4 days in New York - What to do?

**Kratos** · September 27, 2008, 04:23 PM

I'm going to New York with my family in a month and just need some advice on what to do while there. The problem is I only have 4 days to spend and while my parents refuse to accept it I believe it's far from long enough.

Empire State Building is a must I guess but other than that I don't really know. The Statue of Liberty takes some time to get to but is it worth it? Are there any museums one can't afford to miss? Any other things/places to see?

Thanks!

**ironcurtin117** · September 27, 2008, 04:28 PM

From a local, go on weekdays, around noon for both. I would recommend that you do not get food in or near times square or other tourist areas. Central park is beautiful right about now and it is a pleasant and safe walk for any family. Museums you MUST see are the Natural History museum (81st and Central Park West) , Metropolitan Museum of Art (83rd and 5th Ave, you can walk to the NHM if you want, probably the best walk in the city). The South Street Seaport is a great place to spend time and you can walk over to the Ground Zero Memorial and that whole area if you so please. The 4 or 5 subway lines will get you to all these locations

**Justinian** · September 27, 2008, 04:30 PM

Originally Posted by Kratos

I'm going to New York with my family in a month and just need some advice on what to do while there. The problem is I only have 4 days to spend and while my parents refuse to accept it I believe it's far from long enough.

Empire State Building is a must I guess but other than that I don't really know. The Statue of Liberty takes some time to get to but is it worth it? Are there any museums one can't afford to miss? Any other things/places to see?

Thanks!

You can take a boat tour that goes to the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, et cetera. It'll take a few hours, but it's nice. Bring a camera. If you like museums, you'll definitely want to go to the Met, and if you like baseball, stop by 161st St and River Ave and take some pictures of Yankee Stadium before it's demolished. There are some cool shops at Times Square, and it's a nice place to see, but god is it always crowded.

**Kratos** · September 29, 2008, 08:53 AM

Thanks guys!

**Lord Condormanius** · September 29, 2008, 10:51 AM

If you have some extra time, walk through the subway and Grand Central Station looking for rats. They're about as big as seals, but you can probably kill a few. I'm pretty sure you can still cash the heads in at city hall for $0.50 a pop.

...and the UN building is pretty cool.

**Lord Consul** · September 29, 2008, 09:22 PM

NYC gets cumbersome if you just stick to the classic, plastic tourist areas. I'm a total film nut, so the first thing I did after arriving in New York was going for a walk in and around Astoria - truly priceless.

**Kratos** · October 01, 2008, 02:09 AM

Originally Posted by Lord Condormanius

If you have some extra time, walk through the subway and Grand Central Station looking for rats. They're about as big as seals, but you can probably kill a few. I'm pretty sure you can still cash the heads in at city hall for $0.50 a pop.

I'll do that. Want me to send you one as well?

Originally Posted by Lord Consul

NYC gets cumbersome if you just stick to the classic, plastic tourist areas. I'm a total film nut, so the first thing I did after arriving in New York was going for a walk in and around Astoria - truly priceless.

Sounds interesting. I'll try to fit that in, though I have to go to some of the classic tourist places as well.

**boofhead** · October 01, 2008, 02:18 AM

Go see Late Night with David Letterman!

**John I Tzimisces** · October 01, 2008, 03:01 AM

Get street kebab! Oh god yes...I miss kebabs...

**Ramashan** · October 01, 2008, 12:45 PM

YEs, one mus eat the food off the street carts and go to the deli for an egg and cheese sandwich. Something I always do when I return home, taste of home so to speak.

4 days is definitely not long enough to see everything in the city, but its enough time to see a lot. The Museums mentioned are a must, plus the planetarium right behind the National History Museum. Those two alone could take a day.

There are definitely some great exhibits to see in the Astoria Queens studios, they're rotating so I don't know what's going on there right now.

I'm all about tasting my way through a city, so I know food. There's Grey's Papaya on 8th & 37th and Carneys on Broadway near Times Square. Also, have some Pizza and a Bagel while your there and a Black & White cookie.

Grand Central is great, not only for the rats, but they cleaned the whole atrium area up several years ago and it looks incredible.

The way I tend to do NY is just get off the subway some place; Pen Station, Bleeker St., 81st St etc and just walk around. When I was there in July I walked from 14th up to 97th from the East River over to 8th Ave and then back down 3rd. I'm a walker and that's a lot of walking, but NY is definitely a walkers city.

The important thing is, have fun.

**<purplepenguin>** · October 01, 2008, 01:07 PM

Being a resident for all my life heres what you should do
You pick what suits you best
Central Park
Empire State Building(REALLY FUN)
Rockefeller Center(Cool and a shopping center+nintendo world if you need video games

Broadway(expensive but REALLY cool)
Statue of Liberty
Museum of Natural History
Art Museum(forgot the name)
Walking around Manhattan(fun by itself)
Coney Island Beach(you missed the amusement park as it closed about 2 weeks ago)
Try and come when somethings going on like Tribeca Film Festival or a free concert in Central Park
Times Square
UN Building
Skyscraper viewing
Staten Island Ferry
Try and get on Cash Cab

Go to some famous company headquarters

**Bond** · October 02, 2008, 12:48 AM

dunno where u are staying but if it's in/near time square try to get tickets for city bus tour

http://www.citysightsny.com/

for like $75 u get a ton of stuff and a bus ride to all the main places

this one http://www.citysightsny.com/page.php?id=50

Downtown Tour (Hop on/ Hop Off)
Uptown Treasures & Harlem Tour (Hop on/ Hop off)
Night Tour
Brooklyn Tour
FREE ADMISSION To Museum of the City of New York or New York Historical Society
Circle Line 75min Harbor Cruise
Ticket To Statue of Liberty / Ellis Island by Ferry
Ticket To Top of the Rock Observation Deck OR Empire State Building Observation Deck (You Choose)

at statue of liberty u have to buy another ticket if you want to go on top of the fort - not having to wait in line to get a ticket is a major plus

i was there for 2 days and 3 nights and didn't get the harbor tour in

night tour is awesome - if ur lucky they'll have the lights up at ground zero

**~~Miraj~~** · October 02, 2008, 12:50 AM

Don't forget Jamaica Street.

**mp0295** · October 02, 2008, 04:43 PM

me being for the glorious long island in the town of nassua i know a lot about NYC considering if i wana go anywhere not on LI i have to go to it. go to the museum of natural history its pretty cool Elis island was fun but the boat ride took a while. if you want do what i did go to elis island then statue of liberty. also when you go to central park go to the big rock thing and climb up to the top of the part thats upside down in places. it was quite fun. also south street sea port is (or was) loads of fun

**Ramashan** · October 02, 2008, 06:16 PM

Hey mp0295, where on the Island are you from? I grew up in Bethpage.

**Cyrus the Virus** · October 10, 2008, 05:27 AM

Go see Rangers in Madison Square Garden.
Not Islanders.

**Azog 150** · November 06, 2008, 12:19 PM

I really wanna go to New York myself (I am hoping to live there when I am older). Obviously I would visit Manhattan and all the sites around there- but I really want to see New York and properly experience the culture and atmosphere. Is there anywhere is particular that you would suggest? Are there any no-go areas?

**Justinian** · November 07, 2008, 06:33 PM

Originally Posted by Azog 150

I really wanna go to New York myself (I am hoping to live there when I am older)

Don't we all

.

Obviously I would visit Manhattan and all the sites around there- but I really want to see New York and properly experience the culture and atmosphere. Is there anywhere is particular that you would suggest? Are there any no-go areas?

I like the idea in one of the earlier posts. Take the subway somewhere famous (South Street Seaport, Penn Station, Times Square, Union Square etc.) and just walk around. And so some shopping.

For culture and atmosphere, there's lots of culture and atmosphere up in the Bronx. Depends on what you meant by culture. The Metropolitan Museum is awesome.

**Azog 150** · November 08, 2008, 06:55 AM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Azog 150

I really wanna go to New York myself (I am hoping to live there when I am older)

Don't we all

.

Quote:
Obviously I would visit Manhattan and all the sites around there- but I really want to see New York and properly experience the culture and atmosphere. Is there anywhere is particular that you would suggest? Are there any no-go areas?
I like the idea in one of the earlier posts. Take the subway somewhere famous (South Street Seaport, Penn Station, Times Square, Union Square etc.) and just walk around. And so some shopping.

For culture and atmosphere, there's lots of culture and atmosphere up in the Bronx. Depends on what you meant by culture. The Metropolitan Museum is awesome.

I like the idea of just taking the subway. By culture I basically just mean I want to properly experience and see what it has to offer.

Whats Brooklyn and Queens like?

**Justinian** · November 08, 2008, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by Azog 150

I like the idea of just taking the subway. By culture I basically just mean I want to properly experience and see what it has to offer.

Whats Brooklyn and Queens like?

The only time I've been to Queens was to go to Shea -- I spend most of my time in NY in Manhattan and the Bronx. From what I hear, though, Brooklyn is a hole and Queens is nice but has confusing geography.

Not very specific, I know