Please note that you may have been redirected (you might like to make a note of the URL in the address bar of your browser and update accordingly) This is a permanent archvie but is no longer actively maintained. Please visit http://joshuaink.com for the latest updates.

I'm an Englis...Welshman in New York

Tuesday June 6, 2006

So I am heading for the land of the free to see what all the fuss is about. I will be in New York City for a little while and wondered if anyone had any recommendations for things to see and do. Cheap or better still free is, of course, always preferred but if there is something you think I should not miss, I’d love to here it.

If it helps your recommendations, left to my own devices I’d probably wander to museums and art galleries… and the Apple store, of course!

Comments are on.

  1. Steve Tucker

    814 days ago

    Lucky bastard. Wish I were off to the states, or pretty much anywhere but here for that matter. Just dont miss the world cup.

    Id imagine the statue of liberaty would be a must, as would the red light district.

  2. Ara Pehlivanian

    814 days ago

    I’m not a New Yorker or an American for that matter, but I do belong to the Commonwealth. :-)

    You might want to check out Ground Zero, Times Square, Rockefeller Center, and Central Park.

  3. Angela

    814 days ago

    The Strand bookstore in Manhattan. If you love books, it’s amazing. You won’t be sorry.
    Website: http://www.strandbooks.com/home/

    If you want to ogle American electronics shit, J&R is amsuing, and is quite close to Ground Zero so you could see both relatively easily. http://www.jr.com/

    Of course, you might prefer the Apple store…there’s one in SoHo and another on 5th Ave. I would go the 5th Ave. one just to see this: http://www.apple.com/retail/fifthavenue/week/20060604.html

    Here’s a good bite-sized guide to the districts: http://www.worldpress.org/Americas/2292.cfm

    Have fun, and watch out for the cabs. They will kill you.

  4. Tim Case

    814 days ago

    Cheap and free in New York?

    Hahaha…

    Don’t miss the Natural History Museum.

  5. Angela

    814 days ago

    Oh yes, and Central Park, I second that. I don’t know if Christo’s exhibit is still on there, but it’s a lot of fun regardless. Strawberry Fields is the John Lennon fan area of the Park, so if hippies annoy you then this is the spot to avoid ;) ANyway you probably know this already but just in case: 1) the park is bigger than it looks, and 2) not recommended after dark.

  6. FatBusinessman

    814 days ago

    Vote for Central Park seconded, especially around 5 o’clock in the afternoon when it completely fills up with joggers: it’s quite a sight to behold.

    If you’re into free things (at least, I think it’s free, or at least cheap) the UN is quite fun to go around: you get given tours by Swedish people called Bj??rn, and they show off loads of pointless gifts from the member states.

    Oh, and if you do fancy the Statue of Liberty, make sure you book in advance: if you book early enough, you get to go up her. (ahem)

  7. James John Malcolm (AkaXakA)

    814 days ago

    I bet the Natural History Museum has DINO’S!

    So go see that.

  8. kartooner

    814 days ago

    Aww, too bad I live about 8 hours from NYC, otherwise I’d certainly invite you over for some BBQ or something.

    I’d say check out the museums and parks (maybe even Central Park), although make sure you exit stage left in the moonlight hours—or so I hear anyways.

  9. George

    813 days ago

    If you have still got it in you be sure to take in some of the clubs. There is something for everyone. Body and soul was an experience for me – a dry afternoon club with a mixed crowd and everyone loving it! http://www.bodyandsoul-nyc.com/main.html

  10. Leanda

    813 days ago

    The Staten Island ferry. It’s free, takes you by the Statue of Liberty and gives you great views of the city.

    The new thing is ‘Top of the Rock’, (Rockerfeller) I hear it has better views of the city than The Empire State Building.

  11. Andy Higgs

    813 days ago

    It’s not free, but my advice is if you want to take in the stunning view from the top of the Empire State, go just before closing. NYC by night is brilliant, especially if it’s a clear night. If you go half an hour before closing you’ll have more than enough time to absorb the sights, plus no queues, no other tourists to contend with. I think it closes at 12pm, but you’ll need to check.

    The Statten Island ferry is good, free and you’ll have a decent view of the Statue but we didn’t find much to do on the other side of the journey (the major attractions are in Manhatten) so we came straight back.

    Ground Zero, Central Park, Times Square, The NYPD Museum (you can play with the siren) are also worthwhile. Brooklyn Bridge gives a good view of downtown across the water. All free of course.

    If you have time to see a show thats cool, but can be very expensive, especially on Broadway. It’s worth getting to the stand in Times Sq early as the queues always try to get there before you and tickets do sell out often.

    I’d tell you all about the UN building if we actually had got in, but when the GC in session you can’t get anywhere near it for the protests (which can be colourful).

    I thought the Ellis island tour was worthwhile (it comes package with the ferry trip to see the big green lady, but if you can cope with seeing it from the Statten Island Ferry you’ll save a small fortune.

    I don’t know if you’re a mac junkie, but there is of course the new Apple Cube on 5th…

  12. Joram Oudenaarde

    813 days ago

    I went to NYC a couple of years ago, and literally saw every street in all of Manhattan.

    Chinatown is a must in my opinion, as well as Central Park. Both of them are really different worlds within NYC itself, with Chinatown giving you the feeling of actually being in Tokyo, and Central Park like in the middle of nowhere… that park is incredibly nice.

    Grand Central Station (Trainstation) is nice to see as well, and Macy’s. GCS is massive… it’s so big you can easily get lost there if it wasn’t for the signs. And Macy’s is a store as big as a complete mall. 9 floors high, with everything from toothpicks to cars.

    A quick tour in Broadway is cool too i think. So typically American… big and better :-)

  13. Neville

    812 days ago

    There are some good suggestions above, but nobody has mentioned that you can get a sort of super-pass type thing which gets you in to quite a few of the “must see” places in NYC that have entry fees.

    Personally, I’d head up the Empire State early on as it’s a great way to orientate yourself. Get the audio commentary thing, it’s cheesy but good. And when you’re buying your entry into the Empire State I’d advise you to get the tourist pass thing, I can’t remember what it’s called but it will be pretty obvious.

    It gets you in to the Empire State, Natural History, MoMA (which would top my must-see list, incredible), the Gugenberg, some hokey carrier ship (skip it unless you love the American idea of war), a cruise down to the Statue (I didn’t get to this, but it gets closer than the Staten Ferry). And some other stuff I don’t recall.

    Enjoy yourself, visit outside of Manhattan as well if you can.

  14. kevadamson

    812 days ago

    ‘Yellow Rat Bastard’ is a cool shop in Soho for clothes and the like, and there are countless fantastic Jazz clubs all over the show – worth frequenting copiously.

  15. mike

    808 days ago

    John

    Get a bloody big drink at 5pm (opening time) at top of Rockerfeller building – stunning views and all that. Also Economy Candy Store in Rivington St (opposite the supercool Hotel on Rivington) – the worlds best sweet shop??. Also ‘cos i know you’re still really a foodie underneath all that techno… Dean and Deluca on Broadway.


Christmas gifts?

Beginning CSS Web Development book cover

Recently

The last seven posts made on this site.

Geeky shiteMeta

A proud member