New York City Trip - suggestions?

P

Patrick

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This is a weekend trip and will be our first time exploring the city. We will be staying in Time Square....arriving Saturday afternoon (early) and leaving the following evening. What are the easy to get to must-sees? Thanks for any input!
 
High Line and Chelsea Market (the High Line runs through Chelsea market, though, you need to get off the High Line to get into it.)
 
When my girlfriend and I went, we arrived at like 10AM and left on a 2AM or so train that night.

So we had some time to kill around midnight while all the quick to go to touristy things were closed. We went down to South Ferry and just chilled on a bench watching the Statue Liberty out on the water. After a really awesome day, it just felt unreal. There was this massive, bright city behind us and all around, but everything was so quiet. There was no sounds but the waves lapping the sea wall and the occasional casting of a line by the dozens of people out fishing. It was such a great way to end the day.

We took the 1, I think, from Times Square after everything there closed up. The walk from South Ferry station was kinda creepy, through this dark park. I started to worry someone would jump out while we crossed through some park, lmao. Once we got to where people were fishing though, everyone seemed really cool. Just minding their own business taking in some quiet downtime in the city.
 
- High Line
- Central Park
- MoMA is still the best art museum, but the admission is pay-what-you can at the MET
- Grand Central is truly impressive
- Burp Castle is a really cute bar with some really good beer
- Muji store in NYT tower
 
You must get downtown to the WTC area to see all the construction going on--it's truly amazing. That, and the new Gehry tower nearby give the area a strong sense of rebirth. Plus of course you're right by Wall Street, Battery Park, the Woolworth Building...lots to see in a compact, walkable area. It's a quick ride on the subway from Midtown, and you should give yourself at least a few hours to wander around.

I would also highly recommend the High Line and Chelsea Market. Take the A-C-E line to 14th Street and then walk a couple blocks west.
 
Burp Castle is tight. I love that they actually "shushhhh" you when it get too loud.

Yeah, what kinda food are you into?
 
Top of the Rock is a fun experience. I had an hour and half to kill before my train at Penn Sta the last time I was there, so I just went up and enjoyed the view/picked up some last minute souvenirs too. Really cool vantage point of the city and considerably less-crowded than the ESB.

For a weekend trip, MoMA will eat up the majority of a day (depending on how excited contemporary art gets you). On my first time to NYC, I ended up seeing Kandinsky at the Guggenheim (amazing). I did MoMA the next time when I had a full day to dedicate.

Don't do this this time, but next time you go, check out the Museum of Sex on Fifth Ave. It's one hell of an interesting experience. It's definitely uniquely NY. (There's a similar museum in London)
 
Thanks everyone, for the great ideas. Van, I am into just about anything for food (or open to anything, anyway). I really like to visit restaurants as much for the dining experience as for the food when I am visiting other cities, so any place really cool will do the trick. Ethnic food is always good (whatever that means!). I have my own definition, but it is skewed by my experience and background, and obviously there are probably ethnic foods in NYC I've never heard of before. So what I'm trying to say basically is that we'll eat anywhere as long as the experience is worth it. The setting doesn't have to be awesome if the food is, and the food doesn't have to be awesome if the setting is.

also, what about urban planning sites? I heard there are several separated bike lanes in NYC, and that Time Square is all pedestrian now. Is it still?
 
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