I read another thread with some guy asking elp on how to bring his family up in the american way. Now, I'm not moving to America or anything but I am going to NYC in the summer with my family. I've browsed the internet and found out a load of places to go. Just asking, in the 5 days I am in NYC are there any activities you would recommend for a 13-14 year old to do. Oh the mods feel free to close this thread, I won't have any complaints. Thanks.

You may want to go see The Statue Of Liberty and Ellis Island. There are also plenty of Broadway Shows that you and your family can go see. And being that it's the summer time, you can also take in a Baseball game. Although I'm a New York Mets fan, I suggest that if you do decide to go and see a Baseball game, you go to Yankee Stadium. A lot of history there, not to mention monument park which has monuments of all the Yankee greats.

Feel free to ask any questions that you may have about New York City.


Don Cardi

Its very hard to know where to start.

I would definitely take a boat trip around Manhattan -- or better yet take a ride on the Staten Island Ferry...you see the skyline, Statue of Liberty etc.
Bike or run in Centrqal park. Walk through neighborhoods like SoHo, Little Italy, Chinatown Greenwich Village....Dont try to see everything....you can overload on museums...hit one or two of them spend reasonable time and then get back on the street.
Keep in mind that New York is really a collection of very different neighborhgoods, and not a unitary city. Get a good guide book and plan ahead. When you arrive pick up a copy of New York Magazine to see the listings for things that are happening while you are there.
Overall, there is so much to do in New York you almost cannot go wrong with whatever you choose to do. Here are some things NOT to do:

1. Have Times Square as a destination. If you are going to a broadway show or are otherwise in that section of town, you will see it, and that's good enough. The area is overrated and overpriced and crowded.

2. Believe that you are eating at "the original" Ray's pizza. There are about 200 "Originial Ray's Pizza" places in NY avoid them for any mom and pop place.

3. Avoid chain restaurants and coffee places like starbucks. You are in New York, not Des Moines Iowa....stick with the locals.

4. Avoid tourist traps like Carnegie Deli and Tavern on The Green.

Thanks DC and DT thats very helpful. Although it's my holiday I'm going to try and learn alot so that I can move to the city when I'm older.

I hope you enjoy your vacation. Depending on your interests, you may want to see the United Nations.

I wholeheartedly agree with seeing Yankee Stadium even if you have only a marginal interest in baseball. The Statue of Liberty will certainly be worth your time.

Thanks Klydon1, I do like baseball but I cant really watch it over here. I will defenaitley visit the statue of liberty, I dont know if any ever heard of former Reuters vice-president Anne Gorrie. But she is my aunt. Anyway, thank you all for your input.

I'll add a few that haven't been mentioned (and trying to remember what it was like to be 14). You didn't say where you'd be staying on your visit. Assuming that you'll be in Manhattan (where most of the tourist things are) you may want to plan to visit:

• The Empire State Building - take an elevator ride to the 86th floor observation deck and get a great bird's eye view of the City. King Kong visited there!
• The Museum of Natural History - one of the best dinosaur exhibits in the world and you'll easily be able to spend a day trying to get to see some of its big exhibits.
• Central Park - See the natives sunning themselves on their lunch hours and walk up to "Strawberry Fields" (your parents might enjoy seeing this area - near where John Lennon used to live).
• Times Square at night - Despite a previous advice not to go there I'd recommend walking through if only to see the lights and excitement of the City at night.

Yea I'll be staying in Manhattan, I want to visit Brooklyn alot though as thats where I want to live. Already looking at apartments!

Don't forget to access Google Earth. Its images are not necessarily right up to date, but they're close. It would really be helpful to you.

Don P. that's wonderful that you are visiting NYC. I have been there twice and must say it is one of my two favorite places to visit.

Of course I'm an "outsider" but as a two time visitor, I can tell you that you won't run out of things to see or do. Depending on your interests, there are all kinds of things to see. I stayed in the Times Square area and love it. They have a hop on & off bus (forgot what it is called) that picks you up at certain points and you can take your time seeing various parts of the city.

I've seen two plays there, and they both were nothing less than fantastic. You might be interest in Little Italy, I don't know, but I enjoyed walking and shopping (and eating).

The mods here are the right people to ask, because when I visited for the first time, they were more helpful then they realize directing and informing me of the dos and don'ts. I'm sure they don't mind answering your questions.

Will you be able to post pictures after your visit? I hope so. Have a great time and enjoy every minute, as I'm sure you will.


TIS

One of the nicest and most adventuresome things you and your family can do is to visit Chinatown (lower Manhattan) and then walk over either the Manhattan Bridge or better, the Brooklyn Bridge (farther south). Chinatown's pretty grungy, but it's fascinating--like an overturned anthill. Incredibly wonderful food at incredibly low prices--just try to avoid looking at the kitchen. Then, on the bridge(s), you will get a spectacular view of Lower New York Bay and lower Manhatten--even more impressive at night.
Another positive: we have no value added tax (VAT) in the US. Depending on how the dollar's doing against the Euro, you can get some splendid bargains in New York. A lot of British Commonwealth and EU goods are cheaper in NY than in the UK or Europe.
A caveat for you and your family: there are practically no public toilets anywhere in New York; and neither you, your family, nor any decent person would want to use the few that are available. Most restaurants have signs that say, "Restrooms for Customers Only." Sometimes you can use a toilet in a hotel lobby, though they guard them, too. Plan accordingly!

Here are some links to some websites covering some of the activities that were suggested by some here :


STATUE OF LIBERTY

ELLIS ISLAND

TIMES SQUARE LIVE CAM

YANKEE STADIUM

CHINATOWN

LITTLE ITALY

THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING

NYC SIGHTSEEING TOUR BUS

EDITORIAL ABOUT PUBLIC TOILETS



Enjoy!



Don Cardi

Since TB mentioned Chinatown and its incredibly inexpensive food, I wanted to recommend Wo Hop, one of the oldest Chinese restaurants around, and open all hours. Here's their menu and some info: Wo Hop Menu. I highly recommend the Wonton Soup, as the wontons are made fresh, and the Bird's Nest. My husband and I ate there not long ago and ordered the soup and a Bird's Nest to share, plus some fried rice, and we couldn't even come close to finishing it. The entire bill was about $23 US. There is a below-ground dining room that is nicer than the upstairs, which is mostly for take-out, but still has a few tables. However, the line to get a table downstairs can be long.

Were you able to make it there on a friday night?



Don Cardi

Come to think of it, I think it WAS!!

SB, looking at that menu reminded me of splendid late-night dinners in the late '60's my wife and I had with friends at Hong Wah, another noodle joint on Doyers Street. Chow fun (broad noodles) was 80 cents in those days. Our friends owned an antiques store in Greenwich Village. We'd go there at midnight, help them close their place, then drive to Chinatown for dinner. The more the merrier--we went there with four couples, had a huge dinner that none of us could finish, and the price came out to two dollars a couple, including tax and tip. They catered a Chinese New Year's dinner for us for four dollars a person.

Well, TB, I strongly recommend Wo Hop. It's good old Chinese food, nothing fancy, but fresh and delicious. My dad worked with a guy who was raised in Chinatown, and he always took us to Wo Hop. Chinese New Year's in Chinatown is wild. I remember going down there the day after, and you couldn't even see your feet - they were buried in paper from the fireworks.

I apologize for hijacking the thread. I seem to do that when it comes to food!!

Yea TIS, I will be posting some pictures as soon as I get back!

Oh yeah, Wo Hop, on Mott St. Just make sure you don't confuse it with the restaurant upstairs, which is terrible. Wo Hop is in the basement, and the food is UNBELIEVABLE !

Then just walk across Canal St and head one block west to Mulberry Street for coffee and pastries.

It's touristy, but you're a tourist, right ?