Everyone researches their holidays but how much research you do depends on you. I have friends who swear by the ‘buy a flight then land and explore’ method of travel but the longer this year goes on the more I realise that I am much happier to know that my accommodation and all forms of travel are booked well in advance and I have a list of activities I’d like to do in each place already written down. Which is not to say that my plans are set in stone but it is undoubtedly cheaper the earlier one buys train and plane tickets and options for hotels etc are far greater if things aren’t left til the last moment. Plus I enjoy the peace of mind that comes from knowing nothing needs to be organised in a hurry.
Of course where you’re going can dictate how early everything needs to be organised and our next stop after the UK is New York. We found some cheap airbnb rooms (one for a week in Greenwich and one for a week in Brooklyn Heights) ages ago. Now we’re making a list of what to do while we’re there.
Seems we’ve struck gold in terms of our Greenwich booking – the Halloween parade is on the second night we’re there. Apart from that we’ve started a list of food we want to try and a few galleries but otherwise I’d love some advice. So recommendations please!
Here Comes The Planet 
The Met (museum of art), American Museum of Natural History, the Hayden Planetarium (Niel DeGrasse Tyson is the current director, squee!), the lions outside the Public Library are photo worthy, the NY Hall of Science is in Queens, haven’t been but I’ve heard mixed reviews. the NY Aquarium is nice. Then for historic/park/touristy stuff there’s Battery Park, Empire State Building, the new World Trade Center, Prospect Park, Central Park, Corona Park, Coney Island, Times Square…. there’s just so much to do there… Statue Of Liberty, Ellis Island….
Ooh, I’ve never been to a planetarium. Will add your suggestions to the list. Any tips for food?
Williamsburg Pizza is supposed to be cheap and good. The problem with NYC is food can be insanely expensive, but there’s food to meet any type of food you could want. I’d suggest hitting Yelp and just finding stuff not too far from where you’re at and sort it by price so your budget isn’t shot.
If you’re not over shopping, apparently the biggest outlet mall in the states is about 90mins away – half way to Boston 🙂
Hrm.. ‘over shopping’… can’t see it happening;). Plus I was thinking of going to Boston anyway. Thanks for the tip!
I just wrote a messive response then lost it 😦 typing comments on the tablet sucks. I will come back to this after the weekend.
You’d better! *shakes fist*
Take 2.
All new york pizza was good. I did not have any bad pizza from a slice store. Actually, the most disappointing pizza experience was probably the one place that was recommended – Grimaldi’s in brooklyn. I think it was just over-hyped and expensive and we had to wait outside in a line in the freezing cold. Motorino in east village was tasty.
Explore the bars in east village.
Go to central park. You can easily spend a day there wandering. Don’t pat the squirrels.
Go up Empire State after midnight. They are open til 2am. The queues are generally non-existent later.
Eat a hot dog.
MOMA was great. The Museum of Sex was pretty interesting too.
Walk across the Brooklyn bridge.
Go to MnMs world in Times Square.
Catch the free ferry to Staten Island. I don’t actually know what there is to do there – maybe you could research it beforehand as we didn’t see anything obviously interesting when we got there. But the free ferry gives a great view of the city, plus you go by the Statue of Liberty – why bother taking a paid boat tour when you can ferry cruise for free (and the people spotting is more interesting).
Don’t go see a musical, because you don’t like them. But if you do, go see Once. It’s a really cute love story with all original irish folky rock songs and the cast play their own instruments on stage and the set is a bar, that they turn into a real bar at intermission.
We will do ALL THE THINGS! That musical does sound pretty good…. for a musical. If Luke is desperate to tick that box we’ll go there.
Excellent suggestions, thanks!
I was reading an aeroplane mag article about new york this week and saw the following suggestions for good skyline views:
Hotel Metro
Rose Bar – Gramercy Park Hotel
Salon de Ning – Penninsula Hotel
High Line Public Park
Oh, I’ve seen lots of pictures of the High Line. Will check out the rest for some sweet night time photos!
I’m afraid I will simply be looking to your blog for advice as I am heading to the states for the first time in January. Although a friend made me watch a show called man vs food witch has some unique eating experiences on it… best of luck and enjoying the blog 🙂
Ha, we’re using that as a reference for New Orleans particularly! Definitely visiting Katz’s Deli in NYC. Shame our longest work holidays are during the coldest part of their winter.. still, it’ll be super pretty:)
I do heaps of reading and research before I go – I like having an idea of what my options are. But usually, I just wing it when I get there, based on a combination of research, tips, and how I like each place I end up in. In Asia I have never booked anything apart from my first night, and after that just turned up at places to stay. Sri Lanka is a bit more pricey for accommodation ($15-20 in some cases…ok ok that’s cheap, but its not the $6 beach huts I’m used to!) so I’ve been booking places, if only a couple of days in advance.
And aaaaah New York..I went there as a kid but would love to go back!