New York at Xmas time.

[Nudga]

Has anyone been and done it?

Me and Mrs N are going in December to celebrate 20 years of marriage.
Going to do the usual stuff, Broadway show, Empire State, Rockefeller centre, Central Park etc.

What are the doos and don'ts? Food, music, getting around etc

[DRFC_AjA]

Don't leave kids in the plaza hotel on their own with credit cards, they spend loads on room service 

[BobG]

And don't go up any Twin Towers....

The aircraft carrier that now acts as a museum is a stonker though. Forgotten it's name but it's good.

BobG

[pib]

Not been at Xmas but it’s a phenomenal place.

Subway is fine for getting around. Some freaks on it as in every city but it’s fine and pretty efficient. I felt pretty safe even at night, just exercise the usual caution with valuables/cash etc.

Times Square is overrated and stupidly busy but worth a visit once just to say you’ve done it.

We were advised to go into just one of Rockefeller/Empire State because they’re not far apart and quite similar, but the views from the Empire State are better as it’s taller so we did that, and the museum bit in there is decent.

Go to Katz’s Delicatessen and have the pastrami sandwich. Expensive but worth every dime!

9/11 museum is fantastically done but a really emotive experience.

Any other time of year I’d recommend a baseball game as it’s a great experience, but it’ll be the off season in December.

[Nudga]

Nice one Pub.

As a tight Yorkshire lad, is the tipping side of things going to send me nuts?

[pib]

Nice one Pub.

As a tight Yorkshire lad, is the tipping side of things going to send me nuts?

Most likely yes. It is an expensive city to visit and the tipping contributes a fair bit to that. Most places have a touch screen where you can choose how much you want to tip (or no tip) - depends if you care about what they think of you.

Watch out for the tax being added on to everything rather than included in the price as well.

[Bristol Red Rover]

One of my take away main memories was of ice skating amidst the towers as it was snowing. Also just the small stuff off piste of every day life, cafes, delis, in amongst the pre Xmas buzz. Regret not finding a good small club gig, and not visiting Queens, Brooklyn. Was 35 years ago, so can't give any current advice. Sleeping pills can be useful! 

[pib]

Brooklyn, good shout BRR. If you want to do the touristy things then seeing the Manhattan skyline is a good one. If you don't do a riverboat trip, take a trip across to Dumbo to the nice little area by the East River with parks and beaches where you can get great views (and some good places for food/ice cream - e.g. Juliana's or Grimaldi's for pizza)

[turnbull for england]

Sorry to piggy back your post Nudga,  but Mrs TFE has her birthday on NYE, with a significant one in 3 years. The lack of "doing  something special"has always been a thing has anyone ever been somewhere where NyE was worth going

[silent majority]

Has anyone been and done it?

Me and Mrs N are going in December to celebrate 20 years of marriage.
Going to do the usual stuff, Broadway show, Empire State, Rockefeller centre, Central Park etc.

What are the doos and don'ts? Food, music, getting around etc

Been lots of times Nudga, our son lived there for 8 years or so, and Xmas was obviously one of those times we would visit.

It can be cold, we were delayed coming back once because of snow at Newark airport. I would suggest just google interesting things to do and visit, and that wouldn't include the Statue of Liberty! It can be tiresome getting there and back. If you want decent pictures and food I would suggest jump on the ferry across to Hoboken, plenty of decent restaurants on the Hudson and fantastic picture opportunities of the NY skyline.

Give me a call if you want more ideas.

[Nudga]

Thank you fellas, much appreciated.

Although visiting The Bronx and Queens sounds like a recipe for disaster. Have this vision of them being totally unsafe??

[BillyStubbsTears]

Only been once 20 years ago. I'd echo a lot of what's been said her. Overwhelming experience for the scale and bustle of the place. Just taking that in is worth the trip.

I agree that it didn't feel threatening, although I'd watch it at the metro stations late at night.

If your getting a taxi from JFK, there's nothing like the experience of Manhattan looming ahead of you. We arrived late so the lights were on all over the city and it was breathtaking.

We walked over the Brooklyn Bridge - some good views of the city from there. I was amazed how quickly it seemed to get rough over on that side. Within a mile it felt like we were in a Starsky & Hutch set.

[pib]

Thank you fellas, much appreciated.

Although visiting The Bronx and Queens sounds like a recipe for disaster. Have this vision of them being totally unsafe??

Queens is rough, don't think there is any particular reason to be there though, save for going to/from the airport. Went to watch the Yankees which is in the Bronx and didn't feel threatened at all, even when it finished which would've been around 10pm, though there were lots of people around. Not sure what it's like up there at quieter times when the baseball isn't on. Upper West side of Manhattan was fine at night, had no trouble walking round at all.

I went into the experience expecting it to feel really dangerous and threatening, but for the most part found it to be absolutely fine around various parts of the city. As long as you keep your wits about you and avoid sketchy looking areas at night, you should be alright.

[silent majority]

Thank you fellas, much appreciated.

Although visiting The Bronx and Queens sounds like a recipe for disaster. Have this vision of them being totally unsafe??

Been to both, my daughter in law was from Queens and her parents still live there, no fears, and you have to go there if you want to see the Mets play as they play in what is the replacement stadium for the old Shea stadium. We played football in the Bronx when England were there some years ago, didn't feel unsafe although we tried winding each other up by talking about 'The Warriors' all the time!

There's a fantastic restaurant in Harlem if you're going up that way called the Dinosaur Bar B Q, its just brilliant! Not expensive at all, but then restaurants in NY aren't expensive on the whole.


https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d620401-Reviews-Dinosaur_Bar_B_Que-New_York_City_New_York.html

[belton rover]

My favourite experience (apart from seeing Billy Joel at MSG) was walking the High Line. And it’s free.

[Iberian Red]

Sorry to piggy back your post Nudga,  but Mrs TFE has her birthday on NYE, with a significant one in 3 years. The lack of "doing  something special"has always been a thing has anyone ever been somewhere where NyE was worth going

Apologies too Nudga,but I did tell you it was pricey earlier.

Turnbull,try Oporto.
Great firework show with a backdrop of the incredible Eiffel bridge and boats all along the river partying.
I loved it.

[Donnywolf]

New York State is fantastic in fact almost everything in the State is good

I will be in a very limited minority who isn't a fan of The Big Apple NYC itself

I have been a few times but after the first in 1980 I have stayed outside NYC preferring to travel in on Long Island Rail Road

Some great sights of course and I've done quite a few of them , including World Trade Centre ESB , SOL , Central Park and Harlem when it was wiser not to visit

But I much preferred Upper New York State with The Adirondacks , Finger Lakes ( Lake District on steroids) Lake Placid  home of Winter Olympics ,1000 Island and of course Niagara but each to their own

[ravenrover]

On my bucket list is a walk around Greenwich Village to visit all the bars and coffee houses of the folk music era of the 60's.
No guessing why SS!

[scawsby steve]

On my bucket list is a walk around Greenwich Village to visit all the bars and coffee houses of the folk music era of the 60's.
No guessing why SS!

Jones street. Go for it, mate.