What to do do and what not to do in New York

MW2FAN

Going to nyc for a week on the 19th. I don't want to spend the whole holiday doing all the touristy stuff. I want to do some vintage shopping in williamsburg too. Anyone know any day tours so I can get it all out of the way in one day? And recommendations on what to see and what not to do? Thanks.

schemingbohemia

You should go to http://www.smorgasburg.com/ has a flea market at the Williamsburg one and loads of amazing street food, the one at Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 5 is just food but still amazing.

I found the http://www.tenement.org/ really interesting too. If you're out partying all night, get the Staten Island Ferry (free) to see the dawn coming up and just get a slice of new York life.

stargazer 68

Have a beer or two in the sun at Tavern on the Green in Central Park. Did it over the weekend and it was fab - didnt want to leave!

Greg81

I wanted to offer you this:

http://www.newyorkfed.org/aboutthefed/visiting.html

But there are no dates available. Really worth to visit an it is free.

MW2FAN

Staying in the waldorf, any places to go in Manhattan besides the obvious. And also nah good shops for an 18 year old haha

stargazer 68

Jersey gardens mall. Loads of shops all under one roof. Get the bus out and back.

Paul_Hacket

Dovies wrote: »

Jersey gardens mall. Loads of shops all under one roof. Get the bus out and back.

Yuck, spending a day on a bus going back and forth to this godforsaken part of Jersey in order to mill around an ugly strip mall where you can buy crappy clothes at a price little cheaper than you will find in downtown NYC is not good advice.

Paul_Hacket

If you're looking fo less well publicized things to do, below would be some things that come to mind:

If in summer go to one of the free concerts in prospect park or on the waterfront in Williamsburg. A lot of info here: http://www.timeout.com/newyork/music/summer-concerts-in-nyc

Also in summer, go to one of the free outdoor movie screenings, Brooklyn Bridge park is the best one imop, with an amazing view of the manhattan skyline in the background

Go to a good jazz show in the Village or try this place in Harlem, it's basically shows put on in a guy's home, you can bring your own booze and they're always good: http://www.billsplaceharlem.com/

Go to a classic NYC restaurant that actually has good food and where New Yorkers actually hang out, places like Peter Luger's, Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern, Bathazar, Minetta Tavern, etc.

Go to a burlesque show in Brooklyn or downtown, or if you want something really decadent, sign up for a party like Chemistry in Williamsburg and experience your own version of the better sequences in Eyes Wide Shut

Check out a dance performance at Lincoln Center instead of a Times Square show. You can get cheesy musicals a lot closer to home by going to London, whereas Lincoln Center and other spaces in the city are home to arguably the best program of dance performances in the world.

If here in summer go to Rockaway beach and hang out on the (partly) rebuilt boardwalk. Then go across the street to Connoly's an Irish bar built in the basement of a guy's home, where you will witness authentic Irish American culture for better or worse. Try one of their Pina Coladas.

Don't stay in midtown, it's a noisy ripoff with nowhere good to eat or drink and no locals hang out there. Stay in the West Village (preferably west of 6th Ave) or in the East Village or Lower East Side. Williamsburg is good too.

Don't go to Tavern on the Green for food

Go to a Mets or Yankess game if you want to check out American sports culture, personally I prefer the Mets cause I like the stadium more. Or check out a Cyclones game at Coney Island where you can also check out boardwalk and historic rollercoaster/rides

Take the ferry to Governor's Island if here between May and late October. Check out the schedule of events they have there at weekends online.

Go to DUMBO for great views of the city, especially if there is an arts event on. While there eat at Vinnegar Hill, one of the best of the 'New American' restaurants with a great back yard.

It gets pretty crowded these days but the Saturday parties at Moma's PS1 space, I'm kind of over these because they get so crowded but they would probably be a real kick for an out of towner: http://momaps1.org/calendar

Have a great time!

For bars and nightlife, go to Williamsburg and Bushwick. These areas also have some of the best relatively affordable restaurants in the city. Have some pizza at Roberta's in Bushwick.

SHOVELLER

As pointed out here before midtown is not a lost cause. There are bars where locals hang out and are not ripoffs. Try Jimmys Corner on 44th and west then to Rudy's on 9th.

Keep away from oirish bars.

For a great sunday brunch try Maialino's in Gramercy.

Check out FAO Schwartz on 5th ave as they are closing next month. You will thank your inner child!

Walk around Battery Park for some great views. The High Line too is a great addition to the city and for some great rooftop bars with stunning views check out The Standard and/or The Press Lounge on 11th ave.

billy few mates

A visit to Hammacher Schlemmer is always a good way to spend a few hours. It's a famous gadget shop that's been there for years. They always seem to have the first one of anything, then after that they only stock the best of whatever it is.
They have some nice stuff, an 18 year old would love it.

billy few mates

The Intrepid Museum at the pier on W46 is a good day out too, it's an aircraft carrier...

percy212

OP - are you really 18? That will put quite a different skew on where you should go...

MayoForSam

billy few mates wrote: »

The Intrepid Museum at the pier on W46 is a good day out too, it's an aircraft carrier...

I would second the Intrepid, although the space shuttle exhibition area is very cramped.

Get the cable car from Roosevelt Island in Queen's into Manhattan beside the Queensboro bridge, great views and it's free if you have a subway pass.

Take a return trip on the Staten Island ferry (also free), great views over lower Manhattan and you pass by the Statue of Liberty. You can take in Ground Zero which is close enough to the ferry terminal.

MW2FAN

I am 18 and a bit of a hipster so I'll be wanting to go to williamsburg. Thanks for all the advice. Now I have to convince my parents!

percy212

Williamsburg is the place for you. Also, Times Square, the Museum of Natural History, Chinatown, a Broadway show, take the Q subway over the manhattan bridge, see something at the iMax theatre.

They are VERY strict about underage drinking in NYC. You won't get served if you are under 21.

MW2FAN

I'm going to williamsburg tomorrow. However I know my parents won't really enjoy it. My mam would like to see the Statue of Liberty and my dad is interested in music and Irish/American history(he also likes kojak and sh*t) so do you guys know any places they could go in williamsburg/Brooklyn while I'm shopping?

percy212

Kojak? Is your Dad 80?

percy212

http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/06/04/brooklyn-bridge-park-art-jeppe-hein/?_r=0

SHOVELLER

percy212 wrote: »

Williamsburg is the place for you. Also, Times Square, the Museum of Natural History, Chinatown, a Broadway show, take the Q subway over the manhattan bridge, see something at the iMax theatre.

They are VERY strict about underage drinking in NYC. You won't get served if you are under 21.

Some places are, some arent strict.

NoCrackHaving

percy212 wrote: »

They are VERY strict about underage drinking in NYC. You won't get served if you are under 21.

They really aren't. Maybe I just look old but never get asked for id in New York (mid twenties) unlike pretty much everywhere else in the US.

percy212

The OP is 18. He will get carded.

SHOVELLER

percy212 wrote: »

The OP is 18. He will get carded.

Again depends on if he looks his age and the location.

To say every bar in NY cards is plain wrong.

Ponster

SHOVELLER wrote: »

To say every bar in NY cards is plain wrong.

Best to not get his hopes up though. When 99% of the places will card an 18 year old that 1% chance won't make a lot of different to him.

Celly Smunt

Very rare you'll get checked for id in Williamsburg to be fair and in bushwick i don't think i've ever even seen anyone get checked for id.

If you're staying in manhattan then i'd recommend getting the L to morgan ave in bushwick and working your way down to bedford ave later at night for late bars etc.

In bushwick stay around, Bogart, morgan and flushing for the more hipster type bars. The further into bushwick (upper knickerbocker, jefferson etc) the more puerto rican it gets so finding a bar is more of a struggle unless you want to speak drunk spanish.

Williamsburg everything kind of branches off bedford avenue around Grand St and Graham St. Probably best to just walk up bogart and look for lively blocks.

And shhh on the down low, have a look at the roof tops in bushwick every second roof is having a party full of people drinking and giving out about how they're the real hipsters.

dgl1992

Visit the 9/11 museum. Went there last year and have never been so moved by anything before or since.

MW2FAN

Well, I got back yesterday. Some trip. Williamsburg was something else. Hit a few vintage shops and picked up some nice things. The parents went to Brooklyn bridge and the Statue of Liberty. Thanks for all the help. Walking through the hood on knickerbocker avenue was the highlight of my trip!