack is a lot less than other locations and they have a Magnolia too - which is passe now, but I like some of there items like the banana pudding). Nearby is Urbanspace Vanderbilt which is a nice food hall - they have some outposts of popular NYC eateries like Robertas (famous Brooklyn pizza place). I enjoyed Dear Evan Hansen and waiting for HP tickets. Enjoy your trip!! |
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Post by judy on Apr 11, 2018 3:21:32 GMT
My ds18 and I spent a Friday-Monday in NYC a few weeks ago, also staying in Midtown. We did a LOT. More than I expected us to get done.I posted here at 2peas and got lots of great suggestions. It was an amazing trip! We arrived at 11 am on Friday and left Monday at 3 pm.
Here was our itinerary...
Friday
Joe’s Pizza
Times Square
Central Park
subway
9/11 museum
subway
Dinner-Brooklyn Diner
8:00 the The Play that goes wrong
Saturday
subway
Statue of Liberty / Ellis Island tour
Leo’s Bagel - Hanover square area
Financial district-Hamilton church, Wall Street, Federal Hall
subway
One World Trade Center observatory
Rockefeller Center
Dinner -Quality Meats
8:00 Come from Away musical
Juniors Cheesecake-dessert
Sunday
Chelsea market and high line
cab
Central Park
Rockefeller Center
Top of the Rock observatory
St. Pats Cathedral
Dinner-Patsy’s
Juniors cheesecake dessert
Empire State Building -nighttime
Monday
Breakfast- Best Bagel and Coffee
cab
Metropolitan Museum of Art
cab
Times Square
Juniors Cheesecake for lunch
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Post by scrapcat on Apr 11, 2018 18:27:26 GMT
We like Bella Vita on 43rd street for pizza/italian when in the theater district. It's small and gets crowded, so get there before lunch rush.
I also recommend figuring in arriving at the theater at least a half hour before show time. You will have to stand in line, file in, security check, use the bathroom, purchase any drinks/snacks, check coat, get comfortable in your seat, etc. There just always lines everywhere, so give yourself plenty of wiggle room.
I suggest not overplanning and try to just enjoy the atmosphere. My favorite thing to do is just sit at a restaurant or cafe and people watch.
Top of the Rock is def doable in your schedule and it is cool to go around sunset, or even after to see the city lights.
Hope you have a great time!
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Post by JustCallMeMommy on Apr 17, 2018 17:48:58 GMT
Thank you all for the great advice! It was a quick weekend, but we had a great time. DD really wanted to eat at Ellen's Stardust Diner a second time, so that is how we spend Sunday morning. Our hotel was incredibly centrally located - more than I realized looking at maps. We took a taxi from the airport and a towncar back to the airport. Everything else was on foot. This is what we actually got in:
Saturday
* Breakfast at Ellen's Stardust Diner - so fun! We waited maybe 20 minutes to get in, and we were seated in the balcony just over the walkway in the middle. It was the best view!
* Picked up HP tickets - we discovered that 40,000 people entered the lottery for the Friday Forty tickets. DD just laughed and said, "I knew it was a lot. You are just that lucky."
* Shopping & people watching
* HP and the Cursed Child - GO SEE IT, if you can get reasonably priced tickets. I really do feel lucky, because I wasn't about to spend $1200 on tickets for two of us, even though I really wanted to see it (though I might have given in if I spent all summer entering the lottery!).
* Dinner at Juniors - dinner was good; cheesecake was excellent
Sunday
* Breakfast at Ellen's again - this time, we were seated downstairs. It was closer to the entertainment, but we couldn't see everything like we did upstairs.
* American Girl store
* Dear Evan Hansen - Also excellent. Good cast and story.
* Top of the Rock - visibility sucked, but this was the only time we could really do this
* Walked down to 5th Avenue, St. Partick's, and Rockefeller Plaza
* Picked up pizza from a hole in the wall type place
I think we did pretty well. We could have done more if we ate faster and slept less, but we were both happy with our pace. DD was impressed with how much I was able to get in her suitcase after she declared it completely full.
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