Yes New York can be a dangerous place, but it can be a fun place to visit. So if you have a week or even days to spare and want to know the best places to visit during your visit,especially if you have children or not to much to spend.
First when you are packing your bags, make sure to add your disposable camera, map and sneakers. You can see a lot more if you walk. The blocks of New York City go fast, so walking twenty blocks in New York would take less than forty minutes.
Step2
Penn Station
Second when you arrive whether you arrived at Penn Station via Amtrak or Greyhound you are right in the middle of all the wonderful things of New York. If you want a hotel near here, you can go to the Pennsylvania Hotel on 32nd street not far from Penn Station.
Step3
Wax Musuem
Once you settled if you want to go out right away, you can start by going to Maddam Toussad's Musuem of Wax right on 42nd Street between 7th and 8th Avenue a couple blocks up from the hotel. Here they have wax figures of Julia Robert's, Morgan freeman, j. lo, and they have new exhibits like American idol where they a Simon figure to "judge your singing", VIP club (usher, Jessica Simpson and more)all for less than $30 dollars. This is a great musuem because you can take pictures with the "stars" and they are so life like it is amazing. One thing though you can't touch the exhibits unless they say it's okay.
Step4
If after here you get hungry, you can go to Applebee's which is located right next to the musuem on 42nd street. Or you can walk back near the hotel where you will find less known restaurants for much lower prices than Applebee's. There is also an arcade store with laser tag and movie theaters one across the street from each other where you are sure to find a movie that you may be interested in.
Step5
Ferris Wheel at Toys R Us
After that you can walk back to 42nd Street (if you went to the less known restaurants) and walk towards Times Square where you can go to Toys R Us and ride a Ferris Wheel that is almost ninety feet, right inside the store. Adults can ride too and it gives a great view of the store.Planet Hollywood is a restaurant not far from here where you might get lucky and meet someone famous. Or if you are visiting during the summer, you can take the train and ride the Shuttle marked with a silver S to 42nd Street and Grand Central where you can walk to Bryant Park which holds movie events where you can watch a movie right on the grass out in the open(almost like a drive in without the car). Most of the movies they show are classics like Psycho and Casablanca and it's free.
Step6
New Roc City
If you have kids and want something outside the city you can go to Playland in Rye, NY and New Roc City in New Rochelle, NY. Both can be reached via the MetroNorth, which you can take at 42nd Street near the wax musuem. Playland is a smaller less expensive version of Six Flags with all of the same type of rides and they hold live concert events at certain times of the year. New Roc City has a funhouse, ice arena and speedway as well as movie theatres and you can also enjoy bowling, and arcades for little money.
Step7
Jekyll and Hyde Restaurant
And if you want to go see a little of Manhattan on water you can go to South Street Seaport where during the summer you can ride a boat which takes you around the tip of Manhattan and get you wet in the process. If you like dept stores, you can go to the mall on 34th street, near Madison Square Garden and Macy's. Another great place to visit is Jekyll and Hyde restaurant on seventh avenue south where as soon as you enter you are greeted with the door not opening and darkness when finally it opens and you enter. Great for families with children. Not for people who get scared easily.
Tips & Warnings
There are many more places and would take longer than these few steps to highlight them all. These are just some of the places to visit that are not that expensive and are fun to go to for both children and adults alike.
Buying a Metrocard can save you money, especially if you plan to go back and forth on the subway. For a four dollars(price may have changed) you can ride anywhere throughout the whole day and take any subway or bus to reach your destinations.
Review your map in places not so obvious and take many pictures to preserve memories.
Always go in groups and watch your children at all times especially during the subway rides and the shuttle ride to grand central if you take it(there is a large gap between the door and the platform).
Try to go during the day, if you go at night go at around six and up. If you go very late at night leave the children at home.
on 3/14/2008
Love the ideas! However, I recommend staying away from chain restaurants as they are ridiculously overpriced in nyc. I would stick to places like Shake Shack (american food) or Spice (thai food) if you're looking for great food at cheap prices. menupages.com is a great place to look if you're looking for any type of eatery in nyc.
Comments
joyful327 said
on 4/10/2008 Helpful article! I've been to NYC twice, both when I was in my teens. I hope to talk my husband into letting us go someday :)
GreenGardenChic said
on 3/18/2008 I love NYC! Jekyll and Hyde looks like my kind of place, I'll have to check it out. Thanks.
LaurenRomano said
on 3/14/2008 Love the ideas! However, I recommend staying away from chain restaurants as they are ridiculously overpriced in nyc. I would stick to places like Shake Shack (american food) or Spice (thai food) if you're looking for great food at cheap prices. menupages.com is a great place to look if you're looking for any type of eatery in nyc.