New York

Travelers' Takes

Rates and Deals

Grand Central Terminal

More Photos
The NYC Expert
First Reviewer
4 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
11
Reviews
20
Photos
Sort by: Most Recent|Positive|Negative|Most Useful
1-5 of 11

The Heart of New York City

  • October 11, 2009
  • Rated 4 of 5 by menezio from Sao Paulo, Brazil
The Heart of New York City

Completely restored back to it's 1913 splendor, Grand Central has become a midtown destination for five exquisite restaurants and cocktail lounges, 20 casual international eateries in the lower level Dining Concourse, gourmet foods from the Grand Central Market and the 50 unique specialty shops throughout the concourses, all in to addition to transportation.

Grand Central has also transformed itself into a venue for ongoing public events. Throughout the year, Vanderbilt Hall, the Terminal's 12,000 square foot former Main Waiting Room, is the site for ongoing free promotions and entertainment ranging from tennis exhibits to the annual Holiday Fair which brings 72 craftsmen, artisans and international importers to the Terminal selling an outstanding array of merchandise for holiday gifts.

Grand Central has become an international example of a successful urban project that gave new life to an historic building which otherwise would have been discarded and destroyed.
Editor Pick

Grand Central Terminal

  • July 31, 2007
  • Rated 4 of 5 by ripplefan2 from Queens, New York
While walking along 42nd Street, it's hard not to stop and look at awe at the architecture that is Grand Central Station. Stretching from Vanderbilt Avenue all the way down to Lexington Avenue, this monster of a building is filled with some of New York's coolest sights.

On any given day, you can get lost in the crowds of the main hall of the terminal, so keep your wits about you, especially if you are visiting it during the week and catch it at rush hour; it's nuts. But there is so much to do and try that Grand Central alone could keep you occupied most of the day.

Now, there is an old superstition that if two people, standing on opposite diagonal corners, and speak in normal voices, you can hear each other perfectly. The only problem with this is that the main hall is never empty enough to even hear your own thoughts, let alone a person speaking from across the hall. The best time to try it out would be at like 3am when no one is around, but the hall is closed. I guess we’ll never really know, but it's cool to think about it.

There is also, in the main hall, up on the ceiling, near the Vanderbilt entrance, a brick from when the building was first erected. Well all of the bricks are original, but this one has never been cleaned or re-painted so as to show the transformation of the building. It's a pretty unique sight and the color difference is amazing. Check it out.

Back to the building though. Besides the main hall and its shops, there is plenty to see in the rest of the building. In the basement for instance, there is a plethora of restaurants that offer everything from American cuisine to Indian and everything in between. The lines here get pretty freaking long fast, so either come before 11:30am or after 1pm (the lunch rush) and you should be alright. Now finding seating while down here is a whole other story. An available seat is like a credit card with no interest ever; it just doesn't happen. So you will either be eating your food standing or you will head somewhere else. The area surrounding Grand Central has so much to offer, that going hungry here is impossible. So, while walking humbly down 42nd Street, Grand Central should be a stop of yours just for its sheer beauty. But, if the architecture outside doesn’t grab your attention, the hoards of people entering and exiting the building should. The crowds are unbelievable, so keep your wallet in a safe place; pick pockets love crowds, beware. But enjoy!

From journal 42nd Street

Editor Pick

Grand Central Station

  • July 9, 2006
  • Rated 5 of 5 by mtemail from Huntsville, Ohio
Grand Central Station

Grand Central Station is a terrific place! Its massive size and constant buzz of humanity will be amazing to all and I would recommend taking the kids there! The ceiling has a zodiac and star theme, and be sure to have the children find the one spot left from the restoration (spearheaded by Jackie O.) to see what the entire ceiling looked like before it was cleaned and restored. The movement of people is constant and is a very unique place for the family to see.

Plan of being there for lunch—there is a dining concourse in the basement with lots of dining choices, my personal favorite is Juniors. This was first started in Brooklyn and is now even sold on QVCD, and they had without a doubt the best NY Cheesecake I have ever tasted. They have lots of flavors all of which are outstanding. Have everyone get something different so you can try them all!!! Juniors also has the BEST corned beef and pastrami on twin onion rolls—a great thing to split so you can save room for the cheesecake! The sound of the people make this a real NY experience for your group!!!!!

From journal New York City With the Whole Family!!!!! 2006

Grand Central Terminal

  • December 23, 2005
  • Rated 3 of 5 by Whiterabbit79 from Merritt Island, Florida
Grand Central Terminal

Grand Central Terminal--what a marvel. We entered the terminal via a side entrance that is located just past the Grand Hyatt on Park Avenue. You may think that by taking a side entrance to the terminal it will be less hectic, but you will be wrong. The terminal is a busy place morning, noon, and night. However, on a cold day, it's a GREAT place to get a good cup of coffee in the dining hall. The terminal also houses many shops that carry everything. from wine to clothing and everything in between. The main terminal is a maze of tunnels that go to different tracks. The ceiling of the terminal is beautiful. For the holidays, they tastefully decorated the area. However, even though it was beautiful to look at, it was quite manic. Note: I apologize for the blurry pictures. It was rather dark.

From journal New York City ... Winter Wonderland

Editor Pick

Grand Central's Whispering Gallery

  • May 24, 2005
  • Rated 4 of 5 by KDKerr from Knoxville, Tennessee
Grand Central's Whispering Gallery

A whispering gallery is an area with a domed ceiling where two people can softly converse even though they are standing many feet (or meters) apart. The two most famous examples are found within St. Paul's Cathedral in London and Statuary Hall in the US Capitol.

There is also one located in the dining concourse in front of the entrance to the Oyster Bar in NYC's Grand Central Station. There is no sign marking the gallery or any instructions posted on how to make it work. However, by waiting a few moments, an in-the-know couple will walk up and show you the way.

If that doesn't happen, you and a partner need to stand in opposite corners below the tiled ceiling. You need to be facing very close to the corners, around 2 to 3 inches from it. Speak in a soft to normal tone and your friend should be able to hear you quite clearly, as if you were standing next to one another.

Over the years, Grand Central's Whispering Gallery has become a romantic spot for paramours wishing to quaintly exchange sweet nothings. It's also a popular scene for proposing marriage, especially around Valentine's Day, so be careful what you are getting yourself into.

If someone asks you how or why it works, try to recite some of the following explanation and use lots of the big words. A whispering gallery occurs beneath a domed ceiling constructed in the form of an ellipsoid with a parabolic dish at each focus (usually a corner). When someone faces one dish and whispers, the sound telegraphs from this focus until it reaches an opposite dish, where another person waits to receive the message.

From journal Eating, Drinking & Merrymaking All Over NYC

Sort by: Most Recent|Positive|Negative|Most Useful
1-5 of 11

Compare New York Rates

1. Enter travel information

City

2. Select websites to compare rates

Each selected website will open a new window.

New York Travel Deals