New York City is one of my favorite cities, I can’t get enough of her. Last year alone we were there three times: college tour of NYU in the spring with our daughter, Broadway show in the summer with our son, and parent weekend in the fall. We also visited NYC in the winter months, one year we even attempted to wait for the Big Apple drop at Times Square on New Year’s Eve! However, our children were not ready for eight-hour without bathroom break, around dinner time we declared defeat.
A friend of mine is planning to visit NYC this summer, I thought to share some tips for her.
First of all, don’t attempt to drive in Manhattan. When we were there last summer, we parked our car on the Jersey side of Hudson river (Weehawken, NJ), the parking was indoor, very clean, and conveniently located near the ferry dock (Port Imperial Terminal). Because we purchased the Broadway tickets from the NY Waterway-Your Key to the City, we not only got free round-trip ferry tickets, the deal also included 40% off our Broadway tickets. Way to go!
The ferry dropped us at the West 39th street of Midtown Manhattan. There were public transportation nearby. However we packed light since we planned to do a lot of walking in the city, it took us half an hour to walk to our hotel on 46th street.
Broadway at Times Square Hotel is only two blocks from Broadway and Times Square. Great location with walking distance to all actions. Staying in the center of attractions has always been our strategy when visiting big cities. It may cost a bit more for hotel stay, but the right location save us from the hustle of commute. Why wastes time and energy on driving and fighting traffic? After checked in and left our luggage, we were ready to explore the city.
Depending on the hours of the day and days of the week, such as crowded evening at the weekend or early morning rush hour of a weekday, Times Square has very different vibes.
Highly recommend “Something Rotten”! A great musical, very funny!
As always, there are lot of things to see in this magnificent city, too little time. Manhattan is very walkable, and metro was reliable most of the time.
We could easily spend a whole day at Central Park and the nearby Metropolitan Museum.
Know ahead that there is no way you can do it all. Pace yourself, save something for the next time.
Brooklyn Bridge is a favorite for many. If you pick one bridge to walk through, make it Brooklyn Bridge! The view is amazing in any time of the day no matter which season. But it is spectacular at sunset. So linger a bit longer, you will see the brilliant light of Manhattan as the night falls.
We walked cross Brooklyn Bridge in a cold afternoon last spring. That time we took the New Jersey Transit train to Manhattan. Very nice ride.
One last tip to save money on Broadway tickets: if you don’t mind staying in lines to wait for the same day show, you may visit tkts Ticket Booth at Times Square (or other booths). You may not have a huge selections, however the catch is you pay only half the regular price!
Chasing The Wind 