I am enlisting your help Bella in planning out a BA itinerary for my New York trip this summer. Basically I am listing out things that I or my parents have showed interest in, but I feel like you know more than any of us do since you've been there.
Depending on how long you're there, get the week metro card. It might be more expensive, again depends on how long you're there, but it's worth it to have unlimited subway and bus rides. And you don't have to worry about topping up or trying to remember how much money you have left on it. Also, you only have to pull out money in front of the subway people once. The subways are pretty confusing, especially because there's a lot of construction going on, so pay attention. Don't be afraid to be map people. Everyone except tourists are map people.
MoMa was pretty cool, but I kind of had an awkward experience there, so the whole thing turned out to be alright. I love the modern art (big bales of hay anyone) but there was more classic art, I thought. Starry Night was there, I'm not sure if it's normally there or only for a certain time. This is near 30Rock, so these would be good to do on the same day. Get in free and into the special exhibit free with the New York Pass (see end).
For Ground Zero, you can't see anything of the site. It might have changed a lot though since I was there because they had just started building the memorial, but it'll be close to finished by the time you go. The museum is literally one room a little ways down the street from the site with some pictures, different artifacts. It felt good to go, but it's not a necessity, as sad as that sounds to say. It'll definitely be a good stop after the memorial is built, which should be Sept2011. This is close to The Strand, so it's good to pair these two together.
Top of the Empire State Building will give you pretty much the same view as Top of the Rock (Top of 30Rock) and if you go to 30Rock (which has my highest recommendation!!) you might as well do Top of the Rock and forget ESB. I didn't actually go, so I can't say that I really know. But my aunt told me if we went to 30Rock, it didn't make any difference.
It's much bigger than you could ever possibly imagine. If you really want to see it all, it's an all day thing. There's so many awesome places just to sit and people watch (Alice statue is the best place for that). We pretty much wandered about until we found Alice, wandered about some more, sat at these benches overlooking one of the lakes, then wandered until we found our way out. This is where Strawberry Fields is- the John Lennon/Beatles memorial. There's this one place we went where there's this super large fountain and it was awesome and everything and then later I was watching Enchanted and it's where they shot the final scene of the "That's How You Know" song. I was sooo excited.
NBC TOUR IS THE BEST EVER! I had sooooo much fun here. It was my most favorite part of my trip, except The Strand. It was just so fun and it was cool to see things I actually knew, like the SNL stage, the Jimmy Fallon set, Nightly News. It was pretty interesting too. At one point after they show you the video about how they do SNL, they ask for volunteers, JUMP ON THIS!!! It's fun and so worth it, especially if two of you get picked to do it! Magnolia Bakery is nearby, Moma is nearby, Radio City Music Hall is nearby as well. There's a bunch of awesome stuff there.
Broadway (have to decide on production)
American Idiot was awesome, cheap, and you knew all the songs. But there's definitely some better productions out there! Make sure you check a lot of different sites for tickets!
A MUST-SEE!!! It's the best place in the entire world. I mean, Robert Pattinson has been there. And, I would make out a lot of time for this place/bring an extra backpack if you're going to really want to look at/buy books. Around the front of the store are just tons and tons and tons of dollar books. It's amazing. The top floor is filled with special editions, ancient books, everything. The YA and kids sections are SOOOO AWESOME too. I want to marry this place. Nearby is this awesome pizza place as well. It's a chain, so not like a legit NY pizza place, but it was awesome none-the-less. I'll try to find out the name.
Grand Central Station
Really, really pretty. I only went through it in trying to get to my bus stop one time. It's not like a super necessity to go to Grand Central Station if you're not happening to go through it for a specific reason.
Concert: (If someone good is playing)
Check out free concerts, like at The Today Show or check out television tapings- Kristen Stewart was there at Regis and Kelly, but it was the morning I was leaving and then my freaking bus passed the studio as we left NYC and I was like "AAAH! SO CLOSE!" Also, Bowery Ballroom is where Piper Perabo sings at the end of Coyote Ugly.
Greenwich Village: http://www.nycgv.com/ including West Village: http://www.time.com/time/travel/cityguide/article/0,31489,1843404_1843415_1843480,00.html
Saint Patrick's Catherdral
Gotta Love Free Attractions: http://www.nyc-arts.org/collections/35/free-attractions-in-new-york
Other museums to see? American Natural History Museum-- I didn't get to go. It's near Central Park and it's where all the dinosaurs are. By the way, museums close pretty early, or at least they were when I was there, so make sure you know the times of all the places and where they are and travel times and whatnot.
Notes:
I would make pretty detailed intineraries, unless you guys want that "We're going to do whatever vibe." The more you want to see, the more detailed you're going to have to be because it is seriously hard. You think "Oh, I want to go shopping on 5th Ave," but the stores that you would actually want to go to are miles apart from each other and you're walking. It would take all day just to do 5th. So, plan ahead, or most of your time isn't going to be used wisely.
Make sure you hit up Times Square. I mean, the places we went, we were always going through Times Square, so you'll definitely get to it at some point. But it's more than just a square. It's huge. And awesome. And goes on forever. And Alicia Key's and Jay-Z filmed the New York video there (the red stairs, you'll definitely see them). And there's a Disney store that wasn't open yet when I was there, so if it is open, will you take a picture of it at least for me?
I used the New York Pass in NYC. I would say if you're interested in the events that it offers, I would buy it or buy something like it. You definitely need to think about whether or not you can get your money's worth each day, but with it you can skip lines, jump on tours right away, get into museums' special exhibits with it. There are others like it, but this is the one I used so I'm linking it to you.
