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CJones

CJones

Final Approach
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uHaveNoIdea
My 5 and 7 y/o boys have been asking to go to NYC for over a year now. We've decided to make a family trip up there for his birthday in November. My wife and I did a quick trip to NYC about 12 years ago, but I wanted to check and see if there were any updated suggestions for the area.

Last time we went in, we flew into White Plains and took the train into Manhattan. Is this still the preferred method for getting into town via GA?

Last time, we stayed near Times Square at some no-name hotel I found on Travelocity. This time, I have Hilton (and maybe some leftover Marriott) points that I can burn. I don't want to burn them at a swanky place as this will not be a 'romantic couples getaway', but would like to be close enough to attractions that we don't have to Uber/cab it everywhere. Tons of Hilton properties in the area, so looking for suggestions for best bang for the buck (point).

They want to do Statue of Liberty (wife is looking into what tickets we can get at this point) and we may do the Hudson flight to get a unique perspective on things. Any other suggestions for what we should do with a 5.5 and 7.9 y/o in NYC?
 
Central Park Zoo
Harry Potter the Play (on Broadway)
Museum of Natural History
New York Yankees or Mets
Staten Island Ferry - goes pretty close to the Statue of Liberty. If you can't get tickets to the Statue itself....
Hamilton nuts? See his grave in the Trinity Church graveyard
Good weather and tired of walking? Take a bus tour on a double-decker bus and sit on top
 
Stay closer to Central Park (and not in/near Times Square). That said, there's a decent Hilton in the 50s on (I think) 6th Ave that I've stayed it, it was decent.

Eat at:
Keste (Napoli style pizza)
Cones (Ice Cream, get the corn flavor, trust me)
Bouchon Bakery (in the Time Warner Center on Columbus Circle; amazing baked goods)
Momofuku Milk Bar (various locations, get the birthday cake truffles)
Doughnut Plant (various locations)

Things to See:
Grand Central Terminal
Central Park
Brooklyn Bridge (walk across it)
Bryant Park/Union Square/Madison Square Park/Washington Square Park (any of them, get a coffee/snack and people watch)
 
Lincoln Center... kids will enjoy seeing the fountain. Might be a bit early for the opera or ballet for your kids, but it's a nice area to walk around and look at the announcements, pictures, etc.
 
I've been thinking about making a trip to NYC as well with my wife, leaving the kids at home though. Had the same thought as you as far as flying in goes. Not sure where you're coming from but we'd just go over Norfolk and then follow the coast up past Philly, then do the hudson exclusion, out the other side of the bravo to White Plains and take the train to the city. If you do it soon I would like to hear how it goes for you, especially curious about the ground transport from HPN to Manhattan.
 
I also took the train out to Farmingdale on Long Island and rented a 172 and instructor last time I was there and flew the Hudson River Corridor with them. That was absolutely the highlight of my trip.
 
Hot dogs, pretzels, pizza, delis, bagels... Get burgers and milkshakes at blacktap.com. Go hit the Square Diner while it still exists. The tenement and transit museums are cool.
 
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CJones said:
My 5 and 7 y/o boys have been asking to go to NYC for over a year now. We've decided to make a family trip up there for his birthday in November. My wife and I did a quick trip to NYC about 12 years ago, but I wanted to check and see if there were any updated suggestions for the area.

Last time we went in, we flew into White Plains and took the train into Manhattan. Is this still the preferred method for getting into town via GA?

Last time, we stayed near Times Square at some no-name hotel I found on Travelocity. This time, I have Hilton (and maybe some leftover Marriott) points that I can burn. I don't want to burn them at a swanky place as this will not be a 'romantic couples getaway', but would like to be close enough to attractions that we don't have to Uber/cab it everywhere. Tons of Hilton properties in the area, so looking for suggestions for best bang for the buck (point).

They want to do Statue of Liberty (wife is looking into what tickets we can get at this point) and we may do the Hudson flight to get a unique perspective on things. Any other suggestions for what we should do with a 5.5 and 7.9 y/o in NYC?
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I've stayed the Hilton Midtown a couple of times. It is nice, albeit crowded, well situated to all the sites. It also is close to a couple of subway stops and of course Uber/Lyft/Taxi never a hard thing to get in Midtown. It is also far enough away from Times Square to get you away from all the annoying tourist stuff there.

Also my $.02 on the Statue of Liberty trips. Spend your money on a ferry ride to Staten Island. Cheaper, you'll see the same thing and without 10,000 tourists crowding you.

Also the Museum of Natural History is one of the two best on the country, Field Museum in Chicago is the other and both have a lot of Carl Axley collect specimens. he is the father of modern taxidermy. Also, there is the Hayden Planetarium. It is walking distance and you would pass Lincoln Center or take a walk through Central Park to get there. You would also be near Strawberry Fields and right by the Dakota if you are a John Lennon fan.
 
If you're looking at sharing a room with the boyz, remember that rooms are really small there. The Doubletree Suites in Time Square will at least give you a private bedroom, as they can sleep in the living room. And the subway (in one direction) is right under the hotel. We stayed there during Thanksgiving one year and found it was easy to slip into the subway during the Macy's parade to get away from everyone.

Of course, that puts you right in Time Square, but the extra room may be worth it.
 
Best recommendation is to avoid Time Square, but I suppose that's easier said than done.
 
Bring hand sanitizer, get some OC spray, enjoy carefully lol
 
Consider the Bronx Zoo instead of the Central Park Zoo. Further out, but much better.

Freedom Tower and the Memorial.

The Hudson Yards Vessel (https://www.hudsonyardsnewyork.com/discover/vessel) is at the northern end of the High Line and a unique experience.

The Radio City (Rockefeller Center) Christmas Show starts beginning November 8th.

Visit the Intrepid aircraft carrier museum on the east side.

If you're going late in November, consider the Bronx Botanical Garden Christmas Train display (https://www.nybg.org/event/holiday-train-show/). If you're going earlier, its still worth a visit, but (IMO) more for the adults than children the age of yours.

The children can appreciate the Guggenheim Museum at least for its design, and maybe even for its contents.

If you aren't able to go to the top of the Freedom Tower, try the Empire State Building. I like the experience at its open upper deck better than more modern skyscrapers with their fully enclosed viewing areas.

Take an Uber through the Holland Tunnel to the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City NJ (https://lsc.org/).

The NYC Holocaust Museum (https://mjhnyc.org/) can leave an indelible impression on the whole family.

Force yourself to take the subway at least once early in the visit. At the least it will be an experience. You may find, though, that you enjoy it and use it throughout the visit.
 
kjwalker01 said:
If you're looking at sharing a room with the boyz, remember that rooms are really small there. The Doubletree Suites in Time Square will at least give you a private bedroom, as they can sleep in the living room. And the subway (in one direction) is right under the hotel. We stayed there during Thanksgiving one year and found it was easy to slip into the subway during the Macy's parade to get away from everyone.

Of course, that puts you right in Time Square, but the extra room may be worth it.
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That's good to know. Hadn't thought of that. I remember the hotel we stayed at last time the rooms were really small but thought that was just b/c it was a knock-off hotel.
 
bkspero said:
Force yourself to take the subway at least once early in the visit. At the least it will be an experience. You may find, though, that you enjoy it and use it throughout the visit.
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We used the subway quite a bit when we visited last time and it was just my wife and I. It wasn't too bad - even had the random "You're all going to hell next tuesday at 2pm!!" guy get on and ride in our car for a stop or two.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions folks! This is good stuff. Wife bought tickets to the bast of Statue and Ellis Island last night, so that's the only thing we're locked into. We're only looking at a 3 day trip (Friday - Sunday), so we'll have to whittle all these lists down, but plenty to choose from that's for sure! Keep 'em coming!
 
Following; will be there Thanksgiving week for the parade.
 
kjwalker01 said:
If you're looking at sharing a room with the boyz, remember that rooms are really small there. The Doubletree Suites in Time Square will at least give you a private bedroom, as they can sleep in the living room. And the subway (in one direction) is right under the hotel. We stayed there during Thanksgiving one year and found it was easy to slip into the subway during the Macy's parade to get away from everyone.

Of course, that puts you right in Time Square, but the extra room may be worth it.
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The subway works pretty well, and you can sometimes save significant hotel cost by staying in another borough (like Brooklyn) and using the subway to get around. That is, compared to midtown and Times Square.
 
Last trip we flew into Farmingdale / Republic (KFRG). The FBO drove us over to the LIRR and we rode in. Reverse on the way out. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. There's LIRR and Metro (7 line) stations both at Woodside.
 
wayne said:
Last trip we flew into Farmingdale / Republic (KFRG). The FBO drove us over to the LIRR and we rode in. Reverse on the way out. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. There's LIRR and Metro (7 line) stations both at Woodside.
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Any reason you chose this over HPN? These are the two I've gone back and forth on.
 
7_Zero_Whiskey said:
Any reason you chose this over HPN? These are the two I've gone back and forth on.
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Not really. Just seemed like a good choice. I think it may have been one of our friends knew the LIRR better as he grew up in Queens.

Both would have worked fine, as we left NYC for Cape Cod and either would have gotten us out of the NYC airspace quickly.
 
Seconding some advice above... the Hilton Midtown is well located. And it is close to Times Square... When I lived in the City in the 80's, I avoided Times Square, it has been cleaned up a ton and a fun place to walk through during the day. Rule of thumb, south to north, 20 street blocks = a mile... and NYC is a great walking city. Take the subway, easier than cabs and far less money. Staten Island Ferry or the Circle Line are both fun and cheap and an opportunity to see things while sitting. Def. walk around Central Park too. Have fun, a great place to visit and your kids will remember it forever.
 
I fly in an out of HPN. If you're staying at Hilton properties on points, my favorite is the Millenium Hilton Downtown, opposite the World Trade Center. Especially if you can get onto one of the high floors. You're right next to all the express subway lines there, and some great scenery looking over the Hudson and the skyline.
 
I would absolutely make the sfra vfr trip in your plane down the Hudson River coridor. To be able to fly lower than the tops of the skyscrapers and circle the Statue of liberty is an awesome and humbling experience. Who knows how much longer that will be possible.
 
The Freedom tower is probably one of the best things to do in NYC. If you don’t like lines you can buy tickets online and pay extra that will cut what is frequently a multi-hour wait into a few minutes.

For breakfast I highly recommend the cafe part of “Russ and Daughters”. It’s classic Jewish NY food. You can also stop by the tenement museum a couple blocks away.
http://www.russanddaughterscafe.com/

And make sure to grab pizza somewhere.
 
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Great feedback as always, folks. Lots to ponder on planning the trip. Thanks!
 
Piper18O said:
I would absolutely make the sfra vfr trip in your plane down the Hudson River coridor. To be able to fly lower than the tops of the skyscrapers and circle the Statue of liberty is an awesome and humbling experience. Who knows how much longer that will be possible.
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Just set your expectations appropriately. The corridor is a high traffic environment and you need to be a pilot, not a passenger. And the view is super so the temptation is to look at the view.

-Skip
 
Anybody have a suggestion on FBO at HPN? I can't remember what we used when we flew in there 10+ years ago - they weren't the friendliest, I do remember that.

EDIT: After looking, it looks like FRG is quite a bit cheaper fuel wise (and I'm assuming fee-wise as well). Any suggestions for FBO there as well?
 
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Some good delis, check out the subway, walk around Central Park and the city and see the sights, I recommend bagbalm on your upper lip for the smells though ;)
 
CJones said:
Anybody have a suggestion on FBO at HPN? I can't remember what we used when we flew in there 10+ years ago - they weren't the friendliest, I do remember that.
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Millionaire has a really nice lounge and free Starbucks
 
7_Zero_Whiskey said:
I've been thinking about making a trip to NYC as well with my wife, leaving the kids at home though. Had the same thought as you as far as flying in goes. Not sure where you're coming from but we'd just go over Norfolk and then follow the coast up past Philly, then do the hudson exclusion, out the other side of the bravo to White Plains and take the train to the city. If you do it soon I would like to hear how it goes for you, especially curious about the ground transport from HPN to Manhattan.
Click to expand...

Finally put (virtual) pen to paper on flight plan and it looks like that's the best route for us as well coming up from just south of ATL. About 2 hrs to Norfolk for fuel, then about 1.5 hrs up the coast, just east of Philly, then straight into the Hudson corridor, and a short climb to pattern altitude for HPN. With any tailwind at all, could do it all non-stop pretty comfortably. We're looking at pulling this off next weekend if weather is favorable. I'll be sure to post up a debrief afterwards.
 
CJones said:
Finally put (virtual) pen to paper on flight plan and it looks like that's the best route for us as well coming up from just south of ATL. About 2 hrs to Norfolk for fuel, then about 1.5 hrs up the coast, just east of Philly, then straight into the Hudson corridor, and a short climb to pattern altitude for HPN. With any tailwind at all, could do it all non-stop pretty comfortably. We're looking at pulling this off next weekend if weather is favorable. I'll be sure to post up a debrief afterwards.
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Ross Aviation - West (there are two on the field, West is the only one with Avgas) are the best for small piston at HPN in my opinion. The fuel is usual large airport pricing, and the ramp fee is high but waived if you take a fuel minimum on (7 or 10 gals, I can't remember which). Parking is $20 a night.

I used Sheltair at FRG the last time I went in there, didn't stay overnight but the service was good. The weekend service to Farmingdale on the LIRR isn't as good as the service to White Plains IMO.

I use HPN regularly to get in an out of the city, that would be my recommendation. It's also easier to get to from the Hudson corridor.
 
CJones said:
Finally put (virtual) pen to paper on flight plan and it looks like that's the best route for us as well coming up from just south of ATL. About 2 hrs to Norfolk for fuel, then about 1.5 hrs up the coast, just east of Philly, then straight into the Hudson corridor, and a short climb to pattern altitude for HPN. With any tailwind at all, could do it all non-stop pretty comfortably. We're looking at pulling this off next weekend if weather is favorable. I'll be sure to post up a debrief afterwards.
Click to expand...

Yea you just posted exactly what I have in mind, I’ll just be starting out about an hour east of CLT. Look forward to hearing how it goes for you, I’m not looking to do this until next October
 
Well, we decided to punt on this trip until next spring sometime. 30mph winds and 20 degree wind chills this weekend didn't sound like fun for cruising the streets of NYC. A few years ago when we still lived in Iowa, we could handle it, but being back south of the Mason-Dixon for the past 10 years, our blood has gotten thinner and we can't take that kind of wx like before.
 
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