Weekend Getaway in New York

From our hotel, The Belvedere, it was just a couple of blocks to Times Square. We tried to see a lot in a few days, but it's hard to squeeze much into three days. We were able to see The Statue of Liberty, Stomp musical performance at he Orpheum Theatre, The Museum of Natural Science, ESPN Zone, and we rode the Subway. There was so much we wanted to see but couldn't, but we'll save that for another trip. Read my individual reviews of some of these sites. We also had a chance to see a great parade in Chinatown since it was the Lunar Newyear.

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Nice Rooms. A little small but very clean and well appointed. Wet bar with fridge and microwave. Service was impeccable here. Just a couple blocks from Times Square in mid-town Manhattan.

Excellent! The performers are well rehearsed. From the scratch of the brooms to the tapping of matchboxes to the beating of plastic bags, they didn't miss a beat. The show is a bit comical with a little audience interaction. Don't worry, nobody is called on stage. The matinee is the best deal at $37 a ticket. Since there are no photos allowed in the Theatre I'll include their web address. www.stomponline.com.

She's beautiful! The ride over to see her on the Circleline Ferry was very enjoyable. It costs $11.50 for Adults (13 and up), $9.50 for Seniors (62 and up), $4.50 for Children (4 to12), 3 and under free. You must go through 3 security checkpoints. One before boarding the ferry (www.statuereservations.com/security.html) and two after you reach Liberty Island (originally Bedloe's Island). Once there, they have a nice gift shop and cafe. Had a hotdog and some hot chocolate. I had a nice chat with a man they hired to portray Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi, Architect of the Statue of Liberty. We skipped Ellis Island since none of our relatives came through this immigration point, and we were trying to fit as much as we could into 3 days. Definitely go to see her, she is awe-inspiring. The steps are strenuous so you might opt for the elevators. You can only go to the top of the granite base now, but looking up inside the structure is awesome. Here are some useful websites: Statue of Liberty: www.nps.gov/stli; Circleline Ferry: www.circlelineferry.com; Ellis Island: www.ellisisland.org.