Review: New York visit feedback

Bacchus

Hey all,
I'm just back from a 5 day trip to New York. Just wanted to leave some feedback in case it's any help to others.

Well, it's an amazing city. Incredibly easy to navigate. Lots to do. etc.

I guess you all know the sites to see (Empire State, Ground Zero, Central Park etc) but I'd like t make the point that the tour buses are not necessarily the best way to see the place. Myself and my girlfriend just hopped on a subway to a region of Manhattan and just wandered around. Great way to see the place. In particular I really enjoyed getting lost in Soho and China town (both extremely different ways of life in the massive city).

Two notes on shopping there. Century 21 down by Ground Zero is a great places for bargains, especially for the likes of jackets, wallets, belts, bags etc. Finding clothes bargains requires a bit more of root around. You'll easily find stuff up to 50% off in there.
Woodbury. I posted here before asking about this place but never was really convinced it would be worth going to. I have to say, it is most definitely worth going to. There's loads of shops there. Only maybe 2/3 of them are a warehouse with clothes dumped in them. The majority are really nice shops that you'd find anywhere in Manhattan. I got a good bit of stuff there dirt cheap. Fantastic bargains to be found in Tommy HIlfiger, Lacoste, Banana Republic, Adidas and North Face to name a few. I'm sure it's not everyone's cup of tea but there's loads of choice out there and for the sake of an hour trip there and back it's worth going to.

Eating out. I've two recommendations.
1; Annie Moores just beside Grand Central. It's a bar that serves up a great steak. Can't remember the name of the street. It's the street to the west of Grand Central... begins with a "V". When you exit Grand Central you'll see it right across the road.

2. Blue Smoke down around 24th and Lexington. It's a great BBQ restaurant. Great rib racks, steaks and a smoked chicken that falls off the bone and melts in your mouth... mmmm.

Fabio

Hopping on the subway and exploring it that way is the way to go really.

AlexK

Yes totally agree RE subway... you cant beat it especially for just the real "new york" feel (if you know what I mean!)

The New York Day pass is good value I find. You can get the 1, 2, 3 or 7 day passes to save you trying to rush everything in in a day.

You mentioned Blue Smoke on Lexington... I love this place I got the ribs there! The Jazz music is great also on top!

Coolio

Was in NY for Paddy's Day 2008, amazing city!

Having been around the world, it's one of only a few cities I'm definitely returning to.

Century 21 is the place for shopping if you have a good nose for rooting just like TK MAxx really except bigger and better.

The Rockefeller Centre at night is brilliant for the views.

We stayed at the Red Roof Inn just off Herald Sq near Macy's and Empire State Building. Great little hotel, rooms small but very clean and modern, good breakfast grub available although the breakfast room was very small for the number of people trying to use it.

We hired a car a JFK and went upstate to Ithaca, and lots of other small towns. Highlight was the visit to the 'People's Republic of Rongovia' bar to watch an Irish-Canadian band play. Don't think they get too many tourists around those parts! Very friendly and a great break from the frantic pace of nyc.

New York Delis are a real food highlight, proper bread (not fake French baguettes), tons of fillings and a great buzz.

Paddys Day is mental if you're Irish or a wanna-be. Queues outside some bars from very early on, if I was going again I'd head out to the Bronx where there's prob a more real Irish celebration of the day going on.

Poutbutton

Was there at the beginning of March last year best week ever loved the place stayed on west 47th & 7th so right on Times Square in the thick of everything did all the usual stuff central park rockafella centre radio city bryant park etc ice rinks everywhere! only one of our group wanted to see the top of the Empire State she ran up and did it early in the morning and came back to say she should'nt have bothered really
we got the subway on a sunday morning to battery park to go do Ellis & Liberty Islands the subway stops only allow for people to alight from the first so many carriages at the station so we naturally did'nt know this and got on way down the track in Manhattan some body was kind enogh to warn us & as we had a trip booked at a certain time the other end it meant the gang of us had to do this totally illegal Bond like race bursting through into all the carriages to make it to the top ones, mental but fun!
Ellis Island was so worth the trip it was like a "Welcome to NY you are really here" trip.
The shopping goes without saying where ever you choose to splash the cash it's bargains and treats galore.
I loved going upstate out of the city too the scenery and towns all covered in snow and ice.
I loved the Guggenhiem and the New York city Library was an amazing building.
I will definately go back I would love to live there for a year or so.