Insider Tips
New York City Vacation Packages
877 NYC-TRiP www.nyctrip.com
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Here are some of our favorites in New York City:
(Remember, these are only our opinions. We’re interested in hearing yours, too!)
Getting Around
Best place to go for tourist information: While you’re in the City go to the
Visitor’s Centers on 7th Avenue between 46th & 47th (next to the Palace
Theater), or 810 7th Ave. between 52nd & 53rd St.
Best way to get around Manhattan: The 3 best means of transportation
are 1--Walking (New York is a very walkable city), 2--Taxi (plentiful and
rather inexpensive) and 3—Subway (purchase a 7-day unlimited MTA MetroCard and you’ll be able to travel easily by subway and bus through Manhattan and the outer boroughs).
Hailing a Taxi: Stand on a street corner with your arm outstretched. It’s that
simple. A yellow cab will pick you up quickly (unless it’s raining … then it’s a
bit more of a challenge).
All taxis are licensed by the City, all are yellow and they are all metered.
You might have a bit of a delay in getting a taxi during the daily shift
changes, which occur around 4-5am and 4-5pm. If you do need a taxi then,
you should try to get one at a hotel. The doorman will be happy to assist you
in getting a taxi (as long as you assist him with an appropriate tip). Also,
you’ll be crawling like a snail an hour before Broadway shows start and end.
Try to avoid needing a taxi to get to a Broadway show unless you get there
early!
Tip the driver as you would any other service provider; 15-20% of the fare is
a good place to start.
Best Geography Lesson about New York City: In midtown the streets
(traversing the City east to west between the East and Hudson Rivers) are
numbered from downtown to uptown. The avenues (broad thoroughfares
going uptown and downtown) are also numbered (for the most part), from
east to west (5th Avenue is the dividing line between East and West Sides).
So it’s relatively easy to find your way by using cross-street locations, such
as 42nd Street and 7th Avenue (Times Square) or 50th Street and 5th Avenue
(Rockefeller Center). Broadway is the only exception to the neat grid pattern
of Manhattan, since it runs diagonally through midtown. The intersection of
Broadway and an Avenue creates triangular areas that New Yorkers (in their
infinite wisdom) call a Square. Walking up or down the Avenues is easy –
the blocks are short. Walking cross-town (along the Streets) is more challenging because the blocks are longer and it’s much windier!
Best way to get directions if you are lost: Ask a New Yorker. “It’s absolutely false that New Yorkers are unfriendly — they may seem standoffish at
first, but that’s just concealing a very big heart,” insists former New York City
mayor Ed Koch. “We believe that people want their own space, so we don’t
intrude unless asked for assistance. But if you’re visiting from out of town,
just walk over to any New Yorker and he’ll immediately help you out,” says
Koch. Rude? Brusque? Uncaring? No way, sez hizzoner. “People here want
to help you get on with your day!”
Food and Drink
Best Sunday Brunch: The popular ones are rather expensive. For a more
moderate offering, however, try Langan's Restaurant at 47th between
Broadway and 6th Ave. $17.95 includes a drink and a nice jazz combo. A
nice alternative to a traditional Sunday brunch is a brunch cruise in the harbor – both World Yacht and Manhattan by Sail offer them. Advance purchase and reservations are necessary. Your NYCVP Personal Vacation
Planner can take care of it for you.
Best place for Italian food: For the ultimate in Italian food at reasonable
prices, take a taxi ($10-$12) to the corner of Canal and Mulberry (that's all
you need to tell the driver). Walk up Mulberry Street past about 20 or 30
small family-owned Italian restaurants in this neighborhood of New York
known as Little Italy. If you've seen such movies as The Godfather, Valachi
Papers, etc., it is in Little Italy where a lot of the "goings-on" go on. Choose
any restaurant – they’re all wonderful.
Favorite Italian Restaurants in Midtown: We recently visited L’Allegria
Ristorante & Trattoria Italiana on 9th Ave. Wonderful food, great service
and in a good location. Barbetta on W. 46th (Restaurant Row) is a favorite of
ours for food and its romantic open-air courtyard. Patsy’s Restaurant is a
well-established Midtown eatery that was Frank Sinatra’s favorite!
Looking for a snack? Try the Little Pie Shop on 43rd Street between 9th &
10th Avenues. Delectable!
Other restaurants: Wander around the block known as Restaurant
Row on 46th between 8th and 9th. There are a surprising number of
trendy restaurants, ranging from Thai to Chilean to Italian to French to
Russian. We recently enjoyed Meson Sevilla, a Spanish restaurant on
46th offering tapas and traditional Spanish (and Italian) dishes. Another
Restaurant Row establishment worth trying is B. Smiths (Pan-Asian
and Southern cuisine). Also consider the area formerly known as “Hell’s
Kitchen” (now known as Clinton) on 9th Ave. 9th Ave has become the
restaurant row for locals and tourists in the know, with many fine small
boutique ethnic restaurants that will not deplete your budget.
For an outstanding experience and a view of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, 5th
Ave., Rockefeller Center Plaza and the magnificent rooftop gardens,
our recommendation for a 5th Ave. upscale restaurant is the SFA Café
on the 8th floor of the iconic Saks 5th Avenue department store. Located
at 611 5th Avenue between 49th and 50th streets. Phone: 212 940-4080.
If you’re in the mood for home-style cooking along with fun entertainment, Ellen’s Stardust Diner (51st St. & Broadway) is a 1950s retro
diner with nostalgic memorabilia and singing waitstaff.
Best New York Pizza This could start a war – or at least a heated
discussion. New Yorkers are justifiably proud of their pizza. They claim
it’s the best in the USA, and it’s hard to dispute that assertion. Some of
New York’s best include John’s Pizzeria (Midtown on 44th St. between
Broadway and 8th Ave), Two Boots (various locations throughout the
City. Closest to Midtown – 9th Ave near 44th St.) and a couple of Brooklyn favorites – Grimaldi’s (19 Old Fulton St. under the Brooklyn Bridge
or now in Manhattan at 47 W. 20th St.) and L&B Spumoni Gardens in
Brooklyn’s Bensonhurst neighborhood.
Our personal choice of Theater-district restaurants: Langan's on
47th between Broadway and 6th Ave. Very reasonably priced, good
choice of excellent dishes. Jazz music on Saturday evenings and Sunday brunch. We also enjoy the Brooklyn Diner on 57th off 7th Ave and
Victor’s Café (Cuban) on 52nd between Broadway and 8th Ave.
Restaurants with a View: The appropriately named The View atop the
Marriott Marquis in Times Square is the City’s only revolving restaurant.
Café Nicole (in the Novotel New York Hotel on 52nd St. off Broadway)
has an amazing view down Broadway to Times Square – and an outside terrace perfect for drinks or dinner when the weather is right. Two
Times Square Restaurant and Lounge at the New York Renaissance
Hotel overlooks the “Crossroads of the World.” The River Café (pricey)
in Brooklyn has an incredible view of the Lower Manhattan skyline –
which is why it’s one of the most popular restaurants in the City.
Best Pastrami Sandwich: Tough one (the question, not the meat). Try
the Carnegie Deli on 7th Ave. or Ben’s Deli on 38th St, a few blocks
from your hotel. Huge sandwiches, interesting waitstaff, a fun experience ... just what New York is all about! We’ve also had great sandwiches at Mendy’s (Glatt Kosher – in the Rockefeller Center Dining
Concourse) and Juniors in the Grand Central Food Court—known for
its cheesecake!
Best time to eat dinner in mid-town Manhattan: 7:45pm until 10pm.
Restaurants are less crowded because many are at the Theater.
Trendy bars and lounges abound in Manhattan. Try 48 Lounge (48th
St. off 6th Ave.). It’s a hip, cool romantic happy hour/night spot for cocktails (pricey though).
Drinks and more: Bourbon Street Bar & Grille (Restaurant Row, 46th
St. between 8th & 9th Ave.) – let the good times roll: it’s New Orleans in
New York City! Caroline’s Comedy Club (Broadway between 49th &
50th St.) features famous comedians nightly.
The Bryant Park Grill (Bryant Park, 40th between 5th & 6th Ave.) is a
great place for people-watching.
Best drink: New York City tap water is the envy of America. Our water
flows from pristine upstate watersheds, and ranks among the besttasting tap water in the US. Best thing to do with bottled water? Pour it
out and refill the bottle right from the faucet.
New York City Vacation Packages
877 NYC-TRiP www.nyctrip.com
Want to contribute to Insider Tips?
Email your own personal favorites to: [email protected]
Here are some of our favorites in New York City:
(Remember, these are only our opinions. We’re interested in hearing yours, too!)
Things to do
Good to Know
Best romantic adventure: Walk up 6th or 7th Ave to 59th Street (Central
Park South). Take a horse-drawn carriage ride through Central Park.
How should I pack my luggage? It would be helpful if you split clothes for
each person between all of your suitcases instead of having a suitcase per
person. This way if a piece of luggage is lost, one person is not without
everything; there are still articles of clothing in the other suitcases that you
packed. Speaking of packing, we’re reminded of the timeless adage: “Take
half the clothes and twice the money.”
Since rooms are generally not available until 3pm on your day of check-in
the hotel will store your luggage if you arrive early. Likewise they will also
store your luggage on your day of check-out. Most hotels do charge for this
service.
Best city tour: Gray Line All Loops Tour includes hop-on hop-off sightseeing plus a night city tour. The guides are very entertaining and knowledgeable. Buses operate on a loop every 15-30 minutes. You should try to
sit upstairs on these double-decker buses. The view is better and it’s much
more comfortable. The All Loops Tour comes in several varieties, including
a 48-hour pass, a 72-hour pass and a new Freestyle 72-hour pass that
includes admissions to 3 top NYC attractions!
Walking tours: Visit parts of the City you might not otherwise see with
NYCVP. The WTC Memorial Tour has been featured on CNN. The popular FREEDOM TOUR of the Statue of Liberty and 9/11 Memorial visits
two of the City’s most famous sites. Check schedules and reserve on
www.nyctrip.com.
Best Department Store shopping, of course, includes Macy's and
Bloomingdale's. They are worth a visit, and within walking distance of
your hotel. Take your NYCVP coupons with you for discounts.
Best street vendor shopping: There are licensed vendors in Central
Park, Battery Park, Times Square and in front of the Metropolitan Museum
– as well as many other locations around town – that sell legitimate souvenirs, clothing and other items.
Best free things to do: 1) Watch The Today Show, NBC’s long-running
favorite, mornings on Rockefeller Plaza. 2) Want to visit the Cake Boss,
but can’t get to Hoboken, N.J. where the bakery is located? There’s a
smaller version of the bakery in the Discovery Times Square Exhibition
building located at West 44th St., between Broadway & 8th Ave. You do not
need to buy an admission ticket to any of the exhibits, just tell the guard
that you just want to visit the Cake Boss Café.
Best way to visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island: NYCVP’s
Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island guided sightseeing tour, NYCVP’s
LIBERTY Tour including the 911 Memorial, and NYCVP’s FREEDOM
TOUR (including the Statue, 911 Memorial and tour of Lower Manhattan)
are the only guided tours from midtown Manhattan to visit Lady Liberty.
See www.nyctrip.comfor schedule and to book the Tour. Due to a renovation project it is no longer possible to go inside the Statue or to climb to the
Crown. If you’d like to visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island on your
own you need to purchase a ticket for the ferry. You should purchase it in
advance at nyctrip.com to avoid the ticket line in Battery Park and plan on
being at the ferry early in the morning as the line to board the boat can get
long.
Best time to visit the Empire State Building Observatory: We suggest
you plan on making your trek to the 86th floor observatory early in the
morning or late in the evening. The observatory is open from 8am until 2am
(last elevator ascends 45 minutes before closing time) and the entrance
lines grow long late in the morning right through sunset. You may call the
Empire State Building to find out wait times, visibility, etc. at (212) 7363100 or toll free (877) NYC-VIEW (692-8439).
Best thing to do in the rain: Do what all New Yorkers do. They buy an
umbrella from a street vendor (don't pay more than $5) and continue to do
whatever it was they would do if it wasn't raining. Be a little more aggressive hailing taxis, though! Fun “rainy day” things to do are to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the American Museum of Natural History
with your free vouchers, the Museum of Radio and Television, Grand
Central Terminal, Madame Tussaud’s, Ripley’s or the 42nd Street New
York Public Library.
What kind of clothing is acceptable in New York City? You’ll see everything from tennis shoes/cut-offs to fancy gowns and tuxedos. New Yorkers
do tend to dress casually and for the weather but some venues, especially
the top restaurants, do have a dress code (even if it’s not publicized). If you
want to blend in and not look like a tourist, avoid shorts and the touristobvious fanny pack. Otherwise dress as you would in your home town, being
mindful of the weather. For the theater, opera and similar evening events we
suggest dressier attire.
More handy bits of advice on how not to look like a tourist:
• Walk with a purpose
• Keep to the right on the sidewalk and subway stairs
• Do not walk more than 2 abreast
• Do not stop in the MIDDLE of the sidewalk for a group discussion
Remember, New Yorkers are walking to get somewhere. They don’t mind
your being in their City – in fact they definitely appreciate it. However you
should respect that they are working and living in your playground so don’t
make it difficult for them to get from place to place. If you are courteous to a
New Yorker you’ll be pleased at how courteous a New Yorker will be to you.
Special Room Request: If you’ve requested anything specific for your hotel
room, such as smoking or bedding preferences, we would have forwarded
your request to the hotel. We suggest, though, that you inquire AT THE
TIME YOU CHECK INTO YOUR HOTEL whether your room meets your
request.
Tipping: Although it is up to your personal preference, most service workers
like restaurant and bar servers, bartenders, doormen, bellman, skycaps,
salon workers and taxi drivers expect a gratuity. Service or gratuities are
rarely added on to bills, although some restaurants might add a service
charge for large groups.
It is customary to tip wait staff 15-20% of a restaurant or bar bill.
New Yorkers have an easy way to calculate the gratuity in a restaurant –
they simply double the tax (8.875%) and round up.
Bellmen and skycaps generally receive $1-2 per bag, while a doorman who
performs a service such as hailing a cab for you should also get $1-2.
Taxi and limo drivers should be tipped 15-20% of the fare.
Where to go when you have to … Although hotels don’t make their facilities easily accessible to non-guests, we have never been challenged in
using hotel lobby restrooms. Don’t, however, expect restaurants to be as
sociable to non-customers. Most Starbucks coffee shops have a restroom
friendly policy too.
Emergency Assistance: We are here to help you in case of a travel emergency. Our special toll-free number is included in your travel documents and
is available to you 24/7. This phone number is only for emergencies:
• an act of God, such as a weather disturbance or natural disaster
• unexpected cancellation or non-delivery of NYCVP-arranged service by a
hotel, theater or airline, or
• cancellation of your entire trip due to medical or calamitous circumstance.
Helpful Links:
Add sightseeing, dining, tours, museum admissions and special event tickets to your vacation: http://nycsightseeing.nyctrip.com/
Subway and Bus Directions: http://www.hopstop.com
Statue of Liberty Ferry timetable: http://www.statuecruises.com/ferry-service/schedule-options.aspx or call 877 523-9849
New York City Vacation Packages
877 NYC-TRiP www.nyctrip.com
General Information About NYCVP Vacations
When do you need my payment?
Payment in full is due at time of booking. If your travel date is at
least 45 days from the time of booking and you prefer to pay in
installments (additional charge applies) we may accept a deposit
in lieu of full payment. No travel arrangements will be made on
your behalf until we receive the appropriate deposit or full
payment. We accept MasterCard, Discover Card, Visa and American
Express. Make checks payable to your travel agent. Under certain
circumstances you will also be asked to sign and return a Tour Participation Agreement to us.
What about last minute bookings?
No problem. However there is a $25 service fee if we don’t receive
final payment by 14 days prior to departure.
What is not included in the package price?
The prices advertised are in US Dollars and include all taxes
applicable at the time of this publishing, as well as ticket
handling/broker fee and service fees. Anything not specifically
mentioned in this advertisement is not included. Transportation
to and from sightseeing pick-up points, and to and from theaters,
is not included.
Can prices change?
Prices and included features can change at any time, but not after
you pay in full for your package, unless circumstances occur out of
the control of NYCVP such as, but not limited to, increase in tax
rates or fuel-related surcharges.
Will I receive travel documents?
We will send travel documents approximately 2–4 weeks prior to
your travel date providing we have received full payment.
What if my plans change after I’ve made a reservation?
We will certainly try our best to re-accommodate you. If you need
to change dates or travel components, a $25 processing fee may be
charged plus any additional charges by a hotel or transportation
company (if any). However, due to air security regulations, names
on airline records may not be changed. Most airlines will require a
service charge in order to make any changes, and some airlines
will not allow changes of any sort to an itinerary once the first
date of travel has commenced. It is your responsibility to insure
that travel arrangements specified in our confirmation to you are
correct. NYCVP cannot be responsible for mistakes, inaccuracies
or miscommunication that is not brought to our attention
immediately upon receipt of a confirmation.
What if I need to cancel?
We will return all your money except as follows:
If canceled more than 30 days before departure, full refund
less $50 per person plus supplier penalties.
If canceled 30 days or less before departure, full refund less
$100 per person plus supplier penalties.
Supplier penalties may include 1-night hotel fee, cost of airline
ticket and cost of theater or other event tickets, or special options.
For travel during New York City’s peak season (Sunday prior to
Thanksgiving through December 31) additional hotel
cancelation penalties will apply.
Note that some hotels and transportation companies impose
their own penalties which will be deducted from the refund.
NYCVP may, in certain cases, impose a 100% penalty if the package
is canceled within 72 hours of departure. Refunds will not be
processed until: (1) all documents are returned to NYCVP, and
(2) all monies are refunded to NYCVP from suppliers. Theater,
event tickets and certain special options are not refundable.
Ask at time of booking. We highly recommend purchasing
cancellation insurance, which may cover any and all penalties.
What about my flights?
If NYCVP books your airfare into New York City, we will try to
accommodate your preferences for air schedules and seating, but
this is not always possible. You or your travel agent should call the
airline to verify seat selection and to reconfirm flights. You must
show government-issued photo ID (that matches the name on
your airline ticket exactly) at airline check-in counter, or you will
be denied boarding.
What else should I know?
Don’t plan on checking into your hotel until at least 3pm, because
your room probably won’t be ready. You must check out of your
room by 11am or noon on the day of departure. Also, remember
that any particular requests you make, like adjoining rooms, specific
bedding or specific theater seats, are only requests, and are the
responsibility of the particular supplier, not NYCVP.
For more important information regarding your NYCVP
vacation, see Terms and Conditions on
www.nyctrip.com
Want to contribute to Insider Tips?
Email your own personal favorites to: [email protected]