New York for Spring Break

Looks well planned , reasonable combinations . very well thought out , have a good time . Any specific questions , don't hesitate

I agree with Steven—I'm impressed.

Three notes:
-Staten Island Ferry is the "poor man's'" visit to the Statue of Liberty. If you're actually doing a trip to SoL you could skip the ferry.
-There is no food on your itinerary, and there are lots of iconic food experiences in NYC.
-Three tall building observation level experiences is probably overkill—One World Trade is amazing, Empire State is iconic, I don't know anything about One Vanderbilt (it's new), but my gut says that's the one to cut.

(After almost 20 years in the city, I now live a couple of hours north.)

Looks like a great itinerary- very well-thought out!

A suggestion for your Brooklyn day: Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge BACK to Manhattan, rather than from Manhattan to Brooklyn. This is how to get the best views from the bridge. Take the subway from Manhattan to one of the first stops in Brooklyn (High Street on the A or C train would be good). Walk along the Promenade in Brooklyn Heights for a spectacular view of lower Manhattan. From there you can duck under the Bridge to DUMBO. Then when you are ready - across the Bridge!

On the Staten Island ferry, be sure to sit on the side that will give you good views of the Statue of Liberty. When returning to Manhattan, go to the front for an impressive view of lower Manhattan as you approach it.

You might look into a food tour. I have taken these in many cities around the world (including NYC), and there were often young teens who seemed to enjoy them. There are many companies that do these. Use Google or TripAdvisor to find them. This might be especially fun in Little Italy or Chinatown. There are also some in Brooklyn.

You are going to have a great trip!

Like the locals above (I was one many years ago) I think it's generally well planned. I agree that the Staten Island ferry adds no real value if you're going to the Statue of Liberty anyway. Likewise Battery Park is just a block or two from the bull statue. At the same time, crunching your April 3 and 5 days together would be too much.

April 6 will be a tiring day with two major museums, and a walk between them across Central Park. Give yourselves a break there if you can, maybe Tavern on the Green or (more affordably, if it's still there) the boathouse on the lake in Central Park. They used to have food there, not sure if they still do. Maybe a rowboat so everyone but dad can rest a little more. ;-)

Awesome thanks for the info and replies everyone. Will definitely cut out the Stanton Island ferry as we are going to Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty. Excited about this day since my Mom immigrated from Holland with her parents and sisters and passed thru Ellis Island in 1962. Hoping they have some type of record we can look up. And the museum days I may switch it up so we aren’t doing both on the same day and separate them. Cause we want to do the extra exhibits for the sharks and butterflies at the History Museum. Maybe do The MET on April 4th in the morning and then head to Empire State Building and do that area and by that time see Time Square a lit up? Would that work?

How is the color factory? My youngest mentioned maybe doing that after seeing it on YouTube.

And food wise where are places you would recommend? I haven’t dived into that part yet. Obviously need to find the pizza spot. Nothing fancy since we will have the kids but places the locals go! We aren’t super picky about type of food just want to experience NY

Hi! I live in Seattle now, but grew up in New Jersey and went to school and worked in NYC. We visit often as our adult daughter now lives in Brooklyn. We often stay in the Times Square area and enjoy the buzz.

It looks as if you have a “hit the ground running” style of traveling similar to our family’s. You have an ambitious schedule with very convenient and logical site groupings for each day. I agree with the suggestions you’ve received so far.

One change I might make is to flip your first day down in the financial district with your second day in mid-town. The mid-town sites are close to your hotel if anyone needs a rest and the agenda that day offers a lighter start to the trip. The 9/11 Memorial is very moving and may be a tough go first thing after a long day of traveling.

Also, I think that Lion King might not work on that Monday. Maybe you already have tickets and I’ve got it wrong, but I think that The Lion King has their night off on Mondays. As you are staying in the theater district, Lion King could be an evening event on Sunday or any other night you can get tickets.

If you are choosing between tall buildings to see the lay of the land, I prefer the Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center Empire State Building (I haven’t been to the others downtown). Top of Rock isn’t as high as the others but I feel as if I can see more being a bit closer to the ground.

Pizza: Lombardi's in Soho/Nolita, Grimaldi's in Dumbo, John's in the Theater District

Junior's Cheesecake. They have a newer location near Times Square, but the old school is downtown Brooklyn.

Good diners. Nothing specific, but classic.

Oyster Bar in Grand Central. (I love the saloon room).

Street Meat—hot dogs and pretzels from street vendors.

Food in NYC is a wormhole of its own, but that probably covers the most iconic and kid-friendly.

Hey JenS,
Your right on Lion King I put it on the wrong day. We are seeing that on Tuesday the 5th. So I may have to do some re arranging so we aren’t so far from the hotel. Good catch :)

Since you are staying in Times Square , walk several blocks to Ninth Avenue , turn right and head uptown . Ninth is slathered with all manner of ethnic eateries, many reasonably priced, from 42nd street to 57 th street .

I was born and raised in NYC and visit regularly to see friends and family.

I'm glad you're moving your visit to the Met on a different day than the Natural History Museum. Both are massive and you would be museumed out if you tried both in one day.

The one thing Top of the Rock has over the Empire State Building is that you can get a photo of.......the Empire State Building.

Two hot dog institutions are Gray's Papaya and Papaya King. If you are around either, stop in for a dog.

Those are really full days. Where are you going on vacation to recuperate from this one? (LOL)

Lastly, I suggest anyone visitng NYC for the first time should watch this video:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=D6xd6YvoHLM

A couple more notes:

Think how you might rearrange your plans if the weather doesn’t cooperate! Spring can be lovely in NY or it can be wet, windy and miserable. So you wouldn’t want to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge on one of those awful days - it would be a good time to head for one of the museums. If you are going up a tall building for the view, well you want a clear day, not a low overcast day, or you might not see a view! You get the idea. Flexibility is the key to great travel experiences.

Subways are the quick way to get around, but a couple of bus rides can provide a bit of sightseeing on the cheap. You might want to hop on a bus down one of the major streets and take in the views. For instance, from near Times Square or the Met, you can catch the #1, 2, or 3 on 5th Avenue and go all the way down to Washington Park, if you want.

If you like Mexican food, my daughter has never stopped talking about Dos Caminos near Time Square. When the Times Square screen is behind you, the restaurant is up the street and one street to the right.

I think Ellis Island closed as an immigration point in 1954 history of Ellis Island but they do have a good record system online that can be searched in advance. Easier than onsite. At the One World Trade Center, visit Eataly a whole floor of Italian foods and wine, etc, with several places to eat. Its owned by several well-known Italian chefs.

The area that surrounds the MET is known as The Upper East Side Historical District . Bounded by Fifth Avenue , east to Madison and Park Avenues , and the cross streets from roughly the seventies to eighties , some of the most beautiful , and European architecture in town . When you leave the museum allow a half hour or so to wander through the area , Going down Fifth , cross to Madison in any of the streets in the upper seventies and walk along Madison for a bit . You shouldn't miss this . https://www.google.com/maps/place/Manhattan,+New+York,+NY/@40.7731607,-73.956357,15.5z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x89c2588f046ee661:0xa0b3281fcecc08c!8m2!3d40.7830603!4d-73.9712488

This helps out a lot! We plan on doing our fare share of walking. Wife and I could walk all day but with kiddos they might not be able to and I don’t want them grumpy and tired before we get to where we want to go. Should we get 4, 7 day unlimited passes for the subway when we get there? Are the prices the same for adults and kids? Should we do taxis, buses or Uber? I was thinking of getting a NY city pass if so which one? Thanks

Given your plans , the seven day passes would be a good idea . You will use public transit more than you think , and the ability to hop on and off buses and subways at will is well worth it . When I am in Europe I always do this , it makes getting around London , Paris , Vienna, etc . much more convenient .

here at home my wife and I have Senior passes , for NYC transit . By the way /City buses and subways will get you around more quickly than cabs . There are resricted bus lanes , so they can move with fewer obstructions

MetroCard/Unlimited passed are being phased out for OMNY, the contactless payment system which is now in all subway stations and most (all?) busses. I've used it for a couple of single rides, but I understand that they put a cap on what they'll charge in a week, effectively giving the benefit of not paying more than the old equivalent of a weekly unlimited MetroCard. (No idea how this works for multiple riders on the same card.)

Subway vs bus vs taxi vs Uber... All of the above— depends on the situation. The subway is almost always the fastest way to cover significant distance going up/down town, but serve limited use getting across town. And some cross-town busses are literally slower than walking (but dry if it's raining!)

Well, I count it as good news that the Sheraton TImes Square is NOT in Times Square. If you go out in the avenue in front of it, you can certainly see Times Square. But there is no good reason to stay or eat in Times Square, not even people going to the theater every day. This is not just my opinion, it is frequently stated on TA NYC.

You have some jam-packed days, even with the still fairly efficient subway to get around. You do have a number of events that require advance purchase and scheduling, like Summit One and the SOL. I personally prefer Top Of The Rock because it is outdoors, but it's a matter of taste. There is nothing wrong with your museum plans, but you should research what you want to see, because both of them are so big that you can barely scratch the surface in a full-day visit! Both can have lines to get in with pre-reserved tickets in hand. No coat or bag check, I think.

Broadway is close to eliminating vaccination checks (I mean time-wise), so depending on the day in April, you might check that closer to the date.

I was in the 53rd and 7th Avenue & Broadway area twice this month, and I was disappointed to see the number of vacant storefronts from 56th to 53rd. It's not an issue of safety, it's still incredibly safe, but I mention it because it affects your choice of nearby low-budget breakfast spots. Even the two closest Starbucks to that hotel have closed. And the crowds at Pick a Bagel (8th Ave) and the mediocre pizzeria on 7th and 54(?) were worse than ever.

Several of the more recently opened genuine diners have closed, so it's more important than ever to support the venerable Astro Diner (6th Ave/55) and Applejack Diner (Broadway). I was dismayed to see construction for a "P.F. Chang To Go" product I'd never heard of, maybe on 8th Avenue, very inauthentic and franchise-y for New York City.

(They say you know you've met a real New Yorker when they are more concerned with what USED to be on that site than in what is there now ... )

I was looking at the NY City Pass where you choose the Top 5 attractions and it says a 40% savings but after going thru each attraction for those 5 we were only saving like $20. What’s up with the 40%? Are those based off of old prices? And you had to go to a third part website to reserve times which I would be worried about not booking thru the actual attraction. I want to be able to go to the pedestal area for the Statue of Liberty and it looks like that’s not included. Any tips? Or is booking thru each website a sure fire bet even if u spend $20 more.

Here is update from the advice you all have given me:

April 2nd: Arrive 10:30pm

April 3rd: 10am The Met ($75), Walk Down Madison from 80th, Empire State ($185.10), Rockefeller ($154), Time Square, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Johns Pizza

April 4th: 9/11 Museum/ Memorial ($103), One World Trade Center ($158) Eatly for Lunch, Financial District, Oculus, Wall Street/ Charging Bull

April 5th: (Early time slot) Statue of Liberty/ Ellis Island ($85), Battery Park, Chinatown, Little Italy, SOHO, Lombardis Pizza, Lion King on Broadway

April 6th: Color Factory?, WA Square Park, Greenwhich Village, Chelsea Market, High Line Walk

April 7th: Central Park, 10am National History Museum (w/ Butterfly and shark exhibit $119), St John the Divine Cathedral

April 8th: Brooklyn, Brooklyn Park, DUMBO, Walk over Brooklyn Bridge back to Manhattan

April 9th: Grand Central Terminal, Summit One Vanderbilt ($192), Public Library, Back to Hotel by 3-4pm, transfer to Newark from Hotel for a 7pm flight home.

Manhattan is my favorite U.S. city to visit every year. Taxi service (or car service) can be handy and seemingly convenient but during busy timeframes (both day & night) you may find yourself in very slow moving or stagnant situations with a lot of wasted time. Learning to get around by subway is a critical addition to your transportation arsenal. You’ll quickly learn how walkable the neighborhoods can be.

I really like your points of interest.

It's your money and your pleasures, but I recommend against going to multiple high-observation points. It's very expensive and takes a lot of time. The gimmicks may differ, but the views, not so much. You should consider weather (visibility) and sunset, however. And as I said, if you want to be in the open air. I much prefer Top of the Rock open air to Empire State, but you can't argue with the tradition of the ESB!

I agree with Tim's point above. You've got a lot of high-level viewing in your plan, at considerable cost in money and time. The views will be different but not that different. Maybe pick just a couple, one midtown and one downtown.

It seems cruel to suggest adding something else to your plan, but have you considered a Circle Line cruise around Manhattan? A great way to get oriented to the city, learn a lot about it, and enjoy the water. I'm a sucker for boat rides, not everyone is of course. And weather would make a big difference in enjoyment or not. Besides the ride around Manhattan they have a shorter ride on the Hudson and a "harbor lights" evening ride (in case you still have energy one evening). They serve food, which might be efficient if not a gourmet experience.

Tim,
Absolutely! They are in there and we can always change plans depending on weather etc. it’s just on there as options!

I hope your daily list is not in the order you plan to see things....

As an example, Apr.3 If you start out at the Met.....you can then catch the 5th Ave bus and take it to 51st...where it will stop right in front of St Patricks Cathedral. Rockefeller Center is a block away. (Even if you don't go to the Top of the Rock, see Rockefeller Center.) From there hop back on the 5th ave bus and take it to 34th St. (The Empire State Building)

This is where the pass comes in handy.

After the Empire State building, you can walk up Broadway to Times Square. (Walk one block west on 34th St. and you'll come to botth 6th Ave (Avenue of the America's for non-New Yorkers.) and Broadway.

This way you aren't backtracking.

Another tip is the M55 bus. It's a poor-man's sight seeing bus. It goes down 5th Ave from Midtown past the Public Library, the Empire State Building, Greenwich Village, City Hall and down to Battery Park. From there it goes up 6th Ave past the Freedom tower, the West Village, and up to 44th St.

I used to live two blocks from the Sheraton. If you're looking for a fun/kitschy/slightly touristy diner, try Ellen's Stardust Diner on 51st between 7th and Broadway. They are known for their "singing" waiters. It has a 50's theme. The kids might like it.

Please also keep in mind that before 9 AM and between 4 and 6 PM, public transit will be a zoo. Those are the times people are going to work and then going home. Try to avoid it during those hours. Seriously. Traffic will also be a nightmare.

The good news is that NYC has lifted all vaccination proof requirements to get into restaurants and museums.

Awesome thanks Frank! Yeah I plan on hitting things as we go and not backtracking if we can help it! I’ll fine tune the order of the list so I have an idea on where to head next! Just wanted to hit those things that day. And I can swap some days if weather is not on our side. Does the Empire and Rockefeller observatory sell out? Or are we able to buy tickets the night before?

Being a pizza aficionado, we prefer John’s Pizza at 260 W 44 street. For BBQ we always go to Virgil’s Real BBQ at 152 W 44 Street. These are our go to places when we see a show. A fun place for after theatre drinks is Cafe Un Deux Trois. Many of the broadway actors frequent this place. Jose is the maitre’d’s name. They have a prix fixe theatre menu for $45 pp. They are located at 123 W 44 street. They also serve breakfast. Each place has their menu online.

Great itinerary! Rockefeller etc tickets okay the night before. If it’s a Saturday,earlier

A while back, I would not have wanted to visit NYC due to terrible increased crime.
Have read that the new mayor is trying to turn this around with the police patrolling more. Good luck on your visit.

I see from one of your previous posts that you are planning to walk over to and down Madison .When you reach Madison and 76th street , you will see the Carlyle Hotel on the east side of Madison . Pop in for a few minutes and have a look in Bemelmans Bar

( Drinks there are outrageously expensive ) no one will stop you . On the walls are the beautiful " Madeline " murals , painted by Ludwig Bemelmans , the author who created the Madeline books .https://www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/the-carlyle-new-york/dining/bemelmans-bar

Ok so I did some re arranging of the Itinerary. Let me know what you think. Lion King show is April 5th so wantedto stay in Manhattan instead going south where I had originally Statue of Liberty/ Ellis Island, Chinatown, Little Italy and SOHO. Let me know your thoughts. Everyone here has been really helpful. And we won’t be doing one Vanderbilt. On the last day is there anything we should see near Grand Central/ Library? That we haven’t already hit? Thanks everyone!!!

Alternate Plan:

April 2nd: Arrive at JFK 10:30pm, Private transfer to Sheraton Time Square Hotel

April 3rd: Empire State ($185.10), Color Factory?, WA Square Park, Greenwhich Village, Chelsea Market, High Line Walk

April 4th: 9/11 Museum/ Memorial ($103), One World Trade Center ($158) Eatly for Lunch, Financial District, Oculus, Wall Street/ Charging Bull

April 5th: 10am The MET($75), Walk Down Madison from 80th, St Patrick’s Cathedral, Rockefeller ($154), Time Square (after Lion King?) Johns Pizza for dinner 4:30-5pm Lion King on Broadway at 7pm

April 6th: Brooklyn, Brooklyn Park, DUMBO, Grimaldi's Pizza, Walk over Brooklyn Bridge back to Manhattan

April 7th: Statue of Liberty/ Ellis Island ($85)/ Battery Park, Chinatown, Little Italy, SOHO, Lombardis Pizza

April 8th: Central Park, 10am American Museum of Natural History ($119), St John the Divine Cathedral

April 9th: Grand Central Terminal, Public Library, Walk 5th Ave, Back to Hotel by 3-4pm, Private transfer to Newark from Hotel for a 8pm flight home.

Although Cathedral of St John the Divine is attractive, and important to UWS civic life, unless you are active in the Anglican church, I suggest you leave it out and use the time to make the brutal days like April 4 less brutal, so you don't fall asleep at Lion King. You can get from AMNH to any of your other interests in almost the same time.

Have you though about family walking speed (do you walk together regularly?), and recorded some planned mileages from Google Maps? You can still detour on the day! NY and your plan have a lot of walking.

I've never been to the Color thing, but is 14 too old? Have you made a luggage plan for departure day?

Just one question.......where are you going on vacation to recuperate from this trip?

And it's not the "National" History Museum. It's the "Natural" History museum. Actually, the "American Museum of NATURAL History." No mention of our Founding Fathers.

Walk down Madison Ave......I would suggest you cut back to 5th Ave in the lower 60"s as it is more interesting from there to St. Patricks than Madison (at least in my opinion.) You get the tail end of the park, the Plaza, the old major department stores, etc. Madison in the 50's is mostly just office buildings.

It seems like you're eating a lot of pizza. New York offers cuisines from all over the world. You don't want to try anything else?

These are the vacations my family is used to when we go to someplace we haven’t gone before. We like to be busy and check out as much as we can.

I’ve got just those pizza places, we plan on eating whatever our heart desires. I’ve got a list and Ellen’s dines is on there that you mentioned. Are there other places that a must try? Sushi, Chinese, Sandwich shops etc.

Where are the go to Coffee Shops/Caffès?

The color factory our youngest really wants to go to that and our 14 yr old is a go with the flow type.

Skip St John and change that to going to Top of Rock, Radio City hall, Time Square?

In time square is there any place to stop and check out or is it pretty much just pass thru to see it during the day and at night all lite up?

Frank II makes a really good point - Do cut back to Fifth as he says , if you go west across 65th to Fifth and then south ,on the west side of Fifth , you can drop into Central park ( there's a set of stairs on your right ) and walk through the Zoo down to 59th and Fifth . That is Grand Army Plaza , and the gilded statue of General Sherman , by the American sculptor , Augustus St Gaudens is the centerpiece . One other five minute stop on your way down to Rockefeller Center is The St Regis Hotel (54th street ,east side of Fifth ) On the ground level , go into the bar ( again ) and see the King Cole Murals by the American artist , Maxfield Parrish . Also , along Fifth Avenue are a number of Beaux Arts buildings from The Gilded Age by the preeminent architectural firm of McKim Mead , and White . None of this will slow you down , knowing where to look as you walk will add a lot to your experience . A primer on the architecture - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McKim,_Mead_&_White

Ok so when we finish at The Met walk south thru the park on the walking paths along East Dr and then cut over to Fifth just past the zoo, and then head to St Patrick’s on fifth? Am I understanding that right?

When you are done at The Met , walk south on Fifth , to 77th street , then east one block to Madison . South on Madison ( stop at The Carlyle ( 76 and Madison ) continue South on Madison to 65th street . turn right on 65th (west ) one block to Fifth , then turn left ( south on Fifth ) stairs in to Central Park on west side of Fifth . Then continue south through the park toward midtown . You will come out of the park at Grand Army Plaza ( 59th and Fifth ) continue south on Fifth .

here is the first leg -https://www.google.com/maps/dir/The+Metropolitan+Museum+of+Art,+1000+5th+Ave,+New+York,+NY+10028/''/@40.7761905,-73.9656602,17z/data=!3m1!5s0x89c25896e10b5523:0x6c1168e355509b8b!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c25896f660c26f:0x3b2fa4f4b6c6a1fa!2m2!1d-73.963244!2d40.7794366!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c25894f6830e11:0xb2a302b01ff335e5!2m2!1d-73.9630744!2d40.7744489!3e0

second leg , follow the gray line https://www.google.com/maps/dir/''/''/@40.7711384,-73.9718313,16z/data=!3m2!4b1!5s0x89c25896e10b5523:0x6c1168e355509b8b!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c25894f6830e11:0xb2a302b01ff335e5!2m2!1d-73.9630744!2d40.7744489!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c258f1fcd66869:0x65d72e84d91a3f14!2m2!1d-73.9718335!2d40.767778!3e2

third leg , follow the blue dotted line
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/''/St.+Regis+Hotel,+East+55th+Street,+New+York,+NY/@40.764392,-73.9772461,16z/data=!3m2!4b1!5s0x89c25896e10b5523:0x6c1168e355509b8b!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c258f1fcd66869:0x65d72e84d91a3f14!2m2!1d-73.9718335!2d40.767778!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c258fa521af94f:0xf467246ee0a5e427!2m2!1d-73.9746128!2d40.7613979!3e2

Manhattan is largely laid out on a grid although many areas, like Greenwich Village, Lower East Side, Financial District , et al are exceptions . Fifth Avenue divides the borough . Cross streets west of Fifth , numbers ascend to the Hudson , Cross streets east of Fifth ascend to The East River . An invaluable tool for getting around anywhere is a small , analogue pocket compass . Maps are essential , but knowing which direction you are facing is as important. When I am in Europe , if I am in an unfamiliar place , a map plus my compass makes short work for getting around .

Awesome thank you Steve!!! This helps out a lot! When we did Italy and France I used the city mapper app and that was a life saver. Gave u walking directions, subway and bus schedules all in one place.

I'm glad this helped . Here is a little heads up on the King Cole Murals - https://richardrabel.com/tarting-old-king-cole-mural-st-regis-hotel-new-york > As the Met is absolutely HUGE , attempting to cover the place is a mistake . My wife and I are art lovers and spend a great geal of time in museums here and in Europe . We have memberships in numerous institutions , including the MET . Of the myriad choices for your MET visit , just one suggestion here . Thomas Hart Benton was an American Regionalist Artist ( this also included John Steuart Curry and Grant Wood ) working largely during the Depression . One of his major cycles is called " America Today ! " A great story behind this , and if you are interested, it is one of the MET's holdings , recently acquired . Just something to think about - https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/499559?searchField=All&sortBy=Relevance&ft=Art+Deco&offset=0&rpp=40&pos=38

While much of NYC is in a grid, many of the addresses don't make sense.

East and west is easy. And address with an East in it (150 e. 43rd St) is east of Fifth Ave. Andy address with "West" in it is west of fifth ave.

North and South is different on every street. To help find the cross street, you can use this website. (At least one of the cross streets has to have a number so it doesn't work downtown.)

https://www.ny.com/locator/

One other place you might want to visit is FAO Schwarz. It's a toy store. The original was at 58th an Fifth Avenue and was amazing. The newer version is at 30 Rockefeller Center. I haven't been in the new one but it's supposed to be an experience. (If you remember Tom Hanks playing the floor piano in the movie "Big" that was FAO Schwarz. They supposedly still have them to be played.}

Thanks Frank,
Yeah we we’re definitely going to check out FAO Schwartz. I saw the new one at Rockefeller. Is the original one still open on 5th?