[temple2101]

Going to be in NYC the end of this month for training. I'll be there for 4 nights and have class from 9-5 each day. Wondering if anyone has some suggestions on what to do at night? I'm staying right in Times Square and have only been to NYC once before almost 15 years ago.

I'm more of the sightseeing type so I'm not necessarily looking for clubs/bars to go to. Wondering if there would be some good (safe) walks from the hotel that would take me past some neat places? Or other ideas? Just looking for opinions so I don't just hole up in my room the whole week! Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

-Joe

 

[nvladik]

5th Avenue walk, up to Central Park is one of my favorites, stop by Rockefeller Center and St. Patrick's Cathedral.

I hear there are some night time walking tours.

Brooklyn Bridge - view are great, take a subway to City Hall.

 

[GraphicGr8s]

Bring mugging money.

 

[nvladik]

Ohh come on, I've done these walks at night when I was 16. Just look mean.

 

[Wicket_lfe]

TS and Rockefeller Center are way too busy for you to get mugged, but pick pocketed maybe.

You can walk down 9th ave and see all the restaurants and bars. Not too much to see at night in terms of sightseeing.

 

[Option]

If you're looking for a good lounge/nightclub....230 Fifth Avenue. Greatest rooftop club in the world!!!!!!

 

[Shangrila]

Bring mugging money.

Why does everyone think NYC is so dangerous? It might have been in the 70's and during the 1980's crack epidemic, but now its great. I've lived here for 46 years and never have I felt afraid.

 

[mistergreen]

Graphic still lives in the 70's and 80's. I walk around NYC at night all the time, recently last July. It has the lowest crime rate for a big city in the country.

I stayed in Time Square as well. Catch a broadway show. They are pretty expensive though so I wouldn't do it every night. Check out the Toys R Us on time square. It depends what your interests are, you can find whatever. The museums are pretty cool.
The food is pretty amazing. You can find places to eat around the city.

 

[Shangrila]

You can live a lifetime and probably never see and do it all. I like the New York City Fire Museum at 278 Spring St. they have an awesome 9/11 memorial. Empire State building, South Street Seaport has nice views at night. Hit up Chinatown and Little Italy. Most of all check out acitydwellers list of LFS in NYC and visit them. Millions of things to do and see.

 

[gordonrichards]

Don't keep your wallet in your pocket if you're planning on going somewhere busy.
Interior jacket pocket, and don't walk around with a stupid huge wallet packed with cards.

Its cold so bring a warm jacket/hat/gloves. Better to be warm than cold while walking at night. Tons of food near you, I like http://www.rubyfoos.com/ tourist trap prices so its expensive. Peking duck isn't terrible there but its better/cheaper down in Chinatown.

Cabs are cheap, subway is cheaper. If you don't want to think about where you are going and have a few bucks just throw down for a cab.

Stay an extra day if you can switch your flights, catch some things during the day.
Not sure the hours but check these places out below:

Museum of modern art
Natural History Museum
Guggenheim
Central Park (Run down here in the morning)
China Town/Little Italy for food.
St.John Cathedral. Any of the older churches.

So many tourist traps though. Get some culture while you're here.

Post in the local New York forum.
100% certain you can find someone chill enough to show you around for a night or two in the local forum!

 

[temple2101]

Thanks everyone for the great ideas and tips, much appreciated! Really looking forward to the trip. I was only 15 the last time I was there and really don't remember much. Love the fact that I can come on TPT and get the info I need even when it has nothing to do with a tank!

 

[jake10]

Eat out at etaly (not sure if I spelled that right). It's a cool italian market/ restaurant. I went just as a tourist, I live in upstate ny.

 

[Monster Fish]

Wander around St. Marks then head uptown to 53rd and 6th Ave to get chicken and rice.

 

[Aside]

I recommend you catch at least one show, especially if you are staying in time square. They can be pricey but it is possible to see a show for less, just avoid the big popular shows of the moment such as Book of Mormon. The TKTS booth is right there with lower price tickets for musicals and even lower prices for plays. I'm a bit of a theater nerd so I'm kind of bias.

I'd also recommend the Met but they close at 5:30 so I'm not sure that will be possible for you. I think the Natural History museum might be open later but I'm not entirely sure.

As for food, I've found that it is actually fairly difficult to have a bad meal in New York. If it isn't good it won't stay open long because the rent is too high and the competition too steep. So if a place looks like it's been around for a while chances are it's good. Stay away from chains, NYC has too many quality restaurants to eat at an Olive Garden.

Honestly, one of my favorite things to do is just walk around the city. Be mindful of your surroundings but you don't need to be paranoid. NYC isn't nearly the crime center the media seems to like to make it out to be. As an eighteen year old girl I have never felt unsafe walking around or taking the subway at night.

Also, take the subway if you can, or walk. Dress warmly but the weather shouldn't be too brutal. Taxi's are expensive and generally unnecessary though if you are in a rush they will get you where you want to go. They all also now take credit card so don't fret if you don't have cash and need to get somewhere.

 

[houseofcards]

As some others have mentioned NYC is extremely safe these days. The parks have all been cleaned up and are really nice. If your staying in Times Square your golden. Just walk out the door and follow the crowds they'll be there all night long. It's fun just hanging out in Times Square and seeing what's going on. Right in the center of Times Square you can stop by TKTS for discount theater tickets the night of the shows or just walk around. From Times Square you can walk uptown and go to Rockefeller Center and go up to the 'Top Of The Rock' and get a great view of your next stop Central Park.

 

[GraphicGr8s]

Graphic still lives in the 70's and 80's. I walk around NYC at night all the time, recently last July. It has the lowest crime rate for a big city in the country.

I stayed in Time Square as well. Catch a broadway show. They are pretty expensive though so I wouldn't do it every night. Check out the Toys R Us on time square. It depends what your interests are, you can find whatever. The museums are pretty cool.
The food is pretty amazing. You can find places to eat around the city.

Not really. I was born and raised right outside of NYC in Yonkers. Did a lot of driving in NYC for work. Spent a lot of time in the printing district. (yeah back then they had a whole area where all the large print shops were and I did prepress repair) Also was in WTC everyday. Harlem too. Harlem is the one place I felt safest back then. After we moved here I went back to NYC every few months to get electronic parts.
Now I just go back once a year and only hit Little Italy in the Bronx. Gotta get that real Italian bread after all. And the prosciutto. Gotta have prosciutto.

Whatever you do don't keep your cash in your wallet.

Bring mugging money.

 

[aokashi]

Why does everyone sound so paranoid? :3 I haven't heard of a mugging incident happen to anyone around me within the past 5 years...

 

[houseofcards]

Why does everyone sound so paranoid? :3 I haven't heard of a mugging incident happen to anyone around me within the past 5 years...

It's not everyone it seems to be pretty much one person. NYC is one of the safest cities on record right now. It was totally cleaned up with the Guiliani and Bloomberg admins. The days of drugs in the parks and endless strip joints around 42nd st and times square went out with the dinosaurs.

Not sure what Yonkers and prosciutto have to do with mugging. Yonkers isn't even in NYC it's in Westchester, but whatever. To the OP go and have fun and relax. Would I walk around with wads of cash in my back pocket, probably not, but I wouldn't do that in Pleasantville USA either. NYC has some of the lowest theft rates of any city.

 

[acitydweller]

Lol, everyone who doesn't spend time in the city is afraid of getting mugged or robbed. Our local hobbyists commonly get together at odd hours to hang out and make spontaneous trips so I can't say its entirely dangerous, especially when we're a bunch of geeks carrying bags of water with weeds. Lol

If you are a foodie, I'd recommend checking out greenwich village and walking down towards little italy. Plenty of boutiques to see, cafes to rest your weary legs and some history. You can walk on the original cobblestone streets which used to cover all of manhattan. Lots of interesting places to walk to on the island. Each part of town would take an hour or so to cover. For safety reasons, I would suggest not spending too much time late night in the lower east side. The crazies come out after dark and there's not much to sitesee there anyways.

 

[mistergreen]

Speaking of which, you don't even need to carry cash anyway. Cabs take credit cards even.

Are some part of town still feeling the effects of Sandy?
I used to live in the East village and Williamsburg Brooklyn so I like to hang out there. Union square is also a favorite of mine.

Ps. I've never been mugged or pick pocketed the years I lived there. I worked late and would walk home at night all the time.

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