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New York

A December 2008 trip to New York by Travelny2

Time Warner Center Photo - New York, New York More Photos
Quote: Great things to do in New York - Winter (xmas time)

New York

Overview

Rockefeller Center Photo - New York, New York
Quote:
New York City a few weeks before Christmas. Arguably the best times of the year to visit the city. The Christmas spirit in the air is unlike anywhere else in the world. Quick Tips: Weather can vary considerably at this time of year. The first two days were sunny and relatively warm. Was perfectly comfortable in jeans and a sweatshirt during the day (and I'm from California so I'd be the first to freeze). Two night later it was sleeting rain and freezing so be prepared for anything. Best Way To Get Around: TAXIS! If you are from the west coast and used to super expensive taxis they will seem incredibly cheap in New York. Subways are also a good way to go at this time of year. The subw...Read More

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

Attraction

MoMA 2 Photo - The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York, New York
Quote:
Great selection of exhibits for a reasonable price. For those who don't like art in a traditional sense this is a good choice. There are a number of interactive exhibits and a large selection of pieces created out of ordinary household objects. The fun thing about modern art for me is trying to understand why a certain piece is of significance when I easily could have created it myself. haha. There was one large painting for instance that was literally a canvas painted blue. Apparently the shade of the paint was of importance. Who knew. The other fun thing about MoMA is that pieces run the gamut of the art world as far as variety goes. Here you will find a wide range of photography, painting, sculptur...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on March 19, 2008

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
11 West 53rd Street
New York, New York 10019
(212) 708-9400

Metropolitan Museum of Art (The)

Attraction

The Met Photo - New York, New York
Quote:
Having been to both The Louvre and The Prado I would have to say that this museum is hands down on par with the greatest in the world. Not to be missed are the Egyptian wing, Oriental Gardens, the gold and precious metals room, the collection of jewels and the collections of fully intact Roman armor, face plates and chariots! Similar to the other great museums of the world, this place is MASSIVE. Plan accordingly if you wish to see everything. You could easily spend a day or even a whole weekend in this place if you wanted to give the whole place a thorough perusal. I'd say 3 or 4 hours would be suitable for your average tourist. Without a serious appreciation for art some could start to get bored aft...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on March 19, 2008

Underbar

Attraction

Quote:
A fun bar located at Park and 17th at the new W Hotel. As the name hints, Underbar is below street level. Relatively crowded but not particularly difficult to get into even on a Friday night. Drinks are reasonably priced for New York. This bar is fairly crowded but you can always make some room to dance. If you are staying in a suite at the hotel there is a slot in the elevator for your key card that will unlock the bar floor button allowing you to gain direct access without waiting in line or having your ID checked. The elevator just deposits you at the end of a hallway in the back of the club. No food is served at Underbar but if you get hungry you can exit the club and go upstairs to Olives, which ...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on March 19, 2008

Underbar
201 Park Ave South, W Hotel Union Square
New York, New York 10003
+1 212 358 1560

FAO Schwarz

Attraction

FAO Schwartz Legos Photo - FAO Schwarz, New York, New York
Quote:
Probably the greatest toy store on earth. Been stopping by here in NYC since my first visit. I remember coming here as a kid and being in awe of the place. Don't play with toys anymore but still an amazing place to see. They have life size stuffed animals, miniature versions of luxury cars that kids can actually drive, a giant piano kids can play by jumping on the keys, whole city replicas built out of legos and countless other things to look at that are guaranteed to leave people young and old thoroughly entertained. Huge selection of candy also. This place is crowded always and a complete zoo during holiday shopping. There is actually a line just to get in the store and people directing foot traffic...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on March 19, 2008

FAO Schwarz
767 Fifth Avenue at 58th Street
New York, New York 10022

Times Square

Attraction

Times Square at Night Photo - Times Square, New York, New York
Quote:
Times Square is a must see for anyone visiting New York for the first time. The area has really become considerably cleaner and more family oriented in the last decade/decade and a half. It used to be a somewhat seedy area but is now dominated by chain stores and restaurants. There are a large number of hotels in the blocks immediately surrounding Times Square as well and it is a good place to stay given its central location to everything in Midtown Manhattan. The hotels in this area carry a price premium for their proximity to Times Square though so it may be wise to look in other areas if you are budget oriented. The square itself is usually a complete mob scene with a million people everywhere. It ...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on March 20, 2008

Times Square

New York, New York 10036

Christmas at Rockefeller Center

Attraction | "Rockefeller Center"

Rockefeller Center Skating Rink Photo - Christmas at Rockefeller Center, New York, New York
Quote:
A must see at Christmastime. The holiday ambiance created by the giant tree, ice rink, decorations and crowds of people is really a crazy sight to see. I think that they light the tree on the day before Thanksgiving in order to have it up in time for the beginning of the holiday shopping rush so if you are in the area for Thanksgiving I would highly consider a trip to Rockefeller for the tree lighting ceremony. If you want to skip the massive line there usually is for the ice rink you can sign up for a "skating lesson" It's not even that much more expensive then the regular fee so I'd say it's worth it if you want to do this. A lot of stores have also moved into the ground level floors of the surround...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on March 20, 2008

Christmas at Rockefeller Center
Between 47th and 50th Streets and 5th and 7th Avenues
New York, New York

Time Warner Center

Story/Tip

Time Warner Center Photo - New York, New York
Quote:
Started with a walk up to Time Warner Center, newly constructed since the last time I'd been in the city. Amazing architecture and layout with a prime position on Columbus Circle on the southwest corner of Central Park. A massive Whole Foods in the basement...I believe this was the first in New York and may have been the largest in the chain when it was built. Had lunch here...it was packed but had a great selection of quick meals. The line was about 150 people long at the checkout but they funnel everyone through one line and have about 30 registers going so it moved fast. There is a solid collection of shops on the first few levels surrounding the main atrium.

3 Mile Walking Tour of Midtown Attractions

Best Of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

New Apple Store Photo - New York, New York
Quote:
A great 3 mile walk that will take you past most of the landmarks and famous attractions of midtown.Start at Time Warner Center on Columbus Circle. Be sure to go inside and check out the shops and atrium. Really cool place and only a few years old. Head west on 59th Street from TWC along the park. This is a great opportunity to take a quick walk into Central Park if you feel like it. Central Park has an ice skating rink in the winter and is a really cool place if there is some snow on the ground. Head east on 59th until you reach 5th Ave which runs down the east side of the park. At the intersection of 59th and 5th you will find The Plaza Hotel (formerly, currently being converted into condo...Read More

MTV Studio

Story/Tip

Quote:
Went to the MTV studios where they film TRL to watch my friend's band that won a contest. It sounds like it would be a lot of fun but a few things you should know if you are going to a live taping here. First of all they make you take EVERYTHING out of your pockets, not just cameras, cell phones and the obvious. They took our friends chap stick and lip gloss and lost them. They made me take two quarters and a penny out of my pocket. They won't let you wear your jackets inside and you are not allowed to wear white. It is FREEZING in the studio so wear long sleeves because they make you put everything in a locker except your bottom layer. It was winter and they were BLASTING air conditioning through hug...Read More

About the Writer

Travelny2

Travelny2
New York, New York

Top of the Rock

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World Trade Center Site

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Metropolitan Museum of Art

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Central Park

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Grand Central Terminal

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