Pinkie

Hey guys

I'm usually on the Aussie forum but have popped over to pick your brains if you don't mind. We're doing a trip back to the UK at christmas and want to fly back to Australia via New York and Vancouver.

My question is about New York at New Year, we were originally planning to be actually in New York on 31st December but as it may be the only time we ever get to go there, will it be too busy to see the sights? If we pushed it back to beginning of Jan, would we miss the tree and decorations?

I'm only talking maybe 2nd Jan as we need to be back here for OH to start work as early in Jan as we can. It looks like it would be cheaper to do that way too.

Any advice gratefully received

Ray

Christmas is basically one day in the US
In my area everything is gone by the 27th ...

NY may be different though

Pinkie

I hope it is different, don't think my folks will take too lightly to me ditching them on christmas day just so I get to see the shops all decked out!

Rete

Well actually the Rockefeller tree doesn't come down until after the New Year. Some of the stores will take down their holiday windows after Xmas but not many of them.

NYE in New York is crowded and expensive. Just finding a hotel room might be a problem unless you stay in the 'burbs by the airport(s) and take mass transit into the city.

There will be lot to see and even more to do. You can always find a nice pub to visit for drinks if you are in the Village on NYE.

elfman

based on my observations in the north east USA it seems to be traditional for many people to leave christmas decorations up until well into February

Big D

as Rete said the tree will still be up and most of the lights etc

It is amazingly busy though - Times Square at that time of year is unbearable and all the tourist sites are busier than usual.

janet82

Hi, I spent new years in New York a few years ago and had a great time. I didn't feel crowded at all, we were there from the 27th Dec until 2nd Jan and all the decorations were still up when we left. On the 31st itself, we caught a matinee performance on 42nd street which let us out at about 7 O'clock into times square and people were all ready starting to gather at that time. We stayed and just enjoyed the atmosphere. We were quite lucky as the weather was mild enough to be able to stand outside for 5 hours.
As well as that, all the regular tourist atrractions (empire state, harbour cruise, statue of liberty....) were all open over the new year period. Hope you have a great time if you decide to go.

denzil75

We pop into NYC quite frequently and I have to say I have gotten to the point of hating Times Square because it's always busy so i'm not the best person to comment on that.

However as the others have said all the Xmas decorations will still be up, we went into NYC on 27th Dec last year and it was quite pleasant, we were able to see the store windows (head for 5th Ave), the tree and ice rink and the ice rink in Central park. All my friends that used to live in NYC had told me that the week between Xmas and New Year is generally the quietest of the festive period so maybe try to arrive a day or so earlier than New Year's to do the sights then just stay for NYE and fly out New Year's Day.

If you can do it, it's well worth the visit.

Bob

lights frozen into the snow don't count

Though usually around here in MA and ME, gone the next day as they don't do the 12 days of x-mas, except those to lazy like me

New years would be a mad crazy, busy time where ever you go I'd have thought so you might as well go for it if you can get a decent pad to stay at

md95065

New York at christmas and / or new year will be much the same as New York at any other time - over-priced and over-rated - with the exception that there is also a good chance that it will be bloody cold as well ...

Pinkie

Thanks guys, mixed views on whether it's a good idea fullstop (!) but as we've never been and this may be our only opportunity to see this city I think we're definitely going to go. I wasn't sure whether everything would be open on New Years Day too so that info is really useful and I think we'll definitely look into pulling it forward a couple of days to get some time there before New Years Eve. Really good tips, thanks.

At the risk of outstaying my welcome over here, any suggestions for hotels? I have looked at some of the cheap options ($150ish) and they seem to be New Jersey way, which is fine but I don't want to spend most of the time travelling between places. There seem so be some decent hotels around the $300 a night mark which is quite a lot - any tips? Ideally I'm looking around $200 - $250.

Rete

I don't have hotel suggestions, unfortunately. I live 25 miles north of Times Square so I don't spend the night in Manhattan only the days.

I love Manhattan. When I was single on weekends it was nothing to jump a train and walk the city or visit a museum or see if I could get tickets to Avery Fisher Hall for the symphony. Love the Village and Chinatown. So much to see and do that can be cheap if you are discriminating and search the web for places to visit.

Jersey isn't bad in terms of commute to the city. Depends on where in Jersey. You just need to take the Path train into Penn Station and you are in Manhattan.

Pinkie

Thanks Rete, I think half the thrill of going to New York is just going to be that - going to New York! There's a Holiday Inn in Chinatown that looks ok and doesn't seem to be that far from everything (although not entirely sure what I mean by everything yet!!). Having said that we got stung when we moved to Oz by the distances, nothing in the UK is as far as a quick trip in Oz!

LadyBelle

Hi Pinkie -

Definitely go -- and whichever time you'd like, it really doesn't matter since many people will be around for the holiday and the following week and the week just after it too. Not a big difference. The TREE won't be taken down until after New Year's day; I can't remember when.

Someone mentioned that the week between Christmas and New Year's isn't too busy in NY, but it is busy. You'll not get a non-busy week around the holidays. But are you going to try to go shopping? (That would be painful --- particularly the day after Christmas.) Because if not, why worry about the fact that there are a lot of people -- a lot of tourists --- in the City with you? It's busy, but not unbearable. Now, Times Square proper will be very crowded on New Year's Eve; if you're planning on going there, be ready for crowds. ; ) There really isn't a need to be there on the 31st if you're not going to try to catch the ball falling for New Year's, so it's really up to you. How many days are you planning for NY?

What would you like to do and see there? I can give you some tips if you tell me what you like to do/see, etc..

I can't give you tips on hotels; it is going to be very expensive all over the city and the surrounding areas. Some spots in NJ will be in a very easy commutable distance (possibly even by the ferry boats) to the city; some parts of Westchester County are very easy too. Research well that Chinatown option you've found; a lot of places there are rather shabby.


Let me know if I can be of help.

Have fun!

Pinkie

Thanks Ladybelle, that's really kind of you. We are prepared for busy, it's just to what degree that would affect our ability to see the things we want to see I guess versus seeing the city in full christmas regalia - something I have wanted to do for as long as I can remember. At the minute it's looking like we're going to try and get there a day earlier than planned and maybe do 5 nights instead of 4 as the flights dictate a lot of what we can fit in on arrival/departure days. 5 nights would give us 4 full days to explore.

What would we like to see? How long do you have!! In no particular order: Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, Ground Zero, The Tree, the toy shop with the window (it's early here, only had one coffee so far....) Central Park, and being a big film nerd, anything related to films there. Oh and the Sony gadget place for OH, a show on Broadway (or off Broadway, just happy to see a show) I think that's it

Any tips would be great, we realise we're going to have to cram a lot in but this will be only the second time we've left our folks behind and the first time (when we emigrated originally) was so horrific I told OH we needed to make sure we had something major to look forward to when we left this time.

Sorry this is so rambley, as I said, it's early here but wanted to say thanks whilst you were online.

Em