New York City tours, general advice

On Mon, 23 Jul 2007 10:21:05 +1000, Alan S wrote:

On Sun, 22 Jul 2007 16:51:58 +0100, "Keith Willshaw"
wrote:


"Icono Clast" wrote in message
...
I'm not one for taking tours but, some decades ago, a co-worker
threatened me with physical repercussions if I didn't take the Circle
Line Tour. I did and can recommended it without reservation. I think
it departs from Forty-second Street at the Hudson River.

Shawn Hirn wrote:

I'll second that , I took ut under protest during my last trip to NYC and
it was time and money well spent.

Keith


I'm watching this thread with interest because I'll be
visiting NYC for three days next April.

What was the advantage of the Circle Line Tour over using
the ferries? Serious question; I like the Staten Island
Ferry - and it's free - and I also intend going over the
Roosevelt Island Tramway (if it doesn't fall down again:-)
on my next visit.

What will I see on the Circle Line Tour that makes it
better?

Cheers, Alan, Australia

With only a few days in New York the Circle Line Tour
takes a goodly chunk of a day. It is pleasant to be
on the water in hot weather -- I once did it on a
blistering hot Fourth of July -- but with only 3 days
there are better ways to use your time. I'd do the
Staten Island Ferry and let it go at that for viewing
the city from the water. I honestly don't know why
some rave about it. I don't think, in answer to your
question, that you would see anything in particular
of great interest.

On Sun, 22 Jul 2007 16:51:58 +0100, "Keith Willshaw"
wrote:


"Icono Clast" wrote in message
. ..
I'm not one for taking tours but, some decades ago, a co-worker
threatened me with physical repercussions if I didn't take the Circle
Line Tour. I did and can recommended it without reservation. I think
it departs from Forty-second Street at the Hudson River.

Shawn Hirn wrote:

I'll second that , I took ut under protest during my last trip to NYC and
it was time and money well spent.

I've never taken it, but people whose opinion I respect have enjoyed
it a great deal. I also wonder what's so enjoyable about it.
--
Barbara Vaughan

My email address is my first initial followed by my last name at libero dot it.

In article ,
JimC wrote:

Shawn Hirn wrote:

In article ,
JimC wrote:


I'll be in NYC 3.5 days the first week in August and would appreciate
recommendations. Interests include historical and tourist sights,
theater, concerts, etc. We will be staying in the midtown area near
34th and 8th, which is near public transit, etc. - Since I don't get to
NYC very often, it seems to me that taking a city tour would be a good
way to get oriented and get a taste of a number of areas and attractions
before setting out by subway, bus, and foot. - Does anyone have
recommendations regarding bus tours that they have enjoyed? For
example, I notice that the NY "Party Tours" has a "see it all" tour for
around $60 in which the group, AND THE GUIDE, get off the (small) bus at
eight or nine major attractions, plus going by a number of others, from
downtown to areas north of Central Park. Gray Line seems to be somewhat
more regimented. (Note that I'm not planning to restrict sightseeing to
the tour only, as opposed to using public transportation and seeing it
on my own. - Planning to do both.)


If it was me, I would just go out and walk, but I am not a fan of
organized tours; everyone I have been on has been a disappointment. Just
go out on your own and check out the sites that interest you.


I'm reading several guide books, but had several questions:

a) I'm assuming that it would be feasible to walk the approximately 10
blocks from our hotel to the theater district. - Would this be safe at
night, after a performance? (I'll try to get a taxi but understand that
they may be difficult to get when everyone is looking for one as the
theaters let out.)


Yup. No problem, but practice common sense behavior such as not flashing
a lot of money and/or expensive jewelry in public.


b) The subway seems to be the best option to get to the museums near
Central Park, and to other outlying areas such as the cloisters,
Brooklyn, etc. - I'm well aware of all the comments and publicity about
how safe the city is these days, but since I don't have recent
experience, I hesitate to ride the subway at at night. - Anyone with
recent experience?


The subway is fine. Get a Metro Card. You can buy a Metro Card at any
subway station.


c) From a search of the web, the Sunday New York Times and
the New Yorker, there doesn't seem to be much concert activity scheduled
for this period (August 3-8). - At least I don't see much going on in
Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, etc. (I had hoped to attend an opera,
symphony concert, or piano recital, etc.) There is a Jimmy Buffet
performance at MSG. - Anyone have any better information?


August is a slow time for that sort of thing because people tend to go
away on vacation, to beach areas and other areas. NYC is more alive with
entertainment in the fall and winter months, but August should be a lot
of fun too.


Thanks for the information. Regarding whether to take a tour or not, I'm
generally in agreement that it's more fun and more educational to set
out on your own. In this case, however, since I only have three days in
NYC and don't get there very often, I think a tour on the first day,
followed by excursions on my own, would be more efficient. Here are the
stops made by the Party Tour, in which you get off the bus to explore a
particular attraction:

NY SEE IT ALL!
NY SEE IT ALL! is New York Party Shuttle¹s premier comprehensive tour.
Leaving at 8:30am, 10am, 12:30pm, and 3pm, the NY SEE IT ALL! tour will
show you everything Manhattan has to offer.


Itinerary:

Get out at all of the following stops:


Times Square
World Trade Center Site
New York Stock Exchange
Wall Street
St. Paul¹s Chapel
Trinity Church
World Financial Center
Federal Hall
Madison Square Park
Flatiron Building
South Street Seaport
US Customs Building
5th Avenue
Rockefeller Center
NBC¹s Today Show Set
St. Patrick¹s Cathedral
Central Park
Strawberry Fields
Dakota Building
Canyon of Heroes
Also see the STATUE OF LIBERTY up close from the Staten Island Ferry.
The EMPIRE STATE BUILDING is an optional ending point, giving time to
enjoy the view from the observation deck at your own pace after the tour
(My hotel is a block or two from the ESB, so I plan to visit when
convenient and on a clear day.)


Additionally, the bus passes by the following sites:


Ellis Island
Central Park Zoo
Tiffany¹s
Brooklyn Bridge
Verrazano-Narrows Bridge
Hudson River
East River
FAO Schwarz
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
Chrysler Building
Woolworth Building
Met Life Building
Trump Tower
Plaza Hotel
City Hall
Washington Square Park
New York Public Library
Greenwich Village
SOHO/Tribeca
Macy¹s
Herald Square
Uptown and Harlem


THERE IS NO WAY I could visit or see all those neighborhoods and
attractions on my own

What do they mean by "visit"? All they will have time to do is drive by
and point at each site with that long list of places; sounds boring to
me. If all they are doing is driving through Soho and Tribeca, its also
not a big deal. Both neighborhoods, when seen from a bus are just a
bunch of streets and traffic signals. They have to be seen on foot to be
appreciated.

Macy's is just a huge department store with a lot of overprices stuff in
it, same with Tiffany's. The only time Macy's is worth seeing is during
the Christmas season when it is decked out in holiday decorations, but
you won't get to see the decorations from a bus.

Trump Tower is no big deal either. Its just a building that says "Trump
Tower" on it on a rather small sign. There are a few overpriced shops
and cafes in it, plus some private residences and offices. No big deal;
I have walked by Trump Tower many times.

City Hall is gated off for security, so it too is nothing worth seeing.
You'll just drive by the Chrysler Building. Yawn. The Chrysler Building
is best seen from high up such as from the Empire State Building's
observation deck.

The Hudson River is worth seeing only if you have the time to enjoy a
walk (or bike ride) along its pedestrian path. If you are just passing
by, its just a river, and I imagine you have seen rivers before.

Sounds like more of a bus trip than anything else. You know the
itinerary, so pick three or four of the places on that list and go see
them, and I mean, actually go into them and experience them, not just
pass by them on a bus while some tour guide tells you they are there.
When you pass by the Plaza Hotel, the tour guide will see the "Plaza"
sign and tell you, "there's this expensive hotel." Its just a building
where people stay in expensive rooms. Yawn.

I also think this itinerary left off one of the most interesting NYC
sites, the Brooklyn Bridge, but it too is best enjoyed on foot.
Unfortunately, it is a time suck to see on foot for a short visit
because its most interesting when you walk across it and take in the
glorious view of the city.

If I only had three days in NYC, the last thing I would want to do is
spend it on a bus in heavy traffic looking at interesting places from
afar when I could instead stop, get out, and see a few of those places
up close. That's just me though.

Shawn Hirn wrote:
In article ,
JimC wrote:


Shawn Hirn wrote:


In article ,
JimC wrote:





Times Square
World Trade Center Site
New York Stock Exchange
Wall Street
St. Paul¹s Chapel
Trinity Church
World Financial Center
Federal Hall
Madison Square Park
Flatiron Building
South Street Seaport
US Customs Building
5th Avenue
Rockefeller Center
NBC¹s Today Show Set
St. Patrick¹s Cathedral
Central Park
Strawberry Fields
Dakota Building
Canyon of Heroes
Also see the STATUE OF LIBERTY up close from the Staten Island Ferry.
The EMPIRE STATE BUILDING is an optional ending point, giving time to
enjoy the view from the observation deck at your own pace after the tour
(My hotel is a block or two from the ESB, so I plan to visit when
convenient and on a clear day.)


Additionally, the bus passes by the following sites:


Ellis Island
Central Park Zoo
Tiffany¹s
Brooklyn Bridge
Verrazano-Narrows Bridge
Hudson River
East River
FAO Schwarz
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
Chrysler Building
Woolworth Building
Met Life Building
Trump Tower
Plaza Hotel
City Hall
Washington Square Park
New York Public Library
Greenwich Village
SOHO/Tribeca
Macy¹s
Herald Square
Uptown and Harlem


THERE IS NO WAY I could visit or see all those neighborhoods and
attractions on my own


What do they mean by "visit"? All they will have time to do is drive by
and point at each site with that long list of places; sounds boring to
me. If all they are doing is driving through Soho and Tribeca, its also
not a big deal. Both neighborhoods, when seen from a bus are just a
bunch of streets and traffic signals. They have to be seen on foot to be
appreciated.


What do they mean by "visit"? As understood, the guide escorts the
group to the listed sites and provides some historical and other
information about the particular attraction and neighborhood. Since I
(and you) haven't taken the tour, I don't know how helpful the narrative
is, but (with respect to the second list of attractions) it clearly is
not a simple "drive by" And, comments on other sites from people who
have taken their tours are quite favorable. One thing such a tour can do
is to help one to sort through a number of options for further
exploration, eliminate some, and prioritize the rest of the visit. - To
explore even a small part of NYC thoroughly, on foot, as you suggest
would take months. And I don't get there that often.

On the other hand, one thing I am concerned about is that I want to be
able to impress my friends and business associates when I return with
what a sophisticated and knowledgeable traveler I am, and also, post
messages on this and other sites demonstrating my savoir faire, ability
to set out in strange cities all on on my own, etc. From this respect,
it does sound like I would come off better if followed your advice,
refused to take any of these silly, regimented tours, and explored the
city entirely on my own. Maybe I would then be able to post
knowledgeable notes like yours? - (On the other hand, if you have
actually taken one of the from this company and can actually report on
your experience with them, then I would take back what I said and pay
more attention to your comments.)

More seriously (the above was satirical, if anyone didn't get it), this
question (whether or not to take a guided tour when visiting an
unfamiliar city, country, region, etc., and how much time to devote to
the tour) has been debated extensively, and it clearly doesn't have an
"either/or" or "always/never" answer. From my experience on a number of
trips, there are a number of advantages to taking a well-orgainzed tour
with a knowledgeable guide, provided you don't restrict yourself to the
group, etc. In this case, since I'm not planning to spend more than
about 25% of the available time with the tour, I don't see that it would
seriously restrict my ability to explore the city on my own.

Jim

Thanks to everyone for the helpful information and advice. I'll make
good use of the websites and other information.

Jim

On 7/24/2007 7:21 AM Shawn Hirn exclaimed:
In article ,
JimC wrote:


Shawn Hirn wrote:


In article ,
JimC wrote:



I'll be in NYC 3.5 days the first week in August and would appreciate
recommendations. Interests include historical and tourist sights,
theater, concerts, etc. We will be staying in the midtown area near
34th and 8th, which is near public transit, etc. - Since I don't get to
NYC very often, it seems to me that taking a city tour would be a good
way to get oriented and get a taste of a number of areas and attractions
before setting out by subway, bus, and foot. - Does anyone have
recommendations regarding bus tours that they have enjoyed? For
example, I notice that the NY "Party Tours" has a "see it all" tour for
around $60 in which the group, AND THE GUIDE, get off the (small) bus at
eight or nine major attractions, plus going by a number of others, from
downtown to areas north of Central Park. Gray Line seems to be somewhat
more regimented. (Note that I'm not planning to restrict sightseeing to
the tour only, as opposed to using public transportation and seeing it
on my own. - Planning to do both.)

If it was me, I would just go out and walk, but I am not a fan of
organized tours; everyone I have been on has been a disappointment. Just
go out on your own and check out the sites that interest you.



I'm reading several guide books, but had several questions:

a) I'm assuming that it would be feasible to walk the approximately 10
blocks from our hotel to the theater district. - Would this be safe at
night, after a performance? (I'll try to get a taxi but understand that
they may be difficult to get when everyone is looking for one as the
theaters let out.)

Yup. No problem, but practice common sense behavior such as not flashing
a lot of money and/or expensive jewelry in public.



b) The subway seems to be the best option to get to the museums near
Central Park, and to other outlying areas such as the cloisters,
Brooklyn, etc. - I'm well aware of all the comments and publicity about
how safe the city is these days, but since I don't have recent
experience, I hesitate to ride the subway at at night. - Anyone with
recent experience?

The subway is fine. Get a Metro Card. You can buy a Metro Card at any
subway station.



c) From a search of the web, the Sunday New York Times and
the New Yorker, there doesn't seem to be much concert activity scheduled
for this period (August 3-8). - At least I don't see much going on in
Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, etc. (I had hoped to attend an opera,
symphony concert, or piano recital, etc.) There is a Jimmy Buffet
performance at MSG. - Anyone have any better information?

August is a slow time for that sort of thing because people tend to go
away on vacation, to beach areas and other areas. NYC is more alive with
entertainment in the fall and winter months, but August should be a lot
of fun too.

Thanks for the information. Regarding whether to take a tour or not, I'm
generally in agreement that it's more fun and more educational to set
out on your own. In this case, however, since I only have three days in
NYC and don't get there very often, I think a tour on the first day,
followed by excursions on my own, would be more efficient. Here are the
stops made by the Party Tour, in which you get off the bus to explore a
particular attraction:

NY SEE IT ALL!
NY SEE IT ALL! is New York Party Shuttle¹s premier comprehensive tour.
Leaving at 8:30am, 10am, 12:30pm, and 3pm, the NY SEE IT ALL! tour will
show you everything Manhattan has to offer.


Itinerary:

Get out at all of the following stops:


Times Square
World Trade Center Site
New York Stock Exchange
Wall Street
St. Paul¹s Chapel
Trinity Church
World Financial Center
Federal Hall
Madison Square Park
Flatiron Building
South Street Seaport
US Customs Building
5th Avenue
Rockefeller Center
NBC¹s Today Show Set
St. Patrick¹s Cathedral
Central Park
Strawberry Fields
Dakota Building
Canyon of Heroes
Also see the STATUE OF LIBERTY up close from the Staten Island Ferry.
The EMPIRE STATE BUILDING is an optional ending point, giving time to
enjoy the view from the observation deck at your own pace after the tour
(My hotel is a block or two from the ESB, so I plan to visit when
convenient and on a clear day.)


Additionally, the bus passes by the following sites:


Ellis Island
Central Park Zoo
Tiffany¹s
Brooklyn Bridge
Verrazano-Narrows Bridge
Hudson River
East River
FAO Schwarz
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
Chrysler Building
Woolworth Building
Met Life Building
Trump Tower
Plaza Hotel
City Hall
Washington Square Park
New York Public Library
Greenwich Village
SOHO/Tribeca
Macy¹s
Herald Square
Uptown and Harlem


THERE IS NO WAY I could visit or see all those neighborhoods and
attractions on my own


What do they mean by "visit"? All they will have time to do is drive by
and point at each site with that long list of places; sounds boring to
me. If all they are doing is driving through Soho and Tribeca, its also
not a big deal. Both neighborhoods, when seen from a bus are just a
bunch of streets and traffic signals. They have to be seen on foot to be
appreciated.

Macy's is just a huge department store with a lot of overprices stuff in
it, same with Tiffany's. The only time Macy's is worth seeing is during
the Christmas season when it is decked out in holiday decorations, but
you won't get to see the decorations from a bus.

Trump Tower is no big deal either. Its just a building that says "Trump
Tower" on it on a rather small sign. There are a few overpriced shops
and cafes in it, plus some private residences and offices. No big deal;
I have walked by Trump Tower many times.

City Hall is gated off for security, so it too is nothing worth seeing.
You'll just drive by the Chrysler Building. Yawn. The Chrysler Building
is best seen from high up such as from the Empire State Building's
observation deck.

The Hudson River is worth seeing only if you have the time to enjoy a
walk (or bike ride) along its pedestrian path. If you are just passing
by, its just a river, and I imagine you have seen rivers before.

Sounds like more of a bus trip than anything else. You know the
itinerary, so pick three or four of the places on that list and go see
them, and I mean, actually go into them and experience them, not just
pass by them on a bus while some tour guide tells you they are there.
When you pass by the Plaza Hotel, the tour guide will see the "Plaza"
sign and tell you, "there's this expensive hotel." Its just a building
where people stay in expensive rooms. Yawn.

I also think this itinerary left off one of the most interesting NYC
sites, the Brooklyn Bridge, but it too is best enjoyed on foot.
Unfortunately, it is a time suck to see on foot for a short visit
because its most interesting when you walk across it and take in the
glorious view of the city.

If I only had three days in NYC, the last thing I would want to do is
spend it on a bus in heavy traffic looking at interesting places from
afar when I could instead stop, get out, and see a few of those places
up close. That's just me though.

Many women and some men appreciate the beauty and fine workmanship that
goes into making high end jewelry. As such, even though out of price
range, a trip to Tiffany's or Cartier is not a waste of time. Macy's?
There are still some people who do not live close to a mall or a
Macy's. Then there are others who are dyed in the wool shoppers. For
the former a trip to Macy's is as eye popping as a trip to the Empire
State Building. For the latter it is a pilgrimage to the mothership,
the Macy's of all Macy's. What interests some will truly not interest
vice versa. Tour operators have the dicey job of trying to have
something for everyone.

--
________
To email me, Edit "blog" from my email address.
Brian M. Kochera
"Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once!"
View My Web Page: http://home.earthlink.net/~brian1951

"Alan S" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 22 Jul 2007 16:51:58 +0100, "Keith Willshaw"
wrote:


"Icono Clast" wrote in message
...
I'm not one for taking tours but, some decades ago, a co-worker
threatened me with physical repercussions if I didn't take the Circle
Line Tour. I did and can recommended it without reservation. I think
it departs from Forty-second Street at the Hudson River.

Shawn Hirn wrote:

I'll second that , I took ut under protest during my last trip to NYC and
it was time and money well spent.

Keith


I'm watching this thread with interest because I'll be
visiting NYC for three days next April.

What was the advantage of the Circle Line Tour over using
the ferries? Serious question; I like the Staten Island
Ferry - and it's free - and I also intend going over the
Roosevelt Island Tramway (if it doesn't fall down again:-)
on my next visit.

What will I see on the Circle Line Tour that makes it
better?

The whole of the coastline of Manhattan Island including views you cant
get any other way. If you want the frenetic dont take this tour but on
a nice warm day its a great way soend 3 hours


Keith

Shawn Hirn wrote:
In article ,
JimC wrote:


Shawn Hirn wrote:


In article ,
JimC wrote:



(Just returned from 4 days in NYC last week.)
I'll be in NYC 3.5 days the first week in August and would appreciate
recommendations. Interests include historical and tourist sights,
theater, concerts, etc. We will be staying in the midtown area near
34th and 8th, which is near public transit, etc. - Since I don't get to
NYC very often, it seems to me that taking a city tour would be a good
way to get oriented and get a taste of a number of areas and attractions
before setting out by subway, bus, and foot. - Does anyone have
recommendations regarding bus tours that they have enjoyed? For
example, I notice that the NY "Party Tours" has a "see it all" tour for
around $60 in which the group, AND THE GUIDE, get off the (small) bus at
eight or nine major attractions, plus going by a number of others, from
downtown to areas north of Central Park. Gray Line seems to be somewhat
more regimented. (Note that I'm not planning to restrict sightseeing to
the tour only, as opposed to using public transportation and seeing it
on my own. - Planning to do both.)


If it was me, I would just go out and walk, but I am not a fan of
organized tours; everyone I have been on has been a disappointment. Just
go out on your own and check out the sites that interest you.



I'm reading several guide books, but had several questions:

a) I'm assuming that it would be feasible to walk the approximately 10
blocks from our hotel to the theater district. - Would this be safe at
night, after a performance? (I'll try to get a taxi but understand that
they may be difficult to get when everyone is looking for one as the
theaters let out.)


Yup. No problem, but practice common sense behavior such as not flashing
a lot of money and/or expensive jewelry in public.



b) The subway seems to be the best option to get to the museums near
Central Park, and to other outlying areas such as the cloisters,
Brooklyn, etc. - I'm well aware of all the comments and publicity about
how safe the city is these days, but since I don't have recent
experience, I hesitate to ride the subway at at night. - Anyone with
recent experience?


The subway is fine. Get a Metro Card. You can buy a Metro Card at any
subway station.


I did.


c) From a search of the web, the Sunday New York Times and
the New Yorker, there doesn't seem to be much concert activity scheduled
for this period (August 3-8). - At least I don't see much going on in
Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, etc. (I had hoped to attend an opera,
symphony concert, or piano recital, etc.) There is a Jimmy Buffet
performance at MSG. - Anyone have any better information?


August is a slow time for that sort of thing because people tend to go
away on vacation, to beach areas and other areas. NYC is more alive with
entertainment in the fall and winter months, but August should be a lot
of fun too.


Thanks for the information. Regarding whether to take a tour or not, I'm
generally in agreement that it's more fun and more educational to set
out on your own. In this case, however, since I only have three days in
NYC and don't get there very often, I think a tour on the first day,
followed by excursions on my own, would be more efficient. Here are the
stops made by the Party Tour, in which you get off the bus to explore a
particular attraction:

NY SEE IT ALL!
NY SEE IT ALL! is New York Party Shuttle¹s premier comprehensive tour.
Leaving at 8:30am, 10am, 12:30pm, and 3pm, the NY SEE IT ALL! tour will
show you everything Manhattan has to offer.


Itinerary:

Get out at all of the following stops:


Times Square
World Trade Center Site
New York Stock Exchange
Wall Street
St. Paul¹s Chapel
Trinity Church
World Financial Center
Federal Hall
Madison Square Park
Flatiron Building
South Street Seaport
US Customs Building
5th Avenue
Rockefeller Center
NBC¹s Today Show Set
St. Patrick¹s Cathedral
Central Park
Strawberry Fields
Dakota Building
Canyon of Heroes
Also see the STATUE OF LIBERTY up close from the Staten Island Ferry.
The EMPIRE STATE BUILDING is an optional ending point, giving time to
enjoy the view from the observation deck at your own pace after the tour
(My hotel is a block or two from the ESB, so I plan to visit when
convenient and on a clear day.)


Additionally, the bus passes by the following sites:


Ellis Island
Central Park Zoo
Tiffany¹s
Brooklyn Bridge
Verrazano-Narrows Bridge
Hudson River
East River
FAO Schwarz
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
Chrysler Building
Woolworth Building
Met Life Building
Trump Tower
Plaza Hotel
City Hall
Washington Square Park
New York Public Library
Greenwich Village
SOHO/Tribeca
Macy¹s
Herald Square
Uptown and Harlem


THERE IS NO WAY I could visit or see all those neighborhoods and
attractions on my own


What do they mean by "visit"? All they will have time to do is drive by
and point at each site with that long list of places; sounds boring to
me. If all they are doing is driving through Soho and Tribeca, its also
not a big deal. Both neighborhoods, when seen from a bus are just a
bunch of streets and traffic signals. They have to be seen on foot to be
appreciated.

Pursuant to the speculations regarding guided tours, I returned from a
four-day visit to NYC last Thursday and can now provide more specific
information about tour, etc. IMO, the bus tour (NY York Party Tours) was
well worth the time and money for providing an overview of the city,
putting things in context, along with lots of historical and practical
information that helped speed up the learning curve
for someone not familiar with the city. What do they mean by "visit"? -
Contrary to negative comments above, the bus stopped at a number of
neighborhoods and sites for a series of walking tours of various
neighborhoods which which we explored, WITH THE GUIDE, who explained the
history and significance of various sites and answered questions, etc.
For example, at Rockefeller Center, we discussed its history,
what went on in the major buildings, what the various statues
represented, etc. For example, at the ground-zero site, we walked
around the site, discussed the event, what was going on re
reconstruction, future plans, etc. (There's actually not much
information available at the site for someone visiting on foot.)- At
this site, we also walked through St. Paul's Chapel, which was a refuge
for relief workers immediately after 9/11, and where George Washington
worshiped. Similar walking tours were in the Wall Street area, the
Seaport, Dakota apartments, Central Park, Flatiron area, etc., etc.,
several of the ethnic neighborhoods, etc., plus a trip on the Staten
Island ferry, with photo ops of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island,
etc. Additionally, we had the usual descriptions/comments regarding many
other sites at which the bus didn't stop (and which I wouldn't want to
spend time exploring on my own, given the limited time). This was a
small bus with some 20 passengers, so we had lots of opportunities ask
questions of the guide. But it definitely wasn't merely a series of
"drive-bys" naming the sites (e.g. there's Times Square, etc.). As
stated in the previous discussions of the subject, to me it isn't a
question of "either or" (i.e., EITHER exploring a city on your own OR
going with a tour group) but rather, "BOTH AND" (e.g., taking advantage
of local tours and guides, particularly when exploring a complex area
such as NYC and then setting out on your own.


Macy's is just a huge department store with a lot of overprices stuff in
it, same with Tiffany's. The only time Macy's is worth seeing is during
the Christmas season when it is decked out in holiday decorations, but
you won't get to see the decorations from a bus.

Because of the unusualy hot weather, I needed some short-sleeve summer
shirts. - After much searching, it turned out that Macy's was the only
source near our hotel, and their SS shirts were on sale. - So, I would
disagree with your "Christmas season only" evaluation.

Trump Tower is no big deal either. Its just a building that says "Trump
Tower" on it on a rather small sign. There are a few overpriced shops
and cafes in it, plus some private residences and offices. No big deal;
I have walked by Trump Tower many times.


OK. A drive-by is all I wanted, and that's what we had.

City Hall is gated off for security, so it too is nothing worth seeing.
You'll just drive by the Chrysler Building. Yawn. The Chrysler Building
is best seen from high up such as from the Empire State Building's
observation deck.


Which I did.

The Hudson River is worth seeing only if you have the time to enjoy a
walk (or bike ride) along its pedestrian path. If you are just passing
by, its just a river, and I imagine you have seen rivers before.

Next time.

Sounds like more of a bus trip than anything else.

Nope. Actually, it turned out to be a series of walking tours through a
number of different neighborhoods, with the guide.

You know the
itinerary, so pick three or four of the places on that list and go see
them, and I mean, actually go into them and experience them, not just
pass by them on a bus while some tour guide tells you they are there.
When you pass by the Plaza Hotel, the tour guide will see the "Plaza"
sign and tell you, "there's this expensive hotel." Its just a building
where people stay in expensive rooms. Yawn.


Again, that's not what the tour provided.

I also think this itinerary left off one of the most interesting NYC
sites, the Brooklyn Bridge, but it too is best enjoyed on foot.
Unfortunately, it is a time suck to see on foot for a short visit
because its most interesting when you walk across it and take in the
glorious view of the city.


You can't always get what you want (per the Rolling Stones). - I had
planned to walk accross the Brooklyn Bridge but ran out of time.

If I only had three days in NYC, the last thing I would want to do is
spend it on a bus in heavy traffic looking at interesting places from
afar when I could instead stop, get out, and see a few of those places
up close. That's just me though.

Actually, the few hours spent on the bus helped me sort out the areas in
which I wanted to spend more time and therefore expedited my sightseeing
by foot, subway, and bus.

Jim