Midwest Gals in New York

In early March, six ladies from work escaped to New York City for a three day weekend. We flew into Newark which required a one hour van ride to our hotel in Midtown. The Waldorf-Astoria provided a lovely and friendly home base for us.

We were pleasantly surprised how friendly and clean the city has become. There was never a time when we felt uncomfortable in the touristy neighborhoods.

The favorite experience was the Top of the Rock Observation deck, the viewing platform at the top of Rockefeller Center. We visited after our Broadway show, about 10pm, and had a breathtaking view of the city lights. There was no line and we walked right up to the security desk and ticket counter. The deck consists of three floors offering both indoor and outdoor viewing areas. Sights such as the Brooklyn Bridge, the Chrysler Building, and the Empire State Building were easily identifiable and brightly lit.

Overall, we found we didn't have enough time in our three days to fit in any museums, but we did have a great time at several smaller sights and doing plenty of shopping.

Quick Tips:

Take the free Staten Island Ferry to see the Statue of Liberty. Take a quick walk in Central Park and notice how the traffic noise disappears. You can walk though the interior of Tavern on the Green to get to the gift shop. You will get to see some lovely Tiffany glass.

Try the French breakfast at Gaby in the Sofitel Hotel. The chocolate croissants are amazing. Another great breakfast was the diner at Pershing Square, across the street from Grand Central Station. Ciro on 8th Avenue around 49th Street was our favorite dinner, featuring traditional Italian dishes with a little twist on the flavors.

Best Way To Get Around:

Although we did walk much farther and longer than we would have at home, we tried to use the subway a couple of times, but overall, it seemed too confusing. We quickly decided that it was worth our time and money to take taxis instead, even though we generally needed two cabs to accommodate six people. We never paid more than for a cab ride, and we did not feel uncomfortable with any of our drivers. We did have one incident where a man in a nondescript car tried to pose as a taxi driver, but we said "no" emphatically and he left.

The main reason we chose City Sights NY over Gray Line tours for our group of six was that we were visiting the city in early March while the weather was still cold. City Sights NY's website prominently advertised top deck seating that was both covered and heated. Gray Line only had open decks. However, none of the buses we took during the daylight had covered tops. We had to wear scarves and earmuffs and were still very cold and uncomfortable throughout the day. We feel that we were mislead by their advertising. None of the personnel we asked could explain why open top buses were running on such a cold day, only that they hadn't been used much so far.

Another issue did not become clear until after we had purchased tickets for the All Around Town tour. Although our hotel was a tour stop, we could not begin the tour there. We had to take our confirmation number to the downtown office in Times Square, receive our paper tickets (which were never checked or asked for by anyone) and then walk about 10 blocks to get to the beginning of the tour. At the end of the uptown loop, we had to disembark and then walk another 7 blocks to board the nighttime tour. This was tiring, uncomfortable, and inconvenient. Nothing in the advertising indicated that so much travel between stops was required from passengers.

We took the Night tour after the Uptown Tour. Thankfully, this bus was covered because we had agreed among our group not to take it if it were open-topped. However, we had to wait in Times Square about an hour for it to arrive. Although the tickets listed three departure times, the first bus did not arrive at all, the second bus was open-topped, and the third bus was covered. The company reps at the boarding site kept assuring us that the third time slot would have a covered bus but they also said that the departure times were just a suggestion and that there was no way to predict when a bus would arrive during the 90 minute time period. Also, the night tour did not allow "hop-on, hop-off" privileges, another fact which was not advertised. We asked to get off at our hotel and we were not allowed to do so.

We enjoyed the commentary from the guides, who were all knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and friendly. We appreciated having the overview of the city. However, having taken similar tours in many other cities around the world, I must say that I was very disappointed in their service.

Since we didn't have time to spend half our day actually visiting the Statue of Liberty, we satisfied ourselves with the view from the Staten Island Ferry. From the Bowling Green subway station, we walked two blocks to the ferry. The ferry is free!

Once you board the boat, go to the back of the boat and then up the stairs one level. Find a seat on the right near the doors to the outside deck. You can see the closest view of the Statue and Ellis Island from the inside deck or you can stand on the outside rail or sit on benches outside.

The trip takes about twenty minutes one way. At the other side, everyone must get off the boat. Follow the crowd off the boat but stay to the right. After walking around the terminal, you will be able to walk back into the loading dock and back onto the very same boat for the return trip.

The return trip doesn't go as close to the Statue, but you will still get a nice view of Manhattan as well. The back right is still the best view. The hurricane deck is the top deck, and if you wish to be outdoors, it is fine. However, their is less space outdoors on the top deck and no benches. Also, the indoor area on the top deck does not have seats immediately in front of the windows. The best seating is the middle (second) deck on the back right side as you face the rear of the boat.

Several members of our group had previously visited the observation deck at the Empire State Building and none of them wanted to return to the lines and worn visitors area. Instead, we opted for a much newer facility, The Top of the Rock.

We followed advice we found in a theater magazine, and visited after our Broadway show. We arrived about 10 pm on a March night, so the sky was black. The city, however, was lit in all its glory. Also, the time of night meant that the attraction was virtually empty.

We had a little trouble finding the entrance from the first floor of Rockefeller Center, but a helpful security guard pointed the way. Once we purchased tickets, and a brochure to describe the view, we took an elevator up to the museum level. There, we looked briefly at a few exhibits, had our picture taken, and went to the next elevator. This one featured a light show on the transparent ceiling.

At the next level, we stepped out into an indoor viewing gallery with floor to ceiling windows and benches nearby. Then, we headed to the outdoor deck. Instead of metal railings, the deck is enclosed in plexiglass, allowing a nearly unobstructed view of the city. The Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, and the Brooklyn Bridge were easily identifiable, as was Times Square. Central Park was noticeable for its darkness. There were a few binocular stands available for a few seconds look in exchange for a quarter.

At the far end of the deck, we passed through a small indoor room, brightly lit with its own light show, in order to get to the other side of the building. We also headed up a short flight of stairs to the top level. The highest level is a small rectangle, smaller than the floor below it. Therefore, it needs no railing to obscure the view.

The March breezes were pretty chilly, so we only spent about a half hour at the top. The return elevators, of course, dropped us off in the gift shop. We were able to walk around the outside of the plaza to see the ice rink from above, but nothing else in the plaza was open at 11pm.

Despite the late hour, we had an incredible view of the city. The facilities were much cleaner and more modern than the Empire State Building, and we essentially had the city to ourselves. What a treat!

We planned our trip at the last minute, so we weren't able to get tickets at a reasonable price for any of the newest shows. However, we had all heard that The Lion King was an interesting show, so we chose that. Our seats were about halfway back on the main floor, on the left side. We had an unobstructed view and paid $118 per seat. There were many children in the audience but all were quiet and well-behaved once the show began.

The show began slightly late, but started with performers coming down the aisles of both the floor and the balcony with puppets of various animals, singing the main title, "The Circle of Life". Most of the animal characters aside from the lions were portrayed by a combination of a human and a puppet. The humans behind the hyenas were a little distracting, but the rest were innovative and interesting to watch. The young actors portraying young Simba and Nala were incredibly professional and gifted. The scenery was simple but used in creative ways. The story is essentially the same as the movie, but some of the jokes had been changed. I found that odd and disconcerting because I know the movie well enough to tell when a line had been changed, and it seemed that the new punchlines were not an improvement. However, the new music that was added to the show fits well.

After the show, we spent about half an hour in the lobby. It is on the second floor of the building, and has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Times Square. So, we were complete tourists snapping shots out of the windows of all the neon. Overall, we enjoyed the show and since we had time for only one Broadway experience, we are glad we did not take a chance on an unknown story.