72 Hours in New York

New York, New York so good they named it twice(or so the song goes)! Everyone should visit this stunning and glamorous city once in their lifetime. Arriving from the UK-flights are available from most airports, either into JFK or Newark. You can then catch either a shuttle/train/limo or a bright yellow cab what a way to start your adventure in the Big Apple. There are plenty at the airport so no need to worry. Accommodation is plentiful, to suit all budgets. I stayed in the Novotel Times Square a 4 star property in a fabulous location for most of the major attractions. The hotel has its own restaurant which serves breakfast, lunch & dinner. It also has stunning views over Broadway. There is also a great diner next door which serves a mean breakfast at reasonable prices. The subway is also close by, and this is probably the most efficient & economic way to get around. Dining in New York ranges from a deli found everywhere as well as hot dog vendors. Little Italy is a great area if you love Italian food-the desserts are superb. You will probably arrive in New York mid afternoon if you manage to get a morning flight from the UK, so by the time you reach your hotel it will be late afternoon. My advice is go out get your bearings, have dinner then have an early night so you can be fresh and ready for the next morning to start exploring this fab city. Day1 Morning: Maybe visit the Empire State Building. It opens early so try and get there before the rush starts. Between 11am to 1pm is very busy as is just before sunset. It towers a quarter of a mile above the streets of the city, you get fab views both day and night from the Observatory. After that wander down 5th Avenue towards the Flatiron Building built in 1903. Not the worlds tallest building but still worth a look at. Lunch might be on your mind by now so either a diner or grab a hot dog. Plenty of options will be available as you walk around. Afternoon: Circle Line Cruise operate a few different tours but the 3 hour river cruise gives you a great overview of the city from the water. You will see 101 sights and points of interest along the way-get a fab close up view of the Statue of Liberty. After this you might be ready for a rest before maybe a spot of dinner and a Broadway Show, I can book this for you from the UK. Day 2 Morning: A visit to the American Museum of Natural History-don't miss the world famous Dinosaur, Ocean Life and Meteorite Halls. They are adding new exhibitions all of the time so well worth a visit. While you are in this area pop over to Central Park where you can pick up a rental bike to explore this amazing green oasis in the centre of Manhattan. There are also guided bike tours if you prefer, carriages or you can just walk. On the way there why not pick up a Pastrami on rye for lunch (very New York) Afternoon: The Big Apple helicopter Ride is very popular-amazing views of all of New York's famous landmarks. Grab a birds eye view of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island plus central Park. Fly right over Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges. Don't forget your camera!! Why not have dinner either at the Hard Rock Café or Planet Hollywood both in the heart of Times Square. Day 3 Morning: After checking out of your chosen hotel, leave your luggage with the concierge (they usually charge a small fee). Head for the Rockefeller Centre where they have a tour at 10am. After this head on over to Grand Central Station- a city in its self with over 68 shops and 35 dining options. It was 100 years old on the 1st Feb 2013. You can either take a tour or just wander around on your own, either way it is well worth a visit. Afternoon: Depends on how much time you have before you need to head for the airport. If you are catching a yellow cab I would advise to ask the hotel to order one for you as they will know how long it will take for you to get back to the airport. Don't forget you will need to be at the airport 3 hours before your flight and traffic can be a real problem in New York. If you have time you can always pop into Saks the famous department store to do a bit of shopping before you leave. This is just a taster of the things to do in New York. If you let me know the kind of things you would like to see I can always put together an itinerary for you. You will probably want to go back anyway, most people do!! Passport and Visa info: You will need at least 6 months left on your passport. An online visa is now required  known as an ESTA. I can organise this for you and it costs 14usd. Its available online and lasts for 2 years at the time of printing this information. Please ask at the time of booking for the most up to date information. Flight time is approx. 7.30 hours out and usually a little quicker on the return. You usually fly overnight on the return landing back into the UK early morning. New York is 5 hours behind the UK depending on the time of year. I do hope you have enjoyed reading this blog. If you require any more information or would like a costing please call me on 01455 213590 or email sue@designertravel.co.uk I would love to hear from you. Sue