Whether you’re a city or a farm mouse, a weekend break to New York is always an exciting trip to one of the finest cities on earth. However, a weekend in New York is over as soon as it has begun, and a little planning ahead really helps in fitting in as much (or as little) as possible. Here’s some tips on planning a weekend getaway to the big apple.
Getting Around
If you’re not familiar with New York, it’s really a good idea not to drive into the city for a weekend getaway and arrive by train or bus instead. Before arriving, familiarize yourself with the metro system; it’s tempting to walk everywhere, but this can really eat up time during you weekend trip to New York. A map of the MTA New York City Subway and further information can be found here.
Consider Taking a Tour
Hopping on board the double decker Gray Line tour bus might sound a little cheesy, but it’s worth considering if you’re not familiar with the city and want to see as much during your weekend getaway to New York as possible. Descriptions of the tours and pricing can be found at the Gray Line website.
Cultural Spots
New York is famous as being one of the main cultural centers of the modern era. Two of the most famous cultural activities to include in a weekend getaway to New York are visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art and attending a Broadway play. Broadway tickets and show information can be found at Broadway.com, and detailed information on exhibits at the art museum is available at the Met’s website.
Although it’s mostly sky scrapers and culture that most think of when New York comes to mind, Central Park is a crucial part of the city that could be the center of an entire weekend getaway to New York itself. If you’d like to learn more about Central Park and the famous Central Park Zoo, visit CentralPark.com.
Historical Spots
If you haven’t been to Ground Zero since the terrorist attacks, it’s something to consider fitting in on the agenda.
Of course, there are some famous structures that you have to see at least once, but you might want to narrow it down to one or two if your just traveling through. The Statue of Liberty and the Empire State building are the most iconic in my opinion, but there are plenty to choose from.
Business Spots
The investment and business minded visitor to New York might get a little kick by taking a stroll up Wall Street to the New York Stock Exchange, and no weekend getaway to New York for the uninitiated would be complete without stopping by Times Square, one of central icons of modern consumerism and communication culture.
Entertainment Spots
Depending on the tastes of your party, there are entertainment venues to fit every taste and style. Radio City Music Hall is a great place to bring the family and usually has something great for weekend visitors.
Famous New York Restaurants
Although I’ve had my best meals in New York by stumbling on them or word of mouth, there are some famous New York restaurants that are a great way to wrap up a visit. For some of the best pizza in town, visit Di Fara Pizzeria. If you’re a fan of classic television, you might want to pop by Tom’s Restaurant, which was used as the exterior of the restaurant that the characters frequented on Seinfeld. As for serious dining, that’s a few textbooks onto itself.
Overnight accommodations in New York are by no means cheap, but that’s just the nature of the beast. For serious urban luxury, a few of the great hotels in New York are Four Seasons Hotel, Ritz-Carlton at Central Park and St. Regis Hotel.
