Is ten days in New York too long

[dajop]

Which area of Manhattan is best to stay for a first time visitor staying for a week. I'll be with my wife, also her first time. We are both in our 20s.
A mate of mine told me that the Meatpacking District is very cool and young and hip. But I'm finding better accomodation options in Greenwich Village which on the map seems nearby enough ?
What do people think of using Greenwich Village as a base to explore NYC ?

Echo others who suggest main criteria is proximity to subway, and likewise would probably avoid Times Square (although a lot of accommodation listed as "Times Square" is not right on the square - actually a little distance away and really in sort of OK locations too).

No need to stay in meatpacking district, as cool as it may be, Greenwich Village is fine, and really not that uncool or "unhip", and it's a short walk. West Village is indeed more Smith St than Chapel St. In fact, it not's a big transition from Greenwich Village to West Village to Meatpacking district, they sort of flow into each other.

 

[Nizar]

In fact, it not's a big transition from Greenwich Village to West Village to Meatpacking district, they sort of flow into each other.

That's what I was hoping, thanks for confirming.

 

[Bazzi]

Agree with all the above. We have stayed in apartments in Chelsea on several trips to NYC - certainly feels like you are living in the city rather than just visiting.

New York is a very walkable city and unless we were strapped for time or going very long distances, we quite often walked in lieu of using the subway. You never quite know what you might discover on a walk - like the architectural salvage store who had just got the contract to strip The Plaza Hotel before the renovation - our bathroom door handle is a wardrobe door handle from the Plaza. Or the miniscule oasis in the city - Paley Park.

 

[Milboo]

I've just come back from my 4th trip in 4 years - just 9 days this time and I enjoyed the more relaxed pace. Especially as I can easily spend 3 hours walking in Central Park in the snow!

This trip I had a list of coffee places to check out - Intelligentisa, Everyman Espresso, Two Hands, Third Rail, Bluestone Lane, Little Collins, Happy Bones, Cafe Grumpy etc and my itinerary for the day was based around heading there and then going where the streets took me!

My food finds this trip:
- Dough and Doughnut Planet (ok found them last time but hunted them down again!)
- supreme pizza from Rubirosa in Greenwich
- Rosa Mexicano (this is always on the list for each trip for the frozen pomegranate margaritas, corn and table side guacamole)
- Bouley - fine French dining for lunch - 5 courses (with amuse bouche, bonus course and petit fours too) for $55 plus tax and tip and drinks - amazing meal.
- Taco Mix - E116th St for taco al pastor. Authentic local place. It ain't fancy but it's damn good.
- The Burger Joint at Le Meridian
- Food stalls in Brooklyn Flea (usually part of Smorgsaburg).
- Boulud Sud - try the grapefruit givre for dessert!

 

[Quickstatus]

I fully understand that we are ALL individuals and we ALL like different things and have vastly different tastes - but I must give one piece of advice to ALL males here on AFF - when in New York DO NOT allow your women folk to stroll 5th Ave on a shopping spree - it can lead to only one outcome:

View attachment 35174

Unfortunately I totally agree......(sorry its upside down dont know why).

 

[lovetravellingoz]

sorry its upside down dont know why).

Simple, as was right side up in USA

 

[irv]

Hi irv,
I suppose we all like - and want - good food. It's just that we have different definitions of what constitutes "good food".
Personally, I enjoy a tasting menu, with small portions of different dishes, whereas an "all you can eat" deal, no matter what the quality of the food, is unlikely to entice me.
So, as long as the "fancy swirls" are of something delectable, I don't mind how small a serve it is.
As always, each to their own?
(I'm currently sampling the delicacies of Oman. What's the old saying about variety and spice? Wonderful. )

Don't get me wrong, neither my wife or I like the all that you can eat type of restaurant, food quality tends to falls in favour of quantity. But that said I have been to restaurants where you are advised the quality is high (sometimes yes or no) but the portions are so small you leave hungry in both what you are fed and how your wallet feels. There is a medium between enjoying the food, and being satisfied that you have been given value for money.

 

[pagingjoan]

<Snip> There is a medium between enjoying the food, and being satisfied that you have been given value for money.

No argument against that.
What are some of the restaurants you enjoy, in NYC or elsewhere?

 

[clazman]

Quickstatus...... i fell your pain ... this was after day 1 ... with 6 more days of spending afterwards

Why do women take photos of bags?

 

[pagingjoan]

Quickstatus...... i fell your pain ... this was after day 1 ... with 6 more days of spending afterwards

Why do women take photos of bags?

Assumes they were all taken by women?

 

[irv]

No argument against that.
What are some of the restaurants you enjoy, in NYC or elsewhere?

Well this trip to NYC will be our first, six months to go. To be honest I never collect names of many restaurants, however a few that come to mind is the Marigold in Sydneys China Town, Drunken Admiral Hobart, The Rusty Anchor at Cape Breton Island NS and from my home town Port Macquarie, The Stunned Mullet, always good. Each of these are different from each other to cheap as chips, to a weeks worth of groceries, but they all offered sensational food and different experiences. Will be back at the Rusty Anchor in September 2015.

 

[irv]

Unfortunately I totally agree......(sorry its upside down dont know why).
View attachment 41885

I assume they were emptied out ready to refilled, "Look darling I am recycling"

 

[Quickstatus]

Quickstatus...... i fell your pain ... this was after day 1 ... with 6 more days of spending afterwards

Why do women take photos of bags?

View attachment 41944

i dont mind if they take photos of their shopping bags, would just rather if they did not have to accumulate so many bags in the first place. One of the downstrean consequences is the necessity of a P,A, or (hopefully not) F seat to get 100kg of checked luggage. Its not really an excuse for a status run

 

[Quickstatus]

I assume they were emptied out ready to refilled, "Look darling I am recycling"

They will never be recycled to be used as bags again because new bags will come with any new shopping expedition. They get taken back home to be stored with all the other bags.

I was warned to pack them carefully to prevent then from being creased.....

 

[clazman]

Thought I would be smart and try and control the spend by telling her the allowance was 1 bag @ 32kg ...... so what did she do shipped the excess weight by post.

Serves me right

 

[irv]

Thank you for your input, I have so much to look forward to when I arrive in August :shock:

 

[Quickstatus]

Thought I would be smart and try and control the spend by telling her the allowance was 1 bag @ 32kg ...... so what did she do shipped the excess weight by post.

Serves me right

Use my allowance........

 

[jay nine]

Going to NY in July 2015. 2 of us (me and 22yo daughter). Can't wait. We'll be there for 17 days but thinking of maybe doing a 4 night stay in Nassau in the middle to break it up (Paradise Island?).Flying direct from NY, hopefully using QFF (can't book them on their website for some reason ). What do others think? And then stay in 2 different areas of NY, before and after Caribbean. Or should we stay on Mainland US and do something???

 

[Ausbt]

And then stay in 2 different areas of NY, before and after Caribbean.

Greenwich Village is always a good pick. Don't be scared to choose Brooklyn, Greenpoint or even Long Island City. Accom will be cheaper and it's just a subway ride to Manhattan.

 

[clazman]

Just be prepared NY hotel rooms aren't the biggest.

See the bears across the border in Canada or a few days in London?


22 year old daughter would like Vegas

Have a look at aa.com and select US website for internal flights...