GRcade

Bunni wrote:Arrived in Hong Kong tired and desperate for a rest. Ended up in McDonald’s where some old dude was wanking under the counter.

Gotta love that Szechuan Sauce.

I'm off to New York in just over a week, and I was looking for some suggestions for things to do or eat if anyone is familiar with NYC? Maybe something a little off the beaten track? I realise that's redundant in a city that big, but you get what I mean.

I've been once before, but didn't venture much further than the space between 79th street and Times Square. I've been to the Natural History Museum, to the top of the Rockefeller, rowed on the lake in Central Park and visited the zoo, and I've seen Chicago and Les Mis on Broadway.

As for this time, the only solid plan we have is a Yankee's game on the 15th. We'll catch a few shows and see the Statue of Liberty at some point, but other than that our week is wide open.

Oh, and we're going with a 20yo, so bars/clubs are a no-go.

Chocolate-Milk wrote:I'm off to New York in just over a week, and I was looking for some suggestions for things to do or eat if anyone is familiar with NYC? Maybe something a little off the beaten track? I realise that's redundant in a city that big, but you get what I mean.

I've been once before, but didn't venture much further than the space between 79th street and Times Square. I've been to the Natural History Museum, to the top of the Rockefeller, rowed on the lake in Central Park and visited the zoo, and I've seen Chicago and Les Mis on Broadway.

As for this time, the only solid plan we have is a Yankee's game on the 15th. We'll catch a few shows and see the Statue of Liberty at some point, but other than that our week is wide open.

Oh, and we're going with a 20yo, so bars/clubs are a no-go.

What type of things are you into? If you were only in Midtown/UWS last time, you definitely need to make your way further down in Manhattan. Greenwich Village, SoHo, the Lower East Side, the East Village and Tribeca are all worth exploring. On the Upper East Side, the Met is one of the world's best museums. The Guggenheim is in the same neighborhood, with MoMA a bit further south.

When you're downtown, walk across the Brooklyn bridge and the neighborhoods around there have classic NYC brownstones. Gantry Plaza state park in Queens has great views of Midtown Manhattan. Prospect park in Brooklyn is lovely and the area around it has lots of great restaurants.

I've never been sadly, but if i was there one of my priorities would be the 9/11 memorial and the view from 1 world trade center.

Chocolate-Milk wrote:Oh, and we're going with a 20yo, so bars/clubs are a no-go.

I was thinking “but surely a 20 year old would love to go to bars and clubs” for a while before remembering America's stupid age restriction.

Go up the Freedom Tower (or whatever it's called). It has a very cool looking elevator, which has LED screens on all sides showing a movie of Manhattan changing throughout the centuries.

Also, is New York not one of the states where a parent can buy alcohol for a member of the family younger than 21?

karl_fletcher wrote:What type of things are you into? If you were only in Midtown/UWS last time, you definitely need to make your way further down in Manhattan. Greenwich Village, SoHo, the Lower East Side, the East Village and Tribeca are all worth exploring. On the Upper East Side, the Met is one of the world's best museums. The Guggenheim is in the same neighborhood, with MoMA a bit further south.

When you're downtown, walk across the Brooklyn bridge and the neighborhoods around there have classic NYC brownstones. Gantry Plaza state park in Queens has great views of Midtown Manhattan. Prospect park in Brooklyn is lovely and the area around it has lots of great restaurants.

We're staying in Midtown West this time, so we'll likely make more of an effort to wander downtown. As for what we're into, my sister is looking to go thrift shopping, my girlfriend wants to explore Korea town and hunt for famous movie scenes/buildings, and I'm mostly just looking for some interesting places to eat, like Katz's Deli or Big Gay Ice Cream. I'd also like to visit Coney Island, if that's worth the journey?

Chocolate-Milk wrote:I'd also like to visit Coney Island, if that's worth the journey?

I liked Coney Island. It was cool seeing places from The Warriors . It's an odd place, though I went 10 years ago. For all I know it's been gentrified to look like everywhere else these days.

Chocolate-Milk wrote:I'm off to New York in just over a week, and I was looking for some suggestions for things to do or eat if anyone is familiar with NYC? Maybe something a little off the beaten track? I realise that's redundant in a city that big, but you get what I mean.

I've been once before, but didn't venture much further than the space between 79th street and Times Square. I've been to the Natural History Museum, to the top of the Rockefeller, rowed on the lake in Central Park and visited the zoo, and I've seen Chicago and Les Mis on Broadway.

As for this time, the only solid plan we have is a Yankee's game on the 15th. We'll catch a few shows and see the Statue of Liberty at some point, but other than that our week is wide open.

Oh, and we're going with a 20yo, so bars/clubs are a no-go.

Met is rated the world's best museum on Tripadvisor for a reason, it is amazing. You can spend a whole day there and still barely scratch the surface. Intrepid is also well worth a visit

For food one thing to try is Smorgasburg in Brooklyn (Williamsburg every Saturday, Prospect Park every Sunday), it's fairly pricey but the choice is really impressive. I haven't tried the Queens Night Market yet but it's on my list to visit (and it's cheaper).

Most tourists don't venture further north in central park than 79th Street, but personally I much prefer the northern half of central park to the southern half. Conservatory Garden, Harlem Meer are both nice spots. The Loch, Ravine, North Woods are modelled after upstate NY countryside, so it really feels like you are out of the city when walking through there. The Reservoir Loop and the Bridal Path are my favourite running routes in NYC

You could also look into helicopter tours for aerial views of Manhattan

Coney Island is defs worth a visit (but only on a sunny day, obviously), beach is massive and loads of rides. Nathan's (hot dog place) hosts the annual July 4th hot dog eating contest, the records are insane. It will probably be swarmed with young kids roundabout this time though (it was when I was there a few weeks ago).

SoHo area for shopping

The High Line, an elevated garden that goes from Meatpacking District to Hudson Yards is also pretty cool

Hell's Kitchen is only a couple of blocks from Times Square but the restaurants there are much better value. East Village is another area with a good selection of restaurants (and bars, lol)

If you are in the area, Grand Central is pretty impressive. Nearby Bryant Park is the home of Pokemon Go in NYC lol.

Hire a bike if you're going round the park - it's great fun and as Snowcannon says, you can see some of the more rugged features of the Northern part of it.

I'm off to NYC in November - if Smorgasburg is still on then, I'll definitely be hitting that up.

SandyCoin wrote:

Chocolate-Milk wrote:I'd also like to visit Coney Island, if that's worth the journey?

I liked Coney Island. It was cool seeing places from The Warriors . It's an odd place, though I went 10 years ago. For all I know it's been gentrified to look like everywhere else these days.

The first time i went to new york we took a trip down to coney island for the mermaid parade, which was pretty good, especially with so many topless women out and about parading their thing atop sea designed floats. I believe that was in late june, but its still worth checking out as a breather from the hustle and bustle of manhattan.

Snowcannon wrote:[A whole bunch of good stuff]

Those all sound right up our alley, particularly the Smorgasburg and the north of Central Park. I'll definitely be trying to see as many of them as I can.

Thanks!

Hi all.

So I have 3 weeks of leave in November and wondered if anyone had any tips.

I'm often a solo traveller, but I thought I should maybe join one of these arranged tour things, particularly one aimed at mid twenty to thirty somethings?

Anyone know of any good websites for these. Also anyone have any tips for somewhere to go this time of year?

The world is literally my oyster and money isn't too much of a drawback (to a reasonable and logical extent). I was thinking Nepal way. or thailand/burma/cambodia?

The safer option is New Zealand.

I've never been to this part of the world before so it's all new and exciting but I really don't have a clue where to go. I'm not that interested in Japan...just to mention.

Cheers,

Huw

Curls wrote:Hi all.

So I have 3 weeks of leave in November and wondered if anyone had any tips.

I'm often a solo traveller, but I thought I should maybe join one of these arranged tour things, particularly one aimed at mid twenty to thirty somethings?

Anyone know of any good websites for these. Also anyone have any tips for somewhere to go this time of year?

The world is literally my oyster and money isn't too much of a drawback (to a reasonable and logical extent). I was thinking Nepal way. or thailand/burma/cambodia?

The safer option is New Zealand.

I've never been to this part of the world before so it's all new and exciting but I really don't have a clue where to go. I'm not that interested in Japan...just to mention.

Cheers,

Huw

What kind of things are you interested in? The places you've named there are all really different, and it's hard to offer suggestions without an idea of what you're most interested in-cities, activities, sightseeing, getting drunk at beach parties etc....?

I'm an open book really. I'm happy to try new things.

History is great, but I wouldn't want to spend the whole time going to museums and ancient sites, but a seeing a few would be a bonus.

I'm very happy to be active. I was looking at treks around Nepal, but the dates (on the particular website i was looking at) didn't match my leave. Beautiful countryside is a top requirement for me.

I'm happy to do adventure activities like White water rafting etc too.

Cities are great but I couldn't spend more than 2 or 3 days in a huge Asian metropolis.

As you can see I haven't much idea about the places I've mentioned so I'm looking for inspiration. Far east seems like where I'm currently thinking. With New Zealand as more of a back-up for if I don't get the VISA sorted in time.

I'm off to Sicily in a few weeks. Staying in Taormina for 5 nights then a couple nights in Syracuse. We have car hire for the week and want to go up Etna on one of the days.
Anyone been? Any tips or suggestions?

Just got back from a wee break in the Alps, highlight of which was almost certainly the official HR Giger museum and bar in Gruyere. Wasn't supposed to take pics in the museum but I used my super stealth skills to nab a few (hence their blurriness and general jank). Ordered a 'Giger coffee' in the bar which turned out to be just a big ole glass of schnapps. Imgur gallery ahoy!

https://imgur.com/a/kfxjUJO

Chocolate-Milk wrote:

Snowcannon wrote:[A whole bunch of good stuff]

Those all sound right up our alley, particularly the Smorgasburg and the north of Central Park. I'll definitely be trying to see as many of them as I can.

Thanks!

Just the one tip from me: Di Fara's pizza in Brooklyn. It's not the world famous 'best pizza in NYC' for nothing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Di_Fara_Pizza

Tafdolphin wrote:Wasn't supposed to take pics in the museum but I used my super stealth skills to nab a few

I've done that in a fair few places, once i was in Westminster Abbey where they're super strict about such things, and just before i exited, i stopped at the door, turned around, snapped a bunch of shots, and then got the hell out before anyone noticed.

It just seemed mean to me. There was no reason at all for them to forbid photos except for monetary ones (they were selling prints, expensive prints, of most of the pieces).

Tafdolphin wrote:It just seemed mean to me. There was no reason at all for them to forbid photos except for monetary ones (they were selling prints, expensive prints, of most of the pieces).

It does seem a bit odd for a place like that, when i did the Star Wars Identities exhibition at the O2 last year, taking photos was actually encouraged.