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New York City

J

JoeTHFC

Jamie Clapham
Hi All,

Long time member, frequent visitor, infrequent poster.

Just booked up to go to New York around Christmas this year (19th-23th December)

Never been to America let alone New York before. Anyone else done it? Particularly at that time of the year. Any tips for what to do and not to do out there, spending money etc?

Most importantly, chances of watching the Spurs vs Burnley game live out there?

Cheers
 
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Went a couple of years ago between Xmas and New Year - excellent city! Plenty of Irish bars etc so sure you'll be able to find the footy on somewhere! I think I was shelling about $11 for a pint of Guinness though!

Macy's was mental after Xmas so I wish you luck going in there!

Done all the touristy stuff - Rockafella/Time Square/WTC (which has been done in exceptionally good taste) - took a boat around the battery/Statue of Liberty/Brooklyn Bridge. Empire State building was ridiculously queued - Rockafella better bet and you can pre book your visit.

It was bloody cold so wrap up.

Best way we found to get around was the site seeing bus hop on, hop off can't remember how much we paid now but it was the best/cheapest and most informative way to get about. We did a night tour on the bus (open top) to see all the Christmas lights (worth doing BTW) and I honestly thought I was going to freeze!

We also got a Gypsy Carriage around Central Park which was nice especially as it was snowing, there was also an ice rink in Central Park - but it was so damn cold we skipped that and went to an Applebee's.

Have a great time fella.
 
Biggest disappointment I had was not being able to get on Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty as we went after hurricane Sandy had hit and they were both still closed.
 
JoeTHFC said:
Hi All,

Long time member, frequent visitor, infrequent poster.

Just booked up to go to New York around Christmas this year (19th-23th December)

Never been to America let alone New York before. Anyone else done it? Particularly at that time of the year. Any tips for what to do and not to do out there, spending money etc?

Most importantly, chances of watching the Spurs vs Burnley game live out there?

Cheers
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Welcome to the board Joe. I hooked up with New York Spurs to watch a game when I was over a few years back. They are a great bunch and really friendly.

http://www.nyspurs.com
 
that sounds like a great idea. Only 15mins from where we're staying too. Where did you both stay when you went?
 
I went for Christmas and New Year of 1995 into 1996

That was just when "The Blizzard of 96" hit North America so snow was insane, cars were trapped, sidewalks could not be used so you had to walk down the middle of the street, all flights were cancelled for 2 weeks so we got stuck there and had to eke out our meagre cash!

Yes, it was cold cold cold cold cold cold cold

The first thing you will do on your first day is go to a department store and buy a bigger coat and boots and hat and gloves and scarf and thermals and cry a little bit

Then you will go enjoy yourself :)

To be honest I was a bit of a wuss because it gets dark early (like the UK) so mid afternoon it started to get pretty dark on the main streets and totally dark on the side streets, just felt really unsafe to me going down a side street, you couldn't see the shadows and there were lots of potentially crazy people about.

So on the main street it would be all neon and people and then 30 yards away it was a dark alley with tinkling glass and all those old film scenes play through your mind.

Nothing really happened, we were fine, I just felt like a right country bumpkin transported to the big city with bad a$$ city boys hustling and trying to sell tickets and drugs and stuff... bit of an eye-opener for a young country lad.

E.g. going to Central Park was nice, then it gets dark and you have to walk out of the underpass to get out but there are a few people down there and you're thinking "just keep walking, please don't stab me!" but they were probably totally normal people :)
This is just like all big cities though, depends what you are used to. I'm used to a nice village, not The Village.

The other thing I remember being surprised about was the ****roaches and mice in the apartment - we stayed with a friend of a friend of a friend of a friend and there were probably 10 roaches walking round the room at any one time, and mice running for cover when you opened the door.

I enjoyed it though, don't want to make it sound bad, just pointing out some things to consider.
 
Have fun!

Times Square

Empire State Building

Rockefeller Center

Top Of The Rock (this gives you a better view of the 5 boroughs than the ESB!)

Central Park (Spend at least a day there)

Greenwich Village (Don't get as many tourists in the bars there)

WTC

Do a few rooftop bars, although it will be freezing, it's worth it for the view.
 
Great tips and help, thanks everyone.

I'm staying at The Manhattan in Times Square so expecting it to be pretty lively 24/7. Fingers crossed staying there translates to no roaches or mice!

Only got Saturday Sunday and Monday as full days so hoping to make the most out of them getting out as early as possible and back as late as possible
 
JoeTHFC said:
Great tips and help, thanks everyone.

I'm staying at The Manhattan in Times Square so expecting it to be pretty lively 24/7. Fingers crossed staying there translates to no roaches or mice!

Only got Saturday Sunday and Monday as full days so hoping to make the most out of them getting out as early as possible and back as late as possible
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Manhattan is a small enough island that you should be able to get most of the above done, even with the number of people at that time of year. You can walk to and from a lot of the places too.

I forgot to add Grand Central to that list, it's breathtaking!
 
If you like eating the classic New York Delis are fantastic, Katz's being he best of he bunch. Enormous sandwiches and so much more. New York is an amazing city and the atmosphere at the time you are visiting should be fun. It can get very cold though at that time of year so wrap up well. Enjoy!
 
I am about to turn the entire board against me now... I am in fact a life long vegetarian! Having been a big fan of Man vs Food strangely enough (Heard of Katz's Deli from there) I have said that I would abandon vegetarianism if I went to the states but now it's happening I'm not so sure. Is there any form of vegetarian option or would I be 'doing it wrong' not to just go for it 'properly'?
 
JoeTHFC said:
I am about to turn the entire board against me now... I am in fact a life long vegetarian! Having been a big fan of Man vs Food strangely enough (Heard of Katz's Deli from there) I have said that I would abandon vegetarianism if I went to the states but now it's happening I'm not so sure. Is there any form of vegetarian option or would I be 'doing it wrong' not to just go for it 'properly'?
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You'd have no problem finding some very good vegetarian food in NY. I had some excellent falafel when I was there.

Re: Time Square. I hated it and avoided the area once I had been for a quick look. It reminded me of Leicester Square but worse.
 
Good to hear.

A friend told me that yesterday too comparing Times Square to Leicester Square. I like to think I will be able to handle it for a few days without it affecting the trip too much
 
There is absolutely no point going to Katz's if you don't eat meat. That said,as Milo pointed out there is good vegetarian food in NY , it's extremely cosmopolitan but places like Katz Deli are all about the Pastrami and the chopped liver.

Times Square is horrible and you can find much better things to do with your time. If you are at all cultural some of the museums are amazing. NY is an fantastic city.
 
JoeTHFC said:
Good to hear.

A friend told me that yesterday too comparing Times Square to Leicester Square. I like to think I will be able to handle it for a few days without it affecting the trip too much
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It being central is the only good thing I can think to say about it. I would go elsewhere and just go back there to sleep.
 
milo said:
You'd have no problem finding some very good vegetarian food in NY. I had some excellent falafel when I was there.

Re: Time Square. I hated it and avoided the area once I had been for a quick look. It reminded me of Leicester Square but worse.
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ha that is exactly what I said about Times Square, it is famous landmark so of course you have to visit it.


We went 4 years ago, went to The Garden to watch an Ice hockey match which bored me to tears as it stopped so much. Did the usual touristy stuff also we did the Sopranos tour as I am a massive Sopranos fan which was interesting because you go out into New Jersey so see some more of the country.

I liked it despite hating crowds and busy places. My one regret would be not having a go at a baseball bating cage. But then they say always leave a reason to go back.

We are heading to America next summer but the other coast where I hope it will be a damn sight warmer then what you will experience.

All the best have a great time.
 
Bullet said:
To be honest I was a bit of a wuss because it gets dark early (like the UK) so mid afternoon it started to get pretty dark on the main streets and totally dark on the side streets, just felt really unsafe to me going down a side street, you couldn't see the shadows and there were lots of potentially crazy people about.

So on the main street it would be all neon and people and then 30 yards away it was a dark alley with tinkling glass and all those old film scenes play through your mind.

Nothing really happened, we were fine, I just felt like a right country bumpkin transported to the big city with bad a$$ city boys hustling and trying to sell tickets and drugs and stuff... bit of an eye-opener for a young country lad.
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It's been cleaned up a lot. I've walked most of Manhattan from Harlem down and haven't feel unsafe anywhere.
 
I too will be going New York round Xmas with the missus, spending Xmas day in NYC just seems surreal so I'm excited. Enjoy!
 
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