NFT: So I'm headed to Connecticut for a few days...

[SLAG]

never been up east.. I'll fly into Hartford then have ~90mi drive to the sw to my destination..

Suggestions...?

Stories?

I think that is all...

Oh and **** the Raiders..

[eazyb81]

Good God, do not drive to NYC. If you've never been there it will be way too much to take on. The traffic is completely insane.

Google Mega Bus, they always have cheap bus routes to and from NYC. They will drop you off right in Penn Station, allowing you to mess around for a few hours and then take a bus back to CT at night. They run all hours of the night so you won't have a problem if you miss your bus.

[noa]

No problem. I just think Times Square is a tourist trap and isn't New York's best cultural offering. It's the type of place with really big Red Lobsters, Olive Gardens, and Ruby Tuesdays when the city has so much more to offer. I guess I'm not saying avoid it at all costs if you want to check it out, I just wouldn't make it a top priority.

And Carmines is decent. It's family style, so you get a ton of food.
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[SLAG]

Originally Posted by noa

No problem. I just think Times Square is a tourist trap and isn't New York's best cultural offering. It's the type of place with really big Red Lobsters, Olive Gardens, and Ruby Tuesdays when the city has so much more to offer. I guess I'm not saying avoid it at all costs if you want to check it out, I just wouldn't make it a top priority.

And Carmines is decent. It's family style, so you get a ton of food.
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Thanks again for the info - and I totally get what you're saying about T.S.

I have never wanted to visit NYC - would probably never come on my own - but I'm too close to not go and check it out -and i'll be honest i'm a little intimidated but I'm going to go do it anyway because thats just how I roll


it seems the last train from G.S. back to the southeast is 11:06 PM. - WTH

[BigOlChiefsfan]

Been 20 years ago or more, but my friends from Wallingford CT took me over to New Haven for Pizza - I thought it was awesome.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Haven-style_pizza

And tho' it's probably closed for the winter - I recommend Abbots Lobster in the Rough, on the shore near Mystic. BYOB, seafood about as fresh as it gets.

Hope you have a great trip

[Jenson71]

I agree that there's better things than Times Square to see. But, walking around Times Square is a must-do. You don't have to eat at Olive Garden, or shop at the Hershey store, but the bustle of Times Square at night is cool to do. Walk the blocks and watch the people, see the Broadway theaters, Letterman's studio, the statue of the priest, and the naked cowboy.

Whenever I talk to people going to New York and they ask what they should do, I always say that Central Park is a huge deal for New York, but it's really just a huge park. We have a lot of open space, grass and ponds in the midwest. And that's basically what you see at Central Park. Central Park is special for New Yorkers because that's "nature."

The amazing thing about New York is you can design it for whatever you want. Like history? You can do a strictly historical tour. Like architecture? Got that. Like used book stores? Good lord, check out The Stand, and half a dozen small shops with roaming cats. Like churches? Got great ones. Like Italian restaurants? Hundreds. Museums? Shopping centers? Art galleries? Bars?

But, if you don't have a particular bent, and you want to say that you saw New York, and you only have a day, here's what I would do:

- In the morning, go to the MET, and look up the exhibits before hand, and just choose one or two that you think you would like the most. You can go in for free, or give an appropriate donation, and just check out that for an hour or so. Art culture is a huge part of New York, and this is the one of the most famous museums in the country, worth checking out.

- Afterward, take a cab thirty blocks down 5th Avenue (MET is on 5th Ave, right "in" Central Park. 5th Avenue, south of Central Park, is where a lot of the famous stores are, like FAO Shwarz (go jump on that piano like Tom Hanks), Tiffany's, Saks, and Rockefeller Center. Right across from Rockefeller Center is the St. Patrick's Cathedral.

- Now you have to go way downtown and get to Lombardi's pizza for lunch. It's great, and it's the first pizzeria in America. Only takes cash. Lombardi's is in Little Italy, which doesn't really exist anymore, because it was eaten up by Chinatown and the Korean districts. But that's alright -- Chinatown and Korea are great to walk around in. Haggle with some business. Get a cheap souvenir.

- Afternoon, go see Wall Street, Trinity Church and/or its cemetery, and the steps where Washington gave his presidential inaugural address. Then go on the Staten Island ferry several blocks south of that. Take a ferry across the Bay. 25 minutes you are on a boat, seeing the skyline, seeing the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island. And it's free. Then get in the line and go back (can't round trip it).

- For dinner, I'd eat something quick from a deli/food stand/fast food. And then walk across Brooklyn Bridge. Afterward, go to Times Square and see the late off-Broadway show. At night, walk around Times Square.

Is it possible to do all of that in a day? If you take a cab or you know what you're doing with the public transportation, and you'd rather see a lot of things quickly, and thus, don't mind a bit of rush.

[SLAG]

Thanks Jenson - I only have tomorrow night - it seems from about 5/6 til 11 - when the last train leaves Grand central.

But you have given an Excellent game plan if anyone else finds this thread
--------

Oh - I am taking Donations via pay-pal if anyone would like to add to the "Let SLAG sight See NYC for the first time ever" fund

I would have immediate access to the funds in case anyone was wondering

[SLAG]

Additional funds have been provided... I now have 150 to spend for my few hours in nyc ... does this change the suggestions

[Amnorix]

Originally Posted by yhf

If you have the choice between driving on the Merritt Pkwy. or I-95 I would recommend Merritt. I-95 is faster but it is supposedly one of the more dangerous highways in America and the Merritt is much more scenic.

This. THIS! THIS x eleventy billion.

Not only more scenic -- less heavily patrolled by the State Troopers, who are total dicks and look at 95 as the way to fund state deficit shortages by nailing anyone who goes 56 mph or more.

[Amnorix]

Originally Posted by SLAG

Now I've never been to NYC - should i bite the bullet and drive down on friday night when I have the rest of the night free

errr..yes.

NYC is, at the very least, like Vegas. Everyone should go once to see what the fuss is about. And yes, it's REALLY big. Figure out what you want to do before you go, though. Wandering around NYC is like wandering around Tokyo or LA or any other massive city -- you might want to know where you're going BEFORE you get there...

[Amnorix]

These other guys know NYC way better than I do. I agree, though, unless you're familiar with big city traffic, don't drive. Your train plan sounds good.

T.S. is worth walking around in at night. It's just...cool. But yeah, I'll defer to these guys. I haven't even been to NYC in like 10 years.

[SLAG]

Originally Posted by Amnorix

errr..yes.

NYC is, at the very least, like Vegas. Everyone should go once to see what the fuss is about. And yes, it's REALLY big. Figure out what you want to do before you go, though. Wandering around NYC is like wandering around Tokyo or LA or any other massive city -- you might want to know where you're going BEFORE you get there...

Here is the current plan...

Head in to Grand Central.. walk up 42nd to Times Square.. Hang out there. check out the scene... head to Carmines for dinner... then head over to Rockafeller center - go to "the top of the rock" - maybe head down and check out St. Patricks afterward..

Who would like to add to the plan from there?

[Bill Lundberg]

[SLAG]

Thanks everyone
just got back

NYC was not bad - if not a bit overrated IMHO - I think if I win the lottery I could really enjoy what NY is all about - but I'm glad I went to check it out

oh and Bill Lundburg was spot on with that video - now where is the chick that wants to **** cuz I could drive the old meat wagon into tuna town if you know what i'm sayin