paige

We are a couple with 16 year old daughter. It is her first trip to NYC and we haven't been in 20 years. We are staying at the Doubletree in Times Square. Arrive late Wednesday evening in mid-October. We have tickets for Wicked Thursday night and for Lion King on Saturday afternoon. We depart on Sunday a.m. That just leaves 2 1/2 days to see the sights. I'm looking for a packed itinerary that will allow us to see the most in the time we have. We are not that interested in the Museums (would be a different story if it was just me!). Things we are interested in doing: Central Park - bicycle tour?, walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, Empire State Building, Tenement Museum. I don't know what to do about the Statue of Liberty - some things I've ready here lead me to believe it takes too much time when we only have 2 1/2 days. Should we just view from Staten Island Ferry? What about Ellis Island? I think we would really enjoy Ellis Island if we have time without sacrificing something else too much. Would one of the Double Decker Bus tours be a good use of our limited time?

With a 16 year old girl there will need to be some shopping. What's the South Street Seaport area like? Also need suggestions for dinner before theater on Thursday and would welcome suggestions on other places to eat. If we can time the Brooklyn Bridge right, we'll get Pizza and Ice Cream at the great places I've read about on this board.

We are morning people and prefer to start our day as early as things are open and running. I really like having a definite plan in place. I have found on family trips to Washington DC and Disney World that everyone enjoyed it better and we accomplished a lot more the more detailed we planned. Thank you for any advice!

Barblab

Your only whole free day find out when the first boat to Statue of Lib leaves and arrive there via subway early to take it. Since you can't walk up the statue anymore take a close up look then continue on to Ellis Is. You will be able to enjoy it without the crowds. Return via boat stopping to take a look at the World Trade Tower globe in the park, then walk to Ground Zero. Take the subway to Brooklyn, enjoy lunch then walk back into the city. I believe the Tenement museum is in this area. Then hop on the subway, hopping off to walk through neighborhoods and / or visit the Empire State Bldg. This would be a full day.

The day you go to the afternoon show get up really early and do a bikeride or walk through Central Park.

Your daughter would love shopping at H&M near Rockerfeller Center, and also Macy's , about 1/2 dozen blocks from Times Sq. John's Pizza, by Times Sq. is not only popular, but good, and housed in an old church.

Be sure to pop in to Toys R Us in Times Sq.as it has some amazing full size stuff in there. She may also enjoy watching MTV filming in their second store studio - look for the crowds on the sidewalk. If she likes music be sure to stop in the Virgin Mega Store, also in Times Sq.

Have fun!

paige

Barblab-thanks for your suggestions. It looks like you think we can do Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty and be done before lunch if we don't spend a great deal of time there. I like the idea of doing Central Park on Saturday morning before the matinee also. Any suggestions for restaurants near Central Park.

I picked Times Square hotel because I knew our daughter would find so much to do there.

Would our first day (Thursday) be a good day to do a bus tour in the morning and shopping in the afternoon? I know you can purchase Empire State Building tickets on their website in advance. Do you have to specify the date or can they be used for any date?

mclaurie

The tickets you purchase online for the ESB I think need not only a date but a time which IMO is rather limiting! And if the weather is bad, you're stuck. If you plan to do the hop on hop off tour, I believe there's a combo you can buy that includes an ESB tickets. From what's been written here, the wait for the elevator at the ESB is what's so long and you still have to do that even with a prepurchased ticket. With such a short trip, I'd really give the ESB a miss unless it's part of the bus tour and not too long a wait. The view from the Brooklyn Bridge should make up for not doing the ESB.

I would also skip the Statue of Liberty stop. You only get to go to the base. I do think the Ellis Island museum is worthwhile though. Whether to do it AND the Tenement Museum, I'm not sure. If you do the Tenement museum, do buy tickets ahead of time for the Tenement Museum online as these tours evidently fill up fast, especially on weekends.

Many people report the downtown loop of the bus town is "enough" so you might consider that.

The shops at the South Street Seaport are pretty touristy IMO. The designer knockoff stuff on Canal St. might interest her. I agree with H & M. If you do go to Macy's (not my favorite) there's an H & M near there as well as the one near Rockefeller Center. Have you done a search here for teens AND shoppping nyc? Lots of previous threads.

What kind of food/budget do you want?

paige

Mclaurie - can we ride the ferry to Ellis Island, get off for a while, then ride to Liberty Island and not get off, just ride back to Manhattan? I have given thought to making a choice between Ellis Island and Tenement Museum - I'll do some further research. Certainly the weather is a factor on ESB visit. I thought purchasing tickets online would save that waiting in that line, but I don't want to specify my time for reasons you mentioned. So if you had to choose between Brooklyn Bridge walk and ESB due to time constraints, you'd go with Brooklyn Bridge?

I'd like to keep the shopping to a minimum and make it a unique NYC experience. She and I went to LA the first of August and it seemed all we did was shop - LOL! Dad doesn't have a lot of patience for shopping either. H&M sounds like a good choice if it has things teens will like. I have seen some of the other shopping threads and will review those again.

Don't really have a budget for meals. We'd like one really nice dinner, possibly before the theater on Thursday, but don't want to be rushed either. Sounds like there are plenty of chain restaurants in Times Square, hopefully we can avoid these and find more unique places to eat. I don't like eating breakfast in the hotel, it takes so long and is usually over-priced, however, the Doubletree may have free breakfast, I can't recall? I'd like a fun place for bagels and coffee and a deli for lunch. I've read mixed reviews on Katz's so I might pass on that. Ideally places we can walk from our hotel.

HowardR

First, about restaurants: There are literally hundreds(maybe thousands) to choose from just in the general midtown area where you'll be. So, it'll be difficult to limit our recommendations unless you give us some guidelines as to price and type(s) of food.
As for Ellis Island, it really takes a bit of time to fully appreciate the facility. I'm not sure how much you'll get out of just spending a hour or two there.
As for the suggestion to visit Toys 'R Us, I think a 16-year-older is past the age where that would be on her A list!
Sure, the South Street Seaport is touristy. But, hey, you're tourists!

ellenem

paige
The Liberty-Ellis boat first passes in front of the Statue and stops there to let off visitors. You will have had an excellent view from the boat. Stay on for Ellis Island, the second stop. From there, the boat goes back to Manhattan.

Lee4

Hi Paige
Your trip sounds like so much fun! I did a short trip myself in March, 2003, and did not try to fit in the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island then. We did walk the Brooklyn Bridge--great views of the NYC skyline and even got some decent views of Lady Liberty. With a short amount of time, that might be enough for you. I highly recommend eating at Grimaldi's Pizza in Brooklyn. You could ride the subway over and then walk back over the bridge.

I agree that Ellis Island can take quite a bit of time. There 3 or 4 floors inside the building and lots of exhibits to see on each floor. Again, I might save that for a longer trip. It's certainly worthwhile to visit, but if you're in a hurry, I'd skip it this time.

You mentioned Katz's Deli--stay away from there. The food is way over-priced and not very tasty at all, and the people who work there are rather rude and testy (in my opinion). I would visit Little Italy or Chinatown and sample some delicious foods down that way. Actually, my husband and I found that it was pretty hard to find a "bad" meal in NYC (until we went to Katz's).

Wicked is excellent! I enjoyed it even more than I thought I would, plus I got to see it a few days after the Tony's! Have a great trip!!

mclaurie

Paige, these decisions are so difficult and so personal. A few suggestions...you could do the splurge dinner at a place with a view. If you want to do it Thurs. before the theater, Foley's Fish House in the Renaissance hotel, Above in the Times Square Hilton or the View in the Marriott Marquis all offer great views. For food, Foleys would be my pick but the View rotates around so the view changes (if you don't get squeemish which I do

I personally would prefer the splurge on Friday night which is your open night. I'd do the River Cafe for the food and the view. If you choose that, do something simple on Thurs before the theater. Joe Allen's on w 46th, John's Pizzeria on w 44th, Becco or Trecolori are also good, relatively inexpensive Italians.

I think for shopping, let your daughter decide what she wants to shop for and based on my own experience with a husband who has no patience for shopping, find something else for your husband to do while "the girls" shop. Send him to the Intrepid air and space museum or the UN or the museum of broadcasting or ESPN zone or something he'll enjoy.

Barblab

Paige,I think you misunderstood what I was tring to say, don't get off the boat at the Statue of Lib, just take a close-up view from the boat then go on to Ellis Is. I think the first boat is about 9am so spend a couple hours there, walk to ground Zero and then subway to Brooklyn. Very doable before lunch. I have never been to the Tenament Museaum so can't compare it to Ellis Is. but it sounds interesting. I would stop at the Empire State Blg. when you are in the area and at least take a look. If the lines are too long, pass it up. You may consider doing it at night if it is clear.

Your daughter would LOVE H&M, it is teen shopping heaven. Also I don't know where you live, or if you have Macy's there, but the teen dept. in NYC is HUGE!!

As for Toys R US , I realize your daughter is past toy shopping but she will (as you will too) be amazed at the full size ferris wheel, Barbie Dream House and Candyland Game all inside this store. Hey, it's free, right in Times Sq. and will take tops 10 min.

As for bagels and coffee go out the front door of the Doubletree, cross the street passing the TKTS booth, cross the other street and buy bagels and coffee (other drinks too) at the street vender cart on the corner. Not only cheap, but great. Take them back to your Doubletree suite and eat in. YOu will love the location of this hotel.

Have fun!!

newyorker

In mid October you will get some of the change of color with the foliage so if you can swing a bike ride through
Central Park on the weekend when there is no traffic you should do it. Time Square is one of the worst areas of the city for restaurants, (although there are decent ones) but if you can eat in the village (east and/or west), tribeca, soho combined with shopping. You can skip the Tenement museum. The Ferry to the Statue of Liberty is nice, but see how the weather is and consider it if it is warm.

girlonthego

New York is so much fun and your daughter is at a wonderful age to enjoy it all! We did the double decker bus a couple of years ago and did not think it was worth it at all. I would shop fifth ave a little because the old stores are so New York! Stop in at St.Patrick's Cathedral-(a beautiful church no matter what religion you are.) I would maybe dine at Tavern on the Green in Central Park because of the atmosphere. I would definitely have a slice of pizza. I would also go to Little Italy for dinner and shop in Chinatown next door for the knockoffs! (My mom and I had a blast getting all the pocketbooks!) See the Empire State building! Take a carraige ride through Central Park. Have fun.

LilyLace

Girlonthego is on track, if your 16 year old likes to shpo, she'll love Chinatown. My 19 year old & I spent several hours there in June and my aunts and I couldn't drag my 15 year old niece and her friend away from the place in August! Lots of great places in Little Italy to eat while your down that way.

Also, a nice place to try on Theatre night would be Vice Versa, close enough to walk to from Times Square very good menu & atmostphere tel: 212 399 9291. Not sure but they might have a website.

As for sight seeing, there is a cruise line, not sure of the name (Circleline?) that offers several different packages, we took the shortest one 2 years ago and it was great to see everything. It docks close to the convention center so also very easy to walk to from where you are staying.
Have fun!