NYC recommendations

stickyfiddle

Any recommendations? 

We’re going in September so have loads of time to plan. Already booked a place that we can cancel but thought I’d also ask the crowd for any hotel recommendations.

We’ve been before so not necessarily dying to hear close to anything specific, but parks are always nice, obviously. 

Boutiquey vibes are better than massive chains because we both travel & stay in the big shiny brands for work. 

Also any recs for anything (food or attractions) that’s opened since about 2019 would be good. I already have a pilgrimage to 8 Hook & Ladder planned…

MrTee

Dumbo in Brooklyn. Wish I'd spent more time around that general area

Revolutions

Lower East Side is great these days.

and as above, Dumbo & the south of Williamsburg are still cool.

fretmeister

Rosie O'Grady's is always good for a steak.

Last time I stayed in the Lexington. I think it's had a big remodelling since then though.

DrCornelius

The Soho Grand is lovely if you plan do explore mainly downtown

Johnnyseven

stickyfiddle 
I already have a pilgrimage to 8 Hook & Ladder planned…

We stayed round the corner from there last time I was in NYC. We walked past it loads but didn't recognise it as it was covered in scaffolding at the time, wasn't until we searched it out that we realised.

guitargeek62

Bubby’s.

https://www.bubbys.com/

Then go back and eat it all again before you leave.

stickyfiddle

Cheers all - will do more googles. We're probably splitting between Manhattan for the first week, then a cabin upstate and somewhere in Queens/Brooklyn for the last 4 nights, but not sure yet. 

Johnnyseven said:

stickyfiddle 
I already have a pilgrimage to 8 Hook & Ladder planned…

We stayed round the corner from there last time I was in NYC. We walked past it loads but didn't recognise it as it was covered in scaffolding at the time, wasn't until we searched it out that we realised.

This will be my 5th (6th?) time in NYC and despite being a massive GB fan since I was 4 years old I've somehow never found my way there. This time it's top priority

breakstuff

We walked from our hotel near Times Square to the World Trade Center and just happened to stumble across it. We previously had no idea where it was so it was a nice surprise.

guitargeek62

stickyfiddle said:

Cheers all - will do more googles. We're probably splitting between Manhattan for the first week, then a cabin upstate and somewhere in Queens/Brooklyn for the last 4 nights, but not sure yet. 

Johnnyseven said:

stickyfiddle 
I already have a pilgrimage to 8 Hook & Ladder planned…

We stayed round the corner from there last time I was in NYC. We walked past it loads but didn't recognise it as it was covered in scaffolding at the time, wasn't until we searched it out that we realised.

This will be my 5th (6th?) time in NYC and despite being a massive GB fan since I was 4 years old I've somehow never found my way there. This time it's top priority

It’s about two blocks from Bubby’s… like I said, go there  

imalrightjack

This might help:

https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/253799/new-york-recommendations/p1

Looping in @boogieman as I didn’t reply to him - sorry!

I had four nights. It was enough. And I don’t feel I pushed myself hard - just walked miles and miles. The walking around was 99% of my fondest memories. The best moment of the trip lasting around 50 seconds 

stickyfiddle

guitargeek62 said:

stickyfiddle said:

Cheers all - will do more googles. We're probably splitting between Manhattan for the first week, then a cabin upstate and somewhere in Queens/Brooklyn for the last 4 nights, but not sure yet. 

Johnnyseven said:

stickyfiddle 
I already have a pilgrimage to 8 Hook & Ladder planned…

We stayed round the corner from there last time I was in NYC. We walked past it loads but didn't recognise it as it was covered in scaffolding at the time, wasn't until we searched it out that we realised.

This will be my 5th (6th?) time in NYC and despite being a massive GB fan since I was 4 years old I've somehow never found my way there. This time it's top priority

It’s about two blocks from Bubby’s… like I said, go there  

Nice! Will do!! 

stickyfiddle

imalrightjack said:

This might help:

https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/253799/new-york-recommendations/p1

Looping in @boogieman as I didn’t reply to him - sorry!

I had four nights. It was enough. And I don’t feel I pushed myself hard - just walked miles and miles. The walking around was 99% of my fondest memories. The best moment of the trip lasting around 50 seconds 

Ta. We're def not planning a mad-busy thing*; we've been before so absolutely no need to hit every main attraction, but we'll repeat a couple of favourites for sure. Mostly I want to eat pizza and wander around the park doing very little and just enjoy life a bit 

[*apart from gigs. I have 3 eyed up already... ] 

boogieman

imalrightjack said:

This might help:

https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/253799/new-york-recommendations/p1

Looping in @boogieman as I didn’t reply to him - sorry!

I had four nights. It was enough. And I don’t feel I pushed myself hard - just walked miles and miles. The walking around was 99% of my fondest memories. The best moment of the trip lasting around 50 seconds 

Thank you! 

YellowLedBetterMan

Transit Museum in Brooklyn - cheap, nice way to spend a morning. Walk back to Manhattan over Brooklyn Bridge, stop by Dumbo on the way.

Battery Park is my favourite place in the world. Take a coffee and some lunch, don't buy any tickets from the numerous touts, and sit and watch the world go by in the Hudson Bay. Also good views of the Statue of Liberty.

Final suggestion would be to get on the bus from Port Authority and go and see your world famous 4-time Lombardi-Lifting New York Football Giants. Or if not, any sports game. The presentation and fan interaction alone makes it worth it, even if you aren't into your Yank sports.

For food - just eat 2 Bros Pizza for every meal. I'm salivating at the thought of it.

Shark_Eyes

2 bros pizza would be on my list. In one of their locations they offer a dollar slice!

Daily Provisions near union square did the best breakfast sandwich I've ever had. We ended up going 3 times in one week.

If you've not done McSorleys before I'd suggest it, just for the slightly weird experience, the beer is pretty good too, the dark beer was my preference.

Lastly definitely do the high line and finish in the meat packing district for some food or drinks.

stickyfiddle

Ta! We're definitely look gin at a Yankee game as we did one a long time ago and had a blast. 

I can't eat 2 Bros unfortunately  I'm celiac so it's gluten free pizza only for me. Thankfully I do have another favourite in Keste, which is ace for GF. 

DrCornelius

YellowLedBetterMan said:

Battery Park is my favourite place in the world. Take a coffee and some lunch, don't buy any tickets from the numerous touts, and sit and watch the world go by in the Hudson Bay. Also good views of the Statue of Liberty

I used to live in Battery Park (Liberty View Apartments funny enough). I agree 100 pct that it’s the place in Manhattan to go to sit and breathe , even more so than Central Park which can get really busy especially in the summer.

There’s a lovely breeze that comes off the Hudson and for me at least it was the place to unwind although maybe that’s not top of everyone’s list on a short break !

stickyfiddle

DrCornelius said:

YellowLedBetterMan said:

Battery Park is my favourite place in the world. Take a coffee and some lunch, don't buy any tickets from the numerous touts, and sit and watch the world go by in the Hudson Bay. Also good views of the Statue of Liberty

I used to live in Battery Park (Liberty View Apartments funny enough). I agree 100 pct that it’s the place in Manhattan to go to sit and breathe , even more so than Central Park which can get really busy especially in the summer.

There’s a lovely breeze that comes off the Hudson and for me at least it was the place to unwind although maybe that’s not top of everyone’s list on a short break !

Sounds blood good to me tbh! 

Though we also have a cabin in the Catskills booked for 4 days for that exact purpose. All I want there is maybe a couple of short hikes, followed by a fire and a couple of drinks as the sun goes down

YellowLedBetterMan

Another tip I'll add - if you want nice pictures of the Statue of Liberty but don't want to fork out for the boat tour, get the free Staten Island Ferry and sit on the starboard side of the boat. Gets you within 100 yards of the Statue for nothing.

However, the Statue tour is worth it to me but not for the Statue itself. Included in your boat tour is entry to Ellis Island museum, which I could quite happily have spent a full day looking around. Really interesting to go and learn about the harsh realities of the American Dream and the many waves of migrants that built the land of the free.

Final tips from me - take a power bank and make sure to either have a US sim card or a plan that let's you use unlimited Internet over there. Whenever you plan to go somewhere, Google maps it and see if you can walk in under half an hour. We managed to see so much of NYC by accident simply by walking. Admittedly we were in FiDi, so we happened to stumble upon the Stock Exchange, Trinity Church, The Charging Bull and Fraunces Tavern (favoured watering hole of several founding fathers and early presidents) entirely by accident.

Speaking of Taverns, the White Horse Tavern (also in the Financial District) is a favourite spot of mine. A pint and a shot of Jack Daniels for $5 plus tip is unbeatable anywhere in the world, but in Manhattan its even better vfm.

DrCornelius

@YellowLedBetterMan , huge wisdom for all of that especially for Ellis Island over the SoL and for the White Horse Tavern