I'm Going to New York City for the First Time! :D

[sorrycharlie]

That's right! My girlfriend and I are headed up to NYC for one day before we fly from there to Brazil for four months. We've never been there before. Now, I know there are a lot of people on this forum from New York City, so I'll be very disappointed if I don't receive some feedback on this. So what should we see or do during the one day we're there? Our funds are extremely limited, so please keep that in mind. Jay, Colleen, Bruce, and everyone else who lives in or has experience with New York City, please let give me some tips and suggestions. Thanks a lot, everyone! Peace to all!

[Colleen]

Where in NYC will you be flying into and where are you staying?

[sorrycharlie]

We're coming into JFK and staying at the Comfort Inn near that airport.

[Colleen]

Ah okay...will you have a rental car? Or are you going to take a cab/bus/subway/train?

[sorrycharlie]

colleen said:

Ah okay...will you have a rental car? Or are you going to take a cab/bus/subway/train?

We'll probably mostly go by subway, but maybe some cab and bus, too. Y'know, whatever's cheaper at the moment. No rental car. Not enough money.

[alyk]

Hey, I posted something similar to this in polls and no one responded to mine Have fun, sorrycharlie. When are you going? My hubby and I are going Feb 16-17.

[sorrycharlie]

Yeah, I noticed your thread, alyk. We're going on February 20. We'll have to sleep in the airport that night and the night of the 22 because we have only enough money to get a hotel room for one night, the 21. Our flight to Brazil leaves on the 23 at 8:00 a.m.

[alyk]

Have you looked at maybe trying to stay at a hostel? You can get a bed for as low as $20/night. Look here gonyc.about.com/od/hostels/New_York_Hostels.htm. My husband isn't the hostel type... That's why we're only going for one night. It was the only way we could afford to stay at the fancy hotel he wanted.

[Colleen]

I'd check out Times Square, for sure. It's sensory overload and there's ALWAYS something going on...If you're staying near JFK, then I think that the subway is the A or E (I'm n ot sure), but those go into Times Square if that's the case

[sorrycharlie]

alyk said:

Have you looked at maybe trying to stay at a hostel? You can get a bed for as low as $20/night. Look here gonyc.about.com/od/hostels/New_York_Hostels.htm. My husband isn't the hostel type... That's why we're only going for one night. It was the only way we could afford to stay at the fancy hotel he wanted.

Yeah, we thought of doing that, but then we just decided to save our money and sleep in the airport.

colleen said:

I'd check out Times Square, for sure. It's sensory overload and there's ALWAYS something going on...If you're staying near JFK, then I think that the subway is the A or E (I'm n ot sure), but those go into Times Square if that's the case

Thanks, Colleen! Times Square is a place I DEFINITELY want to check out, along with Central Park and the Statue of Liberty. Do you know of any cool tours going on?

[Colleen]

They have a bus tour through Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty - my advice is to get there EARLY. Jay & I went there for attempt #2 at like 10am and it was STILL sold out to actually being able to go up into it. However, Ellis Island & Liberty Island are both really cool, even if you can't go inside the Statue. The ferry ride is pretty sweet, as well. But it gets windy so dress warm!

[alyk]

sorrycharlie, we bought tickets for the Statue and Ellis Island for the tours online at www.statuecruises.com/. I found this site on the National Park Service website. You book for a certain time. To see the Statue, you have to get the one with the Monument Pass. They cost $18 with audio and $12 without.

[sorrycharlie]

colleen said:

They have a bus tour through Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty - my advice is to get there EARLY. Jay & I went there for attempt #2 at like 10am and it was STILL sold out to actually being able to go up into it. However, Ellis Island & Liberty Island are both really cool, even if you can't go inside the Statue. The ferry ride is pretty sweet, as well. But it gets windy so dress warm!

alyk said:

sorrycharlie, we bought tickets for the Statue and Ellis Island for the tours online at www.statuecruises.com/. I found this site on the National Park Service website. You book for a certain time. To see the Statue, you have to get the one with the Monument Pass. They cost $18 with audio and $12 without.

Cool! Thanks Colleen and alyk! Part of that website doesn't seem to be working now, however, so I'll try it again later.

I do have some great news, though! My mom is concerned about our security and comfort with sleeping in the airport, so she's offering to put us up for two more days in the hotel we're staying at! ;D

Collen, how long does the tour usually last? In your opinion, should we get it with audio or without? Any advice on visiting Ground Zero?

[alyk]

The tour will take you at least 4.5 hours if you do both Ellis Island and the Statue without the audio. Here's a schedule www.statuecruises.com/schedule-options.aspx.

[alyk]

sorrycharlie, I hope you haven't left, yet. We just got back. If you buy your tickets online for the Statue and Ellis Island, make sure you get 'monument access' if you want to go into the base of the Statue. Also, reserving them online means you don't have to wait in the really long security line, but only a short while since there is a reserved tickets entrance www.statuecruises.com.

Also, we were able to buy tickets to Chazz Palminteri's one-man show A Bronx Tale about an hour before the start on Saturday night. Balcony seats were $27 and they were actually pretty decent. It's at the Walter Kerr Theatre on West 48th St.

Have fun!