New York City Things to Do Tips by spgood301

There's so much to Times Square-shopping, restaurants, TV studios, New Years Eve, and people...lots of people. It wasn't that long ago that Times Square wasn't a safe place to be, especially for families. That's changed in the last 10 years.

One thing to watch out for: sidewalk vendors are all over the place, making a place that's never easy to navigate, even tougher. They take up lots of space on the sidewalks, selling just about anything: handbags, videos, etc...and they all "fell off the back of the truck".

Still, you haven't seen NYC without a visit to Times Square

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Directions: 42nd Street, Brodway & 7th avenue

A scene from Times Square, New Year's Day. Think there was some sort of party there last night?

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Directions: 42nd Street, Brodway & 7th avenue

Grand Central is a place I've passed through thousands of times. Sometimes, when scurrying to and from work, we sometimes forget what a work of art GCT is. Check out the beautiful ceiling, which has laser light shows.

The main terminal is for commuter trains to the northern suburbs. There's a subway station underneath.

GCT is also a great place to meet people, espcially around the ticket kiosk. If you plan to meet someone while in New York, you may have them come to Grand Central. I've done it a couple of times...yeah, okay, they were blind dates-GCT can be romantic too ;-)

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Address: 42nd St & Park Ave.
Directions: The 4, 5, 6, & 7 subway lines go through GCT, along with the Times Square Shuttle (S line)

Something brand new & special for your New York holiday. Top of The Rock is the newly renovated observation deck in Rockefeller Center, 70 stories above the city. You don't have to look over a fence or wall to see the city. Instead, how about a 360 degree, panoramic view of New York through fully transparent safety glass. A totally unobstructed view too. See the Empire State Building to the south, Central Park to the north, and everything else that makes New York so special. Hey, if you see me, wave - I promise I'll wave back :-)

Top of The Rock is open 365 days a year, 8:30am to midnight. It's been 20 years since we've been able to see the city from the top of Rockefeller Center. This is brand new, and you know it's got to be special.

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Phone: 1-877-692-7625
Address: 30 Rockefeller Center, 70th floor
Directions: B,D,F,V Subways to 47-50th Sts, Rockefeller CenterNot sure on the busses right now. :(
Website: www.topoftherocknyc.com

Rockefeller Center extends to 6th Avenue, including Radio City Music Hall, and several buildings across the street including CNN & Fox News. They can be reached above ground or through underground tunnels.

A few buildings on 6th Avenue have outdoor fountains that you can sit by. This one is right next to CNN's studio. Here's a hint: if you're in town with your sweetie, or if you meet one while you're here, take a walk down 6th Ave at night-it's quite romantic. Hey, if it worked for me...;-)

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Address: 47th-51st Streets and between 5th and 6th Avenues.
Directions: B,D,F,V Subways to 47-50th Sts, Rockefeller CenterNot sure on the busses right now. :(

Rockefeller Center on New Year's Day-the day was beautiful, and the tree was still up. There's plenty of shopping, including downstairs-indoors when the weather's bad. There's many restaurants too, and don't forget your iceskates in winter.

Warning: it gets VERY crowded during Christmas season, as you may expect.

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Address: 47th-51st Streets and between 5th and 6th Avenues.
Directions: B,D,F,V Subways to 47-50th Sts, Rockefeller CenterNot sure on the busses right now. :(

One of the most famous theaters in the world, Radio City is most famous for it's annual Christmas show. It also hosts shows, concerts, etc all through the year. There's something about seeing a show at Radio City-it's special.

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Address: 6th Ave & 50th St
Directions: B,D,F,V Subways to 47-50th Sts, Rockefeller CenterNot sure on the busses right now. :(

What else can one say about the Empire State Building? Nooooot much, so my one tip is about navigating the city. When in midtown, I've often used this iconic building to judge where I was in the city, especially when coming out of a subway station.

Going to the top of the ESB is just one of those things you gotta do in NYC, especially if it's your first visit. It's open from 8am - 12 midnight. You can purchase tickets in advance, on line, by going to the website listed below.

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Phone: (212) 947-1360
Address: 350 5th Avenue, between 33rd and 34th Streets
Directions: 1, 2, 3 or 9 (Seventh Avenue Lines), A, C or E (Eighth Avenue Subway) to 34th Street/Penn Station.
Website: http://www.esbnyc.com/

The Chrysler Building was built around the same time as the Empire State Building; in fact, for a short period it was NY's tallest building. It's a little further uptown from the ESB, and is a beautiful building in it's own right. Along with the ESB, it owns NY's skyline.

Think for a second about the brave people who constructed these huge buildings, in the 1920's and 1930's. They did their work so far above the city. As someone who's incredibly afraid of heights, I must salute these people-without their hard work and talent, NY wouldn't be the city it is today.

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...well, it's this. Note the art deco print on the awning, leading into the ESB's lobby. There's a Heartland Brewery right there-very nice microbrewery. There also may still be a drug store too.

Look up from here, and you'll see this very tall building. You may recognize it.

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Phone: (212) 947-1360
Address: 350 5th Avenue
Directions: 1, 2, 3 or 9 (Seventh Avenue Lines), A, C or E (Eighth Avenue Subway) to 34th Street/Penn Station.
Website: http://www.esbnyc.com/