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Anybody live in New York? I'll be there in October. Tell me where to go and what to do, miss out all the usual tourist stuff.

Interested to see what you come up with.

Well, you gotta go to Katz's Deli and have a Pastrami on Rye.

And you gotta go to McSorley's Pub.

Go check out the Chrysler building. Fascinating architecture.

Take a hike across the Brooklyn Bridge.

Go hang out in Penn station for a while just to watch the people.

Take the A train uptown.

Just take a walk up Broadway or Park Avenue to Central Park.

The natural History museum and the planetarium are worth the time.

I agree with everything Lars said plus:

Take in a Broadway Show.

Check out Greenwich Village.

Drive the BQE (both ways) and catch a view of Manhattan you'll never forget.

But most of all, talk to the people on the street, they're wonderful. The best part of New York is it's people.

You got street names for any of those places guys or are they easy enough to find on google? Do you both live in New York?

They are easy to Google.

And I agree with AHSO!

Take in a Broadway show.

Katz deli is on Houston near Bowery, and and McSorley's is north of there a few blocks. at E 7th st and 3rd Ave.

Chrysler Building is near Union Station.

Penn station is the main hub station for AMTRAK, and LI RR. About 32nd St.

The Museum is at 81 and Central Park.

If you are on your own, you have to get a map of the subway, and learn how to get around that way.

Buy a week trip card for the transit.

Subway (public trans) and walking are the only way to see New York City.

A cab is good for when you know where you want to go, specifically, and don't mind spending the dough to get there.

IF you have a car, I suggest you park it at your hotel until you are ready to leave.

How long you plan to be in NY?

Four days, we have a lovely hotel in times square and yes i want to see a show (Les miserables)

Never been to America before so am very excited, thanks for all the tips.

Im a New Yorker Buttercup. In Manhattan... no way to avoid the touristy stuff.

But the tourists are mixed right in on the street with droves of residents.

Just wandering the streets is an adventure in itself.

Have a great time

I am not sure Les miserables is playing on Broadway, now. If you find it, let me know.

Here is a good place to find tickets. I've used it several times, and always been happy with them.

Broadway Show Tickets | Broadway.com

The only two on the Broadway list that I have seen are Lion King and the Phantom.

Both are getting a bit long in the tooth, I think.

I know the Phantom seemed a bit tired when I saw it in 2002.

Lion King as great eye candy, very musical and very entertaining. A pretty show, with a little meat.

Looks like lots of good shows to be seen.

And you got to take the double-decker bus tour. It's only a couple hours outa your day, and you get a good high-level tour of Manhattan.

And all in all, the tourists ain't all that tough to hang with.

Oh what a pity i thought i heard there was a Les mis revival in 2008? I've never seen phantom or Lion king so either would do, the bus tour is a must among the tourist things to do i'd just like to do/see some out of the ordinary as well.

Just walking the streets of New York is an adventure.

A place you might find interesting is the Jekyll and Hyde Club on 6th Ave between 57th and 58th St.

And the Carnegie Deli on 7th ave at 54th might even be better than Katz'

Be sure to visit the Apple Store @58th St / 5th Ave

Ride the Staten Island Ferry. Costs about a Buck. It's a 20 minute cruise.

Visit the Wholesale area @Broadway / 28th street. Just window shopping in that entire area will literally blow your mind.

Only two weeks to go, we booked tickets for Wicked

I live about 4 hours away from NY...how awesome it would be to come meet you...but you will be so busy-trust me, you will find PLENTY to do!!

I would also suggest China town, I thought that was fun and my mom and I had fun just shopping at the different stores, funny enough we had the most fun in a lower grade department store (K-Mart) in New York city in 2006 than anything. I loved just walking the streets (during the day of course) and just taking it all in!

Have fun!!

I am curious on how the trip went??? Did you have fun??? Do tell!

We had a great time but we'd have that anywhere, it was great to get away and spend time with family, sorry to say but to be honest i was not impressed by New York and wouldent go back.

How were you unimpressed?

I am curious.

It is definitely not for everyone.

I would never want to live in the City, but I always enjoy my visits.

Were you in Manhattan?

I was there, in the Gramercy Park area, with trips to SoHo and 5th Avenue. What I remember most is the noise, all night long noise pollution of dumpster emptying, and a drug like buzz of energy in the air all day. Also, little black specks (ash) falling from the sky onto everyone's faces and persons 24hrs/day. I'm not a big city person in the long haul so my not wanting to live there doesn't mean a lot.

buttercup;1375238 wrote: We had a great time but we'd have that anywhere, it was great to get away and spend time with family, sorry to say but to be honest i was not impressed by New York and wouldent go back.


I'm glad you had fun, and I understand not being impressed....I am not a city girl at all. I liked visiting, but would never be able to stay there long.

I just found it dirty and smelly, i was quite taken aback that all the taxi's are covered in dents. I had some expectations of people serving me in shops saying things like have a nice day but by and large found the assistants just like here. I thought all the food portions would be massive but found them just like here and the tips that people EXPECT. Tips should be given for good service and i should decide how much that is worth, not be told what i have to pay.

The shopping experience was not unlike London, Milan or Paris, no worse, no better.

The hotel we stayed in was lovely but when i went down for my cigarette in the morning was surrounded by street people the doormen had to chase away, that made me sad, they looked so cold.

I'm making it sound like it was awful but i did have a good time, it was just not what i expected.

Well, yeah, Like all those places, NY is.

Dirty, busy, noisy.

I cannot see how anyone lives there. The noise is constant, and the waiters and store clerks are busy and at best tolerant.

Cabbies are rude, and the taxis are rough. The Subway is loud and dirty and busy and even scary.

But the excitement of the big city is infectious, and I love to wander the streets, watching the people, stopping in at the neighborhood shops and trying food from all the vendors, going to the shows, and the museums and the parks. By the time I leave the City, I am worn out, and wired up and ready for the loony bin. it takes a few months to recuperate, and prepare for the next visit.

London, Paris, Rome, Milan, Beijing, LA, NYC, all the same.