New York City Things to Do Tips by jo104

South Seaport Pier 17 South Street Seaport (Pier 17) Review

Pier 17 is a busy tourist attraction created from an old fish market. There are plenty of restaurants & a mall selling somewhat kitsch stuff. The views of Brooklyn bridge are quite spectacular and when we went there was an art installation of waterfalls which has been funded by the public art fund, the tallest waterfall being as large as the statue of liberty. All the electricity used to display this project is offset against green renewable energy. Unfortunately this display only ran up to October 13.

The south seaport is where locals go for discounted tickets instead of the touristy half price ticket booth at time square.

Address: 19 Fulton Street, Second FloorNew York, NY 10038

Top of the Rock Top of the Rock Review

If you have to decide between visiting the Empire state building or Top of the Rock I would personally say this is the better choice. My reasoning behind this is not only that it costs half the price, has a larger viewing platform but also that being 70 stories high it affordsa you the opportunity to have access to a much better skyline as well as view the iconic ESB as it is directly in front a few blocks away.

We timed it so that we would arrive at just before sunset, if you know an exact time you'll be there you can pre-book online with a discount or book ahead at the ticket office they will give you the time slot. We received a $2 off coupon just outside the rockefeller center which was handy & bought the price down to $18. You can stay as long as you like, tripods are not really allowed but you may be able to sneak in a small one. The view is 360 degrees panoramic with good views of central park.

Address: 30 Rockefeller Plaza, Manhattan

Directions: Rockefeller Center on top of 30 Rockefeller Plaza. TOP OF THE ROCK has an exclusive entrance on West 50th Street, between fifth and 6th Avenues, which leads directly to the ticket counter.

Phone: 212-698-2000

Whats it like on Broadway Broadway Shows and Theatre District Review

I am a huge fan of the theatre & have been able to see a lot of shows in London with my good friend Superhanny so when Rhoda announced she had managed to get us tickets to see a show on Broadway I was made up. Lets just say that tickets are not cheap especially when they add on booking fees & taxes so best use a discount ticket booth or better still www.playbill.com or the like.

We went to see In the Heights which is set in Manhattan with the George Washington Bridge in the background scenary. It is an electric dance & song routine that will have you jiving in your seat. The theatre is also fairly small so even the lowest price tickets in the gods will still give you a good view.

It has been playing in the Richard Rogers Theatre since February 2008 & I hope this original show will last a long time.

Broadway on the whole has some rather unusual plays I mean when I walked down the street I saw Shrek the broadway musical anything to make a buck I suppose. The vibe on Broadway is nothing like I've come across in London although to be honest I wouldn't swap London West End for Broadway anyday each has their own charm and place in this world.

Address: Broadway

Chrysler Building Chrysler Building Review

The Chrysler building still holds claim to being the tallest brick building in the world. This art deco building is quite fascinating & definetly worth a peek inside the lobby. Its architecture is based on the designs used on the Chrysler automobiles replicas of radiator caps & hood ornaments it has a destintive crown, The spire is modelled on a radiator grill. Inside the roof is decorated with paintings of planes the images are a bit faded but still visible. There is an observation platform on the 71st floor however this is no longer open to the public.

Address: 42nd street & Lexington Avenue

Flatiron Building Flatiron Building Review

When this building went up in 1902 it was considered to be one of the first skyscrapers a bit of a laugh by todays standards. It is a 21 storey limestone & glazed terra-cotta building nicknamed Burnhams Folly. It is extremely narrow 6 feet across is the narrowest point. The phrase 23 skidoo came from this area with ladies skirts blowing up in this particular area.

Address: 175 5th Avenue

Directions: Take the R/N to 23rd Street.

Roosevelt Island Roosevelt Island Review

I was recomended to take the tram ride across to Roosevelt Island which only cost the same as a single subway journey & you can use your metro card. I took some great pics as we whizzed over the streets of Manhattan.

This island was formerly known as the Welfare Island & before that Blackwell Island. In 1832 a state penitentiary was built there and the New York Lunatic Asylum today it stands as the Octagon tower. So Roosevelt island became the place to send New York's mentally ill, extremely sick (smallpox) and the criminals. The Lunatic Asylum was overcrowded with some 1,700 patients and it was later uncovered that patients were abused. Mae West was a famous patient here.

In 1856 the Smallpox Hospital was opened. In 1973 apartment housing was established & people and it is obviously chaper for people to live here then on the mainland.

The gothic style lighthouse was erected in 1872 but is no longer used.

Directions: Roosevelt Island

Time Square Times Square Review

On New Years day this may be the best place to bump into a tourist cause way before the midnight ball drops there are 100 of 1000's of people packed into time square in the freezing cold.

Time Square is the major junction of Broadway & 7th Avenue and a dazzle of LED lights, people selling discounted tickets for broadway & a road full of hungry taxi drivers waiting for the unsuspecting tourist to leave the theatre.

The half price theatre ticket booth is just off time square although locals tend to use the discount booth at South Seaport.

Be wary of pick pockets as where there are hoardes of people there crime and a dirty water dog on every corner.

Directions: 42nd Street, Brodway & 7th avenue

Grand Central Terminal Grand Central Terminal Review

This station is a fascinating piece of architecture & well worth a visit it is huge. In the main hall look up at the barrel-vaulted ceiling which depicts the winter sky displaying 2500 stars a view as God would have seen them, the signs of the zodiac appear on the blue ceiling. The corridors are marbled and in there is a food hall inside with a huge selection of eateries including the reknown Grand Central Oyster Bar. The municipal Arts Society run free tours of Grand Central (well a suggested donation of $10) the tours are wednesday at 12.30pm.

Address: 42nd St & Park Ave.

Website: http://www.grandcentralterminal.com

New York Stock Exchange Wall Street Review

This is where about a billion of shares are traded each day. The building is in a neoclassical style with Corinthian columns. Due to security issues the general public are not allowed on the trading floor however you can get an idea of what its like from many films. I was in NYC during a particular bad time for America's economy so needless to say not too many happy faces in Wall street.

Federal Hall is just opposite with a statue of Washington outside as he was inaugurated there. The building is now a museum dedicated to postcolonial New York.

Address: 8 Broad Street

Website: http://www.nyse.com

Trinity Church Churches Review

This church definetly looks out of place casting a shadow over wall street. The third model of this neo-Gothic church was erected in 1846 and for the subsequent fifty years it was the tallest building in NYC which just shows how Manhattan has sprung up in a realitively short time.

There are free guided tours of this church at 2pm daily, the graveyard & outside of the building are more spectacular then the inside.

Directions: western end of broadway

Phone: 1-(212) 684-6770

Website: http://www.trinitywallstreet.org