New York

MCFC ISRAEL said:
The most beautiful city in the world in my opinion, I lived there for a while. It's crazy cold in January but you will still have a great time. I'd recommend going to a NBA game if you can and keep in mind that you shouldn't walk out of the tourist areas at night. Unfortunately I was robbed twice while I was there. The subway is also a very unpleasant place at night
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the subway is a very unpleasant place at any time of day!
 
Had an amazing 5 days there in early Jan 1999. Wasn't that cold from memory, but I was just running on booze and no sleep (til Brooklyn). We combined it with a trip out to Montauk and Shelter Island (tip of Long Island) which was pretty desolate at that time of year, but had the best seafood chowder and flounder. I ended up sleeping (not) on the floor of the hallway in my friend's apartment. She had a sublet on a top bunk in the lounge, while the alky landlady slept on the bottom bunk and stole all the booze we brought back. It was a cheap trip. I was so tired on the 5th night that i fell asleep in mid conversation on a bar stool in a bar.

Fucking amazing city. I vowed to go back and stay somewhere nice, but I've also vowed not to go anywhere near the states while Trump is in the White House.
 
Mrs. Munson was born and raised in NY/NJ, so we tend to visit New Yoork a couple of times a year.

If you really want to do the trip on a budget, get a hotel in Jersey (maybe around Trenton or Jersey City). Not neccessarily the nicest areas but probaly a third of the price.

You can hop on the Amtrak train (cheap, fast and reliable) and get to Penn station in under an hour. You'll be a stones throw away from Maddison Square Garden and the Empire State building.
 
Weather will be hit or miss, but it’ll be cold either way.
Newark is easier and closer to Manhattan than JFK for the flight. United serves Newark daily out of Manchester.
Plan events for maximum efficiency, because there’s lots to see and do. Mini break will require multiple things per day
Broadway show (ticket & dinner packages can save $$$), Hudson River Cruise or simply enjoy the boat out to the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island (the views of Manhattan are spectacular on the boat), Ground Zero, Times Square at night (all lit up but choose somewhere nearby to eat dinner and make it a part of an evening stroll, as it is not far from 30 Rock, etc), Empire State on a cold clear day for stunning views, Hockey game/Basketball game at night, Central Park (daytime only, which means early in Jan), Rockefeller Center Ice Rink (during day when people are at work), St Patrick’s (across the street from RC), Grand Central Terminal, etc, etc, etc...Personally, I’d avoid the subway if at all possible, as it sucks, can be dangerous and is full of rude, smelly, hostile, often mentally disturbed people....but like Piccadilly Gardens, really!!
Food is everywhere, be adventurous. If they’re open and in Manhattan, the food can’t be that bad or they’d be out of business with the cost of rent! I’ve had some ridiculous Shawarma from some of the food trucks, and the price is always right! Stay away from chains, as they’re often DIRE and much more expensive than elsewhere in the country.

When I go, I stay at the Eastside Marriott on Lexington. Centrally located, great for walking, cozy lobby bar, cosmopolitan clientele. Great food all within a block. I’m partial to the shrines at Ashley’s SuperDeli on the corner, although I also like their salad bar, hot food bar, sushi choices and Ramen bowls!!! Open 24/7, with some window seating if you like that kind of thing! I’m a Marriott Card member, so that helps. Rooms are nothing special, but who cares, they’re just for sleeping, and they have Netflix on the TV (you have to use your own account sign in), which can be nice as you settle in at night.

Good luck and I hope the weather cooperates. Personally, I fly to Newark, spend a couple of days in NYC and then fly down to the Caribbean for a few days, as THAT is what Americans do at that time of the year!!!

Happy travels!

P.S. Just checked Booking.com for mid-January and a gazillion deals in the $150-200/night range. Doubletree Hilton on Lexington looked like a decent deal. Close proximity to plenty to do in Midtown.
 
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We visited in the middle of February , the year before last.

I had always wanted to go but Mrs Balls and our 2 (18 &15) were not overly excited by the prospect.
We had just received some additional money so our budget was pretty good to be fair. We wanted to stay Midtown and booking a place for 4 is both limited and expensive. I found an apartment on the 53rd floor on West 42nd Street with 270 degree views of Manhattan . Unfortunately, Air B n B is an issue in New York and we had to cancel the booking. We replaced it with what turned out to be a fantastic apartment on 44th street literally 50 yards off Times Square.

Now , the weather. We arrived at JFK minutes before a snowstorm hit but managed to get into Manhattan before that had any real impact .
Went out to eat and returned back with 6 inches of snow covering the roads and sidewalks. We awoke bright and early the next day ready to rock and roll with a horse drawn carriage trip through snow laden Central Park to look forward to. Er , freezing cold NYC morning but no snow . Not a fuckin drop anywhere.
Oh well , never mind and off we popped for brekky at “Ellen’s Stardust Diner” ( having your bacon in a scene from Glee is not everyone’s bag I know) on the way walking north to the park. Still , little sign of last nights snow dump until we get up to the top of Broadway at the entrance to Central Park to be met by a scene straight out of beautiful New York in the snow. They had cleared every street and avenue of snow whilst we slept. Welcome to New York , what a place.

We did the lot. Tall buildings, John Lennon, film sets , famous homes , shops , Katz Diner with pastrami,The Mad Hatter to watch City get beat by Wigan in that FA cup farce , Ground Zero is just incredible,DUNBO in Brooklyn, Gossip Girl et al. It’s like your life in a movie scene .

The weather again. We wanted to go on the Hudson but ummed and ahhed about being on water in the freezing cold . The temperatures looked to be improving for our last full day so we somewhat apprehensively booked the 2 hour sunset boat trip. Wednesday turned out to be the hottest February day on record . 28 degrees C.
8 o’clock at night , on the Hudson , in February taking in the amazing views in a fuckin T shirt. 35 degree C shift in temperature in 4 days.

Sorry for the long post , but you have probably gathered , we enjoyed it quite a bit..

As I said in a earlier post , centre of the planet for me.
Mrs B and the pan lids are mithering the life out of me to go back.
 
toffee balls said:
We visited in the middle of February , the year before last.

I had always wanted to go but Mrs Balls and our 2 (18 &15) were not overly excited by the prospect.
We had just received some additional money so our budget was pretty good to be fair. We wanted to stay Midtown and booking a place for 4 is both limited and expensive. I found an apartment on the 53rd floor on West 42nd Street with 270 degree views of Manhattan . Unfortunately, Air B n B is an issue in New York and we had to cancel the booking. We replaced it with what turned out to be a fantastic apartment on 44th street literally 50 yards off Times Square.

Now , the weather. We arrived at JFK minutes before a snowstorm hit but managed to get into Manhattan before that had any real impact .
Went out to eat and returned back with 6 inches of snow covering the roads and sidewalks. We awoke bright and early the next day ready to rock and roll with a horse drawn carriage trip through snow laden Central Park to look forward to. Er , freezing cold NYC morning but no snow . Not a fuckin drop anywhere.
Oh well , never mind and off we popped for brekky at “Ellen’s Stardust Diner” ( having your bacon in a scene from Glee is not everyone’s bag I know) on the way walking north to the park. Still , little sign of last nights snow dump until we get up to the top of Broadway at the entrance to Central Park to be met by a scene straight out of beautiful New York in the snow. They had cleared every street and avenue of snow whilst we slept. Welcome to New York , what a place.

We did the lot. Tall buildings, John Lennon, film sets , famous homes , shops , Katz Diner with pastrami,The Mad Hatter to watch City get beat by Wigan in that FA cup farce , Ground Zero is just incredible,DUNBO in Brooklyn, Gossip Girl et al. It’s like your life in a movie scene .

The weather again. We wanted to go on the Hudson but ummed and ahhed about being on water in the freezing cold . The temperatures looked to be improving for our last full day so we somewhat apprehensively booked the 2 hour sunset boat trip. Wednesday turned out to be the hottest February day on record . 28 degrees C.
8 o’clock at night , on the Hudson , in February taking in the amazing views in a fuckin T shirt. 35 degree C shift in temperature in 4 days.

Sorry for the long post , but you have probably gathered , we enjoyed it quite a bit..

As I said in a earlier post , centre of the planet for me.
Mrs B and the pan lids are mithering the life out of me to go back.
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We were in New York in January a few years ago and had heavy snow one night, the kind that would close the U.K. down. Oh deary me we fretted, will our flight out in two days time be delayed? Ha. New York laughs in the face of 6inches of snow. As you say, it was clear the next morning and the City continued at its relentless pulsating pace. Absolutely amazing city. The boat on the Hudson was particularly good under clear blue skies but biting cold. Rockefeller building is the best tall building to go to the top of. We stayed a couple of blocks from Time Square. Don’t bother with the open top bus tours, because of traffic you will find yourself parked most of the time. Food brilliant everywhere. If you are a movie buff check out how many sets you can identify.
 
allblackcitizen said:
Fucking amazing city. I vowed to go back and stay somewhere nice, but I've also vowed not to go anywhere near the states while Trump is in the White House.
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You don’t want to go back to the states because of one person that you’re likely never to meet? Life’s to short mate for that kind of thinking.
 
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