Birthday in New York City

The carriage rides through Central Park are well worth the money (-40). The drivers are filled with stories, sightseeing tips, and information.

The kids love to visit Toys R Us in Times Square. The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island are worth the trip. One fantastic way to see the Statue of Liberty is to take a dinner cruise. The yacht goes right by it and it is truly an inspiring sight lit up at night. The skyline at night from the boat is also beautiful and makes for a romantic evening of dining and dancing.

It was fun to eat at a restaurant that was a lot like the Rain Forest Cafe, but featured aliens. You went down steps to enter and rode a simulator ride up to the restaurant, which was like Mars. The food was good and the kids had a good time. ,P> The Broadway plays "Mama Mia" and "Thoroughly Modern Millie" were the highlight of our trip. Our son's birthday will be a memorable one. He said he could go back to "Mama Mia" every night.

Ground Zero and the surrounding area is still quiet and thought-provoking.

The pianist playing a grand piano at McDonald's in the Financial District makes you feel like you're in New York City as nothing else will. The diamond street lights in the Diamond District are different and a visit to the stock exchange and Wall Street topped off our sightseeing.

Quick Tips:

Take the train in to New York City to avoid parking and traffic.
Cheap theater tickets can be found at the theaters themselves or the ticket boot in Times Square.
It is against the law to have five passengers in a regular taxi, so look for a van taxi if travelling with more than four people. Best Way To Get Around:="" The="" subway="" great="" will="" take="" you="" everywhere.="" Taxis="" are="" very="" reasonable="" easily="" accessible.="" Walking="" way="" see="" city.="" Bus="" limo="" service="" also="" good.="">

The view from the Marriott Marquis was great. Looking one direction, you could see the waterfront and, from the other, we could see Times Square with the largest Toys R Us store. It's also home of The View and the only revolving rooftop restaurant in New York City. It has four restaurants and three lounges. It has its own Broadway theater where "Thoroughly Modern Millie" was playing. A truly luxury hotel and a favorite with our family. Many people stop in just to ride the glass elevators. The heart of Times Square and a great location for the sights of New York City.

When the critics said this is a musical that will have you dancing in the aisles, they were right. This is a fun musical for the whole family. Our children loved it and would love to go back and see it again. The singing was great and the costumes for fantastic. It was truly a Broadway experience.

The costumes at this play won a Tony Award in 2002 and I can see why. The singing and acting were wonderful. The kids even recognized some of the actors in this play. It was a wonderful time for the whole family. I was always a fan of the movie and now I am a fan of the play too.

You get in the carriage and are treated like royalty. In cool weather,you get a velvet wrap to cover up with. The driver takes you around Central Park pointing out all the highlights and gives you interesting facts about the Park and New York City in general.

For about $35 you get a 20 minute tour. The carriage pulls up and drops you off across from the FAO Schwartz Toy Store and the Plaza Hotel where Home Alone, Lost in New York was filmed.

It is an excellent way to view Central Park and get a taste of New York City.

It can be a long wait to go up, but it is worth it day and night. There are a lot of steps, but the view is beautiful. A must see when you are in New York. When the wind blows, you feel like it's moving.

We went out at 6am to stand outside of the Today Show and hold up a sign for my father's birthday. It's a lot of fun and you meet people from all over the world. Photographers come by and take photos of your group, which you can purchase later online. It's a great way to remember your time in NYC. Katie Couric and Matt came out and also members of the cast of the Broadway play "Urban Cowboy" performed a scene within feet of us. It was very cold, but worth the effort, even if we didn't get on TV.