New York City trip planning

OP, this is too broad a question. Give us a few more details...

1. Have you been to NY before?

2. What neighborhoods are you most interested in visiting?

3. What type of things are you most interested in doing/seeing? (For example, if you want to see a lot of theatre and the major museums, folks probably wouldn't recommend Brooklyn neighborhoods or all the way downtown in the Financial District)

4. Give us an idea of your per night budget.

The Sherry-Netherland

I have a friend who stayed at the Lucerne and loved it.

R1 First of all, thank you for asking me for specifics.

1. This is my first trip to the city. 2. I wanted to stay in a neighborhood that is not too far from the theaters and museums, but not necessarily smack dab in the middle of the Time Square area. I want to see as much as I can of the city for the week that I'm staying there. 3. Between $150 - $300.

Any recommendations for things to do that most tourists wouldn't think about would be appreciated.

Elegant hotel on 6th Avenue. Short walk to Central Park, MOMA, Radio City Music Hall, Carnegie Hall and Times Square. Nice safe neighborhood.

Sneak back across the Rio Grande and let Mayor Adams pay for your hotel stay

R3 Hopefully the mattresses, carpeting . . .are all new and a thorough bleaching of everything has taken place. The Hotel Lucerne was home to the homeless in 2021.

R4 - I have a recommendation for you. It won't be on any 'best hotels in NY' list, but I was pleasantly surprised when I recently stayed there (and got a great deal via Priceline.) Your price point certainly won't get you any luxury hotel accommodations in NY, but, who cares? If you're there to sightsee, experience theatre, stroll through neighborhoods and take it all in (my personally favorite thing to do in the city), then you're good.

So, it's the Jewel Hotel. It's close to Radio City. So... close enough to theatre district and major museums, but far enough away from the grime, noise and crowds of Times Square (which you are right to be wary of.) Things I liked about The Jewel:

Relatively inexpensive for Manhattan, surprisingly large rooms, large (for NY hotel) fridge + mini kitchenette (I could store multiple soft drinks, waters, snacks etc.), heat up things etc., it was clean and it had an easy, quick check-in.

Again, not the fanciest 'destination' hotel, but I think it fits your bill nicely.

Out of curiosity, what's your on your theatre list?

There’s no need to spend money on a hotel OP.

Just bring a rolling suitcase and rely on the kindness of strangers.

R9 = whore

[quote]Any recommendations for things to do that most tourists wouldn't think about would be appreciated.

OP, sorry, I missed this last question earlier. Honestly, you will have PLENTY to do and see if you consult 'the usual' tourist lists. And there's nothing remotely wrong with doing all the bigguns -- Broadway and Off-Broadway theatre, opera/symphony/dance (if you're into that), checking out the comedy clubs (some big names will drop in at Comedy Cellar), walking through Central Park, doing the major museums like The Met and MOMA etc.

I will say, my single favorite thing to do in NY (aside from seeing some good theatre) is just walking around taking in all the different neighborhoods. Leave yourself enough time that you don't plan out every minute of every day. There's so many interesting neighborhoods and so much great architecture, it can be fascinating just taking a long stroll to check it out. And, in Manhattan, for the most part, with the grid system, the subway and Google maps it's pretty easy to wander without getting lost. As a Bay Area person, you're already familiar with public transport, so I wouldn't hesitate to get a short-term Metro card and take the subway where you can. Often, you'll get to your destination faster (and, of course, at considerably less expense) than Ubering everywhere. Save the Ubers for those times Google Maps is telling you you'll have to take 3-4 trains in one trip and experience delays.

And, since you mentioned theatre, beyond Broadway, depending upon the time of year, you can see some great Off-Broadway theatre (including from resident companies,) so check out comprehensive listings beyond what's playing on Broadway. If you're not too particular about where you're seated, there are discount tickets via the TKTS booth and via apps like TodayTix. You can also find discount codes and rush ticket policies on BroadwayBox. Most Broadway theatres are smaller than the large roadhouses those of us who live in burbs are used to.

The Subreddit for AskNYC is pretty friendly and responsive. A good spot to post questions when you have very specific asks. Like... you want to know what are NYers favorite patisseries or restaurants open after midnight in midtown or favorite smaller, lesser known museums etc.

Oh, if you can avoid flying into JFK (unless you're taking JetBlue and want to check out the adjoining TWA Hotel), then I think Newark and LaGuardia are easier airports to get to. And, nicer, too.

Wow, thank you all for your helpful responses. I thought my post would get ignored. I am taking your advice seriously. Both the Lucerne and the Jewel sound like fantastic hotels.

As for theater R8, I really don't know as I just started planning this trip. I am open to anything -, I just want to experience the theater scene. I'm also open to the ballet, dance, opera, concerts, and lectures/talks. I have a lot of time to plan, so I hadn't made those plans yet, since thought the best place to start would be where I'm staying.

Is there anything in New York City that any of you feel is a must have experience, or something to avoid because it's a big waste of time?

R1, R8, R11 You are awesome. I do plan to get a metro card and I also plan to do a lot of walking. I'm used to it here, and on monster hills too. Thanks again!

One show that should be on your list in Moulin Rouge.

OP, what kind of theatre are you most interested in? Or, if this is easier to answer, what are some of your favorite plays and musicals you've seen?

R8 What price did you pay for a room via Priceline? I used them once many years ago and got a great deal.

OP, if you have money to burn, the top hotels are supposed to be The St. Regis, The Pierre, Peninsula, Baccarat Hotel, Mandarin Oriental, Park Hyatt, Four Seasons and the Ritz Carlton on Central Park South.

What price would a budget hotel be these days?

The lobby of the Sherry Netherland Hotel / R2 looks quite nice. Only 50 hotel rooms and suites. The rest is apartments.

Hicks always stay at the "Y".

I live near The Lucerne. I walked by a couple days ago marveling how it once again is a hotel. In the depth of 2020, it certainly was a chaotic halfway house. What those guests will never know.

I stayed at the Vaberbilt YMCA a couple of times about 20 years ago. Location was great, I had a small single room and there were shared bathrooms/showers on every floor. The best part was free use of the sauna rooms in the gym. I got plenty of cock but of course you had to be discreet.

I don’t know what it’s like these days. Then the bathroom showers were communal both upstairs for the rooms and in the gym also. It was a great budget option in a safe area.