Just checked the weather for while I'm going to be there and it's calling for rain, thunderstorms and even lightning the entire time. So, yeah, that sucks, just my luck. Any rainy day ideas? Museums obviously make sense. I'm assuming there isn't much point in doing the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, Statue of Liberty photo ops with crap weather. I hope it's not too bad as 80% of what we had planned revolved around walking around and seeing the landmarks and whatnot which are obviously all outdoors.
When are you coming in? Weather forecasts change daily, by the time you're coming in it may change to 80s and sunny the whole time. Just ask Jay. _
Coming in on this coming Monday and leaving on Thursday. True that forecasts can change but it's getting pretty close to the date so I'm assuming there will be some degree of accuracy. If nothing else instead of 4 days of rain and misery it might just be two days.
Forgot one other really cool place. If you go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, you HAVE to go to the rooftop. It's a martini bar and cafe but incredibly beautiful views. Only open till 4:30. _
So I got back late last night and just wanted to post a bit of an update. Just wanted to say I had a great time in NYC and thanks to everyone for their suggestions. We were trying to do as much of the touristy stuff so I couldn't get to all of it but we'll definitely be going back and we'll try to do a lot more of your suggestions. We didn't really get out of Manhattan that much, just went to Brooklyn to walk back across the bridge and that's about it, so I would like to do that. Best part of the trip: the food. Every single place we ate was great, we tried to avoid chains (I think the only chain we ate at was Shake Shack and we don't have them here so I don't feel so bad about that) and had great pizza, pastrami on rye, sushi, steak, etc. Worst part of the trip: the weather, which was just bad timing on our part and nothing to do with the city itself. Monday was crazy humid, we got caught in that torrential downpour on Tuesday but then Wednesday wasn't so bad (a bit humid) and Thursday was really nice...so overall it wasn't so bad. I think when I go back it might be in the early fall as I've heard that that's a good time to go. Biggest eye opener: New Yorkers actually aren't as rude as I thought they would be. Given most of the people we talked to worked in the service industry but we asked random people for directions and whatnot a few times and they were very helpful, gave us lots of suggestions, etc. I found the rudest people I came across seemed to be tourists, just walking right into you not watching where they were going while staring up at a building or something and stuff like that. Some other highlights: Top of the Rock which I liked better than ESB but ESB has good view of the WTC/Freedom Tower), 9/11 Museum which was very well done, Chicago on Broadway was more enjoyable than I anticipated and we went to a speakeasy called Bathtub Gin...horribly overpriced but it was a cool experience nonetheless. Anyway, that's it for this trip. I can definitely see why people say it's the greatest city on Earth and fully intend on returning. Hopefully next time get to see some of the less touristy stuff, get outside of midtown a bit more and do some more of people's suggestions. I would also really like to catch a Jets game next time, so here's hoping that pans out!
We've found the same on our trips (and I guess will do so in December when we come again). The general comment we got before we went was that NYers are rude, and certainly not as friendly as the rest of the US...given we found NY to be very friendly, I assume I'd be offered the Mayorship of Nashville if we went there. I'll be reviewing this thread in December and asking for help nearer the time.
Fwiw I have not previously commented on this thread. My own list of suggestions would probably mostly be covered by others, and tends to be weighted toward NYC's unique and very impressive museums. But on the rudeness thing... I am not a homegrown New Yorker, so I don't feel a need to be defensive about this sort of subject. But my impression is that some might mistake the way a large percentage of people who work here (so that includes commuters, like myself) will be encountered by someone from outside NYC as the locals are on their way to or from work. In other words, getting from point A to B, with at least one destination a matter of work, not pleasure (I consider my travel time to and from work part of the workday, as I think most do). So in effect we are being caught doing something that perhaps is not inherently unpleasant, but is not inherently pleasant, either. It's a chore, basically. Add that part of it might involve trying to catch a train or bus, or get to work on time, and there's an urgency that does not make much room for stopping and being chatty, or for that matter feeling well disposed to tourists walking four abreast, slowly and in my way. But... when people ask me for directions, and I have any time at all, I stop and try to give them the best advice I can. And I don't think New Yorkers are generally rude. You have to understand that just walking down the street is such a sensory experience, over time you have to try and limit it, by using habits and sort of having it be a tunnel between where you start and where you go. YOu just can't look everyone you pass in the face. It would be too much. The hurrying and having a game face walking around are probably where the reputation for rudeness comes from, but I don't think New Yorkers are actually rude.
I've lived in NYC for 4 years now after having lived in Rochester, NY and Charleston, SC. I would definitely say that NY is not as friendly as the rest of the country and sometimes it can really get on your nerves, but it is not everyone and it is not as bad as the reputation would make you believe. However, tourists need to understand that people do live here and if your asking me for directions and I'm running late for work or exhausted coming home late from work, you can't get upset when I politely say no. Ask the next person who may have a moment to spare.
I agree fully on this. Sometimes people from rural areas think that it's rude if people don't talk to you randomly, but in New York City that's actually just considered respecting their space. There are millions of people crammed into a small city, so the social rules are often different than they are in places where tourists are from, and that gets mistaken for rudeness.
Right. If you stay in front of the ATM and block others from using it while you put your shit away, GTFOH. If you haven't made up your mind what you want to eat by the time you get to the front of the line, GTFOH. If you want to have a conversation with people you don't know on an elevator, GTFOH. If you want to talk on your phone while you're being waited on, GTFOH. If you want to talk to the stranger behind you on the checkout line, GTFOH. If you get your gas tank filled and then leave your car in front of the pump while you go buy a bottle of water, GTFOH. If you want to drink Grey Goose and grapefruit, GTFOH. Get the message? If not, GTFOH!
Being born in the area & now living in rural (very) Kansas I have a special insight to share. All these posts are well & good but let me hit the things you need to know to make it out alive & intact. Never make eye contact randomly, do not check people out - for any reason, ever. When you screw up & piss someone off- lose your mind or you could lose your life. You have to go from 0 to I will fucking kill you & you family with a rusty screw driver, in 1 second. People that are nice are going to fuck you over, no one is "nice". If someone tries to be "nice" look at them as if you are filling their sexual organs with cancer that will just rot them out & off their bodies before they can act offended by the look you just gave them. Walk around like all you know is hate. Pure, dark, pained, lonely, crotch rotting, soul crushing, stench of death, dry anal sex - hate. OK!? And one more thing, don't waste my time...
Why do you bother? No one takes you and your useless drivel seriously. I guarantee the reason you are now living in rural Kansas is because you tried what you are suggesting and the person you tried it on made you their bitch. You then scurried on off to rural Kansas to hide and post anonymously on the internet.
if you got time for a boat ride, the Staten Island Ferry runs for free 24/7. it passes close enough to the Statue of Liberty for decent picture taking
We actually did take the Staten Island ferry, it was crammed with other cheap tourists like myself but we still managed to get a few good photos.
