New York

[marktwain]

I'm looking for advice...  Me & the Mrs. are planning a trip to NYC in the fall for her birthday/our anniversary.   We're trying to do this on the cheap.

Who's been?  What do we have to see?  Where should we stay (we're thinking midtown, and we've found a couple of cheap-ish places)?

Any advice is much appreciated.  We don't want to have a strict itinerary or anything, but we're both the planning types.

[Jon T.]

This won't be much help but... My wife lived there for a year or so.  I went to visit.  There is a bus tour, I think it is RedLine.  Anyway, it takes you all around the city with a tour guide.  But, you can get off whenever you want.  Another bus comes by every 15 minutes or so and you keep going.  That way you do exactly what you want.  Plus it was like 30 bucks or something.  This was about 5 or 6 years ago though.  Anyway, I really enjoyed that.  Also, I don't know if this appeals to you but I would definitely see Yankee Stadium.  Hope that helps some...

[peanut butter puddin surprise]

you must see Greenwich Village.  enjoy the microscoptic sized shops and restaurants in the area there...plus, I'd venture over to the Soho area to check out galleries.  

if you're really going on the cheap, eat nothing but street vendor fare (hotdogs, pretzels, a meat/dough combo called "cannish") etc.  

[Jon T.]

Also, start looking now for tix to late night shows.  They are free but go quickly.  Especially Conan.

[BIGVICLBI]

The MET and the museum of natural history are both awesome. Go to saks 5th avenue and look around. Statue of liberty, theres a ferry ride you can take to it.

[Jaimoe]

I believe famed club CBGB will be closed by the fall, but if it isn't, make sure to hit that place for a band or two at night. Make sure to check out the infamous bathrooms too. When I go back, I'm going to hang in Greenwich Villiage alot. I may even venture over to Brooklyn. You should go to the famous Bluenote jazz club in Greenwich Villiage.

[EC]

Oh for sure that awesome Museum of Natural History.  It is very good.  I like the Guggenheim and I really liked the Moma.  If you find the Chelsea Hotel you can see the exact spot where John Lennon was shot.  It's kind of sad.  If you like The Catcher in the Rye, there's a bar called Phoebe's which is on the edge of one of the corners of Central Park, but I can't remember which one, which is really not helpful.  You can get good deals on theatre tickets if you do same day half off booths, and are willing to wait in line.  (Weekdays are better for that kind of thing.)  A good friend of mine just moved to Brooklyn, so we can ask her what's fun, too.  Another friend went down and he found an incredible deal on a hotel.  I'll ask him for that info.  You can pretty much go anywhere and find something fun to do, or something interesting to look at.  It's seriously a very full place.

Mr. Murph should have some good ideas.  :)

I'll pm you with specific deets as they come my way.  How fun!!  

[wellfleet]

well, i suggest that if you don't want to get f-ed with accomodation prices, that you stay in jersey and commute to NYC. keep in mind that 3-star hotels in midtown are kinda dumpy.
SOHO for cool shopping and people watching, upper East side for gawking at really rich people, the bronx zoo, also everything EC said... i'm a shopaholic and NY is pretty much the fashionista's crack-cocaine...
watch out for insane taxi drivers. they don't understand you, you don't understand them, they drive like bats out of hell, it's awesome!
and finally, i know it's morbid and maybe cliche, etc, etc, but ground zero. it moved me to tears and i'm not that person who waves flags and has those bumper stickers...

[fitzcarraldo]

Hey Tundra, I'd say skip most of the tourist traps but I'd take the elevator up the Empire State Building at night. It's nice.  if you are a Monty Python fan don't miss Spamalot on Broadway. EC's right about the Museum of Natural History, it's amazing &  the Moma  (Museum of Modern Art). The place where John Lennon actually got shot was in front of his beautiful apartment building The Dakota. 72nd and Central Park West. Right across the street is Strawberry Fields, where you'll find the Imagine mosaic. Cool spot to hang. Yes, definitely Central Park!

The Chelsea Hotel on 23rd between 7th and 8th is where Sid stabbed Nancy, and an interesting spot.  Their is also a great geetar shop around there. 23rd St Guitars.

Some great pizza spots: in midtown Bravo Pizza 42nd between 5th Ave and Madison, this lil hole in the wall place that has the best Sicilian Marinara slices you'll find in the U.S. and downtown in the lower east side Rosarios Pizza at the corner of Orchard and Stanton. Awesome Pizza. There is also a chain called Patsy's that has damn good thin crust. They are all around the city.

Williamsburg, Brooklyn also has a great music and art scene. If you take the L train from 14th Street get off at the first stop in Brooklyn and there are plenty of music venues, art galleries and good restaurants to choose from. Planet Thailand is great in that neighborhood.  

Also check the listings for clubs like Mercury Lounge, Bowery Ballroom, Irving Plaza, Pianos, too many to think of right now but these places always have good music going on.

If you like House music I could get you on the list Friday nights at Crobar. A wild place.

If you like Jazz, Iridium is a cool spot, Les Paul, God Bless him, still plays every Monday night. And Small's in the West Village is f'n awesome. 10 dollars to get in, kick ass Jazz and you can bring your own liquor.

I'll probably think of some more stuff, but there is sooo much. Hope you two have a great time!  :)
  

[marktwain]

Thanks, all, for the great suggestions!

Just booked the flight - 4 days/3 nights.  I'm pretty sure we've settled on a hotel, and we're both getting REALLY psyched about the trip.

Pizza, the Chelsea, the Dakota, Central Park, Brooklyn, the Met, Nat. History Museum, MoMA, cheesecake, NY Public Library, CBGB, hot dogs, Chinatown, maybe the Daily Show or Conan, the Empire State Bldg @ dusk, some cool bars (I like the idea of Phoebe's, and the Blue Note), and lots and lots of walking are all at the top of the list.  And we'll see what else we can stumble across along the way.

[ali]

hey tundra, sounds like you have an excellent couple of days planned!! you should put a nice pic of NYC up here (for those of us who haven't been yet!) when you get back!
one thing i would recommend seeing would be the guggenheim museum....

[fitzcarraldo]

Yeah Tundra, you'll have a full plate. Awesome!  One thing I forgot is to mention is St. Patrick's Cathedral. A few blocks up 5th Ave from the NY Public Library.