Things to do with a Thai girl while in Manhattan

[S Landreth]

But first a few pictures,.........

One World Trade Center

Charging Bull

Empire State Building

One of many nice things about New York are its theaters, shows and concerts. We’ve seen most of the popular plays [Book of Mormon, Wicked, Kinky Boots (not my choice), The Lion King, Spiderman, Nice Work If You Can Get It, The Trip to Bountiful, etc.] in the past but yesterday we took one of the girlfriends grilfreinds with us to see Aladdin. Surprisingly it was a good show even if it was primarily aimed for a younger audience. After the show we went over to Zabb Elee (a nice Thai restaurant) for dinner.

We’ve been visiting Manhattan for a month or more for the past few years and I intend on adding to this thread over the years.

If anyone else would like to chime in on things to do while in Manhattan, feel free.

While in New York we’ll stay in different apartments advertised on various vacation rental sites. Read the remarks visitors have left, if you intend to do the same. Sometimes these apartments aren’t what they are advertised. In the past the girlfriend has preferred the Upper West Side (because of the park), but this year she wanted to stay in the Chelsea area so she could be close to The High Line.

If you're interested, on the requirements to obtain a tourist Visa for the states for a Thai you can visit the Embassy of the United States (Bangkok, Thailand) website here and here. Good luck. It can be done. The girlfriend has a ten year tourist Visa.

[Nicethaiza]

great pics

[kingwilly]

We’ve been visiting Manhattan for a month or more for the past few years and I intend on adding to this thread over the years.

nice idea for a thread

[SiLeakHunt]

try not to get it confused with the Manhattan Project

[pescator]

Very nice pics.

[david44]

MOMA or Guggenheim?Whitney if she likes pictures also good stroll if raining which is not unknown in autumn.

The Empire State Bdg mainly for great views but not if she gets vertigo on your pole.

The Staten Island Ferry return offers panoramic views of the Statue of Liberty.
I walked over the George Washington Bridge home to Bergen couty yes thru thetunnel NJ side pre terrorsm days.I think you'll be arrested if you try,end up on Rikers.

I think my old haunts down on Prrince and Houston will be long gone Irish dive bars Italian gelataria and just a skip to $4 chow in Chinatown.

If you have wheels a bike ride out to the Hamptons Asbury Park or up to the Katskills be good

Enjoy thanks for the pix

[bowie]

The monkey building (courtesy of King Kong), Central Park, the Museum of Natural History and Museum Mile, Broadway, Ellis Island and the Statue, and of course, don't forget 42nd street. Macy's and the Christmas Tree not to forget skating at Rockefeller Center.

All in all you can't go wrong in Manhattan. Its all great while sightseeing.

[S Landreth]

Getting around.

The first time we visited Manhattan we used a taxi to get around. It cost us on average about 100.00 dollars a day when we were out and about. A 30 day subway Metrocard costs about 112.00 dollars per month (unlimited rides).

If you do visit Manhattan never take a taxi, except to get to and from the airport. Manhattan has a great subway system. The subway system here is a little old and the trains aren’t what we see in Bangkok, but it works and for the most part pretty well.

I wouldn’t suggest using the subway system in some areas of town during certain hours if you’re traveling alone. Just be smart about it.

There's also an application that you can download on your smart phone, which will show a map of the subway system, just in case you're out and need to look up the best way to get to the next station.

Grand Central

Penn Station

If you’re staying south of Central Park they have a bike sharing program that is great for getting around:

Citi Bike is New York City's bike sharing system. Intended to provide New Yorkers and visitors with an additional transportation option for getting around the city, bike sharing is fun, efficient and convenient.

A bike sharing system consists of a fleet of specially designed, sturdy, very durable bikes that are locked into a network of docking stations sited at regular intervals around a city. The bikes can be rented from and then returned to any station in the system, creating an efficient network with many possible points and combinations of departure and arrival.

With thousands of bikes at hundreds of stations, Citi Bike is available for use 24 hours a day, all year 'round. The station network provides twice as many docking points as bicycles, assuring that an available dock to return your bike is always nearby.

There’s also an application you can download on a smart phone to find the available bikes in your area.

Many of the streets here have bike paths. Follow the bike paths and observe the traffic laws and you shouldn’t have any problems.

New York has some beautiful parks and the first park we visited was the Brooklyn Botanical Garden.

The second park was The High Line (elevated freight rail line transformed into a public park) which recently opened the last leg of the walkway which takes you around the Rail Yards. This is a nice park and you should visit it if you do come to Manhattan. The surrounding area is benefiting from this new park.

[S Landreth]

Had the chance to visit a few museums during the past couple weeks.

The National Museum of the American Indian

American Museum of Natural History

The Metropolitan Museum of Art My favorite and shouldn’t be missed. Nice place to people watch also. Sit on the steps for a while and enjoy the sunshine with a gyro.

There is no cost to enter any of the museums above, but there are suggested entrance fees. Students are able to contribute small amounts or nothing at all to get in.

We've visited the Statue of Liberty (and Ellis Island) on numerous occasions. The girlfriend enjoys visiting (for the pictures) and me the boat ride out.

[Latindancer]

"A room full of Hovings", by John McPhee is an interesting story. It's about the man who was once the director of the Metropolitan Museum Of Art.

[S Landreth]

Two nice parks/gardens here. The first I am sure everyone has heard of and should not be missed, Central Park (nice for a bike ride or a walk)

and the other, New York Botanical Garden (you have to pay to get in here). I enjoy the visit this time of year for the fall colors and Halloween.

Ray Villafane carving

On our way to a museum yesterday we ran across a Pocket Park (little parks scattered around the city) where we ate lunch. Paley Park

New Yorkers are lucky enough to have rambling green naturescapes like Central and Prospect Parks, but the small, public-accessible pocket parks that dot the city are an oft-overlooked joy, a temporary respite from the hustle and bustle of the urban artery.

[yankee99]

I just applied for a tourist visa last week for my wife and should be here tomorrow. The lion King is on the top of our list although its expensive. I was thinking its better as it'll be easier to understand.

[S Landreth]

^The Lion King seems to be a favorite for tourists and a younger audience. The girlfriend enjoyed the set changes and the costumes. They really do a great job. You made a good choice and she should enjoy the show.

[S Landreth]

More about Central Park and the continuous events happening there. If you do visit the park it might be a good idea to check what is happen before you come and plan a visit when there is an activity. During this time of year we try to get out to the Pumpkin Flotilla to watch how New Yorkers celebrate the occasion.

Coney Island isn’t what it was years ago, but you might want to visit, if not for the shoreline go for Nathans. We were there yesterday when the weather was a bit cool outside. I would suggest visiting during the weekend (maybe evening) and in the warmer months if you want to get the feel of what it might have been back in the day.

We also had a chance to visit The Museum of Modern Art, which stays busy.

[S Landreth]

It was a nice trip to New York but I think the girlfriend wants to skip one year (next) for other destinations (Machu Picchu & Amazon Rainforest/River Cruise). Below are some pictures of some other places to visit while in Manhattan.

Times Square

Brooklyn Bridge Walk or bike ride across it

Flatiron Building

George Washington Bridge You can still walk and bike ride over the bridge.

One more thing. If you’re going to rent an apartment while vacationing in New York and have access to a full kitchen you might want to shop at a couple of the local street markets to get some things you might need. It will help the growers/suppliers in the area.

79th Street Market

Union Square Market

[PeeCoffee]

Wow S Landreth - you really covered a lot of ground !
Great OP, great pics and commentary.
I was not aware of the High Line Park. What a visionary concept for Manhattan's West Side.
It also sound like you have spent some time in NYC during your life-time.
I'm sure the older parts of the city have made quite a resurgence for themselves, South Seaport, Westside, the Bowery, Bed-Stuy, South Bklyn, Red Hook, Prospect Park , down Flatbush and Coney Island

My favourite walk regardless of most weather conditions other than a torrential downpour was always heading west over the Brooklyn Bridge north to Chinatown or Little Italy.
The views from the Bridge to the north, south and Manhattan makes one feel like you're really 'alive'.
Curious, is the best place to buy tee shirts, hats, touristy chotskies for friends back home still along Canal Street ?

Again - great thread and pics !
Personally I doubt I will ever see the City again after 2015...or may not want to as it's a really big world and we're not getting younger.

Word of advice to travelers: do NOT leave your credit card at home as you're going to require it on holiday in NYC.

[VocalNeal]

try not to get it confused with the Manhattan Project

OR?

[MrG]

If anyone else would like to chime in on things to do while in Manhattan, feel free.

The Brooklyn Bridge. It is a magnificent old thing. The last great masonry structure built in the US, I think.

Katz's deli. The location of the famous orgasm scene in When Harry Met Sally, but also the best cheesecake and pastrami I found in New York. (Carnegie Deli uptown is now owned by Thais, if you care. It is the favored location for order out from the Thai Embassy and UN staff in NY).

The Bitter End. A small nightspot in the West Village known as an early venue for the likes of many 60's singers, folk and otherwise, and comics. I'd known about it since I was a teenager and went to it one night almost as a pilgrimage. Not pricey. The West Village is a great neighborhood to walk around in.

Actually, Manhatten is a great city to just go out and explore without any plans, not unlike London in that regard..

[terry57]

Really interesting thread mate.

How much do you pay for accommodation ?

[S Landreth]

^Thank you, Terry.

We have paid different amounts depending where we stay in the city. The highest amount we paid per night was the first time we visited New York together. We stayed in a hotel overlooking the park.

We will not do that again.

We’ll usually stay next to the park on the west side because the girlfriend enjoys the neighborhood. This last trip we stayed closer to the High Line because she wanted to be able to walk to that park. It was a two bedroom place (very nice building) with a nice size living room and full kitchen. I forget the exact amount we paid, but it was much less than what we would have paid for a hotel room.

Because we are (now) staying for a month each visit a nice hotel room would be ridiculous and wouldn’t give us what we are looking for (mainly a full kitchen). So for the past several years we go to websites like HomeAway, VRBO, OneFineStay or Airbnb just to name a few to get our room/apartment. The prices can vary considerably depending on what you’re looking for.

I’ve looked up renting a single room apartment before and the prices can be quite reasonable.

I’ll give you an example. The girlfriend is in New York now, entertaining about 10 Thai’s who have come to visit her from Thailand and different places in the US. She wants them to see New York.

We considered renting 5 rooms at a hotel centrally located near Columbus Circle (it’s next to the park). But those rooms would have been double the cost of renting an entire home (with a full kitchen, patio, large living room, exercise room, entertainment room, 5 bedrooms, washer/dryer, etc) near Grand Central Station. The girlfriend also thought it might be nice if all of them were in one home together.

Some of her place,………

Terry (or anyone else viewing this thread) if you ever decide to visit New York, you should check out renting an apartment over renting a hotel room. Read the reviews (on each apartment) before committing yourself.

[Neverna]

It's a lovely looking place, SL. Very nice.

[the dogcatcher]

Excellent thread. Well done.

[terry57]

^^^
Fantastic first hand information mate.

I could easily do a month in that city. Loved it the first time there.

To bad the AUD dollar has lost 30 % against the US.

[Humbert]

Beautiful, upscale apartment.
You are doing it in style. Try the veal parmagian at Il Vagabondo. Best in town.

Menu | Il Vagabondo

[bsnub]

Beautiful, upscale apartment. You are doing it in style.

He always does if you look at his other pic threads. Those damn lazy, humorless, welfare collecting liberals!