NYC Megathread Archive 2

trig83

Hey Guys, heading to New York with herself at the end of November. Will be there for Thanksgiving Day and I was wondering if anyone has any tips on things to do for the day - apart from Macy's Parade, which we will def be watching. Cheers

datk

ZiggyStardust wrote: »

Hi guys,
Anyone know a website to get cheap broadway tickets. Thanks.

Came across this recently - haven't used it so can't vouch for service.

http://www.broadwaybox.com/broadway.aspx

Pigletlover

trig83 wrote: »

Hey Guys, heading to New York with herself at the end of November. Will be there for Thanksgiving Day and I was wondering if anyone has any tips on things to do for the day - apart from Macy's Parade, which we will def be watching. Cheers

I was there 2 years ago for Thanksgiving, it was p*ssing rain so we got soaked watching the parade. We assumed everywhere would be closed so we went back to our hotel to get changed and ended up staying there for our Thanksgiving dinner and a few drinks. We later found out that a lot of the shops actually opened and started their sales. Black Friday is supposed to be the big day for sales, but we found that most of them finished by noon, so if you plan on picking up some bargains take a walk around after the parade. I think Woodbury Common start their sale at midnight.

waghag

Femmy - American Girl Place will be heaven for her, they have a restuarant too and do shows , a Broadway Show like the Little Mermaid , New York Skyride at the Empire State . In terms of food - Dylan's Candy Bar , Hershey's Time Square.

Femelade

Cheers waghag.

one more question for ye...
If i buy a phone over there, can i get it to work here?

workaccount

Femmy wrote: »

Cheers waghag.

one more question for ye...
If i buy a phone over there, can i get it to work here?

American phones use a different band to european phones. You will see alot of business phones with tri-band or quad band meaning it can work across multiple bands. A quad band will probably work anywhere in the world.

You need to find out what band we use here in Ireland and then make sure the phone your looking at in the US can use it.

stts

Hi,
I am heading over in a couple of weeks for the second time,I was wondering if anyone has experienced any good night clubs in NY?? I have read through all the previous pages but there is nt much about clubs.
Thanks

neil.p.b

Hello.

Im thinking about heading over either end of november or new years. Theres some good last minute deals around for november but new years prices are much higher. Would it be worth waiting for some last minute deals for new years or will prices remain the same it being new years.

Thanks

LauraL

Hi Everyone,
Just looking for advice on whether its better to go to NY for Thanksgiving or maybe the second week in December? I'm wanting to get the whole NY experience but also enjoy the christmas atmosphere... Will christmas be in full swing at thanksgiving or does it tend not to get really going until December?
Thanks!

datk

LauraL wrote: »

Hi Everyone,
Just looking for advice on whether its better to go to NY for Thanksgiving or maybe the second week in December? I'm wanting to get the whole NY experience but also enjoy the christmas atmosphere... Will christmas be in full swing at thanksgiving or does it tend not to get really going until December?
Thanks!

Thanksgiving is the one public holiday the American's all see to observe and travel for. Prices in New York could well be a fair bit higher for this period. The last float on the Macy Thanksgiving Parade is Santa arriving!

You may miss some of the Christmas window displays in the big department stores and the Christmas Tree in Rockefeller Center, well the lights, are being turned on the 3rd Dec this year. I would aim for any time after the third to get the full effect. At the same time I wouldn't leave it too late into December because it gets a bit mental.

Pythia

datk wrote: »

Thanksgiving is the one public holiday the American's all see to observe and travel for. Prices in New York could well be a fair bit higher for this period. The last float on the Macy Thanksgiving Parade is Santa arriving!

You may miss some of the Christmas window displays in the big department stores and the Christmas Tree in Rockefeller Center, well the lights, are being turned on the 3rd Dec this year. I would aim for any time after the third to get the full effect. At the same time I wouldn't leave it too late into December because it gets a bit mental.

I went in very early January. You get all the Christmas magic without the Xmas prices.

LauraL

Thanks for your replies!

I have family there so will be staying with them so I won't have to pay for accommodation. The main benefit of thanksgiving is that they will be off work for 4 days so will have more time to show me around but a friend suggested that I wait a bit longer and go in December. They said New york is the most magical place at Christmas. I'm hoping that christmas will be in full swing by December 5th??? If I was paying for a hotel I wouldn't be going in December so maybe I should take advantage of such a great opportunity and go in December?

kizzyr

LauraL wrote: »

Thanks for your replies!

I have family there so will be staying with them so I won't have to pay for accommodation. The main benefit of thanksgiving is that they will be off work for 4 days so will have more time to show me around but a friend suggested that I wait a bit longer and go in December. They said New york is the most magical place at Christmas. I'm hoping that christmas will be in full swing by December 5th??? If I was paying for a hotel I wouldn't be going in December so maybe I should take advantage of such a great opportunity and go in December?

NYC is great whenever you go. I've been there late summer, early spring and in the run up to Christmas a few times. If you decide to go around Dec 5th you will see all the Christmas stuff and as you don't have to pay for an hotel I'd say go ahead and enjoy.

metrovelvet

Christmas in NY is pretty magical. Id wait. You can show yourself around and tbh New Yorkers get tired of showing visiting family and friends around. They know you are not visiting them, but NYC as you probably wouldnt be arsed if they were living in the middle of Wisconsin.

Thanksgiving..meh.

theCzar

Just book my ticket. Return Dublin<->JFK for 361 euro including taxes/charges/fuel and booking fee. I simply cannot say fairer than that.

Now I need somewhere to stay, reasonably central, reasonably cheap? I want to spend about 60 euros a night if such were possible and I can put up with a basic room so long as its not actually full of crack heads when I want to sleep.

metrovelvet

Did you try the YMCA? Seriously, Im not kidding. It's not like the song anymore.

theCzar

metrovelvet wrote: »

Did you try the YMCA? Seriously, Im not kidding. It's not like the song anymore.

Yes, I was looking at YMCA. If there's only one YMCA i'd stay in may as well be NYC... but it's pretty expensive! Probably going to go Hostel route which is still over $50 a night for manhattan. I might stay in Brooklyn instead.

metrovelvet

Dont forget to ask for deals, they will often give you one. Also check craigslist.org for NYC. There are often rentals of apartments available there. And you can talk people down in price. If I think of any specific places that arent too xpensive I'll try to to remrmber to get back to you.

If you stay in Brooklyn make sure that you are in a neighborhood that is near enough to a subway stop that is only one or two stops from manhattan. You dont want to spend all your time in the subway.

theCzar

I found a place that matches the criteria on hostelworld. Its in the lower east side, or east village. Bed in a 6 bed dorm for 27 euro/night excl taxes. It was well reviewed and central so I'm happy with my choice.

Deedsie

Im going over to NY on the 22nd, we are fairly organised. I just dont want to miss anything that everyone should do in New York. So what were peoples favourite things they did over there? Open to pretty much anything.

decrrrrrr

Flying with Continental to New York (Newark) next week. Do we clear immigration in Dublin or New York..?

Cheers,

D

lord lucan

decrrrrrr wrote: »

Flying with Continental to New York (Newark) next week. Do we clear immigration in Dublin or New York..?

Cheers,

D

is it the 09.00 (CO 23 i think)? if so then yes,you clear in dublin.

decrrrrrr

Thanks Lord Lucan.. that's the one...

py2006

Hi all,

I will be travelling to New York next week. I am a bit confused about the tipping situation over there.

Who do I tip and who don't I tip?? I get the impression they tip every person they pass on the street over there! haha

Also, I am hearing from some people that its 10% and others that its 15%!!

I know you are supposed to tip taxi drivers, bar staff, waiters etc! But do you have to tip staff in a shop, staff in McDonalds, Starbucks etc??

Its not that I don't want to tip its just all very confusing for somebody not from the United States!

Thanks

Deedsie

I would be curious about the tipping situation also. In relation to customs checks? I am flying back at around 6 AM on the first Monday in December with continental, would there be a big problem with customs checks does anyone know?

nyc baby

The best rule for tipping in restaurants, diners etc is double the tax and leave that amount as a tip, you cant go wrong, with taxis I always throw a couple of dollars extra or round off the amount...

datk

py2006 wrote: »

I know you are supposed to tip taxi drivers, bar staff, waiters etc! But do you have to tip staff in a shop, staff in McDonalds, Starbucks etc??

Thanks

You also tip hotel staff (bellboy?) who take your luggage - it's usually $1 - $2 a bag - and maids, if used to be leave money on the last day of your stay but now it's norm money each day. Either was it's usually $2 a day.

If a concierge helps you out - booking tickets or whatever apparently they get tipped too.

I was in America for two weeks this summer, I was a bit like you - you do you tip and who don't you tip. It gets to a stage you're wondering if you give something to someone on the street who gives you directions - and if you ask the wrong type of person you could get yourself done for soliciting!! :eek:

Enjoy your trip

Pigletlover

Deedsie wrote: »

Im going over to NY on the 22nd, we are fairly organised. I just dont want to miss anything that everyone should do in New York. So what were peoples favourite things they did over there? Open to pretty much anything.

Here's my favourite things to do in New York

Top of the Rock - way better than ESB imo
Times Square at night - great to do on your first night
Staten Island Ferry - free and a
South Street Seaport - nice atmosphere and good views of Brooklyn Bridge
Roosevelt Tram

Other things you might want to see/do

St Patrick's Cathedral
Grand Central Station
Empire State Building
Statue of Libery
Broadway show
Brooklyn Bridge
Madame Tussauds
Ripley's Believe it or not
Madison Square Garden
Central Park
Ice skating at Rockefeller Centre/Central Park/Bryant Park (free)

helimachoptor

Deedsie wrote: »

I would be curious about the tipping situation also. In relation to customs checks? I am flying back at around 6 AM on the first Monday in December with continental, would there be a big problem with customs checks does anyone know?

Hi Deedsie, I came back 10 days ago, the flight had about 70 people on it, and approx 20 were stopped. It was pretty random. They stopped a couple in their 60's with one suitcase, 2 girls with 2 massive suitcases each, families, single people.

thankfully my bags were the last to come off the carousel and by that time a lot of UK flights seem to have landed and the place crowded up a bit.

I think with the economy the way it is, they will be very tough on people.
Was there with 3 other people and we heard the girl who got stopped with the 2 massive suitcases ringing her dad cos she had to pay VAt on what she bought.

Oh and cutting off the tags is not always the best as customs will estimate the price you paid and add the vat.

I got 3 CK suits for 700 dollars, they would have probably priced them at 700 euro each!

I have a friend over there now who is spending thousands and another friend going over in a couple of weeks. Previously I always flew via London and never had to worry.

helimachoptor

Top of the Rock - way better than ESB imo +1 really is fantastic
Times Square at night - great to do on your first night +1
Staten Island Ferry - free and a
South Street Seaport - nice atmosphere and good views of Brooklyn Bridge +1

Grand Central Station +1
Empire State Building +1
Statue of Libery -1
Broadway show +1 Grease -> was made go
Brooklyn Bridge +1
Madame Tussauds Its ok
Ripley's Believe it or not Its ok
Madison Square Garden Went to both basketball and ice hockey - >hockey was much more entertaining
Central Park
Ice skating at Rockefeller Centre/Central Park/Bryant Park (free) +1 I would recommend the zoo in CP also its not big but its interesting, though the polar bears look like they've gone a little stir crazy for approx 20 mins they were repeating the same activity over and over again.