New York City trip - what to do

[dtforever]

The SO an I are going to hit up New York City for a long weekend get-away. We have never been before, and so I figured I would hit up the Planet for suggestions on cool things to see and do. The SO is interested in seeing a couple of the typical tourist traps (Empire/Statue), but outside of that we just want to experience the city. Any ideas on must see/must do while in the city? We will be there for 2 full days and 1/2 days coming and going.

Also, I have been looking into transportation, and we plan on just using the public bus/subway system. Suggestions around this would be welcome as well. We are staying in Bed Stuy, if that makes a difference.

I know I don't post often, but I lurk the hell out of this place, and for some ungodly reason feel like I would trust your opinions.

[SAUTO]

I'll second union station.

We saw the lion king on Broadway years ago. It was absolutely amazing.

[scho63]

McSorley's Ale House is also a cool place to grab a quick beer or two. In operation since 1854

https://mcsorleysoldalehouse.nyc/

[displacedinMN]

throw feces at Trump Tower? Good way to get the guys with the automatic weapons to take you down.

Times square is crazy-but stay away from the characters. They are assholes.
So outside the paint.

[Frazod]

One more thing about New York that I remembered - probably not that big of a deal now that everybody has a phone with GPS, but the street numbers run differently than other cities, like Chicago. If you're walking north and pass a building with a 600 address, and think a building with a 700 address will be on the next block, you'll be sadly mistaken. My best guess is that the street numbers go up by individual buildings, or more likely the numbers of buildings that existed on those streets decades/centuries ago. Living in Chicago, I was used to numbers being assigned by blocks.

What I thought would be a walk of a couple of blocks ended up being more like eight or nine. On a hot, humid, windless day, that's kind of annoying.

[Miles]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

As odd as it sounds, one of my favorite things that I've done there is just walk around. The city has had such a huge impact on American culture that you see all sorts of things that catch your eye. Oh, hey, I'm in Greenwich village. Gosh, that's Madison Avenue. Hey, that's Bleeker Street from the Simon and Garfunkel song. Now I'm in Times Square or on Broadway or in Central Park. I don't know if you would find it interesting, but I do.

Other than that, a Broadway show is always a good idea, and I think the Museum of Modern Art is my favorite museum there.

Haven't had the chance in NYC but have done that in Chicago when i was last there for work and just randomly walked all over downtown. May have been more like hey that's the album cover for Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and got some great Italian food.

[skybbc]

taste some good food may one good option

[2112]

If you go downtown to see the 9/11 monument, you have to go to two of the oldest bars in the city. Mcsorleys alehouse on 15 east 7th street and fraunces tavern on 54 pearl st. Fraunces is a NY historical structure (even has a plaque on the outside of the building). And George Washington drank beers in there lol. If you're around Times Square stop in Jimmys corner tavern on west 44th st between 6th and 7th. It's owned by legendary cutman jimmy glenn and has a lot of boxing nostalgia. He was Muhammad Ali and sonny listens cut man. Also it's a cheap beer and shot joint in the middle of Times Square.

If you're in Brooklyn you might as well go to legendary surf avenue in Coney Island.

I usually only go into the city to see relatives or go to sporting events or concerts or for pub crawls. The last time I saw a broadway show was pippin in 1974 when I was a kid, and I think I was being dragged kicking and screaming.

Have fun!