<p>My D and I will have one day to play in New York City during our spring break college trip. We go to New York fairly often to visit a good friend in Brooklyn. Mostly we ramble and amble without a particular agenda. For this trip, though, I’d like to have a bit more purpose. Any ideas about things to do? Tourist attractions that are worth the trouble, fun destinations off the beaten track, etc. Me, I’m itching to explore Hoboken, but for some reason no one else ever wants to do that with me. Seriously, we lean quirky, kooky. Not really interested in shopping, per se, but wouldn’t mind hearing about unique retail establishments, junk shops with adorable cats, that sort of thing. Open to suggestions in Manhattan and/or outer boroughs.</p>
<p>You can do a lower manhattan thing:
Check out the farmer’s market in Union Square (only thing is, I don’t know what will be ther this time of year)
sign up in advance for a tour of the NY stock exchange- if they still give those
Check out the “canyons of Wall street”
then head up Water street , walk through the South Street seaport, eat lunch at The Bridge Cafe (if it’s still there)
Head to the Lower East Side
Go take a Tenement Museum tour
(reminds me, you can also go to Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty, ride the Staten Island Ferry)
Eat dinner at Katz’s deli. Walk through Chinatown till you get to Little Italy, have dessert at Ferrara’s. then walk through Soho, poke into some galleries,etc.</p>
<p>make sure D witnesses some of the nightlife going on in the lower east side in the evening.</p>
<p>If you want more, take the subway into Brooklyn Heights, check out the elegant brownstones in the streets around Montague Street, Henry St to Columbia Heights; see the view from the promenade.</p>
<p>Above is more than a day’s worth. And we haven’t even gone north of 16th street, or spent any time in Greenwich village, or the East Village.</p>
<p>The traditional tourist excursion everyone should do once is The Circle Line boat tour.</p>
<p>If it was going to be nice out, another trip would be up to The Bronx zoo, followed by food at Arthur Avenue.</p>
<p>Just found this, some things we were discussing when someone was coming to visit us; we were trying to focus on things that were different in New York vs. where she was from:</p>
<p>FEATURE - example</p>
<p>-ETHNICITY neighborhoods, ethnic restaurants, Ellis Island
STREET ACTIVITY/ ENERGY LEVEL Greenwich Village at night
WATERFRONT-RELATED Jones beach, boat ride, staten Island ferry
REGIONAL CUISINE- NY Pizza, deli, cheesecake, bagels, Carvel,diners,ethnic<br>
restaurants
-AMOUNT/ FREQUENCY OF FAMOUS STUFF
-museums (remember Cloisters!)
Performances: Shakespeare in Park, Broadway, Letterman, concerts
<p>Try hanging out in the East Village for a while if you haven’t already done that part of town and if you like young and offbeat. St. Marks place between Braodway and Tompkins Sq. Park, and the streets nearby are an eyeful , with lots of shops and restaurants and a unique Ukranian/Puerto Rican/Hipster ambience, depending upon exactly where you are. Sixth st between 3rd and 2nd is filled with Indian restaurants where you can grab a cheap, filling, and GOOD, meal. And if you’re adventurous, try the Nuyorican Cafe for a poetry slam or some other event. They have them almost every day. </p>
<p>Another possibility might be the Ground Zero Musem on w 14th st (You can google for exact address) which is totally awesome. The museum is in the Meatpacking district (expensive, trendy, and IMHO boring), but also near one of the city’s newer cool attractions, the High Line Park, whcih is an elevated park near the Hudson that was once a railroad track. Just strolling its length is nice if the weather isn’t bad. </p>
<p>Yuo say you often stay in Brooklyn. Have you ever walked across the Brooklyn Bridge? If you haven’t it’s a blast with maybe the best views of the city around. Walk into Manhattan and then maybe stroll down to the South Street Seaport. Its very touristy, but at times there are some neat street performers there, and there are always options to take water tours of the harbor and the like. one great thing about the Seaport. There is a very uncrowded TKTS booth there where you can get the cut rate tickets to Bdway shows for that evening or the next day’s matinee. Far less of a zoo than Times Square. </p>
<p>As to the Emprie State building, its usually very crowded and long lines to get to the top. As an alternative try 30 Rock in Rockefeller Center, where the lines are shorter, and the view just as spectacular. In fact maybe a bit better. I think its creepy and wonderful to look straight ahead in NYC and the only thing you can see see are the top floors of the Empire State. </p>
<p>[Tenement</a> Museum—New York City Tenement Museum](<a href=“http://www.tenement.org/]Tenement”>http://www.tenement.org/) offers several fascinating tours of actual apartments, and explores the lives of the immigrants who lived there. There are walking tours of the Lower East Side as well. You could eat at Katz’s Deli for pastrami sandwiches, or Yonah Shimmel for knishes. Both places are landmarks, and Yonah Schimmel is so old, it’s like stepping back in time. Or if you are brave enough, you could go to Essex Street Market and eat at [Shopsins</a> | 120 Essex St. NY, NY 10002](<a href=“http://www.shopsins.com/]Shopsins”>http://www.shopsins.com/), a diner type place with a huge menu and a reputation for rudeness, although that was not my experience. This part of town is a little grittier than some other areas, but we always have a lot of fun. I like to have a street map so that I don’t just wander around.</p>
<p>(I took so long with my response that others have beat me to the Brooklyn suggestion) And, monydad’s got the Lower East Side thing down!</p>
<p>Two suggestions in Manhatten that are a bit off the beaten track:</p>
<ol>
<li> Start by walking around the Meat Packing District - whare houses with expensive high fashions to window shop. Then walk the lenght of High Line Park, which is a beautifully planted “park” built on an old elevated train line. At the end of the park walk, stroll over the the Chelsea Market, which is crammed with interesting stores and places to eat. </li>
<li> Do a Big Onion walking tour. Check out the schedule on their web site. No need to reserve, just show up. They are cheap. We did the one for Union Square and Grammercy Park area and had a local PhD history student give a wonderful tour.</li>
</ol>
<p>You can take the Path to Hoboken and walk towards the Hudson. The view looking towards New York is really breathtaking. Then you can walk inland to Washington St. (main drag) and buy a few cupcakes at Carlos’ Bakery.</p>
<p>Wow–thanks, everyone, for all the great ideas. I have done exactly one of the things suggested here (gone to Bronx Zoo). Make that two: I’ve taken the Staten Island Ferry, but not gone to the Statue of Liberty. I thought for a second I’d been to Union Square Park, but it was actually MADISON Square Park (where I spilled a beer on Lester Holt’s dog while dining outside the Shake Shack). Anyway, lots of things to discuss with the D.</p>
<p>I’ll just add that while the Statue of Liberty is wonderful, the view from the Staten Island Ferry is the best way (and the cheapest!) to see it. The boat rides to the actual Statue are okay but nothing special, and definitely don’t go up into the Statue - the line is at least an hour and a half long and you honestly can’t see much of anything.</p>
<p>I think going up the Empire State Building is worth it, though. I’ve done it several times with family and friends who were visiting the city, and the line is never more than half an hour and the view is just breathtaking.</p>
<p>Depending on when the break is and what the rest of your schedule that week is like, just taking a couple of hours to get some portable food and walk through Central Park is one of the best things in New York, imo. There are specific things in the park you can walk by - the zoo, the ice skating rink, the Alice in Wonderland statue, Belvedere Castle (which also has a remarkable view of the park from the top), etc, but it’s just really pleasant.</p>
<p>Hoboken is not worth the time - it’s now a place where yuppies who can’t afford Park Slope live. </p>
<p>I would definitely walk over the Brooklyn Bridge. If you have a certain ‘thing’ you like to buy (fabric, buttons, cabinet hardware, etc), there are entire blocks in Manhattan dedicated to it. Buy knockoff designer handbags in Chinatown. </p>
<p>You could also walk Broadway (or one of the Avenues), starting in lower Manhattan, ending in Times Square or Columbus Circle, taking in the various neighborhoods along the way.</p>
<p>“…just taking a couple of hours to get some portable food and walk through Central Park is one of the best things in New York, imo.”</p>
<p>You can make a day (or three)around that as well. Window shop along 5th avenue, then walk to and around Central park, go to the zoo there, go to one of several nearby museums, go to the Carnegie Deli, take in a performance at Lincoln Center or Carnegie Hall, stop at Zabar’s and H&H Bagels .</p>
<p>I actually did take a brief, ill-advised trip to Hoboken over the Christmas break, the Sunday of the big snowstorm. I mean, really. What was I thinking? I could barely see a foot in front of my face, much less find Frank Sinatra Park. Just so the trip wasn’t a complete waste, I made my way to Carlo’s Bakery (of “Cake Boss” fame). Baked goods=grossly disappointing. But there was no line that day, because all the sane people were at home in their pajamas listening to the wind blow. Not sure what the forecasts are for weather next week, but whatever it is will be a sight better than what I encountered on my last trip.</p>
<p>I second the notion that Top of the Rockefeller is far better than the Empire State. </p>
<p>Also, agree walking through Chinatown is a must. Its the 2nd most populated by Chinese…aside from China. Try going through the grocery stores, the shops, buddhist temple, the parks where games/music are played… you will be transported to a different world. Worth a couple hours at least… and great chow. Use Yelp to help.</p>
<p>I used to live in the city and I second (or third!) the Lower East Side and the Tenement Museum. I also saw for the first time last year the Irish Hunger Memorial…it’s on Vesey St. near Battery Park City:
[Irish</a> Hunger Memorial - Battery Park - New York, NY](<a href=“http://www.yelp.com/biz/irish-hunger-memorial-new-york]Irish”>http://www.yelp.com/biz/irish-hunger-memorial-new-york)
Very neat place! I’m not of Irish heritage (I went with a friend who is) but I still enjoyed it. It’s like a mini re-creation of the Irish countryside. Definitely one of the more unique things that you’ll find in the city. That same day we did the Tenement Museum as well as Chinatown, Little Italy, SoHo and general lower Manhattan stuff. I much prefer lower Manhattan to the crazy, tourist-packed Times Square area!
Have fun!</p>
<p>It seems possible that my D will spend our “one day” hanging out in Bensonhurst working on a history paper. Kind of a bummer for her but it gives me the freedom to do some things I might not be able to talk her into (like the Tenement Museum, which sounds fascinating).</p>
<p>If you like wonderful, unique food: Candle Cafe (small, quirky) or Candle 79 (upscale). Even if you are not a vegetarian - you will be blown away by the food.</p>