Advice on 3 night trip to New york?

InTheTrees

As far as being a tourist in the USA Thanksgiving is about the worst time you could go. If you're visiting family then its okay. Thanksgiving is Family Time in the USA. It always occurs on thursday, so they also take friday off too, which means its also a longer holiday than Christmas (Americans only take dec25th off). The day before thanksgiving is considered to be the busiest travel day of the year in the USA. The weekend afterwards is usually the second busiest travel time of the year. Everyone is focused on going somewhere else. Hotels are full, service is bad, places are closed, everything is disrupted. If you're visiting family and you'll be staying in one place for the entire week then its a good time to visit. Its a terrible time to be a tourist. Are you sure your friends in yonkers are going to be there?

The only possible plus to going at that time would be the Sales that start the day after thanksgiving. But those sales are still on the week after thanksgiving.

Why not go the week after instead of the week before? Thats also when the christmas lights go up and the big sales would still be on. Much better time.

tus.maith

Don't agree with previous post about Thanksgiving not being a suitable time to visit New York. 2 out of my 5 trips to New York have been at Thanksgiving and they have been excellent. It is busier travel wise, but then it's always busy in New York.

There's a fantastic atmosphere the night before Thanksgiving when all the huge balloons for the Macy's Parade are being prepared. There's great colour around the city. Then of course you have the sales the following day. A previous poster mentioned staying in Yonkers, which is a short car drive from some huge malls. I went to the Pallasaides Mall last Thanksgiving evening. Most shops opened at 7pm with entire stores at 50% off.

Some of my favourite attractions that I always do are:
Top of the Rock (at night)
Empire State (during the day)
Open Top bus tour (day and night)
9/11 Memorial
Cycle around Central Park (surprisingly one of my favourite mornings)
Times Square
Chinatown
Intrepid Museum
Madam Tussauds

ladiee24

InTheTrees wrote: »

Are you sure your friends in yonkers are going to be there?

Yes I am thanks for that non insightful question! I have discussed the time of year I plan on staying with my friends

i did say in my original post i was considering the week after as well however thanks for the other feedback. but seeing as it's my birthday i'd like to go as close to it as possible.

InTheTrees

ladiee24 wrote: »

Yes I am thanks for that non insightful question! I have discussed the time of year I plan on staying with my friends

Well you said you'd "probably" be staying with friends in Yonkers. That's not certain at all so I was just asking...

But as long as you're sure their thanksgiving plans are set then you're good.

purple cow

Hi,

Going to NYC for 3 nights in March.

Has anyone used a car service (Allstate, Dial 7, or similar) to get from JFK to Manhattan?

Thinking it would be a nice way to start the weekend rather than taking the subway.

Price quoted is $51-53 plus gratuity and tolls.

Thanks,
Mark

nudger

Was hoping to do the same myself, didn't happen, more fool me.

Got a nice new taxi, with tolles, $58, + tip, nice guy, gave him $70.

Think the toll is around $6.50.

On the way back had a town car, booked by the hotel, he asked for less but got the $70.

Ask your hotel to recommend a car, also good to be in touch with them.

Ponster

purple cow wrote: »

(Allstate, Dial 7, or similar)

I've used Dial 7 and Eastern Car Service a couple of times with no probmels but as it's a fixed fare to JFK I generally just jump in a yellow cab.