Also, I forgot to mention that HopStop is incredibly useful even for me if I’m traveling outside of my usual range, and I’ve lived in NYC for years now. It helps you figure out the most efficient way of getting from point A to point B via subway, bus, or walking, and gives very thorough directions. You might want to try throwing a bunch of the recommendations at it, so you can get a sense of how far away they are from each other, and from where you’re staying in Staten Island.
To me, Staten Island is very, very far away, but I understand why you’re staying there if it gets you free lodging. However, that’d be the only reason I’d stay there the whole time - it adds a significant amount of travel time when you want to go anywhere in NY. The Bronx Zoo, to take a suggestion, is indeed very cool, but it’s an hour and forty five minutes from the SI ferry station via boat and subway, plus however long it takes you to get to the ferry. That’s an extreme example, but travel time isn’t a trivial issue.
Yeah. I realized that. But hey, free lodging after all. I can live with the ferries and I have good legs.
I’m going to Museum of Natural History for sure. I love places like that (there are some nice museums in Netherlands, I wonder if this is similar). Also thanks for reminding me about zoos. I didn’t know that there is so much of them in NYC.
Sounds like great idea. I’m not particularly fond of tourist trap style places, so just intermingling with the crowd might be interesting.
I will. It might be fun to compare it with Italian one. As an aside, what other foods are worth trying? I realize that there are a lot of foreign food places, but something local or with local twist (like NY pizza)? Bagels?
Tons, yes. I don’t know if the Brooklyn Botannical Gardens are open at this time of year, but that’s an excellent destination.
H&H makes great bagels, so does Murray’s. And try at least one pretzel from a street vendor. It’s not the culinary experience of a lifetime or anything, but… when in Rome.
Oh, and they have very good food and great desserts at Cafe Lalo. That’s on West 83rd Street between Amsterdam and Broadway. Far in the other direction - down around 11th Street - the Magnolia Bakery offers what might be the world’s best cupcakes. Although there’s usually quite a line there, for obvious reasons.
If you have a few free moments, take a walk east along 42nd street and get a good look at the Chrysler Building, which is my favorite local landmark. I suppose you get a better look at the details of the spire during the day; I happen to think it’s gorgeous at night. You don’t really need to go inside, but give yourself a chance to get a good look from around 5th Avenue or so. (The building is 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue.)
screw Ray’s (although the Ray’s at the corner of 3rd Ave and St Marks has EXCELLENT calzones), it’s all about Famous JOE’s at Washington Square.
Top of the Rock is an excellent rooftop view of the city, with an unobstructed view of Central Park. If the Empire State Building weren’t such a tourist trap, 30 Rock would put it out of business.
You HAVE to take a walk through Grand Central Terminal, even if you don’t have a train to get. It’s one of the most beautiful buildings in the city.
You could see the original Winnie-the-Pooh doll (along with Piglet, Kanga, Tigger and Eyore.) They have been at the Donnell Library on 53rd Street but in checking this it appears they have been moved elsewhere. This report says that they are now at the History and Social Science Library at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street.
I second fusoya’s recommendation of Top of the Rock. I did both the Empire State Building and Top of the Rock when I was there and Top of the Rock easily wins. I loved Grand Central Station too.
This. I would recommend anyone going to NYC for the first time, take the circle line around Manhattan. Take the full 3 hour tour and you will see some of the natural beauty on the north end of the island as well. Great introduction.
I grew up in NYC, and everytime I go back, the first place I go is chinatown. Crowded as hell, lots of cheap knockoffs, and a hell of a good time. Once you’ve wandered around chinatown for a while, its a short walk up to greenwich village, soho, little italy, etc.
Two stores I highly recommend :
Evolution in Soho (120 Spring street) - they have the coolest natural history/geology stuff for sale EVER. Like, small fossils, articulated skeletons, cockroach candy, penis bones (seriously!), shark teeth, etc. It’s nowhere near the AMoNH, but it should be.
The Original Chinatown Ice Cream Factory (which is really just a small store that sells great ice cream). They have flavors like durian, lychee, almond, ginger, pandan, etc. so good it’s making me hungry just thinking about it…
Both Yankee and Shea stadium are in their last year of existence. Yankee Stadium is the “House that Ruth Built”. It is one of the 3 great baseball stadiums left in America. Shea is a crappy old stadium that nobody short of a miracle Mets fan would love, but it’s an easy subway ride and if the Yankees are out of town, it’s well worth checking out.
