<p>Long story short, next month I will be taking a university sponsored trip to NYC. I don't have to pay for lodging or transportation, just food or whatever. However, I will only be in NYC for one day. So, how do I make the best use of my time? What is absolutely crucial for me to see/do? I've never been to NYC so I'm really excited and want to make the most o it.</p>
<p>go to central park and times square.</p>
<p>It’s cliche to take people to see the sights, but really you’ll realize you’ve already seen Times Square and Central Park 50x before (on TV, movies). Still worth doing, but I personally like to emphasize a nice restaurant and drinks after - obviously tailored to their tastes. Nowhere else can you have the world’s palate at your fingertips (for a price, of course :P), in any atmosphere you want (quiet, bustling, rowdy).</p>
<p>See a show on Broadway! And go shopping, especially if you’re a girl. :)</p>
<p>Go to either the Top of the Rock or the top of the Empire State Building for the views. (costs money)</p>
<p>Ride the Staten Island Ferry back and forth (free) and then walk around lower Manhattan and see Wall Street or the 9/11 Museum (need tickets in advance).</p>
<p>See a show if you’re into theater, look for an opera, etc. if that’s what you’re into.</p>
<p>Don’t waste your time shopping - you can get everything on line that you could get here.</p>
<p>Take one of those double decker bus tours where you can get on and off and explore and then get back on. Frankly, I’m a native NY’er, lived here my entire life and there are places I’ve never been to.</p>
<p>Have fun!</p>
<p>If you’re a Gaga fan, you can visit her old apartment. PM me for details if you’d like :)</p>
<p>Ride the subway, visit as many boroughs as you can, drop by a library, “Top of the Rock”, and eat.</p>
<p>Main thing to keep in mind is that New York, like anywhere else, is a functional city. What’s unique about it is its density, transportation system, and public infrastructure. Everything else is mostly the same as everywhere else.</p>
<p>Metropolitan Museum of Art</p>
<p>Even if you are not an art fan, which I am not, it is amazing.</p>
<p>They have the ancient Egyptian stuff, and the Roman statues, and original Van Gogh paintings, and stuff like that.</p>
<p>Also, walking across The Brooklyn Bridge is fun.</p>
<p>MoMA is closed on Tuesdays… I found out the hard way >.< Make sure you do your research on which attractions are open! </p>
<p>Broadway is awesome, but it’ll cost quite a bit. I’ll recommend the American Museum of Natural History; you could walk there through Central Park. Though it’s kind of an all-day thing so you’ll not get to do the rest of the city stuff like Staten Island, the Empire State Building, Fifth Avenue and all that. Kind of mutually exclusive, some of the activities. Just pick your fav!</p>
<p>I guess where to visit depends on your priorities. I’d visit various shops just to take in the eye candy. Toureau for watches that would empty a neurosurgeon’s yearly salary. Then maybe a Ferrari dealership. But that’s just me; I’m not much into doing “touristy” things like Times Square.</p>
<p>But I would want to use the subway. It’s an alien form of transportation to anyone west of the Mississippi.</p>
<p>go see a show(spiderman,wicked or something else)
go to some good restaurants… southern hospitality,virgils bbq,plenty more!!!
go to the 9/11 memorial( have to make reserve)
go to bodies exhibit
times square
TONS MORE to do</p>
<p>As a lifelong New Yorker, I would strongly urge you NOT to go to times square, top of rock or any other observation centers, bodies, 9/11 (Esp now with UN delegates getting priority visits in) etc etc. If your sponsored tour does not give a tour, then check out the Gray line Uptown Loop Tour. The whole thing takes 2 hours. Dont do the whole thing. Get on it on 59th and Central Park West, after you had coffee in the Time Warner Center’s 2nd floor Boulangerie overlooking the park and Columbus Circle. Then take the loop that goes uptown past Lincoln Center etc. Get out if you wish at the Metropolitan Museum, Go inside, give them a quarter, they’ll give you admission, dont be intimidated by the suggested admission of 15$. Use the bathroom, soak up the atmosphere on the steps, get back on next bus. Get off at Fifth Ave and 59 Street by the Plaza Hotel. Walk down Fifth towards Rockefeller Center at 50th St. Look at 30 Rock. Imagine the tree. Cross the street. Walk into Saks Fifth Ave, the most quintessentially New York Dept Store. If you’re a guy go to the 6th or 7th floor to the barbershop. If you dont have time to use their services, ask them for water/coffe at the bar, use bathroom. Its cool. If you’re a girl, ladies rooms are on the 4th floor. Continue walking down Fifth Ave to the Library on 42 Street. Get on regular City bus (have $2.50 in quarters handy) that will take you to Washington Square, the start of Greenwich Village and central place of NUY. Walk through the Square, have cappucino at Caffe Reggio on macdougal Street and continue down through Soho and Chinatown towards Wall St. Alternatively Roam around the Village for the remainder of your day. Don’t go to any restaurant that you recognize from the Mall. Enjoy.</p>
<p>I haven’t been up them for a few years, so things may have changed, but Top of the Rock was great and the Empire State Building was truly an awful experience. Top of the Rock was uncrowded and had a reserved time, and extremely efficient and pleasant. Empire State was an endless set of multiple long lines where people were treated like cattle headed to slaughter, except cattle don’t have to listen to endless advertisements to pay more money to move to the front of the line.</p>
<p>yea I mean coming from a native ny’er (born and raised) times square is not really nyc,but I guess you have to see some of that stuff 1st time you come.</p>
<p>with that being said,I forgot about the UN meeting,it’s a mess everywhere</p>
<p>I love NYC and there is always so much to do. What are your interests? Are you and art or theatre major? If a theatre major you can go to the TKS booth and get discount tickets to a show, or register of Broadwaybox.com or playbill.com, they have discount tickets too. I love the delis in New York, for a great meal, or the Ellen’s Starlight Diner, expensive but you get a show with your meal, the waitstaff break into song during your meal. I loved Ellis Island so if you are a history major that is a great stop. I would also recommend the city bus tours since you are only there one day, I believe you can get on and off an spots all over the city.</p>
<p>I second the Metropolitan Museum. It’s absolutely amazing in there and I can think you can opt out of the ticket price by donating some money instead. Go eat out somewhere nice if you want to splurge on food and go see a Broadway show if you’re into that.
Honestly, just walk around and enjoy the city. Maybe check out Chinatown if you’re interested and of course ride the subway!</p>
<p>take a train uptown around 145th and Lennox. sometimes it feels like a ride of your life.</p>