Start spreadin' tha news...

[Rog69]

I went last year on the 4th July and had an amazing time. I would recommend getting the ferry over to the Statue of Liberty, I think it was only around $12 for the return ticket and that takes you to Staten island and Ellis Island as well but you will need to allow about half a day (although it might not be quite so busy as it was when I went).

The open top tourist buses are a great way to see the sights and you can get an all day subway pass for around $8.

I had food poisoning when I was there so I can't recommend anywhere to eat, I only managed a single hot dog all day  .

[Mardroid]

I thought he was taking the mick

Is that meant to be funny?  

"I'll tone it down," I thought. "I won't swear.*"....

Foot. Mouth. Sorry.

(Although yeah... it is quite funny in hindsight. )

*Mind you I'm not sure 'piss' is swearing.

[Mikey]

Hah! No worries Mardroid!

There's a lot to pick from...

Think I'll go for the Rockerfeller Centre for views, take the Staten Island ferry (would love to go to Ellis Is, but I don't think we'd have time - it'd be a day in itself...Mrs Mikey's actually doing some immigration realted research), check out Midtown Comics, maybe get to the Ghostbusters station(!), take a tourist bus around, walk the Brooklyn Bridge, Museum of Nat. History and Central Park geology and other things suggested.

What are the prices of stuff like food and booze like? Any good bars? I'll have to get into a New York Irish bar at some point...I can't resist them in other places I've been.

Cheers,

M.

[Tiplodocus]

New York was closed when I visited back in early '96.  Some strike of all public services etc. so I couldn't see any of the sites because there were picket lines which I didn't want to cross (Solidarity, brothers).  Plus it was very foggy and had six foot of snow piled up on the pavements. Actually six foot piles of snow.  So I say bugger all.

The New York Public Library on 5th Avenue is also cool: they've got a genuine Gutenburg bible

but this was open and very cool.

And I had pizzas and bagels and cream cheese and stuff.

[Daveycandlish]

If it's a sunny day, walk along Brooklyn bridge. And take a camera.

[Banners]

We're off there in August - booked today!

(And surely worthy of a mention in the 'life is drokking fantastic' thread...)

Gonna get some tickets for a Mets game, but feel a bit of an idiot as I didn't realise until two minutes ago that CBGB's is no longer open. Always wanted to see a gig there...

Have read this thread with interest and will watch Manhattan for the umpteenth time for more inspiration - thanks, Chaps!

[Mikey]

New York was great! The buildings are tall lemme tell ya...

Didn't manage to do everything suggested, but my top picks are the Natural History Museum(natch - dino tastic, but the meteorite, mineral and mammal exhibitions were superb. The world's biggest stibnite sample people!), MOMA (Pollock! Munch!Dali!) and the 'Top of the Rock'(got a double ticket for these - $44), plus the Metropolitan Museum of Art (so much to see, couldn't see all the exhibits). Central Park was also wonderful and I visited 'Jim Hanley's Universe(a comic shop that sells mostly comics for once) where I picked up an 'Achewood' collection (new to me, but uttlery brilliant!) and the 10 year anniversary edition of 'Safe Area Gorazde'.

A minor impediment was that it was school hols, so the museums and galleries were packed.

A brilliant place, can't wait to go back...

M.

[Buttonman]

You'll love it - I've been 5 times and always have a blast.

The first time I went with the wife and we did all the touritsy things like The Statue of Liberty and the World Trade Center. The main memory I have is how cold it was in October - never been as cold and I'm Scottish. Literally could not stop my teeth from chattering - I thought that only happened in cartoons!

We did 'The Kramer Reality' tour which will mean something to you if you like Seinfeld. The guy running the tour was the real Kramer who lived next door to Larry David. The whole enterprise was inspired by an episode of the show when the ficticious Kramer did a reality tour of J Peterman who stole all his stories. Anyway here is a youthful me and Irene and Kenny Kramer outside Monk's Deli that serves as the exterior of the diner in the show (which was filmed in LA).



We also had lunch in the Cranegie Deli which sells these massive sandwiches. They cost about $19 12 years ago but you do get a pound of lovely turkey in your piece and the cheesecake was great too. Here's me readying for battle..



We also did an impromtu Buttonman 2 tour having a look around the museum before fleeing into the park to shoot Arnold at the Alice in Wonderland statue which I failed to find. Think it was away being restored - possibly due to bullet hole damage.

My 4 trips since has been with the pals and usually involved round the clock drinking. When you've been a couple of times you graviatate away from the tourist traps and go to the spit and saw dust of bars like Rudy's bar and grill - well I do anyway. The last trip was covered in the press although the photo related to a trip the year before as I had none for the trip in question.



Next time I go I'll probably stay further downtown where they are loads of cracking neighbourhoods filled with bars , shops and arty cinemas and no tourists apart from me.

Top tip would be to take a lot of warm clothes and some good walking boots - you cover miles and miles without realsing it. Have fun!