Quick Trip Report

Just back from a whirlwind 72 hrs in NYC. As someone who%26#39;s visited several times I didn%26#39;t do too much of the sight-seeing stuff - but just wanted to put a few quick ';name and praises'; up!

We stayed at The Intercontinental The Barclay - very good hotel and great location (only a couple of blocks from Grand Central Station).

If there are 2 of you, or you%26#39;re travelling alone, and coming in to JFK I would recommend the bus service from the airport to Manhatten. $15 each (one way) direct to Grand Central and then on to Port Authority, with complimentary onward bus to major mid-town hotels. (We got off at Grand Central and made the 5 min walk to our hotel). Buses depart outside each terminal, and arrive every 10 mins. Journey takes almost an hour, but good views and a reliable service! 3 or more of you and take a yellow cab/limo for the same price as 3 bus tickets.

(On the subject of JFK - prepare for a LONG wait at passport control. It took us an hour to get through, and the hall is unbearably hot. I know it%26#39;s for good reason - but very frustrating when only half the booths are open and there are two plane loads of passengers waiting! Just grin and bear it.)

I know there%26#39;s often a debate about visiting Ground Zero on here, but I would personally recomment visiting to pay your respects. I was very touched by the quiet dignity of it all, and no hawkers or souvenir sellers there when we visited.

Shopping - recommend all the usual suspects (especially to Brits with the strong pound!) - Macy%26#39;s, Century 21, Bloomingdale%26#39;s. Strolling up and down and Street or Ave will yield all sorts of goodies!

Highly recommend South Street Seaport, one of the few areas of Manhatten I hadn%26#39;t visited before! Went early morning, almost deserted, but beautiful sunshiney day - and managed breakfast and hot chocolate outside overlooking the water and fab views of Brooklyn Bridge - quite an achievement for a February morning!

Food - had a great meal at Carmine%26#39;s, and a not so great one at Ellen%26#39;s Stardust Diner (had seen it recommended here -sounded like fun!). The latter would be great I imagine with kids, or it you are actually seeking a tacky, touristy experience! Food not great - but lots of it! Other than those we just stopped when we found the need at little local places, and a few chains - there%26#39;s no shortage of places to eat in NYC!

Finally - I would say use these boards to plan your trip (the advice is amazing!) but don%26#39;t feel that you need an itinerary mapped out before you arrive! I%26#39;ve always found that the best thing to do is grab a street map and walk the city. New York is the most diverse city in the world - and I have to say feels safer every time I go. So don%26#39;t worry about sticking to the beaten path - get off it once in a while and you%26#39;ll find the real gems!!

Happy Travelling xx

Quick Trip Report

What a marvellous, well-written travelogue. Thank you.

Quick Trip Report

Excellent report, Ski. Did you take advantage of the 11% shopping discount offered to foreign visitors by the department stores? If so, perhaps you%26#39;d lay out some of the details of how to get it for those whose trips are still in the planning stages. Is there some sort of card you pick up? If so, where? Is it available in most stores or only the larger department stores? Thanks for an excellent report.

Great report, we arrive at same hotel tomorrow and had planned to pick up a cab at the airport but now think we should get the bus as you did. Did you pre book or just turn up? If the latter what is the name of the company. Also did you use the same means to get back to JFK? Thanks in advance.

Really good report, March 24th will not come soon enough for me. The only problem with the great reviews on this site is that it makes you want to be there right now!!!!!!!

Thanks for the great report, Skidoodles, and for sharing the best strategy for seeing New York, namely, get off the beaten path.

I have to ask how you managed at Carmine%26#39;s with only two of you! It%26#39;s one of my gang%26#39;s favorites, and we get there pretty frequently, but NEVER with fewer than 5-6 people.

(Know what you mean about Ellen%26#39;s, it%26#39;s really a place for kids.)

N55ras - sorry - think you%26#39;ve probably already set off, but only just checked back. If you haven%26#39;t - just pick the shuttle bus up outside any of the terminals at JFK. There will be a man shouting ';New York City Bus'; - just grab him and pay him your $15!! The Barclay is only a 5 minute walk from where the bus drops you at Grand Central Station - but if you%26#39;re not comfortable walking before you have your bearings it%26#39;s an $8 - $10 cab fare.

Ruffian42 - good idea! To take advantage of the best shopping deals for tourists (and I did!) you need to take your passport to Customer Services at Macy%26#39;s, who then give you a discount card. The card is good for all purchases except cosmetics, rugs and furniture (!), and saves you 11% - even on sale items! Other stores have different offers. The best place to find out about them is in the NYC tourist magazines in your hotel room. I know that Bloomie%26#39;s had a free umbrella or tote for foreign visitors who spent over $100 - you just had to take in the coupon.

Bettina - I felt soooooo guilty at Carmine%26#39;s - all that wasted food! We%26#39;d been advised (both here and from friend%26#39;s in NYC) that the food was fantastic, and we knew it was more suited to large groups - but we really wanted to experience it! We ordered the smallest things we could - but it would have fed us for a week! We%26#39;ll definitely hire a rent-a-crowd next time - I was almost tempted to drag people off the streets to come help us eat it all!

Sx

Skidoodles, just let me know any time you need seat fillers for Carmine%26#39;s!!! One time I was there with a group of around 7 or 8, and there was a couple seated near us. Poor dears looked around and obviously knew they were in the wrong place. I went over and had them join our group and we all had a great time. We didn%26#39;t even need to order extra food! (Not the place to go for a romantic dinner for two!)

Just back today, thanks for the recommendations re: the bus service. So easy to find and use. As you suggested we walked from Grand Central to the hotel. (We loved the Intercontinental The Barclay as much as you did)

One tip ...on the same block as the hotel (just up the hill towards Park, there is a door marked Grand Central. Down the escalator and there is a spotlessly clean marble tunnel which takes you right into Grand Central Terminal. It saves quite a bit of time on the journey to and from the bus. (we used this when we had the luggage with us but walked Lexington to see the city at other times)

This entrance is only open Monday to Friday until around 9.30 pm but it proved a great way of getting to the Airport bus and it saved the toes and shins of New Yorkers who might otherwise have come into contact with me and my suitcase!!