traveling alone/nyc 1st time

I am traveling to New York by myself the last of March/1st of April. I am wondering which airport is the best to fly into? Also, I am thinking about using Priceline for my hotel, midtown. Anyone have any thoughts on priceline? I also am wondering is it safe to go to SoHo, the Village, and Canal street alone? I would also love to see the city on the trolly, is that a good way? Please, anyone with ideas and suggestions would be great. Oh, by the way I am female. Thanks

traveling alone/nyc 1st time

Dear Debra,

I am a 25-year-old male from Chicago who, a couple of years ago, went to New York City alone - traveling via Amtrak. I spent 4 nights in the city and did very well. I would highly recommend the hotel I stayed at, the Skyline, which was on 50th and 10th - only it seems to have dipped a bit in service, if you read the reviews of it on tripadvisor. It%26#39;s too bad if this is true, because I thought it was a really sweet hotel in a fine location. It has a pool on the very top floor with stunning views of the city - day or night.

If you are going to do something like priceline, I would do hotwire instead. At least you get a better idea of what the hotel offers and some sites offer lists of what amenities/descriptions on hotwire match up with what hotels. A NY list for hotwire is here:

www.betterbidding.com/index.php鈥?/a>

As long as you keep to more well-populated areas in Midtown/lower and some of upper Manhattan, you should be good. The first day I was in the city, I did a 9-hour walk from midtown to Battery Park at the tip to Wall St all the way back up to Midtown and then up to Central Park/Upper West Side and back, stopping at attractions along the way.

Sorry I don%26#39;t know about airports. If you need any help or have questions, please email me at dvdmovie1@aol.com

traveling alone/nyc 1st time

Also, I do *like* priceline, but if you%26#39;re unfamiliar with the city and want to do something like that, I would go with hotwire instead.

My opinion%26#39;s a bit different. Personally, though the Skyline looks terrific, it%26#39;s not the most convenient for public transport... just a bit too far west.

I would highly recommend you go with Priceline -- but limit your bidding to the top-star hotels in Midtown West, Central Park South and Upper West Side. All of the top-star properties are wonderful, so you cannot go wrong. Figure what you%26#39;d spend on a budget place like the Skyline, and that%26#39;s what your bid should be. I keep seeing so many people who%26#39;ve gotten top hotels for around $125-$150.

If you have a choice, the nearest airport is LaGuardia (LGA). JFK and EWR (Newark) are about equal. For info on airport transfers, go to the Port Authority%26#39;s site, www.panynj.gov -- they operate the airports. I%26#39;d advise against using Super Shuttle, they%26#39;re completely unreliable!

Also try to book a visit with a Big Apple Greeter -- www.bigapplegreeter.org -- we are an organization of 300+ volunteers who show off our neighborhoods for FREE. It%26#39;s a great way for you to get oriented to the geography and the public transport system. I%26#39;m a Greeter, as are many who lurk on this forum!

Once you%26#39;ve got your flights and hotel set, you will want to buy theater tickets in advance for at least one show. Start by looking at all the discounts available on www.broadwaybox.com.

New York is the safest big city in the country -- you will be very comfortable walking around and exploring on your own.