<p>I live in NYC on the Upper West Side just below Columbia University. I believe there is a hostel on West End Ave. around 104th Street and another one near Columbia. If you need, I will research further.</p>
<p>If you would consider changing airports, you can take the train from Penn Station directly into Newark Airport. Penn Station is really convieniently located within walking distance of a lot of interesting things and it is really convient. Thats how we normaly go into the city since we live in Eastern PA. We park at Newark and take the train.</p>
<p>I second the Newark Airport post. It's much, much easier to get in via Newark and it brings you to the heart of everything.</p>
<p>Let me know if I can research anything for you.</p>
<p>Another option, flying into JFk, they now have the airtrain (cost $5) and links you from the airport to LIRR, Jamaica station where it cost $5 off peak and a 17 minute ride into penn station- midtown manhattan.</p>
<p>See if your library has a "Let's Go" guide for NYC. That guide is written by Harvard undergrads and gives good advice for students who are traveling.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Now he is wondering what the possibilities are for staying for a night or two in a youth hostel -- does anyone know if they are safe?
[/quote]
Took the words out of my mouth! I don't have specific hostel knowledge. But I think it's a shame he would only have a few hours there, what with having to be at the airport 2 hours prior to flight, etc. If he is a rising senior, is there a chance he could overnight with a student at Columbia or NYU? I know it's summer, but maybe that could be arranged. Especially for a family on a budget, it seems like a "once in a lifetime" chance to spend a couple of days in an amazing city with endless things to do.</p>
<p>If he is interested in World Religions, he might be interested in this unique museum, which takes you right back to the lives of Jewish and other immigrants to New York's Lower East Side: <a href="http://www.fieldtrip.com/ny/24310233.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.fieldtrip.com/ny/24310233.htm</a></p>
<p>Wow, this thread has been helpful. I've also been planning a stop-over trip to NYC.</p>
<p>thanks for the great suggestions and ideas -- we are very busy searching possibilities.</p>
<p>I have to check and see if he can fly out of a different airport than the one he flies into -- we haven't bought the plane ticket yet.</p>
<p>I think we found a hostel that is affordable <a href="http://www.hostels.com/en/availability.php/HostelNumber.2294%5B/url%5D">http://www.hostels.com/en/availability.php/HostelNumber.2294</a></p>
<p>he does not need to be 18, they serve a continental breakfast included in the price of $27 plus tax and the location looks good (blocks from columbia).</p>
<p>with the money he has saved (and will still earn the next few weeks) he can work within a budget of about $400. for that, we are thinking he could stay 4 nights at a hostel, eat cheap lunches and dinners (does $25/day sound reasonable?) pay for public transportation and some museum entrance fees. This should still leave him some extra money.</p>
<p>I would be willing to pay for an organized tour -- I think that it would be a great way to get oriented on the first morning. </p>
<p>He also has a debit mastercard that I can deposit money into if needed for an emergency.</p>
<p>Do you think he should see a play while he is there? He loves Shakespeare, Greek tragedies and historical plays -- not too into modern interpretations or black box stuff.</p>
<p>He will definitely go see Columbia, it is on his list of colleges at the moment -- so it would be a good opportunity. they have an organized tour -- but nothing else the days he will be there.</p>
<p>jmmom -- great link to the museum, it will be on his must see list!</p>
<p>sybbie -- thanks so much for all the links!</p>
<p>I really appreciate all the advice and information, you guys are great! And my son really thanks you -- I don't think I would have let him go without someone else's encouragement. (my mom thinks I am crazy -- but then, she still doesn't like to go to the grocery store alone!)</p>
<p>We are off to the library for guide books -- he is going to have a fantastic summer (wish I could go -- I am stuck working and going to school)</p>
<p>There are airport busses to Grand Central from LaGuardia and JFK. So I wouldn't sweat the airport issue. Advice for what not to do: Don't try to go up the Empire State building or to Ellis Island this trip. The lines are too long! I love St. John the Divine- a must for Madeleine L'Engle Fans! - and it's not far from Columbia University. Subway is nearly always faster than busses, but you see more from busses. I agree the double decker is a good option for the tourist sights. My 16 yo learned to deal with NYC last summer when he took a summer class at Columbia. (I had little sympathy since at his age I'd been changing planes in London to visit my parents in Africa and often had a day layover too.)</p>
<p>During the summer there is Shakespear in the park which is free </p>
<p>as a student, she should sign up for the theatre development fund. They will send him advance notice for tickets and he may be able to purchase deeply discounted bway tickets before he gets to NYC.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.tdf.org/mailinglist/index.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.tdf.org/mailinglist/index.html</a></p>
<p>he should also sign up for High5 (he can do this from home)</p>
<p>High 5 is a non-profit organization dedicated to making the arts affordable for teens. Through High 5, any teen can buy $5 tickets to hundreds of New York's best dance, music, theater, film, museum and spoken word events all year round. The idea seems too simple to be true: $5 tickets to arts events in and around New York City for teens ages 13 to 18 (or any student enrolled in a middle or high school program). </p>
<p>HOW IT WORKS</p>
<p>All You Need to Know Before You Go</p>
<p>What is High 5 Tickets to the Arts?
High 5 is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to making the arts affordable for teens. Through High 5, any teen can buy $5 tickets to hundreds of New York's best dance, music, theater, film, museum and spoken word events all year round. </p>
<p>Am I eligible?
If you are between the ages of 13-18 or a middle school or high school student from anywhere in the world, you can purchase High 5 tickets. You do not need to be from New York. You do not even need to be from the United States. But you need to be a teen. You must present proper identification when you buy your tickets and when you arrive at the theater or museum. Identification can be anything proving your age or school enrollment. It can be a NYC Metro Pass, student ID, a driver's license or even a school report card. (For those 18 or older see Grownups and Guardians.)</p>
<p>How much does it cost?
Tickets are $5 each and each teen can purchase one additional $5 ticket, so they can be accompanied by one adult, another teen or a pre-teen. For museum visits, you can buy two tickets for $5, and they can be bought the day of your visit or up to a month in advance.</p>
<p>How do I know what's available?
Pick up our High 5 catalog at any public library, most Ticketmaster outlets or at our office. Or keep coming back to our web site for the most up-to-date information about sold-out shows and just-added tickets. </p>
<p>Food is not cheap in Manhattan, but....</p>
<p>he can get hot dogs from the street vendors, bagels at H&H (or wherever somebody else posts is better ;) ).... If he stays at the hostel, I'll bet his fellow travellers will have ideas out the wa-zoo for cheap eats.</p>
<p>I don't know what Columbia dining options are for non-meal plan kids, but that might be an option.</p>
<p>I'm not sayin' this is the healthy way to eat, but I don't think he's on the "gourmet" tour this trip. :)</p>
<p>If he is up by columbia, he can eat at Ollies, get pizza, b y fruit and stuff from the street vendors, hey there may even be a few street fairs/ festivals depending on when he comes to NY</p>
<p><a href="http://www.nycstreetfairs.com/sched.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.nycstreetfairs.com/sched.html</a></p>
<p>IF he is still in town and he is already at Columbia, he should definitely check out Harlem week</p>
<p>2006 River to River festival</p>
<p>Seconding Sybbie's River to River festival idea. New York has a lot of free cultural events uring thr summer. Lincoln Center Out of Doors. </p>
<p>I live in the general neighborhood of the hostel. If you need any specific information, you can post here (others want the info also) or PM me.</p>
<p>There are so many wonderful suggestions here--one day will not be enough! While a UN tour can be great--I think you have to arrange them ahead of time (but maybe that's only for groups). It takes a long time, though, so he'll have to decide what's most important to fit into his day. Just to add one more thing to the mix--there's a museum which opened in 2005, called the Museum of Biblical Art (<a href="http://www.mobia.org%5B/url%5D">www.mobia.org</a>) which, if he's interested in world religions, he might like.</p>
<p>alan,</p>
<p>I forgot that one.</p>
<p>Link to Lincoln Center Out of Doors</p>
<p>Lincoln Center Out of Doors 2006
August 4 - 27 </p>
<p>A free festival with something for everyone, Lincoln Center Out of Doors presents over 100 different events: world music, internationally acclaimed dance, cutting-edge performances, special events, cool jazz, and fun for kids. </p>
<p>I'm not sure how wedded you are to your choice of hostel but I believe that there are other hostels that are in relatively safer neighborhoods. Central Park West above about 103rd Street is not a relatively safe neighborhood. Assuming you use the subway or bus to get home at night, I would not recommend it. From your vantage point you can't judge the relative safety of certain streets. Manhattan has many neigborhoods where in the space of two blocks you will have apartments that sell for over $2,000,000 and those that rent for less than $500. The area around West End Ave. is generally better. The Broadway subway line is better to use at night up to the Columbia area. PM me if you want to talk specifics.</p>
<p>for cheap food- a falafel from a street vendor or in any take out place (they're everywhere!) is delicious, healthy, filling, and no more than $2!</p>
<p>I agree with alanarch. NYC is much safer these days, but why take chances? There are hostels all over Manhattan. I'm sorry I don't have any direct experience with any, but I would recommend your son head south from that neighborhood.</p>
<p>It is not necessary to head south. Even two blocks west is better.</p>
<p>In 2006 ... I think it's important to see the site of the World Trade Center. My own kids who have been to NYC many times, and even to the top of the towers were confused in 2003 when we took a cruise out of NYC. "How did the planes find the twin towers amid all those tall buildings?" The remaining buildings look quite tall -- it was hard for them to imagine that the twin towers simply towered over the rest.</p>
<p>Speaking of cruises ... CIRCLE LINE!</p>
<p>And don't forget to get a good gander at the Statue of Liberty.</p>