Suggestion for vacation in NYC

[bubu_basset]

Greetings,

About a month ago my 4 years old son started learning about several world's icon buildings and since then he has been asking me to take him to see statue of liberty or eiffel tower. Since liberty is only 4 hours away (and definitely much cheaper), I agree to take him see the statue this weekend.

I will arrive in NYC around noon on Saturday and will leave around 3-5pm on Monday. My plan on Saturday is to spend the afternoon in the lower manhattan area, with includes the trip to statue of liberty, and on Sunday spend morning until lunch time at jones beach (long island). I still have no plan on what to do on SUnday afternoon and evening, and Monday morning and afternoon.

I've been to NYC many times with my wife, so we prefer not to go to places like empire state or rockeffeler. We originally planned to see Intrepid Museum, but they're closed for renovation

Can anybody help me with itinerary?
Also anybody know any good - moderate place to eat in lower manhattan for dinner?

We will be staying in lower manhattan area.

Thanks

Bubu
---------------------------
07 Accord EX-L with OEM fog lights
04 Pilot EX-L with OEM fog lights

[N_Jay]

Wow, 4 years old.
You are going to have to keep him interested.
I would at least go by the Empire State building since it is so impressive.

I think the natural history museum has an exhibit on "mythical creatures"

The Circle Line is always good.

And his favorite part will just be riding the subway!

[OB3]

As N_Jay stated, teh Circle Line would be a great thing to do.
http://www.circleline42.com/index.ih...ge=sightseeing


The Beast is fun also.. a high speed cruise around NY Harbor

http://www.circleline42.com/index.ihtml?page=beast



Another thing you could do is take the Staten Island Ferry over to SI and see a SI Yankees game. Most expensive seats are like 11-12 dollars. The is a Sunday afternoon game @2pm


http://www.siyanks.com/schedule/index.html?act[v]=graphical&frm[d]=2007-08-01&frm[e]=59



Ellis Island is also another suggestion, i beleive you can get the ferry from downtown manhattan where the boats to the statue of liberty is.


As far as dinner??? Hmmmmm

there are such great eateries all over downtown. I suggest taking a modest walk to Tribeca/SoHo and enjoy any number of places...

[krygny]

I heard recently that that they were going to re-open the statue so you can climb all the way to the top (head). Since 9-11, they only allowed you to go to the top pf the pedestal. I don't know if they've opened it yet, but that is definitely worth doing. (I'm the only native NYer who's actually done it .) It's not a difficult climb because it goes slow.

I assume you're driving to Jones Beach. Try to get there early, like before 7AM. On a Sunday in August, the Meadowbrook and the Wantaugh get pretty jammed.

Sorry, I can't help you with a restaurant rec - I moved out of the city years ago, so even I balk at the prices.

Have fun.

[Tim]

All good spots have been mentioned above,

although at the Statue of Liberty you'll be carrying him half way (been there, done that, more than once).

At the Museum of Natural History He'll be interested in the dinosaur and ocean exhibits among others.(you can spend days)

There is also the Brooklyn Aquarium at Coney Island

[OB3]

While at lunch i remembered the Aquarium at Coney Island also, a great time there ....

krygny >>>> i have been to the crown of the statue of liberty a couple times, we used to go there on class trips during elementary school (way back in the olden day... the 70's)


A nice thing to do also is take a walk alongt the Hudson Riverwalk, on the west side of the island. Go into the World Financial Center and walk up to Chelsea Peirs... Lots to do there also


http://www.chelseapiers.com/

[krygny]

Originally posted by OB3
...
krygny >>>> i have been to the crown of the statue of liberty a couple times, we used to go there on class trips during elementary school (way back in the olden day... the 70's)
...

That's not possible. Everybody knows that native NYers never climb the Statue of Liberty. Actually, I lied - I've never done it either.

[bubu_basset]

thanks for all of you who replied and gave me good information.

here are the places that I am planning to go so far
- Statue of liberty
- Tribeca/SoHo <- my wife would like it
- Natural museum
- trip with circle line
- Times square area
- chelsea piers
- jones beach

Anybody know if the wax museum is good (Madame Tussaud)? Also there is still a FAO store in NYC, right?


On Tuesday I will let you know where we end up going .

NJay - you're right, I need to keep him interested

krygny - I know that we have to be early to go to the beach, but I don't think I can go that early (it's kind of hard to wake my son up). I am planning to leave around 7:30. Hopefully all other beachgoers will oversleep that day.

Thanks

Bubu
---------------------------
07 Accord EX-L with OEM fog lights
04 Pilot EX-L with OEM fog lights

[OB3]

FAO is still there, we went this winter when we went to the city to see Mary Poppins. Always a good time.. My son loved the huge "BIG" piano. The Wax Museum... ehhhhhh. I would find other things to do, and all of the things on your list will definitely keep you busy.


Enjoy

[robrecht]

If you haven't already seen it, rent A Night at the Museum before you go to the Museum of Natural History. My 3- & 5-year-old love it and it's funny for adults too. Should make the museum trip more fun for your 4-year-old too.

Another vote for Coney Island since this is the last year it will be open. He's too young to ride the Cyclone, but it may still be the longest roller coaster. If it's sunny, Washington Square Park is a very interesting Sunday afternoon stroll. Bronx Zoo is nice for kids (at least it was 40 years ago) but it's a very long subway ride.

Good luck!

[krygny]

Originally posted by bubu_basset
...
here are the places that I am planning to go so far
- Statue of liberty
- Tribeca/SoHo <- my wife would like it
- Natural museum
- trip with circle line
- Times square area
- chelsea piers
- jones beach
...

That's a lot to do in 2 days. Good luck. I've never been inside the wax museum, but they usually have a figure or two out in front. It's on 42nd St. between 7th & 8th (Times Sq. area).

[OB3]

If you happen to venture to times square, might i reccomend the folowing restaurant:

http://www.becconyc.com/index2.htm


It is one of Lidia Bastianch's places, we went there for an early dinner when we went in to see Mary Poppins. Excellent food, prices were decent for the city. The 3 course Pasta of the day special was fantastic.

You will love it

46th street between 8th and 9th

[bubu_basset]

Just a little update, we did have a good time in NYC. Thanks for all who has given me suggestion for places to go. Here is the list of what we did

Saturday
- left MD around 930am - bad idea, the traffic was very bad. Stop and go traffic for the first 30-40 miles
- stopped in woodbridge, nj, around 2pm, to visit playmobil store (my son is a big playmobil fans). Also had lunch there
- arrived in NYC around 3:30pm, took forever to get the right room
- went to Soho/Noho area around 5pm, had dinner there

Sunday
- left NYC around 7am to Jones beach. No traffic and other than no sun, the beach is perfect
- Left Jones beach around 11am, go back to hotel and off to union square for lunch (a chocolate place)
- Went to Natural history museum after lunch. I rented "the night at the musem" the night before we left to NYC so my son was really looking forward to see the musem
- had dinner in battery park area (nice restaurant with liberty view)
- went to Times square area in the evening

Monday
- Went to statue of liberty in the morning and walked around financial area until lunch time
- left NYC around 2:30pm

The only issue is we received parking ticket for no standing when I tried to load my stuff back to the car eventhough my wife was waiting in the car . It's kind of leaving a bad taste in my mouth on our way back home, but overall, it's great short vacation.

Thanks

Bubu
---------------------------
07 Accord EX-L with OEM fog lights
04 Pilot EX-L with OEM fog lights

[mgorbsk]

Originally posted by bubu_basset
Just a little update, we did have a good time in NYC. Thanks for all who has given me suggestion for places to go. Here is the list of what we did

Saturday
- left MD around 930am - bad idea, the traffic was very bad. Stop and go traffic for the first 30-40 miles
- stopped in woodbridge, nj, around 2pm, to visit playmobil store (my son is a big playmobil fans). Also had lunch there
- arrived in NYC around 3:30pm, took forever to get the right room
- went to Soho/Noho area around 5pm, had dinner there

Sunday
- left NYC around 7am to Jones beach. No traffic and other than no sun, the beach is perfect
- Left Jones beach around 11am, go back to hotel and off to union square for lunch (a chocolate place)
- Went to Natural history museum after lunch. I rented "the night at the musem" the night before we left to NYC so my son was really looking forward to see the musem
- had dinner in battery park area (nice restaurant with liberty view)
- went to Times square are in the evening

Monday
- Went to statue of liberty in the morning and walked around financial area until lunch time
- left NYC around 2:30pm

The only issue is we received parking ticket for no standing when I tried to load my stuff back to the car eventhough my wife was waiting in the car . It's kind of leaving a bad taste in my mouth on our way back home, but overall, it's great short vacation.

Thanks

Bubu
---------------------------
07 Accord EX-L with OEM fog lights
04 Pilot EX-L with OEM fog lights

Please tell me you took him to the Toys-R-Us!!! We took my Son when he was 5 last yr. He was afraid of the giant T-Rex when he roared but he liked the ferris wheel. My Son loved riding the Subway. My Wife's Sisters work in the city and live in Astoria, so we rode the subway in and out of the city for a few days and he loved that.

On a funny note..... I went into some giant candy store and bought him one of those giant rainbow lolipops. We were in Time Square at night and I was pushing my Son in a stroller across a street and as I dropped off the curb the front wheels caught some rut and he was not buckled in. I dumped him right there in the street and his lolipop fell out of his hands and broke all over the street. Well the candy shop was far... so it was back on the subway by myself back to the candy store. I found the same one and said..... I better get two. Good thing I did. When I returned, I was unwrapping the new loloipop in front of a smiling boy...... have you ever seen how tightly wrapped those things are.... it broke in pieces apparently from my super human strength I had to use to unwrap the thing. Waaaaa.... Waaaaa..... oh look.... Daddy has another one and this time I'm using my knife to open it.

[krygny]

Originally posted by bubu_basset
...
The only issue is we received parking ticket ...

Well, unless you're part of a UN delegation, you have to pay it.