OK - 1st Attempt Itinerary - I know IT IS ambitious - your...

My Hubby and I are Visiting NYC 26th November - 1st December 2005.

We are 1st time visitors, and we do want to see lots and lots, and I have guide books and a map that am using to help plot my itinerary.

This is my first attempt, and I have a sneaky feeling that I am being way too ambitious, but hopefully with a little help from my new friends at TA I can get it better 2nd or 3rd attempt??

Forgive me all - this may be a little long.

Day 1 Saturday 26th November 2005

Arrive JFK 12:10 Virgin Atlantic Flight. Allow for 3 hours to get through airport and up to Murray Hill will be transferring by private car service - prob Tel Aviv - write ups are pretty good all round on TA (would you say this is do-able?)

Check in to Hotel - Jolly Madison Towers - Murray Hill. Wander up to Times Square, get bearings a little - drink and dinner then back to Hotel for early(ish) night.

Day 2 Sunday 27th November 2005

Early Start.

鈥?St John the Divine (not doing any tours)

鈥?American Museum of Natural History

Will just be a short(ish visit) too much to do on 1st visit

鈥?Central Park taking in the following sights would be good

Guggenheim (perhaps go inside to view spire/lobby)

Alice in Wonderland Statue

Hans Christian Anderson Statue

Wollman Rink

鈥?-Circle Line 2HR Harbor Lights Cruise

鈥?Dinner at Notaro%26#39;s - (near Hotel)

Day 3 Monday 28th November

Early Start

鈥?FAO Shwarz - will go in and perhaps do a little shopping

鈥?Tiffanys - mabe persuade hubby to buy me a diamond? NO - ok then ;-) (really just a Photo Opportunity!)

鈥?Trumptower - Photo Opp

鈥?-Cartier - Photo Opp - hoping Christmas display on view

鈥?Radio City Music Hall - not sure whether to do a tour - will I have time?

鈥?Rockerfeller Centre - Photo Opp

鈥?St Patricks

鈥?Waldorf Astoria - just so I can say I saw it

鈥?Grand Central - sample the Juniors Cheesecake

鈥?Chrysler Building - Photo Opp

鈥?Met Life Building - Photo Opp

鈥?Times Square by day

鈥?New York Library

鈥?ESB - would like to be there in time to see daylight and dusk

鈥?Iridium Jazz Club

Day 4 Tuesday 29th November

Early Start

鈥?SOL / Ellis Island - (may skip Ellis Island and just do SOL - what do you suggest)

鈥?Battery Park

鈥?Bowling Green to see the Bull

鈥?Trinity Church

鈥?Ground Zero %26amp; St Pauls Chapel

Day 5 Wednesday 30th November

Early Start

鈥?Pennsylvania Station/MSG (flexible on this though)

鈥?Flatiron Building - Photo Opp

鈥?West Village

鈥?Soho

鈥?Little Italy

鈥?Lower East Side - really to do the Tenement Museum

鈥?South Street Seaport

鈥?Water taxi to Brooklyn and if time Pizza at Grimaldis

鈥?Walk back across Brooklyn Bridge

Day 6 Thursday 1st December.

鈥?Well, I am currently scheduled to fly home from Newark on the 8:10 flight this morning, however I am considering changing my flight to come back via JFK on the 21:10 flight - this would give me a free day to fit in things perhaps I don%26#39;t get to do, or forget to - notably Macy%26#39;s/Bloomingdales (which you will notice I have missed off this itinerary)

I know - I really think there is too much here, can anyone help?

Thanks in advance CAB96

OK - 1st Attempt Itinerary - I know IT IS ambitious - your...

Very thorough! Sounds pretty reasonable.

Quick thoughts:

Day 2: if it is cold, take a cross-town bus across Central Park from Natural History to Guggenhiem.

Day 3: Take your time in Grand Central. It%26#39;s worth lingering there. See the library after Met Life Building, then go to Times Square. Libraries tend to close around 5 pm. Check their hours.

Day 5: Penn Station is not worth seeing. (How did that make it on your list of otherwise lovely sights?)

OK - 1st Attempt Itinerary - I know IT IS ambitious - your...

I would suggest a Broadway show, rather than the Circleline. If you are set on doing a boat ride, I%26#39;d look into Spirit of NY or World Yacht, or ask in seperate posting what%26#39;s recommended. Circleline seems overcrowded, uncomfortable and very touristy. If you want to do a B%26#39;way show, you can get discounted tickets ahead of time via broadwaybox.com or seasonofsavings.com. Also, spend some time wandering the upper west side on Day 2 when you go to the Museum of Nat%26#39;l Hist. It%26#39;s a great area.

I don%26#39;t know but I kinda like the Circle Line cruises and I live here. :-)

It must be something about sitting in a boat and viewing the gorgeous Manhattan skyline as we slowly glide by.

Aren%26#39;t the Spirit of NY dinner cruises?

Not big on those kind of things.

I guess it depends on what you like. I%26#39;ve taken Spirit of NJ (same as Spirit of NY but leaves from Jersey side) a couple of times, and loved it! We sat comfortably at our own table, enjoyed a buffet lunch and some fun entertainment (there%26#39;s even dancing). For quiet, we were able to wander to the upper deck (where it was pretty empty). I remember we saw the Circleline in the distance packed with people! It looked like standing room only! We were so happy we weren%26#39;t on that boat. (Maybe it%26#39;s not always like that, but I do remember reading a previous post here describing the experience as being treated like cattle.)

First check a map and keep things for each day in more or less the same area

First day - OK

Day 2 Sunday 27th November 2005

Seems a bit ambitious. I would drop St. John and spend more time in the museum

Day 3 Monday 28th November

SOrry but WAY TOO AMBITIOUS

I would keep these

鈥?-Cartier - Photo Opp - hoping Christmas display on view

鈥?Radio City Music Hall - not sure whether to do a tour - will I have time? (BOOK IN ADVANCE)

鈥?Rockerfeller Centre - Photo Opp

鈥?St Patricks

鈥?Grand Central - sample the Juniors Cheesecake

鈥?Chrysler Building - Photo Opp

鈥?Times Square by day

鈥?ESB - would like to be there in time to see daylight and dusk

鈥?Iridium Jazz Club

Day 4 Tuesday 29th November

Keep these

鈥?SOL / Ellis Island - (may skip Ellis Island and just do SOL - what do you suggest) (SKIP STATUE, DO ELLIS ISLAND. BOOK IN ADVANCE, ALLOW PLENTY OF TIME FOR SECURITY

鈥?Battery Park

鈥?Bowling Green to see the Bull

鈥?Trinity Church

鈥?Ground Zero %26amp; St Pauls Chapel

Day 5 Wednesday 30th November

Keep these

鈥?West Village

鈥?Soho

鈥?Little Italy

鈥?Lower East Side - really to do the Tenement Museum (BOOK TIX IN ADVANCE

鈥?IF THIS IS DINNER%26lt; OKWater taxi to Brooklyn and if time Pizza at Grimaldis

鈥?Walk back across Brooklyn Bridge

Change Rturn flight. 8:10 means you are up at 4:30, leaving hotel no later than 5-5:15am.

21:10 flight (7:10p) means you need to be at airport at LEAST 5pm, if not a bit sooner. LEavign Manhattan about 4:15pm depending on traffic.

Your hotel can probably hold your bags until you leave. check with them in advance.

Hi CAB96, very well researched although I would ask how old is your guidebook? If it says that Pennsylvania Station is a photo opportunity then it%26#39;s 41 years out of date! This Beaux Arts gem was demolished in 1964 to make way for the hideous monstrosity that is MSG. The Post Office next door will give you an idea of what you missed however.

That being said, I don%26#39;t think that your itinerary is overly ambitious. Just maybe one or two tweaks:

Day One: If you go to see Times Sq. as soon as you arrive, I don%26#39;t think you need to go again on Day Three (it tends to look better at night anyway).

Day Two: I think the Circle Line is perfectly fine. Just make sure that you get there early and sit on the port (left hand) side for a better view of the attractions.

Day Three: Maybe skip Times Sq. (see above). Although the rest sounds a lot, in reality, the photo ops won%26#39;t take up too much time. I wouldn%26#39;t change it.

Day Four: Not sure what time St Paul%26#39;s Chapel closes - you may need to check.

Day Five: Skip MSG! Consider viewing Flatiron on Day Six (assuming you take later flight) when you visit Macy%26#39;s. (You could always go and see MSG then , if you really must!).

We went in February this year and managed to do loads but it is tiring! Have a look at our website if you like: http://www.footcom.co.uk/nyc/ it might give you some ideas.

Queens Boulevard - thanks for the tips, will bear in mind about cross town to Guggengeim - how long does it take to walk - don%26#39;t mind a degree of cold - but I guess that time of year it can be quite sharp?

Re Day 3 - I was meaning to do Library after Met Life - just entered it back to front.

Re Day 5 - I guess this is what us Brits would call the Red Herring! As this has got quite a big question mark in my note book...guess I will skip it. Thanks for the nudge though.

Ejan - I really did want to try and fit in a Broadway show - but I%26#39;m going with Broadway NYC -really do like the idea of the Circle line....would love to see SOL lit up at night! But thanks....who knows might squeeze in a show anyhow.

Miadstone Nic - thanks for your feedback I really was hoping you would reply. I had to laugh at your comments about my guidebooks - I have 2 and they are both current editions - Rough Guide, and Brits Guide ;-))

I have been following the Forums only for a week or so now - but have been avid reader of your feedback. Have already seen your website - its FAB! Photos are superb, and your site is really well put together....I only hope we have as good a time as you and your family. Maybe you can look at my website soon after my return! ;-)

Many Many thanks to all of you - I feel much better now about my plans ! Think I will definitely change my return flight home though - thanks Karenjme, for the help in making my decision.

Anyone think Day 6 is reasonable for a bit more shopping assuming my flight change is do-able....

Anyone out there think I have missed anything cruicial - we are not really into Art Galleries - this is why have left off Met and MoMa - would consider these though if I get the chance to do NYC again some day!

Glad to be of help, CAB96 - looking forward to seeing your website!

Just one other thought - something that I will definitely do next time I visit - by the time you go, the observation deck at Rockefeller Plaza will be open. You should get unrivalled views of Central Park, the wonderful top of the old RCA Victor Building and the ESB. Might be worth a visit?