So Ill be in NYC....

[cool-in-cayman]

We'll be in NYC for the 1st time on the 13th of June to the 17th. Going to a Yankees game on the 16th, but thats our only plan so far.

Anyone recommend a hotel in the city that is close to a lot of attractions, fairly nice, and reasonably priced?

Must sees?
Must avoids?

[Noel Murdough]

Everything is expensive, too. The subway system hooks up with EVERY neighborhood, but it doesn't quite reach the airports. Figure THAT one out.

http://www.nycsubway.org/maps/route/

Look into the Circle Line Ferry, for a reasonably priced boat trip around Manhatten and by the Statue of Liberty.

http://www.statueoflibertyferry.com/index1.html


Here's a building with a view, if you like this sort of thing.

http://www.esbnyc.com/index2.cfm?CFID=11461295&CFTOKEN=36938683

Like amusement parks? Here's the original one, almost.

http://www.coneyisland.com/

Like dinosaur bones? Museum row on the west edge of central park is pretty interesting.

http://www.amnh.org/museum/welcome/

One Avenue west of Penn Station (which is under Madison Square Garden) is the most outstanding camera store I've ever been in.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home;jsessionid=Cn4LpjYmvL!-1631402178?O=RootPage.jsp&A=getpage&Q=RootPage.jsp

What are your interests?

Noel

[Edited by Noel Murdough on 04-21-2005 at 03:10 PM]

[thehumid1]

http://www.rivertorivernyc.com/events/index.php

that site has some events listed but there are millions of things to do if you give more information about what you are interested in as Noel stated.

[cool-in-cayman]

Well coney island sounds fun. I guess we'll want to see time square,ground zero, statue of liberty, empire state building. Maybe a show.

I wouldn't mind going on a tour around little italy, or little sicily or whatever they call it. See the bergin hunt and fish club or the ravenite club.

Im sure the wife will want to go shopping too.

[jtricor]

Stay out of China Town, got lost down there a week ago, and about lost something else to. Driving not for the timid there
GWB was cool feels like a big hammock, dont drive.
If I ever go back I will take a 1972 chevy station wagon and then I will have fun playing bumper cars with the locals

[Edited by jtricor on 04-21-2005 at 04:30 PM]

[Noel Murdough]

That is centered around Mulberry Street, in the south central part of manhatten, just below where the numbered streets start. It's right below Greenwich Village (cool part of town) and right beside Chinatown.

It's not far from Wall St (several good museums there) and Ground Zero on the West side.

Check out Grand Central station. It's magnificient. So is St Pat's Cathedral.

Noel

[jtricor]

Noel
My hat is off to you if you do service work in NYC, question for you where do they put the snow when it snows there or does all those under ground steam pipes melt everything, I was told that they put snow plows on the garbage trucks during the winter, that city has more concrete than grass.Where is the waste water treatment or does the hudson take care of all that.

[green_apprentice]

Originally posted by cool-in-cayman
We'll be in NYC for the 1st time on the 13th of June to the 17th. Going to a Yankees game on the 16th, but thats our only plan so far.

Anyone recommend a hotel in the city that is close to a lot of attractions, fairly nice, and reasonably priced?

Must sees?
Must avoids? Stay at the N.Y Marriot marquis hotel. the hotel is beutiful and smack in the middle of times square. It has a veiw resurant and bar AT THE TOP OF THE HOTEL 49floors to see the beutiful view of times square. It has a broadway theather inside AND LOTS OF THEATHERS on the outside area of times square. tons of movie theathers,bars sport and clubs. check out espn sport bar. You can drive to yankee stadium but will be advise to take the 6 or the d trian ITS MUCH EASYER . THE CASINO IN CONN.IS MUCH CLOSER THAN ATLANTIC CITY IF YOU HAVE AN extra day. let me know if you want more info.

[cool-in-cayman]

Thanks green, that sounds pretty good.

[Noel Murdough]

Then they all stand around griping about the snow in the streets until it melts.

The last snowstorm here that dropped 6", every plow truck I saw on the road was carrying the blade all of the way up. EVERY SINGLE ONE of them.

There are MANY treatment plants here, and they are all worked pretty hard, but they do the job, I'd guess.

ESPN bar is a GREAT place to check out. I also would suggest that stop.

I did my service and installs in NH for over twenty years. I have a desk job at Slant/Fin, in New York. I only get on jobsites once in a while, now.

I have customers with Slant/Fin boilers as far away as North Pole, Alaska, and McMurdo Station in Antarctica. I have regular conversations with a guy in Puerto Rico with an absorbtion A/C system using our boilers, and a guy in Athens, Greece using our stuff in OLD houses in Europe. We have so much stuff in Canada, that we have a second plant there. See http://www.slantfin.ca

Then there's the home centers that buy from certain wholesalers at huge volumes to compete with the wholesalers OTHER customers, the contractors. I'll NEVER figure that one out. We do not have ANY accounts open with home centers, anywhere. I wish inspectors and the permit process had some teeth in it.

Enough about me. Enjoy the trip.

Noel

[icemeister]

On our latest trip to NYC last month my wife & I stayed at the Murray Hill East which is all fully furnished apartments (studios & 1 BR) with full kitchen, daily maid service, doorman, concierge, etc at $169/nite for a good-sized studio. It's just a few short blocks south of Grand Central (a 5 minute walk) and maybe a 15-20 minute walk to the Empire State Building and Macy's on 34th St.

The hotel doesn't have a bar or restaurant, but who wants eat at their hotel anyway??? If you're staying for a week, want to be in Mid-Manhattan and like the comforts of home where you can cook a meal and relax, this place is great. There's a full supermarket around the corner, a dozen restaurants and delis within a block and at least four Irish pubs on the block.

http://travel.yahoo.com/p-hotel-339449-murray_hill_east_hotel-i

[cool-in-cayman]

Wow, the Marriott Marquis looks real nice, but I just checked the price and it may be a little too much for my budgouis. $399.00/night. Dont suppose theres any motel 6's in the neighborhood.

How bout the howard johnsons at Penn station?

[Noel Murdough]

I'd jump on something like that. Cookin' in saves $$$ on occasion, like breakfast.

Check internet hotel discount sites. They discount the heck out of some of the rates, on non-busy times. You'll find one.

It's 30 miles or more away to get cheap hotels that are clean.

Noel

[service guy]

If you can do the greyline bus tour of the city I think you can do the all loops tour for around 49 bucks for two days. It takes you downtown, uptown, and a night tour that takes you over the brooklyn bridge the best part about it is you can hop on hop off so if you want to get off and walk around, then just go to the bus stop and hop on again you can get on and off all you want.

[icemeister]

This is a better site. We booked on-line through this one and the prices are much lower than at others. Had no problems at all.

http://www.apartments2book.com/newyork9.htm

Go to their home site and note that they have apartments all over the city, but some are rather cheap (and therefore questionable) and some are too ritzy for almost anyone.

[Edited by icemeister on 04-21-2005 at 07:22 PM]

[Noel Murdough]

Aren't they the ones with the topless busses?

http://www.nywaterway.com/sightsee_combo.html

Noel

[Edited by Noel Murdough on 04-21-2005 at 07:33 PM]

[green_apprentice]

Originally posted by icemeister
On our latest trip to NYC last month my wife & I stayed at the Murray Hill East which is all fully furnished apartments (studios & 1 BR) with full kitchen, daily maid service, doorman, concierge, etc at $169/nite for a good-sized studio. It's just a few short blocks south of Grand Central (a 5 minute walk) and maybe a 15-20 minute walk to the Empire State Building and Macy's on 34th St.

The hotel doesn't have a bar or restaurant, but who wants eat at their hotel anyway??? If you're staying for a week, want to be in Mid-Manhattan and like the comforts of home where you can cook a meal and relax, this place is great. There's a full supermarket around the corner, a dozen restaurants and delis within a block and at least four Irish pubs on the block.

http://travel.yahoo.com/p-hotel-339449-murray_hill_east_hotel-i
got to admit, if its 169.00 a nite then you are good to go. Icemeister is right. And i use to work for the marriot. I WOULD NOT PAY that price. but you will be east of times square. you can walk any way. good thing you will be closer to the 6 train to go to yankee stadium. Stay away from cabs. REMEMBER were ever you go just vist time square.

[Edited by green_apprentice on 04-21-2005 at 07:58 PM]

[Green Mountain]

Originally posted by cool-in-cayman
Wow, the Marriott Marquis looks real nice, but I just checked the price and it may be a little too much for my budgouis. $399.00/night. Dont suppose theres any motel 6's in the neighborhood.

How bout the howard johnsons at Penn station?

Yeah! Check out that Star Trek guy on TV he should be able to get you a good price on a room.

Just an observation. NYC folks have been getting a bad rap for years. I was stationed at Ft. Toten in NYC for a couple of months and you couldn't ask for nicer and more welcoming people.

NYC is a busy city so they don't have time to put up with BS. But if they like you they are just as quick to be nice.

[maxster]

take a look at the hotels from 42nd street up to the mid 50s on 8th avenue,the prices might be lower(national chains)and your just 1 block west of the Times Square area and the Theatre District.take a cab up to 5th avenue and 59th street and walk down 5TH AVENUE mid day back to your midtown area past Rock Center and NBC...it will be an adveture!Empire State(make it early AM for a trip to the top)34th and 5th.try DAYS INN on W57th Street and 10th AVENUE..next to CBS STUDIOS for prices.the streets are easy north and south but the aveues are a hike,comfortable sneakers are a must.Times Square at night is a must everybody is out "no sweat" on crime,cops are all over the place for the tourists to enjoy it. http://www.nyc.com http://www.imagewiz.net/usr/hvac/4497_MMs2.JPG and a burger and beer at....

[Edited by maxster on 04-21-2005 at 09:07 PM]

[icemeister]

Originally posted by green_apprentice
........Stay away from cabs.....

I wouldn't wish the NYC subway system on any newbie to town, so cabs are the only way to get around. I have no problem with them at all.

After three trips to the Big Apple in the last several months I've gotten a lot better at the subway thing, but it takes practice to keep from getting on the wrong train......whereas I've never gotten into the wrong cab. ;)

[maxster]

the trick is to know where you ARE and then where you want TO GO? http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us/nyct/maps/submap.htm for Yankee Stadium.....from mid-town,you walk over to 6th AVE and take the D TRAIN UPTOWN(59th to 125th express...hang on)to 125th street transfer to the NO.4 WOODLAWN,and your at the STADIUM with the first stop just out of the tunnel and 161st STREET!

[Edited by maxster on 04-21-2005 at 10:05 PM]

[condenseddave]

Hey, Max. I was on a roof in East Rutherford all day yesterday and there was a HUGE plume of black smoke coming up out of what appeared to be Midtown.

What was burning? It billowed from about lunchtime on....

[Noel Murdough]

at Howard Beach, near JFK.

Building fire in Jamaica, Queens in the afternoon. Big one.

Noel

[green_apprentice]

Originally posted by icemeister

Originally posted by green_apprentice
........Stay away from cabs.....

I wouldn't wish the NYC subway system on any newbie to town, so cabs are the only way to get around. I have no problem with them at all.

After three trips to the Big Apple in the last several months I've gotten a lot better at the subway thing, but it takes practice to keep from getting on the wrong train......whereas I've never gotten into the wrong cab. ;) so true, but a cab to yankee stadium is a rip off. plus a cab back from the bronx is almost impossible. save the cabs for around the city.

[cool-in-cayman]

Thanks all.

[spotts]

Originally posted by cool-in-cayman
Thanks all.

No crap- aughta fill a week aye?

[icemeister]

If you're flying into like JFK try one of the airport shuttle services to get to Manhattan. We've used Supershuttle several times and will use it again.

http://www.supershuttle.com/htm/cities/nyc.htm


It's $28 for two people plus tip as compared to a flat rated $45 cab fare into town. (The cab rides out to the airport are on regular rates, though :( ) Timewise, the shuttle can take a little longer because they drop each passenger off at their doorstep.......but it allows you a bit of a free tour of the city ;). Also, the subway trip can be a real hassle if you're toting a lot of luggage. (Trust me on that one). :(

Taking the subways is a challenge for the newcomer. Maxter said it right in that you have to know where you are and where you're going, but there's more. You must know what direction you're going.....Uptown, Downtown, eastside or west. The next time I go I'm taking a compass with me......my daughter-in-law still uses one, and they've lived there since last fall!

As for the subway vs a cab to Yankee Stadium, I'd have to agree that going "off-island" can be an adventure in a cab. The subway will add to the whole experience of going to the game as well. Go for it.

[cool-in-cayman]

We are flying into LGA. Any tips on getting from there to Downtown?

[Noel Murdough]

cabs are pretty expensive that far, but are a second choice. Try the bus lines or airport limos...

The route you chose is a pretty common route, there will be lot's of choices.

Noel

[icemeister]

I'd still recommend the Supershuttle as opposed to bus but you can check this out anyway.....

http://www.panynj.gov/aviation/lgtsfram.htm

Have you zeroed in on a hotel yet?

[cool-in-cayman]

"Have you zeroed in on a hotel yet? "

Not yet, my budget is about $180/night max. I have several choices near time square that Im looking at. Hojo at Penn station Im considering. I have some time, so Im going to sign up for the email alert on expedia, travelocity etc. They let you know when a good deal comes up.

[maxster]

take a cab from LGA when your coming in and have them take you into midtown and your hotel..you won't have to hail one they line up for the incoming travelers...DEFINITLY avoid those stores along the streets in Manhattan that offer stuff for 80% off,CD players,digital cameras and all that stuff.on the need for nessesities....there are no public bathrooms on the streets,only in all the resturants and museums,McDs,Wendys...ETC,typically yes they have them.if your interested,i can grab a bunch of tourist info/brochures from the walk-in centers they have and mail it down to you,put up your info and i'll send it down....no problem.

[cool-in-cayman]

If its not too much trouble maxster, Ill take you up on that.

Mark C/O Polar Bear Air Conditioning
Po Box 31198SMB
Grand Cayman
BWI

Thanks.

[maxster]

cool......i will let you know when it goes out to you on here!just keep in mind that if your planning on staying in Manhattan the prices will reflect that,and coming into LGA you have a row of top line hotels just outside the airport...but then you have to travel into the city.but if you enjoy walking around with a cab here and there,and those bus tours with those English style double deckers buses you will have a great time with the family. here is Best Western down in the South Street Seaport with all the resturants on the east river and Ground Zero within a 30 minute healthy walk over to the west side,and in the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge in the morning with the Fulton Fish Market http://book.bestwestern.com/bestwestern/productInfo.do?propertyCode=33085 and the subways within blocks to bring you and yours up into midtown.

[Edited by maxster on 04-22-2005 at 10:52 PM]

[condenseddave]

Originally posted by Noel Murdough
at Howard Beach, near JFK.

Building fire in Jamaica, Queens in the afternoon. Big one.

Noel

Must have been the one in Queens. We were on the roof of a Nat'l Wholesale club all day, and it was a big burn for a LOOONG time.

[maxster]

cool.........your travel/survival brochures are going out tomorrow,let me know when you get them on here.enjoy the city

[cool-in-cayman]

Thanks maxster, Ill let you know when I get 'em.

We always see these brochures when we go to miami, but its too late by then as we have already booked hotel ect.

Having them in advance will help us. Thanks.

[maxster]

cool.......went to a Queens post office today...the brain surgeon behind the counter,and his co-workers couldn't figure where the hell Grand Caymans where so to rate it.then i figured that "BWI" stood for British West Indies.......DAH!

[cool-in-cayman]

Thanks again maxster. I owe you a been when I get in town, if your interested.

[cool-in-cayman]

Maxster, I got the package today. Wow thanks a lot. My wife will love all this stuff.

I owe you a beer when we get to town if youre interested. If you ever want to come to the cayman islands let me know and Ill hook you up with the insider info.

Thanks,

CIC

[Freezeking2000]

If you are a war buff or like vintage planes check out the intrepid.http://

http://www.intrepidmuseum.org/intrepidmuseum/index.php?MERCURYSID=a4c6c7f2afac9bb3e5a2e30a7748d 27a

[maxster]

thank god!anything else that might make you wonder??? on coming up to New York ask away.might hook-up for coffee in the morning when you get in,to say hello!