2-3 Days in NYC...Please Help!

Hello Everyone,

We are planning a trip to New York City next summer. We would probably have 2-3 days. We have never visited before, so we are really lost.

What things are must sees since we will only have a short time in town. We like to visit historic and tourist type attractions.

We really want to see at least one and possibly two broadway shows. Wicked is at the top of our list, but what other show would you recommend?

One more thing, can you suggest a clean, safe, not too terribly expensive hotel? I%26#39;m not sure what area would be best to stay in so I%26#39;m hoping you will be able to help with that as well.

Sorry for all of the questions! Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

2-3 Days in NYC...Please Help!

Hi!

Pop into your local library and get a few guides, have a read and see which one clicks with you. When planning my first trip to New York I bought a copy of the DK Eyewitness guide as it had really good maps, walks etc. That way you can decide on all the things you would like to see and do on your trip to the city.

It may be better to get a rough idea of what you are doing, and how long you have to do it in, before tackling the subject of hotels. You may find that the things you want to see are concentrated in a relatively small area this may influence your choice of hotel, but with the fantastic subway you are never far away from anywhere.

You can either do a general Google search or use the search box at the top of the posts. When you are at the hotel stage, it would be helpful to give a dollar amount as your %26#39;not too terribly expensive hotel%26#39; may be very expensive to someone else.

You%26#39;ll have a great time no matter what you decide to see and do!

M

2-3 Days in NYC...Please Help!

Hi BluegrassSpoons,

First time in the summer is good. Just walking around is the best way to experience New York.

I would spend one day in lower Manhattan, the historic areas are really there, maybe include Greenwich Village, and do a free Staten Island ferry. Between the Statue of Liberty and the skyline, you will be amazed.

On another day, be in midtown to Central park, and enjoy !!! Include Rockefeller Center %26amp; St Patricks !!!

If you are near any museums or stores, just stop in to get a flavor, but be very flexible and you will have a great first visit. There are too many '; must sees'; to really enjoy all anyway. You make the decision, you can%26#39;t go wrong.

Can%26#39;t help with hotels, You will get a lot of info on TA.

Thank you for your replies! I have a couple other quick questions. Is Ticketmaster the only or best place to buy broadway tickets? Also how early should I order tickets for Wicked?...I was thinking of ordering them in the next week or so as soon as we finalize our dates.

As far as touristy/historic things I would say:

Rockfeller Center/Saint Patricks Cathedral (close to each other)

Central Park

Statue of Liberty and Battery Park (again close)

Metropolitan Museum of Art

That%26#39;s probably it for the time that you%26#39;re there, but there is so much more to see!

The hotels in NY will probably come down in price by the time you visit, but I would get something close to Central Park.

You will have a great time in NYC and will be spoilt for choice with all the attractions to see.

I would suggest you build your itinerary around the following sites;

Empire State Building

Statue of Liberty

Times Square

American Museum of Natural History

South Street Seaport

Given your short time in the city I would study a street-map in advance try (http://www.gostreetmaps.com/new-york.html) and choose your daily routine from it so you do not lose out on valuable time looking for sights or travelling between sights when one sight may be nearer the other.

As for a show I enjoyed Mamma Mia but most Broadway shows are excellent.

Hi BluegrassSpoons,

If you are sure you want to go and sure of the date, you should order the tix via ticketmaster or whatever site is used at your earliest convenience.

If you are not sure, you may be able to get discount tix when you are in NYC, either at the discount tix office or with what is called a twofer.

During the summer, there could be free concerts and other type events in Central Park and other local areas. You could look these things up on line.

Welcome to NYC !!

If you are short on time, I would recommend taking the Staten Island ferry and just viewing the Statue of Liberty from the ferry. You also get a very nice view of New York.

my friend went to www.newyorkguest.com and had them make a package with good rates at decent hotels. maybe they can help.good luck

Re: hotels

You need to tell us your budget and how many in your party. ';Not too terribly expensive'; is too vague.

Do you have a guide book? Frommer%26#39;s, Fodor%26#39;s and AAA usually have 1, 2 and 3 day sample itineraries. Check your library or bookstores.

You can get free maps from AAA (automobile club).

Have you had a look at our FAQ ';sticky'; at the top of this forum? Great stuff, like these:

BROADWAY! Discount tickets and theatre etiquette: Never pay full price and turn off that cell phone!

tripadvisor.com/Travel-g60763-c1146/New-York鈥?/a>

MUST-SEE%26#39;S AND MUST-DO%26#39;S! WHAT SHOULD A FIRST-TIMER ABSOLUTELY NOT MISS? This list could go on forever, but here%26#39;s a ';Top 21'; that sums up the Big Apple%26#39;s best features.

tripadvisor.com/Travel-g60763-s409/New-York-鈥?/a>

Another good TA article:

tripadvisor.com/Travel-g60763-c96990/New-Yor鈥?/a>

Thank you everyone for your help. After a little research, I%26#39;m thinking we would like to stay in the Times Square area. There will be two of us. We would like to keep the rate to around $300 per night or less, but I%26#39;m not sure if that is possible. We will be driving into NYC, do the hotels have paid parking garages available. If not, what is available for parking? Thanks for any help you can provide.