New York City Thread II

[junetwentythree]

I'm just here to warn you guys about Airbnb in NYC.
http://nypost.com/2016/11/27/airbnb-horror-story-should-scare-you-out-of-renting-in-nyc/

[aranses]

^oh oh, thanks for posting this article. We are about to book an airbnb room in NYC for our next year trip.

[mama squeak!]

^Yeah a bill was just signed re-enforcing the illegality of short term rentals in NYC being advertised in airbnb and Homeaway. If you're willing to take your chances in decent hotel rooms at cheaper prices you can bid via Priceline or do a blind booking via Hotwire. I've tried the latter in LA and San Francisco a few times and I haven't been disappointed yet.

[snapple53]

Hello Sisses!

My NYC-DC solo trip is in two weeks; looking forward to your feedback on my itinerary below:

Day 1
12:00 Arrival JFK Airport Note: This is my first time travelling to the US; Are two hours enough for immigration and baggage claim? Plus I need to buy unli subway pass and Airtrain fare.
14:30 HI NYC Hostel, located in Amsterdam Ave, 103rd St. estimated travel time from Airport to Hostel is 60 mins via subway.
16:30 Explore Times Square (buy tourist plan from T-Mobile, USD30, good for 3 weeks, any other alternative? I need the data to check Google maps and weather updates when I am out exploring the city)

Day 2
Whole day
Join walking tour by hostel (covers Manhattan, Brooklyn Bridge, City Hall, Ground Zero, Wall Street, Staten Island Ferry, Chinatown, Soho, Greenwich Village, Flatiron District, Times Sq)

Day 3
AM
Chrysler Building, Empire State, Grand Central, NY Public Library, Radio City Music Hall

PM
Rockefeller Center Tour
TOTR
MOMA
Watch a Broadway show (if schedule permits or move to the following day)

Day 4
AM
The Highline
Chelsea Market
Lunch @ Spotted Pig

PM
The Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET)
Watch a Broadway show

Day 5
AM
American Museum of Natural History

PM
Lunch @ Shake Shack
Brooklyn Twilight Tour c/o hostel (Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO, Brooklyn Bridge Park Promenade)


Day 6
11:00  - 13:00 Find a good spot to watch the ball drop @ Times Square. Understand that once you find the spot, wala ng alisan hehe 

Day 7
AM
Scott's Greenwich Village Pizza Walk

PM
Check out Friend's Apartment and Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park
Holiday Lights Tour @ 19:00 (by freetoursbyfoot)

Day 8
Central Park Walking Tour c/o hostel
Christmas Movie Tour (by freetoursbyfoot)
Free time
Watch NBA game @ MSG. Anyone tried buying discounted tickets after the game has started?

Day 9
Enroute to Washington DC via Megabus (will book online a day prior to departure), will arrive early afternoon

Day 10 - 11
DC

Day 12
Back to NYC, early afternoon
Free time, shop for pasalubog in Chinatown

Day 13
Free time 8hrs
I have to be at the airport by 6pm, flight is at 9pm.

-haven't plotted the must try food/restos yet; transpo guide from point a to point b
-any tips/insights would be greatly appreciated

[meimei]

If i have 10 nights for the trip, is this a good distribution: 5 nights in NY, 2 nights in Atlantic City, and 3 nights in Washington DC?

Is Atlantic City worth doing a sidetrip for? If yes, is it worth 2 nights or 1 night will be enough?

What other sidetrips do you do in between NY and DC? Is Philadelphia worth doing a sidetrip for even for just 1 night?

[Gaysha]

^kaloka Atlantic City talaga or Jersey Shore? Yes, I guess.

3 nights in DC, parang antagal na nyan. You can even do it in 1 day.

Philly is a must sidetrip. Now you're talking. Also Baltimore, along the way!

Boston is also a good side trip up north.

And pwede na din dahil matagal naman stay mo, try Niagara Falls.

5 days NYC for me, bitin lol. Maybe i just love it so much. I can stay there for a month and feels like di ko pa nalibot lahat.

@snapple

how was your trip (in the winter )? how is that hostel you mentioned?

[rics]

you can go to Pennsylvania - Hershey park or try the historic tours, eat philly cheese steak sandwich.

on the way to Boston coming from NYC, you'll pass the basketball hall of fame museum, that's it would be a nice side trip. If you go to Boston, be there early and take the hop on/hop off bus. I don't think the bus goes to Harvard, we passed one of MIT's campus though when we went. There is an aquarium in the middle of the city, nice to visit also if you are into that. There is also another aquarium on the way to Boston which is in Mystic, Connecticut.

Would be good to stay at Niagara, if you can, for 2 nights at least. visit the US side and also the Canadian side. On the way back to NYC, go to Corning NY and visit Corning glass museum.

Atlantic city you can do that in a day. walk up and down the board walk, eat funnel cake, go shopping.

[meimei]

^kaloka Atlantic City talaga or Jersey Shore? Yes, I guess.

Nah. My only reference for Atlantic City was when I heard it mentioned in the Friends sitcom way way back. So i really have no idea how it is that's why I asked around.

I asked that same question at the Tripadvisor forum and locals told me that Atlantic City was crap so I'm taking that out of my itinerary.

[Gaysha]

^Well, exactly my point, that maybe you're just not aware of what Atlantic City is and maybe, just maybe, you meant Jersey Shore which is more for the casual tourists. 

Sori naman at natarayan pa ko after helping. Maybe you have misunderstood and took "kaloka" negatively, for that I say sorry but it was not meant for you but the place.

[eischied_21]

Finished backreading and seems like this is the only for New York. I hope I can get a tourist visa so I can visit NYC and other nearby cities.

[luscious_peach]

How much is the average budget for a two-week trip to New York for a solo traveler? Lodging excluded because I'll be staying in my aunt's house in Queens.

[rics]

^depends on what you wanted to cover while in NYC
There are some attractions that are free - Central park, St. Patrick Chruch, Rockeffeler Centre, etc.
Museums - MET is around $25, not sure about the admission cost of Nat Hist
To get around, get an MTA card
Food, there's alot, depending on budget. And ofcourse there's the shopping.
$1000 should be fine since you already have accommodation

[luscious_peach]

^I'll probably spend most on watching Broadway shows. Thanks sis!

[rics]

^for top show like wicked, Hamilton - buy tickets early. its also not cheap specially for good seats

[Noylabmay]

mahigpit ba hotel sa NYC mga sis? We are planning to go NY next year nag titingin ako ng hotel
kasya nman kaming tatlo ng husband + Me + kid (8 years old) sa King size bed need ko pa ba i declare? pag sinusubukan kong isama siya  nag suggest ng two queen size e

[seriousman]

I hope I'm not late.

It depends on the reception.
Pero madali lang naman sila kausap, sabihin mo lang na you think you will fit, not a big deal kasi dito yun.

NYC is a good place, you might not need a 5 star hotel, usually nasa labas kayo nyan!
Happy trip!

[Noylabmay]

I hope I'm not late.

It depends on the reception.
Pero madali lang naman sila kausap, sabihin mo lang na you think you will fit, not a big deal kasi dito yun.

NYC is a good place, you might not need a 5 star hotel, usually nasa labas kayo nyan!
Happy trip!

Thanks for the info sis.
Another question mas ok ba kung bumili ng advance ticket sa broadway or pag dating na lang? san ako makakamura

[rics]

if the kid is 12 below and is sharing a bed, ok lang yan sa hotel. we have done it before a lot of times in different places.

For broadway ticket naman, you can take your chances if you buy same day, baka maubos ang ticket or baka hindi na maganda yung natirang seats specially for the popular plays. 

[MrChocNut]

If your itinerary is flexible, you can join the Broadway Lottery. Even sold out shows (e.g. Hamilton) are available in the lottery, and for cheap prices too.

[rics]

^Isn't it that for the lottery you have to arrive early at the theatre so can avail of it?