New York

Doc

Hi I'm going to New York for 7 days and the person I was going with had to drop out last minute so I cant change the booking to have someone else come so I'm of to New York on my own!! Anyone got any ideas for things to do once I get there?

Mr Magnolia

Take in a show in Broadway anyway, book in advance.

The natural History Muesems are also a must.

Maybe some Basketball/Baseball/Ice hockey games if they're in season?

The Guided Tour Bus is very good too, suppose this depends on your guide. This is one of my first activities in any new city that I visit. It's a great way to get activity recommendations; speak to your guide.

ve

Was in NY earlier this year. I recommend any/all of the following.

1. Empire State Building Observatory
2. The Metropolitan Museum of Art
3. The Museum of Modern Art
4. Guggenheim Museum
5. American Museum of Natural History
6. Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise

If you are going to 3 or more, then get yourself a book of tickets called CityPass (you can get it at any of the places mentioned above). So basically go to the first one you want to see, buy your CityPass there and you can use it to skip the ticket queues for the next ones you visit. The best part is that you save 50% of the cost of individual tickets. I found to be a great money saver.

If you're going shopping, don't forget to check out Century 21 down beside Ground Zero. If you want to buy any electronic goods, definitely check out J&R Electronics. Get an R subway train to City Hall in Manhattan, its just across from the entrance to the station. Also to get a real bargain on clothes shopping you could do no worse than visit Woodbury Commons (about 1.5hrs from Manhattan by bus). You can get tickets in any tourist office or from Port Authority bus terminal on 42nd street (where you will be leaving from anyway). Macy's on 34th St. (not too far from Empire State building) is excellent also.

Here's some more places I would recommend

Toys R' Us
Times Square (42nd St at 7th Avenue & Broadway)

FAO Schwarts
767 Fifth Ave at 58th Street

Empire State Building
50 Fifth Avenue, between 33rd and 34th Streets, in midtown Manhattan

Central Park
The Park stretches from Central Park South (59th St.) to 110th St. at the northern end and from 5th Ave. on the East Side to Central Park West (8th Ave.) on the West Side.

Woodbury Commons
Go in to Port Authority Bus Terminal on 42nd St. and get the day return tickets with the Greyline bus company. When you get to Woodbury Commons, go to the information desk located in the middle of the complex and ask for the discount booklet. They usually ask to see your bus tickets and you both will get an huge book of coupons with money off vouchers for the stores in the area. You will save money anyway without the booklet, but you'd be mad not to take advantage of this.

Grand Central Station
42nd Street & Park Avenue
NOTE: There is an Information Desk in this place that will give you free tourist information leaflets with invaluable information about getting around Manhattan (Transport, Museums, etc) and New York in General. The service is free and they are extremely helpful.

American Museum of Natural History (this and the planetarium below are at the same location)
Central Park West and 79th Street

Hayden Planetarium (this is unreal!!)
79th St. at Central Park West

Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street

Wall Street
Not too far from Ground Zero

St. Patrick’s Cathedral
50th Street and Fifth Avenue

Chrysler Building
43rd Street & Lexington

Guggenheim Museum
5th Avenue at 89th Street

United Nations Building
First Avenue at 46th Street

Rockerfeller Center
Stretching from 5th – 7th Avenues Across & 47th – 51st Street Up

Strawberry Fields (Central Park)
72nd Street and Central Park West

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Hope that helps. You will have a blast, even if you're traveling alone. Only bit of advice is don't ride the subway after about 11pm on your own. Use the cabs at night. Apart from that New York is safe, just use the same level of cop-on you would employ when walking around any Irish city. The locals are generally friendly and cops are everywhere!!

Enjoy yourself - I wish I was going back.

Mr Magnolia

The small church beside Ground Zero is worth a visit too. It put shivers down my spine.

Roar

You have to check out a broadway show as well.. i went to see Beauty and the Beast and Spamalot while I was there and absolutely loved them..

Check out the TKTS booth on times square, you can get 50%+ off the cost of a ticket if you buy them the day of the performance..

underpants

walk across the brooklyn bridge before it gets dark then catch the sunset from Brooklyn Heights. The view is amazing!

also, go here http://www.bodiestheexhibition.com/
It's down on south street seaport. One of the most amazing exhibitions you'll ever see.