[beanscene]

In October my son and his girlfriend are taking their first trip to New York to celebrate his 30th birthday. As I am a great believer that memories are more precious than possessions I would like to organise a surprise that will always remind him of what I am sure will be the first of many trips to the US as his birthday present. I'm thinking along the lines of tickets for a Broadway show, boat trip with dinner, etc., but having never been myself I am looking to you for inspiration! They are spending a week or so in NY then heading to Texas for a few days to visit friends. My budget is about £150 stretching to £200 at a push! (300 dollars?). Many thanks and I look forward to hearing your ideas.

 

[mgrsis01]

You have two really good ideas already. If you're able to find a current copy of "New York" magazine that will give you some specifics. By that I mean what's playing on Broadway and elsewhere, where to dine, and any special events.

BTW, that's not "The New Yorker" which is a different publication.

 

[keriharrhy]

if you are looking for a dinner cruise - you can't lose with this one

http://www.bateauxnewyork.com/new-york-metro?src=google&loc=ny&ad=bateaux&gclid=CP2-qN_atb4CFRQctAodinQA1Q

Our two daughters organised this as a wonderful surprise for our 30th wedding anniversary - we all had a fantastic time, that two years later we returned for our eldest daughter to get married in Central Park and an evening meal for 13 of us back onto the Bateaux New York.

They'll enjoy themselves immensely, we've been loads of times

 

[Kanitter]

I live in NYC(Manhattan-East Village) It is hard to suggest things not knowing their likes. Also my age of 65 keeps me from knowing what a younger person would want to do.
Do they like to go clubbing? There is Webster Hall on East 11th Street in Manhattan.http://www.websterhall.com

The Time Warner Cable news channel has this events calender that list so many things to do in NYC. as October approaches you will find many things to do. http://www.ny1.com/content/lifestyles/ny1_community_calendar/events/
If these links don't work just copy and paste them in your browser.

Tell them to get out of Mid-town for the most interesting things. Live like the natives, so many good restaurants in the East Village, not chain restaurants. Greenwich Village is a maze of small streets left from the early days. Brooklyn is nice to visit. Central Park - Google that to find all it has to offer.

There are walking tours around the city. Google NYC walking tours, the list is so long, one if a food tour.

I hope this has been of some help.

 

[anetdeer]

if you are looking for a dinner cruise - you can't lose with this one

http://www.bateauxnewyork.com/new-york-metro?src=google&loc=ny&ad=bateaux&gclid=CP2-qN_atb4CFRQctAodinQA1Q

Our two daughters organised this as a wonderful surprise for our 30th wedding anniversary - we all had a fantastic time, that two years later we returned for our eldest daughter to get married in Central Park and an evening meal for 13 of us back onto the Bateaux New York.

They'll enjoy themselves immensely, we've been loads of times

My brother and wife just took the Easter Brunch cruise and loved it. Be got discount tickets from Amazon Local which lists bargains for particular areas. Check that out. Also..my BF & I went to NYC in Nov. & saw the Radio City Christmas Show...had lunch at a burger joint across the street... toured St. Patrick's...ALL WONDERFUL! You can actually get tickets for Radio City now. They can check out Rockefeller Center...and go to the top of the Empire State Bldg. BUT...check out the Amazon site!

 

[Grand8ma]

I agree with Kanitter...the Village walking tours are a wonderful trip into history, food, art, general craziness!! You get SOHO, Chinatown, Little Italy, and so much more. When my granddaughter was 10, we were wandering around all day, her favorite things were lunch at Spring Street Restaurant (!) and the cast iron buildings...she kept pointing out architectural details that we adults were missing! Fun to see things through a child's eyes.

There are so many things that are free or reasonable. My favorite place is the Metropolitan Museum of Art. They ask for a donation, but to spend the whole day immersed in beauty...priceless. And it's right at Central Park which is a whole other world. Also on the other side of the park is the American Museum of Natural History.

The public Library is worth just walking into the reading room and Bryant Park next to it is one of my favorite places in all of the city; a quiet, cool oasis for people watching. (And resting one's feet and legs!)

Best advice? Good comfortable walking shoes!!!

 

[beanscene]

Thanks so much for all your input. They will be pouring over tourist guides I know but you just can't beat a little local knowledge! I'm looking for something I can arrange from here really as a surprise but will run it past my son's girlfriend first so she will be in on it so to speak.

 

[inishowen]

We did a gourmet walking tour about 8 years ago. I don't know if they still do them. We had a guide, and there were about 10 of us. We had small samples at each cafe/restaurant. The guide showed us where Friends was filmed, and took us to many other interesting places. We ended up in a cheese shop where we could buy what we wanted. sorry I don't have details of how this was arranged, but you could Google it. It was the highlight of our trip. Ellis island is a must-see place too, where the immigrants landed. It's full of history. A ride round Central Park on a pony and trap is great fun too.

 

[sumpleby]

If you want to buy them tickets to a Broadway show, I highly recommend "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder." We saw it when it was here in Southern California and loved it. The tickets cost $35 - $147.

https://www.telecharge.com/Broadway/A-Gentlemans-Guide-to-Love-and-Murder/Overview?&aid=bwy000989800

 

[eggplantlady]

I would suggest that you give them money for tickets instead of buying them first because they can get tickets for MANY Broadway shows at half price by buying them on the day of the show.

Then, one of my favorite museums is the Tenement Museum. It will give them a wonderful understanding of the life of immigrants in New York City. You may be able to purchase tickets for this online. The guided tours are EXCELLENT! Here is the link: http://www.tenement.org/

Another favorite museum is the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) which is located across the street from the southern end of Central Park. It is a small museum with different, fabulous exhibits each time I go. You may be able to buy tickets online. Here is the link for MAD: http://www.madmuseum.org/

My sister and I have taken quite a few trips to NYC and we have found that the best way to see the city is on foot, and believe me, we have walked many, many miles. We always felt safe on the subway (but we didn't use it after 10 pm), we took a bus to the Medieval Museum (another favorite) in northern Manhattan and got to see parts of the city that we wouldn't have known about if we had used the subway (we did take the subway back though).

We also discovered that portion sizes at most restaurants were huge and so we shared most meals, which made our trip even less expensive.

I wish them a wonderful time!

 

[Catarry]

Try this site:

http://www.goldstar.com/new-york/findevents?controller=listings

the discounts are good, the events are interesting.

BTW, at this time of year, one of the loveliest places to visit in the city is The Cloisters: it's part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is set in parkland and overlooks the Hudson River and the Palisades.

(This what the previous poster called the Medieval Museum...saw it when I posted this)

Great medieval art in medieval buildings brought over from Europe, including the Unicorn tapestries.

 

[Elder Ellen]

Do you mean the State of New York or New York City? Most of the state is quite rural with beautiful lakes, waterfalls and mountains. NYC is in the extreme southeastern part of the state -- it is huge city with various attractions but it's not nearly as attractive as most European cities.

As for Texas, it's thousands of miles away from New York. Europeans don't seem to understand distances in America. Also, Texas is nothing at all like New York. It has a culture that's all its own. Texas was once a different country, larger than many European countries. New York is also a big, diverse state.

I'm hoping you all do your homework before making the trip to America. NYC prices are generally outragious by others' standards. There are much better values up-state.

 

[beanscene]

Do you mean the State of New York or New York City? Most of the state is quite rural with beautiful lakes, waterfalls and mountains. NYC is in the extreme southeastern part of the state -- it is huge city with various attractions but it's not nearly as attractive as most European cities.

As for Texas, it's thousands of miles away from New York. Europeans don't seem to understand distances in America. Also, Texas is nothing at all like New York. It has a culture that's all its own. Texas was once a different country, larger than many European countries. New York is also a big, diverse state.

I'm hoping you all do your homework before making the trip to America. NYC prices are generally outragious by others' standards. There are much better values up-state.

Oh yes, don't worry much planning being done. They are in New York City to start and then flying to Texas to catch up with friends and will fly back to London from Texas. They are both in good jobs and are fortunate not to have to travel 'on the cheap.' I just want to give them a special birthday night out really, probably to a show or concert, to add to their memories!

 

[nmclaire]

If you want to buy them tickets to a Broadway show, I highly recommend "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder." We saw it when it was here in Southern California and loved it. The tickets cost $35 - $147.

https://www.telecharge.com/Broadway/A-Gentlemans-Guide-to-Love-and-Murder/Overview?&aid=bwy000989800

I also saw "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder". It was very good. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

 

[Kanitter]

I was thinking this morning to suggest the Tenement Museum. It is on Orchard Street below Houston Street.

I would suggest that you give them money for tickets instead of buying them first because they can get tickets for MANY Broadway shows at half price by buying them on the day of the show.

Then, one of my favorite museums is the Tenement Museum. It will give them a wonderful understanding of the life of immigrants in New York City. You may be able to purchase tickets for this online. The guided tours are EXCELLENT! Here is the link: http://www.tenement.org/

Another favorite museum is the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) which is located across the street from the southern end of Central Park. It is a small museum with different, fabulous exhibits each time I go. You may be able to buy tickets online. Here is the link for MAD: http://www.madmuseum.org/

My sister and I have taken quite a few trips to NYC and we have found that the best way to see the city is on foot, and believe me, we have walked many, many miles. We always felt safe on the subway (but we didn't use it after 10 pm), we took a bus to the Medieval Museum (another favorite) in northern Manhattan and got to see parts of the city that we wouldn't have known about if we had used the subway (we did take the subway back though).

We also discovered that portion sizes at most restaurants were huge and so we shared most meals, which made our trip even less expensive.

I wish them a wonderful time!

 

[Sumacsew]

A trip to NYC is sure to be a wonderful way to celebrate his birthday! I think the best tour of NY is the Circle Line boat trip that completely encircles Manhattan. It's a half-day trip, but loaded with history and interesting facts about the city. I'm not sure of the price now, but probably ~$75 US. That would leave you enough for a dinner to follow. The Circle Line leaves from one of the piers on the West Side, in the 50's, so a restaurant that is midtown west would work. Hell's Kitchen is the name of the neighborhood just north.

 

[beanscene]

A trip to NYC is sure to be a wonderful way to celebrate his birthday! I think the best tour of NY is the Circle Line boat trip that completely encircles Manhattan. It's a half-day trip, but loaded with history and interesting facts about the city. I'm not sure of the price now, but probably ~$75 US. That would leave you enough for a dinner to follow. The Circle Line leaves from one of the piers on the West Side, in the 50's, so a restaurant that is midtown west would work. Hell's Kitchen is the name of the neighborhood just north.

Sounds wonderful, will investigate, thank you.